There have big some big post-season moves this off-season.
The Giants this last year proved what people have been saying for years - pitching wins championships.
Let's start with the Cliff Lee move
Mulligan/Repentance
Give the Phillies credit. They made a mistake in trading Cliff Lee last year. And they were men enough to admit- we made a mistake.
Some may say, hey not a big deal. They get Lee back- and get some prospects.
But not so
Why this was a mistake
1. The players they got weren't that great, and now they have to give up a 1st rd pick... likely better than anyone they got in the trade
2. Since they didn't have Lee, they had to trade for Oswalt, giving up a good young pitcher in Happ and a good player in Gose. Plus they have to put more money into Oswalt.
They could have instead of traded for a middle reliever or a big bench bat, or kept those guys for the future...
3. If they would have signed Lee last year, they probably could have got him for 5 years 100 million... That's 20 mil they could have used on... maybe Rafeal Soriano....
4. Let's face it, as good as Oswalt is, Cliff Lee is better... and they would have had a better chance to win last year.
But, at least the Phillies corrected their mistake and got Lee back.
i guess that is what life is all about. This is what God expects of us. Admit your sin, repent. You will make mistakes, just don't stay there
Now, do the Phillies have the best rotation ever?
4 Aces
1. Halladay 2. Lee 3. Oswalt 4. Cole Hamels
Jayson Stark writes a pretty good article.
i'd have to say the 80 Mets were pretty good... i mean, if Doc Gooden doesn't get hurt, he may have gone as one of the best ever. David Cone - amazing, Frank Viola a Cy Young... and Sid Fernandez, Ojeda, Darling decent. Phil certainly better
but the Braves of the 90's?
How do you top Maddux, Glavine & Smoltz? 3 for sure Hall of Famers. And Steve Avery was pretty good too, sometimes looked better.
Of course i liked the White Sox rotation of Jack McDowell, Alex Fernandez, Wilson Alvarez and Jason Bere.
The Yankees had some good rotations: including one that had Clemmens, Cone and Mussina
Or how about the A's big 3 of Hudson, Mulder & Zito
The Phillies has to be right up there with the Braves...
Of course, some teams may think they have a better rotation this year!
And the Giants have a case - look, they won last year with just their pitching.
We forget Tim Lincecum is called Freak, because of how dominating his was his first two years.... Matt Cain was even more dominant than Lee last post-season. Sanchez has thrown a no-no... Bumgarner looks amazing and Zito is the highest paid...
The Cardinals can boast Wainright- who i think is the best pitcher in baseball, Carpenter, still top ten... and guys like Garcis, Westbrook under the tutolidge of Dave Duncan...
Both the BoSox and ChiSox have deep rotations... Tampa Bay & Florida... and now Milwaukee
Brewers
Last year, it looked like Greinke was the best pitcher in the game bar none.
Meanwhile both Gollardo and Marcum were considered Aces last year.
The Brew Crew still have Braun, Fielder & Hart up the middle of their lineup.
The sacrificed their future (Lawrie & Escobar + pithcers), but they have a pretty good rotation, and they should be excited in Milwaukee.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Mook vs playoffs
Mark Cuban is apparently trying to fix the college football playoff system.
There is a lot of talk of expanding teams in both the nfl and mlb.
The playoffs is a hot topic of sorts
College Football
This is not new. There have been debate and outcry concerning playoff for years upon years.
The last two years, it has been pretty clear. (Though, i suppose Boise St or TCU could have made a case last year or this).
But, there was the year Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech all finished with one loss, exchanging losses with each other... with OU getting in, despite losing to UT...
Or how about Utah's undefeated season a few years back?
Certainly a playoff is needed if we want a true champion
Bowls
Let's not get rid of bowl games. Bowl games are great! They're tradition. They set up some fun stuff and give teams something to shoot for. And when a team finally makes a bowl game or returns to a bowl game it gives fans, alumni, students something to cheer for... and something to do.
But let's get back to the old system instead of all the set conference match-ups... and let's eliminate some of the bowls, there are too many, making bowl-eligibility irrelevant or unimportant.
small-schools vs cash cows
This isn't just about under dogs, though it is. The big name schools will always get more clout and recognition from the media. And often the biggest hindrance a team has is their pre-season ranking.
No, this is about money. Notre Dame will go to a big bowl if they were even half-way decent. Ohio St gets to go always.
This only lets those schools become even more popular, more famous and perpetuates them as good teams. Give others a chance.
And especially let the small schools play. They deserve a chance... and the fan want to see it.
Ohio St
Of all schools to claim another team doesn't deserve to play for a championship game, Ohio St is the one who can't say anything. Or did they forget the 2006 & 2007 seasons?
Also, how is their schedule any better? Big Ten was not that tough. In fact, it wasn't as difficult as Boise St... for the record i think they would have lost to Va Tech (And certainly to Boise St)
None of these teams from major conferences play great non-conference games.
The SEC has been great over the years, but just because they're SEC teams mean they are that amazing.
I would have loved to see Ohio St play TCU in one of the Bowl games.
And i was really sad to see Boise St lose - i thought they deserved a shot at the championship. They're loss to Nevada - should have proved how difficult it is to go undefeated - but it probably didn't
Solution
i say put in the 6 best conference champions + 2 at-large teams. The Big East may or may not be one of the best conferences... ACC for that matter too.
If you can't win your conference, then you didn't earn the right to play for a championship.
All conferences should have a conf championship game - most do already anyway.
8-team playoff
Means 2 more games for the 2 championship teams. i don't think it will take away too much from the school work
1. They practice the whole time anyway
2. Games 2 & 3 can be during their Christmas break
3. Put a limit on in-season games. A lot of teams get 13 or even 14 already before the bowl game. Make the maximum 12 or even 11
This year it could have been
1. Aub vs Stanford 1. Oregon vs Ark
2. Oklahoma vs TCU 2. Wisc vs Boise St
Of course, the issue is money... but i think the fans would go to the game and certainly would watch.
Baseball
There is a lot of talk of expanding the baseball playoffs... if they do we'll be watching baseball in December!
Seriously? Do they not see how awful the NHL is with their long season.
Instead of making the playoffs & the season longer- they need to make it shorter!
Basball should be done by mid-October
Changes
1. Reduce time between games.
Games 1&2 on Tuesday & Wednesday 3-5 on the weekend. Then T&W again. We only need one day for travel. Seriously. Next one can be Sa&Su, T-R, Sa &Su
And if the games are set, let's not wait a week, let's get it over with
2. Shorten the season.
It's too long as it is. Players get hurt. Teams fade. People lose interest. Take 11 games off the schedule, end 2 weeks earlier.
What about more teams?
Why? The season is long. They all play each other throughout the season. If they can't win their division, then do they really deserve to go? Maybe better than a team in another division- which is why there is the wildcard. One wildcard is perfect.
If you add more teams into the playoffs, then what meaning does the regular season have? There has to be a limit or the regular season is just bullshit. Quit crying and win games when it counts -which is all season long!
NFL
The NFL could have more reason to add teams. They don't all play each other. The season is short. We all like football.
Still, why mess with a good thing?
The Super Bowl is already in February.
i don't mind adding games onto the season- b/c i like watching football. And if they wanted to add two more wild cards in each conference, i probably wouldn't mind.
Still, i think it's fine as it is... even if a 7-9 team makes the playoffs this year.
There is a lot of talk of expanding teams in both the nfl and mlb.
The playoffs is a hot topic of sorts
College Football
This is not new. There have been debate and outcry concerning playoff for years upon years.
The last two years, it has been pretty clear. (Though, i suppose Boise St or TCU could have made a case last year or this).
But, there was the year Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech all finished with one loss, exchanging losses with each other... with OU getting in, despite losing to UT...
Or how about Utah's undefeated season a few years back?
Certainly a playoff is needed if we want a true champion
Bowls
Let's not get rid of bowl games. Bowl games are great! They're tradition. They set up some fun stuff and give teams something to shoot for. And when a team finally makes a bowl game or returns to a bowl game it gives fans, alumni, students something to cheer for... and something to do.
But let's get back to the old system instead of all the set conference match-ups... and let's eliminate some of the bowls, there are too many, making bowl-eligibility irrelevant or unimportant.
small-schools vs cash cows
This isn't just about under dogs, though it is. The big name schools will always get more clout and recognition from the media. And often the biggest hindrance a team has is their pre-season ranking.
No, this is about money. Notre Dame will go to a big bowl if they were even half-way decent. Ohio St gets to go always.
This only lets those schools become even more popular, more famous and perpetuates them as good teams. Give others a chance.
And especially let the small schools play. They deserve a chance... and the fan want to see it.
Ohio St
Of all schools to claim another team doesn't deserve to play for a championship game, Ohio St is the one who can't say anything. Or did they forget the 2006 & 2007 seasons?
Also, how is their schedule any better? Big Ten was not that tough. In fact, it wasn't as difficult as Boise St... for the record i think they would have lost to Va Tech (And certainly to Boise St)
None of these teams from major conferences play great non-conference games.
The SEC has been great over the years, but just because they're SEC teams mean they are that amazing.
I would have loved to see Ohio St play TCU in one of the Bowl games.
And i was really sad to see Boise St lose - i thought they deserved a shot at the championship. They're loss to Nevada - should have proved how difficult it is to go undefeated - but it probably didn't
Solution
i say put in the 6 best conference champions + 2 at-large teams. The Big East may or may not be one of the best conferences... ACC for that matter too.
If you can't win your conference, then you didn't earn the right to play for a championship.
All conferences should have a conf championship game - most do already anyway.
8-team playoff
Means 2 more games for the 2 championship teams. i don't think it will take away too much from the school work
1. They practice the whole time anyway
2. Games 2 & 3 can be during their Christmas break
3. Put a limit on in-season games. A lot of teams get 13 or even 14 already before the bowl game. Make the maximum 12 or even 11
This year it could have been
1. Aub vs Stanford 1. Oregon vs Ark
2. Oklahoma vs TCU 2. Wisc vs Boise St
Of course, the issue is money... but i think the fans would go to the game and certainly would watch.
Baseball
There is a lot of talk of expanding the baseball playoffs... if they do we'll be watching baseball in December!
Seriously? Do they not see how awful the NHL is with their long season.
Instead of making the playoffs & the season longer- they need to make it shorter!
Basball should be done by mid-October
Changes
1. Reduce time between games.
Games 1&2 on Tuesday & Wednesday 3-5 on the weekend. Then T&W again. We only need one day for travel. Seriously. Next one can be Sa&Su, T-R, Sa &Su
And if the games are set, let's not wait a week, let's get it over with
2. Shorten the season.
It's too long as it is. Players get hurt. Teams fade. People lose interest. Take 11 games off the schedule, end 2 weeks earlier.
What about more teams?
Why? The season is long. They all play each other throughout the season. If they can't win their division, then do they really deserve to go? Maybe better than a team in another division- which is why there is the wildcard. One wildcard is perfect.
If you add more teams into the playoffs, then what meaning does the regular season have? There has to be a limit or the regular season is just bullshit. Quit crying and win games when it counts -which is all season long!
NFL
The NFL could have more reason to add teams. They don't all play each other. The season is short. We all like football.
Still, why mess with a good thing?
The Super Bowl is already in February.
i don't mind adding games onto the season- b/c i like watching football. And if they wanted to add two more wild cards in each conference, i probably wouldn't mind.
Still, i think it's fine as it is... even if a 7-9 team makes the playoffs this year.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Mook vs Jayson Werth & Carl Crawford
Jayson Werth 7 years 126 million dollars
Carl Crawford 7 years 142 million dollars
Seriously?
Hey those are good players - i guess, but that much?
For anyone saying baseball is in trouble, just look at those numbers.
The next time an owner threatens moving... the next time they complain about payroll, the next time they want to raise ticket prices... it is not the fans' fault. Owners & GMs are being stupid & irresponsible.
Obviously America is entertainment starved and entertainment driven - which is why these athletes and actors and musicians get paid so much. We could be giving money to help the poor, we could use our money to help those in need. Imagine all those on the streets, imagine the poverty around the world.. or what if we gave money to teachers to help our youth or doctors to help the sick.... but don't get me started! (Yeah, i was just starting). (Hey i love sports & entertainment- i have a sports blog, but don't we go too far?)
And going too far is exactly what Washington and Boston did.
Washington overpaid because they knew they had to. Who comes to Washington? And Boston overpaid to beat out their competitors.
But was it necessary?
Jayson Werth reminds me of Jason Bay last year. Did they not learn?
i don't understand why the Mets paid more than the 4 year 60 mil when no one else was offering more- but that's another story.
Bay is betterthan how he performed last year, but he's not going to be worth it, and by the end of his contract he is going to be cancer to their ability to compete because of his salary.
Werth will be on the bench by the end of his contract- heck he was on the bench most of his career.
This isn't as bad as the Gary Matthews contract, who turned one slightly above average year (one compared to 5 mediocre years) into a 5 year 50 mil contract - the worst FA move EVER in my book.
But this was bad.
i would have given werth 4 years at 60 mil. Werth is worth that. maybe 5 years for 70 mil. But 7 for 126?
The Nationals have to make a few more moves to be competitive, but do they have a money left?
Then Boston- why? They already have 2, maybe even 3 guys who are capable lead-off hitters. True Crawford kills Boston, and he will likely be a star in Fenway, but did they need him?
What are the worst signings ever?
Some, of course, come because of injury (Beltran, K Rod), some can be seen in hindsight (Mo Vaughn, Jason Giambi) but some were bad from the start
1. Gary Matthews
2. Barry Zito
3. A.J. Burnett
4. John Lackey
5. Manny (no one was even bidding)
6. Jayson Werth
7. Ryan Howard
8. Alfonso Soriano (good player at the time, but too many years & too much money)
9. Adrian Beltre (though now, after one good year he expects- and likely will get a similar, aybe bigger contract)
10. CC (i don't think pitchers should be paid this much i guess)
11. Alexi Rios/V Wells
12. Mike Gonzales (why pay an unproven closer on a mediocre team?)
13. Hiroki Kudora (really?)
14. A Rod (killed the Rangers)
15. Darren Dreifort (could have been a great deal, they speculated too much)
could be others, what do you think?
Carl Crawford 7 years 142 million dollars
Seriously?
Hey those are good players - i guess, but that much?
For anyone saying baseball is in trouble, just look at those numbers.
The next time an owner threatens moving... the next time they complain about payroll, the next time they want to raise ticket prices... it is not the fans' fault. Owners & GMs are being stupid & irresponsible.
Obviously America is entertainment starved and entertainment driven - which is why these athletes and actors and musicians get paid so much. We could be giving money to help the poor, we could use our money to help those in need. Imagine all those on the streets, imagine the poverty around the world.. or what if we gave money to teachers to help our youth or doctors to help the sick.... but don't get me started! (Yeah, i was just starting). (Hey i love sports & entertainment- i have a sports blog, but don't we go too far?)
And going too far is exactly what Washington and Boston did.
Washington overpaid because they knew they had to. Who comes to Washington? And Boston overpaid to beat out their competitors.
But was it necessary?
Jayson Werth reminds me of Jason Bay last year. Did they not learn?
i don't understand why the Mets paid more than the 4 year 60 mil when no one else was offering more- but that's another story.
Bay is betterthan how he performed last year, but he's not going to be worth it, and by the end of his contract he is going to be cancer to their ability to compete because of his salary.
Werth will be on the bench by the end of his contract- heck he was on the bench most of his career.
This isn't as bad as the Gary Matthews contract, who turned one slightly above average year (one compared to 5 mediocre years) into a 5 year 50 mil contract - the worst FA move EVER in my book.
But this was bad.
i would have given werth 4 years at 60 mil. Werth is worth that. maybe 5 years for 70 mil. But 7 for 126?
The Nationals have to make a few more moves to be competitive, but do they have a money left?
Then Boston- why? They already have 2, maybe even 3 guys who are capable lead-off hitters. True Crawford kills Boston, and he will likely be a star in Fenway, but did they need him?
What are the worst signings ever?
Some, of course, come because of injury (Beltran, K Rod), some can be seen in hindsight (Mo Vaughn, Jason Giambi) but some were bad from the start
1. Gary Matthews
2. Barry Zito
3. A.J. Burnett
4. John Lackey
5. Manny (no one was even bidding)
6. Jayson Werth
7. Ryan Howard
8. Alfonso Soriano (good player at the time, but too many years & too much money)
9. Adrian Beltre (though now, after one good year he expects- and likely will get a similar, aybe bigger contract)
10. CC (i don't think pitchers should be paid this much i guess)
11. Alexi Rios/V Wells
12. Mike Gonzales (why pay an unproven closer on a mediocre team?)
13. Hiroki Kudora (really?)
14. A Rod (killed the Rangers)
15. Darren Dreifort (could have been a great deal, they speculated too much)
could be others, what do you think?
Mook vs Adrian Gonzales
Last week the Padres traded Adrian Gonzales to the Red Sox for Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo another minor leaguer who could turn out some day and a PTBNL.
There have been rumors since last year that A Gone was gone to Boston. The Padres kept him last year and wound up in a pennant race.
They should have kept him this year too.
i'm not a Padres fan, but this trade made me angry.
Maybe in a few years i'll be proven wrong, but it makes no sense to me.
And here's why
It's all about the money, right? OR it's all about winning... or at least the fans?
Any way, the Pads should have kept A Gone
1. the Padres make more money by keeping Gonzales, he makes them more money than he costs
He only makes 6 million, which is nothing in todays game. The fans love Gonzales. He is a bopper, the only true good position player they got, an MVP candidate. They will come out to see him. He's a local boy, a guy who has been there, the fans will come see him.
2. Keeping him gives them the best chance to win
Which serves two purposes- fans are more likely to buy season tickets if they think the team is trying to win. They will come out in droves if they are in contention. Everyone likes a winner
Plus, you are playing to win the games. Isn't that the goal? To win. To win it all. They need a guy like Gonzales. They won 90 games last year, they lost out to the team that won it all and their make-up isn't much different. They could win.
Teaming number 2 with number 1- it seems even paying him 20 mil/season he'd be worth it, he'd make them money.
3. They will need to replace him with another 1b and/or another power bat - and that will likely cost just as much.
Sure Derek Lee and Adam LaRoche are available, but they'll cost more- maybe not in the long-run but certainly this year
4. If they just kept him for his year and let him go, they would get 2 #1 picks later... and how is what they got much better?
i would have started by asking Boston for Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury & Jose Iglesis... i would have also included Heath Bell and made them give Daniel Bard... if i'm going to trade Adrian Gonzales, then i'm surely trading Bell.
They probably would have done it too.
Why not? They just signed Carl crawford & also have Pedroia & Scuatro so they don't need a lead-off guy. Buchholz may be hard to give up, but they could bring Wakefield back a year unto Kelly was ready....
i really don't know how the Padres didn't get Iglesis or at least Jed Lowrie, and a better outfielder like Josh Reddick or Ryan Kalish.
Idiots.
There have been rumors since last year that A Gone was gone to Boston. The Padres kept him last year and wound up in a pennant race.
They should have kept him this year too.
i'm not a Padres fan, but this trade made me angry.
Maybe in a few years i'll be proven wrong, but it makes no sense to me.
And here's why
It's all about the money, right? OR it's all about winning... or at least the fans?
Any way, the Pads should have kept A Gone
1. the Padres make more money by keeping Gonzales, he makes them more money than he costs
He only makes 6 million, which is nothing in todays game. The fans love Gonzales. He is a bopper, the only true good position player they got, an MVP candidate. They will come out to see him. He's a local boy, a guy who has been there, the fans will come see him.
2. Keeping him gives them the best chance to win
Which serves two purposes- fans are more likely to buy season tickets if they think the team is trying to win. They will come out in droves if they are in contention. Everyone likes a winner
Plus, you are playing to win the games. Isn't that the goal? To win. To win it all. They need a guy like Gonzales. They won 90 games last year, they lost out to the team that won it all and their make-up isn't much different. They could win.
Teaming number 2 with number 1- it seems even paying him 20 mil/season he'd be worth it, he'd make them money.
3. They will need to replace him with another 1b and/or another power bat - and that will likely cost just as much.
Sure Derek Lee and Adam LaRoche are available, but they'll cost more- maybe not in the long-run but certainly this year
4. If they just kept him for his year and let him go, they would get 2 #1 picks later... and how is what they got much better?
i would have started by asking Boston for Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury & Jose Iglesis... i would have also included Heath Bell and made them give Daniel Bard... if i'm going to trade Adrian Gonzales, then i'm surely trading Bell.
They probably would have done it too.
Why not? They just signed Carl crawford & also have Pedroia & Scuatro so they don't need a lead-off guy. Buchholz may be hard to give up, but they could bring Wakefield back a year unto Kelly was ready....
i really don't know how the Padres didn't get Iglesis or at least Jed Lowrie, and a better outfielder like Josh Reddick or Ryan Kalish.
Idiots.
Mook vs Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter has become the face of the Yankees.
When you think Yankees, you think Ruth, Gerhig, Mantle, Dimaggio & Jeter.
There may have been some better players... and some would say better players on this current team.
But Derek Jeter is the most important.
He won't be paid that way, and probably shouldn't.
CC is overpaid.
A Rod, i don't understand.
But the Yankees need those guys.
Teixeira produces more runs and Robinson Cano was the MVP candidate last year.
So, why is Jeter important?
He is the face of the team. Who would be the face of the team without him? If he finishes his career with someone else, it would be a disgrace, especially if it was over money. They've never had a player get 3,000 hits - he'll do it.
He's also an ambassador. People like Jeter. Maybe not RedSux fans, but others do. He's not A Rod. He's not the power guy, but he is the every day guy. He represents the team well.
If i owned another team i would have pursued him. And if he aged, i would still use him as a spokesperson for the team.
He is a winner.
He seems to produce in October & November. He makes big plays. He makes the plays not seen in the stat sheet. People complain about his defense, but he makes plays. He leads the team, he helps them win.
If i owned another team i would ahve pursued him. He brings a winning attitude to the club. He changes the atmosphere. And i think people want to come out and see a professional. He isn't the awe-inspiring type, but a guy you root for.
i think he got a fair price. He could drive it up because of his name, more than his play perhaps, but he is still one of the elite SS in the game.
i think the Yanks should have gave him a 4 year 60 mil deal
It all worked out in the end, we all knew there was no way Jeter or Mariano Rivera were going to leave the Yanks
When you think Yankees, you think Ruth, Gerhig, Mantle, Dimaggio & Jeter.
There may have been some better players... and some would say better players on this current team.
But Derek Jeter is the most important.
He won't be paid that way, and probably shouldn't.
CC is overpaid.
A Rod, i don't understand.
But the Yankees need those guys.
Teixeira produces more runs and Robinson Cano was the MVP candidate last year.
So, why is Jeter important?
He is the face of the team. Who would be the face of the team without him? If he finishes his career with someone else, it would be a disgrace, especially if it was over money. They've never had a player get 3,000 hits - he'll do it.
He's also an ambassador. People like Jeter. Maybe not RedSux fans, but others do. He's not A Rod. He's not the power guy, but he is the every day guy. He represents the team well.
If i owned another team i would have pursued him. And if he aged, i would still use him as a spokesperson for the team.
He is a winner.
He seems to produce in October & November. He makes big plays. He makes the plays not seen in the stat sheet. People complain about his defense, but he makes plays. He leads the team, he helps them win.
If i owned another team i would ahve pursued him. He brings a winning attitude to the club. He changes the atmosphere. And i think people want to come out and see a professional. He isn't the awe-inspiring type, but a guy you root for.
i think he got a fair price. He could drive it up because of his name, more than his play perhaps, but he is still one of the elite SS in the game.
i think the Yanks should have gave him a 4 year 60 mil deal
It all worked out in the end, we all knew there was no way Jeter or Mariano Rivera were going to leave the Yanks
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