I am not going to comment on the debacle in Queens this weekend. When your starting pitching goes in the tank like that and your hitters all take a collective break, you're gonna lose, even to a bad team like the Mets (especially when they throw their two best pitchers at you during the series). I could talk about how badly Teixeira has been playing, how little power A-Rod has showcased this year, and how the collective slumping of Jeter, Cano, and Gardner has hurt the team, but I would rather take the high road and wait it out. Let's see how they react against the Twins this week. If they can win a few there, they can easily settle into a very accomodating June schedule. Let's see if someone can help right the ship here.
Instead, I want to talk about my second favorite subject on this blog over the last few months and that is Lebron James. A few weeks back I wrote that Lebron would be a New York Knick if he knew what is good for him. I still think the Knicks have a compelling case to make. They are the only team that can bring in two max free agents, meaning that Lebron can essentially pick with whom he would like to play for the next 10 years.
However, after further review, I have decided to amend my earlier statement. Yes, I believe Lebron is leaving Cleveland. Yes, I believe he is coming to New York. But, I believe when he arrives, he'll be wearing a Nets jersey (pun intended).
Why?
Looking at it, I believe there is really only one hurdle (a big one) that prevents New Jersey from being the absolute, prohibitive favorite when it comes to the James sweepstakes: their home for the next two years. I can't believe that playing in Newark seems like the answer to an NBA dream for Lebron, and it is a mountain that has to be climbed. Granted, playing in Newark for the next two years, before moving on to Brooklyn, is better than playing in the IZOD center, the Tropicana Field of the NBA, but it still represents a lateral move in terms of cities when it comes to Lebron. And, if the move were coming in, say, a year, then I would say it wouldn't be as big a problem, but two years? It doesn't seem like much, but in sports two years can be a lifetime.
That being said, I still believe Lebron ends up in Newark with the Nets. There are ways around the geography, other things that will come into play, that will make it easy for James to accept a new, temporary home in Newark.
1.) It is temporary - Lebron, in signing with the Nets, wouldn't necessarily be committing to Newark. He would, instead, be committing to Brooklyn. If all were to go as planned, the Nets would move into the Barclay Arena in Brooklyn in the 2012/2013 season. Lebron, by that time, would be 27 years old. He would still have the best five or six years of his career ahead of him, if not more (Lebron could easily be a 35 or 36-year old playing at a high level).
Playing in Brooklyn, bringing professional sports back to that area, has got to be appealing to Lebron. Brooklyn has been pining for something since the Dodgers left what seems like a million years ago and basketball seems like a perfect fit. No, the wait isn't ideal, but the final destination ultimately is.
2.) Mikhail Prokhorov - What everyone keeps focusing on is that the NBA's version of Donald Trump has a whole lotta money. That's true, and that is a huge factor in why Lebron would choose the Nets. Unlike Cleveland, whose owned by a run-of-the-mill milionaire, Prokhorov is worth billions. Lebron needs his owner to splurge for a new small forward down the road, so be it. Need your owner to go well beyond the salary cap for not just two or three years, but 10 years? You found your man.
But, Prokhorov's fortune goes beyond just simply his ability to sign Lebron and put some high-priced pieces around him. It is also about what he can offer the budding superstar. Lebron wants to be an international star, beyond what he already is, and there is no owner in the NBA that offers a greater opportunity to promote that brand worldwide than Prokhorov. Also, the Nets are a minority owner with the Yankees in the YES Network, the most successful regional sports channel around. Having Prokhorov and the Yankee-run Yes Network behind him would seem more than a small step towards truly promoting his brand. Finally, it offer Lebron options in terms of a contract I can't imagine he would get anywhere else. What is going to stop Prokhorov from including provisions within Lebron's contract, or striking a second contract outside the lines of a normal NBA performance agreement, that would allow Lebron to take advantage of certain aspects of his empire that no one else has. I can imagine that, if Lebron really wants to eventually be a billionaire and owner of a team, that kind of a connection and possible partnership, one that can't be duplicated in the NBA, is invaluable.
3.) A little talent never hurts - It would seem somewhat comical to talk about talent and a team that won 12 games last year in the same breath, but the Nets are in a better roster position than most teams looking to bring in Lebron. First, if Lebron wants to sign outright with the Nets, he would join a team with Devin Harris, Brooke Lopez, and a very talented young player in Terrence Williams. That is a threesome Lebron could join right now that would provide for athleticism and talent, and plays well into Lebron's strength. There is no one that sports the potential big man like Lopez, and Harris is a very good distributor and jump shooter, while Williams adds a load of athletic ability. Lebron could rack up triple doubles with those guys without even breaking a sweat. Also, don't forget that the Nets have Yi Jianlian, who isn't as dominate a presence as a lot had hoped, but is an excellent spot up 3-point shooter, something Lebron despertaley needs.
Also, while the Nets didn't land the number 1 pick and John Wall, they did land the number 3 pick. Let's say that pick ends up being Derrick Favors from Wake Forrest. This is a 6-10 kid, 7-2 wing span who will be able to block shots and dunk on the world right out of college. If his offensive game comes around, he could be terrific (some are saying he has the raw tools to end up being the best player to come out of the draft in the next 5 years). That would add another big time talent to the Nets. Let's also not forget the Nets have the cap room to sign another top-talent player to the mix. Since Lebron could use a good spot-up jump shooter to go along with Yi Jianlian, what about signing the veteran Rip Hamilton? I think Detroit is looking to go in the direction of Ben Gordon anyway. Hamilton is 32, which makes him a young old. He is the perfect "run him off screens and get open" kinda guy. He can hit threes and, perhaps most importantly, he has won a championship, which means he can be a good influence for Lebron.
A team of Lebron, Harris, Hamilton, Favors, and Lopez, with Jianlian, Williams, and Courtney Lee off the bench, seems pretty darn good, doesn't it? If Favors ever became the type of player his talent dictates he could be, that is one special kinda team. Harris suddenly becomes option three, Hamilton option four, and Favors, in his rookie year, is simply asked to be athletic, rebound, block shots, and dunk when Lebron or Harris throws him an alley-oop.
The depth also allows the Nets to be major players if Lebron wants a sign and trade with Cleveland. This would allow him to sign the full contract with the Cavs but then move on to the Nets. Now, you might ask why the Cavs would do this: simple, because, if you know Lebron is outtie 5,000, why not accomodate him and get something back in return? In that scenario, it's hard to imagine that the Nets offer with Harris as the centerpiece wouldn't be extrememly attractive.
Monday, May 24
Saturday, May 15
Listen to Kevin, Bron Bron
Hey Lebron, welcome to the best, weirdest, and certainly most hyped summer of your life. I hope you weren't planning any trips to Disney or some international jaunts with Ricky Williams, cause you aint gonna have time.
Chances are, you're gonna spend a lot of time in Chicago and New York, with a trip over to Newark. Heck, you might even decide to venture over to LA LA land and talk with that second-class citizen team, the Clippers, just for a free trip to Hollywood and a chance to hang with Halle Berry one night.
This is your summer, and I have no doubt you plan on soaking it up.
The truth is, everyone with a pulse and an interest in basketball is going to give you some advice. Heck, even the President and the Mayor of New York have already chimed in. I'm sure your phone is going to ring more than Tiger Woods' when his wife was out of town for the weekend.
Well, since I don't have your number, let me offer this piece of advice from the comfort of my own home: don't walk, run from Cleveland as soon as you can.
Look, people are going to try (heck, they already are trying) to box you into Cleveland for the next several years of your life by strapping you to the word loyalty. In the eyes of so many fans and media personalities, you "owe" Cleveland and the Cavaliers something. You "owe" them a career. You "owe" them the best years of your professional life. The reason you "owe" them? Well, that's where things get a little foggy, but it seems most believe your loyalty should simply stem from your place of birth: you were born in Cleveland so, I guess, you should die in Cleveland (at least career-wise, anyway).
Brush these idiotic rumblings aside as you pursue your goals.
Look, you don't owe anyone anything, other than yourself. You have been in Cleveland for seven years. In that time, you have played with heart and soul and taken your team to heights they wouldn't have even been able to imagine had you not been on the roster. Rarely, considering the amount of money you athletes make, does a player give a city and a franchise more than he gets but, in your case, it's the truth. In the annals of sports, you are probably the most underpaid athlete that has ever taken a breath, considering what you have done for that town.
You played all seven years of your contract. You didn't "demand" anything. You didn't force the team to hirer or firer any coaches based on your preferences. You didn't "demand" they get player X or Y because you guys were buddies. You didn't spend your time throwing your general manager of owner under the bus, even when they made obviously bad moves that hindered your ability to win.
You were the best show on earth for seven years in Cleveland and, not once did you demand to leave.
You have fullfilled everything required and, now, you can leave with your head held high.
The truth is, Lebron, Cleveland has already essentially made your choice for you. Had they surrounded you with another superstar player and a roster of winners, then your exit would be more difficult. Then, it would appear as if your were abandoning winning for big-city glory. Then, it would truly appear that championships took a back seat to image in your world.
Yet, in seven years the Cavs have failed to even remotely develop a roster worthy of your talents. Look at the teams still competeing for a championship, Lebron: the Celtics, the team that just beat you, has three hall of fame players (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce), a rising superstar in Rajon Rondo, and gutty players like Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis to even out the roster. Your buddy Kobe Bryant will play the rest of his years with All-Star caliber players Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum, not to mention talented players like Sheldon Brown and a terrific veteran point guard in Derek Fisher.
Orlando? Talent oozes out of that team, so much so that they cruised through their first round with their best player, Dwight Howard, essentially a non-factor. And Steve Nash has Amare Stoudemire, Jason Richardson, and Grant Hill to back him up. Now, for fun, take a look at your roster, this juggernaut of a team the Cavaliers have surrounded you with: the rumor of Shaquille O'Neill, the overrated Antwan Jamison, and Mo Williams, who wouldn't start for any of the teams I mentioned previously. Those are your top options. That is the "winning" group this franchise put around you. Not exactly the 1986 Celtics or 1988 Lakers, huh?
Look, you won 67 games this year, mainly because you were completely and utterly brilliant each and every game. That record fooled a lot of people into believeing that there was some talent around you, but I doubt it conned you the way it did so many media types. You had to have known that once you ran into a really good team, you were toast, right? You had to have known that Mo Williams wasn't gonna do it for you in a big spot, right?
That's why it is time to leave, my friend. That's why the Cavs, with seven years of "plugging holes" instead of developing a champion has all but asked you to leave. They haven't surrounded you with a team, they've surrounded you with a bunch of guys they expect you to make better than they really are. They've surrounded you, for seven straight years, with a cast that can't stand on its own two feet unless you are behind them, holding them up. They haven't handed you the reigns to a Ferrari, they have given you the keys to a Gremlin and asked that you turn it into a Bentley. Then, when you don't, no one comes running to your defense to say "hold on, now, this guy is as good as it gets and we stand behind him."
You don't owe Cleveland anything, Lebron, they owed you, and they failed to do anything other than act like they were putting together a great team.
If you're going to stay, you have to ask yourself whether you think it is going to get any better. Is this team going to bring in that second gun? I doubt it. How can they. They have already locked themselves (and, subsequently you) into a bunch of bad, inconceived contracts all in an effort to throw enough garbage at the wall to see if something sticks. It hasn't, and it isn't going to next year or the year after.
Kevin Garnett the other night talked about your youth. He talked about how, had he to do it over, he would probably have moved on from Minnesota sooner. In other words, he wouldn't have allowed some antiquated sense of "loyalty" to all but ruin his career. Now, towards the end of his career, KG has gotten redemption, but the best years were spent trying desperately to singlehandedly bring another down-on-its-luck city at the time, Minnesota, something to cheer about. It shouldn't have been his cross to bear and it shouldn't be yours, either.
You have options. You have tremendous options. You have the chance to determine the course of your career. Don't let others decide what you should or shouldn't do, when they probably wouldn't adhere to their own advice in a similar situation. Listen to KG. Understand that this is your time. Understand that this is a chance for you to make your mark. You can do that in New York, which will hand you the keys to one of the flagship organizations in the NBA, and all but let you pick your roster for next year and beyond. You can go to the Nets, who are about to bring professional sports back to the burrow of Brooklyn, and who has a cavalcade of talent either on the roster or coming via the draft and free agency. You can go to Chicago and join Derek Rose and Loul Deng and perhaps another great free agent player. You can instantly walk on to a team next year that has more talent and more ability than the Cavs did this year, and you can hitch your wagon to a franchise that is willing to spend (over the cap) as much as is needed to bring you the rings you crave.
Go to New York, Lebron. Go to New Jersey/Brooklyn, or to Chicago, or even to Miami with your buddhy Dwayne Wade. Only, don't let a city or a media tie you to Cleveland. It's your life, my friend and your career. Don't let both die there.
Chances are, you're gonna spend a lot of time in Chicago and New York, with a trip over to Newark. Heck, you might even decide to venture over to LA LA land and talk with that second-class citizen team, the Clippers, just for a free trip to Hollywood and a chance to hang with Halle Berry one night.
This is your summer, and I have no doubt you plan on soaking it up.
The truth is, everyone with a pulse and an interest in basketball is going to give you some advice. Heck, even the President and the Mayor of New York have already chimed in. I'm sure your phone is going to ring more than Tiger Woods' when his wife was out of town for the weekend.
Well, since I don't have your number, let me offer this piece of advice from the comfort of my own home: don't walk, run from Cleveland as soon as you can.
Look, people are going to try (heck, they already are trying) to box you into Cleveland for the next several years of your life by strapping you to the word loyalty. In the eyes of so many fans and media personalities, you "owe" Cleveland and the Cavaliers something. You "owe" them a career. You "owe" them the best years of your professional life. The reason you "owe" them? Well, that's where things get a little foggy, but it seems most believe your loyalty should simply stem from your place of birth: you were born in Cleveland so, I guess, you should die in Cleveland (at least career-wise, anyway).
Brush these idiotic rumblings aside as you pursue your goals.
Look, you don't owe anyone anything, other than yourself. You have been in Cleveland for seven years. In that time, you have played with heart and soul and taken your team to heights they wouldn't have even been able to imagine had you not been on the roster. Rarely, considering the amount of money you athletes make, does a player give a city and a franchise more than he gets but, in your case, it's the truth. In the annals of sports, you are probably the most underpaid athlete that has ever taken a breath, considering what you have done for that town.
You played all seven years of your contract. You didn't "demand" anything. You didn't force the team to hirer or firer any coaches based on your preferences. You didn't "demand" they get player X or Y because you guys were buddies. You didn't spend your time throwing your general manager of owner under the bus, even when they made obviously bad moves that hindered your ability to win.
You were the best show on earth for seven years in Cleveland and, not once did you demand to leave.
You have fullfilled everything required and, now, you can leave with your head held high.
The truth is, Lebron, Cleveland has already essentially made your choice for you. Had they surrounded you with another superstar player and a roster of winners, then your exit would be more difficult. Then, it would appear as if your were abandoning winning for big-city glory. Then, it would truly appear that championships took a back seat to image in your world.
Yet, in seven years the Cavs have failed to even remotely develop a roster worthy of your talents. Look at the teams still competeing for a championship, Lebron: the Celtics, the team that just beat you, has three hall of fame players (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce), a rising superstar in Rajon Rondo, and gutty players like Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis to even out the roster. Your buddy Kobe Bryant will play the rest of his years with All-Star caliber players Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum, not to mention talented players like Sheldon Brown and a terrific veteran point guard in Derek Fisher.
Orlando? Talent oozes out of that team, so much so that they cruised through their first round with their best player, Dwight Howard, essentially a non-factor. And Steve Nash has Amare Stoudemire, Jason Richardson, and Grant Hill to back him up. Now, for fun, take a look at your roster, this juggernaut of a team the Cavaliers have surrounded you with: the rumor of Shaquille O'Neill, the overrated Antwan Jamison, and Mo Williams, who wouldn't start for any of the teams I mentioned previously. Those are your top options. That is the "winning" group this franchise put around you. Not exactly the 1986 Celtics or 1988 Lakers, huh?
Look, you won 67 games this year, mainly because you were completely and utterly brilliant each and every game. That record fooled a lot of people into believeing that there was some talent around you, but I doubt it conned you the way it did so many media types. You had to have known that once you ran into a really good team, you were toast, right? You had to have known that Mo Williams wasn't gonna do it for you in a big spot, right?
That's why it is time to leave, my friend. That's why the Cavs, with seven years of "plugging holes" instead of developing a champion has all but asked you to leave. They haven't surrounded you with a team, they've surrounded you with a bunch of guys they expect you to make better than they really are. They've surrounded you, for seven straight years, with a cast that can't stand on its own two feet unless you are behind them, holding them up. They haven't handed you the reigns to a Ferrari, they have given you the keys to a Gremlin and asked that you turn it into a Bentley. Then, when you don't, no one comes running to your defense to say "hold on, now, this guy is as good as it gets and we stand behind him."
You don't owe Cleveland anything, Lebron, they owed you, and they failed to do anything other than act like they were putting together a great team.
If you're going to stay, you have to ask yourself whether you think it is going to get any better. Is this team going to bring in that second gun? I doubt it. How can they. They have already locked themselves (and, subsequently you) into a bunch of bad, inconceived contracts all in an effort to throw enough garbage at the wall to see if something sticks. It hasn't, and it isn't going to next year or the year after.
Kevin Garnett the other night talked about your youth. He talked about how, had he to do it over, he would probably have moved on from Minnesota sooner. In other words, he wouldn't have allowed some antiquated sense of "loyalty" to all but ruin his career. Now, towards the end of his career, KG has gotten redemption, but the best years were spent trying desperately to singlehandedly bring another down-on-its-luck city at the time, Minnesota, something to cheer about. It shouldn't have been his cross to bear and it shouldn't be yours, either.
You have options. You have tremendous options. You have the chance to determine the course of your career. Don't let others decide what you should or shouldn't do, when they probably wouldn't adhere to their own advice in a similar situation. Listen to KG. Understand that this is your time. Understand that this is a chance for you to make your mark. You can do that in New York, which will hand you the keys to one of the flagship organizations in the NBA, and all but let you pick your roster for next year and beyond. You can go to the Nets, who are about to bring professional sports back to the burrow of Brooklyn, and who has a cavalcade of talent either on the roster or coming via the draft and free agency. You can go to Chicago and join Derek Rose and Loul Deng and perhaps another great free agent player. You can instantly walk on to a team next year that has more talent and more ability than the Cavs did this year, and you can hitch your wagon to a franchise that is willing to spend (over the cap) as much as is needed to bring you the rings you crave.
Go to New York, Lebron. Go to New Jersey/Brooklyn, or to Chicago, or even to Miami with your buddhy Dwayne Wade. Only, don't let a city or a media tie you to Cleveland. It's your life, my friend and your career. Don't let both die there.
Monday, May 10
Realignment? Some things make sense..........some things don't
I like Buster Olney, but every time I read one of his blogs he seems to make mention of how baseball MUST realign and usually gives a AL East-centric example as to why that's the case. Last week, Olney brought up the Toronto Blue Jays as the latest casualty of AL East inequality:
The latest example of why realignment needs to happen: The 2010 Toronto Blue Jays. The interest in the franchise is withering, and with the Rays and Yankees crushing opponents, it's hard to imagine folks in Toronto will look at the Jays as a serious contender at any time this season. That's too bad, because the Jays have gotten off to a good start and certainly would be good enough to be the front-runner in the AL West; if only there was a different alignment of teams, the Blue Jays -- who have the ninth-best starting pitching ERA in the majors -- would be looked at as a playoff candidate.
There is a lot not to like about this comment. First, unless you're a fan of the asinine notion of "floating realignment" where baseball would become like soccer, with a first tier and second tier of teams constantly moving up and down based on how they performed the year before, you don't get to choose which league in which you play. Sorry, you just don't. If that was the case, I'm sure the Yankees would LOVE the NL West, where 86 wins makes you a juggernaut. Second, anyone else feel a real sense of irony that Olney is talking about how unfair it is that the Blue Jays are in the same division as the Yankees and the RAYS??? Weren't the Rays the posterchild for the small market teams that just can't win, no matter what they do? Now, the Rays are too good, so much so that it's just unfair for everyone else? Now I've heard it all. Lastly, no one in the world expected the Blue Jays to be any good this year and, quite frankly, it will be a shock if they are still in it come June. So, let's not exactly cry for them just yet. Plus, they still have a bunch of games against division leaders, so they have a chance to make up some ground if they are good enough.
But, let's assume that baseball is going to realign. It seems like that is the consensus right now. Everyone wants to see something different.
What makes the most sense?
I am not of the belief that you get rid of the divisions. I like the divisions. I am also not of the belief that you in any way mess with the traditional rivalries that have existed for decades. That means you leave the Yankees with the Red Sox, the Dodgers with the Giants, and the Cardinals with the Cubs.
There are, however, some things you could do:
*Move the Rays and the Blue Jays - This is what I like to call the whine effect. Essentially, the Rays and Jays have complained so freakin much it is time to move them out. Squeaky wheel gets to go to the NL.
All kidding aside, the Rays and the Jays have shown over the years an ability to sneak up and bite the Yankees and the Red Sox. The Jays have proven that, given the right situation, they will spend money, just not the same type of money as the Yanks and the Red Sox. The Rays, as we all know, have great young talent but not the necessary revenue to retain all of them all of the time.
The verdict? I would take the Rays, move them to the NL East, and move the Nationals to the AL East. I would then take the Jays, move them to the NL Central, and I would move the Pirates to the AL East.
Pros - The Rays move to the more manageable NL East, where they only have to deal with the poor man's version of the Yankees and the Red Sox in the Phillies and the Mets, two teams that will spend money, but not break the bank. Plus, it would set up a natural rivalry with the Marlins, another young team that will have a new stadium coming next season. Perhaps both teams could push one another to be better and rule the region. For the Nationals, it puts them in a division with a natural rival as well, the Baltimore Orioles, and it allows them to fill their park several times a year as, no doubt, Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles games will draw a lot of interest. Also, if and when the Nationals get their footing, they have a chance to be a mid-market team that can spend. They have a decent market which means they might get beat by the Yankees and Sox in terms of payroll, but shouldn't be steamrolled ala the Rays (an added bonus might be that it forces the Orioles to finally get its act together, considering what a great market they have squandered over the last 15 years).
For the Blue Jays, they move to the manageable NL Central where their ability to spend could put them in contention every year. On the flip side, the Pirates have been utter brutal now for so long, they have completely relinquished the right to complain about where they land. They couldn't compete against the teams in the NL Central, so who cares if they are in the same division with the Yankees, Red Sox, and potentially two medium market teams who could have nice payrolls in the Orioles and Nationals? Hey, at the very least, they are gonna pack the stadium every time the Yanks and Sox visit, right? (BTW, the only way this becomes a REALLY good move for baseball is if they relocate the Rays. You can complain all you want about the Yankees and the Red Sox, but if the Rays are intent on keeping a low payroll each year, it won't matter where you stick them. Orlando? Charlotte? Somewhere is anywhere but St. Petersburg)
*Everything is bigger in Texas - Two teams that could really benefit from a geographical rivalry, in my opinion, are the Rangers and the Astros. But, how to get them in the same division when one is in the AL West and the other is in the NL Central? Very simply, give the AL West the extra team and take it away from the NL Central. So, take the Astros and throw them in to the AL West.
Pros - It evens out the divisions in the AL and NL. You would then have five teams in each division. You would put the Astros in the same division as the Rangers and increase their gate each year.Brew
*Brewing some rivalry - I feel like I might be picking on the NL Central a little too much, but my last realignment move would be to take the Brewers and swap them with the Kansas City Royals. Again, this just makes sense from a geographical standpoint.
Pros - The Royals go to the NL Central and can develop a natural rivalry with the St. Louis Cardinals, which are right next to each other. Same thing with the Brewers and the Twins and, in that case, you really end up creating what could be a fun rivalry with the Twinkies and the Brewers. It keeps the White Sox and the Tigers in the AL and in the same division, and you have everyone pretty much fighting all around one another.
So, at the end of the day, here is what my new divisions look like:
AL East
Yankees
Red Sox
Orioles
Nationals
Pirates
AL Central
Twins
Brewers
Tigers
White Sox
Indians
AL West
Rangers
Astros
Athletics
Mariners
Angels
NL East
Phillies
Mets
Rays
Marlins
Braves
NL Central
Cardinals
Cubs
Blue Jays
Royals
Reds
NL West
Dodgers
Giants
Rockies
Diamondbacks
Padres
The latest example of why realignment needs to happen: The 2010 Toronto Blue Jays. The interest in the franchise is withering, and with the Rays and Yankees crushing opponents, it's hard to imagine folks in Toronto will look at the Jays as a serious contender at any time this season. That's too bad, because the Jays have gotten off to a good start and certainly would be good enough to be the front-runner in the AL West; if only there was a different alignment of teams, the Blue Jays -- who have the ninth-best starting pitching ERA in the majors -- would be looked at as a playoff candidate.
There is a lot not to like about this comment. First, unless you're a fan of the asinine notion of "floating realignment" where baseball would become like soccer, with a first tier and second tier of teams constantly moving up and down based on how they performed the year before, you don't get to choose which league in which you play. Sorry, you just don't. If that was the case, I'm sure the Yankees would LOVE the NL West, where 86 wins makes you a juggernaut. Second, anyone else feel a real sense of irony that Olney is talking about how unfair it is that the Blue Jays are in the same division as the Yankees and the RAYS??? Weren't the Rays the posterchild for the small market teams that just can't win, no matter what they do? Now, the Rays are too good, so much so that it's just unfair for everyone else? Now I've heard it all. Lastly, no one in the world expected the Blue Jays to be any good this year and, quite frankly, it will be a shock if they are still in it come June. So, let's not exactly cry for them just yet. Plus, they still have a bunch of games against division leaders, so they have a chance to make up some ground if they are good enough.
But, let's assume that baseball is going to realign. It seems like that is the consensus right now. Everyone wants to see something different.
What makes the most sense?
I am not of the belief that you get rid of the divisions. I like the divisions. I am also not of the belief that you in any way mess with the traditional rivalries that have existed for decades. That means you leave the Yankees with the Red Sox, the Dodgers with the Giants, and the Cardinals with the Cubs.
There are, however, some things you could do:
*Move the Rays and the Blue Jays - This is what I like to call the whine effect. Essentially, the Rays and Jays have complained so freakin much it is time to move them out. Squeaky wheel gets to go to the NL.
All kidding aside, the Rays and the Jays have shown over the years an ability to sneak up and bite the Yankees and the Red Sox. The Jays have proven that, given the right situation, they will spend money, just not the same type of money as the Yanks and the Red Sox. The Rays, as we all know, have great young talent but not the necessary revenue to retain all of them all of the time.
The verdict? I would take the Rays, move them to the NL East, and move the Nationals to the AL East. I would then take the Jays, move them to the NL Central, and I would move the Pirates to the AL East.
Pros - The Rays move to the more manageable NL East, where they only have to deal with the poor man's version of the Yankees and the Red Sox in the Phillies and the Mets, two teams that will spend money, but not break the bank. Plus, it would set up a natural rivalry with the Marlins, another young team that will have a new stadium coming next season. Perhaps both teams could push one another to be better and rule the region. For the Nationals, it puts them in a division with a natural rival as well, the Baltimore Orioles, and it allows them to fill their park several times a year as, no doubt, Yankees, Red Sox, and Orioles games will draw a lot of interest. Also, if and when the Nationals get their footing, they have a chance to be a mid-market team that can spend. They have a decent market which means they might get beat by the Yankees and Sox in terms of payroll, but shouldn't be steamrolled ala the Rays (an added bonus might be that it forces the Orioles to finally get its act together, considering what a great market they have squandered over the last 15 years).
For the Blue Jays, they move to the manageable NL Central where their ability to spend could put them in contention every year. On the flip side, the Pirates have been utter brutal now for so long, they have completely relinquished the right to complain about where they land. They couldn't compete against the teams in the NL Central, so who cares if they are in the same division with the Yankees, Red Sox, and potentially two medium market teams who could have nice payrolls in the Orioles and Nationals? Hey, at the very least, they are gonna pack the stadium every time the Yanks and Sox visit, right? (BTW, the only way this becomes a REALLY good move for baseball is if they relocate the Rays. You can complain all you want about the Yankees and the Red Sox, but if the Rays are intent on keeping a low payroll each year, it won't matter where you stick them. Orlando? Charlotte? Somewhere is anywhere but St. Petersburg)
*Everything is bigger in Texas - Two teams that could really benefit from a geographical rivalry, in my opinion, are the Rangers and the Astros. But, how to get them in the same division when one is in the AL West and the other is in the NL Central? Very simply, give the AL West the extra team and take it away from the NL Central. So, take the Astros and throw them in to the AL West.
Pros - It evens out the divisions in the AL and NL. You would then have five teams in each division. You would put the Astros in the same division as the Rangers and increase their gate each year.Brew
*Brewing some rivalry - I feel like I might be picking on the NL Central a little too much, but my last realignment move would be to take the Brewers and swap them with the Kansas City Royals. Again, this just makes sense from a geographical standpoint.
Pros - The Royals go to the NL Central and can develop a natural rivalry with the St. Louis Cardinals, which are right next to each other. Same thing with the Brewers and the Twins and, in that case, you really end up creating what could be a fun rivalry with the Twinkies and the Brewers. It keeps the White Sox and the Tigers in the AL and in the same division, and you have everyone pretty much fighting all around one another.
So, at the end of the day, here is what my new divisions look like:
AL East
Yankees
Red Sox
Orioles
Nationals
Pirates
AL Central
Twins
Brewers
Tigers
White Sox
Indians
AL West
Rangers
Astros
Athletics
Mariners
Angels
NL East
Phillies
Mets
Rays
Marlins
Braves
NL Central
Cardinals
Cubs
Blue Jays
Royals
Reds
NL West
Dodgers
Giants
Rockies
Diamondbacks
Padres
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