Mariners Stove heats up with hot-head Bradley

The 'Board Game' is coming to Seattle and Milton Bradley was an outstanding pickup for the Mariners.

I know he's got injury and attitude problems that make him a tough sell, but they only gave up Carlos Silva and some money and if he stays healthy and happy, the Mariners get a bat they desperately need in the outfield. He will likely share DH time with Ken Griffey Jr.

Jack Zduriencik (General Manager and Vice President) has done an outstanding job this offseason and as I have said before, look for the Mariners to be heavy favorites in the AL West.

Nick Johnson Signing Imminent, Yanks Make Mistake

It appears likely that the Yankees will sign former prospect turned Nationals first basement Nick Johnson to a 1-year deal that will probably be valued around $5.5-$6.5 million. This blows my mind.

Given that the cry from Yankees brass all off season has been "no full time DH" this is a strange move by the Yankees. Nick Johnson won't be playing much first base at all, and when the Yankees do want to spell Mark Teixeira they can use Nick Swisher at first already.

Given that it's a 1-year deal with similar dollars as Hidecki Matsui got with the Angels, I can't for the life of me why the Yankees didn't just resign Godzilla. At least he has power and is a proven clutch player (World Series MVP). The Yankees have no idea what Johnson will do in a big spot.

Where is Johnson going to hit in the order? Everyone is saying second, but his foot speed will be an issue at the top of the lineup, but he doesn't have the power to be in the middle of the order. I think what's more likely is that the Yankees will use Granderson second and use Johnson eighth and Melky ninth.

I like Nick Johnson, but this is an awful series of moves for the Yankees.

The Hot Stove

Just some thoughts on the remaining free agents and teams.

1) The Mets both need Bay and shouldn't sign him, it's a strange dynamic. They do need the bat, they do need his grit, but he's going to be awful in left field given its size at Citi Field and I think 5 years (Bay is rumored to be asking for 6 now) is way to much for him. You can't see them signing Holliday because of his mediocre numbers in Oakland and yet you definitely need a power boost in the middle of the order. Bottom line is the Mets STILL need pitching help and Omar seems to be letting things fall into place. For that strategy to work, he better hope someone unknown falls into his lap soon.

2) Nick Johnson might be the right fit for the Mariners. They now have the best 1-2 pitching punch in the American League with King Felix and Cliff Lee, but outside of Ichiro they are hungry for offense. Johnson isn't great, but he's a good stop-gap guy who will get on base for them.

3) Jorge Posada wants the Yankees to acquire a starting pitcher according to The Daily News. Posada who's never been short of opinions regarding the team or his thoughts on the team happens to be dead on about this. For once, the Yankees should start the season with an identified setup guy for Mariano Rivera (not named Brian Bruney). This can be accomplished by sliding in Phil Hughes to the rotation and putting Joba back where he is comfortable, the bullpen. The Yankees will need to acquire a veteran starter however, because Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin just aren't going to work out.

4) Heres a question for the readers.

-What do you think has been the most influential move this offseason?

A) Halliday to the Phillies

B) Lee to the Mariners

C) Granderson to the Yankees

D) Lackey to the Red Sox?

E) It hasn't happened yet

Comment with answers!

P.S. RIP Chris Henry

Phillies are insane!

I apologize but I've been far to busy at work to post recently. I know all three of my readers are crying themselves to sleep at night, but wipe away the tears, because I'm back. Here's my synopsis of the Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay trade and a few other thoughts.

The Phillies are amazingly stupid and I can't even fathom why the media isn't blasting them for trading Cliff Lee and receiving Roy Halladay, so I will do the honors.

Everyone knew the Phillies needed to get a pitcher this off-season. But that was supposed to be a pitcher to throw along side Cliff Lee, not to replace him. Size it up from this view: You take Cliff Lee, ship him out and bring in a guy in Halladay who realistically is slightly better, slightly older, and will make a considerable amount more money. Even if you feel comfortable with the age, and the dollars, the Phillies still have the same hole in their rotation that essentially lost them the 2009 World Series (see Pedro).

Now, if you look at it from a different perspective, perhaps through the Phillies eyes, one can see a glimpse of logic. By acquiring Halladay, Philadelphia keeps the Mets stalled in the same situation. The Phils figure that by getting this ace for whatever it takes, they can trade their current ace (Cliff Lee) far, far away (to Seattle). This way, when Lee goes to free agency, the Mets can't snare him either. The Phillies probably feel confident that now, no matter what the Mets do, they will still have the upper hand, even if the Mets have a comparable offense. That makes some sense, but I think this trade is boneheaded.

Seattle on the other hand has given themselves a chance to be contenders for a while, and the Mariners will almost certainly win the AL West in 2010. Seattle now has Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee 1 and 2 in their rotation. That's two Cy Young guys and two dominant left handers for teams to contend with. Figure in that the Mariners were 85-77 last season and finished 2 games back of the Rangers for second place in the division. Then add the fact that the Angels, who won the division have lost Vladamir Guerrero, Chone Figgins and John Lackey and replaced all of the above with only Hidecki Matsui. Not good for the fans of Anaheim.

Bottom line is that the Phillies don't get worse, but they don't drastically improve themselves. The Mariners on the other hand are now the team to beat in the AL West and Toronto....well, we know they try hard....

Tidbits:

1) It's been pointed out to me that I've avoided the Tiger Woods drama. I apologize, but I think the other 5,000 or more news outlets out there can provide the coverage on this. I've got nothing to add, he cheated on his wife, he's going to lose his wife and he's not the guy we thought he was. Now, the sooner this divorce gets done the better, then we can start moving on and Mr. Woods can back on the course, which is what we all really care about anyway. So, for now I'll simply apologize for my transgressions and move on.

2) I've heard a wide range of opinions on Kellen Clemens performance against Tampa Bay on Sunday. Some say he stinks, others say he was average against a bad team, but I'm the only one so far who shares my opinion: he was encouraging. Early on he looked like he had the jitters, but as the game went on he got more comfortable and made some really nice throws. He's got good zip and a nice spiral and I thought he put some balls right on the money. There's almost no chance he starts another game for the Jets, but I hope some team gives him a shot down the road, I think he deserves it.

3) Mark my words: the Yankees will have Johnny Damon or Matt Holliday by the start of spring training. Take that to the bank.

Comment with thoughts!

Off the Wall

I went down to the Garden last night to see the Kentucky vs. UCONN matchup and I have to tell you, this kid John Wall is the real deal.

He was dominant on both sides of the ball, his athleticism was unmatched and he appeared to have all the makings of a good outside shooter.

Wall has hops and had one of the most outrageous blocks in transition I've ever seen by a guard. He took over the game late and showed superb upper body strength late in the game when he was hammered taking it to the hole, hit three times and still managed to convert the conventional 3-point play.

The one drawback for Wall was that he had 7 turnovers. He appeared sloppy at times, especially in the middle stages of the game, but he clamped down at the end that that's what mattered most. Keep in mind he also had 6 steals, plus the block.

As far as the game was concerned I did not like what I saw out of UCONN. They play solid defense, but the shooting was dreadful.

Calipari out coached Calhoun in my eyes. After Wall picked Dyson's pocket 33 seconds into the game, Calhoun had a coronary, called time out and removed his leading scorer from the game. You have to give him more than 33 seconds and what's worse is that a similar situation occurred shortly into the second half with Dyson again. You have to trust your stars.

Conversely, I thought Calipari did an outstanding job limiting Wall's minutes in the first half so that he was fresh for the stretch run and it paid off. Even as UCONN came back from Kentucky's 12-0 run to start the game, Calipari did not feel the need to force Wall into the game. Instead he wisely weathered the storm, kept his young phenom fresh and it paid off as Kentucky won BECAUSE of Wall.

This kid's the real deal, and mark my words, Kentucky will be a contender come March. I don't think that will be true of the Huskies.

--Notes

* I couldn't believe how many Blue jersey's there were at MSG last night. Certainly more than there were UCONN jerseys and more than triple (I'd guess) than St. John's jerseys (the Red Storm played in the first game against Georgia).

* Both Mike Francesa and Pat Riley were in attendance last night. This afternoon Francesa said on his radio show, Mike'd Up, that when he asked Riley about Wall, Riley's response was "he's like a 6'3" LeBron."

Granderson Trade Makes Sense

Picture yourself at a Hold Em' table in Vegas. You've been dealt pocket rockets and just hit the third ace on the flop, the whole table folds except for one man in an Armani suite, sitting directly across from you, he looks like he has the fourth, a gleam in his left eye, and a sinking feeling in his right. He clearly has the money to go on with the loss, but knows he could lose big.

You are the Yankees, and the man sitting across from you is Johnny Damon.

The Bombers acquisition of Curtis Granderson from the Tigers has given them all the cards and while he's not admitting it yet, has shoved Damon against a wall with only a shorter, but probably more lucrative escape route in place.

By nabbing Granderson at a relatively small price, he slides into center field with the likely non-Damon solution being Melky Cabrera in left field.

This means that the Yankees have tons of options regarding the rest of the club. Without Damon, the Yankees slide Cabrera to left and can feel comfortable resigning Hidecki Matsui for a 1-year deal because they won't have to spell Damon in that spot. Certainly A-Rod will see time at DH, but Matsui will need a break from time to time anyway.

Granderson will add power to the outfield that the Yankees (and myself) were afraid they would sorely miss if they lost either Damon or Matsui this offseason. The trade allows them the flexibility to sign either, but not both and helps them meet their goal of lowering the payroll this year.

If Damon does resign, he'll split time between left field and DH and the Yankees will have no need to resign Matsui because of the power surge in center.

And if neither if they don't resign Matsui or Damon? Watch out Red Sox, because that leaves a lot of money free to sign Matt Holliday.

Monday's Question of the Day

In light of a friend's text message to me yesterday declaring the Oakland Raiders "relevant again", I pose to you Monday's question of the day.

Have you seen enough out of the 4-12 Raiders to make you think they are on the climb back to contention?

Please comment with answers!

My answer to Friday's Question: Forget about slide or don't slide. The problem here is that the coaching staff has no trust in the franchise quarterback. The color coded situation system, the emphasis on when to slide, the idea that he must be protected for year's to come is terrifying. To be the face of the franchise, the kid has to accomplish something, which he hasn't done yet. The team has to be able to trust him and they clearly don't. I'm not saying that the coaching staff has done a bad job, I think there is clear concern about is ability to make decisions on his own. Rex Ryan calling him out won't help that, the kid just has to learn or else the Jets are in for a long standing bust.

Friday's Question of the Day

In light of Mark Sanchez injuring his knee and being called a "knucklehead" for diving after the Jets brought in Joe Girardi to teach Sanchez how to slide I ask you the Friday question of the day.

What's more concerning? The fact that Sanchez didn't follow the coaches orders. The fact that he's injured and the backup quarterback is shaky. Or the fact that Sanchez is incapable of making these types of decisions on his own.

Comment with the answer!

My answer to Thursday's question: Tiger Woods has been a disaster. He was one of a few athletes who could apparently do no wrong (Derek Jeter, LeBron James, Roger Federer) but now Tiger is as run of the mill in terms of character as anyone. That being said, the Nets are a joke. The idea that they are 0-18 an that the end might not be in sight is a complete failure, and to fire the coach shows how desperate they are. Lucky for them Tiger has the headlines.

Thursday's Question of the Day

Here's something new. Each day I will have a question of the day, please comment with responses.

Thursday's Question: Who is a bigger disappointment? The Nets who set an NBA record for longest losing streak to open the season at 18 (and counting), or Tiger Woods rapid fall from grace?

Comment!

-Alex

Maybe 2010 is Gallo

Watching the Knicks this year, I have learned one thing, and one thing only: Danilo Gallinari can flat out stroke it.

The rest of the team is about as inconsistent as the story surrounding Tiger Woods this week. The Knicks run up and down the court with no apparent plan, and despite being an awful 4-14 have looked good at times. The problem is not enough times.

The main problem aside from having no defense is that the orange and blue do not have a "go to" player, or someone who can draw a double team. What they do have is a couple of pieces who could really fit in nicely with an elite attack forward and a rock solid point guard.

Gallinari is far from developed, but give him an open look and it's money. Knicks' fans will point out that they have had a pure shooter before in Allan Houston and not only did he fail to bring a championship home (like so many 'stars' before him) he essentially sent the Knicks into a salary cap spiral for the last decade when the former all star failed to live up to his ridiculous contract, but this is different.

Consider that Houston was a pure shooter from the shooting guard spot, Gallinari has height and length and will extend the floor because he'll force big guys to guard him outside, opening up the middle for someone like LeBron James or Dwayne Wade to attack. Those guys would also command double teams and give open looks to Gallinari. Houston never had that ability because no one opposing him was ever out of position. Also factor in that the two best players to ever run alongside number 20 were Patrick Ewing, a shell of his hall of fame self at the time, and Latrell Sprewell who played the exact same position as Houston, and was by no means a franchise player and still those Knicks went to the 1999-2000 NBA finals.

The Knicks' plan for 2010 is to clear enough cap room to sign two big name free agents, and that's a great strategy if they can do it. However they may just be OK with one and Gallinari if they play their cards yet. While it's to early to tell if Gallinari is going to be a star, Allan Houston or perhaps Wally Szczerbiak, but from the looks of things he's closer to Houston and if he's better, put him with James or Wade, and maybe just maybe the glory days can return to MSG.

Turkey Day Picks

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! I know some are looking forward to a delicious and filling meal, spending time with family, and of course some football, even if the day games are as bad as ever. I'll give you my picks, but I have to wonder when the NFL is going to realize that giving Detroit a home game on every Turkey Day is a failed endeavor, with that being said, get your plates ready and here's some NFL Turkey Day picks!

Packers (+11) Lions- OK on paper this looks like a game that should easily go to the the Packers. JJ Stafford may not play, especially with the short week and it looks like Calvin Johnson is out as well. But the Packers don't protect the quarterback and it seems like a miracle that Green Bay is 6-4. The Lions have shown some life recently and I think they'll get up for their struggling city on Thanksgiving. The Packers need the game more and I think they'll win, but they won't cover the spread of 11 which is way to many points to give up, especially on the road.

Cowboys (+14) Raiders- The Raiders are awful. The Raiders are awful on the road. The Cowboys are going to win this one, they're also going to cover the spread meaning that everyone should plan their dinner for about 5:30, that way once you're fed up with the awful football that starts at 4:15, you can systematically miss the end of what figures to be a route.

Giants (+7) Broncos- Finally a game worth watching! Oh, what's that? You can't see it because its on NFL Network? Yeah, Mr. Goodell isn't listening. The Giants won last week, but it wasn't as pretty. Bradshaw is out and the fragile Brandon Jacobs is going to have to carry the load. The Broncos are in disarray after getting off to a surprising hot start and they are at home. The big questions is going to be can the Giants create turnovers and score off them? Or will Denver be able to move the ball on New York's defense at will. If it's the latter, chalk up a Broncos win. I think the Giants will come out firing, especially since the Cowboys will have already one and they will know they need to keep up the pressure with an imperative road win. I won't take the points especially with the Broncos playing in their building and on a short week but Denver is who we thought they were...before the season started.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Injury's a Concern for Gang Green

Just some notes ahead of tonight's Monday Night Football game, Jets at Dolphins. . .

The Jets injury report is just a bit longer than Jets fans would want. Some notables are Kerry Rhodes (Q, Knee), Damien Woody (Q, Foot), and Jerricho Cotchery (Q, Hamstring). Cotchery is the most frightening in this group although the others raise an eye brow. With Braylon Edwards coming over from Cleveland earlier in the week, you figure he slides into the number one spot if Cotchery is out. If that's the case, figure the Jets will run the ball a lot and assume Dustin Keller is going to get some chances tonight.

Woody would leave the Jets with hole up front, which would hinder the running attack and one would assume Sanchez will do a lot of rolling out away from trouble.

I have no idea what the situation is on Rhodes, but he's a big part of the Jets defense and if he plays will probably be doing a bit of blitzing against Chad Henne. . .

Here's a question, comment with your answer.
More Dolphins offensive plays out of the Wildcat or a normal formation?

-I think the Jets will get a heavy dose of the Wildcat, but the Jets are expecting it, so don't expect it until the middle part of this game. . .

The Jets went 3-1 in the first quarter of the season, much better than anyone expected. Now it's the second quarter, and they could make a bit of a run here over the next four (at Miami, Buffalo, at Oakland, Miami). A win tonight would go a long way.

It's All About AJ

It was too easy last winter to be lured into thinking that this Yankee Season was about CC Sabathia or Alex Rodriguez or Mark Teixeira. After all those are superstars, but let us not lose sight of what is really the linchpin of this team, it's AJ Burnett.

Perhaps never before has an overrated number two starter meant so much to a team as otherwise dominant as the 2009 New York Yankees.

But as I meander around a wet Yankee Stadium this evening, all my hopes for this season will be entrusted into the freakishly powerful, talented but disturbingly inconsistent arm of Burnett.

Yes, I am aware that this is just game 2 of the ALDS. Yes I know the Yankees will win this series regardless of whether Burnett succeeds or falters and yes, I know that whether or not he's successful, the Yankees have him signed for a ridiculous amount of money over the next four seasons. But this start means an awful lot more than meets the eye.

This is Burnett's first ever start in the postseason and while as a fan I have to give him the benefit of the doubt, the facts don't leave me very optimistic. He doesn't exactly seem to be the headstrong type that can settle down after an error. He tends to get overanxious in tight spots and misses drastically with his fastball and Joe Girardi has inadvertently and inexplicably put an enormous amount of added pressure on Burnett by starting the Beer League Softball Masher, Jose Molina behind the plate in place of Jorge Posada, one of the Yankees' all time greats.

If you have read the New York papers this week, it's clear that Burnett is being blamed for not being able to pitch to Posada, forcing Molina into the game by Girardi's hand. This presents two problems.

If Burnett struggles, he will get blasted even harder, I don't know if his fragile mold can handle that. But more importantly, what do the Yankees do if they reach a game 5 and Burnett has to pitch?

Do you start Molina and leave Posada on the bench? How do you sit one of your team leaders, especially when he's had such a great offensive year? How do you appease Burnett at Posada's detriment and what happens in future rounds?

Girardi has some work to do, but with all the chaos surrounding AJ Burnett, you can see his importance to this postseason.

NFL Picks Week 5

Minnesota (-10) ST. LOUIS- Minnesota 27, St. Louis 14

The Vikings are riding high off their win against Green Bay. They head on the road now to St. Louis and while 10 points is a lot I'll take Minnesota with the spread.

Dallas (-8) KANSAS CITY- Kansas City 17, Dallas 14

Tony Romo is faltering, the defense is not that good and KC is due to win a home game, plus can Matt Cassel AND Larry Johnson both be grossly overpaid?

CAROLINA (-3.5) Washington- Carolina 24, Washington 17

The Panthers just have to be better than this and I can't, no I won't trust the Redskins on the road.

PHILADELPHIA (-15) Tampa Bay- Philadelphia 31, Tampa Bay 10

Donovan McNabb is back and that is huge for the Eagles. Yes Tampa is that bad, they've got no chance on the road in a hostile environment. Looking for an X-factor? Expect Michael Vick to get involved in this one.

NY GIANTS (-15) Oakland- Giants 21, Oakland 13

The Giants are banged up, now on offense and defense. The general feeling is that Eli Manning will play, but it seems like a good week to sit him if you ask me. Still the Giants will win the game, but they are too banged up to cover an enormous spread. Giants win, but Oakland covers.

BUFFALO (-6) Cleveland- Buffalo 24, Cleveland 21

This has the potential to be one of the ugliest games in recent memory. Derek Anderson almost looked good last week, and that could have saved Eric Mangini's job. I've also heard some rumors that Anderson is actually thrilled to have Braylon Edwards out of town. Last week was a momentum builder for the Browns, but Buffalo is still the better team.

BALTIMORE (-8.5) Cincinnati- Cincinnati 17, Baltimore 14

We're all about to find out if the Bengals are for real, and I think they are. The Ravens are good, but they miss Bart Scott and maybe a little Rex Ryan as well. You have to feel good if you are in Cincinnati because Cedric Benson's risen out of the Chicago ashes and Carson Palmer has lured people into not realizing his talent over the last few years, but he can sling it.

Pittsburgh (-10.5) DETROIT- Pittsburgh 28, Detroit 13

Even if Matthew Stafford plays this one will be a laugher. The talent just doesn't match up and the Steelers are not going to be slow all year, they're too good.

SAN FRANCISCO (-2.5) Atlanta- Atlanta 21, San Francisco 17

This is going to be a good one, but I think San Francisco will come back to Earth a little bit. The signing of Michael Crabtree won't be an immediate factor and the health of Frank Gore is an issue.

New England (-3) DENVER- Denver 24, New England 17

Exactly none of us saw it coming, but Denver's defense is good, real good. The offense is coming into shape now as well and the Patriots are going to feel the loss of Fred Taylor way more than the New Englander's think. Tom Brady may throw the ball 55 times, but I like Denver at home in this one.

ARIZONA (-5.5) Houston- Arizona 28, Houston 20

A friend of mine recently told me "I wish I could parlay Kurt Warner not repeating last season with Kerry Collins not repeating last season." I think he's got a point, but Houston is painfully bad on the road and the Cardinal offense is bound to see some production.

SEATTLE (PK) Jacksonville- Jacksonville 35, Seattle 24

It's clear that the core of the Seahawks needs to change and the glory years are officially over. Jacksonville looks pretty good so far. The only reason Seattle puts up points is because this one is over early.

Indianapolis (-3.5) TENNESSEE- Indianapolis 34, Tennessee 27

This has the potential to be a good game if the Titans can harness some of last year. The Colts offense is as good as ever and that is a testament to how great Peyton Manning really is, given all the changes that have gone on around him.

NY Jets (-1.5) MIAMI- Jets 20, Miami 13

Look for a lot of running from the Jets and even more from the Dolphins. Chad Henne has his hands full with the Jets defense, but the game will be close because the Jets offense has been borderline anemic.

Jets choose the wrong man

By Alex Wolff

Once again the Jets have crashed.

Mark Sanchez has been named the Jets starting quarterback and once again Kellen Clemens, once the future has been cast to the curb, perhaps leaving his career in doubt.

But as Clemens prepares for his all too familiar role as the Jets’ number two, Sanchez is faced with the reality that after just one year as a starter at Southern Cal, and two error laden NFL preseason games, he is now the ready and able starter to lead a playoff caliber roster into the rigid, rugged and perfectly painful chess game that is the NFL.

Jets fans beware.

By selecting Sanchez now following a not so impressive first preseason start in which he threw an interception on his first pass, and nearly again on his second to go along with a fumble, it is obvious that Clemens had no chance in this battle from the beginning.

If Rex Ryan had any aspirations of looking at this battle with an unbiased eye, he failed. Nothing about Mark Sanchez’s start stood out, with the exception of his touchdown pass, but even that was suspect to the poor coverage.

And it’s that touchdown pass that appears to have won Sanchez the job, even though the recipient Leon Washington’s defender was five yards away from the play chasing frantically after the Jets’ best player.

The Jets’ brass apparently likes the way Sanchez rebounded after a poor start. They appreciate the way he didn’t crumble when things got tough, but they don’t factor in a lack of experience that was as evident in the Ravens game as his heroic rebound.

The question is what do the Jets gain by starting Sanchez over Clemens week one?

They stand to gain celebrity. Success would mean the spotlight on the young QB; it would mean the focus of the league and expanding the star power that the Jets have so obviously tried to gain over the last few years (Spygate, Favre, etc.)

But what they stand to lose is far greater.

Given that neither Sanchez nor Clemens has shown a clear edge over the other one must consider their skill set somewhat equal. If that’s the case and you expect similar levels of production, start Clemens.

Clemens has been a Jet longer. He has worked under offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer for years and understands the Jets offensive schemes.

But most importantly, he has played in the regular season. He’s studied under Chad Pennington and Bret Favre. He’s watched from the sidelines and seen the film, learned the terminology and dealt with New York. He’s been on the field, taken the hits and felt the speed of the NFL.

Clemens was once the Jets future quarterback and if he plays this year as a backup, only to be let go by the Jets after the year he may never get another shot to be a starter. Clemens has paid his dues and its time for him to get the shot at letting them pay off for the Jets.

And if Clemens fails? You can always name Mark Sanchez the starter.