http://www.sportsnipe.com New York Yankees, Team News, Updates, and Stats from all sports sources, updated continually. http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1048579/thats-heck-job-now-k.html Here now the post-game locker room after last night's win. Sparano sings the praises of the offense for their game-winning drive, as well as the defense for standing tall at the end. Sparano also praises the team for their mental toughness. He also says "K” about 15,000 times during his speech. As always, it ends with Peezy leading the Who Ride chant, which is always fun. Notice Chad Henne (behind Sparano) during the chant and tell me this guy is not 100% robot. Fucking awesome? Fucking awesome. Video here. Who Ride! New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1048578/1120-pregame-notes-rosters-bruins-at-sabres.html Here are the rosters for tonight’s game between the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres. Face-off is scheduled for 7:30 at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. BOSTON BRUINS (9-8-4, 22 pts.): #6 D Dennis Wideman 1-5-6-8 #16 F Marco Sturm 5-5-10-12 #17 F Milan Lucic 0-3-3-9 #20 F Daniel Paille 2-5-7-4 (totals w/ BOS & BUF) #21 D Andrew Ference 0-2-2-6 #22 F Shawn Thornton 1-2-3-42 #26 F Blake Wheeler 5-6-11-10 #27 F Steve Begin 2-7-9-11 #28 F Mark Recchi 3-6-9-12 #30 G Tim Thomas 5-6-3, 2.33, .918 #33 D Zdeno Chara 1-10-11-40 #37 F Patrice Bergeron 6-7-13-6 #40 G Tuukka Rask 4-2-1, 2.49 .911 #42 F Trent Whitfield 0-0-0-5 #45 D Mark Stuart 1-2-3-17 #46 F David Krejci 2-7-9-2 #48 D Matt Hunwick 4-2-6-8 #53 D Derek Morris 2-9-11-10 #55 D Johnny Boychuk 0-0-0-5 #60 F Vladimir Sobotka 1-2-3-2 #61 F Byron Bitz 2-1-3-12 #63 F Brad Marchand 0-1-1-18 #73 F Michael Ryder 6-3-9-4 #91 F Marc Savard 4-3-7-4 BUFFALO SABRES (12-5-1, 25 pts.): #4 D Steve Montador 1-3-4-22 #5 D Toni Lydman 0-0-0-2 (IR – groin) #9 F Derek Roy 4-10-14-10 #10 D Henrik Tallinder 0-4-4-12 #13 F Tim Kennedy 1-4-5-24 #19 F Tim Connolly 4-12-16-2 #21 F Drew Stafford 6-3-9-4 #22 F Adam Mair 0-1-1-7 #25 F Mike Grier 3-0-3-6 #26 F Thomas Vanek 6-6-12-14 #28 F Paul Gaustad 4-2-6-31 #29 F Jason Pominville 4-7-11-4 #30 G Ryan Miller 12-3-1, 1.97, .931 #34 D Chris Butler 0-4-4-6 #36 F Patrick Kaleta 2-3-5-37 #37 F Matt Ellis 1-3-4-2 #38 D Nathan Paetsch 0-0-0-2 #40 G Patrick Lalime 0-1-0, 4.14, .854 #41 F Clarke MacArthur 6-5-11-29 #44 D Andrej Sekera 0-1-1-4 #52 D Craig Rivet 0-8-8-29 #55 F Jochen Hecht 2-2-4-11 #57 D Tyler Myers 3-6-9-10 - Tonight’s starting goaltenders will both be gametime decisions. Tim Thomas was originally slated to start last night’s game for the Bruins, but that became a late change, as he suffered a minor injury. If Thomas is healthy, he will likely get the nod tonight. The Flint, MI native comes in with a record of 5-6-3, a 2.33 goals against average, and a .918 save percentage. If Thomas doesn’t play, Tuukka Rask will make his third straight start. In seven games this season, Rask is 4-2-1, with a 2.49 goals against average, and a .911 save percentage. Thomas is 6-8-2 in 18 career appearances against Buffalo, while Rask won his lone start against the Sabres. - The Sabres will likely turn to Ryan Miller as their starting goaltender tonight. So far this season, Miller has been one of the top netminders in the league, going 12-3-1, with a 1.97 goals against average, and a .931 save percentage. If Miller sits this one out, the crease would belong to Patrick Lalime, who is 0-1-0, with a 4.14 goals against average, and an .854 save percentage. Miller is 14-5-4 in 23 career appearances against Boston, while Lalime is 10-5-3 in 21 career appearances against the Bruins. - The Bruins will be icing the same lineup that they did last night, which includes Milan Lucic. Lucic was scoreless in 14:01 of ice time yesterday. Marc Savard is close to returning, and could be in the lineup as early as Monday. Brad Marchand, Trent Whitfield, and Johnny Boychuk will be the healthy scratches, with Marchand and Whitfield both close to returning to Providence. - The Sabres currently have 22 players on their active roster, but that could change at some point today, as Toni Lydman is close to returning to action. If Lydman does play tonight, Buffalo will need to scratch three players. One definite scratch will be Mike Grier, who has missed each of the last three games with a groin injury. Lydman could be the second scratch, while the third scratch will likely come down to either Adam Mair or Nathan Paetsch. The latter two players have combined to play in just ten games this season. - Boston continues to play close games, as last night was the club’s third overtime tilt in the last four games. After dropping three consecutive decisions in extra time, the Bruins got the two points last night, defeating the Atlanta Thrashers 4-3 in a shootout. The win was vital for the B’s, who allowed the tying goal in the final minute of regulation for the second time in less than a week. Patrice Bergeron continues to lead the team in scoring with 13 points, and his now tied for the team lead in goals with six. Michael Ryder has also found the back of the net six times, following last night’s two-goal performance. - Last week was a good one for Buffalo, who won three straight games against Edmonton, Calgary, and Philadelphia. However, Wednesday night was less than stellar for the Sabres, as they suffered a 6-2 setback against the Florida Panthers. The game stayed close for the first 57 minutes, before the Panthers blew it open with three goals in a span of 1:02. Tim Connolly leads the team offensively with 12 assists and 16 points, while Clarke MacArthur, Drew Stafford, and Thomas Vanek are tied for the team lead with six goals each. - This is the second meeting of the season between the Bruins and Sabres. The two clubs played each other earlier this month on November 7th, with Boston taking a 4-2 decision on home ice at the TD Garden. Mark Recchi and Zdeno Chara scored in the first period for the Bruins, who extended their lead to three on Byron Bitz’s goal at the 1:22 mark of the middle frame. Marco Sturm scored Boston’s other goal, while Derek Roy and Jason Pominville tallied in the loss for Buffalo. Tuukka Rask picked up the win between the pipes, defeating Jhonas Enroth. - The Buffalo Sabres’ current roster is made up of 23 players. 13 of those 23 players were originally drafted by the Sabres, and have stayed with Buffalo for the length of their careers. Four players were signed as free agents, five players were acquired in trades, and Matt Ellis is the only member of the club that was claimed off of waivers. - The Sabres’ 13 draft picks have come from a few different rounds. Six of the 13 were selected within the first two rounds, including three picks in the first round. Buffalo’s three current first round selections are Thomas Vanek (5th overall in 2003), Tyler Myers (12th overall in 2008), and Drew Stafford (13th overall in 2004), while Derek Roy (32nd overall in 2001), Henrik Tallinder (48th overall in 1997), and Jason Pominville (55th overall in 2001) all heard their names called in round two. Ryan Miller and Paul Gaustad can be viewed as Buffalo’s best finds, as Miller was picked 138th in 1999, and Gaustad was taken 220th in 2000. - Tonight is the 247th lifetime meeting between Boston and Buffalo. The Bruins currently lead the all-time series, coming in with a record of 111-101-29-5. Oddly enough, the Sabres have the scoring edge between the two teams, netting 805 goals to Boston’s 800. Prior to the lockout, the Bruins controlled the head-to-head meetings, winning four straight season series. Since the lockout, Buffalo has turned the tables, winning three of the four season series. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1048577/just-like-that-my-update-way-outofdate.html Via the Around the Horin in KC Twitter, we have a ton of new roster moves to add to my update from, oh, less than an hour ago. And here, I thought I posted late enough on Friday afternoon that I wouldn’t miss any. The new changes are: “Devon Lowery and Doug Waechter outrighted to Omaha. Tug Hulett designated for assignment, Julio Pimentel released.” [source] and “Royals set winter roster: Jeff Bianchi, Jarrod Dyson, Jordan Parraz, Manuel Pina, Blake Wood added to 40-man” [source] I’m so relieved that Parraz is being protected from the Rule V. I think his bat has a lot of potential, and he has reasonable range and a great arm in right field. Bianchi, too, is someone I would have added to the 40-man if I were GM. Too bad for Pimental. That was a lot of potential that didn’t pan out. I imagine Hulett will be gone, sadly. He’s good people, and a durable option in the utility role. (Side note: He’s getting married soon. Yay!) I can’t offer any ‘analysis’ beyond that because I have to leave in a few minutes. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047923/portis-sees-concussion-specialist.html Clinton Portis traveled to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to meet with the same concussion specialist who saw Eagles TB Brian Westbrook earlier this week. Portis suffered a concussion two Sundays ago in Atlanta and hasn’t played or practiced since. [Westbrook has suffered two concussions and might not play again for a while, despite receiving a generally good medical evaluation earlier this week.] This is a very good idea. The more we learn about the long-term effects of concussions, the more serious they become. It’s not tough to play too soon after a concussion — it’s idiotic. Portis needs to be very careful about his comeback and the more expert information and advice he’s got, the better. As for Westbrook, I don’t think he should play again this season. If his team is in a playoff race, though, as it probably will be, getting the team’s best offensive player back on the field will probably be too tempting to resist. Let’s  just hope it doesn’t end in tragedy. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047922/hockey-theme-to-get-closer-heart.html Interesting news from Darren Dreger’s twitter account: Rush’s Neil Peart to Record New Version of The Hockey Theme for TSN. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047921/royals-roster-roundup-nov-1320.html 11/20 – Signed RHP Jorge Campillo to a minor league deal. Ex-Brave alert! 11/19 – signed free agent Brad Thompson to a minor league deal. 11/18 – Outfielder/DH/reliever/bullpen catcher/comedian/awesomedude Brian Buchanan retired as a player; will manage at Idaho Falls. 11/16 – Activated Jose Guillen, Doug Waechter(? I ‘ardly knew ‘er!), and Mike Aviles from the 60-Day DL. 11/14 – Signed free agent catcher Edwin Bellorin, assigned him to Omaha the next day. I don’t think any of these are too significant, but rather organizational moves. Thompson will see time in the Majors at some point, I’m sure, but it’s likely that Campillo and Bellorin are basically Omaha bodies. The signing of Bellorin might signify the end of either JR House or John Suomi, both of whom are minor league free agents. House batted .251/.397/.352 in Omaha last year, and got the majority of the catching duties. Suomi split time between NW Arkansas and Omaha. He really struggled in Omaha, batting just .145/.177/.224 in 23 games. It’s possible that neither House nor Suomi returns, and Cody Clark is once again promoted to Omaha to share time with Bellorin, or someone else. I have this thought about catchers – could the Royals trade for the Angels’ Bobby Wilson? Wilson was once in that organization’s Baseball America Top 10, but the team has never really given him a chance because of their stubborn love affairs with Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis. He’s had some injury issues in the last few seasons, but it’s generally been small things like a hurt thumb – nothing career-ending or anything. I don’t know that the Angels would ask for much, and Wilson would be an intriguing option in the Majors if John Buck parts ways with the Royals, or at the very least, a good bat with playable defense in Omaha. What do you think? Would you give him a try? New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047920/girardi-being-honored-by-knicks.html Hoping some of that championship glow will rub off, the Knicks are going to honor Yankees manager Joe Girardi for being a generally good guy in the hours after the World Series win. Here’s the press release. KNICKS TO HONOR JOE GIRARDI WITH "CITY SPIRIT” AWARD Yankees' Manager Wins "City Spirit” Award For Heroic Efforts After World [...] Click on the headline for the rest of this blog post ... New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047919/fall-classic-memorabilia-at-hall-fame.html Artifacts from baseball's most memorable moments from this past postseason -- one that saw the Yankees notch their 27th World Series championship -- have been put on display at the Autumn Glory exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047722/nats-name-coaching-staff.html We received the official press release form the Washington Nationals announcing their 2010 Coaching Staff.  Here they are: Manager:  Jim Riggleman First Base:  Dan Radison (NEW) Third Base:  Pat Listach (returning) Pitching:  Steve McCatty (returning) Batting:  Rick Eckstein (returning) Bench:  John McLaren (NEW) Bullpen:  Jim Lett (NEW) New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047721/riggoarrington-part-iii.html New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047720/davone-bess-mormon-badass.html When last we saw Davone Bess, he had reverted from the Badass Mormon Pass Catching Dick Puncher we all fell in love with last year, to some kind of hybrid between JR Tolver and a midget. His hands had also been replaced with duck vaginas. I don’t know why. I’m no scientist! But last night, Bess once again rose from the very large buckets of crap known as our receiving corps and redeemed himself large. Bess led the Fins with 6 catches for 63 yards. None bigger than the 15-yarder he caught on 3rd and 12 with 4:47 left to play. It was especially impressive because, as we’re beginning to see over and over again, Chad Henne flings the shit out of the football. And on that particular play, Henne pretty much tried to decapitate Bess with that pass. Had the pass been thrown by a human, Bess would have caught it in stride and would have run untouched into the endzone. But because Chad Henne is a robot from the 50s, that shit shot out of his hands like a goddamn bazooka. Bess was lifted off the ground from the massive torque and fell backwards. But he maintained the ball, and got his team a huge-ass fist down. Ricky Williams took it from there with his ballstastic 46-yard touchdown that put an end to the game, and teabagged Steve Smith and his ridiculously cartoonish trash talking ways right on the face. Bess stepped up huge. And it seems like he’s only getting better now that he’s getting used to The Robot’s Gort-like passes. I’m not sure how the Mormon religion works, but if I were the Mormon boss, I’d give Bess a shitload of badass points for being badass. That’s how I’d run my religion anyway. Also, instead of a Pope hat, I’d wear a monocle and top hat with cut off jean-shorts. I’m classy! New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047716/knicks-looking-for-little-yankee-magic.html Now that the Knicks have apparently decided not to sign Allen Iverson, it seems like they're looking for some positive PR. Enter Joe Girardi. The Yankees manager was named as the winner of the Knicks' Sweetwater Clifton "City Spirit" Award for the month of November. The award, named in honor of Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, the first African-American to play for the Knicks, recognizes individuals who have made a significant difference in the lives of others. The winner is chosen monthly by members of the Knicks front office staff and honored at center court during a Knicks game with a $2,000 donation in his or her name made out to a charity of their choice. Just hours after leading the Yankees to the World Series title on Nov. 4, Girardi served as a good Samaritan by stopping to aid Marie Henry, who had been involved in a car accident on the Cross County Parkway in Westchester County. Girardi, who was driving home, came to her assistance and flagged down police. Henry sustained only minor injuries, but the Knicks believed Girardi’s efforts embodied the essence of what the “City Spirit” Award means. Girardi will accept the "City Spirit" award at Madison Square Garden during Sunday's game against the Celtics. Girardi will donate the award money to Catch 25, a foundation he created to support families and individuals who have been affected by ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and fertility issues. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047027/right-answer-iverson-knicks-on-same-direction.html The Associated Press first reported early today, November the 20th, the New York Knicks won't pursuit free agent PG Allen Iverson. Iverson, who cleared waivers on Wednesday night and became an unrestricted free agent, was expected to be targeted and maybe even sign with the Knicks as soon as Saturday according to TNT's David Aldridge. Maybe this is a bad decision on an entertaining stand point but probably a good decision locker room wise. It's clear that Donnie Walsh is treating this season as a throwaway, so he might as well do it bringing some excitement. It's also clear that those guys quit anyway because they know that only few of them will be there next season, so AI would have no problem getting his shots and his minutes however apparently the decision was made because management was concerned exactly about the minutes and the shots that Iverson would take away from Toney Douglas whom for some reason they believe is the future. With the Knicks officially out of the hunt, yet another door just closed for "the Answer”. On the offseason besides the Grizzlies, only the Clippers showed public interest in Iverson but he can consider that door closed as well because the idea was to bring him off the bench for Eric Gordon and now that AI emphasized once again his feelings about that, they are no longer an option. Off course all this rejection can change on the exact moment that Iverson understands that the sixth man role is the only one he is able to get these days and if that's the case, contenders should pursuit this guy because even at this stage of his career, he can score however if that's not the case, Iverson should start packing his bags and move to Europe because on the NBA he would be done by default. Check More: Basketball Outsider New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047026/wizards-stock-report.html Blue Chip of the Week: Antawn Jamison What can you say about the return of Antawn Jamison apart from, “Thank God!” and “About time!” Jamison missed the first 9 games of the season with a shoulder subluxation, but came back in time to lead the Wizards to a rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jamison scored 31 points, shot 55% from the field and grabbed 10 rebounds [6 from the offensive glass] in his season debut. Jamison has been vocal about his unhappiness with the way the team played without him so it was vital he back up his talk with his play. He did. And then some. STOCK UP Mike Miller: He’s back from injury and shooting 60% from the field, including 57% on 3-pointers. In addition, he’s pulling down 7.4 rebounds per game and averaging about 2.5 assists for every turnover. He can run the offense as a distributor or lurk outside and drop bombs from long range. Miller has taken to Flip Saunders’ offense with ease and is clearly the most efficient player on the team at this point. Brendan Haywood: He needs to boost his 46% shooting percentage, but otherwise he’s doing exactly what he should be doing with the extra playing time he never got from Eddie Jordan. Averaging 10.8 rebounds, 10.9 points and 2.5 blocks per game in 33 minutes, Haywood is the best center no one is talking about. And that doesn’t even take into account his stout defense. If the Wizards can get on a roll and win some games, Haywood may finally receive the attention he deserves. Earl Boykins: He’s averaging 14.5 points on 53% shooting in the two games he’s played since the Wizards signed him from Italy. Boykins is already being trusted to run the team in crunch time and his teammates seem comfortable with him on the floor. He’s not who you want starting, but Boykins provides real energy and offensive pop off the bench. Let’s hope the impending healthy return of Mike James will not send Boykins packing. That would be a mistake. STOCK DOWN Gilbert Arenas: Agent Zero is back, but he’s not playing like we remember Agent Zero. Shooting less than 40% from the field and less than 75% from the line, Arenas is also committing too many turnovers 4.2 per game. Gil was lifted from the win over Cleveland for Earl Boykins and sat the entire 4th quarter — even when the Cavs made a run — because the offense was running fine without him. We still believe in Gil and think he’ll make a comeback, but it might take weeks or months before we see everything he’s got. Clearly, the new offense is a challenge and he’s not 100% mentally. Caron Butler: Perhaps no one is struggling with the offense more than Butler, who is also shooting under 40 percent. More ominously, Butler is turning the ball over about 3 times for every assist. Previously a reliable and productive passer, Butler is now averaging less than 1 assist per game, a sure sign that the passing the offense entails is beyond him at the moment. Butler spends far too much time gripping the ball on the wing and going isolation instead of running the offense. He’s a hard worker, so we have confidence Butler will come around. The sooner, the better. Nick Young: We’re not as confident re Nick Young. After an offseason where Young spoke long and hard about his maturity and improving game, he’s done virtually nothing this season. Shooting a dismal 21% from the field and averaging less than 9 minutes per game, Young is clearly not part of Flip Saunders’ rotation. In fact, Young has been a DNP-CD for half the games this year. We knew Saunders would have a tighter rotation than previous Wizards coaches, but this is an ominous sign for Young. Expect his name to come up often in trade talks this season. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047025/miami-heat-looking-to-defeat-toronto-raptors-ending-recent-slump.html On Friday night, November 20th, the Miami Heat will be visiting the Toronto Raptors with high hopes of breaking their recent slump. After consecutive losses to the Thunder and the Hawks, the (7 - 4) Heat are not looking quite as sharp as we all thought. In this particular Eastern Conference matchup, the Heat will have to try and put their previous two losses behind them. When considering both sides however, it may be safe to say that the (5-7) Raptors are just as hungry for a win as they have been defeated in their past three contests. Both teams will surely come out fighting. Expect to see a monster game from Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade in this matchup. Wade has come off a few poor shooting contests with the most recent against the Hawks where he shot a dismal 30% from the field. With the help from that uncharacteristic shooting performance from Wade, he ended a Heat franchise best 23 consecutive games with 20 or more points when he only posted 15 against Atlanta's tough defense. Wade will come out strong in this game. He will be going at the rim. I see it likely that Wade will score at least 35 points and have a half a dozen assists and rebounds. On the other end, expect the Raptors big man Chris Bosh to have a solid game as well. He will likely score around 30 points to go along with a dozen or so rebounds. Heat forward Michael Beasley will have to bring his A game to try and slow the production of Bosh and try and be productive on the offense end. Here are my predictions for the Game: Miami Heat (7-4) At Toronto Raptors (5-7) Heat 107 – Raptors 96 Notable Performances: HEAT Dwayne Wade - 37pts. 6ast. 5reb. Jermaine O'Neal - 19pts. 2ast. 13reb. Michael Beasley - 24pts. 2ast. 8reb. RAPTORS Chris Bosh - 31pts. 3ast. 14reb. Andrea Bargnani – 21pts. 2ast. 10reb. Jose Calderon - 14pts. 8ast. 3reb. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047024/49ers-leagueleading-scoring-efficient-offense-need-to-capitalize-against-packers.html While reading the media press release on this Sunday’s 49ers-Packers matchup, I came across an interesting fact. Despite the 49ers’ inconsistent offensive struggles (are they a passing team or a running team?), they do lead the NFL in one very important category: Scoring efficiency. Scoring efficiency is calculated upon the opportunities in which a team enters the opposition’s 30-yard line. The efficiency rate is determined by the percentage that the team will score on that particular drive. The 49ers rank at #1 on that list among all of the NFL teams. Here is the breakdown. In 28 drives that have entered the opponents 30-yard line, the 49ers have scored 15 touchdowns and 10 field goals for an 89.3 percent success rate. The Tennessee Titans are tied with the 49ers in terms of success rate, but have two fewer touchdowns. The good point about this is that after seeing what Charles Woodson did last Sunday, the 49ers have a strong belief that they can find ways to score. The 49ers 113.7 passer rating in that area ranks 8th in the league. The statistic, however is misleading. The next three on that list are the Dolphins, Colts and Chargers. All three of those teams have been in the 30-yard line zone more often than the 49ers and are all above .500. The 49ers and Titans are a combined 7-11. In a game where the 49ers have to score touchdowns instead of settling for field goals, they take a dip in the touchdown efficiency category. The 49ers rank 7th on the list with a 53.6 percent touchdown efficiency. All six teams ahead of the 49ers have winning records. When offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye talked about limiting turnovers, this was probably what he was thinking about. The team has had limited opportunities to get into a good scoring position throughout the season. if the 49ers can find ways to drive down the field, they have the tools to put up points. Against a tough Packers defense, touchdowns will be essential. The 49ers rank as one of the best in scoring touchdowns. And they will need all cylinders to click this Sunday to beat the Packers. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047023/fielder-extension-offer-coming.html With the free agent signing period officially underway, we would’ve thought that the first news to come out would be an announcement of a deal for a starting pitcher. Turns out it’s news about a player already under contract for 2010. A few months ago, the idea of a long-term deal for Prince Fielder seemed impossible. Now Jon Heyman is tweeting that Doug Melvin is preparing to make the slugger an offer later this winter, once he gets the pitching situation squared away. Many people — including myself — just assumed that 2010 would be Fielder’s last year in a Brewers uniform, and he’d be dealt next winter for a slew of prospects before the Brewers had to give him another huge raise in his final year of arbitration eligibility. Needless to say, this is some pretty exciting news. Fielder has a guaranteed contract for the 2010 season, thanks to the 2-year contract he signed last year to avoid arbitration. At the time, the deal was seen as a great success — anytime you can avoid going to arbitration with a Scott Boras client, you should probably feel pretty good about yourself. It was probably the best possible outcome for the Brewers, aside from locking in Fielder’s contract for all three arbitration years or even buying out a year of free agency. Will Fielder seriously consider the offer? Probably not, given the history of Boras clients, but perhaps the Brewers can afford to make a 2 or 3 year offer that would buy out a year or two of free agency. The contracts of Jeff Suppan and Bill Hall come off the books after this season, and Ryan Braun’s team-friendly deal won’t start eating up significant chunks of the payroll until 2012 or so (Braun’s salary schedule: $1 million next year, $4 million in 2011, $6 million in 2012, $8.5 million in 2013, $10 million in 2014, and $12.5 million in 2015). Considering the Brewers have drawn 3 million fans in back-to-back seasons, the team probably has a bit of unexpected cash laying around that could be used to keep Fielder in town through 2011. Fielder is scheduled to make $10.5 million next year. While it’s a hefty salary to pay for a club like the Brewers, he’ll likely be worth every dime, and the Brewers are lucky that they have him locked into that deal considering it’s extremely likely he’ll finish in the Top 3 (or even Top 2) of the NL MVP race when the award is announced next week. If the Brewers could get him to give up a year of free agency, it would give fans even more reason for optimism after a particularly disappointing season. What would be realistic, though? Would Fielder and Boras seriously consider something like 2 years and $35 million guaranteed, giving him a small raise? Or would it take $40+ million for 2 years, and up over $60 million for 3? What would you be comfortable with? We’ll have a new poll up soon, and feel free to comment. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047022/hall-fame-has-some-new-additions.html If you’ve never been to the Baseball Hall of Fame, now is the perfect time. That’s because the Hall has added artifacts from the Yankees’ World Series win to its “Autumn Glory” exhibit in Cooperstown. Among the items donated by the Yankees: * Hideki Matsui’s Game 6 bat, when the World Series MVP drove in a Fall Classic record-tying six runs. * Mariano Rivera’s postseason cap, when Rivera saved five of the Yankees’ 11 wins and posted a 0.56 ERA. * Derek Jeter’s Game 6 bat; Jeter hit .407 in the World Series with five runs scored. * Andy Pettitte’s World Series cap; Pettitte was 2-0 in the World Series, 4-0 in the 2009 postseason and was the winning pitcher in all three of the Yankees’ series-clinching victories. * Johnny Damon’s spikes from his Game 4 double steal; Damon hit .364 in the World Series with six runs scored. * Jorge Posada’s catcher’s mask from the postseason; Posada drove in five runs in the World Series. * Jose Molina’s catcher’s mask from the postseason. * Suzyn Waldman’s scorecard from Game 6; Waldman became the first woman to broadcast a World Series game when she served as a Yankees’ radio broadcaster during the 2009 Fall Classic. In addition to the Yankees’ items, the Hall of Fame also added the following items from the 2009 postseason: * The cap worn by Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee during the postseason; Lee was 4-0 in five starts in the postseason with a 1.56 ERA. * The No. 46 jersey worn by Andy Pettitte during Game 6 of the ALCS, when Pettitte set a record with 16 postseason victories. It was the second of three series-clinching wins for Pettitte in this postseason. * The first ball to come out of play during Game 1 of the World Series, which was the first Fall Classic game at the new Yankee Stadium and a game which featured Cliff Lee’s 10-strikeout performance in the Phillies’ 6-1 victory; * A bat used by Phillies second baseman Chase Utley during the World Series, when he tied a record with five World Series home runs. The 2009 World Series exhibit in Autumn Glory will be on display through the 2010 Major League Baseball postseason. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1047021/dunn-kennedy-shine-in-afl-stint.html The Arizona Fall League, if nothing else, opens eyes. Strong performances in the desert can lead to big reputations -- just ask Tommy Hanson of the Braves -- and big opportunities. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046521/houston-astros-2009-least-valuable-player-award.html Joe Posnanski, the best baseball writer out there now that John Brattain has passed, has a blog entry awarding the LVP award to the most deserving player from both leagues. It’s a good idea. Now Joe, he figured money into the deal, and I understand his reasoning, but I prefer to use the word “valuable” only in reference to the player’s actual performance notwithstanding his salary. ESPECIALLY this year, as only Michael Bourn and Wandy Rodriguez far exceeded their salaries as determined by WAR (from fangraphs.com) in which 1 WAR (win over non-existent replacement) = $4 million. Now me, I decided to select a player whose appearance on the field not only yielded NO value, but actually cost the team wins. And the winner is JASON SMITH!!! Don’t ask me why he was even put on the 40 man in the first place – some very VERY bizarre idea of Fast Eddie. Not only was he placed on the 40 man, but he was actually called up and unfortunately used in place of Edwin Maysonet, a far superior player, but, unfortunately, a rookie and we can’t be using Those People on a baseball field when we have the likes of Jason Smith and his lifetime 48 OPS+ hanging around. With the Astros, he had 27 PA over 21 games (!!!!), NO hits, NO walks, 1 GIDP and 1 RBI groundout for a grand total OPS+ of negative 100. And no, it don’t get no lowern dat, it surely don’t. He also soaked up 34 innings in the field making 8 putouts and turning 5 DP (and not managing to turn 2 more, from my notes.) I did consider Wilton Lopez, but by the time he was called up, the season was in dreadful shambles and hey, any live body who could get on the mound and throw the darn ball was a blessing. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046512/arte-moreno-says-angels-wont-pursue-matt-holliday.html According to Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com, the Los Angeles Angels will not make a run at free agent outfielder Matt Holliday. Morosi spoke with Angels owner Arte Moreno, who had this to say when asked if the team would get involved in the Holliday sweepstakes: “We are not looking at Holliday at all,” Moreno said after the baseball owners’ meetings adjourned. “He is not going to be an Angel.” Taking Moreno at his word, his quote seemed fairly odd to me. What is the upside in publicly stating that Los Angeles has no interest in a player, any free agent really, this early in the game? As Tim Dierkes wrote at MLB Trade Rumors last week, it does not cost any money for a team to express interest, real or not, and I do not see any downside in simply giving a typical non-response to that question. Moreno should have just said something like: “yes, we are exploring all options to improve our club for 2010.” Morosi indicates that the Angels’ announcement was bad news for super agent Scott Boras, writing that the market for Holliday will be weaker now with one of the seemingly logical destinations for his client out of the running. Which is exactly why I am puzzled that Moreno would be so open about this issue. Instead of disclosing his intentions, the club could express a feign interest and perhaps–obviously, what one team says on the eve of the free agency period means little–hurting the market for Holliday and potentially enabling another organization, the competition, to have Holliday for cheaper. And if Moreno is in fact sending a message to Boras, then that is childish. Whether or not he hates the agent or not, the bottom line is that the Boras Corporation represents a number of talented players who could help the Angels. And if a Boras client can help Los Angeles win baseball games, then letting any personal feeling towards the agent get in the way of going after them would be bad business. Moreno, it is worth pointing out, did say that he could see the Angels making a serious run at Jason Bay. As I wrote in detail here, however, Holliday is the more complete player. For a team that wasted so much money on Gary Matthews Jr. and then went after the overrated Torii Hunter, choosing to not pursue someone as talented as Holliday is curious to say the least. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1046511/tunnel-mystery-could-spawn-nextgeneration-indycar.html For several years, the long-abandoned Laurel Hill Tunnel in western Pennsylvania has allegedly been a aerodynamics test site for Chip Ganassi Racing’s NASCAR and IZOD IndyCar Series teams. During this time, we’ve heard a couple of educated guesses about what exactly goes on inside that tunnel, including straight-line testing. If that’s the case, it’s not a bad weapon for Ganassi teams to have at their disposal. That tunnel may wind up having a major role in the creation of the next-generation IndyCars, expected to hit the track in 2012. Curt Cavin of The Indianapolis Star reports that Ganassi’s head of engineering, Ben Bowlby, has created a car design that’s being talked up as “a cross between a sports car and a motorcycle.” Cavin also says that Bowlby’s design has gotten the support of major figures in the sport like Ganassi, Michael Andretti and Tony George. There’s no doubt that the league needs a car that instantly “pops” to both the casual and the hardcore viewer, so Bowlby’s alleged sports car/cycle hybrid sounds like an interesting creature for sure. But I refer back to a comment from racing blogger The Speedgeek about this story over at Bill “Pressdog” Zahren’s site — if Bowlby’s car gets the nod and gets developed in a facility that’s allegedly used by Ganassi, will Ganassi engineers get two years’ headstart development on the other teams? I don’t care how cool this car may look — that scenario is the last thing the series needs. No car is worth that, and if and when this car comes out, the playing field needs to be as equal as possible or else we’ll have the same situation we have now with one or two teams dominating everybody. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045943/boredom-in-bullpen.html More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP Mariano liked his 'penmates. Browse more photos » Confession: I didn't find this season's bullpen nearly as exciting as the '08 version. First, CC, AJ, Andy and Joba contributed more than 170IP more than the 2008 top 4 starters of Moose, Pettitte, Rasner and Wang. Then, Phil Hughes locked down the 8th inning- 51IP, 0.86 WHIP, .228 SLG against, 11.4K/9. And finally, while the 2008 squad was very good (.235/.310/.373), the 2009 'pen was even better (.231/.308/.393). Plus, the '09 team did it with only 21 pitchers while the '08 team used 24 men.  Furthermore, 14 guys relieved in 10+ games in 2008 and only 12 guys did that in 2009. What should the bullpen look like in 2010? I see that people are trying to link the Yanks to high profile relievers like Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez.  Haven't we learned the Karsay/Farnsworth lesson?  Every once in a while it works out right and Tom Gordon shows up, but relievers are the hardest players in the game to predict.  Not only would either Soriano or Gonzalez cost most of the Yanks' payroll space, since both are Type A free agents the Yanks would lose their first round draft pick next June. The Yanks are stacked with pitching prospects, and the simplest way to employ those prospects is to throw them in the fire.  Joe Girardi has proven he's the right guy to handle a Cashman style cost control bullpen, shifting roles regularly to put the hot hand in the game. And even better (or worse if you get excited by leadoff walks, line drives, and blown saves), of the pitchers who relieved for the Yanks in 2009, only Josh Towers (5.1IP), Anthony Claggett (2.2IP), Brett Tomko (20.2IP), and Jose Veras (25.2IP) will not return.  Coke and Marte will be back as effective lefties, and Houdini Robertson, Alfredo Aceves and Brian Bruney will be ready as the right-handed bridge. Shall we sign Soriano to a Farnsworth style deal?  Wouldn't that make 2010 more exciting? New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045678/chienming-wang-talks-taiwan-listens.html MLB Trade Rumors pointed me to this report, which points to another report that I can’t read without a translator. Basically, Chien-Ming Wang was asked about his uncertain offseason for what must have been the thousandth time. He said he prefers to stay with the Yankees, but the idea of playing for Joe Torre was brought [...] Click on the headline for the rest of this blog post ... New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045468/poll-how-much-would-you-pay-for-jason-bay.html Tell us what you think! Each week we’ll be polling your the readers with a new question in the sidebar… As of midnight last night, Jason Bay is officially a free agent, so this week we want to know what you think Bay is worth. The Red Sox have already offered him 4 year and $60 million, but the offer was rejected. Is he worth more than that? Scott Boras wants to get Matt Holliday a Teixeira-like deal for 8 years and $180M… is Bay good enough to command a similar deal? Personally, I’d give Bay 4 years, $17M. But the Red Sox need Bay or Holliday in left field and if they let Bay walk, they will end up in a bidding war with the Yankees for Holliday. I think the Angels are the teams to watch here… they don’t want to over pay for Holliday, but I can see them pushing hard for Bay… and he is a west coast guy. What do you guys think? Cast your vote on the poll in the sidebar! New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045467/chris-clark-long-road-to-important-return.html His return has been long in the making. After a career-year three years ago, Capitals’ Captain Chris Clark fairly faded into obscurity. Two groin pulls, a wrist injury, and a demotion to the third line later, the captain has finally made his return from the abyss to become a critical part of  Washington’s team yet again. Three seasons ago, in just the second year of his tenure with the Capitals, Clark had been placed on the same line as the league’s brightest young star, Alexander Ovechkin. The 6′0” South Windsor, Connecticut, native put together the most impressive year of his entire career. In 74 games that season Clark scored 30 goals, had 24 assists, and fired an unprecedented 164 shots on goal. While the Caps didn’t make much noise in the league, finishing fourth in the Southeast division, Clark’s performance gave hope for the future. They had their franchise player, a captain who looked like a reincarnation of Steve Yzerman, plenty of promising young prospects, and therefore seemed a franchise poised to make a turn around from the basement of the Eastern conference. Washington ended up doing just that, but that turn around happened laregly without the on-ice help of their captain and leader. Clark sustained a groin injury not even a quarter way through the following season. It took him several months to return from the painful and year-killing injury. Once it had healed and everything looked good to go, Clark took the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers, but barely made it through one shift. Number 17 stepped on the ice and promptly re-injured the same groin muscle, ending his season. He returned next year in the team’s new red, white and blue colors, looking to the put the past of painful injuries and a painful season behind him. The pain was just beginning however, as Clark would miss a majority of the season yet again, playing in only 31 games because of a bad wrist. The wrist would plague him through the rest of the season. While he would return for the Capitals second-round playoff battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he was offensively ineffective and was pushed to third line duty. Perhaps more important than his return in the postseason was the vote of confidence Head Coach Bruce Boudreau gave him during their first round playoff tilt with the New York Rangers. After being asked whether or not Clark would lose the captain’s ‘C,’ Boudreau responded by reaffirming Clark as the captain,  their leader on and off of the ice. It is quite the endorsement, considering that Clark had been one of the least productive players on the squad. Clark finished the playoffs and still had the ‘C’ on his jersey. Last summer he took the blows and demotions like a true leader thinking of the team first. Training camp began this September and it came out that Clark had agreed to be moved to the third line, also known as the retirement home for formerly skilled players. There was one problem with that, though: Clark decided he didn’t want to be confinced to the team’s third line. Maybe Chris Clark isn’t quite a candidate for comeback player of the years award, but his is still a strong story of a leader’s perserverance. In November alone he had a four-game point streak that helped the Caps take five out of their last seven, and he capped that off with the winning shootout goal in a wild 11 round tilt against the Islanders. While yes he has been clutch in several situations, and yes he has finally returned to the top line with Ovechkin, it is what he has meant to this team that is more important than his offensive firepower. Young stud Mathieu Perreault has come up from Hershey and been an absolute delight. He has made a playmaker’s precision passes, scored a couple of goals, and even doled out some hits. Much of the youngster’s poised play must be credited to his natural talent, but what we can’t overlook is the line he was put on. Perreault had Clark on his flank, and the captain certainly helped the young and nervous French Canadian get acclimated to the league. It is just another demonstration of how much Boudreau actually trusts Clark. He knows that it doesn’t matter how many points Clark has on the season – he is in some sense a thread that holds the team together. He is the true meaning of leader. On top if those leadership abilities, Clark also has the real ability to become a serious X-Factor. Recently he returned to the top line with former linemate Ovi and center Nicklas Backstrom and was +1 with an assist. Staying healthy is going to be key if Clark is to have a stellar season. The skills are clearly still there — especially the grit and warrior’s will in traffic — but the health is the only thing left in doubt. Regardless of whether he stays true to form on the top line or falls back to the third, it will be Clark that will play a pivotal leadership role for this team on toward the playoffs, as he is the heart and sole of Washington Capitals hockey. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045466/psssstsorry.html Hey Peezy… Hey buddy. So, um, nice game last night.  I just thought I should come by and say…like, um…that was pretty rad, man.  The way you started off the game with the first tackle.  Then you proceeded to get 7 more tackles, 3 hurries and 2 sacks.  Wow.  Yea, I know.  I’m sorry, man! It’s just how we work, you and I.  I get all mad because you disappear for a while, then you get mad because I’m mad, then I take away the gift basket and lay into you and then you go out and have a Pro Bowl performance.  I know!!!  We’re crazy, us two wild kids.  Why can’t we be normal like other couples and read the Sunday paper over brunch?!?!  Or go to galleries?!?!  Or go on bike rides together???  Why can’t we stop all this madness!?!?!  It’s so toxic sometimes.   We love each other TOO much! So, I just wanted to say:  I’m sorry, baby, and I’m here to make it up to you the only way I know how (and please don’t sick your dogs, small horses, your boys, hardened NYC gang affiliates w/ access to long aluminum poles that can be easily lodged through my asshole and out my mouth like a slow cooked rotisserie chicken): Eeeeeeeyyyupp!!!  I know baby likes his Cabernet, Zinfadel and Gouda. Nice work, Peezy. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045465/schefter-believes-in-lewis-but-there-more-to.html Adam Schefter from ESPN is quickly becoming a Sherman Lewis disciple.  In his 10 Spot article, Schefter believes the impact of Lewis on Redskins play calling is undeniable. Now that Lewis has had three games to call Washington’s plays, check out how the Redskins’ offensive production compares. In the first six games of the season, the Redskins averaged 12.4 points per game; in the past three games, they have averaged 20.3. In the first six games, the Redskins averaged 16 first downs per game; in the past three games, they have averaged 20. In the first six games, the Redskins averaged 294 yards per game; in the past three, they have averaged 336. Who are we to argue?  The Redskins offense is moving the ball.  Moving it well. But is it all Lewis?  No.  Lewis has  made an impact.  The play calling is better, more efficient, particularly in the red zone.  But, Lewis is also getting some things Zorn was not. I attribute the offensive generation the past two weeks to a more effective run game, attributed of course to Ladell Betts and Rock Cartwright.  I think this is underestimated.  The Redskins are running the ball effectively.  Betts has burst.  Betts is not going down on initial hits.  Betts is gaining 6 to 8 yards a pop at times.  That causes changes in defensive game plans. In response, the passing game opens a bit. Second, the patchwork, injury riddled, MASH unit of an offensive line is actually playing a bit better the past two weeks.  The holes they opened against the Denver defense was impressive.  Makes you wonder though, are they opening wider lanes, better holes now, or was Clinton Portis just missing them?  The pass protection for QB Jason Campbell is not very good.  BUT, it is better the last few weeks than it has been.  It seems like when the ‘aging’ starters were in, the Line did not play as well. In essence, it just seems like the offense has found a rhythm.  How much of that rhythm can be attributed to more snaps for Betts and Cartwright?  I don’t know.  Lewis has had an impact.  The play calling has been better.  BUT, I don’t think the Lewis play calling is the end all, b-all of the sudden appearance of offense in Washington.  A big factor?  Yes.  THE factor?  I wouldn’t go that far. Here is a look at the dramatic changes on the Redskins offense QB:  Nothing has changed outside a blip, like Kansas City.  Jason Campbell is the QB.  I think the biggest hurdle of Campbell having outright success here is his ability to have confidence in the offensive line.  He hurries, gets antsy, and makes throws he maybe shouldn’t because of happy feet.  But, behind this line and the abuse he has taken thus far, can you blame him? RB:  Clinton Portis started most games.  A concussion forced him out of the game two weeks ago.  Ladell Betts responded with 15 carries and 70 yards (4.7 ypc).  Last week, Betts delievered 114 yards on 26 carries (4.4 ypc) and a rushing TD.  Rock Cartwirght added 41 yards rushing last week. Portis fans, go cry.  Facts are facts.  The Redskins offense has grown increasingly successful and it started with Portis leaving the game. WR:  The season started with Santana Moss and Malcolm Kelly the top two receivers.  My assumption, based on what I see, the Redskins are back to Moss and Antwaan Randle El as starters with Thomas and Kelly playing often.  The problem here is the total lack of productivity of the entire receiving corp, including Moss.  Moss is having a horrible season, both statistically and in his ability to make the catches.  Through 9 games, Moss has 35 catches for 535 yards that is slightly less than 4 catches per game.  No blaming doule teams for Moss’ problems either, other top receivers in the NFL are doubled up.  Plus, the double teams are not an excuse for the drops Moss has had, when wide open. TE:  Chris Cooley is the stud.  He is also out with a broken foot.  In comes 2008 second rounder Fred Davis.  Finally, the Redskins are seeing some good production from one of their 3 second round picks in 2008.  Davis has started the last 3 games and has a total of 14 receptions for 154 yards and has become the go to guy for Jason Campbell. OL:  Starting the season were Chris Samuels, Derrick Dockery, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas, and Stephon Heyer.  The Line is injury riddled causing shifts between Heyer and RT and LT, Rinehart and Montgomery at OG with Mike Williams thrown in the mix at both OG and OT.  In other words, from week to week, who the hell knows.  It’s been a mess.  But, the Redskins found something last weeek.  The Line opened holes and protected Campbell a little bit better.  It started with the insertion of Levi Jones.  The line now stands to be Levi Jones, Dockery, Rabach, Montgomery, and Heyer. So what’s the point?  There is none.  It’s difficult to figure this team out.  Sherman Lewis is calling plays with a significantly different mix than Jim Zorn.  Does that matter?  Again, who knows.  My whole point is, yes, the Lewis play calling has been better, especially in the red zone, however, there are other factors, like offensive line mixes, Betts in the game,  and other little things. Before we are ready to say that Lewis’ impact is significant, well, let’s stop seeing the damn running sweeps on 4th down that haven’t worked since the Detroit game.  How about it Sherm? New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045464/mcadam-yankees-wont-bid-on-bayhollliday.html I always assumed that the Yankees would be involved in the Jason bay and Matt Holliday discussions, if for no other reason than to jack up the price on the Red Sox and Angels. But Sean McAdam says he doesn’t expect the Yankees to bid on Bay or Holliday. Instead, he thinks they will look to retain Johnny Damon at a much cheaper price and cut payroll as much as possible: If there’s one thing the Red Sox have going for them, in fact, it’s the absence of the Yankees in the bidding for Bay. Despite the potential loss of free agent outfielders Johnny Damon and designated hitter Hideki Matsui, the Yankees are not likely to get involved on either Bay or Holliday, preffering instead to make conservative runs at their own free agents (Damon, Matsui and pitcher Andy Pettitte) while otherwise cutting back payroll, if only modestly, from last year’s figure of $201.5 million. Bottom Line: I’m not sure I buy this, but if the Yankees don’t get involved, it could make thing difficulty for Bay and his agent, Joe Urbon, to convince potential suitors to pay more than the 4 X $15M the Red Sox have already offered. Look for the Angels, Mariners and Red Sox in the Bay sweepstakes and the Yankees, Red Sox and Cardinals to go after Holliday. ps. If the Yankees are not going to get involved, I think the Sox could sign Holliday for much less than the 8-year, $180M Teixeira type deal Boras wants to get him… and I’m cool with that scenario. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045463/larry-v-magic-game-3.html Larry Earns First Pro Win over Magic Game 3: Celtics 108, Lakers 103 Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Summary Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Media Coverage February 14, 1982 INGLEWOOD, Calif. Where do you start on this one? With M. L. Carr’s invaluable two-way second-half contribution? With Tiny Archibald’s first-half keep-’em-floating offensive play? With Robert Parish’s aggressive 22-point, 14-rebound triumph over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Or perhaps with Cedric Maxwell’s most significant performance of the season, a 27-point, 11-rebound gem that evoked memories of his awesome Game 5 show in last year’s championship series with Houston? Any of these items would provide a valid reference point, but Kevin McHale thought the key to victory was something less tangible. “I realize this is your basic cliche explanation,” McHale declared, “but the fact is that we wanted it worse. When we came back for the timeouts, people were saying, C’mon, we’re not going to lose this game.’ That’s all there was to it.” Whatever the motivational gap, this much is clear: The Celtics outplayed Los Angeles down the stretch yesterday afternoon, earning a 108-103 decision that served the dual purpose of keeping the Celtics in first place back East and keeping the Lakers from taking over first place out here. What the sellout Forum crowd of 17,505 – plus the CBS television audience – witnessed was a high-level NBA confrontation featuring very physical team defense, solid board work and true offensive professionalism, regrettably marred by the game-long officiating improprieties of Hugh Evans and Bill Saar, who are both usually better than they were yesterday. In a very real sense, the game never got started until the midway point of the final period. But when it did, the Celtics’ quintet of McHale, Larry Bird, Maxwell, Gerry Henderson and Carr assumed command. LA, which had led for all but two minutes of periods two, three and the first half of four, was still ahead as late as 92-91 with 4:48 remaining. The Lakers’ go-ahead basket had been provided by Jamaal Wilkes on an acrobatic rebound follow-up. But the Celtics answered with six straight points and would never again be headed. The sequence began when Bird (nine assists) fed Henderson in the lane for a jumper. Wilkes (25 points) almost dropped in a dexterious baseline drive, but the ball refused to drop and the Celtics took advantage when Maxwell hit a whirling jump hook on the transition for a three-point (95-92) lead. Abdul- Jabbar was then assessed a loose-ball foul on a Michael Cooper in-and- outer, leading to a pair of clutch free throws by McHale. High on the list of reasons the Celtics were able to hang on in this game was luck. After Maxwell had taken a spectacular Carr penetra-tion feed for a patented hanging three-point play to make it 102-96 with 2:06 left, Wilkes responded with a corner jumper. But the Celtics got those two right back with 1:37 remaining when Kareem lost control of a defensive rebound and accidentally diverted the ball into Boston’s basket. The next break, and a very vital one, came with 19 seconds to play. LA had launched a final comeback, with a Magic Johnson free throw with 32 seconds left pulling the Lakers to within one at 104-103. Boston ran a play for Bird (again shackled by the willowy Cooper), who started in a left-to-right direction. There was contact with Cooper, after which Bird threw the ball up well after the whistle. The ball went in, and the LA crowd erupted when Saar signaled the basket good. This may have been carrying the concept of “continuation” to the extreme. Bird made the free throw, and when Carr stole the inbounds pass, the victory was insured. The victory was a tribute to Boston’s mental toughness, as well as a growing LA passivity that has now resulted in three straight losses overall, plus three straight Forum setbacks. LA had forced some Boston turnovers to overcome an early 18-9 deficit, assuming apparent control of the game for the next 2 1/2 periods. But the biggest LA margin was eight (43-35), and the largest LA second-half advantage was seven (59-52). Boston was always able to keep Showtime from getting started. The X factor was Carr, who wound up contributing nine points, three rebounds, the aforementioned key assist to Maxwell and his usual overall brand of hustling defensive play. This augmented the vigorous Maxwell display (six offensive rebounds), a showing so forceful that Wilkes said, “Maxwell delivered today; he was the key.” Maybe he was, and maybe he wasn’t, but Maxwell’s sudden revival (58 points, 18 rebounds, 22-for-31 shooting) in the past two games has picked up the team. His own enthusiasm seems to have been restored. “Max was even calling his own play in the huddle,” said McHale. Well, there it is, a revenge victory over LA, a 2-1 road start and another couple of days in first place. “Back on the bandwagon, everybody!” shouted Chris Ford as they entered the locker room. Whatever you say, men. Larry & Magic’s All-Star Battle Serves as Prelude to Game 3 Larry Wins All-Star Game MVP as East Beats West Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Summary Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Media Coverage February 1, 1982 In the ’60s, it was the preeminent rivalry in pro basketball. Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain. No one will forget the wars those two goliaths waged, and it didn’t seem to matter whether it was a regular-season game, a playoff or an All-Star game. Now in the ’80s, one has to suspect that the rivalry between the Celtics’ Larry Bird and the Lakers’ Magic Johnson is just beginning to warm up, perhaps to Russell-Chamberlain proportions. True, Bird is a forward and Johnson primarily plays guard, but their all-round skills are remarkably similar. “We’re the same type players,” said Johnson, who came within inches of being a hero and instead wound up a loser as the East topped the West, 120-118, yesterday in the 32d annual NBA All-Star game. “We’re big-game players. We both like the pressure. We both seem to play better under the pressure. “We definitely have respect for one another. The things Larry can do are just unbelievable. He just beats everybody upstairs because he plays a smart game. We’re much alike and we respect each other on and off the court.” Bird walked away with the Most Valuable Player Award. His contributions for the East–19 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal–speak for themselves. But Bird’s success didn’t for one minute diminish the respect he has for Johnson. “I think he’s a great player,” said Bird. “We’re very similar in the things we can do. We both like to move the ball up the court, shoot, rebound and get assists. I personally think he’s a better passer than I am and is quicker. I’m a better shooter and I play more inside. I enjoyed watching him play in the game today. I try to study him and see what I can learn. He’s a great player.” In fact, had Johnson (16 points, 7 assists for the West) sunk a layup with three seconds left instead of missing, the game might have gone into overtime, and he might have wound up as the MVP. But he accepted the outcome philosophically. “I don’t feel bad about what happened today,” he said. “It’s no trouble for me. If we tie, we tie. If not, look forward to next year. It’s the season that counts, not an All-Star game. “Was I looking for a three-point play? You can’t do that. You think about getting into position and shooting, and then you have to shoot. If you can get fouled, get fouled. My first thing was just to try to get to the basket. (The East’s Michael Ray) Richardson made me pull up sooner than I wanted to. I wanted to take it to the basket a little bit further, but he came to help and I had to shoot out a little further than I wanted to. It almost went but hit the rim. That’s just the way it goes.” There was a time when Johnson and Bird were less than kind in the things they said about each other on and off the court. Johnson’s Michigan State team beat Bird and Indiana State for the NCAA championship in 1979, and Johnson took the Lakers to the NBA title in his rookie season. Bird brought the Celtics to the summit last year. Now they realize that their rivalry is becoming something very special. And with that realization has come mutual respect. “I think it’s toned down a lot,” said Johnson of the cool feelings. “I think it’s gotten where we can talk and be friends. Early on, it was really intense. But now it’s changed. Somebody is going to win or lose, that’s just the facts, and there is no need for us carrying that off the floor. We’ve become more friendly. “It doesn’t matter to me if Bird got the MVP. I knew he was going to get it, either him or Julius (Erving). They both played a great game.” Larry v. Magic: Bird Heating Up As Game 3 Approaches #33 Wins Player of the Month for January Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Summary Larry v. Magic: Game-by-Game Media Coverage February 3, 1982 Well, you know, he was kinda hard to ignore. Larry Bird played 14 games in January, not including the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP. He averaged 26.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 2.9 steals. He scored 40 points once and had over 30 on five other occasions. So it did not exactly come as a complete shock when Bird was named yesterday as the NBA Player of the Month, beating out Gus Williams, Magic Johnson, Moses Malone, Alex English, Jay Vincent and John Long, most of whom should be immensely pleased just to be named in the same paragraph as Larry Bird, when it comes to discussing quality basketball players. Which brings us to last night’s game. The Bird stat line reads 43 minutes, 26 points (8-for-19 from the floor), 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and zero turnovers. It sounds nice, but what it added up to was a so-so Bird performance, a routine earn-the-paycheck night’s work that nonetheless represented an achievement that could not have been matched for impact on the game by 95 percent of the game’s players. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045462/for-ladell-betts-to-star-he-must-score.html One good game against Denver and people are ready to start Washington Redskin running back Ladell Betts over Clinton Portis. Shades of 2006. Portis suffered a freak injury during a preseason game that year. He played hurt for eight games before going on the injured reserve list. Betts stepped up to be the bright spot in a dismal season. Fans called for the Redskins to bench or trade Portis in favor of Betts. See if you can spot the anomaly in Betts’ and Portis’ 2006 rushing performance. Betts: 16 games, 9 starts 245 carries, 4 TDs Portis: 8 games, 7 starts, 127 carries, 7 TDs. Portis was three times more productive as a scorer, with one touchdown for every 18 carries. Betts carried 62 times per score. Offense-challenged teams cannot afford that production. To his credit, Betts is more effective this year with two touchdowns on 52 carries. That promises one score per game. But, is one good game is not enough to make line-up changes? Uh, no. If they are smart, the Redskins will try to win games the Joe Gibbs way: run the ball and beat you up with defense. Washington’s next three opponents, the Cowboys, Eagles and Saints, are vulnerable on the ground. They rank eighth, ninth and 20th in run defense.   For Betts to put the star in starter, he must score against those guys.    There is a great reason to start Betts over Portis, though. But it isn’t rushing. It’s receiving. In 2006, Betts caught 53 passes adding a touchdown and 443 yards to his total offense stats. He’s not been a prominent part of the Jim Zorn-Sherm Lewis West Coast scheme yet. We have to hope that will come as soon as Sunday. As for Portis, maybe Indiana Jones put it best: It’s not the years. It’s the mileage (Raiders Of The Lost Ark). Tiki Barber rushed 2217 times in his 10 year career with the New York Giants. Portis in seven and a-half seasons has 2176 rushing attempts. Wear and tear is the big factor with Portis, not any character issues tacked to him. He isn’t done yet. So Betts has to play his way into the starting line-up and take the debate off the table. Betts has to score more than Portis. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045400/yankeeistcom-yankeeist-interview-some-nerd.html Larry Koestler at Yankeeist.com is running some interviews with fellow Yankee bloggers.  He interviewed Alex Belth and Cliff Corcoran from Bronx Banter a few days ago and has now lowered the bar by interviewing me.  We get into the history of the RLYW and some of my favorite Yankee memories, so if either of those might be interesting to you I invite you to check it out. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045243/fall-league-wraps-up-for-yankees.html The Surprise Rafters played their final game of the Arizona Fall League season yesterday. They finished�second in the division with generally encouraging numbers for the Yankees on their roster. Colin Curtis, one of the Yankees who would have to be added to the 40-man to be protected from the Rule 5 draft, finished with a .397 [...] Click on the headline for the rest of this blog post ... New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045242/slow-offseason-2010-free-agent-class-collusion.html NYPost: "We have evaluated, now we will organize," Cashman said. "Then we will meet with ownership." Cash will go talk to Hank and Hal, get authorization for next season's budget, and then dive into the market. Because the Yanks are moving so methodically, the mood around baseball seems to be that this will be a long free agent season.  No one wants to be the team to set the market, and no free agent wants to sign until the Yankees have made their offer.  The consensus that next season holds the free agent gems, may deflate the market even more- if you know there's going to be a party on Saturday, you don't spend all you funds on Thursday night. Then there is the talk of collusion. Ken Rosenthal reports on the escalating war of words between Scott Boras and MLB Chief of Labor Relations Rob Manfred.  Boras thinks the game was worth $6.3 billion dollars, and that there are a dozen clubs with $200M revenues fielding teams for around $70-$90M (what they receive from revenue sharing and MLB's tv and licensing contracts).  All of these numbers have allegedly attached to them because baseball doesn't disclose hard numbers, a point sure to come up in the next labor talks. I've hated Scott Boras for years.  His willingness to pick and choose facts to present each client as a baseball immortal, his eagerness to move successful players to dead-end franchises for an extra nickle, and his enthusiasm for non-traditional contract loopholes and incentives are all repugnant to me. But if Scott Boras becomes one of the central figures in a movement to expose baseball's finances and move more of the revenue from the owners to the workers, he could have a Darth Vader moment. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1045043/yankees-claim-to-be-dealing-nick-swisher-yahoo-sports.html New York Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher had a tough postseason at the plate but still got to celebrate at... New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1044987/red-sox-links-bay-ortiz-ellsbury.html MLB Trade Rumors – Angels not interested in Holliday, Bay an option WEEI Full Count – Ortiz says Sox needed a 30 HR guy LAST year. "I say that like a year ago and everybody looked at me like I was a (expletive) clown. I say, 'We need another 30 home run hitting guy.' 'What, you crazy!' Everybody talking trash. Now what?” Ortiz said. "Everybody will always welcome a 30 home run hitting player. Every time, every situation. You want to compete with those guys across the street you better bring it, period.” Speaking of Big Papi… The David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Tournament is set for Dec. 3-6, 2008 at Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic. The event benefits the David Ortiz Children's Fund, providing children in New England and the Dominican Republic access to the pediatric critical care they need to live full and productive lives. Here in New England, the Fund is aligned with Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. Attendees of this year's event include Boston Red Sox Players: Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Lowell, Jon Lester, Clay Buchhloz, Daniel Bard, Jason Varitek, Tim Wakefield, Manager Terry Francona and Pitching Coach John Farrell; Former Red Sox players: Sean Casey, Jim Rice, Luis Tiant and former Red Sox coach Brad Mills. Other MLB players in attendance will include: Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez, Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero, Pedro Martinez, Placido Planco, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard. Boston sports legends Bobby Orr and John Havlicek will also participate. In addition to the event, there is an online auction which runs through Friday, Dec. 4. There are some amazing items in the auction, including tickets to the NHL Winter Classic at Fenway, tickets for the 2010 Red Sox Home Opener vs. the NY Yankees, the chance to throw the first pitch at Fenway park, a children's birthday party with David Ortiz at Big Papi's Grille and much more. The auction is accessible at www.davidortizcelebritygolfclassic.com. Fenway West – Amalie Benjamin Tweets that Jacoby Ellsbury will wear drop #46 and wear #2 now that Brad Mills in in Houston. Here’s the latest Episode of Ellsbury n’ Elf from Surviving Grady. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1044875/rajon-rondos-inclination-to-think-isnt-going-get-him-top-playing-basketball.html Photo Credit: Gallery, Yahoo! Sports In basketball, or any form of athletics, players have a tendency to complicate things too much. To maneuver their way in one direction when the clear lane lies in the opposite; to screen the small forward when it’s the center that needs a little space; to hound the guy with the ball when the player flashing to the top of the key is the one who needs attention. Rajon Rondo is one of those players, and lately, the propensity hasn’t been suiting him. The Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett talked about Rondo’s recent play and his future with the team, mentioning his on court woes but also pointing out that the support he has from current and former teammates shows the talent he has. Here’s some of what Bulpett had to offer: …But Rondo pretty much took defeat off the table with 12 points, three rebounds and four assists in the third quarter as the C's went up by 13. He finished with 18, seven and 12, tying his season high for points. He hadn't had 18 points since Nov. 4 in Minnesota, ironically the last time he hit a free throw until last night. Rondo kick-started the slumbering Celtics the best way he knew how: quickly. "He's got to play on his instincts, and his speed always had to be the deciding factor,” coach Doc Rivers said. "He's one of the rare players in our league that can play at great speed and stay under control and see everything. Most players can't do that, and he can. "We told them before the game they're going to switch a lot. And if Rondo came off with enough speed, it didn't matter if they switched. They couldn't stay in front of him. And he did that in the second half. He was terrific. "When he plays like that, we're really good.” Indeed they are. According to 82games.com, Rondo has an outrageous effect on the Celtics. He has a NET rating (a statistic similar to PER, or Player Efficiency Rating) of +77 when ON the court, and a total NET of +28. When the game exceeds 100 possessions, Rondo’s impact slips a bit. Rondo’s NET withers down into the negative numbers range, hanging pathetically at -7.4. An impression of Rondo’s brain malfunctioning? Possibly. It seems that Rondo tries to do too much for his team, tries to discover the trickiest passing lanes, the most absurd paths to the hoop, the biggest man to box out under the boards. An example would be last year in game 6 against the Chicago Bulls, a game that reached triple-overtime with the Celtics falling. Rondo attempted to run out the clock, despite having enough time to make a play in exchange for a potential two or three points. With the clock dramatically winding down, Rondo took a charge at his defender, Derek Rose, who stayed on his feet until Rondo leaned back and leaped up to launch an improbable floater. The usually enterprising fighter timidly watched the ball crash back down to Earth, unfortunately not defying gravity, and largely due to Rose’s tipping of the ball. Rondo has earned respect regardless. He’s shown what he can do when his movements on the court are fluid in his blood, his body, not his mind. Bulpett got this quote from former Celtic and current Golden State Warrior Mikki Moore: "That might be the only person that can average a triple-double in the league this year.” Rajon may well be. Rondo’s deviant play all around the court is one held in great respect and one that causes much debate. His perplexing ability to be in what looks like two places at once allows him to do many productive things all around the court. When slicing to the hoop, Rondo can drive and dish. When bulling his way to the hole, Rondo can drive and score. When there’s an opportune time to shoot, Rondo can pull up for J, or shovel it to a teammate who has managed to break free of his defender in the process. When looking for a board, Rondo can masquerade himself as the guard quick to get back on defense, then hammer through a chain of defenders and secure the loose ball while simultaneously careering away from those in sheer disbelief. He can also assist one of his own big men in boxing out another spacious barbarian, and perhaps even hau down the rebound himself by out-jumping the two wrestling for better position under the boards. Rondo has a lot of ways to turn, but at times, that can be the very thing that causes him to tumble back down to the hardwood his dreams were first implemented upon. On the flip side of things, while it seems like Rondo turns the ball over a lot, he actually is one of the least prone to the silly mistakes when surrounded with some of the top guards in the league. Proof? Rondo commits 2.3 a game while Utah’s Deron Williams blunders 3.4 on average per match. And even if Rondo’s TOs began to creep up into the danger zone, it wouldn’t be a result of his predilection to disarray the simplicity of oncourt methods and schemes. Turnovers are prompted by abnormal sloppiness and general uninterest in the game. Photo Credit: Gallery, Yahoo! Sports Rondo seeks out creeks and narrow openings between seas of defenders, and often finds a teammate somewhere on the court when the rest of the offense is executing properly. He has a militia of three-point gunners waiting to strike at any moment. Rondo has successfully rifled 27 passes to three-point specialists to convert for a long bucket. He has many tools on the perimeter capable of spilling into the lane and finishing, contact or no contact. He has a toolbox full of big men with turnaround jumpshots and powerful back-to-the-basket moves. Basically, he has everything a point guard could ask for on the court. But Rondo can score as well. Rondo doesn’t have an efficient jump shot, but is working hard on it. You can see the improvement already from last year; Rondo has a .589 FG percentage compared to last year’s .505 percentage. He has meek free throw numbers, but he’s not unfazed about it. Rondo is apt to mend his muddles, and do so in fair time. Fans are hoping for the basketball wizard to shoot more, complaining that the team is suffering because of a lack of opportunities for Rondo. However, it’s not the opportunities that’s lacking, it’s Rondo’s unselfishness that is responsible for the deed. Rondo would rather rack up the dimes (nine a game so far this season) than the points — not because he wants to rewrite the record books, but because he thinks it’s the only way his team can win. Rondo lets most of his shots (49% actually) fly in the first 10 seconds chewed up by the shot clock. From there on out, the numbers dwindle. He’s good at cracking the press and then bolting up the court from a two, either off a pass received from a teammate he dumped it off to earlier, or even just having the ball in his hands the entire time. But, since Rondo doesn’t have an adequate jumpshot — especially when slipping off picks or off a pass — he isn’t able to fire a shot after the tight span of time that’s given every time up the floor elapses. That is, unless he can wear the defender down and skate past for a layup. So, in a much more condensed overview of my opinion on Bulpett’s article, I concur with his viewpoint. Rajon Rondo is lightning in a bottle. He’s skillful, an ingenious player on the court. He can make everything work… …Only, as Bulpett said, if he doesn’t think about it. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1044394/bergerons-heroics-erase-last-minute-tally.html Over the weekend, the Boston Bruins were less than one second away from securing a victory, when Pittsburgh’s Bill Guerin scored to force overtime in an eventual 6-5 win for the Penguins. On Thursday night, the game had a similar feel to it, as the Bruins took a 3-2 lead into the final minute of play against the Atlanta Thrashers. Maxim Afinogenov evened the score with 41 seconds left, but the end result was different, as Patrice Bergeron’s goal in the shootout gave Boston a 4-3 road victory over the Thrashers at Philips Arena. As the contest approached the six-minute mark, the first goal was scored. Andrew Ference fired the puck around the boards from center ice, hoping to connect with a teammate in the offensive zone. The puck eluded Ondrej Pavelec and Mark Popovic, kicking over to Mark Recchi just inside of the blueline. Recchi skated the puck into the right circle, before centering a pass to Marco Sturm in the slot. Sturm kept his stick on the ice, redirecting the pass through Christoph Schubert’s legs and past Pavelec. With less than two minutes remaining in the first period, the Bruins added to their lead. David Krejci was pinned by an Atlanta defender along the boards, but the puck managed to squirt free for Blake Wheeler. Wheeler curled out of the left corner, tossing a pass back to Dennis Wideman at the right point. Wideman thought about a slap shot, but opted for a return feed, setting up Wheeler at the top edge of the left circle. Wheeler spun a low shot toward the net, getting a tip from Michael Ryder to send it over Pavelec and into the cage. Boston outshot the Thrashers 13-7 in the opening stanza, while leading 2-0 where it counted. Midway through the second period, the Thrashers got on the scoreboard. Tobias Enstrom started a breakout deep in his own zone, snapping a pass ahead to Nik Antropov in center ice. Antropov quickly sent a backhand pass over to Ilya Kovalchuk, sending him in on the left side of the offensive zone. As he reached the circle, Kovalchuk dropped a pass back for the oncoming Enstrom, who put a one-timer on goal. Antropov got a piece of the shot, tipping it past the glove side of Tuukka Rask. With approximately six minutes to go in the middle frame, Mark Recchi was whistled for high sticking, putting Atlanta on the power play for the second time on the night. After an unsuccessful first attempt, the Thrashers needed only 22 seconds to cash in with the equalizer. Atlanta controlled the puck in the offensive zone, with Maxim Afinogenov and Ilya Kovalchuk playing catch on the left side of the ice. Afinogenov ended up with the puck, before sending a cross-ice pass to Tobias Enstrom at the right point. Enstrom faked a slap shot, then passed to his left, setting up Ilya Kovalchuk for a one-timer. Kovalchuk blasted the shot through, tying the score at two. Shortly after the goal, Boston got an opportunity, as Rich Peverley picked up a minor penalty for hooking. Not to be outdone, the Bruins regained the lead with a power play tally of their own. David Krejci searched around for passing options, before tapping the puck low for Michael Ryder. Ryder tried to connect with Dennis Wideman on the right side of the crease, but the pass slid just wide. Krejci hustled in to chase down the puck, digging it free, and passing to Ryder behind the cage. Ryder came out from beneath the goal line, roofing a shot over Pavelec. The play was much closer in the second period, as the Bruins completed 40 minutes of play with a 3-2 lead. Both netminders were put to the test during the third period, as the two sides were each able to create breakaway opportunities. The first test went to Pavelec, as Michael Ryder broke in with a forehand attempt. The Atlanta goalie was successful, putting the pressure on Rask. The Bruins’ backstop was also sharp, turning aside Vyacheslav Kozlov’s backhander. The score stayed at 3-2 for the majority of the third period. However, with 41 seconds left in regulation, Atlanta knotted things up. The Thrashers tried to set up their best player, getting the puck to Ilya Kovalchuk for a one-timer from the left circle. Kovalchuk’s shot was blocked, but Atlanta’s captain regained possession, slipping a pass through the slot. Byron Bitz nearly broke up the pass, but missed, as Maxim Afinogenov took control in the right circle. Afinogenov hesitated for a moment, before wristing a shot past Rask’s blocker. Afinogenov’s goal forced overtime, which went by scoreless, meaning that a shootout would be necessary to decide the tilt. For the Bruins, it was already their sixth shootout of the year, as they entered with a record of 2-3. The Thrashers were playing in their third shootout, entering with a mark of 1-1. The host Thrashers elected to go first, sending Rich Peverley out to lead off. Peverley didn’t get off to the brightest start, missing the net. The Bruins switched up the order from recent games, picking Patrice Bergeron to get things started. Bergeron got Pavelec to bite on a fake to the backhand, before sliding a forehand shot in past the helpless goalie. Vyacheslav Kozlov took the second shot for Atlanta. Kozlov started out extremely slowly to the wide right, and made a bunch of stickhandles, but it was all for none, as Rask made a left pad save on his backhander. Blake Wheeler had a chance to win the shootout for Boston, but the puck just rolled off of his stick after he had faked out Pavelec with a similar move to Bergeron’s. That left the Thrashers’ hopes in the hands of their captain, Ilya Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk decided to shoot, but Rask flashed the leather, locking up the victory for the Bruins. With Tim Thomas nursing a minor injury, Tuukka Rask played well for the Bruins, as he made 32 saves on 35 shots during the game, before a perfect 3-for-3 effort in the shootout. Ondrej Pavelec also had a solid night for the Thrashers, stopping 39 of 42 shots during the game. However, Pavelec came up on the short end, allowing one goal on two shootout attempts. The Boston Bruins will be right back at it on Friday, as they travel to Buffalo for a 7:30 face-off against the Sabres. The Providence Bruins return to action on Friday night, as they start a three-game weekend at home against the Springfield Falcons. Face-off for that game is scheduled for 7:00 at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Scoring Summary: 1. BOS Sturm (5) (Recchi, Ference) 5:59 1. BOS Ryder (5) (Wheeler, Wideman) 18:11 2. ATL Antropov (1) (Enstrom, Kovalchuk) 9:20 2. ATL Kovalchuk (13) (Enstrom, Afinogenov) (PP) 14:23 2. BOS Ryder (6) (Krejci, Wideman) (PP) 16:45 3. ATL Afinogenov (8) (Kovalchuk, Kubina) 19:18 Shootout: BOS Patrice Bergeron- G BOS Blake Wheeler- S ATL Rich Peverley- S ATL Vyacheslav Kozlov- S ATL Ilya Kovalchuk- S Penalty Summary: 1. BOS Chara- Delay of Game 9:32 2. BOS Recchi- High Sticking 14:01 2. ATL Peverley- Hooking 14:49 3. BOS Sturm- Tripping 1:15 3. ATL Peverley- Hooking 3:01 3. BOS Recchi- Interference 3:21 3. BOS Ryder- Hooking 4:19 3. BOS Wheeler- Goaltender Interference 11:46 3. BOS Wideman- Hooking 14:09 Goalies: BOS Tuukka Rask (4-2-1): 35 shots, 32 saves ATL Ondrej Pavelec (6-5-2): 42 shots, 39 saves Shots on Goal: BOS 13-13-15-1-1=43 ATL 7-11-14-3-0=35 Power Plays: BOS 1-for-2 ATL 1-for-7 Three Stars of the Game: 1- BOS Michael Ryder 2- ATL Ilya Kovalchuk 3- ATL Ondrej Pavelec New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043776/boguts-injury-comes-early-this-year.html Another Bogut injury:  Is it January already? I was working on a post ranking this season’s rookies by Win Contribution (Jennings, Ty Lawson and DeJuan Blair are way ahead of everyone else) when I saw Seattle Bucks “good news” comment about Bogut’s most recent injury.  I’m not really sure what the injury is or why he’s out so long.  The Bucks describe it as “a leg contusion”.  Isn’t that just a fancy name for a bruise?  Who knows.  I’m so deflated I really don’t want to comment on what I think this means for the Bucks, but this is a Bucks blog… … I guess the best I can say is that Kurt Thomas has been a very productive backup center and win producer in the very recent past.  This season his production has slipped dramatically, but its possible he could rally himself for one more big two to four week effort.  I’d say he’s the team’s best hope. … Outside of him, Danny G has been playing well.  The thing is, I don’t know if he can hold up for long periods.  He did for one great season, but that was the year before Bogut arrived. … As for Ersan Ilyasova, he’s been playing very well, but he’s been playing exceptionally well at power forward and poorly at center.  Now, his center minutes have been limited, but for some reason I still think the production numbers are what we could expect from him over long stretches.  Remember, it was only three seasons ago he was considered a small forward. … Finally, the worst by-product of the whole Bogut injury — like most injuries — is what it means down the depth chart.  Bogut’s injury means the great “Loss Producer” Francisco Elson is back in the mix at center.  That is bad, bad news.  The only thing that gives me hope is that I think Skiles has finally realized that Elson is bad news, and will look for every possible alternative that does not involve giving him minutes. … New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043771/pettitte-hits-freeagent-market.html Andy Pettitte was among the last two of the 171 eligible players to declare for free agency yesterday. It was a foregone conclusion the veteran lefty would file and a strong indication the 37-year-old hurler isn't ready to retire. The belief in th... New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043770/yanks-swisher-staying-put.html The Yankees denied a published report they have let teams know right fielder Nick Swisher is available. According to a club official, the switch-hitting Swisher, who played a big part in the Yankees winning the AL East and struggled in the postse... New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043168/sound-ampamp-fury-afterthoughts-on-quotfirepoweracirc-undercard-boring-fighters-who-do-qualify-for-hbo-handouts-super-six-tournament-rise-above-boxing.html Daniel Santos, who looked dreadful losing a lopsided decision to maligned Yuri Foreman, chose a bad time to turn his back on professionalism. His poor showing against Foreman obscures some of the fine efforts he has produced in the ring for nearly a decade. Over the course of his erratic career, Santos has fought and won on the road and as the underdog, claimed a bevy of Alphabet Soup trinkets, and defeated quality fighters like Yori Boy Campas and Antonio Margarito. Three of his last four fights entering the Foreman bout, including a one-punch KO of undefeated titleholder Joachim Alcine, were entertaining scraps, but for his efforts, the Puerto Rican southpaw was labeled boring by many of the same folks who think Chad Dawson is Captain Marvel and secretly prefer to watch celebrity boxing matches. Underestimating and undertraining is a lethal combination and it was clear from the opening bell that Santos did not have an ounce of respect for Foreman. It was also clear that he was woefully out of shape. Inactive for over a year, Santos doubled his chances of losing by reportedly shedding seven to eight pounds in the week leading up to the fight. By the time the opening bell rang, Santos was weighing over 170 pounds and had the quivering flab to prove it. Chasing Foreman around the ring requires legs and stamina, and Santos was short on both. Above all, he was short on dedication for the first time in what my be the last time he enters the ring. ***** As for Foreman, the aspiring rabbinical student was actually more aggressive than usual against Santos, and even scored two knockdowns in the fight. This is more action than some overpaid HBO straw dummies provide, but it is unlikely Foreman will ever overcome the stigma of being a favorite target of forum ranters worldwide. But consider this: The New York Times reported that Foreman earned just over $40,000 for his title shot on the undercard of a blockbuster pay-per-view event. After the IRS, management, and trainers get their cut, Foreman will be lucky to take home $15,000 for the biggest night of career. Compare that to the millions a humdrum performer like Chad Dawson has earned headlining HBO and Showtime events in near empty casinos. Obviously, not all boring fighters are created equal. ***** Usually Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fights are fairly entertaining, but his by-the-numbers waltz against unknown Troy Rowland was truly awful and served as a prime example of why having squash matches on mega events is a silly idea. Boos shook the MGM Grand when the final bell rang and deservedly so. Rowland, baleful and pallid, resembled a subsistence farmer, and he punched about as hard as the old woman in a Grant Wood painting might have. His simple task--to be pummeled spectacularly by the name brand fighter–was thwarted by the fact that Chavez Jr. came into the ring out of shape. Not only was Chavez Jr. in poor condition, but he was also disinterested, a byproduct of Junior realizing, just like everyone else, that Rowland was a patsy. More often than not, in one way or another, set-ups backfire. When the favorite is given a piñata to take whacks at, three things are bound to happen, and none of them are good: The piñata survives and makes the favorite look like a schlemiel; the piñata is blown out so quickly that even casual fans realize the piñata is a piñata; the piñata somehow finds a way to win. Chavez Jr. is not really that different from many of his contemporaries; he is a moderately talented fighter making a comfortable living without having to step up in class. In the end, however, Chavez is more than just living comfortably; he is fighting comfortably as well. ***** The Super Six World Boxing Championship continues on Saturday night when Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward meet over twelve rounds in Oakland, California. Despite all the intrigue surrounding the tournament, its publicity and prestige, the tournament, alas, has not been able to rise above the mire boxing is typically noted for. Already poor decisions, incompetent officiating, and lawsuits have reared their grotesque Hydra heads to mar the opening stages of the event. Now, with the Kessler team protesting the appointment of California officials for his bout with Ward, who hails from Oakland, you can add contractual violations into the mix as well. In addition to the shenanigans outside the ring–which any boxing observer comes to expect and greets with a shrug of his shoulders–we have also not seen fighters raise the level of their game to match the expectations raised by the worldwide stage of the event. True, Arthur Abraham annihilated Jermain Taylor with a shot that resembles something Lee Ermey might have demonstrated on an episode of Lock n' Load, but before landing the goodbye punch with only seconds remaining in the fight, Abraham fought as conservatively as he usually does. Jermain Taylor was still Jermain Taylor: Competitive for five or six rounds before getting that lost puppy look in his eyes and getting cold cocked. Carl Froch, if anything, appeared clumsier than ever, and Andre Dirrell, jobbed by the judges or not, had only one purpose in mind when he stepped into the ring in Nottingham: Drop a stinkbomb and drop it hard. Here is hoping that the rest of the bouts measure up to the hype and prestige originally predicted for this unprecedented tournament. This is a big stage and it will not do for the fighters to keep flubbing their lines. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043167/olivia-munn-welcomes-you-to-victory-friday.html -Ricky Williams is the Ambassador of Fucking Your Shit Up and Knocking Fools’ Dicks Into The Dirt  with a titstastic 119 yard, 3 TD performance. -Hats off to The Robot and his large titanium ballsack. Poise? You bet your dick eating suckhole he’s got poise. I’ll say it again, so those who Google “Chad Henne” and “Poise” can see it. POISE, shitdippers. POISE!!! -Davone Bess has found his hands again. -The defense held DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart out of the endzone. And, just as important, held their shit together in the fourth quarter. -I’m really starting to warm up to Vontae Davis and his badass attitude. What’s that? You’re a Pro Bowl receiver? I don’t give a flying fuckaroo! -All around goodness as we hit .500 for the first time this season, and face a struggling Bills team next week. We could potentially go into our rematch with the Patriots at 6-5 where anything can happen. -Joey Porter with seven tackles and two sacks. It is now a proven scientific fact that when DRK calls Porter out, Porter responds in a big fucking way. Sure it might mean DRK’s chances of getting shot in the ass and or eaten by a pack of dogs just went up about 96.9% but it’s totally worth it. Victory Friday, motherfuckers! Boo-ya New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043165/balfours-fastball-adaptive.html For most of you internet connected Rays fans, you know that Grant Balfour has lost a little juice on the fastball and had a subpar season compared to his stellar 2008 breakout. The fastball is his best pitch and sometimes his only pitch in certain situations. And it was also the second best fastball for a reliever in the Majors during the 2008 season. One of the main reasons for his success was his ability to get an above average rate of whiffs. The average fastball only whiffs about 5.9%. In 2008, Balfour got an outstanding 11.4%. Then it fell to 8.8%. Why? As mentioned earlier, Balfour didn't have quite the same velocity this past season coming from 2008. About one mph less on average depending on what source you use. But instead of looking at averages, looking at the frequency of his fastball velocities might add a little more comparison on his 2008 fastball to his 2009 fastball. A clear movement to the left by the line graph in 2009 as Balfour quintupled the amount of fastballs thrown at around 93 mph. Of course park factors come into play here as the Trop is known to slow down velocities by a mph or two (although not proven yet), but realistically Balfour's fastball velocity has decreased on average. Surprisingly, the whiff rate on the fastball didn't diminish in all aspects. And splitting this same graph up in three separate groups, we see not too much of a decline over last year. MPH 2008 2009 90-93 1.8% 6.2% 94-96 12.6% 10.9% 97+ 7.2% 4.3% A hefty increase for the lower velocity group, a moderate decrease in high end velocity group, and a somewhat large decrease in the highest spectrum of the group which is effected the most by small sample size (only 23 in 2009 compared to 97!). To compare Grant Balfour's season based on fastball whiffs alone is not enough. Maybe looking at fastball velocities to run value might work or checking out where some of Balfour's fly balls went. But looking at those last two graphs/tables, it seems that Balfour doesn't have to rely on high velocity alone and is able to adapt to his slight drop in the power game. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1043164/will-power-be-title-contender-in-2010.html In the wake of Penske Racing’s announcement that Will Power will drive for them full-time next season, a trio of tweets told a lot. “As if two Penske cars [weren't] hard enough to beat, now there’s a third,” tweeted Newman/Haas/Lanigan driver Graham Rahal. Panther Racing’s twitter page proclaimed that “winning an IndyCar race just got a lot harder.” To their credit, both Rahal and Panther offered Power their congratulations. But the third one, which came from our friends at RACER Magazine, posed a question: “Can anyone non-Penske/Ganassi crack the top five in [the] 2010 IndyCar season? Or is everyone else now shooting for sixth?” Based on what we have seen the last two seasons, the answer appears to be the latter. The dominance of Team Penske and Target Chip Ganassi Racing has been so thorough, it’s no wonder that fans are practically begging for somebody — anybody — to supply a jolt to the status quo. And now with Power, a true-blue talent, locked into a full-time deal with one of open-wheel racing’s flagship teams, the stranglehold only gets tighter around the necks of Andretti Green, KV Racing Technology, Newman/Haas/Lanigan and their brethren. The non-Big Two teams were only saved from a shutout in 2009 by Justin Wilson and the plucky Dale Coyne Racing squad, who managed to pull off a surprising victory at Watkins Glen. But the possibility of a clean sweep of the docket by the “red cars” has jumped even higher with Penske’s signing of Power, a driver that can be downright nasty on road and street courses as evidenced by the whipping he delivered this past July in Edmonton. With his elevation to full-time driving alongside talented teammates Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves, he can safely be called a contender for next year’s IZOD IndyCar Series championship. “It is a dream come true,” Power said. ”It’s something I’ve worked very hard for my whole career to end up in a place like this. I think that we have a very strong driver lineup for next year, and we’ll be expecting to win a lot of races.” That’s something the competition probably doesn’t want to hear. But on the other side of the coin, maybe a Penske-Ganassi lock on the top five in the title race isn’t a foregone conclusion. Power hasn’t raced at the majority of tracks on the IZOD IndyCar Series schedule since his last full-time season in 2008 with KV. And while he contended for victory in the Indianapolis 500 (he finished fifth in the end), he’ll have to do the same on seven other ovals in order to hang with series champion Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon of TCGR — not to mention, his new teammates. Improving on the speedways will have to be a top priority, just as important as performing well on twisty tracks. “It’s something that I haven’t had as much experience as I have on road courses,” he said. “Of course, the sport’s all about experience and beyond the two [ovals] that I did do this year, I cracked up on it. And you know, it made a big difference having a good team and a good car under you. It gives you a lot of confidence. “I know I’ll continually have to work on it and I couldn’t be in a better place to learn, so I expect to be running up in the front from the very beginning. There is definitely a place that I’ll focus hard on.” Penske Racing will also have to look out for any tension that could arise with three great drivers under one roof. There’s always potential risks and rewards that go with expanding a program. Team president Tim Cindric has never worked with a full-season, three-car operation, so it’ll be interesting to see how this situation fits for him and team owner Roger Penske. However, Cindric believes the right people are in place to ensure a good environment that will allow Power, Briscoe and Castroneves to push each other on the track and defuse any problems, all with typical Penske professionalism. “Whether it’s this series or the [NASCAR Sprint] Cup series or whatever else it is, for us, it’s pretty easy when you have a guy like Roger,” said Cindric. “ It works for us ‑‑ or we work for it, I should say. For us, when things get out of line, we usually hit the reset button and sit down and talk about it. The good news is we’ve got the right kind of personalities to be able to do that.” And going back to Power, he couldn’t be in a better place to be in order to make the necessary leap toward becoming a driver that wins on any track. Don’t forget that four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears is with Penske. The Australian indicated that just like last year, he’ll be picking the brain of the Brickyard legend for advice on oval racing. There could be a few obstacles in Will Power’s path, but if he continues to perform like he has lately and utilizes the resources of his team, there’s no reason to think he won’t be fighting for a championship deep into next summer. For the Big Two teams, the title battle got more intriguing. For the rest of the series, the challenge just got even bigger. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1042792/yankees-bullpen-do-or-dont.html It seems an odd bit of news, but�FoxSports reported today that they’ve heard two different stories about the Yankees bullpen plans. Some say the Yankees are interested in Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano. Some say the Yankees are content to stay in house. I have to think�both are true. Like with making a call to the Blue [...] Click on the headline for the rest of this blog post ... New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1042344/thoughts-on-red-soxs-offseason-part-one.html Earlier this week, I provided some thoughts on what the New York Yankees should look to do in order to improve this offseason. Next up is the Yankees' bitter American League East rival, the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox were the favorites to land slugging first baseman Mark Teixeira for much of last winter. The Yankees came in to win the Teixeira sweepstakes at the last minute, though, and general manager Theo Epstein instead chose to go the low-risk, medium-reward route with a number of free agent signings. Epstein went dumpster diving with bargain pickups such as Brad Penny, Takashi Saito and John Smoltz, in addition to trading Coco Crisp for reliever Ramon Ramirez. While Penny and Smoltz ended up with different organizations at the end of the season, Boston yet again turned in an impressive campaign. The club won 95 games in the majors' premier division, easily winning the American League Wild Card. Being swept by the Los Angeles Angels in the Division Series wasn't what Red Sox nation had in mind at the finish, but Epstein built a solid roster that put his team in a chance to contend in a ridiculously competitive division. Boston simply lost to an inferior team in a small sample size, again showing how much random variance can play in a short series. Similar to the Yankees, the Red Sox don't have many major holes to fill on the open market or through trades. The most pertinent issue that Epstein must address, of course, is determining who will play left field for the Boston in 2010. According to Jon Heyman, the incumbent Jason Bay rejected the team's initial four-year, $60-M offer today. The news was hardly surprising. Bay has waited a long time to become a free agent and he would be crazy not to see what the market will be like for his services. Clearly, that doesn't mean that a return to New England is out of the question, as both the player and team seem to share a mutual interest. However, Matt Holliday is the best overall left fielder available in free agency and would be a better fit for what the Red Sox need. Many in the statistical community were surprised to learn that Epstein, given his reputation as being a statistical savvy GM, would offer so much money to Bay, who has graded out statistically as one of the worst defensive outfielders in the majors since 2007. As I wrote about last week, perhaps Epstein is feigning his interest in Bay, and, knowing that the outfielder would reject the initial offer, simply attempting to gain leverage in the negotiations for Holliday by putting his eggs in more than one basket. There's no way in knowing that for sure, of course, but it would surprise me to see Boston invest that much more money into Bay than what they initially offered. When it comes to pure offense, Bay is the better hitter. The 30-year-old slugger has posted a career line of .280/.376/.519 with a 131 OPS+ while averaging 33 home runs and 107 RBIs over 162 games in seven major league seasons. I wrote about how consistent of an offensive performer he has been over the weekend: According to his FanGraphs page, Bay has graded out 182.1 runs above average during his career. His '07 campaign was the only year in which he did not produce at least 32.0 runs above average, and that was clearly an aberration. Hitting is only one part of baseball, though, and Bay has other deficiencies. Most notably, he has graded out well below-average statistically in left field. As Keith Law notes, many feel that the Green Monster can wreak havoc on defensive data, but it is hard to overlook that he has graded out at least -11.5 runs below average every season since '07 and has only produced a UZR total in the black on one occasion since 2004. During that time span overall, he has been worth -51.2 runs with his glove. While there are still issues with UZR, he's a slightly below average defender at best and is unlikely to improve as he ages. As a result, odds are he will end up as a designated hitter before the end of his next contract. Given the level of consistent offensive production that Bay provides, I wouldn't be that opposed to the Red Sox, or any A.L. franchise, making a large investment in the All-Star outfielder. If he continues to produce so many runs with his bat, he will be a valuable, three-win-level player and a potent bat in the middle of the Red Sox's lineup. Given the lack of defensive value, though, there's more downside risk with Bay should he fall off the map offensively. Epstein could definitely do a whole lot worse than bringing him back-and the signing would be met with a warm reception by the local media and casual Red Sox fans who appreciate his ability to drive in runs-but, if they do splurge to fill this position, Holliday, even if a bit more expensive, would be the wiser investment. It was a tale of two seasons for Holliday, who was traded from the Colorado Rockies to the Oakland Athletics last December. He got off to a miserable start in Oakland, going homerless for much of April as numerous stories were written about how he was previously a product of Coors Field. He rebounded a bit and ended up posting a solid line of .286/.378/.454 with 11 homers and a 120 OPS+ with the A's while playing in a home hitting environment that suppressed output for right-handed hitters. Billy Beane then dealt him to the St. Louis Cardinals for a package led by third base prospect Brett Wallace in July. He enjoyed a renaissance in his return to the National League, slashing .353/.419/.604 with 13 home runs, 55 RBIs and a 168 OPS+ with the Cardinals. Many still express concerns that Holliday won't be the same player in the American League, pointing to the struggles in Oakland. While accounting for a drop off due to signing with a team in the superior A.L. is necessary (especially if he ends up in the East), the 93-game sample in a pitcher's park in Oakland is too small to read too much into it. Of course, he's not the same hitter going forward that he was in St. Louis, or Colorado, but it would be foolish to simply discount his stellar offensive performances completely. During his career, he has produced an incredible 180.3 runs above average and a .400 wOBA. He has country strong power (.227 career Isolated Power) and solid on-base skills (9.1 career BB%). He's a fine base runner, too, and would be a nice fit hitting at Fenway Park. Plus, according to the statistics, Holliday is the better defensive left fielder. Sure, he made a monumental error in the Division Series, losing a ball in the sun and having it hit off his, well, cup. Many scouts also cringe when watching him play left field, claiming that he takes awkward routes to balls and that his defense isn't pleasing on the eyes. According to UZR, however, he has been one of the most productive defenders at the position since 2007, grading out 29.0 runs above average. As an assistant GM points out in this Jerry Crasnick piece, generally the truth lies somewhere in the middle if scouts strongly agree with defensive data. Thus, he's probably not as talented in the field as the numbers suggest but still considerably better than Bay. Here are the two players' UZR totals from '07 through '09, respectively: Bay: -11.5, -18.4, -13.0 Holliday, 14.2, 9.1, 5.7 Due to the defensive disparity, Holliday has a considerable lead in three-year Wins Above Replacement as well: Bay: 0.1, 2.9, 3.5 Holliday, 7.9, 6.2, 5.7 Assuming that Bay is a little bit better in the field than UZR gives him credit for and that Holliday gets too much of a boost, the gap is still too large to change the outcome. Scott Boras is going to get a huge contract for his prized client, Holliday, so the savings might make Bay the better option. If it were up to me, though, Holliday would be the free agent I would make a hard push for. Epstein acquired Jeremy Hermida from the Florida Marlins on November 5 in another buy-low move. Hermida, the former top prospect, provides depth at the position should the team fail to sign either Bay or Holliday for some reason. Given his poor defense and declining offensive numbers, though, he really isn't someone the Red Sox should be comfortable with giving an everyday job, even as a platoon player against right-handed pitching, to considering their playoff aspirations next season. Also, he could always be flipped this winter to address another need, since he's a defensive liability and not an ideal fourth outfielder. Internal options such as Ryan Kalish and Josh Reddick are still a year away from really making a contribution and would be exposed as rookies if given extended playing time. Thus, getting one of the two free agents inked is a priority, as there's a considerable drop off in the talent level of free agent outfielders outside of Bay, Holliday and Mike Cameron, who I wrote would be a good match with the Yankees. Cameron could really work as a capable option for the Red Sox on a one-year deal as well, providing outstanding defense in left field and decent offensive production. Plus, signing him would be relatively low risk, as the team wouldn't be tied up with a major financial commitment at the position well into the next decade. As I wrote in the Yankees piece, the free agent class of 2011 is going to be much stronger, so perhaps waiting that extra year, giving their prospects another year of development time, and then seeing what the market is like next winter would be a sound strategy. After all, the Tampa Bay Rays Carl Crawford, among other stars, becomes a free agent; plus, while trading to a division rival could prevent this from happening, he will likely be shopped by Tampa Bay before the trade deadline should the team fall out of contention. Getting a player like Cameron would allow them to see how the market shakes out when the supply of premium talent on the open market is greater. According to UZR, Cameron is a much better defensive player than the club's current center fielder, Jacoby Ellsbury. However, it would be unlikely that the Red Sox would move Ellsbury off the position. For one, the front office believes that he's much better than the numbers suggest; the team's internal metrics and scouts all have Ellsbury as above average. More importantly, his bat doesn't play nearly as well on a corner. In signing Cameron to play left field, the team would essentially be adopting a three center field model; J.D. Drew offers plus defense on the other corner. Converting balls hit into play into outs was a major issue for Boston in '09, so keeping defense in mind in addressing the opening in left field is important, and that model could work.* If the team does sign Cameron or Holliday, it will be interesting to see how UZR treats them. The only two fielders to get significant time dealing with the Monster since advanced defensive data became available back in 2002 are Bay and Manny Ramirez, two below-average defenders who would likely be in the red in any park. Signing Holliday is the best bet, but missing out on him if Boras' asking price is too high will not be the end of the world. Dave Cameron recently argued that Cameron is better than Bay, straight up, so getting him in a one-year situation could prove to be a shrewd move. Addressing left field is the main priority facing Epstein, but there are several other areas where the team could improve. Check back for part two, where I discuss these areas the Red Sox should focus on this winter, including shortstop. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1042343/bury-nats-heart-atwell-you-know-where.html Strasburg down! Strasburg down! Ugh. Did I say “Ugh”? Look it could be minor it could be season ending but either way this should stress that a team cannot rely on a single draft pick savior to change the fortune of the team. It’ll take a combined effort on all levels – draft, international development, and free agency – to turn the team into a winner. The Nats were already pencilling in Strasburg into the rotation before he pitched a pitch in the actual minors. You can’t do that. You hope that way. You don’t plan that way. UGH. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1042064/shuffling-deck-chairs-at-wrigley.html Aaron Heilman was a Chicago Cub for 296 days. It didn’t go that well. Meanwhile, it looks like John Grabow is coming back – for $7.5 million over two years. Which is why I’m glad my 2-year-old is a lefty. New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/1042063/falcons-lick-their-wounds-following-loss-at-carolina.html Carolina Panthers 28, Atlanta Falcons 19 Atlanta record 5-4 A Painful day in Charlotte The Falcons took on Carolina Sunday with hopes of keeping pace with the New Orleans Saints; Matt Ryan entered the game hoping to mitigate some of the slump he’s been suffering through against a team he’s already beaten once this season, and looked good doing it; Michael Turner looked to stay hot, building off of his strong performances against the Saints and the Redskins. Unfortunately, all failed at all counts. The Falcons dropped the game, pulling within 2 late in the game before a missed field goal and a late interception ended their chances, giving the Panthers an opportunity to tack on another touchdown, sealing the game. Matt Ryan looked shaky more often than solid, and gave up 2 interceptions. Michael Turner spent the 1st quarter demolishing the Panthers’ run defense before leaving the game with an ankle injury early in the 2nd quarter. Instead of moving to 6-3, keeping pace with every team in the playoff hunt, they exited Charlotte a more pedestrian 5-4, looking shaky and hurt. Matty Ice (?) For the entirety of the 2008 season, Matt Ryan gave up just 11 interceptions. His second interception on Sunday put him at 12, just 9 games into the season. For the last 3 games, his QB passer rating has been less than stellar in the toilet. Matt Ryan would be the first to tell you that his issues are solely his, but his team and coaches will say quite the opposite. In a way, both sides are correct. Ryan has a bad case of "happy feet” right now, and it is affecting all of his mechanics and decision making. Since his multi-sack game in Dallas, he seems to have no faith in his offensive line, and he is quick to scramble out of the pocket. Even in the pocket, he’s dancing about, and in both cases, he is unable to plant his feet and throw an accurate pass. When he’s scrambling out of the pocket, he’s making hurried decisions without being able to see the whole field, and even when he’s completing his passes, they are to a check-down receiver, and often not as productive as other open plays could be. Some of this is a hyper-focus on Tony Gonzalez, but much of it is being overly rushed, whether for real or in his head. The feeling of being rushed, however, lies with his offensive line and backfield blockers. For 4 games, they seemed invincible, keeping Matty on his feet all game. But that all came crashing down in Dallas, when he was sacked 4 times. Since then, even when teams weren’t rushing, or even making it past the front 5, he has acted as though he hears feet charging in on him. The line has played well, though, not giving up a sack on Sunday, and hopefully, that will go a long way towards rebuilding Matt’s confidence. One irony, it seems, is the better the Falcons’ run game has been, the worse the passing has been. I’m looking forward to a game where they pull both aspects of the game together. Turner Down, But Not Out Michael Turner unleashed a brutal attack on Sunday, racking up 111 rushing yards on just 9 (!) carries before some galoot on the Panthers squad landed on his ankle, spraining it. Initial reports suggest that his injury is a high ankle sprain, which can be pretty devastating to the lower-leg ligaments, but Michael Turner seems to think that’s not the case. He suggested that the idea of him playing against the Giants this upcoming Sunday should not be ruled out, though I am not quite that optimistic. He has been working out diligently, and the damage may not be as bad as initially thought, but with Jason Snelling playing well, I can’t imagine Mike Smith risking the remainder of Turner’s season by bringing him back too early. Other Questions Much has been made about Matt’s struggles and Michael’s injury, but one glaring problem in Sunday’s game was the total lack of a pass rush. John Abraham hasn’t been a factor as of late, leaving Jonathan Babineaux and Kroy Biermann to get the lion’s share of the plays, but even they couldn’t get through to harass Jake Delhomme. Jake had all day in the pocket to pick apart this secondary, and given the youth and inexperience of our defensive backfield, that could have been worse than it was. The defense as a whole looked mediocre, but not awful. What about Jason Elam? Admittedly, had he not missed a couple of field goals early in the season, and even an extra point, we wouldn’t be making much out of this miss, but the really worrisome things about this miss was how out of sync all of the cogs in the play seemed. I’d expect Smitty to have them all in the film room examining this one for most of the week. One more thing, on the play calling: early in the game, when Turner was proving to be unstoppable, why did we spend 3 downs in the red zone throwing the ball? Why, when something is working so well, would we mess with that. If a player is hot, keep the ball in his hands. Moving On The Falcons will now take a 5-4 record into New York to battle the beleaguered Giants (also 5-4), who are desperately trying to end a 4-game slide. They find themselves trailing the Cowboys in the NFC-East, and tied with the Eagles, and will be hosting one of their major competitors in the wild card race. History is on the Falcons’ side, fortunately, as in the match-up between the Falcons and Giants, the team on the road has a 12-game win streak going on. The last time the hosting team won was back in 1979, when the Giants topped the Falcons. The winner of this game will move to a respectable 6-4, the loser will slide to a disappointing 5-5, considering that after 5 games this season, the Falcons were 4-1 and the Giants remained undefeated. The Giants don’t look great right now, and their rush defense is suspect, so, it what will likely be Jason Snelling’s first start, he should have some opportunity to earn some respect. The outcome of this game will be greatly determined by whether or not the defensive line can disrupt the Giants offense, whether the defensive backfield can match up against the Giants’ young receiving corps, and if Matt Ryan can live up to his cool nickname. Falcons at Giants, Sunday, 1pm New York Yankees - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates