As I continue this little fall-in-review, next I'll take a look at what's happened in the MLB since last I posted. A brief recap:
1. Playoffs happen. Rays beat Red Sox in close, but ultimately surprisingly unexciting ALCS. Despite the Rays near-epic collapse in Game 5, blowing a 7-run lead when needing only 7 outs to advance to the World Series, and seeing them rally and give the ball to a rookie closer in the ninth inning of Game 7 to win it, the lack of history in this "rivalry" really hurt the dramatic impact of an otherwise quality matchup. On the other side, the Phils made quick work of the Brew-crew and Manny's Dodgers on their way to the Fall Classic.
2. Wet and Wild World Series. Rays/Phillies. A classic matchup! Despite Tampa Bay being everyone's darling this year, the signs were quite clear that they had little chance going into this series. The Phillies' hitting was simply too good, their pitching was good enough, and the Rays' lack of experience and on-base percentage looked to be their ultimate downfall. What followed was an entertaining and bizarre World Series, as Game 5 (with the Series on the line) was broken up over 3 days due to a huge storm hitting Philadelphia in the middle of a "tie game" (Phillies fans will argue that the Rays' tying run was gift-wrapped by the umps so the game couldn't be called final). In the end, the Phils finished the game with a win and closed out the series 4-1. And as Chase Utley do eloquently put it, the Phillies are now the "World f***ing Champions!"
3. The US economy takes a dump. This story has obviously received a ton of publicity, but the surprising and somewhat lesser-reported aspect of the economic downturn is its impact on the pro sports. When even the all-powerful NFL is cutting employees and taking out loans, you know things are dicey. In the MLB, the impact is being felt in the league's offseason as free agents are forced to wait out teams for their ridiculous 8- or 9-figure contracts. Teams like the Mets and Yankees are taking advantage of the rest of the league's tight budget by signing whomever they want, and some even at slight discounts. (In the case of the Yankees' new defensive tackle... er, starting pitcher, they're actually paying a huge premium to pry Sabathia away from the West Coast. Hopefully CC gets closer to 350 wins than 350 pounds during his time in New York, because he doesn't seem like he has the sensibility to survive the media onslaught if he lands in the doghouse. Let's just say I'm predicting he'll be exercising his option after 3 years and running as far from New York as possible, to the Angels' or Dodgers' benefit.) Meanwhile, teams like my hometown Astros and Rockies are forced to shop their pricier players and let their free agents walk due to growing budget constraints. In other words, in the only major sports league in the US without a salary cap, the rich again get richer while poor, and their fans, get the shaft.
4. Nobody wants Manny. Thanks in part to the economy, Scott Boras (Manny Ramirez's agent) and Mr. "Manny being Manny," one of the top right-handed hitters in MLB history is having trouble finding a home. Teams around the league are wondering if bringing on a personality like ManRam would bolster or devastate their clubhouse, and this is before checking the price tag ("if you have to ask, you can't afford it"). MLB executives with ever-tightening budgets are growing more and more leery of dealing with an agent like Boras, and guaranteeing 4-years, $80-$100 million for a player that has a history of quitting on teams when things don't go his way seems like a shady proposition. My guess: he either takes a big contract to play for the Yankees (unlikely, but no one else seems to have the money to throw around) or else (more likely) takes a "hometown discount" (i.e. no one will actually pay him more, but Boras has to save face) to stay with the Dodgers.
5. Mark Texiera sweepstakes are becoming silly. It seems everyone has thrown their hat in the ring for Tex, the premier offensive weapon in this year's free agent class not named Manny Ramirez. From the Red Sox to the Nationals to the Orioles to the Angels and maybe even the Braves, Tex has more money being thrown at him than an AIG executive. (Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration. No one has THAT much money being thrown at them.) The question is, will the "lucky" team that lands Tex be getting the same performance out of him as AIG has gotten from said executives? Maybe, maybe not, but I can assure you that he's not the missing link in Baltimore or D.C., so don't be surprised if there ends up being a bit of buyer's remorse if he ends up on an also-ran like them.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the blog, please post below or I can be reached at chrisf884@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
So What Else is New?
Yesterday I covered the big stories (on the field, at least) in the NFL thus far this year. Today, let's take a look at what we know so far in the NBA season.
1. There are three teams that can win the title. The Lakers, Caveliers and Celtics are the clear-cut favorites for the NBA title this season, and there's really no argument to be made for anyone else. In the NBA this year, as is often the case, there are a finite number of teams with the star power and depth that it takes to win the title, which is why we see so many teams stay at the top for extended periods while the rest of the league toils away in the "everyone else" column. Last year, the Celts and Lakers (after the Pau Gasol trade) were the clear favorites, while the Pistons, Cavs, Spurs and Hornets, and to a lesser extent Jazz, were the "if we can get all the right breaks and play our very best in the playoffs, we might have a shot" teams. In other words, they were the contenders, and everyone else was just along for the ride. This year, the Cavs made the jump to that top echelon, while it looks like the Nuggets and Rockets have moved up to the contender level, and the Pistons officially declared they're looking to tear down that roster.
2. The Knicks should change their name to the "New York Summer of 2010s." Mike D'antoni was given a huge contract to lead the Knicks back to relevance, but this turnaround will not happen overnight, and they know it. While the Knicks have been surprisingly competitive this year, their recent roster moves (trading Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, two of their only long-term contract players) clearly signal that the building process has begun, and it's all supposed to come together in the fabled "summer of 2010." In case you haven't been following the league lately, that summer marks the free agency of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Steve Nash (you know the star Canadian guard would love to get back together with the Suns old coach), among many others. Currently the Knicks have 0 contracts on their payroll that don't expire within the next two years. Heck, they may even have enough cap flexibility to sign 3 superstars, with room left over for the customary flock of veterans willing to take a discount to play for a title (see Celtics, Boston, 2007-08).
3. Trades have started early this year. Headlined by the Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson trade, which has turned out to be very one-sided in favor of the Nuggets save the fact that Iverson is a much-coveted expiring contract, this year has already seen a handful of meaningful trades. Now that December 15th has passed, players that signed with new teams this offseason have also become available for trade. So the next few weeks and months leading up to the trade deadline should be quite fascinating, although as outlined above, every trade will be performed with an eye on 2010. The question is, as the Western conference appears tighter and tighter at the top, which team is going to make that desperate move to try to move from an also-ran to a contender? And will it have the same damaging effects as the Shaq and Jason Kidd trades did last year, effectively closing the Suns and Mavs windows for a title.
4. The Thunder may be historically bad. For those of you rooting for the Detroit Lions to "run the table backwards," I present to you the 2008-09 Oklahoma City Thunder! They are, after all, on pace to set the NBA record for losses in a season. Are they really that bad? No... probably not. Could they pull it off anyway? Absolutely.
5. Coaches are dropping like flies. Six head coaches have already bitten the dust and I have no doubt more will inevitably follow. And we haven't even reached the new year yet. Just crazy. But this begs the question, back to my first point, if it's so clear who is in contention, is there really any reason to get rid of the coach when the team's ceiling is a first-round playoff loss?
Next up, and quick glance at the MLB Hot Stove League and how the tanking economy has played a big role.
Chris
1. There are three teams that can win the title. The Lakers, Caveliers and Celtics are the clear-cut favorites for the NBA title this season, and there's really no argument to be made for anyone else. In the NBA this year, as is often the case, there are a finite number of teams with the star power and depth that it takes to win the title, which is why we see so many teams stay at the top for extended periods while the rest of the league toils away in the "everyone else" column. Last year, the Celts and Lakers (after the Pau Gasol trade) were the clear favorites, while the Pistons, Cavs, Spurs and Hornets, and to a lesser extent Jazz, were the "if we can get all the right breaks and play our very best in the playoffs, we might have a shot" teams. In other words, they were the contenders, and everyone else was just along for the ride. This year, the Cavs made the jump to that top echelon, while it looks like the Nuggets and Rockets have moved up to the contender level, and the Pistons officially declared they're looking to tear down that roster.
2. The Knicks should change their name to the "New York Summer of 2010s." Mike D'antoni was given a huge contract to lead the Knicks back to relevance, but this turnaround will not happen overnight, and they know it. While the Knicks have been surprisingly competitive this year, their recent roster moves (trading Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford, two of their only long-term contract players) clearly signal that the building process has begun, and it's all supposed to come together in the fabled "summer of 2010." In case you haven't been following the league lately, that summer marks the free agency of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Steve Nash (you know the star Canadian guard would love to get back together with the Suns old coach), among many others. Currently the Knicks have 0 contracts on their payroll that don't expire within the next two years. Heck, they may even have enough cap flexibility to sign 3 superstars, with room left over for the customary flock of veterans willing to take a discount to play for a title (see Celtics, Boston, 2007-08).
3. Trades have started early this year. Headlined by the Chauncey Billups for Allen Iverson trade, which has turned out to be very one-sided in favor of the Nuggets save the fact that Iverson is a much-coveted expiring contract, this year has already seen a handful of meaningful trades. Now that December 15th has passed, players that signed with new teams this offseason have also become available for trade. So the next few weeks and months leading up to the trade deadline should be quite fascinating, although as outlined above, every trade will be performed with an eye on 2010. The question is, as the Western conference appears tighter and tighter at the top, which team is going to make that desperate move to try to move from an also-ran to a contender? And will it have the same damaging effects as the Shaq and Jason Kidd trades did last year, effectively closing the Suns and Mavs windows for a title.
4. The Thunder may be historically bad. For those of you rooting for the Detroit Lions to "run the table backwards," I present to you the 2008-09 Oklahoma City Thunder! They are, after all, on pace to set the NBA record for losses in a season. Are they really that bad? No... probably not. Could they pull it off anyway? Absolutely.
5. Coaches are dropping like flies. Six head coaches have already bitten the dust and I have no doubt more will inevitably follow. And we haven't even reached the new year yet. Just crazy. But this begs the question, back to my first point, if it's so clear who is in contention, is there really any reason to get rid of the coach when the team's ceiling is a first-round playoff loss?
Next up, and quick glance at the MLB Hot Stove League and how the tanking economy has played a big role.
Chris
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
It's Been HOW Long?!?
As you can tell, it has been quite a while since I've posted, but fear not! I will be posting much more regularly from now on as I try to get things caught up. Clearly, I let real life get in the way of what is most important: sports blogging. Time to fix that.
First things first, I know you're all dying to hear my take on the football season so far. Basically, it comes down to one word: crazy. Yes, yes, we probably like to say that about every season, and it's probably true every season, but this season is one of the most topsy-turvy that I've seen in my years of following the sport. Let's take a look at some of the craziest of crazy happenings thus far:
1. Hurricane Ike - Due to my personal involvement, I have to list Hurricane Ike's impact on the Houston Texans season as one of the oddest factors in the season. Because of Ike, the Texans started the season with a three game road trip (and a week 2 bye), and didn't have their first home game until the month of October, and needless to say they came out of the gates 0-4. Their turnaround from 3-7 to currently 7-7 is a great accomplishment for a young, up-and-coming team looking to make a push. That said, one wonders where they'd be if they hadn't had the extreme misfortune of the hurricane to start the season. Maybe a playoff berth would have been within their grasp.
2. Pats Fall - Who would have thought that within 8 minutes of the start of the season, Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard would become public enemy #1 in the greater New England region? While all sports fans will say (true or not) that they never root for players to get hurt, I can absolutely assure you that there was at least a part of every non-Bostonite that was happy to see Tom Brady go out with a season-ending injury. How do you like THEM apples?!
3. Giants/Titans Come Out Gangbusters - The Giants rode an eleven-month hot streak to a great 11-1 start, while the Titans overcame (celebrated?) VY's injury and subsequent benching with a stunning 10-0 start. Although they both looked great, were considered virtual locks for the Super Bowl just 3 weeks ago and have locked up first round byes, another oddity of this bizarre season is that right now, there are at least 3-4 teams that you could argue are better, and we wonder if either team will even win a game in the postseason. Maybe this will be good for them; the Giants clearly thrived in the "Nobody believes in us!" role last year and even earlier this season.
4. Turnarounds for the Ages - The Miami Dolphins were winless through 13 games last season and faced a Baltimore Ravens team that was going nowhere fast (and finished 5-11). In one fateful overtime thriller, noted for a Matt Stover miss at the end of regulation and a Greg Camarillo TD to seal the win, the Phins dodged the title of second ever 0-14 team. Now, these teams are both 9-5 and fighting for a wild card berth (the Phins could even win their division!) as the NFL proves yet again that previous results are not an indicator of future performance (just like the stock market).
5. The Lions. 'Nuf Said - The Dolphins made a run at it last year, but they couldn't get over the hump. Now, the Lions have a great look at the mythical 0-16, and the countdown is on. Two major roadbumps still lay ahead, as the Saints (who were just mathematically eliminated last weekend) and the Packers (biggest underachievers in the league this year?) remain on the schedule. Let's hope for history's sake that the Lions don't blow this, because we don't get a look at this very often.
Alright, I'll leave it at that for now, but be sure to check back regularly for more commentary.
Chris
First things first, I know you're all dying to hear my take on the football season so far. Basically, it comes down to one word: crazy. Yes, yes, we probably like to say that about every season, and it's probably true every season, but this season is one of the most topsy-turvy that I've seen in my years of following the sport. Let's take a look at some of the craziest of crazy happenings thus far:
1. Hurricane Ike - Due to my personal involvement, I have to list Hurricane Ike's impact on the Houston Texans season as one of the oddest factors in the season. Because of Ike, the Texans started the season with a three game road trip (and a week 2 bye), and didn't have their first home game until the month of October, and needless to say they came out of the gates 0-4. Their turnaround from 3-7 to currently 7-7 is a great accomplishment for a young, up-and-coming team looking to make a push. That said, one wonders where they'd be if they hadn't had the extreme misfortune of the hurricane to start the season. Maybe a playoff berth would have been within their grasp.
2. Pats Fall - Who would have thought that within 8 minutes of the start of the season, Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard would become public enemy #1 in the greater New England region? While all sports fans will say (true or not) that they never root for players to get hurt, I can absolutely assure you that there was at least a part of every non-Bostonite that was happy to see Tom Brady go out with a season-ending injury. How do you like THEM apples?!
3. Giants/Titans Come Out Gangbusters - The Giants rode an eleven-month hot streak to a great 11-1 start, while the Titans overcame (celebrated?) VY's injury and subsequent benching with a stunning 10-0 start. Although they both looked great, were considered virtual locks for the Super Bowl just 3 weeks ago and have locked up first round byes, another oddity of this bizarre season is that right now, there are at least 3-4 teams that you could argue are better, and we wonder if either team will even win a game in the postseason. Maybe this will be good for them; the Giants clearly thrived in the "Nobody believes in us!" role last year and even earlier this season.
4. Turnarounds for the Ages - The Miami Dolphins were winless through 13 games last season and faced a Baltimore Ravens team that was going nowhere fast (and finished 5-11). In one fateful overtime thriller, noted for a Matt Stover miss at the end of regulation and a Greg Camarillo TD to seal the win, the Phins dodged the title of second ever 0-14 team. Now, these teams are both 9-5 and fighting for a wild card berth (the Phins could even win their division!) as the NFL proves yet again that previous results are not an indicator of future performance (just like the stock market).
5. The Lions. 'Nuf Said - The Dolphins made a run at it last year, but they couldn't get over the hump. Now, the Lions have a great look at the mythical 0-16, and the countdown is on. Two major roadbumps still lay ahead, as the Saints (who were just mathematically eliminated last weekend) and the Packers (biggest underachievers in the league this year?) remain on the schedule. Let's hope for history's sake that the Lions don't blow this, because we don't get a look at this very often.
Alright, I'll leave it at that for now, but be sure to check back regularly for more commentary.
Chris
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