February 1, 2012: Last week I was the runner-up in an Ezequiel Astacio look-a-like contest!
Scott Boras does seem to find a way to get top dollar for most of his clients. I was blown away by the Fielder contract as teams were saying they wouldn't go long term on him. I figured Fielder for a 6 yr/$141-mil deal so I wasn't even close. Edwin Jackson started out the off-season looking for a 5 yr deal starting at $15-mil per. That wasn't going to happen (I don't think) but Boras has a way of getting other teams "involved" like he's doing now with the Orioles. Lest we forget, Stork, Jackson is a career .500 pitcher who has played for a bunch of teams already. The best things he has going for him is relative youth (28) unless he's another Fausto Carmona and is actually 31, and the fact that he takes the ball every 5th day. He's made at least 31 starts in each of the last 5 seasons. I don't know if Jackson's game plays well in Camden Yards, a band box to say the least. I harken back to the 2007 season for Jackson at TB when, in 31 GS and 161 IP, he was 5-15, with a 5.76/1.76 ERA/WHIP, 195 HA, and a 128/88 K/BB. Those numbers are killer for a fantasy staff not to mention a real staff when you have to shell out "real" money.
 By the way, I didn't see the Tigers ending up with Prince Fielder. That franchise just seemed to come out of nowhere. And for 9 yrs/$214-mil. In the short term, it looks like a great deal for the Tigers with Victor Martinez out for the season. We'll see if the Tigers rue the day 4 or 5 years from now (if I'm still alive!). Just to an outsider like me it looks like the Colts are going to move on from one of the greatest QB's of all time, Peyton Manning. The team looks to be in rebuilding mode and Manning, who may or may not be ready for the season, doesn't fit the mold. I wouldn't let Manning hang though. I would let him know as soon as possible because $28-mil is a big nut to pay when you're not sure of the health of the guy. I did like the thought of Manning going to the Jets and taking Sanchez under his wing or the Jets trading Sanchez to, say, the Redskins. Another idea is to have Manning's father, Archie, buy the Colts! But it really looks like after the surprising 2-14 season that the Colts not only will downsize, but should downsize, as well. I've heard talk, and no not from Rob Lowe, that Manning has played his last down in the NFL. I would hope that's not true!


January 23, 2012: Moneyball, the movie, would star Larry from the Three Stooges as me!
Johnny Damon is a numbers compiler's dream. His career high of 24 HR was reached twice in a Yankees' uniform (2006, 2009) and he averaged 19 HR/yr in his 4 seasons there. He's 2723 for 9529 over his long and steady career with 854 XBH, a .286 BA, a .789 OPS, 1120 RBI, 1643 R, and a 1230/986 K/BB. As you know, Damon needs 277 H for 3000 and it would be nice if he got that milestone in a Yankee uniform. He's the only guy in history, I believe, to have played in at least 140 games for 16 straight seasons, a testimony to his health. And, as you guys say, he's a good guy in the clubhouse. I don't see the Yankees and Posada participating in a bittersweet reunion. That I would give a 2 or 3% chance of happening. Matsui could be an answer and may take the $2-mil to return. He does have a swing made for the RF porch and could probably stay healthy enough for 120 games or so while others man the DH spot. Carlos Pena will probably find more largess with another team where he could DH and play 1B. It did end up that Pena went back to the Rays on Friday on a 1 yr/$7.5-mil deal. Other guys out there are RH hitters Manny Ramirez (who will have to sit a league mandated 50 games), Vladimir Guerrero, former Yankees Xavier Nady and Marcus Thames, Magglio Ordonez, and Conor Jackson. LH hitters out there include Russell Branyan, Ross Gload, and Casey Kotchman. Milton Bradley is still out there too, but if the Yankees were to sign that bum, I would switch allegiance and root for the Mets. I also wonder about Prince Fielder but that's a story for another post. My gut feeling on Fielder is that he eventually signs with Texas on a creative deal.


January 18, 2012: You're so vain, you probably think this blog is about you!
When asked what the Mets should do with Johan Santana, I had to think for a few minutes. There was a day in our lifetimes when Johan Santana was the #1 overall pick in AL fantasy drafts and maybe even in mixed leagues. I remember my first foray into mixed league play (2004) when I took a chance on Santana at the end of the second round (I had the first pick of the draft and took Pujols). Santana was used mostly as a RP the year before (’03), 27 games out of the pen and 18 GS to be exact. He ended at 12-3 with a 169/47 K/BB, 127 HA, and a 3.07/1.10 ERA/WHIP in 158 1/3 IP. Over the next 5 seasons (his last 4 in Minny and his first season with the Mets) Santana was the best pitcher in baseball. During that time of prosperity, Santana averaged 229 IP, 17 W, a 238/52 K/BB, and 182 HA. His ERA/WHIP over that time was 2.82/1.02. But then injuries hit, slowly at first, but then a debilitating shoulder injury in 2010 and subsequent surgery caused Santana to miss the whole 2011 season. This was in spite of rumors that he would be back at some point during the season. I’m not even sure how much he can be counted on for 2012. I would say it’s a good idea for the Mets to get something for him. The team may not contend again in my lifetime. The problems are he would have to prove to be somewhat healthy and there’s a little matter of money. Santana signed a 6 yr/$137.5-mil deal which runs through 2013. Never mind the 2014 team option which will probably be denied. So, yes, the Mets might be able to get a small parcel for Santana but would have to pick up salary, and lots of it, in the process. We’ll just have to see how spring training plays out before making any proclamations on any future venue for Santana. I always love the argument, “he is what he is.” Or, am I hearing in this case, “he isn’t what he is!” I do see what the numbers say and, as I’ve learned in this business, numbers don’t lie. After 146 GS for the Mets and 876 2/3 IP, Pelfrey has a 493/314 K/BB, 965 HA, and a 4.40/1.46 ERA/WHIP. That’s barely the numbers of a #4 SP on a staff much less that of an Opening Day SP, as he was in 2011. I’ll give you this, Pelfrey has had his moments in the show but he’s maddenly inconsistent. Maybe he’s the Bret Saberhagen of our time. No, I don’t mean the pitching skill at all, but he’s had better seasons in even years (2008, 2010) and, if you believe in that stat, now’s the time to buy in. Because if he has a season like last year, we better not be having this conversation heading into 2013. Having said all that, if you can get him as your last SP on your NL staff for the price of one U.S. dollar, I would investigate that. But, please, nothing more than that. I actually would rather have seen the Mets re-up with Capuano for what the Dodgers inked him at, 2 years and $10-mil. The Mets did a good job last year in digging up some cheap, yet useful, starting pitching. But the Mets, as a franchise, have never been able to follow up a “good” thing. The Mets should hope that Pelfrey has a decent 2 months and then look to get something for him.


January 12, 2012: Gil Hodges should be in the baseball Hall of Fame!
I did get the memo that Kevin Cash retired the other day. I actually thought that Cash retired a few seasons back. I’m sure when Kevin was a kid his father said to him, “The fastest way to reach the majors is to strap on the tools of ignorance. Don’t worry about the bat just play good defense and be a student of the game. One day you will get a job as an advance scout, maybe for the Blue Jays.” Cash followed his father’s wishes to the letter! He played for 5 teams over parts of 8 seasons. This is where it gets a little dicey. Cash was a .183 career hitter in 641 AB with 12 HR, 58 RBI, 51 R, a 195/49 K/BB, and a .526 OPS. That’s Juan Castro country! If Cash were a pitcher you could say that he was a decent hitter. I do believe that Cash collected just over $1-mil during his major league time and I, for one, hope he invested well. That brings me to Jorge Posada. Of course if every catcher had the offensive acumen of Cash, Posada would be a sure first ballot Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players of all-time. I love the 5 All-Star appearances, the 900 R, the 1065 RBI, the 936 walks and the 1664 hits. At the age of 37 in 2009, Posada had 22 HR and 81 RBI so he lasted a lot longer than most catchers. I compare Posada just a little as a better version of the Red Sox Jason Varitek (3X All-Star, 193 HR, 757 RBI). And we’re not calling for Varitek to be a HOFer. If the Hall of Fame is for the very good than Posada should be in. And that’s what the HOF has become. I will need time to really crunch the numbers concerning Posada. I will agree with Stork that he’s a borderline guy at this point. If he could get another full season of counting stats it would help but to retire as a career Yankee might actually help his cause more. Varitek is, and always will be, a fan favorite for Red Sox Nation regardless of his performance on the field. In his 14 seasons behind home plate, he has become a Boston legend, winning two World Series for the beloved Red Sox. But Varitek should probably follow Posada and retire. For a much-maligned rushing offense, Jacobs and Bradshaw really came to play. This was a team that was averaging a league low 89 yards/game on the ground this season. That duo must have had that many yards after initial contact. Eli Manning was his usual self (346 yds) and Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham came through with big games. The game was won in the trenches as the Giant offensive line allowed 1 sack while the Giant defensive line made Matt Ryan work. Tony Gonzalez, the great Falcons' TE has the second most catches in NFL history (behind Rice) but has yet to ever win a play-off game in his career. In fact this was the first Giant home playoff win since that 41-0 shellacking of the Vikings in the NFC Championship game. Should be a good game next week in the Cheese State. And I thought that both times the Falcons had third and short, they should have gone for the FG. You need to put points on the board. I couldn’t believe what I saw in the Bronco game. Tim Tebow throwing for 316 yds vs the #1 passing defense. Roethlisberger didn’t look right but, as usual, he was a warrior. I called a Steeler win by at least 20 points and was made to eat my words by Tebow-mania. Right before the game I was outside walking my dog when my neighbor and I agreed that it wouldn’t be much of a game and the Broncos would be lucky if they could score 6 points. Just goes to show what I know about sports. Long live the Broncos!


January 10, 2012: What the hell is going on with the Denver Broncos?
It’s funny (strange) how a lot of us (me included) are picking the NE Patriots to go far into this tournament. The Patriots, in reality, haven’t won a playoff game since Spygate (2007) and have lost their last 2 playoff home games. Last years’ defeat at the hand of the Jets after the Jets defeated the Peyton Manning-led Colts is something the Patriots won’t soon forget. Yet as we’re all jumping on the Pats’ bandwagon, lest we forget that their defense ranked near the bottom of the NFL. So of course if the Pats lose another home tilt 42-35, we can always say that possible MVP Tom Brady was great but the defense just couldn’t get it done. And this defense is worse than when the Pats lost those 2 home playoff games. I know that the Patriots won their last (I believe) 9 games but none were against .500 teams. So we can say that the club feasted off some bad teams, including the mediocre Jets. We should be asking ourselves why we believe in this team over, say, the Steelers, Ravens, or even the offensively-challenged Broncos. It should be interesting this post-season and I will stick with my pick of the Patriots. At least until they disappoint me! I cannot take away from Tim Tebow’s 7 victories but when asked to play QB the past 3 games, he has fallen short of the mark. He’s not a consistent passer and has trouble reading defenses. He has a lot of trouble throwing the ball under pressure. Teams have been taking the running game away from the Broncos. It’s a different game when defenses put 8 in the box and make you throw the ball. If the Broncos defeat the Steelers this weekend, I will never prognosticate game outcomes again. The Steelers should win by 20. That was last week. You could knock me over with a feather with the Bronco victory. Tebow threw for 316 yds while completing 10 of 21. I will miss “predicting” the outcome of games after that terrible call by me. I didn’t realize how banged up the Steelers really were! Looking forward to the games next weekend.


January 6, 2012: Maybe I just don't know everything I think I know!
Edwin Jackson is approaching Octavio Dotel territory in amount of geography covered. If you could get him on a 3 yr deal for $21-mil, I would be interested. But for $12-mil per, it would be like throwing money out the window. This guy was regarded as one of the premiere prospects in all of baseball as a teenager. And, as you mentioned Greg, Jackson no-hit one of his former teams, the Tampa Bay Rays, on June 25, 2010. I’ll go back further to his MLB debut on September 9, 2003. That also happened to be Jackson’s 20th birthday. He was matched up against the legendary Randy “Big Unit” Johnson and, in 6 IP, Jackson gave up 4 hits and 1 ER with a 4/0 K/BB. 8 days later Jackson hurled 7 innings with 5 hits, 2 ER, and a 4/2 K/BB. So, like Mozart and Danny Bonaduce, he was a child prodigy. The deal for Oliver Perez had disaster written all over it. But it seems that GM’s never learn that lesson and Jackson probably will get close to $40-mil. I also read that career #4 SP Joe Saunders is holding out for a 3 yr/$27-mil deal. Where does all the madness end? At that point I’ll just be asking myself, “Why?” It wasn't like Darren Dreifort had a great season when the Dodgers gifted him with a 5 yr/$55-mil deal in 2001. He had a 4.16/1.36 ERA/WHIP and a 164/87 K/BB in 2000. He would go on to win 9 more games. The bad contract given to Wells was done courtesy of the Blue Jays who pawned him off on the Angels who will probably end up letting him go before the deal is complete. Honestly, Hoist, I never understood all the free-wheeling spending. I have a feeling that some dope will give Fielder what he's looking for. But that too comes with inherent risks all of which we've covered. I also heard over the months that Livan Hernandez was involved with a South American drug cartel. And who says that players aren't prepared for life after baseball? The Dodgers did have a great Twin-D (D.D.) on their staff in the person of Hall of Famer Don Drysdale. One of the toughest sons-of-guns to lace up the cleats. He once said that if his mother was crowding the plate, he would dust her. Or was that Early Wynn? With the money heaped on Carlos Silva, a crisp $48-mil spread out over 4 years, he could have started his own drug cartel. And supplied the island for it! Dreifort was a good looking young pitcher for LA but after he signed that big 5 year deal, he couldn't stay on the field, pitching only 205 2/3 innings in parts of 3 seasons (he missed 2 seasons entirely). But as the great Forrest Gump once said, "Shit happens!" For you English majors out there that logs out to a shade over $267,400 per IP. And, as I always say, it's good work if you can get it! And if I was remiss in not doing so, Happy New Year to everyone.


December 30, 2011: My computer has skipped a line here for the last year!
We already have Tim Tebow as the most polarizing figure in NFL history. Now we may have one of the most polarizing guys in the history of the NBA by the name of Jimmer Fredette. What, do you have to be a Morman to achieve that distinction? Or a virgin? Wasn't former NBA'er A.C. Green a virgin until he was 30-something? I just remember hearing about that. By the way, Green played in over 1000 consecutive NBA games so he must have been doing something right. And thirtysomething was a great TV show in the late 80's. I loved the theme and there was actually a time when I could play that on the piano. Ken Olin, Patricia Wettig, Timothy Busfield. Surely I digress! But who are we kidding? The next people we're going to "rebel" against is the Amish. My favorite story of all time goes like this: What goes clip-clop, bang-bang, clip-clop? A drive-by shooting in Amish country of course. And I don't care what you say, SF closer Brian Wilson looks like he's from the Amish land. He just needs one of those big stove-top hats. I saw TB manager Joe Maddon on the MLB network the other day. He colored his hair to kind of an off-auburn. I have to say he looked just like the guy that plays Leonard on The Big Bang Theory. Ryan Kalish underwent surgery November 8 to repair a torn labrum and will be out until May or June, the Boston Globe reports. This is a big setback for the 23-year-old, who will likely have to start in Triple-A until he gets his feet wet upon recovery. Now that Josh Reddick is with Oakland, the current in-house options for right field include Ryan Sweeney, Darnell McDonald and Mike Aviles. Personally I think that Pete Sweeney is a better hitter than Ryan Sweeney! I would say for a team like the Red Sox, those are scary options. Look for the Red Sox to sign a free agent between now and spring training. I think the addition of Andrew Bailey is better than signing Ryan Madson to a 4 year deal in the neighborhood of $40-mil. But the biggest problem with Bailey, as you guys mention, is his brittle health. He makes J.D. Drew look like Cal Ripken! Great point about the offensive output from Reddick being better suited for CF than the corner slots. And Reddick says himself that CF is his best position. Finally, I would like to mention that I have Grant Balfour in my $260-AL. Yes, that’s my team from hell but he is a comfortable $2 and I believe I had 3 or 4 total SV’s in that league in 2011. I’m all for the A’s giving the job to the talented Australian. Though it wouldn't matter on that team. Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, and Ted Wiiliams couldn't help that franchise. But they are all dead so maybe they can!



December 24, 2011: All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray!

In 15 or 20 years, when I’m laying on my deathbed, the doctor is going to come in and say to my wife, “There’s nothing else we can do. He’s resting comfortably. There’s just one thing I don’t understand. He keeps asking me if Jim McGovern called!” Just the kind of year it was for me both in fantasy and reality and hopefully 2012 will be for the better. But the last words I want to hear is that I’ve been called to that great golf course in the sky! I enjoy occasionally the web site, Fantasy Golf Report and just had to share a quote I saw on the site. It’s one we’ve all heard before in this business but it makes us think: “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.” The 5-foot-10, 170-pound LH hitting Norichika Aoki slipped to a .292 BA, 4 HR, 44 RBI, and 8 SB in 2011, after going for career highs of a .358 BA and 209 hits in 2010. He was the 2005 Central League Rookie of the Year, batting .344 in his first full season. Aoki will turn 30 on Jan. 5, and could join a Brewers outfield that includes Ryan Bruan, Corey Hart, Nyjer Morgan and Carlos Gomez. Braun is appealing a possible 50-game suspension for a reported positive drug test, but general manager Doug Melvin said the Brewers are "counting on Ryan being in the lineup." Aoki, notably, is the only player in Japanese baseball history with two 200 H seasons (2005,2010). Not even the great Ichiro Suzuki can put that on his resume. His LH slap-hitting style and usage of the whole field could conjure up memories of Ichiro as well! For his career he’s a .329 hitter with an .856 OPS, 664 R, 164 SB, 84 HR, 385 RBI, and a stout 491/417 K/BB. Everything I've read has said the biggest flaw he has is his throwing arm. Most scouting reports have said that his poor throwing arm is going to relegate him to LF in the majors. Hopefully I'm wrong, because I'd love to see him playing CF for the Brewers. And I’m sure the Brewers would love to move the enigmatic Morgan out of town and replace the inconsistent and weak hitting Gomez. If the Brewers do sign Aoki, at worst he could settle in as a #4 OF and serve as a cheap source of SB.

December 18, 2011: Tim Tebow is the most polarizing figure in NFL history!

About 2 weeks ago new Boston manager Bobby Valentine went on record and said that Yu Darvish was the best pitcher he ever saw. Don’t forget, Bobby V. has been around since pet rocks and hula hoops! He’s seen them all. But my query would be why would the Red Sox not put in a bid on Darvish. Teams that I know for a fact that put up some bidding money include the Cubs, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Rangers. The latter 2 are considered the prohibitive favorites. I also know the A’s, Rays, Orioles, Twins, Mets, Reds, and Angels didn’t put in a bid. In the beginning of all this “Darvish talk,” the Nationals and, of course, the Marlins mentioned interest. But no word on if those franchises went all in on the 6’5? Japanese RH. I will say one thing: I have a gut feeling that, while the Yankees may not come out on top, they put in a higher bid then has been portrayed to the media. Because GM Brian Cashman has been just a little too coy on the whole matter. But I was professing the virtues of signing INF Tsuyoshi Nishioka in 2011 and he went over like a lead balloon. I even drafted him in 2 AL-only leagues. I also drafted Kosuke Fukudome as a Cub rookie a lifetime ago. And, like you guys, I have read of the aborted effort to turn Kei Igawa into a pitcher. But after spending $46-mil on that “Fresh Prince of Osaka” it just became another effort in futility. I’ll even say it’s water under the bridge, for now, but I’ve never been called the smartest guy that ever lived! The D-Train, Dontrelle Willis, has long been one of my favorites. And, no, not from a fantasy perspective. That ship has sailed. I remember in December of '07 when the Tigers signed him to a 3 yr extension for $29-mil. That was coming off his last season in Florida when he had a 5.17/1.60 ERA/WHIP in 205 1/3 IP with 241 HA. His agent said at the time, "The deal still allows him to be a free agent again when he's 28 years old. If everything goes well and his body holds up, he probably has 2 big contracts ahead of him!" Since Willis signed that deal he's had 40 GS, a 4-15 record in 199 IP, a 139/156 K/BB, 205 HA, and a 6.15/1.81 ERA/WHIP. And his agent is probably selling used cars on the weekend. I do like the signing by the Phils and putting him in the bullpen as a LH specialist given the numbers vs LH hitters you give could be the best thing for all involved. Though, having said that, I more than likely won't be throwing any money at Willis during my NL-only drafts. But I will be rooting for him from a distance!

December 12, 2011: Danica Patrick is the hottest woman that ever lived!

I would think that at the very least Hiroyuki Nakajima would make the Yankees' need for Andruw Jones moot at this point. Nunez may be better suited for the 3 OF spots along with the 2 MID spots and 3B. In these days of specialization, there's a lot to be said for a guy that can move around. Of course to get a SP the Yankees might have to be creative in their own right. There was a report that the Braves were interested in Eduardo Nunez where Jair Jurrjens was involved but that conversation hasn't picked up the requisite legs. Teams will try to "hold up" the Yankees for their priced prospects and the team does have a plentiful amount. The A's did show a lot of panache by asking for either Banuelos or Betances PLUS Jesus Montero PLUS top prospect OF Mason Williams for Gio Gonzalez. Mason Williams has been described as Bernie Williams with an arm. You may have heard of Bernie who couldn't throw the ball from me to you yet may get strong consideration for the Hall of Fame in this months voting. By the by, Mason Williams hit .349 in A Ball with an .863 OPS. I love the winter meetings. Yes, Mason Williams was also the great musician that gave us "Classical Gas" and was the one-time bandleader of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour back in the 60's. You would have thought that given what they were asking for, the A's were offering up another great Jewish LHP, Sandy Koufax himself. But in this lean market for trustworthy free agent SP's, a #2 is at least worth a king's ransom. And the Yankees were rightly insulted. You can tell how this market is when LHP Mark Buehrle, the 161 game winner for the White Sox gets 4 yrs/$58-mil. What exactly am I missing? And I'll tell you something, I still get a strange feeling that the Yankees will put a bid on Yu Darvish. Yes they're saying they're not interested, but these are the Yankees! Now I'm reading the the Colorado Rockies are interested in Andruw Jones. If 75% of the pitchers in the NL were LH, Jones would be in the Hall of Fame. He was headed that way at the age of 28 and now is just a journeyman at the age of 34. That 50 HR season now seems like a lifetime ago.

December 1, 2011: Never advise anyone to go to war or to marry!

Aaron Miles was probably always (and still is) the guy that had to prove himself. He was the last guy picked in gym class for a team. Maybe even the guy that had to bring the bases as a kid so he could get in the game. He may have even contributed some bats. It's wonderful that a guy that looks like he should be delivering your mail or bagging groceries at your neighborhood Shop Rite has a career in major league baseball that includes 793 hits, 347 R, 229 RBI, and a .281 career BA. I can get behind that kind of underdog who had to work for everything he's achieved at this highest level of baseball. And I can also separate the "scrappiness" and hustle with the fact that this is a guy that's lucky to have lasted this long. But it wouldn't be unprecedented or would it be a stretch to see this guy get 1000 career hits. That is a much tougher accomplishment than the 3000 hits by Derek Jeter. Throw in the 0/0 K/BB in 5 career IP and we have the makings of a made-for-TV movie on our hands. And of course Jason Priestly would play our hero! Tyler Chatwood was unremarkable in his first crack at the major leagues, posting a 74/71 K/BB ratio in 142 IP. Besides the awful K/BB, his ERA/WHIP of 4.75/1.67 scares me a bit as does the 166 HA. A move to Colorado doesn't bode well either, but we have to remember Chatwood is only 21 years old. He was considered a top-15 prospect in the Angels system back in 2010 and may have been rushed, he only has five Triple-A starts to his name. If the Rockies can develop the raw talent there, such as his 93 MPH fastball and 47% ground ball rate, they could find a useful mid-rotation piece. You may find providence for a buck as your last SP in NL-only so I would watch his spring performance carefully. Iannetta presumably would step in to be the starter right away for the Angels over Jeff Mathis. In a way, he would be a poor man's Mike Napoli, with good on-base skills, some power (though not as good as Napoli's), and debatable catching skills (though considered better than Napoli's at the time he was traded).

November 17, 2011: Sometimes it just doesn't pay to get up in the morning!

Sometimes I just have to get away from the negative energy around me, especially when it comes to Tim Tebow. I know, I've tried to make the guy a hero in my mind because, and I know better than anyone, we can all use a hero! The sentiment around these parts, and I mean the site, is that Tebow isn’t capable of playing in the NFL much less running an NFL team. Call me stupid but isn’t the object of the NFL to win games? After all Tebow is 3-1 in 4 starts and has a 7/1 TD/INT rate. I know that it hasn’t looked pretty at times and some might even say it’s downright ugly. But Tebow beat teams he had to beat. Even Las Vegas doesn’t put much credence in Tebow making the Broncos 5 point underdogs to the Jets on Thursday night. Of course, on my NFL ticket, I have the Jets giving the 5 but part of me would like to see Tebow make a liar out of Revis. No, that probably doesn’t happen but Tebow has proven a much tougher runner than a passer and, give this guy an inch, and he may take 2 inches. I do know that the Broncos are starting to resemble a college football team but where is it in the rules that every team has to make us happy? I’m all for changing it up and bucking the odds both in fantasy and reality. Sometimes there’s a fine line between fantasy and reality and, in an odd way, I’m not always too sure what side of the fence I’m on! Let’s give the guy a chance and see if Rex Ryan can counter a “different” type of force, one we haven’t seen on this level and one that, like a streaking comet, may fade from view at any time! Here was the news about Pridie: The Athletics signed OF Jason Pridie to a minor league contract. We suspect the contract includes an invite to spring training. This was the extent of the news about Pridie, a player that I liked when he was in the Twins organization. The problem with some players is that they just never seem to progress to the next level. Pridie, 28, batted .231 and a .679 OPS with 4 HR and 20 RBI over 208 AB and 101 games with the Mets this season. He'll try to win a spot on the A's Opening Day roster as a reserve outfielder. The long time minor leaguer had received 4 career AB over 11 games coming into 2011. On the whole, Jason Pridie provided a surprisingly solid temporary replacement in center field for the Mets, but he simply does not have a good enough glove to make-up for his horrendous bat and mediocre speed. And that’s even for a fourth or fifth outfielder. But for the $450,000 or so that Pridie will command, that wouldn’t be too bad. No one gets hurt that way and, in a way, I was surprised the Mets outrighted him off the 40-man roster. Yes, I did read that they are going to offer Angel pagan arbitration but Pridie was the only other true CF on the 40-man! Over his minor league career, Pridie is 1030 for 3748 (.275) with a .741 OPS, 566 R, 82 HR, 415 RBI, 163 SB, and a 772/231 K/BB. As you can see from those numbers, strike outs have been a problem for Pridie. In his 208 AB with NY, Pridie took the long walk back to the dugout with the bat on his shoulder 64 times. And, as hard as I try, I just can’t get the square peg to fit into the round hole!

November 13, 2011: Jon Papelbon gets $217,000 per IP!

The Nixon brothers were speed merchants to be sure! They must've been great at family picnics also. Maybe growing up in Columbus County, NC, had them running from the police stealing hubcaps to eventually honing their craft and stealing bases. Donell did have 47 in the majors and another 453 in the minors for an even 500 SB. I guess, like Forrest Gump, he "just stopped!" In fact from 1982-1984, in the lower minors, Donell averaged 111 swipes a season. His older brother Otis probably got his start winning a few Snoop Dogg look-a-like contests back home. Otis Nixon shares the single game stolen base Major League record with 6 on June 16, 1991. He also holds the Atlanta Braves single season record for stolen bases with 72 in 1991. In 1982, Nixon stole 107 bases in a combined season between the AA level Nashville Sounds and the AAA level Columbus Clippers. In the minor leagues, Nixon led the league twice in stolen bases (1980 in the South Atlantic League with 67 & 1983 in the International League with 94), runs scored (1980 in the South Atlantic League with 124 & 1983 in the International League with 129, hits (162 in 1983 in the International League), at bats (557 in 1983 in the International League) and walks (57 in 1979 in the Appalachian League, 113 in 1980 in the South Atlantic League and 110 in 1981 in the Southern League). He started out as an infielder but was switched to outfield in 1983 due to his superior speed and his penchant for making errors (56 in 127 games in 1981 at shortstop for the Nashville Sounds). Nixon was only one of 2 men to have at least 50 SB with 4 different teams (Juan Pierre is the other) with the Expos (50) in 1990, Braves (72) 1991, Rangers (50) 1995, and the Blue Jays (54) 1996. Nixon stole 620 bases, had a 694/585 K/BB, a .270 BA in 5115 AB, 878 R, 1379 H, 11 HR, 318 RBI, and a .658 OPS. Nixon was somewhat of a late bloomer as he accrued only 650 major league AB before the age of 30. Nixon battled a cocaine habit for much of his career. He was arrested on drug charges in 1987 while a member of the Cleveland Indians organization. Nixon failed a drug test in September 1991 and was suspended for 60 days, which caused Nixon to miss the 1991 World Series. Nixon ended the 1992 World Series by making an out trying to bunt his way on base, the only time in baseball history that a Series ended on a bunt. And maybe that's the way the story of the Nixon brothers should end!

November 9, 2011: Deaf people can still play things by ear!

I'm not sure that I would anoint Capuano as one of the 5 best SP in baseball. The Mets actually did a great thing getting his name on the dotted line for an affordable price and he did make 31 starts for them. He was an All-Star for the Brewers back in 2006 and made 69 starts in 2005-2006 winning 18 games in '05 and the owner of a 174/47 K/BB in '06. The problem is these types try to parlay that one year of decency, and that's all it was, into a big multi-year deal. The Mets are right to steer clear of this situation and will look to sign the "next" Chris Capuano for 2012. Capuano is capable of games like August 26 when he pitched a 2-hit shut out vs the Braves with a 13/0 K/BB. But you did hit the nail on the head when you said he's an inconsistent guy to own fantasy-wise as he allowed 15 H and 8 ER over his next 2 GS. That being said, for a buck or 2, Capuano is a perfect guy to round out your single league staff. He did post a 4.55/1.35 ERA/WHIP in '11 with a 168/53 K/BB. My feeling would be that it would be foolhardy to get involved in a bidding war here. Just congratulate the owner that wants to go the extra buck on him and move on to the next guy! James Shields was one of the very few things that I did right in fantasy baseball this year. I still hold him in my mixed league and may have to consider him as one of my 7 keepers. For that reason, I wouldn't mind seeing him go to the NL. I also have him for $18 in my $260-AL and, if he were to be traded to the Senior Circuit, I'd be shit out of luck! He's always had pretty good peripherals, even when going bad, and his K/BB rate was always top notch. He would definitely be a boon to any staff and, if I'm the Rays, I put him out there for the highest bidder. And I don't mean just Logan Morrison. While he's a comer, the useful SP trumps all tweeters and we know the Marlins would be none-too-happy to send LoMo to the curb! This is a case of classic sell-high by the Rays but they still deserve something special. Matt Moore will make fans forget Shields but all that stuff takes time. And it gets kind of sad too!

October 28, 2011: Like my vacuum cleaner, Zach Duke sucks!

Former New York Mets star Lenny Dykstra pleaded no contest last Wednesday to grand theft auto charges stemming from what prosecutors said was a scheme to lease cars using phony business and credit information. The onetime World Series hero faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison when he appears before a judge for sentencing in January. Dykstra originally faced 25 criminal counts, including three counts of possession of a controlled substance, due to the alleged discovery of cocaine, Ecstasy and a synthetic growth hormone during a police search of his Los Angeles home. Dykstra still faces two additional and unrelated criminal prosecutions. An indictment returned by a federal grand jury in May accuses him of stealing or destroying some $400,000 in property that was part of his bankruptcy case. Then in August, he was charged in Los Angeles with exposing himself to a string of women who answered online employment advertisements he posted. Talk about a bad year for anyone, Lenny “Nails” Dykstra probably can’t even see the bottom of the Mendoza Line at this point. I guess you can say that Dykstra will always have his 100 SB season in the minors to fall back on. But this is a guy that’s been running afoul of authority for some time back from his purported drug use as a player right through this recent string of, let’s call it, unfortunate incidents. And if there was ever a time when the expression, “lock him up and throw away the key” comes into play, now could be the perfect time. Of course a stiffer punishment could be to have Dykstra watch Mets’ tapes of the late ‘70’s when Lee Mazzilli was the best player. But I would have to admit that that would be cruel and unusual punishment. Maybe Nails can put the events of the past year into book form and it can be turned into a made-for-TV movie. I was actually OK with everything until I read that Dykstra exposed himself to a series of women. For that he deserves a “stiff” sentence. If I did that it would be cruel and unusual punishment for those poor women! And like my wife said the night of the Brown/Goldman murders (during the Knicks/Rockets NBA finals) when I blurted out that O.J. Simpson couldn’t have murdered anyone, he was a sports’ hero, and she replied, “Which way is the Bronco headed?” Smart woman, my wife.

October 19, 2011: Can you name any of Brad and Angie's children? I know that I can't!

What's interesting to me isn't just that Arthur Rhodes has never before won a ring. He's been playing since 1991. He turns 42 in a week. You just kind of assume that those guys would've won at some point earlier on. No, what I find most interesting is that Rhodes has never before won a ring despite the quality of the teams for which he's played. Some of Rhodes' previous employers: The O’s in ’92, ’96, and ’97 averaged 92 wins. He was on the 116 win team of the Mariners in 2001. He also played for the 2010 Reds that won 91 games. In fact, Rhodes has pitched on 8 teams that have won 90 or more games! That's a lot of success. Between 2000-2005, the worst team for which Rhodes pitched finished 91-71. And yet, nothing, until now. He did have a couple of meltdowns in the 2000 ALCS. In 2 IP he gave up 8 hits, 7 ER, and had a 5/4 K/BB. A year later, he allowed another critical ALCS home run. But it's not like Rhodes is really to blame for the fact that he's had to wait this long to get a ring. He's been an effective pitcher on a lot of good teams. It just never happened. Sometimes it doesn't happen. But Rhodes, no matter what, has had a pretty good career and the 2011 season is one he can tell his grandchildren about (if he doesn’t have them already). No matter who wins the World Series this season, Arthur Rhodes is guaranteed a ring. Having been released in early August by the Rangers, he was signed by the Cardinals on August 11th. Immediately, you think about Bengie Molina. A year ago, Molina was the starting catcher for the San Francisco Giants until he was traded to the Rangers in July. Molina then became the starter in Texas, and so he was guaranteed a ring when the two teams met in October. He wound up getting his ring from the Giants, who credited him with having helped to develop a robust pitching staff. Arthur Rhodes is one of the good guys in baseball even though he may get the Johnny Roseboro "buddha" look-a-like award! Like Molina in 2010, it's good to see these guys go out a winner.

October 12, 2011: Since Sept 1, including play-offs, Don Kelly is hitting .343!

Kevin Slowey lost his last 8 GS of the season for the Twins and on September 26 he allowed five runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of Minnesota's 7-3 setback against the Royals. Slowey will finish 2011 0-8 with a 6.67 ERA and 1.40 WHIP compiled over 59 1/3 innings. His chances of re-signing with the Twins, who not so secretly shopped him over the summer, are just about zero. Even though Slowey has a career ERA of 4.66, he has a stout 395/84 career K/BB rate. But he has proved a little too hittable as he’s given up 606 hits in 532 2/3 IP. A change of scenery will be best for Slowey as he’s fallen out of favor with the Twins. Slowey was never a hard-throwing pitcher, and that still rings true today. In five Major League seasons, Slowey’s fastball has averaged 89.6 miles per hour. But zip isn’t everything for a pitcher. Slowey happens to be one of the better control-artists in the show, owning a career 1.42 BB/9. In fact, the right-hander’s “worst” control was in 2010, when he walked batters at a 1.71 rate–which was still top five in the entire league. Going into 2011, Slowey embarked on an unusual situation–rotation competition. For the first time in his career, the control artist was not guaranteed a rotation spot, mostly due to “emergence” of Brian Duensing and fascination with Nick Blackburn Despite his prior experience and success, Slowey was deprived his usual starting gig, and was placed in the bullpen. But just three games into April, the now-reliever started feeling soreness in his right biceps muscle. A MRI revealed tendinitis, prompting the Twins to place Slowey on the disabled list. But the ineffectiveness of Duensing and the injury to Blackburn was the reason that Slowey made 8 starts for the Twins down the stretch. The New York Mets could turn to a pitcher like Slowey with the hopes that some scenery change could bode well. In addition, considering Slowey’s career 47.9% FB%, his approach would thrive in the lofty dimensions of Citi Field. While Slowey’s $2.7 million price-tag won’t turn many heads, he should make around $4 million in arbitration (despite the bad season). The Mets have their own SP, Mike Pelfrey, eligible for arbitration. Pelfrey’s salary for the 2011 season was $3.925 mil. It’s something to keep an eye on in the off-season.

October 8, 2011: When Josie comes home so good, she's the pride of the neighborhood!

Hard to believe that back in 2001 Baseball America had Milledge listed as the best 16-year-old baseball player in the country. It’s equally hard to believe that just a decade later, Milledge had to settle for a minor league deal with the White Sox and was probably lucky to get an invite to spring training. In the 2003 amateur draft, Milledge fell to the Mets with the #12 pick due to “problems” in high school You know, kid stuff involving hormones and the opposite sex! He debuted with the Mets in 2006 but his time with the Mets went over like a lead pipe to the head! He was sent packing to the nation’s capital after 350 AB. There he enjoyed his only season of some prosperity in 2008, hitting 268 in 523 AB, 14 HR, 61 RBI, and 24 SB. He was sent to the minors early the next season and was eventually traded to the Pirates. In 2010 Milledge hit .277 in 379 AB with 4 HR and 5 SB. I was a little surprised that the Pirates non-tendered Milledge as he would have only earned about $500,000 and won’t be 26 until April. It’s always a bad sign, at least to me, when the Pirates don’t want you. And, at that price tag, you would figure he was a “steal.” Especially a young upside OF, a former 5-tool guy who never used all 5 on the same day. I did like the signing by the White Sox at the time. Like Andruw Jones the year before, Milledge could see time vs. LHP which he batted .320 with a .926 OPS in 2010. Plus he can play all 3 OF positions. But on April 12, after 2 games and 4 AB, Milledge was dispatched to the nether lands (not Bert Blyleven’s home land) and wasn’t heard from the rest of the season. He did bide his time in Triple-A, going 130 for 444 (.293) with 12 HR 48 RBI, 61 R, 27 SB, a 63/43 K/BB, and an .801 OPS. After the 2011 season, Milledge has elected to become a free agent! He’s still just 26 and though it's clear that he'll never match the hype he received as a prospect, Milledge has shown enough at the big league level that he should get a shot with someone again eventually. You just have to hope that he doesn’t take the Carl Everett path to retirement. Or, even worse, the Elijah Dukes path. But maybe Milledge can become a rapper. He is certainly heading in that direction!