Baseball « On Tap

February 5, 2010

The Sportmeisters Top Ten Super Bowls of All-Time: Number 5: Super Bowl XXXVII

Filed under: AFC East, Adam Vinatieri, Aeneas Williams, Antowain Smith, Baseball, Brett Favre, Charles Woodson, David Patten, Donovan McNabb, Drew Bledsoe, Football, Green Bay Packers, Isaac Bruce, Jermaine Wiggins, Kurt Warner, Lawyer Milloy, Leonard Little, London Fletcher, MLB, MVP, Marshall Faulk, NCAA, NFC, NFL, NFL MVP, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders, Otis Smith, Philadelphia Eagles, Pro Bowl, Ricky Proehl, Sports, St. Louis Rams, Super Bowl, Tommy Polley, Torry Holt, Troy Brown, Ty Law, Wild Card — Tags: Adam Vinatieri, Aeneas Williams, AFC East, Antowain Smith, Brett Favre, Charles Woodson, David Patten, Donovan McNabb, Drew Bledsoe, Football, Green Bay Packers, Isaac Bruce, Jermaine Wiggins, Kurt Warner, Lawyer Milloy, Leonard Little, London Fletcher, Marshall Faulk, MVP, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, NFC, NFL, NFL MVP, Oakland Raiders, Otis Smith, Philadelphia Eagles, Pro Bowl, Ricky Proehl, Sportmeisters, Sports, St. Louis Rams, Super Bowl, Tom Brady, Tommy Polley, Torry Holt, Troy Brown, Ty Law, Wild Card — SportmeisterRyan @ 4:28 am

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

With the pinnacle game of the NFL season nearby, I am going back through the archives to discuss the top ten Super Bowls of all time. Our number five game saw an upstart team, The Greatest Show on Turf, and a game winning field goal. Let’s go back to Super Bowl 36.

The St. Louis Rams came in 2001 bitter over their Wild Card loss to the New Orleans Saints, who they had just beat the week prior. That bitterness was prevalent in their play, as they rushed out to a quick 6-0 record, becoming the first NFL team to do so. They would split their next four games, going 2-2, including a win over the New England Patriots. The Rams turned up the heat, winning six more in a row to finish 14-2, a franchise record.

The NFLs number one offense was lead by QB Kurt Warner and RB Marshall Faulk. The two, who had combined to win three straight NFL MVPs, once again dominated the NFL. Warner threw for 4830 yards and 36 touchdowns, while Faulk had 2147 all-purpose yards and 21 total touchdowns. Pro Bowl WRs Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce (2469 combined yards, 13 combined touchdowns), were Warner’s primary targets.

Defensively, the Rams went from one of the worst to a top ten squad in yards and points. Their biggest contributor was All-Pro CB Aeneas Williams (56 tackles, four interceptions), but the squad also received contributions from LB London Fletcher (90 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two interceptions), and DE Leonard Little (23 tackles, 14.5 sacks).

With the NFCs top seed, the Rams had the benefit of home field throughout the playoffs. After a week to rest they took the field against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Using their new and improved defense, St. Louis forced Favre to throw an NFL playoff record six interceptions. Three of those, by LB Tommy Polley and two by Williams, went for touchdowns, and St. Louis won handily 45-17.

The NFC Conference Championship was a little closer. Facing off against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Rams were able to take an early 10-3 lead, but a 14 point second quarter by the Eagles put them in control at halftime 17-13. The second half became the Marshall Faulk show, who scored two one yard run touchdowns to give St. Louis a 29-17 lead. Philadelphia cut the lead to 29-24 on QB Donovan McNabb’s sneak from three yards out, but on their next possession, McNabb was picked off by Williams, and the Rams were returning to the Super Bowl.

The New England Patriots were just looking for success. The Patriots finished last in 2000, and starting QB Drew Bledsoe was injured during the second game of the 2001 season. Little-known backup Tom Brady was elevated to starter, and after a 1-3 start, pulled the team to 5-5 before reeling off six straight wins to take the AFC East, and the #2 seed, with an 11-5 record.

After being forced into the starter’s role, Brady had quite the season, throwing for 2843 yards and 18 touchdowns. His top target was Pro Bowl WR Troy Brown, who caught 101 balls for 1199 yards and five touchdowns. RB Antowain Smith had a solid rushing season, gaining 1157 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns.

On the other side, the Patriots had some ball hawking secondary members. CB Otis Smith led the squad with five interceptions, and was joined by Pro Bowlers Ty Law (three interceptions) and Lawyer Milloy (two interceptions).

The Patriots started their playoff run in the divisional round, hosting the Oakland Raiders. Oakland came out as hot as possible in the cold snow, going up 13-3 heading into the fourth quarter. Brady would lead the Patriots to their first touchdown on the game, cutting the lead to three. With under two minutes to go, Brady was leading the Patriots to the tying field goal when he was sacked by Raiders DB Charles Woodson, and fumbled the ball, sealing the victory for Oakland. However, the now infamous “Tuck Rule” came into play and New England was given the ball back. Brady led them down the field and K Adam Vinatieri tied the game up with a 45 yard field goal as time expired. In overtime, Vinatieri hit a 23 yarder and New England claimed the victory, 16-13.

The AFC Championship would make things even weirder for New England, as, nursing a 7-3 lead, Brady was injured, bringing in the man he formerly backed up, Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe came right in and marched New England the rest of the way, ending the drive with an 11 yard pass to David Patten, and New England went up 14-3. They would extend the lead to 21-3 after a blocked kick was returned for a touchdown, and from there, the Saints would hold on to clinch a Super Bowl berth with the 24-17 victory.

Despite one of the NFLs top offenses, St. Louis only managed a field goal while holding New England scoreless. The 3-0 lead held itself until midway through the second quarter, when Law intercepted a Warned pass, returning it 47 yards to give New England the 7-3 lead. A St. Louis fumble with under two minutes gave Brady a short field, and he hit Patten from eight yards out to let New England go into the half up 14-3.

New England would take a two touchdown lead into the fourth quarter when St. Louis struck back. The Rams scored on a Warner sneak on their next drive, cutting the lead to one touchdown, 17-10. Defense would hold until St. Louis got the ball back with 1:51 on the clock. Three plays later, Warner hit WR Ricky Proehl from 26 yards out and St. Louis tied the game 17-17.

New England had the ball with 90 seconds and no timeouts. While most teams would go to overtime, New England wasn’t ready to let the clock strike midnight on their Cinderella season. Brady got to the New England 41 with 33 seconds left, and following a 23 yard pass to Brown and a six yard pass to TE Jermaine Wiggins, Vinatieri came on for the game winning field goal. Vinatieri knocked down the 48 yarder, giving New England the upset victory over St. Louis.

The first Super Bowl to be decided on the final play? That’s a top ten Super Bowl, hands down.

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December 24, 2009

The Sportmeisters Top 10 Games Of The Decade: Game #7 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees – 2004 ALCS Game 4

Filed under: Alex Rodriguez, Anaheim Angels, Baseball, Bill Mueller, Boston Red Sox, Curt Schilling, Dave Roberts, David Ortiz, Derek Lowe, Doug Mientkiewicz, Ellis Burks, Esteban Loaiza, Florida Marlins, Gary Sheffield, Grady Little, Javier Vazquez, John Olerud, Keith Foulke, Kenny Lofton, Kevin Brown, Kevin Millar, MLB, Manny Ramirez, Mariano Rivera, Miguel Cairo, Mike Myers, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Orlando Cabrera, Orlando Hernandez, Paul Quantrill, Ruben Sierra, Shane Spencer, Sports, Tanyon Sturtze, Terry Adams, Terry Francona, Tom Gordon, Tony Clark, World Series — Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Anaheim Angels, Baseball, Bill Mueller, Boston Red Sox, Curt Schilling, Dave Roberts, David Ortiz, Derek Lowe, Doug Mientkiewicz, Ellis Burks, Esteban Loaiza, Florida Marlins, Gary Sheffield, Grady Little, Javier Vazquez, John Olerud, Keith Foulke, Kenny Lofton, Kevin Brown, Kevin Millar, Manny Ramirez, Mariano Rivera, Miguel Cairo, Mike Myers, Minnesota Twins, MLB, New York Yankees, Orlando Cabrera, Orlando Hernandez, Paul Quantrill, Ruben Sierra, Shane Spencer, Sportmeisters, Sports, Tanyon Sturtze, Terry Adams, Terry Francona, Tom Gordon, Tony Clark, World Series — SportmeisterRyan @ 9:51 pm

Game #7 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees – 2004 ALCS Game 4

With the end of the decade nearing, Sportmeisters Derek and Ryan have decided to present their top ten games of the past decade. Today’s discussion is on the tenth best game from 2000-2009. What follows is a transcript of their discussion.

Sportmeister Derek: Ryan, today we are here to discuss something that will be debated for the next few weeks. With 2010 on the horizon, we are naming our top ten games of the decade.

Sportmeister Ryan: Absolutely Derek, these games will bring an enormous amount of discussion, as it did in just us figuring out our list. We may seem stuck on repeat, but it’s hard not to give the seventh spot to the 2004 ALCS Game 4 between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

SD: We all remember, these two teams met in the 2003 ALCS, with the Yankees winning game seven in dramatic fashion. The Yankees would go on to lose the World Series in six games to the Florida Marlins.

SR: As is the case for good teams on the brink of success, they tinker with the formula to get them over the hump. With two free spending teams like Boston and New York, they did that, and then some.

SD: The Yankees acquired Starting Pitchers Javier Vazquez, Kevin Brown, and SS/3B Alex Rodriguez via trade and signed Relief Pitchers Paul Quantrill and Tom Gordon, Outfielders Ruben Sierra, Gary Sheffield and Kenny Lofton, 1B Tony Clark, and IF Miguel Cairo.

SR: It’s funny, but if you remember, the Red Sox initially had the deal to acquire Rodriguez, but the deal fell through. The Yankees ended up swooping in and grabbed the highest paid player in baseball.

SD: After the 2003 debacle, Grady Little was removed for Terry Francona as Manager, and the Red Sox would bring in SP Curt Schilling via trade, and signed RP Keith Foulke and DH/OF Ellis Burks.

SR: Schilling, coming over from the Diamondbacks, gave the Red Sox another formidable arm who had already pitched against New York in a playoff situation.

SD: As is the case, both teams bolstered up during the season as well. The Yankees acquired Starting Pitchers Esteban Loaiza and Tanyon Sturtze via trade and signed 1B John Olerud and OF Shane Spencer.

SR: Boston was also a mover at the trade deadline, bringing in SS Orlando Cabrera, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, OF Dave Roberts, RP Terry Adams, and RP Mike Myers.

SD: Both teams found success again, with the combination of new players and seasoned vets. The Yankees again won the division with the American League’s best record at 101-61 and the Red Sox again won the Wild Card with a record of 98-64.

SR: In the ALDS, the Yankees then breezed past the Minnesota Twins winning 3 games to 1, while the Red Sox swept the Anaheim Angels.

SD: Once again, these two historical teams would meet to determine who would get to the World Series. The series appeared to be one sided as the Yankees stormed out on top with a 3-0 lead, winning game three in Boston by a crushing 19-8 score.

SR: Right there, 19-8. How does that not destroy any motivation left for Boston? To get crushed, at home, Yankee fans were swooping in for the kill in game four.

SD: No team in MLB history had ever come back from a 3-0 deficit and everyone thought that this series was over and the Yankees would go back to the World Series.

SR: Game four featured Derek Lowe vs. Orlando Hernandez. The Yankees wanted the sweep, while the Red Sox were just hoping to go one more game.

SD: New York took a 2-0 lead before Boston came back, going up 3-2. The Yankees would take a 4-3 lead in the sixth, and held the lead through the ninth.

SR: Boston came in the bottom of the ninth, going heads up against one of the most dominant playoff closers in baseball, Mariano Rivera. He had already taken down the three through six hitters in the eighth inning.

SD: Something must of happened to Mo in the dugout, because he started the ninth by walking Kevin Millar.

SR: Millar was 1-for-2 with a walk up to that point. He wasn’t someone the Yankees needed to pitch around. It ended up giving Boston life.

SD: Millar was pulled for pinch runner Dave Roberts, who promptly stole second on the first pitch.

SR: That play right there had to have been the turning point of the entire series. Roberts took second, putting the tying run in scoring position and removing a double play opportunity.

SD: In one of the few times, Rivera’s armor had been pierced. On the third pitch to Bill Mueller, Mueller smacked it straight up to centerfield, knocking in Roberts and tying the game.

SR: That was Rivera’s fourth blown save of his postseason career. When the Red Sox tied the game, at that moment, they had to have known the momentum was in their favor. Fenway Park was rocking, and the Yankees were reeling.

SD: Rivera ended up getting out of the ninth, and both teams worked a scoreless tenth and eleventh inning. In the twelfth, the Red Sox finally struck back.

SR: Relief Pitcher Paul Quantrill had the unfortunate task of facing the tandem of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. It’s no win there, avoid one, get the other. Face one, and you still have the other.

SD: Ramirez singled to left, followed by Big Papi blasting a two run walk off homerun. A walk off Home Run in extra innings between the Yankees and Red Sox, does that sound familiar?

SR: This game ended in dramatic fashion, setting the stage for the Red Sox to go on and complete one of the greatest comebacks in MLB history, as the Red Sox would win the next four in a row, a feat that had never been accomplished up to that point.

SD: This game had it all and that is why we have named it our number seven game of the decade. Stay tuned for the rest of our top ten coming up in the next few weeks. Any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at Derek@Sportmeisters.com or Ryan@Sportmeisters.com.

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December 22, 2009

The Sportmeisters Top 10 Games Of The Decade: #8 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees – 2003 ALCS Game 7

Filed under: AL East, AL Wild Card, Aaron Boone, Alan Embree, Anaheim Angels, Baseball, Bernie Williams, Boston Red Sox, Byung-Hyun Kim, Dan Miceli, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Gabe White, George Steinbrenner, Grady Little, Hideki Matsui, Jason Giambi, Jason Varitek, Jeff Nelson, Jeff Suppan, Jorge Posada, Kevin Millar, MLB, Mariano Rivera, Mike Timlin, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Ruben Sierra, Scott Sauerbeck, Scott Williamson, Sports, Subway Series, Theo Epstein, Tim Wakefield, Trot Nixon, World Series — Tags: Aaron Boone, AL East, AL Wild Card, Alan Embree, Anaheim Angels, Baseball, Bernie Williams, Boston Red Sox, Byung-Hyun Kim, Dan Miceli, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Gabe White, George Steinbrenner, Grady Little, Hideki Matsui, Jason Giambi, Jason Varitek, Jeff Nelson, Jeff Suppan, Jorge Posada, Kevin Millar, Mariano Rivera, Mike Timlin, Minnesota Twins, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Ruben Sierra, Scott Sauerbeck, Scott Williamson, Sportmeisters, Sports, Subway Series, Theo Epstein, Tim Wakefield, Trot Nixon, World Series — SportmeisterRyan @ 11:48 am

Game # 8 – Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees – 2003 ALCS Game 7

Sportmeister Derek: Ryan, today we are here to discuss something that will be debated for the next few weeks. With 2010 on the horizon, we are naming our top ten games of the decade.

Sportmeister Ryan: Absolutely Derek, these games will bring an enormous amount of discussion, as it did in just us figuring out our list. Today we’re looking at our eighth best game of the decade, and that is the 2003 ALCS Game 7 between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

SD: Let’s rewind a bit to set ourselves up. The Yankees were trying to get themselves back to the World Series after a disappointing ending to what looked like a promising 2002 season. The Yankees had finished 2002 with a league best 103-58 record, but were ousted in the ALDS by eventual World Series Champions Anaheim Angels.

SR: New York had not won a World Series since 2000, when they beat the New York Mets in the Subway Series. After losing in Game 7 in 2001 (an honorable mention of ours, by the way), and 2002s failure, Yankee fans were getting irritated.

SD: Indeed, so as Owner George Steinbrenner is noted for doing, he made some moves, flashing his wallet to pick up necessary pieces. It started with the off-season signing of OF Hideki Matsui.

SR: Notable moves made during the season included the acquisitions of RP Dan Miceli, OF/DH Ruben Sierra, RP Gabe White, 3B Aaron Boone, and RP Jeff Nelson. Aaron Boone, that name strikes a chord, huh Derek?

SD: Yes, Ryan, but we’re not quite there yet. Boston made some moves as well after missing the 2002 playoffs for the third straight year. They were quite sick of being the constant number two to New York.

SR: Two huge moves that need to be mentioned themselves were the signings of 1B/DH David Ortiz and 1B/OF Kevin Millar by brand new GM Theo Epstein.

SD: Those moves definitely highlighted a shift for the Red Sox in years to come. They also made some solid in-season moves, stockpiling pitching with trades for RP Byung-Hyun Kim, RP Scott Williamson, SP Jeff Suppan, and RP Scott Sauerbeck.

SR: For the Red Sox though, they still finished number two to the Yankees, as New York won the AL East with a 101-61 record, and Boston claimed the AL Wild Card, finishing six games back of New York at 95-67.

SD: Both teams made it through the ALDS with relative ease, the Yankees defeating Minnesota Twins 3-1, and Boston going the distance against the Oakland Athletics 3-2 to setup the AL East ALCS showdown.

SR: Neither team really gained beyond a one game advantage in the series. Boston took games 1, 4, and 6 while New York took games 2, 3, and 5 to setup a 3-3 tie and a final battle in Game 7.

SD: This game featured each team’s ace as Pedro Martinez faced Roger Clemens in a rematch from Game 3, where Clemens got the win, pitching six innings, allowing just two runs, and Martinez took the loss, allowing four runs in seven innings.

SR: The Red Sox were looking to snap The Curse Of The Bambino in The House That Ruth Built, and they looked strong early, gaining a 4-1 lead on a Trot Nixon home run, Jason Varitek scoring on an error, and a Kevin Millar home run. After looking strong in Game 3, Clemens was removed after facing three batters in the top of the fourth.

SD: The only New York offense came from Jason Giambi, whose solo home run in the bottom of the fifth and seventh kept the Yankees in the game, albeight slightly.

SR: Newcomer David Ortiz would match that with a home run in the top of the eighth to widen the lead back to three runs, 5-2.

SD: The scene is set. Boston leads 5-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Pedro gets the first out and it looks like he has just enough left in the tank, but then he allowed a double to Derek Jeter and an RBI single to Bernie Williams and that brought then Red Sox Manager Grady Little to the mound.

SR: Now, Pedro had pitched a marvelous game, facing no more than four Yankee batters an inning since the first inning. However, he did get hit around in the seventh, and with one out in the eighth, he had already thrown 15 pitches. Clearly, it was time to turn to the bullpen.

SD: Amazingly though, Little decided to keep Martinez in the game, later stating it was the best option they had. If that was the best option, I wonder what he had in the bullpen.

SR: Now, Martinez did get to 0-2 on Hideki Matsui, before Matsui smacks a ground rule double, putting runners on second and third with one out.

SD: Jorge Posada then comes up to face Martinez, and after working the count to 2-2, on Martinez’s 23^rd pitch of the inning, and what would be his last of the game, Posada doubles to center, bringing in both Williams and Matsui, tying the game 5-5.

SR: We talk a lot about momentum switching sides, and it truly did right there. Yankee fans felt they were winning, and Red Sox fans were hoping for the best, but had to be truly prepared for the worst. Nevertheless, the game was still far from over.

SD: The next two and a half innings went scoreless with little happening as Alan Embree, Mike Timlin, and Tim Wakefield shut down the Yankees and Mariano Rivera stopped the Red Sox.

SR: I find it funny, Little says he didn’t have anyone better, but right there he had three pitchers, who effectively stopped the Yankees for a short time. Just a bad overall management call by Little, and I guess it explains why he was fired after the season.

SD: Then came the bottom of the 11^th. Little left Wakefield in the game to face Aaron Boone, who had come into the game in the eighth as a pinch runner and had yet to have a plate appearance in the game.

SR: Being a knuckleball pitcher that most batters don’t deal with, and a starter who, up to that point in the game, had thrown one inning in the game, Wakefield had plenty left in him, but one pitch ended that quickly.

SD: Boone, a 2 for 16 hitter entering that moment, hit the first pitch he saw into the left field stands. A walk off Home Run in extra innings, what a way to end such a great game.

SR: Boone has since been remembered during every Yankees postseason, and while he won’t go down as one of the best hitters, he did just enough on one night to be remembered in Yankee lore, and postseason MLB history.

SD: This game had it all and that is why we have named it our number eight game of the decade. Stay tuned for the rest of our top ten coming up in the next few weeks. Any questions or concerns, feel free to email us at Derek@Sportmeisters.com or Ryan@Sportmeisters.com.

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November 19, 2009

Ten Players To Watch During Free Agency

Filed under: Adam LaRoche, Adrian Beltre, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Chone Figgins, Free Agency, Hideki Matsui, Jason Bay, John Lackey, Jose Molina, MLB, MVP, Matt Holliday, New York Yankees, Sports, Vladimir Guerrero, World Series — Tags: Adam LaRoche, Adrian Beltre, Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Chone Figgins, Free Agency, Hideki Matsui, Jason Bay, John Lackey, Jose Molina, Matt Holliday, MLB, MVP, New York Yankees, Sportmeisters, Sports, Vladimir Guerrero, World Series — SportmeisterRyan @ 10:19 pm

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The MLB Free Agency season is upon us, and after the New York Yankees excessive spending leading to a World Series title, will another season of open piggy-banks arise? Probably not, but there are still quite a few players that could break the bank, and teams that will shell the dough for their services. Let’s take a look at ten free agents and what they bring to the free agency table.

Please note, this is not an order of who is the best free agent, just a focus on ten players.

1.Jason Bay, OF

Bay has experience in both the National and American league, increasing his ability to play in either league. He’s 30, and still has many good years left, enough to grab possibly a five or six year contract now, then possibly move to the AL as a DH in the later stages of his career. Last season was his first full season in Boston, and he shined, hitting .267 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs. His 36 home runs was good enough for third in the AL, and his 119 RBIs took second. He also earned his first Silver Slugger Award and third All-Star nomination. Bay is arguably the hottest free agent on the market, and will command at least $100 million on the market, requiring some teams to really break the bank on him.

2.Matt Holliday, OF

At 29, Holliday has an extra year in him, leading some to believe he is the hottest outfielder on the market. He spent the first half of the year in Oakland before being traded to St. Louis for the stretch run. He was a three time All-Star and three time Silver Slugger while in Colorado, and even though he was traded, he still finished with .313 batting average, 24 home runs and 109 RBIs. He also brings post-season experience, including a World Series appearance in 2007. Holliday will also be looking for a six or possibly seven year deal, well in excess of $100 million. Look for teams to offer both Bay and Holliday, with the two using each other’s potential deals as leverage.

3.Hideki Matsui, OF

Godzilla lives, but for how many more seasons? A combination of age (35) and injuries in previous years moved the outfielder to the DH role for the New York Yankees. He still played in 116 games in 2009, hitting .274 with 28 home runs and 90 RBIs. The 28 home runs were the most since he hit 31 in 2004, his second season. Matsui might not have gotten as much attention if it wasn’t for his phenomenal showing in the 2009 playoffs, specifically the World Series. In the six game series, Matsui hit .615 with three home runs and eight RBIs to earn World Series MVP honors. Due to his injury history and age, it is highly unlikely anyone from the National League will take a look. Rumors have floated of Matsui’s retirement, but I believe it will depend on whether or not he gets an offer he likes.

4.John Lackey, SP

Lackey is being touted as the top pitcher in free agency this season, with his youth (30 years old) and experience (five years with postseason play) being key factors. His strikeouts have tapered since his career high of 1999 in 2005, and he’s a far cry from his 2007 All-Star campaign (19-9, 3.01 ERA), but he still gets the batters out. His last two seasons have seen career lows in hits, runs, earned runs, and innings pitched since his rookie campaign. Lackey has the experience and ability to be a solid No. 2 or 3 pitcher, depending on the team. If he is looking for Ace money, he might scare away a few, but could still pull a big contract with the right team.

5.Adam LaRoche, 1B

Another young player (29) who has many years left, LaRoche has mostly NL experience with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves, with the exception of a short stint in Boston. Despite that, he still managed to hit .277 with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs. He has yet to break .300 in a season, has toppled 30 home runs once, and has yet to break 100 RBIs in a season, but it his defensive skills that truly stand out. LaRoche had two errors last year, a career low, just a year after having eight, a career high. He is still young, and can improve on his power, and should grab somewhere in the six year, $80 million dollar range, unless some team decides to make a leap for him.

6.Jose Molina, C

Molina isn’t the best offensive bat in the free agency market, but he is arguably the top defensive catcher available. Used by the New York Yankees the past two seasons as a backup to starter Jorge Posada, Molina performed admirable in his backup role, despite missing half of 2009 with an injury. His value really shined in the playoffs, as he caught AJ Burnett primarily in his two World Series starts, including the Game Six clinching win. Defensively, he had a .997 fielding average, committing only one error in 2009. For his career, he has thrown out 40% of baserunners attempting steals. Molina will get another look as a backup catcher, potentially in the AL where the starter can still perform as a DH. Molina’s bat leaves questions, but his defensive value is still worth something.

MLB National League Division Preview: Colorado Rockies vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Filed under: Aaron Cook, Baseball, Brad Lidge, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Colorado Rockies, J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton, MLB, NL East, New York Yankees, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Wild Card — Tags: Aaron Cook, Brad Lidge, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Colorado Rockies, J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton, MLB, New York Yankees, NL East, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson, Sportmeisters, Ubaldo Jimenez, Wild Card — SportmeisterRyan @ 6:17 pm

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

About The Philadelphia Phillies:

The Phillies clinched their third straight NL East Division Title with a record of 93-69. As defending World Series champions, they have a lot of targets on their back. However, they field a team that is strong in many areas. Offensively, they led the National League in runs scored and home runs, thanks to contributions from Ryan Howard (45 home runs, 141 RBIs), and Chase Utley (26 home runs, 93 RBIs, .282 average). They also boast one of the strongest pitching staffs, with two legitimate aces in mid-season acquisition Cliff Lee (7-4, 74 Ks, 3 Complete Games since the trade) and 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels (10-11, 4.28 ERA, 168 Ks). They are also deep, and could use mid-season replacement Pedro Martinez in the bullpen, allowing Joe Blanton or J.A. Happ to get the third game start. However, with 11 blown saves, closer Brad Lidge is not who he was in 2008. Happ or Ryan Madson could take the role from him in the playoffs.

About The Colorado Rockies:

It’s another season of Rocktober for the Rockies, who clinch the wild card spot with a 92-70 record after being left for dead earlier this season. The Rockies rely heavily on young pitching and defense, knowing full well that their offensive stats are inflated due to the high elevation of their field. The team finished sixth in the NL in ERA, a fine stat considering where they play. They are led by Ubaldo Jimenez (15-12, 3.98 ERA) and Aaron Cook (11-6, 78Ks). All five of their starters had ten or more wins, giving them great depth for the playoffs. They are a young team though, with no real power hitters, and spent a lot of energy getting themselves into the playoffs. It will be tough to keep that momentum up, but if anyone can do it, they can.

The Matchup:

The Phillies won their series 4-2, but Colorado won the previous two matchups. Colorado had one of the best home records at 51-30, and opponents usually claim extreme fatigue after a few days in the thin air. However, Philadelphia counters that with a major league leading 48-33 record on the road, and the fact they didn’t lose a single playoff game at home in 2008. Both teams boast strong pitching records, but Philadelphia easily has the power advantage, and can capitalize on one or two mistakes. However, if Philadelphia does not figure out their bullpen situation soon, they could open the door for a comeback or two from Colorado.

The Pick:

Philadelphia seems to have all the necessary tools (and a few extra ones) to give them a great shot at being the first repeat World Series winner since the New York Yankees (1998-2000). Philadelphia in four games.

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October 1, 2009

Did The New York Yankees Get A Positive Return On Investment?

Filed under: AJ Burnett, AL East, Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, CC Sabathia, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Angels, MLB, Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays — Tags: AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Baseball, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, MLB, New York Yankees, Sportmeisters — SportmeisterRyan @ 4:22 pm

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

Even in the recession America is facing today, the powerhouses of baseball, the New York Yankees still found a way to spend near $500 million dollars to three players, Pitchers CC Sabathia (7 years, $161 million) and AJ Burnett (5 years,$82 million) , and 1B Mark Teixeira (8 years, $180 million). Was it helpful? The Yankees did clinch the AL East and home-field advantage after missing the playoffs last season, but let’s go inside at each of the Big Three’s performance. Putting on my accountant’s hat, I’ll rate whether, in year one, each player has put the Yankees in the red or the black.

CC Sabathia

The signing of CC Sabathia was a huge moment for New York, giving it a young Ace in their pitching rotation. The 2007 Cy Young winner was traded mid-season in 2008, and when he became a free agent, the Yankees swooped in. But did he live up to his past performance?

His 2009 season started off rocky, but he quickly picked up steam, establishing himself in the rotation. Sabathia’s numbers echo his 2007 Cy Young award, right up to the record (19-7, tying his career high), ERA (3.21), and has thrown 194 strikeouts, his third highest.

He did have some slip-ups though, as he only threw two complete games, a far cry from the ten he flew the previous season splitting time in the NL and AL. He also hit eight batsmen, matching a career high.

Sure, we’re nit-picking here, and at the end of the day, the real concern is going to be how Sabathia performs in the post-season (he’s lost three straight decisions), especially being the number one starter for the Yankees. His post-season numbers will make the final decision, but for now, we’ll call this investment a positive return, placing it in the black.

AJ Burnett

Burnett came to New York after three years pitching in the AL East for the Toronto Blue Jays. His numbers have been up and down, but after setting career highs last season, has Burnett made the leap to elite starter?

Burnett had career performances last season in Toronto, which undoubtedly assisted in his contract negotiations. However, this season in New York has seen his pitching revert to a combination of his best seasons in Florida, with a mix of Toronto thrown in.

His 2009 numbers are a pedestrian 12-9, a far cry from the 18 wins he posted last season. His ERA is high, at 4.10, but he is pitching in the brand new Yankee stadium, a hitters park, and the AL has higher ERAs than in the NL. However, Burnett has struggled, throwing a career high 96 walks and 17 wild pitches.

Burnett has yet to pitch in the post-season in his 11-year career, and, much like Sabathia, his season won’t be fully determined until he pitches. At this point though, it would be hard to put Burnett in the black, due to his sub-par record and erratic pitching. For now, we’ll put Burnett in the red, but a strong post-season performance could change all that heading into year two.

Mark Teixeira

This journeyman has bounced back and forth between the AL and the NL, but spent the second half of the 2008 season helping the Angels towards the playoffs. He signed a huge contract in the off-season, with New York expecting him to be a huge bat in front of A-Rod, as well as a defensive specialist at first base. How did the Yankees fare?

Teixeira’s 39 home runs and 121 RBIs are slightly below his career high of 43 and 144, but are still good enough to lead the American League in 2009. His .294 batting average is off from his two straight .300 seasons, but his overall performance this season was enough to get him his second All-Star nomination.

This year’s post-season will only be Teixeira’s second, and with A-Rod’s penchant for falling apart in the post-season, he will need to be on his game nightly. Up to this point, we’ll put Teixeira in the black for his powerful performance.

So there you have it. Sabathia and Teixeira have lived up to their first season hype, while Burnett has had a good year, just not at the standards it could be. All of this is moot, if the Yankees don’t dominate in the playoffs, and these three will be key cogs in that engine.

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