Tuesday Thoughts

While wondering who the Maple Leafs may acquire, here is what's on my mind this morning:

Kudos to Phil Jackson as he made a good move in acquiring Jose Calderon, Sam Dalambert & a couple of draft picks. Calderon is a legitimate point guard and the Knicks acquired a good one in Cleanthony Early from Wichita State. Was sad to see Tyson Chandler go and not so sad to see Raymond Felton go. Now the attention focuses on Carmelo Anthony. It says here he ends up back with the Knicks.

Jason Kidd is a real piece of work. It's pretty low to negotiate for a job while someone is still in it. Kidd wanted more say in personnel matters with the Nets to the point that he wanted Billy King's job. The same Billy King who hired him. What a piece of work. Here's hoping that the Milwaukee wallows at the bottom of the league while Kidd is there.  Not sure if there is a bigger egomaniac than Jason Kidd.  The ultimate coach killer.  Just remember Jason, what comes around goes around.

Mike Napoli's "What an Idiot!!" comment was classless but what would you expect from a punk Red Sox. Could you imagine if ARod did that to Boston's Brandon Workman?  There would be everyone calling Rodriguez a jerk, a bum and violating the integrity of the game.  Napoli should be ashamed of himself and should have showed some respect toward Masahiro Tanaka.  I'm also not happy with the Yankees' response which was basically that it was no big deal.  So much for the rivalry.  It's bad when I'm more fired up then the guys wearing Pinstripes.

How long is Brian Cashman going to continue as General Manager of the New York Yankees?  It is evident that the wild spending spree this past off-season is a disaster.  But for Tanaka, Carlos Beltran is a shell of himself, Brian McCann is lost and Jacoby Ellsbury was a mistake. Certainly you couldn't predict Ivan Nova going down for the season and CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda being on the disabled list.  But, the fact is that the Yankees don't have the starting pitching to win the weak American League East. If Cashman doesn't make a move for a starter soon, the bullpen will be destroyed by mid-August. So, the team that Cashman built can't hit and the starting rotation is in disarray. Nice job, Brian!!

If you get the chance, pick up Mariano Rivera's book, The Closer.  It was a great read about a truly remarkable baseball player and more importantly, a remarkable human being.  

I'm not sure what to expect from the Toronto Maple Leafs today, as the 2014 Free Agent Frenzy kicks off at 12 noon.  The trade for Josh Gorges from the Montreal Canadiens blows me away because it doesn't make any sense.  Gorges will be 30 in August and has four more years on his contract.  It is said that the Leafs want his leadership and gritty play to add sandpaper to the blue line. They have already added Roman Polak so a trade for Gorges doesn't make any sense.  Moreover, we don't know who the Leafs were willing to give up to get him.  Gorges turned down the deal as the Leafs were not on his limited trade list.  Here's hoping that Gorges doesn't give in.

The pressure is on Leafs G.M. Dave Nonis. If it was up to me, the only free agents I would go after would be Anton Strahlman, Christian Ehrhoff or Paul Stastny. Otherwise, bring the Marlies up and let them fill out the roster.

And finally, Happy Canada Day to my Canadian friends. Be safe and enjoy!!

Tuesday's Thoughts

While wondering if the NBA Draft really matters, here is what's on my mind today:

Well after sweeping Toronto last week and winning with a walk off HR from Carlos Beltran on Friday against Baltimore, the Yankees have lost 3 in a row and find themselves in third place behind Toronto and the Orioles.  This team still has trouble hitting with runners in scoring position and Vidal Nuno is a liability every time he takes the mound.  The only thing keeping them in the race is the fact that the AL East is the worst it has been in years.  The division is there for the taking and lets see if Brian Cashman makes a couple of moves to put this team over the hump.  One thing is for sure: this starting rotation is put together with duct tape.

Lebron James has indicated he is going to explore free agency.  Quite frankly, I can't see him leaving Miami. It just doesn't make sense.

The same holds true for Carmelo Anthony.  However, the Knicks may not be so bad off if Melo decides to bolt.  It is interesting that his reputation around the league is that he is a "me" guy and would be tough to build a team around or for that matter be a wingman for someone like Lebron.  That was not the case on the Olympic team where he worked well with the rest of the stars.  Time will tell what is going to happen, but I agree with Phil Jackson:  either way the Knicks will be ok in 2015.

Saw on Twitter that 2 Native Americans are suing the Cleveland Indians for $1 billion dollars because of the use of Chief Wahoo.  Really??  Well, then maybe the name of the team should be changed to the Cleveland Native Americans.  What a joke!!!

Brady Quinn was right in his comments on Johnny Manziel.  Manziel has no concept of the impact he has on young kids nor does he care.  He also has become the face of the franchise.  What a disgrace!!  It is really hard for me to say I'm a Browns fan.

Starting Friday, the NHL really gets into the wheeling and dealing season as the Re-Entry Draft is Friday and Free Agent Frenzy begins on Tuesday.  There is many who believe that trades could come down at the draft. We have already had one as the Flyers sent Scott Hartnell to Columbus for R.J. Umberger.  Both of these guys are heart and soul type players but I'm really shocked that Philly moved Hartnell.  In the end, I think that the Blue Jackets got the better of this deal and they become an even harder team to play against.

Not sure what the Leafs are going to do but Dave Nonis is under the gun as far as I'm concerned.

Had a huge laugh on Sunday when a Buffalo News sportswriter said that the Sabres could reach the salary cap floor by taking on the contracts of Marc Savard and Chris Pronger.  This guy is to be considered as a legitimate sportswriter?  If the NHL allowed that to happen, Gary Bettman is a bigger disgrace than I thought.  The Buffalo News must be desperate as this column could have been written by some yo-yo at the Pearl Street Grill.

How long will it take for the loyal Bills Mafia to turn on E.J. Manuel?

And finally, the last two Sundays I have seen an SUV with the Ontario license plates: RJ Hockey. Hmmm....must be Pork Chop.  Won't be long before we'll be rescued from his ridiculous play-by-play calls. I can't wait.

Redskins Controversy is a Joke

It was announced yesterday that Dan Snyder lost the patent rights to the name: "Washington Redskins".  This follows along the continual call for Snyder to change the name of his NFL team.  Snyder's team began in 1932 as the Boston Braves and the following year became the Boston Redskins. In 1937, they moved to Washington where they have been the Washington Redskins for 76 years. 

The Redskins organization has never demeaned Native Americans. There emblem is the picture of a proud Native American. The name of their fight song is "Hail to the Redskins."  Yet, the political correct police want the name change. The same PC police who have had the Cleveland Indians hide Chief Wahoo. What a joke. 

The Redskin organization has been a signature franchise in the NFL.  Generation of fans in the D.C and Virginia area have followed this team known as the Redskins. If changing the name of this team would eliminate racism toward Native Americans and give them greater opportunities then by all means change the name. But we know that's not the case. 

I hope Dan Snyder sticks to his guns. That organization and the NFL have not discriminated against Native Americans. When I think of the Washington Redskins I think of a proud franchise.  When will enough be enough?? Will the Cleveland Indians be next?? How about the Atlanta Braves??  Let's not forget the Chicago Blackhawks. Instead of worrying about the name of a football team, maybe the focus should be on what can be done for the Native Americans who live in poverty on Native land throughout the country. 

Tuesday's Thoughts

While wondering what diversions I will have from Yankee games now that the NHL & NBA Finals are over, here is what's on my mind this morning:

Congratulations to the LA Kings and the San Antonio Spurs for winning their respective league championships. The Kings had an amazing playoff run and their management team of GM Dean Lombardi and Head Coach Darryl Sutter  deserve more credit for the job they have done. The Spurs are an NBA throwback as it truly is a team, as Gregg Popovich uses his bench extensively.  

Just love Kwahi Leonard's game. Read a great piece on this kid in SI. Well deserved MVP of the Finals. 

How long will it take for Brian Cashman to wake up and take Vidal Nuno out of the starting rotation??  The guy is a middle reliever at best. 

The Yankees begin a critical homestand this evening as the first place Toronto Blue Jays fly into the Stadium.  After a 3 game series with Toronto, Baltimore comes to town. This week begins an extensive trip through the AL East and could give us a good picture on where the Yankees are going this season. 

The Carmelo Anthony saga has begun and it would appear that he is going to opt out of his contract and explore free agency on July 1st. Phil Jackson's request for Melo to stay for a year and then see what direction the Knicks were going before heading out to free agency is reasonable. Especially if Melo loves playing in New York. I agree with Jax, would love for Melo to stay and want him to stay but if he leaves it's time to move on. 

July 1st is also the first day of NHL free agency and the rumors are flying.  If there is one free agent I would like to see the Leafs sign it would be Anton Strahlman.

Really sad to hear about the passing of Tony Gwynn. Gwynn was the consummate hitter and a better person. He will be sadly missed. 

Have to tell you I have had it up to here with Johnny Manziel stories. Mark my words, the Browns will rue the day they drafted him. I hope I'm wrong. 

And finally, if the Yankees don't make the playoffs this year, will someone in the front office finally be held accountable??

NBA: When Does It End?

Interesting report from ESPN that Miami Heat management and players are considering how they can acquire Carmelo Anthony.  It's interesting because aren't the Heat in the NBA Finals?  Shouldn't the focus be on how they are going to beat San Antonio, particularly after having been schooled at home in Game 3?

Just when I have gotten over "The Decision", it appears that Lebron & Company want to continue playing fantasy basketball. Commissioner Adam Silver has been lauded for his quick and decisive move to give a lifetime ban to Donald Sterling for his racist comments. But does Silver have the stones to stop the ridiculous maneuvering to create a mega-power in Miami?

As I wrote in an earlier post, the competitive balance is very lopsided. If you are not a top 2 seed in your respective conference, you have little chance of winning a title. If the Heat were to acquire Melo, you might as well seed Miami to be the Eastern Conference Champions for the next five years. 

Along with competitive balance, Silver needs to consider what impact having non-competitive teams in Boston, New York and Los Angeles. And when I'm referring to LA I'm referring to the Lakers.   Moreover, how can fans in places like Minnesota, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Toronto, Golden State, Denver and Cleveland believe they would ever have a legitimate shot at winning a title?

If Silver allows this player collusion to continue, then maybe the league should contract. Maybe 10 teams in each conference with the top 6 in each conference making the playoffs. With only 20 teams, there would be plenty of top talent to go around. 

In the mid 70s, Bowie Kuhn blocked the sale of players from Oakland to New York and Boston in Major League Baseball because it was bad for the game.  Does Adam Silver have the guts to do the same thing for the NBA?  If I had to bet, the answer to the question is probably not because he doesn't see the damage to his league.  It's amazing that in the first league of the Big 4 to institute a salary cap, players have basically bastardized the system to create a large cap between the haves and the have-nots.  What a joke!!

Lebron Answers Critics Big Time

Let me start out by saying I am not a Miami Heat fan. I did not like the way Lebron James and Chris Bosh engineered their way to Miami. Let me go on to say that if San Antonio won this series to become champions it would be nice because I like their organization and feel they play the game like old school NBA. But, all of this being said, I simply don't see how the Spurs are going to shut down Lebron and as a result they will not win the series.

After all of the stupid and ridiculous criticism that Lebron took after Game 1, he answered all of his critics with a dominating performance in Game 2 to lead the Heat to a victory on the road to even the series at a game a piece.  I love Kwahi Leonard, but there is no way he can defend Lebron. That's no criticism of Leonard because I don't believe anyone can shut Lebron down now.  He looked like a man among boys out there Sunday night. 

In order for the Spurs to win this series they need to play flawless basketball. That includes not having your top 2 players, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, miss 2 free throws each back to back.  The Spurs had a shot to take command of this series last night and blew it.  Their only hope may be that Lebron can't get enough Powerade.  Somehow I don't see that happening.  Heat in six

Pathetic in KC

Poor Hiroki Kuroda. The guy allowed 2 runs over seven innings and comes away with a loss. The kicker is that his teammates were 1 for 17 with runners in scoring position, including bases loaded and no outs. If it is at all possible, this offense is worse than the Vernon Wells-Lyle Overbay edition last year.

The lone bright spot offensively was Yangervis Solarte. The kid seems to be for real. But the high priced acquisitions are doing nothing. You know what I found interesting is that Kay & Cone were elated the way Ichiro Suzuki brought a run home by grounding out to the right side of the infield. Wow!! How about a base hit to get something going. Don't think it is asking much from a career .300 hitter. 

Every Yankee fan I've talked to over the weekend say the same thing: this team is tough to watch. And while the offense continues to struggle, Brian Cashman let Minnesota scoop up Kendrys Morales. A 30 yr old switch-hitting first baseman with power who they basically could have got for one year but instead we will have to put up with Kelly Johnson.  Johnson is awful. 

Today Vidal Nuno will probably aggravate us further as the Yankees could possibly lose 3 out of 4 to the Royals. By the way, sick of David Cone's droning on and on about the Royals. I remember the battles in the 70s and I couldn't stand that team. Cone needs to remember he's working for YES. 

Fortunately the Yanks head out west after tonight's game which means the games will start too late for me to stay up and watch.  Thank God for west coast trips

Accountability in the Bronx? Fuhgettaboutit

After spending over $400 million dollars in the off season, the New York Yankees find themselves 30-29 good for third place, 6 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays. As Yankee fans, we were told that the spending spree was in response to the disappointing 2013 season. Upon close examination, on June 5th of last year the Yanks were 34-25 1.5 games back of first place Boston. Some response.

With the exception of Masahiro Tanaka, the acquisitions of Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran have been a disaster.  Let's examine this year's team starting with the infield, the outfield, the starting rotation and the bullpen.

Infield

This year's infield is a far cry from the one in 2009 that won a World Championship. The first base situation is fine as long as Mark Teixiera can play. The Yankees knew that Teixiera was coming off wrist surgery and decided to roll the dice as far as having a backup plan which has cost them several times both in the field and at the plate. Not keeping Mark Reynolds was a major mistake and now they must consider signing Kendrys Morales because they have nothing in the farm system or on the current roster to be a legitimate backup. 

Brian Roberts has been ok at second base but he is a far cry from the Brian Roberts of several years ago. He is also injury prone. If he goes down, the options are Kelly Johnson, Yangervis Solarte or Brendan Ryan. There is nothing in the farm system now to call up or in the future. 

Derek Jeter is Derek Jeter. At 40 years of age I'm not sure the Yankees could have expected anything more from him especially after coming off a season of various leg injuries. Again the main backup is Brendan Ryan. The bigger question here is: what's the plan for 2015?  There is nothing in the farm system. Probably they'll sign a 35 year old shortstop to a 4 year contract. What a joke. 

Solarte has been a good pick up and everything so far seems to indicate he can be an everyday major leaguer. However, I don't think he is your prototypical third baseman but maybe he could shift over to second.  I guess even a blind squirrel can find an acorn. 

According to most experts, the Yankees have plenty of organizational depth at the catching position which begs the question as to why they would have signed Brian McCann to a 5 year contract. Truth be told is that I was ok with this signing when it was announced. But in light of the ascendancy of John Ryan Murphy, one has to wonder if the Yankees would have been better off keeping Russell Martin 2 years ago to mentor Murphy and Austin Romine and used the money spent on McCann to bolster other areas of need. Now with McCann on board, can one of these youngsters be used to get a starting pitcher.  With no apparent first baseman on the horizon, should the Yankees look to move Double A catcher Peter O'Brien to first base?  

Outfield

With the signing of Jacoby Ellsbury, two-thirds of the Yankees outfielders are speed guys and when Ichiro Suzuki is in the lineup, there is no power threat in a position that usually provides power. Ellsbury is not the type of player that is going to carry this team. I thought it was a dumb signing when it was announced and I still believe that. 

Right field is a major problem. Carlos Beltran was signed to play 80% of the time in right field and DH 20%. With his latest injury, we are now being told that Beltran will DH for the foreseeable future. What is reminiscent of the late 80s, signing a 38 year old outfielder to a three year contract is flat out stupid. The sad thing is that Beltran is the youngest of Alfonso Soriano and Ichiro Suzuki. 

Once again, the farm system is barren. Zolio Almonte has played well in Scranton but can't seem to crack the big club's roster. An injury to the Ancient Trio will really make a bad situation worse. 

Starting Rotation

Currently, it's Tanaka and pray for rain. During this latest seven game homestand, Masahiro Tanaka registered the only 2 wins both by the score of 2-1. This kid is a keeper and without him the Yankees would be with Tampa in the division basement. 

Hiroki Kuroda is a battler who even when he doesn't have his best stuff will give the Yankees innings. If Kuroda falters, the Yankees truly are done and would most certainly cause them to acquire another starter though I think they need to get one regardless of what Kuroda does. 

There is no question that injuries have impacted the starting rotation in a big way. Losing Ivan Nova for the entire season was a huge loss. CC Sabathia's injury is also a huge blow and one has to wonder if this former workhorse is breaking down right before our eyes. 

Michael Pineda has been very frustrating and one has to wonder if the Yankees will ever be able to count on him to be a major contributor. David Phelps and Vidal Nuno are at best number five starters and certainly not material for a championship rotation.  The jury is still out on Chase Whitley. The youngster has looked good but has only gone 5 innings in all of his starts. The Yanks need to give this kid more innings to make a determination on whether he can be a long term answer. Other than Whitley, I'm not aware of the farm system being able to help. Rather frustrating how other organizations are able to bring in young kids to pitch and be effective while the Yankees just can't seem to get it right. By the way, check out Phil Hughes and Jova Chamberlain's stats for this year. Just say in'. 

Bullpen

Going into the winter meetings, many experts believed that the Yankees needed to shore up their bullpen with the loss of Mariano Rivera, Boone Logan and Joba Chamberlain. Well, if not for Adam Warren and Dellin Betances, the bullpen would be a disaster as evidenced by what happened Wednesday night. My concern is that Warren & Betances will be overused. Hopefully Shawn Kelley will be back sooner rather than later to help carry the load and Matt Thornton needs to be utilized more. The Yankees could use another veteran arm. 

A common theme throughout this analysis is that other than catcher, the farm system is a joke and cannot be expected for immediate help and does not bode well for the future. Two weeks ago, Hal Steinbrenner said he was happy with the farm system because of the performance of Betances, Warren and Whitley. That's fine Hal, but what about the rest of the team. 

For argument's sake, let's agree with Hal. My next question is: how do you spend over $400 million dollars in free agency and with 102 games remaining be 6 games out of first place in an AL East that is as weak as it has been since 1999?  

Someone needs to be held accountable for the decline of this team since 2010 and in my opinion that is Brian Cashman. Injuries are no excuse when he continues to acquire and extend aging players and provide for no legitimate backups. Moreover, the farm system is a disgrace. While more players come from Latin America, the Yankees continue to miss out on the Jose Abreus &. Yoenis Cespedes' of the world.  As I have said over and over, when was the last time the Yankees developed a first baseman, a third baseman or a power hitting outfielder?  It hasn't happened since Cashman has been general manager. 

But accountability doesn't seem to be a concern in Yankeeland. Tell me another business that would condone such incompetence. There needs to be a house cleaning starting with Cashman, along with Mark Newman and Damon Oppenheimer. Their player development on all levels is a travesty. The richest team in all of sports can't develop it's own players. There needs to be a blood letting. 

Yankee fans, wake up!!  We need to put pressure on Hal that enough is enough. I for one have not and will not buy another item with the Yankee logo on it.  The only thing that Hal, Levine and Trost know is money and if they start to see dwindling attendance, a decrease in YES ratings and a decrease in Yankee paraphernalia being sold, then maybe we will see some changes. Until then, we are looking at seeing the late 80s again. It's time Yankee fans to stop being lemmings by licking up all the crap that is spewed by Yankee apologists like Michael Kay & Sweeney Murti. This team is in trouble and it goes beyond this season. We could be talking a generation. If you love the Yankees, the time has come to send a message that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!

No Hope In The NBA

For the second year in a row, a number 1 seed (San Antonio) will play against a number 2 seed (Miami) in the NBA Finals. In fact, of all the four major sports, this occurs more in the NBA than it does in the other major sports. As a result, what hope does a fan of Golden State, New Jersey, Denver or Toronto really have to win a title?  All four of those teams made this year's playoffs so if they have a slim chance, how do you think fans of Philadelphia and Cleveland feel??

What makes March Madness so exciting is the possibility of Cinderella going all the way.  In the NHL, the regular season President's trophy winner (team with best record) rarely wins the Stanley Cup let alone make the Finals. In the NFL and MLB we have had wild card teams win it all. In those 3 sports a team that gets hot at the end of the season has a legitimate shot to win it all. This just doesn't happen in the NBA.  This in a league with a salary cap that should even things out.

Not sure what the answer is but at some point it would have to have some impact on fan interest. I guess maybe that won't be a problem as there is plenty of emphasis on individuals versus teams. People will come to see Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and not Oklahoma City.  Don't get me wrong stars are important to sell the game but for a fan so is the belief that your team may have a chance to win. Just ask a Cavalier fan.

Tomorrow night, the Miami Heat will be looking for a 3-peat.  Even though San Antonio has home court advantage, the Heat are favored by most to win the title.  Quite frankly if they do win, its possible they could win another two or three titles unless another threesome can figure out a way to get themselves on the same team like Lebron, D-Wade and Chris Bosh engineered several years ago.  That's why the NBA draft is kind of a joke.  Doesn't really matter how many number one picks you get on your roster because once they are eligible for free agency they'll be gone to join another superstar in a marquee locale.  No other sport like it.