The State of Sports Dec. 2nd

-Hockey

-Joe Thornton Trade
I barely follow hockey. In fact, I am even lucky I can tell you the starting goalie for my hometown Bruins. But, I would like to comment on this trade to the San Jose Sharks. This may be an important step for the organization of the Bruins. Fact is, they turned around and traded their franchise player for three guys ive never heard of.

All kidding aside, Bruins General Manager Mike O'Connell is quoted by the Herald as saying that they were in "dire need of a shakeup"..."Our focus was to see if we could try and better our hockey club"..."we tried to add depth"..."which all good teams have." O'Connell also said that he tried to not sign players at the beginning of the season. This put them in "a difficult situation" and they tried to "react quickly to a market." So they signed what they could. Thornton was the best availible Center and he was the teams captain from the 2002 campaign.

According to SI's Stephen Canella, "Thornton never was the fire-eyed leader the Bruins hoped to build a perennial contender around. He wasn't a vocal presence in the dressing room. He didn't relish the captain's role as a buffer between the media and his teammates. A top-shelf player who carried the team on the scoresheet, he never became a three-dimensional leader willing to hoist the franchise on his shoulders." In hockey the captain is regarded as the guy who steps it up to the media and generally representing his team. He just didn't do that.

"He has the skill to be an amazing player," says one inside source. "But he was given the captains role too early. The players tried to look up to him, and he just wasn't a good role model, so the attude in the locker room is flat." Thornton may have led by example, but not by action. And a lot of players just didnt appreciate that. So maybe, they really needed a change. "I think they have a very solid team," continues my source. "They should play a lot more passoinately. And they should be fine with three assistant captains in Brian Leetch, Hal Gil, and Glen Murray."

The best part about this trade is the Bruins added depth and cleared some money off the salary cap. They are supposed to save close to 1 million dollars on the deal. In the 2003 playoffs, he was supposed to step it up, and came through with an amazing zero goals. Captains are looked up to often to get through bad situations when things go wrong. The Bruins in their last ten games have been 2-7-1. That is a bad situation, and they needed to shake things up, and make take a chance to improve thier underperforming orgainzation. In this short term trade, we will see how things shape up for the Bruins for the rest of the season.

-Baseball

-Random thoughts on the moves for relievers this week

-The Phillys may have made a bad move in not signing Wagner to their much needed bullpen and not signing Tim Worrell to a contract, but Tom Gordon was a good idea. The signing of 17 million over three years was a really good idea. Maybe it was too much money, but both teams will get what they want. Gordon proved he could be the go to guy in the Yankees organization. His two year average has been 7-4, in 80 games and 85.2 IP with a 2.39 ERA. Maybe not in the playoffs, but with his averages in the last two seasons, you can insert him in where he truly wants to be; in the closer role. The closers role should fit for a man who once saved 46 games for the Red Sox. In the National League this guy should thrive because he will close out the close games for a team that desperately needed to find a replacement for its closer. The Phillys should now win the close ball games. Now all they need is a decent setup man or two.

-Speaking of Worell. I think that he will continue to do well in San Francisco. He signed a 2 year 4 Million deal with the Giants, who really got a bargain. He wanted to go to San Francisco because its an organization where he just did really well. He should shine setting up Armando Benitez, who is coming off a hamstring injury, and should have a lot of value for people in fantasy baseball. Benitez is no elite closer like Wagner, Lidge, or Rivera, but his value should go up with Worell setting him up, at least.

-Farnsworth signed with the Yankees for 17 Million. This deal includes a 1.5 mil. bonus and about 5 mil. base salary a year. The Yankees are hoping that the bullpen can be a strong point for them this season. They didnt want to take the chance on Gordon, because hes a little too old, but this really means nothing because old relievers have been doing well in recent years (IE-Mike Timlin, Gordon, Hoffman, and Mesa, etc.). Maybe they wanted an even harder throwing pitcher for that bullpen. We will see what happens this season, and who else they sign. Remember they will be counting on Leftie Procter and Righty Sturze for middle relief. Procter should do well, Sturze has shown signs of being good, but he is overrall inconsistent.

-Marlins will be one of those teams we will talk about 10 years from now. If everything from this fire sale pans out, they will just be a very, very good team with a good fan base and it will all be homegrown talent. The amount of draft picks they will have is going to be insane too. Reminicent of Billy Beane after the 01' season when he lost Giambi, Damon, and Ispringhausen. Speaking of the Athletics. They really made a good deal to get Loiza. It just solidifys that young rotation. Loizas no elite pitcher, but hes a good guy who can go 6+ and can possibly anchor the rotation for them.



-NCAA Football
-Top 25 picks:
-USC over UCLA. The game will be close. I wouldnt be surprised if this one goes down to the wire. Not like a shoot-out, but something similar to the Notre Dame game
-Texas over Colorado. Vince Young should redeem himself, and the Texas defense will have a field day with Joe Klatt.
-LSU over Georgia. LSU's got the defense, and Georgias got the offense with DJ Shockley. LSU will win because its defense will figure out a way to stop Shockley. Auburn won vs the Bama defense in an earlier SEC matchup because Bama really didnt have a defense. LSU will find a way to win with thier second best offense in the SEC.
-West VA over S. Florida. Whats the worst that could happen. West VA should win the Big East. Louisville over Uconn sounds good too.
-VA Tech should win. If Florida State wins for whatever reason, that would be the upset of all upsets in the ACC. VA Techs only loss was Miami. And Miami is finished third in the ACC. If Florida State wins this game, it screws up a lot of things in the BCS.
-Navy over Army for the trophy. Nothing like a good old rivalry game i guess.

The State of Sports Dec. 1st

-Baseball

-World Series Ball
Enough is enough. Seriously the ball should be Mientkiewicz's and thats that. The man made the final out, he was the last one in possesion of it when the game was over, and he should be entitled to it. What about the man who came forward with the ball that Fisk hit the Fisk Pole in 1975 World Series. That, in my opinon, is an even bigger moment in Red Sox history. Its something people still talk about. 20 years from now this will be a triva or even a jepardy question. No one is going to remember Doug Mientkiewicz, unless you know the sport of baseball.

He was supposed to get the ball back unless "'unless the ultimate issue of ownership has been otherwise resolved," according to the Globe. Their case: Mientkiewicz only gained possession of the ball because he was, at the time employed by the Red Sox. Now he is no longer an employee of the organization, therefore, he has no entitlement to the ball. So the laywers are saying that its like Mientkeiwicz "stole" the ball. Its like he stole a stapler off a desk in the CEO's office, and they want it back.

This has gone too far. Meintkiewicz wasnt getting much support last year at this time, but now he will be getting a lot of support. Its his ball. Most people know this, and should support the man. The Red Sox are making a bad case, and they should just give him the ball back. If the Suffolk District Court rules in favor of the Red Sox, thats just pretty sad. And its not like Mientkeiwicz is going to auction the ball off either. Because if he does, after getting the ball back, then he could get lots of money for charity.

Quotes of note:
-"The funny thing about all this, all this came up now. I’ve been telling everybody since the minute we won that I had it. No one has contacted me, no one has said two words to me about this ball."
-Mientkiewicz to Dale and Neumy on 1/7/05

-"This is something that took 86 years, and 86 years is a long time. Personally, I went through hell and back this year. But winning the World Series is something I'm going to remember for a long time.
"It would be cool if we have kids someday to have it stay in our family for a long time. But I can be bought. I'm thinking, there's four years at Florida State for one of my kids. At least...."
-Mientkiewicz in Dan Shaugnessey's column on 1/7/05

"This is a gray area as to what players think they can take with them. We're going to ask Doug for the ball. I think it would be a nice gesture on his part to return it to Red Sox Nation." -Larry Lucchino in Dan Shaugnessey's column on 1/7/05

"I dont even have kids" -Mientkiewicz on 12/1/05 in USA Today

Other things:
-I really like BoSoxguys cheerleader competion. Its a great idea and I think you should check it out.

-If you are one of those people who isn't convinced about Mike Lowell. Read his press conference interview here. Its absolutley facinating and BDD founder Steve Silva does a nice job.

-I dont even write about hockey, but trading Joe Thornton may set the Bruins behind a little bit. Thornton is a key peice to the puzzle and I think that he should have been used as a centerpeice for their team. He is one of those guys you could build a team around. They probably did it for Salary cap relief.
-I dont think ill like this trade very much. Only because its like the Celtics went and traded away Paul Pierce right now. How mad would some people (including me and half the people on this dorm floor) be?
-More on this later in the week as more things come out from Boston and ESPN

-Bosoxguy made the point that BC doesnt travel well and it might be bad if BC goes to a bowl game. I read Eagles page every day, and he made a post that competely agrees with this. Soxguys contention is that the #1, #2, #3 ACC slot finishes are guarenteed. The other slots can be filled by any other ACC school, according to the selection comittee
-I personally think that the bowl selection commitees will look the other way because in recent history, BC has improved dramatically, especially with attendance. Fact is, that BC's program is now in the ACC, a conference with very good competition, and they should get a decent bowl, and the fans will support this. BC may not have much prestige as other schools do, but prior history should be ignored, and present history should be applied.

The State of Sports Nov. 29th

-Baseball

-Mets problems with payroll?
Who could forget the 2003 116* million dollar payroll of the New York Mets. An off season to remember as they signed a lot of people to make their team a more competiative force in the NL East. It was only 40 million more from thier previous last place finish team that could only boost Mike Piazza as thier only all star. The management figured that money was the answer and spent like never before to overtake the Braves and thier 11 year run as NL East division champs.

Yes, we all remember the 2003 Mets. Mo Vaughn goes on the DL without playing a game for the next three years. They not only finish the division in dead last again, but lost 9 more games than they did the year before with a 72* million dollar payroll, and had the worst attendance out of any team with a payroll higher than the Cincinati Reds (59 Million; and had 200,000 more in attendance). That means that the '03 Rockies (67 Million and 74-88) ,and the '03 Orioles (73 Million and were 71-91) did better than the Mets that year in attendace figures.

The Mets were embarrassed. I still think their organization is just so embarrassed that so much spending could get out of hand. I mean, who knew that Mo Vaughn was going to get arthritis? Who knew that Tom Glavine wouldnt be at the NL top 10 in Innings Pitched for the first time in 11 years? Who knew that Pedro Astacio (Made 7 Million) would only start 7 games? Who knew that Mike Piazza and Jeromy Burnitz (Made combined 27.7 Million) would only combine for 500 at bats?

The Mets fired Jim Duquette and hired Omar Minaya, who was previously working in the Mets orgaization and was the '03 Expos GM. The Mets hired Minaya who is puting a Latino face on a team with a city that has an emerging Latin American population. With signing Pedro and Beltran to long term deals. And Minaya succesfully launched a regional cable network as well, for his new team face.

But, I would like to contend that he may spend his team into the ground once again this year. Lets say that the Mets excerise the 9 million option on Glavine. The Mets would be saving at least 30 million dollars on players off the payroll such as Kaz Ishii, Doug Mienkiewicz, Brandan Looper, Mike Piazza, and Mike Cameron. So now the payroll with Glavine is roughly 80 million. We would have to add the 6.7 million option picked up on Trashel and .5 million on Marlon Anderson, and the payroll is 86.5 Million, before the additions.

With the additions, the pre-opening day payroll of 110.5 Million. These additions include recent signee Billy Wagner, and new first baseman Carlos Delgado. This is before the Mets go after a bullpen that could help out their cause and another outfielder to replace Mike Cameron. So, this payroll could escalate before the beginning of spring training.

Minaya is going to put a team on the field thats going to attract people to the ballpark. In fact, they had extra revenues of 20 million dollars in ticket sales this year. He will attract people to his ballpark and his team still will not be better than the Braves, or Phillies. Maybe even the Nationals.

Bottom line is the Mets have a bullpen being carried by Wagner. They are going to still have a subpar fielding team. And a rotation whos best pitcher will come close to winning a cy young award, and have every other starter not even get another person with 12+ wins. The Mets have offense and fan appeal to draw people in. Where will they be after this year. Is Minaya going to get the next best free agent availible and continue to raise the payroll of his team.

Marlins have a legitimate reason to be in dead last in the division this year. The Mets on the other hand will still field a mediocre team with a large payroll, that is just before the luxury tax threshold.