It’s time for a salary cap in baseball.
Now, I know what you are thinking. Smitty is a Red Sox fan (true), and this is just a big batch of sour grapes because the Yankees won the World Series (false).
Full disclosure-I do hate the Yankees. Passionately. But let’s also be clear-they did absolutely nothing wrong. They have a lot of money, and they spent it. As they should.
Frankly, a salary cap would hurt the Red Sox arguably more than any team other than the Yankees. So I’m not lobbying for this to help my team.
I’m writing for you Kansas City. You too, Pittsburgh.
Baseball’s biggest problem, in my opinion, is that there are certain teams with absolutely no chance of winning. Ever. They can’t spend money on big free agents, and when they develop good talent they can’t keep it. That’s so frustrating for a fan base. You can’t even get attached to your star players, because if they truly are good, they won’t stay.
Your best case scenario as a small market team is to be the Florida Marlins. Have a bunch of nice young prospects that gel at the same time, make a title run for a two year window, then blow it up and start over. Which means being a lousy team for the next three years. That’s a pretty hopeless scenario.
The great thing about other sports is you can go from worst to first in any given year. The Bruins finished in 8th in 2007, then 1st in 2009. The Dolphins when from 1-15 to 11-5 and an AFC East title. Why? The salary cap levels the playing field. Everybody has the same shot to land great players. With a couple of shrewd moves, you can go from the outhouse to the penthouse.
Now, are there some awful teams in the other leagues? Of course. But aside from just having the ability to turn it around quickly, you still have some interesting star players on those teams. The Saint Louis Rams are terrible. But you get to watch a great running back in Stephen Jackson. The Oakland Raiders are god awful. But Nnamdi Asomugha is fun to watch. Even the bad teams have some interesting players, rather than the best players being only on a few teams.
A salary cap won’t magically make these teams better. Some of the small market teams are frankly just poorly managed. But at least then the fans can get angry at their management, rather than being stuck in a system where they can never succeed. Maybe some of these teams would change management if they thought they had a chance to compete. Right now, they don’t.
Again, this is not a knock on the big money teams. Spending money doesn’t guarantee you a title by any stretch, but it’s such a big help. Baseball is like a giant game of Monopoly, where a few teams start with $10,000 and a railroad, and everybody else starts with $600 and no property. You can fluke into a win here or there if you get very lucky with the $600, but it’s an aberration. Over the long haul, the big money teams will beat you.
To rob The Shawshank Redemption, Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of all things. I think baseball would be so much better off if in April, 32 teams thought they could win. Be that’s not the reality. The reality is many of these teams have zero hope. And that’s a sad state of affairs.
You can’t win titles in professional sports without star players. Find me the last team that won a title, in any sport, without a legitimate superstar. These small market teams in baseball can’t afford superstars, at least not for very long. Until that changes, you will still see only a handful of franchises in baseball compete for a title.
It’s time for baseball to make things more interesting. Give KC a chance.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Cliff Lee is a beast
That is some rarified air you’re breathing this morning Cliff Lee.
In no uncertain terms, Lee was a superhero last night. Has been the whole post-season really. He dismantled the best lineup in baseball, in their bandbox of a home stadium, and he did it without walking a batter while striking out ten. Nobody has ever done that in October history. Not Gibson, not Drysdale, not Koufax. Pretty amazing.
Watching the game in the second inning, you knew he simply wasn’t going to lose. He just toyed with Mark Tiexeira and suddenly-clutch A-Rod, blowing them both a way. And he did it with such a badass demeanor, that I actually said to myself “my god, the Yankees are NOT scoring tonight”. Turns out I was wrong because they scratched out an unearned run, but in a way I was right. That game could have gone on 20 more innings, and it still was not going to happen for the Yanks.
Two iconic plays which will make this performance legendary and a staple on October highlight reels for years. First one, a simple pop up to Lee, that he caught with such a nonchalant flair. It was not an instructional video, and probably made Charlie Manuel have an embolism, but it was classic. There was Lee, the man at trade deadline considered to be the Roy Halladay consolation prize, catching the ball with such a care-free arrogance that it seemed to say to the Yanks “Do you see how easy this is for me? It’s actually boring me getting you guys out, because it’s too easy.”
The second of the plays came on what should have been a sure up the middle single. Lee threw his glove behind his back, almost like a pool shark readying for a trick shot, and stabbed the come-backer to rob Robinson Cano of a hit. He then gave the same head shrug that Michael Jordan gave after hitting all those threes against Clyde Drexler and the Trailblazers. Stuff of legend.
I have absolutely no idea how the rest of the series plays out, but regardless Lee has entrenched himself into the October Hall of Fame with that start. And with his 0.54 playoff ERA (and dropping), the pinstripers can’t be happy about having to face him again.
Who could blame them.
In no uncertain terms, Lee was a superhero last night. Has been the whole post-season really. He dismantled the best lineup in baseball, in their bandbox of a home stadium, and he did it without walking a batter while striking out ten. Nobody has ever done that in October history. Not Gibson, not Drysdale, not Koufax. Pretty amazing.
Watching the game in the second inning, you knew he simply wasn’t going to lose. He just toyed with Mark Tiexeira and suddenly-clutch A-Rod, blowing them both a way. And he did it with such a badass demeanor, that I actually said to myself “my god, the Yankees are NOT scoring tonight”. Turns out I was wrong because they scratched out an unearned run, but in a way I was right. That game could have gone on 20 more innings, and it still was not going to happen for the Yanks.
Two iconic plays which will make this performance legendary and a staple on October highlight reels for years. First one, a simple pop up to Lee, that he caught with such a nonchalant flair. It was not an instructional video, and probably made Charlie Manuel have an embolism, but it was classic. There was Lee, the man at trade deadline considered to be the Roy Halladay consolation prize, catching the ball with such a care-free arrogance that it seemed to say to the Yanks “Do you see how easy this is for me? It’s actually boring me getting you guys out, because it’s too easy.”
The second of the plays came on what should have been a sure up the middle single. Lee threw his glove behind his back, almost like a pool shark readying for a trick shot, and stabbed the come-backer to rob Robinson Cano of a hit. He then gave the same head shrug that Michael Jordan gave after hitting all those threes against Clyde Drexler and the Trailblazers. Stuff of legend.
I have absolutely no idea how the rest of the series plays out, but regardless Lee has entrenched himself into the October Hall of Fame with that start. And with his 0.54 playoff ERA (and dropping), the pinstripers can’t be happy about having to face him again.
Who could blame them.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
World Series Preview
On the fifth anniversary of my favorite World Series ever, it’s time to break down another Fall Classic. Now this one is less fun for me, obviously, because the Yankees are involved. Watching them win another title is, well, nauseating. That said, this a fun match up between the two best teams in baseball, plain and simple. So let’s dissect this puppy.
LINEUPS
This match up is so close, I’m going to break it down position by position.
1st Base-Advantage Phillies. Ryan Howard is a total beast in September and October, and high profile Mark Tiexeira really hasn’t done much hitting so far in the post season. He has played some great defense, but he’s not hitting the way he should. Howard is raking, and probably drooling about the launching pad that is Yankee Stadium.
2nd Base-Advantage Phillies. Robinson Cano continues his trend of being a GREAT regular season hitter and a sub par post season one. He has also treated some ground balls like they were hand grenades, so he isn’t helping you much with the glove either. Chase Utley on the other hand plays pretty solid defense (though with one bad error thus far), and also is swinging a nice stick.
3rd Base-Advantage Yankees. Who would have thought the breakout clutch star of these playoffs would be Alex Rodriguez? Well it is, and if you look at his playoff numbers, they actually mirror Reggie Jackson’s at the same point in their playoff careers. It appears A-Rod has turned the corner, and he is clearly better than Pedro Feliz.
Shortstop-Advantage Yankees. Jimmy Rollins really struggled this year, despite being one of the most talented shortstops in the game. But last I checked, the calendar says October, and that’s when Derek Jeter shines. This year has been no exception. The guy is money, plain and simple.
Catcher-Advantage Yankees. Posada actually hasn’t been great this post season, but he does have a lot more post season experience than Carlos Ruiz. From a strictly hitting standpoint, I’ll give the edge to the Yanks here.
Left Field-Push. The battle of two aging veterans. Raul Ibanez had an absolutely fantastic year, the best of his career in fact, in the friendly confines of Citizens Bank Ballpark. Johnny Damon did manage 30 homers, but not quite the production of Ibanez, and is much more of a liability defensively. But he does have a lot of post season experience, which Ibanez does not.
Center Field-Advantage Phillies. The Flyin’ Hawaiin had a breakout campaign this season for the Phils. Melky Cabrera has been pretty solid but unspectacular. Victorino is a dynamic leadoff hitter, a terror on the bases, and a ball hawk in the field. This one is a slam dunk.
Right Field-Advantage Phillies. Another slam dunk. Nick Swisher deserves a lot of credit for removing the stick from the collective rectum of the Yankee clubhouse, but he hasn’t don’t much with the actual lumber, as he his floundering at the plate this post-season. Jason Werth, on the other hand, has been a flat out beast. This isn’t even close.
DH-Advantage Yankees. This will be Hideki Matsui’s spot, versus probably either Matt Stairs or Eric Bruntlett for Philly. Matsui is an everyday player, while the Phillies will basically be trotting out a back up, whoever they choose.
Add them up, and it’s 4-4-1 in favor of Philly. Lineup Edge: Push.
Starting Rotations
C.C. Sabathia was a huge question mark coming into this post season, but he has really shut up some of his critics (read: me). He has been lights out this October, compiling a 1.19 ERA and an ALCS MVP for his troubles. So far, he’s been worth every penny. The same can not be said about A.J. Burnett, who has an ERA near 5 this October. Andy Pettite has been pretty solid, and frankly, that should surprise nobody. He has done it for ages.
For the Phils, Cliff Lee has been unconscious. He has literally blown through everybody since his acquisition at the trade deadline. Now some of those numbers may be inflated by facing NL competition, but he has still been the best pitcher in baseball for
a couple of months now. Pedro looked great in his post season start (7 shutout innings) and is no stranger to facing the Yankees. Cole Hamels has to be somewhat of a concern, as he hasn’t thrown the ball well thus far. But he is going to get extra rest (Pedro is pitching game 2), so I expect him to rise to the occasion. Rotation Edge: Phillies.
Defense
The most underrated part of Mark Tiexeira’s game is his glove. He is a gold glover over there, and he makes the Yankees infield go. A-Rod has been great at third, and Melky has been very solid in center. Jeter also has improved his range and become an average shortstop (statistically). But the Phillies are so more solid on defense. Ryan Howard is nowhere near what Tex is, but Philly is better at every outfield spot, and every infield spot except first base. Yes, I just said Pedro Feliz has a better glove than A-Rod. And I’m right. Defense Edge: Phillies.
Bullpens
Nobody has mocked Brad Lidge coming into these playoffs more than I have. Clearly I have no idea what I’m talking about, because he has turned his season around in a hurry this October. He’s been very solid closing down games. There are some question marks in the 7th and 8th, but this has been a solid unit.
The Yanks had a solid back end of the bullpen all year, but parts of it have struggled big time of late. Phil Hughes has lost velocity and is not what he was, and Joba Chamberlain seems like a different person than the pitcher he was two years ago. With all of that said, this pen is anchored by Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer of all time. He is the biggest weapon by far as relief pitchers go in this series, so the Pinstripers have to get the nod. Bullpen Edge: Yankees.
Managers
Charlie Manuel has a ring and is playing with house money. Joe Girardi will get no credit if he wins and get killed if he loses. Despite all that, both of them are a bit shaky in my eyes. I don’t think either of them effects the series in a major way however. Manager Edge: Push.
Now it’s time for a pick. I think the Phillies are playing the best baseball in the playoffs, having nothing to do with my hatred for the Yankees. Ok maybe a little to do, but still. The Twins and Angels imploded against New York, and frankly I think they were intimidated. Not going to be an issue with the defending champions. If they Phillies win, they launch themselves into the team of the decade conversation, and throw the state of New York into a frenzy. I think it happens. Phillies in six.
LINEUPS
This match up is so close, I’m going to break it down position by position.
1st Base-Advantage Phillies. Ryan Howard is a total beast in September and October, and high profile Mark Tiexeira really hasn’t done much hitting so far in the post season. He has played some great defense, but he’s not hitting the way he should. Howard is raking, and probably drooling about the launching pad that is Yankee Stadium.
2nd Base-Advantage Phillies. Robinson Cano continues his trend of being a GREAT regular season hitter and a sub par post season one. He has also treated some ground balls like they were hand grenades, so he isn’t helping you much with the glove either. Chase Utley on the other hand plays pretty solid defense (though with one bad error thus far), and also is swinging a nice stick.
3rd Base-Advantage Yankees. Who would have thought the breakout clutch star of these playoffs would be Alex Rodriguez? Well it is, and if you look at his playoff numbers, they actually mirror Reggie Jackson’s at the same point in their playoff careers. It appears A-Rod has turned the corner, and he is clearly better than Pedro Feliz.
Shortstop-Advantage Yankees. Jimmy Rollins really struggled this year, despite being one of the most talented shortstops in the game. But last I checked, the calendar says October, and that’s when Derek Jeter shines. This year has been no exception. The guy is money, plain and simple.
Catcher-Advantage Yankees. Posada actually hasn’t been great this post season, but he does have a lot more post season experience than Carlos Ruiz. From a strictly hitting standpoint, I’ll give the edge to the Yanks here.
Left Field-Push. The battle of two aging veterans. Raul Ibanez had an absolutely fantastic year, the best of his career in fact, in the friendly confines of Citizens Bank Ballpark. Johnny Damon did manage 30 homers, but not quite the production of Ibanez, and is much more of a liability defensively. But he does have a lot of post season experience, which Ibanez does not.
Center Field-Advantage Phillies. The Flyin’ Hawaiin had a breakout campaign this season for the Phils. Melky Cabrera has been pretty solid but unspectacular. Victorino is a dynamic leadoff hitter, a terror on the bases, and a ball hawk in the field. This one is a slam dunk.
Right Field-Advantage Phillies. Another slam dunk. Nick Swisher deserves a lot of credit for removing the stick from the collective rectum of the Yankee clubhouse, but he hasn’t don’t much with the actual lumber, as he his floundering at the plate this post-season. Jason Werth, on the other hand, has been a flat out beast. This isn’t even close.
DH-Advantage Yankees. This will be Hideki Matsui’s spot, versus probably either Matt Stairs or Eric Bruntlett for Philly. Matsui is an everyday player, while the Phillies will basically be trotting out a back up, whoever they choose.
Add them up, and it’s 4-4-1 in favor of Philly. Lineup Edge: Push.
Starting Rotations
C.C. Sabathia was a huge question mark coming into this post season, but he has really shut up some of his critics (read: me). He has been lights out this October, compiling a 1.19 ERA and an ALCS MVP for his troubles. So far, he’s been worth every penny. The same can not be said about A.J. Burnett, who has an ERA near 5 this October. Andy Pettite has been pretty solid, and frankly, that should surprise nobody. He has done it for ages.
For the Phils, Cliff Lee has been unconscious. He has literally blown through everybody since his acquisition at the trade deadline. Now some of those numbers may be inflated by facing NL competition, but he has still been the best pitcher in baseball for
a couple of months now. Pedro looked great in his post season start (7 shutout innings) and is no stranger to facing the Yankees. Cole Hamels has to be somewhat of a concern, as he hasn’t thrown the ball well thus far. But he is going to get extra rest (Pedro is pitching game 2), so I expect him to rise to the occasion. Rotation Edge: Phillies.
Defense
The most underrated part of Mark Tiexeira’s game is his glove. He is a gold glover over there, and he makes the Yankees infield go. A-Rod has been great at third, and Melky has been very solid in center. Jeter also has improved his range and become an average shortstop (statistically). But the Phillies are so more solid on defense. Ryan Howard is nowhere near what Tex is, but Philly is better at every outfield spot, and every infield spot except first base. Yes, I just said Pedro Feliz has a better glove than A-Rod. And I’m right. Defense Edge: Phillies.
Bullpens
Nobody has mocked Brad Lidge coming into these playoffs more than I have. Clearly I have no idea what I’m talking about, because he has turned his season around in a hurry this October. He’s been very solid closing down games. There are some question marks in the 7th and 8th, but this has been a solid unit.
The Yanks had a solid back end of the bullpen all year, but parts of it have struggled big time of late. Phil Hughes has lost velocity and is not what he was, and Joba Chamberlain seems like a different person than the pitcher he was two years ago. With all of that said, this pen is anchored by Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer of all time. He is the biggest weapon by far as relief pitchers go in this series, so the Pinstripers have to get the nod. Bullpen Edge: Yankees.
Managers
Charlie Manuel has a ring and is playing with house money. Joe Girardi will get no credit if he wins and get killed if he loses. Despite all that, both of them are a bit shaky in my eyes. I don’t think either of them effects the series in a major way however. Manager Edge: Push.
Now it’s time for a pick. I think the Phillies are playing the best baseball in the playoffs, having nothing to do with my hatred for the Yankees. Ok maybe a little to do, but still. The Twins and Angels imploded against New York, and frankly I think they were intimidated. Not going to be an issue with the defending champions. If they Phillies win, they launch themselves into the team of the decade conversation, and throw the state of New York into a frenzy. I think it happens. Phillies in six.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
What I'll Be Watching-Phil Kessel
What I’ll be watching this week are the swirling trade winds surrounding 21 year old Bruins winger Phil Kessel. Last week the B’s leading scorer said he was no longer negotiating an extension with the Black and Gold, and was intending to sign an offer sheet with another club.
The B’s have less room under the salary cap than Kirstie Alley’s waistband, which puts GM Peter Chiarelli in a precarious position. If a team signs Kessel to an offer sheet, he almost certainly can’t match it, and the Bruins would receive a 1st, 2nd and 3rd round pick as compensation. His only other option would be to trade the teams top goal scorer before somebody snatches him away.
According to multiple reports, the Toronto Maple Leafs seem to be the most likely landing spot. Chiarelli is apparently asking for 2 first round picks as well as a second, while the Leafs are asking for a 3rd rounder back. That’s pretty good value, but it does leave the B’s with 36 goals to replace.
It’s an interesting parallel to what the Patriots did last week when they dealt Richard Seymour to Oakland. The Pats sacrificed what could be a big part of their 2009 club, set themselves up nicely for the future and saved some cap space. The Pats generally got high marks for the deal because of the success they’ve had. But let’s face it, the Bruins have not earned our trust in that way. They have been the least successful of the four Boston franchises of late, and rather than getting the benefit of the doubt from the fan base, they will get scrutinized for not re-signing a young goal scorer in his prime.
The bottom line is, it’s a matter of dollars and cents, and the Bruins just don’t have enough in the piggy bank for Kessel. Jeremy Jacobs has a reputation for being a penny pincher, but in this situation, that’s not what’s going on. Kessel or not, the B’s still have a good club, and hopefully they make a deep playoff run. Because if they take a step back in the win column, it won’t just be Kessel they lose. It will also be some of the fans they won back last season.
The B’s have less room under the salary cap than Kirstie Alley’s waistband, which puts GM Peter Chiarelli in a precarious position. If a team signs Kessel to an offer sheet, he almost certainly can’t match it, and the Bruins would receive a 1st, 2nd and 3rd round pick as compensation. His only other option would be to trade the teams top goal scorer before somebody snatches him away.
According to multiple reports, the Toronto Maple Leafs seem to be the most likely landing spot. Chiarelli is apparently asking for 2 first round picks as well as a second, while the Leafs are asking for a 3rd rounder back. That’s pretty good value, but it does leave the B’s with 36 goals to replace.
It’s an interesting parallel to what the Patriots did last week when they dealt Richard Seymour to Oakland. The Pats sacrificed what could be a big part of their 2009 club, set themselves up nicely for the future and saved some cap space. The Pats generally got high marks for the deal because of the success they’ve had. But let’s face it, the Bruins have not earned our trust in that way. They have been the least successful of the four Boston franchises of late, and rather than getting the benefit of the doubt from the fan base, they will get scrutinized for not re-signing a young goal scorer in his prime.
The bottom line is, it’s a matter of dollars and cents, and the Bruins just don’t have enough in the piggy bank for Kessel. Jeremy Jacobs has a reputation for being a penny pincher, but in this situation, that’s not what’s going on. Kessel or not, the B’s still have a good club, and hopefully they make a deep playoff run. Because if they take a step back in the win column, it won’t just be Kessel they lose. It will also be some of the fans they won back last season.
Guess Who's Back?
Matt Cassel did an admirable job filling in as Patriots QB in 2008. But it only took Tom Brady one game to remind us all exactly what we had been missing.
The Pats 25-24 triumph over the Buffalo Bills was not exactly how they drew it up, but the last five minutes was nothing short of magical. Down 11 with less than six minutes to go, most fans (or truthful ones anyway) had stuck the forks in the Flying Elvis’ backs. Myself included.
The reason we were so quick to abandon ship was we had simply forgotten the wizardry #12 is capable of. You can’t blame us, we hadn’t seen him play a game that mattered since 2007. But the simple truth is Tom Brady is otherworldly, and if you give him the ball at the end of the game with a chance to beat you, he will. Period sentence over.
This comeback was just absolute vintage Brady. After Trent Edwards threw the touchdown pass to put the Bills up 24-13, they cut to a shot of Brady on the sidelines, and you could see him rallying the troops. Afterwards, Ben Watson let slip what Brady said, which was something to the effect of “Ok guys, we are going to score before the 2 minute warning, get the ball back, score again and win this damn game.” How cool is that? The guy is a real life super hero.
That’s not to say this Patriots team is invincible. On the contrary, there were plenty of things to be concerned about. The o-line was ineffective at times, and the linebackers couldn’t stop a screen pass to save their lives. There are definitely defensive issues with this team (especially with Mayo now injured) that are a major concern going forward. But whatever their issues may be, you can now bank on this. If it’s a close game and Brady gets the ball late in the 4th quarter, something special is about to happen. Brady is back.
The Pats 25-24 triumph over the Buffalo Bills was not exactly how they drew it up, but the last five minutes was nothing short of magical. Down 11 with less than six minutes to go, most fans (or truthful ones anyway) had stuck the forks in the Flying Elvis’ backs. Myself included.
The reason we were so quick to abandon ship was we had simply forgotten the wizardry #12 is capable of. You can’t blame us, we hadn’t seen him play a game that mattered since 2007. But the simple truth is Tom Brady is otherworldly, and if you give him the ball at the end of the game with a chance to beat you, he will. Period sentence over.
This comeback was just absolute vintage Brady. After Trent Edwards threw the touchdown pass to put the Bills up 24-13, they cut to a shot of Brady on the sidelines, and you could see him rallying the troops. Afterwards, Ben Watson let slip what Brady said, which was something to the effect of “Ok guys, we are going to score before the 2 minute warning, get the ball back, score again and win this damn game.” How cool is that? The guy is a real life super hero.
That’s not to say this Patriots team is invincible. On the contrary, there were plenty of things to be concerned about. The o-line was ineffective at times, and the linebackers couldn’t stop a screen pass to save their lives. There are definitely defensive issues with this team (especially with Mayo now injured) that are a major concern going forward. But whatever their issues may be, you can now bank on this. If it’s a close game and Brady gets the ball late in the 4th quarter, something special is about to happen. Brady is back.
The Dice Man Cometh
When Dice-K took the mound yesterday, I, like most people, had pretty low expectations. Matsuzaka surpassed the lowered expectations by light years, and now has Sox fans feeling uber-confident heading into the playoffs.
It’s generally a bad idea to put too much stock into just one start, but at the same time, this isn’t a rookie that we are blowing out of proportion. Before this year, Dice-K was a known commodity. He won 18 games last year with a sub 3 ERA. Sure, he had issues going deep into games, but he was a great asset as a #3 or #4 starter.
That has been the biggest issue for the Red Sox during the second half of the season. The Yankees leap-frogged the Sox because they were getting much better pitching out of the back end of the rotation. That won’t matter come playoff time, when a team needs only 3 good starters to win. 4 good ones is a luxury.
Matsuzaka gives the Sox that luxury if he continues to pitch the way he did last night, and there is no reason to think that he won’t. His fastball looked as good as I’ve seen it. When he got into trouble, he got big strikeouts to not allow runs across the plate. He pitched with lots of power, and it’s the power pitchers that succeed in October (sorry Paul Byrd).
Beckett seems to have turned the corner, Lester is lights out, and the Clay Buchholz star is beginning to shine brightly. Add Matsuzaka to the mix, and now you have the deepest playoff rotation in the game. Despite all the Yankees success, I would favor the Sox in a playoffs series against them. I’ll take Beckett/Lester/Buchholz/Matsuzaka over Sabathia/Burnett/Pettite/Chamberlain. It’s not a monster advantage, but I think the Sox have an edge there.
The Sox are getting white hot at the right time of year. They have the wild card all but sewn up, and now have addressed their biggest weakness in a big way. They have won six in a row, and they have some pretty bad teams on the schedule ahead, so it doesn’t look like the winning will stop any time soon. The winning that matters doesn’t start until October, but if Dice-K keeps throwing up lines like he did last night (6+ innings, 3 hits, 0 runs), the winning won’t stop then either.
It’s generally a bad idea to put too much stock into just one start, but at the same time, this isn’t a rookie that we are blowing out of proportion. Before this year, Dice-K was a known commodity. He won 18 games last year with a sub 3 ERA. Sure, he had issues going deep into games, but he was a great asset as a #3 or #4 starter.
That has been the biggest issue for the Red Sox during the second half of the season. The Yankees leap-frogged the Sox because they were getting much better pitching out of the back end of the rotation. That won’t matter come playoff time, when a team needs only 3 good starters to win. 4 good ones is a luxury.
Matsuzaka gives the Sox that luxury if he continues to pitch the way he did last night, and there is no reason to think that he won’t. His fastball looked as good as I’ve seen it. When he got into trouble, he got big strikeouts to not allow runs across the plate. He pitched with lots of power, and it’s the power pitchers that succeed in October (sorry Paul Byrd).
Beckett seems to have turned the corner, Lester is lights out, and the Clay Buchholz star is beginning to shine brightly. Add Matsuzaka to the mix, and now you have the deepest playoff rotation in the game. Despite all the Yankees success, I would favor the Sox in a playoffs series against them. I’ll take Beckett/Lester/Buchholz/Matsuzaka over Sabathia/Burnett/Pettite/Chamberlain. It’s not a monster advantage, but I think the Sox have an edge there.
The Sox are getting white hot at the right time of year. They have the wild card all but sewn up, and now have addressed their biggest weakness in a big way. They have won six in a row, and they have some pretty bad teams on the schedule ahead, so it doesn’t look like the winning will stop any time soon. The winning that matters doesn’t start until October, but if Dice-K keeps throwing up lines like he did last night (6+ innings, 3 hits, 0 runs), the winning won’t stop then either.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Adios Big Sey 93
Monster deal today, as the Patriots ship Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders for a 2011 first round pick. There are a lot of layers to this deal, so let's explore them.
1. Seymour's contract was up after this season, and in the past he has shown an unwillingness to sign a cap friendly deal that the Pats are known for. He held out during his last contract squabble, and ultimately was the only player during this current run the Patriots are on to win in a contract negotiation. Clearly they didn't think they could re-sign them.
2. Normally the high first round picks are pretty unappealing to the Patriots. They hate committing big dollars to young, ultimately unproven prospects. HOWEVER, with the new collective bargaing agreement looming, one of the hot topics is salary slots for draft picks, which would allow veterans to make the well earned big dollars, while rookies would become relatively cheap. If that's the case, the early first round picks would be extremely valuable, where as now they are extremely risky, and a bust can set your franchise back for years. In this regard, the Pats got great compensation.
3. This deal certainly doesn't make the Pats better this year. The last couple years they have struggled in a lot of ways defensively. Especially last year, when they were awful in the red zone, had a mediocre pass rush and a terrible pass defense. These are still legitimate concerns heading into this year, even with the revamped secondary. Getting rid of last year's leading sack artist certainly isn't going to help your defense.
It seems this is a long term move, and potentially a good one. But this is a club with a chance to win a Super Bowl, and this absolutely doesn't further that cause. That's the biggest issue I have with the deal. In situations like this, we as a fan base tend to fall back on the "In Bill We Trust" motto, and with good reason. Under the hooded genius we have won three Lombardi trophies. But this move, on the surface, weakens a team that on paper was a favorite to win a title.
Was Seymour past his prime? Maybe, but he didn't seem to be declining in the performance department, at least not to my naked eye. The IBWT crowd will say that Belichick had to think Seymour was declining, as well as being impressed with rookies Ron Brace and Marlon Pryor. All fair points, and maybe all true. Maybe the dline of Wilfork, Brace/Pryor, Burgess and Warren won't be so bad. At the very least it's a little thinner than it was, which is a tad nerve wracking.
Another potentional plus however, is the deal frees up cap space which could in turn be used to re-sign Vince Wilfork. The Pats have 20 contracts up after this season, and they need money to re-sign these guys. On top of that, Brady's contract is up after 2010. Obviously he is the top priority. And if the Seymour deal helps keep the golden boy here, I'm all for it.
Just to look at it from the Raiders point of view. What an awful deal. They give up a potentially lucrative pick (especially if it's salary slotted), and they get a rent-a-player in Seymour. Does Seymour make the Raiders a better defensive unit? Yup. A good defensive unit? Nope. Will he re-sign there long term? Of course not! So the Raiders get a mercenary to help them go 5-11, then skip out of town, and all it cost them was a 1st round pick. What a joke organization. If there is a plus size, they would have blown the pick. See Heyward-Bey, Darius.
All in all, it's a good long term deal for the Patriots. So I'll give it my stamp of approval. Just know I reserve the right to change my mind if they lose a Super Bowl title when they can't stop somebody on 3rd and 2.
1. Seymour's contract was up after this season, and in the past he has shown an unwillingness to sign a cap friendly deal that the Pats are known for. He held out during his last contract squabble, and ultimately was the only player during this current run the Patriots are on to win in a contract negotiation. Clearly they didn't think they could re-sign them.
2. Normally the high first round picks are pretty unappealing to the Patriots. They hate committing big dollars to young, ultimately unproven prospects. HOWEVER, with the new collective bargaing agreement looming, one of the hot topics is salary slots for draft picks, which would allow veterans to make the well earned big dollars, while rookies would become relatively cheap. If that's the case, the early first round picks would be extremely valuable, where as now they are extremely risky, and a bust can set your franchise back for years. In this regard, the Pats got great compensation.
3. This deal certainly doesn't make the Pats better this year. The last couple years they have struggled in a lot of ways defensively. Especially last year, when they were awful in the red zone, had a mediocre pass rush and a terrible pass defense. These are still legitimate concerns heading into this year, even with the revamped secondary. Getting rid of last year's leading sack artist certainly isn't going to help your defense.
It seems this is a long term move, and potentially a good one. But this is a club with a chance to win a Super Bowl, and this absolutely doesn't further that cause. That's the biggest issue I have with the deal. In situations like this, we as a fan base tend to fall back on the "In Bill We Trust" motto, and with good reason. Under the hooded genius we have won three Lombardi trophies. But this move, on the surface, weakens a team that on paper was a favorite to win a title.
Was Seymour past his prime? Maybe, but he didn't seem to be declining in the performance department, at least not to my naked eye. The IBWT crowd will say that Belichick had to think Seymour was declining, as well as being impressed with rookies Ron Brace and Marlon Pryor. All fair points, and maybe all true. Maybe the dline of Wilfork, Brace/Pryor, Burgess and Warren won't be so bad. At the very least it's a little thinner than it was, which is a tad nerve wracking.
Another potentional plus however, is the deal frees up cap space which could in turn be used to re-sign Vince Wilfork. The Pats have 20 contracts up after this season, and they need money to re-sign these guys. On top of that, Brady's contract is up after 2010. Obviously he is the top priority. And if the Seymour deal helps keep the golden boy here, I'm all for it.
Just to look at it from the Raiders point of view. What an awful deal. They give up a potentially lucrative pick (especially if it's salary slotted), and they get a rent-a-player in Seymour. Does Seymour make the Raiders a better defensive unit? Yup. A good defensive unit? Nope. Will he re-sign there long term? Of course not! So the Raiders get a mercenary to help them go 5-11, then skip out of town, and all it cost them was a 1st round pick. What a joke organization. If there is a plus size, they would have blown the pick. See Heyward-Bey, Darius.
All in all, it's a good long term deal for the Patriots. So I'll give it my stamp of approval. Just know I reserve the right to change my mind if they lose a Super Bowl title when they can't stop somebody on 3rd and 2.
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