So, who would you WANT to see named on that 104 list?

Okay, let's be honest here, the Yankees have been hit hard by the steroid scandal. It seems like the juice was being passed around pretty freely by a lot of guys who came through the Bronx, from Chuck Knoblauch to Gary Sheffield, with a little Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez sprinkled in between.

But we all KNOW there are a lot of other guys out there that have been pumping full of the muscle milk, so let's just put it all out there. Which guys would you LIKE to hear have been doing steroids? I know, I know, none of us should WANT anyone to be caught, right? It's a terrible stain on the game of baseball and it hurts the credibility of the sport, no matter who it is.

Bulls**t.

I want someone else to have to have some sort of press conference with one of their players out there swinging. Yeah, that's right, that's how I roll. If the Yanks are gonna be smacked around constantly, I want blood on the other end. There will be blood damnit and it won't all be pinstriped.

So, here is a list of a few players I wouldn't mind seeing on that final list, from first to last.

Curt Schilling - This is the gold medal. This is the ultimate award and would be ultimate proof in this world that God does, indeed, answer prayer.

This scumbag is constantly running his freakin mouth. Anytime someone hit a homer off of him, Schilling was out there complaining about the "steroid" culture that was costing him precious records. Then, when Congress came a calling, big boy Schilling couldn't remember his own name, let alone how many of his colleagues might be juicing.

Wouldn't it just be so wonderful if it turned out that bloody sock had more to do with roid injections than broken stitches? That crap stain of a Web site he runs would be fun reading a few days after the news broke, wouldn't it?

I think Dan Shaunessy and I would be doing the dance of joy from the Perfect Strangers sitcom if Curt's name ever came up.

David Ortiz - This wouldn't be good for the game but it would KILL the Red Sox fan, and that, my friends, is what this is all about.

I know Big Papi seems like a nice guy, but he went from a scrap heap player left for dead by the Twins to one of the most feared hitters in the majors. No way he was juicing, right? Not a chance. I mean, at 26 with the Twinkies he hit 20 homers, drove in 75 RBI and played in 125 games. The next year, with the Sox, in 128 games, he hit 31 homers, drove in 101 RBI, batted .288, by far his career high, and slugged .592, which was 92 points higher than his all-time best. His next three years he hit 41, 47, and 54 homers. That, after having never been able to break through with the vaunted Twins team.

But, like I said, there aint no chance he ever did a Jose Canseco workout routine, right? Big Papi? How about Big Injection In The Ass-i?

Carl Pavano - I know this would techincally be another Yankee, but wouldn't it be the perfect end to the perfect career in New York?

I don't have a lot of good reasons why this would make sense, just simply that he is the worst human being on the face of the earth and he SHOULD have been doing steroids. Plus, it would be fun to think that even a chemical eventually rejected Pavano. While the juice was making guys like Ken Caminiti an MVP, it was making Pavano a disabled list all-time great. You get the sense that the juice got into his system, looked around and thought "Damn, I couldn't sleep at night if I helped this schmuck become a star."

If there is any list out there that has cheaters on it, it just wouldn't be complete without one Carl Pavano.

Carlos Delgado - I'm not a big fan of Delgado. From his insistance at not recognizing the Star Spangled Banner as a "protest" to U.S. actions overseas (want to really protest, how about you turn down all those U.S. dollars you get every month?) to his diappearing act at the end of bad games in the Mets clubhouse, forcing others to for the team, I just can't stand the guy. Plus, he fits the profile. Can't move, just hits homers, is starting to experience a strange "drop" in production later in his career, suddenly has a resurgent year outta nowhere. Hell, he's like the Webster Dictionary definition of suspicious behavior. And, he's a mouthy Met. He NEEDS to be on that list.

Mike Piazza - I know Mikey is outta baseball right now, but I want to see him on that list for one simple reason: it will prove that you can, actually, spot these guys. We all know Piazza was doing something, don't we? You don't think that is fair? I don't care. The rumors about Piazza have been around for years and years and I think it is pretty obvious that where there is smoke there is fire.

Plus, I think it would be fun laying that bombshell at the feet of the Mets fan, who somehow seems to skate on the fact that Kirk Rodamski, the steroid guru of the East Coast, was a clubhouse guy for THEIR team. It seems kinda odd that Captain Kirk would be distributing roids all around the majors, except for the clubhouse in which he actually worked. If I had to guess, I would imagine that Piazza was one of Kirk's better customers. Plus, it would explain his offensive mullet haircut. Even his hair was juicing at that point.

A couple of honorable mentions would have to be Dustin Pedroia, because I loath everything about him, Theo Epstein, who I would prefer were caught dealing on Lansdowne Street like some kinda junky, Ozzie Guillen, Kenny Rogers, Joe Buck, and Tim MCarver. If any of those names are on the now infamous 104 list, I would be happy. Also, I would be pumped if Selena Roberts were caught in a hotel room with about 10 pounds of crack. I don't blame her for breaking the story, that's her job, but, seriously, is there a more useless book to be writing than a bio-piece on a egocentric sports star millionaire whose only contribution to society has been hitting home runs and sleeping with questionable women? Does anyone really care about A-Rod's Madonna affair? Enough to buy a $35 book? And, remember, Ms. Roberts is the reporter who, while working for the NY Times, essentially tried and convicted the Duke lacrosse players of rape. Turns out, the kids didn't rape anyone. Selena's response? No apology, no remorse, some twisted excuse that "well, other bad things happened that night." There is something terribly wrong with you if wrongly accusing someone of rape seems justified as long as there were some other questionable actions taking place, like cat calls and some racial comments.

So, yes, an added bonus to the list would be a picture of Ms. Roberts on the cover of the NY Post, getting carted out of some cheap motel, bags of crack cocaine following closely behind.

Ah, to dream.

Some Sunday thoughts

I love the first images of spring training. For those of us who live in the North, and are forced inside for 5 months by the weather, seeing palm trees and tee shirts is, perhaps, the most beautiful sight in the world. It just feels like something new is coming.

I even love watching that first game. It's like being introduced to baseball all over again. I want to see how Jeter and Mariano and Jorge and the rest of the guys look. Anyone seem to be in excellent condition? Anyone have a few too many Twinkies in the off season?

And how about the new guys? You can look at pictures of CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira and AJ Burnett all day long. It doesn't replace actually seeing them on the screen for the first time (hopefully in HD) and watching them play a real game.

The most fun, however, is watching the rookies. I remember a few years ago, when the Yankees were high on Jose Tabata, I couldn't wait to see what the kid actually liked like. He stepped up to the plate and, to me, he appeared to be the spitting image of a young Manny Ramirez. He didn't do anything spectacular with the bat (I believe he flew out to left) but his bat speed, his plate coverage, and his overall look just had me salivating. When the Yankees traded for Nady and Marte last year, and Tabata was included in the deal, I understood. Nady was having a great year and Marte was a supremely valuable lefty reliever who could pitch in late-inning situations. Plus, Tabata had fallen on hard times in the minors, both statistically and emitionally, and it was obvious the Yanks were no longer high on his makeup.

But there is a part of me that still expects that, one day, Tabata is going to be that mini-Manny Ramirez and we will all regret the decision to send him packing to the Pirates.

But that is spring training. Every February, hope springs eternal. Every rookie is Roberto Clemente in the making, every veteran is due for a bounce back year.

It has been hard to think about anything other than A-Roid and scandal the last few weeks (another baseball gift from the kind of melo-drama himself) but I have decided to completely block that out and focus on the beauty of Florida baseball. So here are the things I am looking forward to seeing the most over the next 6 or so weeks.

-Someone always looks different when they are on your favorite team and you get to watch them week in and week out. I have been a supporter of Sabathia for a few years now, believeing that the hefty lefty found something that turned him from a good player with great talent into a great player utilizing all of his skills.

But now, CC will be in pinstripes all season long, and I will be interested to see what he really looks like out there on the mound. Will he be as impressive? What kind of demeanor and personality does he have? What kind of arsenal of pitches does he employ each day? These are things you don't pay attention to when he is on another team. You're watching your own guys at the plate, wondering why they can't hit what he is dealing. Now all the attention will be on the big guy and I can't wait to see what he does.

And the same goes for Tex. He is kind of the found money of the offseason. I think most Yankee fans recognized that something needed to be done with the offense this season, but would still have been happy with Sabathia and Burnett, as those signings restructured the entire rotation. But then Brian Cashman and the front office swooped in and grabbed Tex right out from underneath the Red Sox noses. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Very amusing to me. Now, it will be interesting to see how Tex, the Yankee first baseman for many a year to come barring injury, looks with that interlocking NY on his head each day. I have a feeling both will be very impressive.

- It seems like the Yankees are hell bent on giving the center field job to either Melky Cabrera or Bret Gardner. This will make for a fascinating competition for the position. Most of the time with the Yankees spring training is about as interesting as a CSPAN highlight reel. The club is filled with veterans who know their role and have their assignment. That is mostly the case again this year. First, second, third, short, right, left, and catcher are all secured barring injury. But that center field spot is open, meaning that, for two players spring will be more than just an extended period in the weight room.

What really interests me about this competition is that I truly believe both guys have a lot of potential. Melky looked like dead-man walking last year - barely worth a fourth outfield spot on the team. However, it was only 2 years ago that Melky looked to be a .280+ hitter with decent speed, some pop, and a knack for getting big hits. He looked like the grinder role player the Yanks have been sorely lacking over the years. A guy who isn't delusional enough to believe he will be a hall of famer or even a multi-year all star, but a guy who does the little things in order to help the team.

Add that to his arm and his defense and Melky quickly became one of my favorite players to watch and an unheralded hero of that 2006 season. Can he recapture any of that magic?

Then you have the case of Brett Gardner. The speedy outfielder looked like a deer in the headlights when he came up last year and it looked like another case of the Yankees over estimating one of their prospects. But a late season call up proved immense for him, as he batted over .280 for that period and showed off his good defense and his excellent speed.

Gardner is fascinating because he has the skills to be an Aarond Rowand type player, with less power and more speed. He is obviously a hustle player and he does all the little things right, from bunting to hitting behind the runner to putting the ball on the side of the field that will most likely get the job done. But it is his speed that really sets him apart. You could easily see this kid stealing 50+ bases if he could get on base at a .360 clip. That is a dimension the Yanks have not seen before.

I don't know who I am rooting for more, to be honest. One part of me would love to see my little favorite player, Melky, regain his footing and prove that he can be a good player in this league. He has a fire and determination, and a joy for playing the game, that I think the Yankees could use. On the other hand I love the way Gardner plays the game - that no-nonsense approach where your jersey is going to be dirty every single game and you'll run through a brick wall to score a run. That is old-school baseball and I like it.

I, personally, will be happy with any outcome other than both players flopping and the Yanks having to put Damon or Swisher in center, or making a trade for some old, washed up guy like Mike Cameron or Randy Winn.

- There are two rookies I can't wait to see, but I have different feelings about both. First is Austin Jackson. This is supposedly the best prospect in the Yankee farm system and potentially the next great home grown player for the team. However, a lot of the reports I have read have been mixed. Some have said that, despite his obvious athletic ability, he has not displayed a tremendous amount of baseball ability just yet. His year, stats wise, in AA were decent but by no means outstanding, and his performance in the Arizona Fall League was somewhat disappointing. Now, put his minor league stats next to those of Hanley Ramirez and you'll notice they are about the same, so it might just be that Jackson needs to mature and progress and he will be a monster player in the future. Or, it might be that the Yankes, as they so frequently are, were wrong about Jackson and that, instead of him being a top-flight prospect, he is simply a run-of-the-mill player with little value.

So, I am excited to see Jackson, but I also dread seeing him because I believe the over-under on being disappointed what I see lies exactly 50-50. I remember a few years ago watching Phil Hughes in the minors and not being impressed. It was easy to dismiss that first impression as it was spring training, guys were just getting in to shape, and he was a youngster trying to impress on the big stage. But I remember thinking "man, this kid doesn't throw nearly as hard as everyone has said." Turns out, at least for now, that first impression was the correct one.

That's my fear with Jackson.

Now, on the other hand, am absolutely thrilled at the idea of getting a first look at Jesus Montero, the catching prospect. This kid seems to be the real, real deal and after everything have read, he seems like one of those rare prospects who might simply fly through the system. He's only 19 now, but he seems on the fast track already. He supposedly has a gun for an arm, power even at this age, and a real command of the strike zone. A lot of people believe he is destind for a position change. Unless there is something wrong with his knees I don't see why. If he has a great arm and can block a ball (he didn't have a lot of passed balls last year) can't you teach him how to handle a pitching staff? And, considering your perrenial all star catcher isn't getting any younger, and they aren't exactly giving catchers away around baseball, why would you move a stud away from the position at which he could be most valuable?

Either way, I am excited to see him and see if the hype is correct.

You have to be kidding me.............

So, what was your first thought when you heard the news that Alex Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids in 2003? Was it extreme disappointment? Was it absolute shock? Maybe there was a twinge of satisfaction knowing that someone you believed to be a phony was suddenly proven to be just that.
Me? My response was simple: "You've got to be freakin kidding me."
I'll be honest, I didn't expect this revelation when it came to A-Rod. I just didn't think his involvement would stay silent for this long. Plus, he just didn't seem to fit the profile. Yes, he's bigger than he was when he first got called up, but the kid was 19 when he broke into the majors with Seattle. Anyone you know look the same at 33 as they did at 19? Hell, Derek Jeter looks a lot bigger now than he did when he first came up and, really, NO ONE is suspecting him of having used.
A-Rod's production also didn't shoot up off the charts Bonds style. He ALWAYS had power and by his 22nd birthday while playing in Seattle, he was smacking 40+ homers a year. It wasn't too hard to imagine that, with a little more maturity and better understanding of how to play the game, he would be able to hit 50 before long.
But drama follows the Fraud around like flies on the ass of a donkey. Some of it is simply a product of his fame and has little to do with his own personal actions. Much of it is a direct result of his bad decisions (going to a strip-club all night with a woman NOT his wife, giving and interview where he slammed his supposed best friend Derek Jeter, constantly referring to himself as a "family man" only a few months before divorcing his wife, while she was pregnant, and striking up a relationship with the corpse formerly known as Madonna).
It is just too much.
As great a player as he is (his statistics are unquestioned) the guy just seems like a dark cloud hanging over the entire franchise. And now, another black eye, courtesy of the $300 million man.
We can talk about what this means for A-Rod's legacy, how this adds yet another nail into the coffin of this steroid era of baseball, what baseball, and Yankees, are feeling now knowing that their eventually statistically "savior," who was going to restore order to a record book Barry Bonds had helped rip apart, is just another cheater waiting for his turn in line.
For me, the only feeling I have is one of exhaustion.
I'm tired of steroids and finding out, every year, that another icon of the sport was propped up, at least in part by illegal drugs. I am tired of having to forget so many parts of the last 15 years and erase from memory the amount of joy I took in watching men seemingly at the height of their physical prowess doing things I could only dream of. I am tired of players on the Yankees making it so hard to root for the team. What a difference between the dynasty teams - who won with such professionalism and resolve that they were admired even by the most staunch Yankee haters - to now, when, as a Yankee fan, you feel ashamed at times to be rooting for some of the players taking the field.
I am tired of not being able to simply watch the season of baseball unfold without constantly having to think about whether what I am watching is on the up and up. And now, mostly, I am tired of A-Rod and his act. I'm tired of hearing people make excuses for his failed attempts to be anything more than a stats machine when big hits and guile are required. I am tired of his off-broadway production that includes everyone from Jose Canseco's wife to Madonna now to steroids. I am tired of the Yankee season being many times secondary to A-Rod's own personal story.
After his historic 2007 season I was firmly in the camp of those who wanted A-Rod to come back. How, I asked, would you be able to replace his production? Love him or hate him, the man was surreal when it came to his statistical dominance. Yes, he was a liability when it came to the playoffs, or any big spot in the season at the plate, but the Yanks needed someone to help them GET to the playoffs, and no one could do that better than Alex.
Now? I have to think I, and a lot of other fans, were just flat out wrong. The Yanks don't need this crap. They don't need this circus sideshow. And they certainly don't need yet another guy who is going to be brandished as a cheater who put himself ahead of the game of baseball.
But A-Rod is here for another 9 years and it doesn't appear that the games and the drama are going to be leaving his side anytime soon.
Enough is enough. No homeruns and RBI's is worth this.
A few more thoughts on this whole mess:
*As sick as I am as a fan of A-Rod's antics, can you imagine how absolutely pissed his teammates are right now? Every question the next two months will be "Hey (insert Yankee players name), what do you think about Alex and his failed drug test? Did you ever see Alex use? Did you know he was on steroids?" I'm sure Jeter, who simply wants to play the game on the field and go home, is just thrilled knowing that his spring will yet again be dedicated to answering questions about A-Rod. I think this is the season that someone snaps and can't take the Rodriguez questions any longer.
And how about Joe Girardi? GI Joe had a hard enough problem handling the media last year. His post-game press conferences were dripping with tension by the middle part of the season. How is he going to handle the incessant "Joe, what do you think of A-Roid" questions (which, I'm sure, will be phrased much differently).
*While I was surprised by this disclosure, I have to admit it makes sense when you think about it. First, A-Rod is, by all accounts, obsessed with his place in baseball and his legacy. Using steroids certainly cemented Bonds' place on top of the record books, why wouldn't A-Rod consider plunging in head first? And as far as morality goes, I know one doesn't have to do with the other, but is it such a huge stretch to believe that a guy who cheated on, and then eventually divorced his wife only a few weeks after the couple had their second child would be willing to cheat at the game of baseball? Of course not. I mean, cheating on your wife with a beat up old hag of a pop star while she is pregnant is just, well, what celebrities do, right? That's just a crime of passion, but when it comes to the integrity of the game, you can't question his values.
*Why is it that every steroid user who seemed to pass through the Bronx is described as "former Yankee" such and such? I mean, do you really think Yankees when you think Kevin Brown or Gary Sheffield? These guys stopped in New York for basically a cup of coffee. Clemens I can see. Pettitte, obviously. But I even heard Jose Canseco described as "former Yankee". Are you joking? I couldn't even tell you the year the Yanks got stuck with that eye twitching, homer-head loser.
I know the Yankees had their fair share of guys who used roids, but most of them did while on other teams, or were only really passing through the Bronx in their careers. It just seems like yet another example of anti-Yankee sentiment. Steroids is BASEBALL'S problem, not the Yanks.
*Whenever I hear a revelation like this I truly do appreciate Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera even more. Could one, if not both of them be implicated down the road? I guess at this point it is a possibility, but I think it is safe to assume that they are clean. In an era in which it seems even the most talented players were cheating in order to make themselves even better, Jeter and Rivera have put up hall of fame resumes on their talent and workethic alone. Jeter has never been a homerun hitter. Rivera was a failure as a starting pitcher. Evidently it didn't bother either one or push them into the steroid culture.
These guys are guys you feel good rooting for. I hope Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia, even though they are not homegrown, elicit a similar comfort level.

Losing on Manny

It is February 5, do you know where your Manny Ramirez is?

I don't and, honestly, I'm not alone because no one, and I mean NO ONE can predict what is actually going to happen with one of the all-time greatest right handed hitters in history.

To be honest, I don't get it. Yes, he's older, and many teams have been burned giving older players long-term contracts. Yes, he is a nutjob, we all know this. There is going to be a game where a ball goes flying over Manny's head because he is counting cloud formations in the sky or getting ready to take an in-game bathroom break. And yes, Manny handled his last month or so with the Sox horribly, and there is little doubt in my mind that, had he remained on the team, he would have quit on the Sox before the whole season had ended similar to what he did in 2005 after the Yankees spanked the Sox in a 5-game sweep, affectionately called the Boston Massacre II.

But make no mistake, Manny aint no Terrel Owens here. This isn't a guy you CAN'T win with. In fact, the Boston Red Sox, the mutt teams of all mutt teams not based in Chicago (sorry Cubbies) won TWO championships in large part due to Manny's abilities. And, if you want further proof, go ask Joe Torre and the Dodgers, a middle of the pack team prior to Manny's arrival, what it was like having that man on their team.

Manny isn't just a good hitter, he is a GAME CHANGER. He can do things few, if anyone, can do. So, when Manny eventually does land somewhere, there are gonna be a few teams absolutely kicking themselves, and I thought it would be fun to point out which teams should be smacking their head against the wall.

The LA Dodgers: The smart money is still on the Dodgers to land Manny, but at this point it certainly isn't a given. We are near zero hour when it comes to spring training and nothing has happened, meaning Manny may very well find a new landing spot.

Now, if LA ends up without Manny, just turn out the lights, please. This was a .500 team at best before Manny showed up. With him in the lineup, they had a legit chance to end up in the World Series.

Coming in to this year the Dodgers have an even more pronounced need for Manny's bat. There isn't one difference maker in the everyday lineup, unless you believe that Matt Kemp is ready to take a leap and become a superstar caliber player. Yes, Andre Ethier and James Loney are very good players, and both might join Kemp in continuing to mature as players, but none of them have superstar all over them. Plus, LA hasn't really replaced the loss of Derek Lowe, meaning that not only is their lineup somewhat limited but their rotation is also compromised.

Perhaps more importantly, though, Manny became a cult hero in a short time in LA. He put on a show in a town that loves theatrics. This was his Hollywood moment and he proved himself to be an A-lister. Despite the fact that their team would still be a major challenger in a weak NL West, it would seem a hard sell to get Dodger fans excited for the season minus Manny.

San Francisco Giants: Is this not a perfect spot for the Giants to swoop in and grab Manny on a two year contract with an option for a third? I mean, seriously, they were willing to overpay for Bar-roid for years to provide some star power to their lineup. Why not pay an equivalent amount for Manny for two or three years and give yourself a chance to win the NL?

Look at the Giants right now. Their "big" hitters are Aarond Rowand, Edgar Renteria, and Benjie Molina. I know the team is very high on Pablo Sandoval, who will probably play third base, but even if he were able to produce at a much higher level than his 22 years would indicate, it is really hard to see how he could make that big of a difference in that lineup. Now, add Manny into the lineup, couple him with the veteran hitters of Rowand, Renteria and Molina, and hope you get a good year out of Sandoval, and suddenly the lineup isn't as pathetic as it appears. Plus, look at the rotation the Giants will be putting out there every single day: Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Barry Zito, and Randy Johnson. Heck, that isn't that bad at all, is it? And, consider the fact that much maligned Barry Zito only gave up 5 or more runs twice after August 13 and, for the most part, pitched very well down the stretch, and there is room for optomism that Zito could end up being better in the second half of this lineup than the first half.

If you're the Giants and you sign Manny, it gives you a tremendous amount of flexibility. First, it immediately improves your chances to win this year. Second, it allows you to trade one of your pitchers for yet another bat but it doesn't necessarily have to be Cain, since you wouldn't need a HUGE stick any longer, just a good, professional hitter (something a Sanchez should be able to bring back). Finally, it immediately energizes your fanbase and packs your stadium each and every night.

But, of course, it seems all of that would just make way too much sense. How could anyone expect you have to spend money in order to make money? That never works, does it? Nope, sending out a mediocre team that has no personality whatsoever, except for Lincecum, really sends the right message, doesn't it?

The St. Louis Cardinals: This is kind of a wild one, I know, but think about it for a second. Right now, the Cards are probably what, third in the Central behind the Chicago Cubs and I would still say the Brewers, even though Milwaukee lost a lot this offseason? If they landed Manny, think of what that would do for their entire team?

Immediately, it gives them one of the most potent lineups around with Albert Pujols and Manny back to back. You could make the arguement that they are the best two pure hitters in the game today. Add in Ryan Ludwick, Rick Ankiel, a healthy Troy Glaus, and a perfectly pesky Adam Kennedy and I can't imagine there would be a lot of teams that would want to face that lineup.

Manny would also help the rotation. Suddenly, what looks to be a thin starting five that leans on Adam Weinwright and the always shaky Joel Piniero (who is either really good or really bad) only has to be solid because the offense should be able to blast its way through a lot of other team's pitchers. If you ended up getting a good year Todd Wellermeyer and/or Kyle Lohse, you would probably have more than enough pitching to make it through the central.

Why not sign Manny on and make a run for it with your offense, at least until some of the younger pitchers in their system mature or they are able to trade for another arm or two that could help.

The Anahiem Angels: Again, this is a move I just don't understand. Last year, after the Angels traded for Mark Teixeira, they became the best team in the majors in my mind. Adding Tex to the lineup with Vlady was the last step needed to make that team and juggernaut. Now, they still need to figure out a way to actually beat the Red Sox in a big spot, but wouldn't Manny be a HUGE step in that direction?

If you were to add Manny to the team, you would essentially be moving Juan Rivera to the bench and Gary Matthews Jr. to left field. It instantly improves every aspect of the team. The offense is significantly improved. The outfield defense becomes perhaps the best in the league. And, as has been said before, the rotation, already a huge plus for this team, has more pressure taken off their shoulders.

Look, I understand the Angels desire to acquire some young players. Vlady, Tori Hunter, and Matthews Jr. are not getting any younger and, eventually, this team is gonna hit a wall and take a step back. But that wall is still off in the distance, and it would seem to me that the Angels would want to take full advantage of this window of opportunity.

This team has money, certainly enough to spend on Manny for two or even three years. What really is the down side?

The New York Mets: I honestly believe this is the no brainer of the group. The Mets have essentially ripped their fans' hearts out over the last two years. Is there a team in the majors that has done a better job of adopting the abandoned Red Sox "we like to kill at least 3,000 older fans per year with our end of the year play" mantra better than this team?

Now they have the chance to steal the best righthander hitter in baseball and make him feel like the most wanted man in America, and weld a chip the size of Texas to his shoulder for the entire length of his contract.

Please, tell me again why the Mets have said they WILL not go after him?

Jose Reyes and David Wright have proven to be two of the best young players in the game, and they have also proven to show cracks under pressure. Carlos Beltran is a terrific player who comes up with big hits, but he isn't the force Manny can be. Add Manny and suddenly the pressure is taken off the Mets players in an instant. Can you imagine the Mets trotting this lineup out there for the next three years: Jose Reyes, Luis Castillo, Carlos Beltran, Manny Ramirez, David Wright, Carlos Delgado, Ryan Church and Brian Schneider. That is a potent and dynamic group of hitters right there and, let me ask Mets fans this question - with Manny in that four hole, do you think Cole Hamels would be quick to call the Mets "chokers" or Hanley Ramirez call them "punks?" No chance.

I have a feeling the whole Madoff scandal that evidently cost the Wilpons millions of dollars is having a much larger affect on their personnel decisions. Why else would they avoid any conversation with Manny? At this point even the Yankees would be smart to check in on Manny and see what it would take.

The Mets need to make some sort of effort here for their fans. If Manny were asking, still, for $100 million over five years I could understand them balking, but, at this point, a two year contract might seal the deal. Even a three year contract wouldn't be all that bad as one could see Ramirez remaining potent to at least 40 year's old.

Come on Mets, step up here and prove that, yet again, you aren't a second rate team.

Quick take on the most uninspiring Super Bowl in years

As a Giants fan, I will admit that my own rooting interests are probably preventing me from truly appreciating this current edition of The Super Bowl. For one, last year's big game, no matter who you call your team, was one of the greatest ever played. The stories lines were great - the perfect team playing for the perfect season against the road warriors who had done the improbable and rattled off road wins in places like Tampa and Dallas and Green Bay to make the final dance - and the stars were out in force. Then, the game itself was terrific, as it combined great defense with clutch performances as both teams played up to their capabilities.
So, few games could compare to that hype, and when you couple that with the fact that the G-Men appeared to be poised for a return to the Bowl this year, and instead were derailed by a gutsy Eagles team and a terrible team performance all around (and the knowledge that Arizona would have NEVER been able to win in the Meadowlands in subzero weather in January), it is truly hard to get up for this game.
But I don't get the sense that I am alone in my apathy. I haven't heard anyone really talking about this game. It seems so ahhhhh. The Steelers are a good team but by no means an immoveable object and the Cardinals story is terrific but, again, they are the Cardinals. I just can't bring myself to root for them all that hard. Nothing in this game would shock me, except for a Cards blowout.
With that being said, let me offer up my prediction for this game.
First, it is amazing to me how many people have jumped on the Cardinals bandwagon. I watched all three games and, to be honest, they just weren't all that impressive. Don't get me wrong, they are a fun team to watch, and Fitzgerald and Boldin are as good as it gets and they pull out enough big plays to make every game interesting, but I also believe they are fairly easy to stop. Just hit Kurt Warner. As great as Kurt is, he has never responded to being smacked around. Just look at that second half against the Eagles two weeks ago. The Eagle D slammed Warner and he never, ever got going. In fact, had the Cards not played PERFECT football in that first half, they would have been an easy lunch in the end for the Eagles, who just dominated that half of football.
So, in this game, while I expect the Cards will make a few big plays, I also expect some Warner turnovers. He is gonna see pressure, and a lot of it, and his confidence - in himself and his WR's - are going to force him to make some bad decisions. I fully expect to see a pick 6 in this game for the Steelers.
To me, however, the biggest difference will be the Steelers offense versus the Cards D. I have seen absolutely NOTHING from the Cards D that would suggest they can go toe to toe with the Steelers for four quarters.
The Panthers easily moved the ball against them and, if it wasn't for Delhomme playing the worst game ever by a QB, they probably would have won that game outright. Then, as I mentioned, the second half of the NFC Championship game saw the Eagles cut through that Cards D like it was butter. Just one first down after another.
Ben Rothliesberger has been playing great defenses all year long, and finding a way to beat those defenses. This time around, he is gonna find a D that just doesn't match up. They will run the ball effectively, and Big Ben will find his talented corps of receivers down the field plenty of times. They are gonna control the clock and just take chunks of yards at a time. They are going to overpower the Cards.
Trust me, I am hoping for a good game. When your team isn't involved in the Super Bowl you are just hoping for a fun game to watch. However, I just don't see it happening. I think the Cards got on a roll and that roll stops now. A friend of mine described the team the best when he said they remind him of the Colorado Rockies of a few years ago, who just caught fire at the right time but, in the end, just couldn't compete with yet another good team. The Cards did everything they could, and deserve all the credit in the world, but when all is said and done, look for the Steelers to come away with a 30-17 win. At least we can all be rested for work tomorrow, unless you're in the Steel City.