"The RU Screw"

Time for the Vibe to weigh in on the Rutgers Men’s Basketball controversy.

The best angle to attack this from at this point is to weigh in on each person involved at the end, with what their fate should hold. With Rice having already been shown the door, it is pointless to debate that decision, as most would agree it was appropriate. I will, however, inject some Mike Rice perspective as to what his future holds.

 

First a little commentary on Eric Murdock. If you think Eric Murdock is any kind of hero or good Samaritan for bringing this to light, you aren’t paying attention very well. Some footage in the videos was from the 2010-11 season. The video was not brought to administration until November 2012. So my question is, was Eric Murdock really disturbed by the behavior? Or did he just see this as his opportunity to build a safety net if he ever got fired ? In my opinion, the answer is quite resoundingly the latter. He collected this footage over time and socked it away for a rainy day, which finally came when his contract was not renewed.

Murdock saved the day? Not quite... Murdock apparently reflected during his time off the payroll and came to the conclusion that the behavior was unacceptable... 2 years after the fact. (Photo from ScarletKnights.com)

With respect to Robert Barchi (President of Rutgers) the big question is….to what degree did he know what went on? It seems that all parties agree that Pernetti went to Barchi to bring him in the loop in November when the tape surfaced. But what exactly did “bringing him in the loop” look like? In my opinion, this has a very big impact on how harshly Barchi should be judged. I envision TWO scenarios:

SCENARIO #1 – Pernetti Minimization Scenario

Did Pernetti “bring Barchi in the loop” by saying:

“We have a tape of Coach Rice using some inappropriate language during practice….i brought someone in to help investigate.” Followed by… “We recommend a three game suspension and $50,000 fine” ?

To which the newly appointed Barchi deferred to his AD’s judgment with "sounds good Tim."

OR

SCENARIO #2 – Rutgers Trying to Save Face Scenario  

Did Pernetti say to Barchi:

“We have a tape of Coach Rice pushing players and throwing basketballs at them. He also uses inappropriate language, including referring to a player as a “F*CKING F*GGOT.” ?

 And then Pernetti and Barchi jointly decided to pursue a suspension and fine and hope that it went away.

There are many things you can say to your players on tape that are edgy, but still keep your job. "You're a f*cking f*ggot" is not one of them.

Mike Rice was Pernetti's big hire...A man pegged to turn around Rutgers basketball (long thought to be a sleeping giant). Was fear of this hire backfiring behind Pernetti's (& possibly Barchi's) attempt to minimize the infractions? (Photo from AP)

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COMMENTARY

My first question is….If you need to hire an independent investigator to look into something like this….what exactly are you paying the Athletic Director for? He is the administrator that directly impacts the hiring/firing of coaches and athletic staff. What did the independent investigation focus on, if the words were inappropriate enough?

It would be easy for me to say that Pernetti’s got to go.... and I am kind of leaning in that direction. But I think there is a big gray area. Was Rutgers resistant to fire Rice because they didn’t want to pay two basketball coaches? (They’d have to pay Rice…a buyout at least…and also pay the new coach)

Was Pernetti inclined to protect Rice because he was “his hire” and he took a risk by bringing in a known fiery coach?

Should Tim Pernetti lose his job?
The only scenario I envision that Pernetti should keep his job is if he went to his President and said, “Oh my God… look at this tape…give me some direction here.” And then Barchi worked with him and talked him down to a suspension (perhaps due to the financial burden of firing a coach). I highly doubt that was the case.

To me, the suspension and fine were Pernetti's version of saying "I know it's bad enough that I have to do something, let me see if I can skate by with this punishment without having to search for a new coach."

Should Robert Barchi lose his job?

I give Barchi a bit more leash here. He was brand new on the job, and one of the things that you do (in his situation) is you rely on your existing team of administrators as you are transitioning to the job. Based on the statement he released, in which he used language like “after viewing the video myself yesterday,” it seems to me that Pernetti did not share all the vulgar details with Barchi.
Barchi’s lapse in judgment came in that he knew that a tape existed, but did not ask to see it. Perhaps because its contents were minimized by Pernetti. I have a hard time believing that he was told Rice said "you're a f*cking f*ggot" and did not request to see the video at all - especially with the University's supposed sensitivity to that type of homophobic slur brought about by the Tyler Clementi suicide. If he knew that was said, and he didn't ask to see the tape, he should be gone.

Will Mike Rice ever coach again?

As with many things, time heals all wounds. He will probably be out of work for this coming season, but I can see him latching on as an assistant at some mid-major. His opportunity to build his reputation back up. He won’t get a head coaching job right away. He also will probably never coach in any of the “big time” D-1 conferences again, as he hasn’t built enough equity as a coach.
If he had been a seasoned winner he’d find another job again in a power conference (a la Bob Knight at Texas Tech).

Rice parlayed his time on Jamie Dixon's staff at Pittsburgh into his "shot," serving as Head Coach at Robert Morris. He'll be tasked with working his way back up again - this time with a negative reputation working against him.

Final Vibe:
In all of this, Rutgers ended up firing Mike Rice. If you think for ONE SECOND that the decision was about the safety and respect of its student/athletes, you are mistaken. It was about responding to the negative PR brought about by the public airing of the video.

Make no mistake about it. If that video was never aired on ESPN, Mike Rice would still be the coach of Rutgers.

2013 MLB Season Preview

AMERICAN LEAGUE

AL East

1. Yankees

2. Orioles (Wild Card)

3. Rays

4. Blue Jays

5. Red Sox

Acquiring a few injury-prone stars and a No. 4-caliber starter from a last place team (Reyes, Johnson, Bonifacio, & Buerhle) does not a champion make. The Yankees will tread water and hang in contention until they get healthy in June/July and finish the season strongly. Baltimore follows with another strong year. The Rays are still a tough out while undergoing a mini-rebuilding (or re-tooling). Boston will be eagerly hoping for one of their starters to pitch to a sub-4.00 ERA, but it may not happen.
 

I actually feel bad for the vibrant Reyes, who thought he was escaping mediocrity with the Mets and embracing "party time" by signing in Miami. He was shipped to Canada this offseason, where they don't allow dancing or smiling. It is sure to be a long year for Jose. (Montreal Gazette, 2013) 

AL Central

1. Tigers

2. Royals

3. White Sox

4. Indians

5. Twins

Detroit looks like the team to beat in the entire AL. A solid rotation coupled with the best 3-4 power combo in baseball (Cabrera & Fielder) will help alleviate some of their bullpen concerns. The surprise here is Kansas City, who has assembled a revamped rotation and mixed that with a finally blossoming core (Hosmer, Moustakas, Butler, Gordon). Expect them to make a run at finishing above .500. Despite their best efforts in retooling the lineup, the Indians will not improve due to their abysmal pitching. Minnesota and Chicago have simply not done enough to improve.

 

Young Royals Moustakas and Hosmer will be able to look forward to a solid (yet unspectacular) rotation this year with Shields, Santana, Guthrie, and Wade Davis. KC will finish north of 81 wins for only the 2nd time in the last 20 years. (The Associated Press, 2012). 

AL West

1. Angels

2. A’s (Wild Card)

3. Rangers

4. Mariners

5. Astros

One of the toughest divisions in baseball to pick... On paper, it looks like the Angels and Rangers will compete. The A’s, however, are always tough and showed with last year’s miracle run to the AL West title that they are a force to be reckoned with. I’d also expect the Mariners to be improved. As for the Astros, well….

 

They won't win many games at all, but if nothing else the Astros have done their part for MLB this year by reverting back to one of the greatest sports logos of all time. It would only get sweeter if they brought back the "Starburst" jersey as an alternate. (CSN Houston, 2013)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

 

NL East

1. Braves

2. Nationals (Wild Card)

3. Phillies

4. Mets

5. Marlins

The Braves and Nationals should pull away here, with the Phillies keeping moderate pace and finishing over .500 themselves. With some question marks in the infield, the Braves boast one of the best outfields in baseball. Washington, meanwhile, has the best starting rotation in baseball (Strasburg, Gonzalez, Zimmerman, Detwiler, Haren). I just see them having a tougher time this year. As for the bottom of the heap, there likely won’t be a less-attended sporting event than a mid-summer Mets-Marlins matchup in South Florida.

 

A stud his first 2 years in Philly, Halladay's health could be the dominating factor as to whether the Phillies can make a return to prominence this year. Their Howard/Utley window of opportunity is closing quickly. (Courier Post, 2013). 

NL Central

1. Reds

2. Cardinals

3. Brewers

4. Pirates

5. Cubs

I find myself again wondering, “What will the Cardinals pull out of their bag of tricks this year?” Every time it looks like they are down, they pull together a solid season. They will do the same this year, but it won’t be enough (again) to overtake the Reds, who are vastly better on paper. This division on the whole will be down this year.

 

The Reds and Cards have been duking it out for a few years now, with the Cards finishing 2nd to Cincinnati in 2 of the last 3 years. St. Louis has been able to realize more postseason success than the Reds, though, with a NLCS appearance and a WS title the last two years. (ReviewsSTL.com., 2011)

NL West

1. Giants

2. Diamondbacks (Wild Card)

3. Dodgers

4. Padres

5. Rockies

Defending world champion San Francisco has the core of its team returning this year. A bounce-back year from Tim Lincecum would give them a chance to make a run at another title. Arizona was a feisty team last year and showed improvement. Despite losing Justin Upton, the D-Backs will benefit from a sneaky-good rotation and a solid bullpen. They will be the NL’s surprise team. I put the Dodgers into the same category as the Blue Jays, assembling a collection of high-priced stars on the decline does not a contender make.

 

Acquiring someone else's headache will not usually translate into wins. Expect the Dodgers to hover around .500 when all is said and done this year. (CBS Sports, 2012).

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PLAYOFFS

NLCS: Giants over Nationals
ALCS: Tigers over Yankees

World Series: Tigers over Giants

*In a rematch of last year, Detroit avenges its loss by waking its bats up this year.

Going Streaking

The Miami Heat have brought some buzz back to the NBA this year, emerging to the forefront to capture the spotlight at a time when college basketball typically reigns supreme. Rattling off a 23-game winning streak (at the time of this blog) has made the casual NBA fan re-engage in the sport. What began as a year that looked to be a 2-horse race (Heat & Thunder) has morphed into a prolonged session of “can anyone stop the Heat?” discussions.

Can anything stop the Heat? Male pattern baldness can... How long will it take LeBron to decide to shave it all?
*Photo courtesy of hairlosshelp.com
(seriously)

Here in our area, the Knicks and Nets are enjoying equally stellar resurgent seasons. However, what should have been a “We’re back” party for the New York Metropolitan Area has turned into a back page story. Early season feelings of “This could be our year” have been replaced by the frustration of considering how anyone will compete with Miami in the next few years.

To illustrate the degree to which the Heat have captured the spotlight, the Denver Nuggets have won 13 in a row with a much less impressive roster – and not many people even know. **Seriously, you have 5 seconds to name the best player on the Denver Nuggets without doing a Google search. Go!**

Without further ado, some random commentary/banter on “The Streak”

By The Numbers

The Heat have more wins during their streak than 8 teams had for the entire lockout-shortened year last year (Raptors, Nets, Cavs, Wizards, Bobcats, Warriors, Kings, Hornets).

They have more than doubled the win total of 11 teams in the league.

After 33 games, the Atlanta Hawks were 20-13. The Miami Heat were 1 game back at 19-14.

At the current moment (23 games into the winning streak), the Heat have a 15.5 game lead on Atlanta, who has played .500 ball during that time (17-17).

It didn't take Miami long to surpass the "immortal" Michael Jordan. Miami surpassed Charlotte's 2011-12 win total 15 days into this season (quotes & sarcasm intended).
*Photo courtesy of thesportsbank.net

Comparisons

Among the first things that come to mind when one hears “streak” are Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak, and UCLA’s 88 game college basketball winning streak. To date, the Heat do not even own the longest streak in their sport (incredibly) so the comparisons are not there yet. However, the fact that they are 10 games shy of the NBA record in today’s NBA (where minimal importance is placed on mid-week “ho-hum” games by most teams) is impressive. If Miami ends up setting the NBA record, it will be among the greatest (and most untouchable) streaks of all-time.

Outlook

Miami had quite the test last night in securing #23 (trailing late into the 4^th quarter). Miami should win their next 6 games (putting them at #29) before they tackle the Spurs. If they are able to get past San Antonio, they should continue their run with 5 more wins prior to playing the Celtics.

The unmentioned reality is that once the playoffs start, streaks mean very little with respect to the ultimate goal. It is much easier for Miami to maintain the streak while playing routine midweek games as part of an expansive schedule. Come playoff time, the other team can focus on you each and every night. Assuredly, the Heat will drop some games in the playoffs….even in the Eastern Conference.

However, don’t expect them to even remotely get tested until the NBA finals. Unfortunately for the fans of some of the Eastern Conference emergent teams (Pacers, Knicks, Nets) there is no one in the East who can come close to matching up.

Wish I didn't have to look at this again.....But unfortunately I will. They will not even be tested until the NBA Finals.
*Photo courtesy of successmediasolutions.com 

As much as it pains me (because I love to root for the underdog), it looks like title #2 for the Wade-LeBron-Bosh triad. 

As for the NBA record? YES....Expect them to exceed the Lakers' mark of 33 straight.

Freeh-dom Fighting

A few quick hitters on Penn State before explaining my take on the Freeh Report.


Should the statue of Joe Paterno be taken down?

It's a sad story...with all of the good things that Paterno has done over the years. But, it is what it is. (AP Photo/Centre Daily Times, Nabil K. Mark)

It's got to go. It has to come down. It will forever be associated with this scandal. If the university is condemning the scandal, and in turn the football program for its involvement....Why would there be a statue to honor Paterno?


Isn't it ironic that there were kids willing to camp out around the statue to "protect" it from vandals? A statue of a man who himself had an opportunity to "protect" kids - and did not.



Should the NCAA levy the "death penalty" on Penn State?

The NCAA - a borderline criminal organization in its own right - has a tough decision to make. Regardless of how people want to spin it, the Sandusky scandal would not have been possible without the role of the football program in both looking the other way, and in allowing him access to his victims despite his previous indiscretions. (Photo from Houston Press)

My first impression was that a harsh NCAA cleansing of the PSU football program would punish all the wrong people. The football team members were 4-8 years old when the first Sandusky incident went down. They, along with the current coaching staff, have done nothing to warrant getting the death penalty.


That said, I'm starting to change my tune a bit seeing all of the outpouring of support that Joe Paterno is getting out in Happy Valley. These people apparently have blinders on, or are unwilling to accept the facts of this case, and in that regard a message needs to be sent. They just don't get it.

The "death penalty" is a bit harsh, but some debilitating sanctions are certainly not.

And now, without further ado...



Freeh Report Vibe

In two previous blogs on Sandusky and the Penn State scandal, I've been highly critical of those at Penn State who were involved in looking away from this. That being said, I was waiting to see the outcome of the Freeh Report before passing further judgement on the involvement of PSU's highest in command.

Even with Joe Paterno, as critical as I was when the initial media reports came out, I was willing to see what the Freeh Report would turn up before fully damning him for his involvement.

After reading the Freeh Report (all pertinent parts at least), I do not see how it is feasible to defend his involvement in all this. Any opinion that I have formulated comes as a direct result of reading quotations from e-mails uncovered in Freeh's investigation. Assumptions made about what "probably" happened do not carry nearly the clout that this written proof does.

I'll be more clear...There is no written proof that Paterno was intimately involved in the orchestrating of "sweeping it under the rug," but there is proof that he had a mild hand in it (Proof below). What's more, Paterno was keenly aware of the allegations on multiple occasions and said NOTHING while the University continued to allow him uninhibited access to all facilities. Sandusky even had an office in the same building as Paterno!

The Lasch Building at PSU. No need to keep Jerry out. Wonder if they gave him a reserved spot close to his office? (Photo from PennLive.com)

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Proof of Paterno's culpability:

After Mike McQueary reported the incident he witnessed (and after Paterno had reported this to the big wigs) the university administration devised an action plan that included 1) report the incident to the Second Mile, 2) Report it to the Department of Welfare, and 3) Tell Sandusky to avoid bringing children alone into Lasch Building.

The AD subsequently e-mailed the other administrators and stated that he had changed his mind about the plan "after giving it more thought and talking it over with Joe Paterno yesterday." He then proposed that they should offer Sandusky "professional help."

The president accepts this proposal and even states "the only downside for us is if the message is not 'heard' and acted upon, and we then become vulnerable."

No shit.

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I will concede that Paterno's involvement seems to pale in comparison to that of Curley (AD), Schultz (Senior VP - Finance & Business), and Spanier (President). They were the ones who had continued to correspond about whether they want to go to authorities or not. They were the ones who knew that in 1998 Sandusky had been warned by an investigating police detective "not to shower with any child" which Sandusky agreed to.  They were the ones who received the report in 2001 of what Mike McQueary had witnessed...in the shower with a child.

So he was told not to do it again. He did it again. And for 10 more years he was allowed full access to PSU facilities.

Let's suppose that at best there was no criminal activity....wouldn't the mere insubordination with something this sensitive merit complete removal from association with the school?

Maybe THIS is what Jerry thought they meant when they told him "no more showers with kids"...Honest mistake. (Photo by Bob's Blitz)

The trio of upper administration (Curley, Schultz, and Spanier) had consistent communication as these incidents were reported. While JoePa could have made more noise in getting Sandusky out of there, these men were the ones that could have most readily made it happen.

And because of their fear for what the exposure of these incidents would mean for the university, they did nothing.

While those fears about the university's reputation have come true and then some, these men need not worry.

They have bigger things to worry about now.

R.A.vaged

Most of you that know me, know me as a rather grounded Yankee fan. Especially during the regular season. I try never to get to low when the team isn't playing well, and never to get too excited when they are rolling. This is an outlook that has been cultivated by their regular appearances in October. Not gloating at all. That is simply a fact. Any regular season spike (good or bad) is offset by the consolation that lies in knowing that they will be there in October. Until proven otherwise (on a regular basis), I see no reason to feel differently.

Overhyped by the media, but Mets fans usually are absolutely gaga about their yearly meetings with the Yankees. Aside from local hype, it's just another 6 games (soon to be 4) on the schedule for both teams. While the players are likely to share my view, Mets fans continuously use these games as a measuring stick.

The Subway Series (regular season version) is not nearly as important to Yankees fans as it is to Mets fans. Yankees fans can usually rationalize regular season Subway Series losses by being in the race in October, while Mets fans are at home. This year's version was spiced up a bit with the Mets in contention for a playoff spot. The Mets (again, just stating the facts) are a team of unknowns who have played some unbelievable baseball at times this year. Their success has injected some energy into the crosstown rivalry by giving Mets fans the window of opportunity to believe that their team is on a parallel with the Yankees.

However, they were sorely smacked back down to Earth this weekend in losing 2 of 3 to the Bombers at CitiField. While this will likely have no long-term implications on the Mets playoff hopes, it is a subtle reminder that they still have a long way to go. I ordinarily would not feel the need to point out that the Mets ate some crow, but there are three reasons that lead me to bring this up.

1. Frank Francisco's "Chickens" Comment

Honestly, who is Frank Francisco to make a comment like that. The guy is continuing to cement his status as one of the "boobs" of MLB. Give him credit for having a relatively solid year thus far, but make him take his medicine for this ridiculous statement. Aside from the obvious that the Yanks lineup has some proven hitters, they also swept them at Yankee Stadium in early June!

Frank Francisco throwing a chair in Oakland and hitting a lady in the face. Who's the chicken again Franky?

Add to that the fact that the Mets had a clubhouse attendant get a chicken that they playfully referred to as "Jeter" before settling on "Little Jerry Seinfield", and they just look ridiculous here. I appreciate the Seinfeld reference as much as the next guy, but come on with this. Putting a nice bow on all of this is that Francisco was placed on the DL today with an oblique strain. Karma is a b*tch Frankie.

2. Mets Organization Employees Complaining About the HR's at Yankee Stadium

I respect Terry Collins as a baseball man a lot. But come on, this is Baseball Knowledge 101. You can't complain about ballpark dimensions if BOTH TEAMS are playing a game in the same ballpark. The Yankees are built for that park? Guess what, they are built for a lot of things. And they hit a lot of home runs on the road as well (as the Mets found out). I wonder how much of an issue this would have been if Ike Davis had popped a couple of "generous" home runs over that right field porch. Maybe they should evaluate that.

Cry me a river. Last time I checked both teams get a shot at popping one over the 314 marker.

Part of this was drummed up by Mets media announcers who brought this up during the game. But Collins also referenced the "friendly" home field for the Yanks in interviews. I just don't see how you can go down that road. Especially since most of the newer parks in baseball are bona fide band boxes. Where's the gripe when the Mets play at Great American Ballpark or Minute Maid?

3. R.A. Dickey's Hype for Sunday Night Baseball

I like Dickey a lot (TWSS). I have rooted for him this year, and will continue to do so. This is not anything that was really in the ORGANIZATION'S control. Dickey is a humble guy who would just as prefer to make another start and be on his way. This is more an issue brought up by the media and perpetuated by Mets fans than anything else.

A perfect example....and I will take an anti-Yankee position on this. When the ESPN announcers were talking about the matchup during last night's game, they said "We could be watching both All-Star game starters here tonight."

Sabathia has had a nice year (9-3, 3.45 ERA) but certainly will not be the AL starter. David Price (10-4, 2.90), Chris Sale (8-2, 2.24), and even Matt Harrison (10-3, 3.24) might have something to say about that. Dickey has a real shot to start for the NL.

Dickey has a real shot to start for the NL. Sabathia is having a solid year, but is a longshot to start for the AL. Mets fans were frothing for this opportunity to show off their Dickey. Both guys underwhelmed.

This just illustrates how overhyped this matchup was. C.C. and Dickey were each mediocre, and the game was decided in the bullpens.

FINAL VIBE

Just to re-focus, I don't want it to seem like I'm raining hate on the Mets. I am happy for my Mets fans friends that have suffered through the Madoff scandal, the Jason Bay disaster, the Jose Reyes exit, and other hard luck moments over the past 5 years. They are about to endure some meaningful summer baseball, and that's a great thing.

As for using the Yankees as a measuring stick....you're just not there yet.

Rubber Dickey

Every baseball season brings its share of surprises. Players who inexplicably underperform (see Lind, Adam and Lee, Cliff). Star players who experience resurgence (see Hamilton, Josh). Players with a new opportunity who take it and run (see Cabrera, Melky). And of course, young players who experience a breakout and make an impact earlier than expected (see Trout, Mike and Harper, Bryce).
But every once in a blue moon we see a journeyman player who figures something out and emerges to an All-Star level out of nowhere. The last man cut from this mold in recent memory was Kent Bottenfield in 1999 (journeyman pitcher who had never won more than 5 games with 5 different teams prior to winning 18 with St. Louis that year).

Aging hefty, lovable pitcher from a Disney movie? No, 1999 NL All-Star Kent Bottenfield who had just 26 career wins prior to winning 18 with the Cards that year. Subsequently, he faded away into oblivion. Will Dickey suffer the same fate? Not likely.  (Reuters)

This year's Kent Bottenfield Award goes to R.A. Dickey. To be perfectly honest, the Mets signed him prior to 2010 to be a placeholder in their rotation. Actually, that's being pretty generous. When he came on with the Amazin's, he had not even a guaranteed rotation spot. Despite pitching pretty admirably over the past two seasons (2.84 and 3.28 ERA, respectively), Dickey has never established himself as a standout pitcher in this game.

Apologies to my fans of locker room humor, but this guy has garnered more respect than to receive an unabated barrage of jokes about his last name. "Knuckling Dickey" (see above) is about as edgy as I'll get here. (Jesse Thorn)

This year has changed all that. Not only does Dickey sport an 11-1 record to go with a 2.00 ERA, but he also leads the National League in strikeouts (103). What makes this all the more remarkable is that prior to 2006 (at age 31), Dickey had never thrown a "knuckleball" in the major leagues. After battling arm troubles across 5 spotty seasons with the Rangers, Dickey elected to re-invent himself by transforming his knuckle-esque forkball into a true "hard knuckleball." This year, he truly is spinning stuff that has hitters baffled.

What grip would suit Dickey (that's what she said) if this card photo were shot today? (Baseball Almanac)

Now, Dickey is starting to threaten the baseball record book. He's the first pitcher in 25 years to throw back-to-back one hitters. On top of that, he has not allowed an earned run in 42 2/3 innings. Because of his unconventionally nasty "stuff", there is no hitter in baseball looking forward to facing him right now. As of this blog, he is poised to start for the NL in July's All-Star Game.

It remains to be seen whether Dickey will continue his assault on MLB, or if he will threaten 20 wins (as it appears he will). However, one thing he has done is provide Mets fans with an anchored player who is truly easy to root for. In the interest of focusing this blog, I will not even get into his troubled upbringing (and sexual abuse endured as a child). All this does it make it easier to pull for the guy.

He has become a player who is the voice of the team. Someone who their young guys look to for leadership. When you hear him speak, his humbled tone is remarkable. He gives the impression that he is counting every blessing that he gets. He has taken this second chance and made the most of it. What makes it all even better is that he is 37 years old, and does not appear to be slowing down any time soon.

Hodge Podge

Expect more blogs moving forward...
Due to a number of external obligations, it's been awhile. Below I will offer an unabated blitz on relevant sports topics over the past few weeks. Short, sweet, and to the point.

"The Tickle Monster"

Is this how you pictured the tickle monster? I'm not certain how many people actually envision who their "Tickle Monster" is, but I'm pretty sure this guy isn't it. Makes you want to full-out yak into a bag.

Sandusk. Jesus H. Christ.  The rundown from witness testimony is absolutely disgusting. This entire case is why people have a hard time dealing with the credibility of defense lawyers. How do you defend something like this and continue to have a clear conscience? I guess there is money to be had, and that is what talks. These proceedings can't be completed soon enough. I hope that this guy goes down hard and that he's removed from society for the rest of his days.


Deal with the Devil

What? You can get a name jersey for $175? F*ck me eh?

I have come to the realization that I tend to root for evil teams. Yanks, Cowboys, MCFC, and the Devils. OK, so I spent an exorbited amount of money on a Devils jersey. I love playoff hockey. I just can't follow the sport too closely during the regular season. I think that playoff hockey takes on a completely different nature than regular season hockey does.  I was pumped when the Devils took out the Rangers in the East, but figured that they were up against it in the finals. You can't undersell the value of a hot goalie in the NHL playoffs. Brodeur was hot. Quick was hotter. That was the difference.

It makes me sad that Parise will likely jump ship to another team, as his talents have outpriced the Newark market. However, it's hard for me to feel like the Devils will not bounce back, as they have been able to sustain success for longer than just about any Metro-area team outside of the Yankees. They went through similar turmoil when Scott Gomez left (although I admit Parise is a better talent than Gomez).


King Crab

"Not one championship, not two, not three, not four..." etc. I would love to know how you reconcile rooting for this guy. I know it's kind of cliche to root against LeBron....But consider me on board. Can't wait to see him lose again.

This Lebron James guy. I just can't root for him. I know the comparisons to Jordan are in the air. And it makes me less likely to pull for him. And I hated Jordan. But I respected him.

I don't have a lot of respect for LBJ. I think he's a tremendously talented player. However, I don't think you'd ever hear Jordan say "I'm taxed by playing the 4" or anything else resembling an excuse. I hate to be a bandwagon "Heat Hater" but I am. I feel that he has made Dwayne Wade into a player that is difficult to root for. 

All Thunder baby, all the way.

Schmo Hitters

These two Mets hurlers have helped the team stay near the top of the standings this year. Let's not get greedy though.

I was all over the Johan Santana no-hitter. Although a Yankee fan, I'm not a Met hater by any means. It makes for a great summer when both teams are good.  What Terry Collins has done with a team of Omar Quintanillas, of Kirk Neuwenhius', of Lucas Dudas' is remarkable.

I think that Johan deserved his no-hitter, as umpire's decisions are part of the game. I wonder how many no hitters were aided by an umpire's call here or there. I bet there are a few. I think the Santana no-hitter is a great story. And I am happy for Mets fans that they got to experience it. But the Dickey appeal? Come on guy!

They would have been better off just taking the high road and moving on. You can't appeal the play that they did. David Wright doesn't ever make that play against BJ Upton.  They appear to be "no hitter" whores, despite their manager's attempts to minimize the appeal.

Dickey has had a phenomenal year. His back-story makes it even more phenomenal.  He will be a NL All-Star at age 37 and that is to be commended. But let's not try to reach for unearned successes. Could you imagine if the appeal is won?

The Mets two "no-hitters" in history would be on a blown call, and on an appeal. That's no good.

Valentine's Day Massacre

The present-day victims? Francona era World Championship holdovers in the Red Sox locker room.

The Boston Red Sox knew when they hired Bobby Valentine that he walked around with a gasoline can, setting fires from time to time that needed to be put out. He was clearly brought in to ruffle some feathers after last year's brutal collapse due to clubhouse discipline issues.

I'm not sure this is quite what they had in mind.

Valentine succeeded in ruffling some feathers, but might have lost his team in doing so. His openly "ho hum" criticism of fan favorite Kevin Youkilis might have resulted in a permanent divide between the team's world championship "holdover" stars and the new regime. The issue is actually best framed by simply looking at the quotes.

----------------------------
The Bomb

Bobby Valentine
“I don’t think he’s as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason..”

The Vibe: Translation...He's not physically preparing himself the way he should be, and doesn't have the fire that we have seen from him in the past. I don't know why this is. Probably because he just got engaged to Tom Brady's sister and he's complacent now.

Would you marry Julie Brady? Kevin Youkilis would. Looks like "Tom-with-hair" if you ask me..

Wait a minute...Tom has hair.

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Kevin Youkilis (on Valentine's comments)
“I’m more confused than anything. Everybody knows I go out and play the game as hard as I can.”

The Vibe: Translation...What the hell is that bullsh*t?!?!

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Dustin Pedroia (on the situation)

“I really don’t know what Bobby’s trying to do, but that’s not the way we go about our stuff around here. He’ll figure that out. The whole team is behind Youk.”

Asked if Valentine was trying to motivate Youkilis, Pedroia said, “maybe that works in Japan”

The Vibe: Translation..Who does this guy think he is? We run the show around here. Where's your World Series ring Bobby V?

In Japan, Bobby V (shown above) was the biggest star on his team - as an ex-MLB manager. He also led his team to great success while over there. In America (the land of Dustin Pedroia), he is a ringless manager who has been run out of two jobs for running his mouth.

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The Aftermath

Valentine (to the media)
“I should have been more specific. Physical is about your swing, emotional is about not being happy when he doesn’t hit a ball off the wall.”

The Vibe: Way to cover yourself man. So you just reiterated that his mechanics aren't where they need to be, and that he isn't as bothered (or doesn't have the urgency about it) as he usually is.

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Valentine (on his apology to Youkilis)
“I don’t know if he accepted my apology. It was sincere.”

The Vibe: Youkilis didn't leave Valentine's office with them on good terms. If he had, Bobby V would have a damn good idea whether the apology was accepted or not.

Bobby better hope he has some more tricks up his sleeve to win back this locker room. 

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Valentine (on his relationship with Youkilis going forward)
“I’d be surprised if Kevin didn’t know I was totally behind him,” he said. “We’re big boys. I think he’ll get it. If not, I’ll talk to him a lot more.”

The Vibe: Translation...Youk's gotta man up and not worry about petty BS. Get the guy a box of tissues if he wants to cry about it.

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Youkilis (on his moving on from this)
"We're good. We're one happy baseball family."
"It's always good when your teammates have your back. We stick together. The environment here in Boston can be tough. We have to stick together and we've done a pretty good job of it."

The Vibe: Translation...I'm smart enough to know that I have to play nice with the media if we're going to have the kind of team we need to have. Much love to my teammates for backing me up. I'm moving on, but I don't trust this guy anymore.



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Final Vibes

Since the comments, the Sox have lost both games... The most recent a lackluster 18-3 drubbing last night at the hands of the Texas Rangers. To complement the loss, Youkilis wore the golden sombrero with 4 strikeouts at the plate. It is still unclear whether he was pissed off enough after his last K to satisfy Bobby V.

The long term impact remains to be seen, but it's tough to follow a general who you don't trust. While baseball managers play only some of the role in the team's success (batting order, bullpen management, etc), it can certainly create negative energy in the clubhouse if the players do not trust their skipper. Right now, they are at a point where Bobby V is going to have to earn back the trust of his players.

Bobby V and Youk might both find themselves out of Beantown before too long. With Youk struggling to hit bombs, and Bobby dropping them at will, it doesn't look right now is either is part of the solution in Boston.

He's too much of a loose cannon to do that. There's going to come a point where he says something else to the media that causes a stir in his locker room. It's bound to happen based on who he is, and on the intensity of the media coverage in Boston.

He's got turmoil in his bullpen, Ellsbury is hurt, and their rotation has health issues. Based on their play so far, and on what's been going on off the field. This could very well be a two-year maximum stay in Boston for Bobby V.

As for Youk, I think he's on his way out of Boston as well. Perhaps even sooner than Valentine. His production is sharply declining as a function of his health, and it appears that ownership isn't particularly thrilled with him. I could see him getting the "Nomah" treatment with a one-way ticket out of town.

Detooled and Reloaded

2012 New York Yankees

SEASON PREVIEW

Last year's tool, AJ Burnett. (Calabrese/AP)

Last season's end left a bitter taste in the mouth of those in the Bronx. It was a season made memorable by the fantastic (Curtis Granderson, Robbie Cano, CC Sabathia, David Robertson, Mariano Rivera), the disappointing (AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Phil Hughes), and the controversial (Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada). At season's end the starting rotation was the number one area needing attention.

The fact of the matter is that with Andy Pettitte gone, Burnett was supposed to step up as a solid #2 and Hughes the #3. While Hughes battled injury all season, Burnett just proved to be more harm than help most of the year. His second consecutive Coors Field-like ERA punched his ticket out of town.

For Yankee fans, AJ Burnett has never looked so good. Wearing another team's jersey. What is that a roll of silver dollars in his back pocket?!?! (Brad Barr/US Presswire)

 Don't get me wrong. Ivan Nova was an exciting (apologies to Tim Tebow) surprise. Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon gave the team much more than could have been expected. It just wasn't supposed to be like this. The old baseball saying goes: "You can never have enough pitching."

The 2011 Yankees were evidence of that.

This year brings hope as aggressive, yet adulterous, general manager Brian Cashman worked fervently to address the starting rotation. Here's how:

1) Burnett and Colon OUT
2) Garcia signed a one year deal to pitch in more of a versatility role (a la Ramiro Mendoza)
3) Michael Pineda added via trade with Seattle
4) Hiroki Kuroda added via free agency.
5) Andy Pettitte un-retired to add depth

I'm really not sure what to make of Andy Pettitte coming back. I mean I will always love seeing him don the pinstripes. I just think it will be interesting if CC, Kuroda, Nova, Pineda, and Hughes are all pitching well come May. Do they go with a 6-man rotation? I hope not. Do they put Pettitte in the bullpen? I don't believe that's why he signed. Do they take one of the effective guys out of the rotation? That would suck as they are all young, developing starters. It's a situation that bears careful watching.

The last time Andy Pettitte threw off the Yankee stadium mound... Ceremonial first pitch on October 2nd...caught by Jorge Posada. Perhaps this year the roles in that battery will be reversed.

Overall, the Yankees will have another solid, 90+ win season this year. They will be a playoff team and will be fighting for their lives in October against an improved American League. Tampa Bay is their biggest threat in the AL East, and their 1-2-3 punch of Shields, Price, and Hellickson will be a force to be reckoned with. You can certainly see these two teams doing battle down the stretch this year.

OFFENSE

Projected Lineup
1. Derek Jeter SS
2. Curtis Granderson CF
3. Robinson Cano 2B
4. Alex Rodriguez 3B
5. Mark Teixeira 1B
6. Nick Swisher RF
7. Russell Martin C
8. Raul Ibanez / Andruw Jones DH
9. Brett Gardner LF

Why You Should PANIC...

I am not sure what the Yankees expect from the Raul Ibanez/Andruw Jones platoon, but that is the obvious weak spot in this lineup as it stands. Jones will play against lefties (2011 vs. LHP - .286, 8HR, 25RBI) and Ibanez will play against righties (2011 vs. RHP - .256, 16HR, 60RBI).

On paper that's a DH who had a stat line of .263, 24HR, 85RBI, which isn't bad. I just don't see this being a spot where they will be able to count on consistent production. I doubt it will end up as a perfect platoon. Likely they will use Eric Chavez, Eduardo Nunez, and even one of these two to spell some of their aging position players. Expect A-Rod, Tex, and even Jeter to grab some at-bats at DH this season.

No all-star caliber DH? The sky is falling!

Why You Should Feel Like You're Going to Win the World Series... 

Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson give you no reason to think they won't continue their torrid production from last season. Each was an MVP candidate last year, and expect each to have a solid year in 2012. Russell Martin fits perfectly as a role player in this lineup, and his defense was stellar last year.

Teixeira and Alex will put up run-producing numbers (I think Alex still has a lot of production left). Neither will be MVP-caliber, but each will contribute mightily to one of the best offenses in the AL. Derek Jeter bounced back to hit .297 last year, but only scored 84 runs. He'll be looking to continue proving his haters wrong.

His swag is so fresh that he kicked Minka to the curb. You wanna hate? He's beating you at life. (Peeping Tom/Some Blog) 

PITCHING

 Projected Rotation
1. C.C. Sabathia
2. Hiroki Kuroda
3. Ivan Nova
4. Michael Pineda
5. Phil Hughes
Others Receiving Votes: Freddy Garcia, Andy Pettitte

Projected Bullpen
Cory Wade
Boone Logan
Rafael Soriano
David Robertson (setup)
Mariano Rivera (closer)

Why You Should PANIC...

Another year of Boone Logan? Awesome. Coupled with Rafael Soriano, this is one of the more shaky 6th-7th inning pairs in baseball. Soriano came to the Yankees to boost his future stock as a closer, and ended up turning into a poor man's Tom Gordon. He needs a big rebound year, both for the Yankees and for himself. I know its frustrating, but Robertson can't pitch every day. They will need some of these other guys to step up and get some outs.

Why You Should Feel Like You're Going to Win the World Series...

While lacking the star-studded 1-2-3 punch that a team like Philadelphia has, the Yanks have a tremendous amount of depth in their starting arms now, and might have the best collective 1-5 in the AL.

C.C. Sabathia is a horse and a legitimate #1 starter - Cap'n Crunch or not. Hiroki Kuroda gives them a legitimate #2, as he has done nothing but improve since he came over from Japan. He is 37, but is coming off back-to-back seasons with a sub-3.40 ERA and around 200 innings. He must be thrilled that he isn't stuck in run-support purgatory anymore. The 3rd-5th spots are less proven, but the odds are good. Pineda and Nova were ROY candidates last year, and Hughes was an all-star two years ago. Even if just 2 of those 3 have a solid year, the Yanks rotation will be formidable. 

Kuroda is being counted on as a bona fide #2 in this rotation. He could be the biggest key to the Yankees success this year.

Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer of all-time and has done nothing to show that we should not expect vintage Mo' this year. Robertson gives them a solid, dominant strikeout pitcher to set Rivera up. You may not know this, but Robertson finished 10th in AL Cy Young voting last year. Remarkable for a relief pitcher on any team. Even more remarkable for a relief pitcher on Mariano Rivera's team.

FINAL OUTLOOK

The Yankees are built, if nothing else, for regular season success. They have a lineup with few weak spots and a rotation that is deep from 1-5. They have the best setup-closer tandem in baseball. As is usually the case in Yankee land, the question is can they succeed in the postseason? They've seen plenty of Yankee teams hum right along in the regular season, only to run into a swift playoff exit. The answer to this question? You will have to read tomorrow's MLB preview.

RECORD: 96-66 (1st in the AL East)

P.S.
It's worth noting that Joba Chamberlain and his injury were not mentioned at all in this blog, thus cementing his status as irrelevant in Yankee-land. 

Pansy Scheme

2012 New York Mets

SEASON PREVIEW

"But they moved the fences in" said a Mets fan who I spoke with about this season, "Jason Bay and David Wright will have more jacks." That's cute. It's important to remember that they won't be moving the fences back out when the Mets are playing the field. As these two Mets thumpers will be trying to get their HR totals above 20, the opposing teams will be taking full advantage of the hitter-friendly modification to the ballpark. 

On second thought, can we just have the grounds crew take down the fence after the bottom half? (Jim Mancari)

 The team is clearly in a rebuilding phase. Likely, they are at least two carefully planned years away from returning to relevance in the NL East. And I feel that's being pretty generous. They are a team of "IF's."  

If David Wright and Jason Bay return to form. 

If Johan Santana and Ike Davis stay healthy.

If Lucas Duda, Daniel Murphy, and Dillon Gee build on last year.

If Pelfrey, Niese, and Dickey step up and have career years they've proven capable of in the past.

And the list could go on and on. It's just too many things that need to break right. They have the right manager in place to oversee these young guys, but they are several key pieces away from being competitive. A successful year for the Mets would be to see growth from their young guys, along with sense and brains from their front office.

OFFENSE

Projected Lineup
1. Andres Torres CF
2. Daniel Murphy 2B
3. Jason Bay LF
4. Ike Davis 1B
5. David Wright 3B
6. Lucas Duda RF
7. Josh Thole C
8. Ruben Tejada SS

Get Excited About ....

These guys play hard for Terry Collins, and a few of them enjoyed promising "jumpstart" campaigns last year. Lucas Duda hit .292 with 10 HR and 50 RBI in just over half a season, giving fans promise that he will develop into a run producer. Daniel Murphy has proven he can hit at the big league level (.320, 6, 49 last year) and looks to make his mark as the everyday second baseman.

Don't get excited about his defense though. We didn't see this in the Tom Emanski instructional video. (Jeff Roberson/AP)

Be Unsure About...

Josh Thole showed he could develop into a serviceable big league backstop, but the Mets really need him to take a step forward this year to sell fans that he's the answer behind the plate. Ruben Tejada faces a tall task in replacing the Mets most popular player, but is said to be among the slickest-fielding young shortstops in baseball. Offensively, he's a work in progress, but you can get by with your shortstop hitting .260 if he's saving runs on defense. Tejada hit .284 last year in 328 at-bats, but the Mets would be happy with .260 and gold glove caliber defense. We will see. Andres Torres is likely going to be shopped for prospects as soon as his stock rises. There are always plenty of teams looking for a speedy 4th outfielder come trade deadline.

Thole shows some flashes of brilliance at the plate but is very streaky. A consistent offensive season would cement him as a nice complimentary piece that the Mets can use in their rebuilding. (AP Images)

Throw Up About...

Jason Bay is an absolute disaster. He is one of the main reasons the Mets are in their current situation. Think about this...the Mets had a choice in the 2009-10 winter to go after Matt Holliday or Jason Bay. They pursued Bay as their #1 guy. How did that work out?
 

Jason Bay 2010  - .259, 6HR, 47RBI 2011  -  .245, 12HR, 57RBI

Matt Holliday 2010  -  .312 28HR, 103RBI 2011  -  .296, 22HR, 75RBI (...oh, and a World Series title)

In case you're wondering, this is not a Monday Morning QB job. I killed the Mets for going after Bay at the time. They had some fly ball formula that showed that Bay would've had more home runs at CitiField. Nice formula.

Ohhh...THAT'S who came up with the Jason Bay fly ball formula (see left).

David Wright is officially in career decline and does not look to be pulling himself out of it any time soon. His plate discipline is deteriorating, his power numbers are down, and he has no one in this lineup to protect him. Expect big strikeout numbers again as he gets impatient with the junk he is given. One more season like last (.254, 14, 61) and he can take a seat on Jason Bay's lap in the disappointment chair.

Ike Davis could really be in any of these three categories. I feel bad for the poor guy, but he just can't get out of his own way. It won't be his performance that puts him in this category, but his inability to stay healthy. Mets fans should expect another up-and-down season for Davis in which he gives them a spark, but misses significant time along the way.

PITCHING

Projected Rotation
1. Johan Santana
2. Mike Pelfrey
3. Jonathan Niese
4. R.A. Dickey
5. Dillon Gee

Projected Bullpen
Pedro Beato
Bobby Parnell
Manny Acosta
Ramon Ramirez
Jon Rauch (setup)
Frank Francisco (closer)

Get Excited About...

If there is any place where they have some promise, it is their bullpen. Though they lack a true "closer," their back four of Acosta, Ramirez, Rauch, and Francisco is solid. If they had a top closer in here we'd be calling them among the best bullpen in baseball. As it stands, they are still solid.

Please don't tell Frankie I said he's not a true closer.

Be Unsure About...

Obviously, Johan Santana. What will you get from him? I sure don't know the answer to that. My gut feeling is that when he is healthy, he will give you 6 solid innings. Cautious optimism should be tied to Jonathan Niese and Dillon Gee as well, as their continued development could leave the Mets one legitimate arm away from a solid 2013 rotation. The jury is still out on Gee. I can definitely see a sophomore slump as a possibility...he's not going to sneak up on anyone this year.

Throw Up About...

Mike Pelfrey and Bobby Parnell. Each once considered to be a highly touted Mets prospect, both have one foot out the door going into this year. Parnell has done far less in his career than Pelfrey and still is considered to be relatively young. Pelfrey has shown dominance (first 10 starts of 2010) which makes his situation a more urgent one. He is one more down year away from being a staple in the Kansas City Royals rotation.

Ironic? The stereotypical "ball of nerves," Big Pelf has left many Mets fans with their head buried in a bucket over the last year and a half. His placement in the "make you vomit" section is warranted. (AP Images)

FINAL OUTLOOK

The team plays hard all year. A few of the young guys prove they should stick around, while some others prove to be expendable. They'll be pesky and hang around (within 8 games of first) until the All-Star break, but ultimately they will fade in the second half. They get inconsistent #4/5 starter-type production out of Pelf, Niese, Dickey, and Gee, which will not be enough to make a run at a .500 record.

RECORD: 77-85 (5th in a very competitive NL East)