In pursuit of hit no. 3,000 in the illustrious career of New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, the Bronx Bombers and their fans will have to wait as a trip to the Disabled List halts the timing of the All-Star shortstop making history. In his first at-bat during last Monday's game against the visiting Cleveland Indians, Jeter notched the 2,994th hit of his career by lacing a single to left field. There wouldn't be much else to cheer for though as Jeter would have to leave the game just four innings later in what was eventually a 1-0 loss.After hitting a fly ball to right field, Jeter suffered a strained right calf when he began running to first base. After receiving medical attention at a nearby hospital, an MRI revealed a Grade 1 strain. Though Grade 1 is the lowest level strain possible, the injury forced Yankees skipper Joe Girardi to place his future Hall of Fame shortstop on the DL for the first time since 2003. However, with six hits remaining until he reaches the big milestone and only two games at home before an eight game road trip when Jeter is eligible to return to the lineup, the chances of him reaching the feat at home in front of the New York faithful are slim. That's unless he misses a few starts on purpose. But with the team first mentality Jeter has been known for having, that's unlikely.
The injury also comes at a pivotal time as the archrival Boston Red Sox who were slow out of the gates at 2-10 to start the season, have suddenly caught fire winning 14 of their last 17 games and now own sole possession of first place in the powerhouse AL East. But like almost every season for the past 10 years, the final week or so will decide who comes out on top. And just because the Yankees are without the one they call the captain, doesn't mean they're not going to treat every game like it's their last. Since being placed on the DL, New York has done just fine, winning 6 of their 7 games without Jeter in the lineup.Given the Yankees franchise is by far the richest in history highlighted by the success of some of the most elite hitters of all-time with the likes of Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Lou Gehrig just to name a few, it's hard to believe no Yankee player has ever reached the highly coveted 3,000 career hit plateau. Taking that into consideration, I think the smart thing for both Jeter and the Yankees organization to do would be to have him reach the milestone while at Yankee Stadium. Though all milestones are better suited in front of a home crowd, it would be disappointing to see Jeter record his 3,000th career hit anywhere other than New York, granted how rare the feat has occurred.
Jeter who turns 37 later this week, is yet to hit his stride and is so far having an off year after experiencing free agency for the first time in his career this past offseason. Currently hitting .260 with 2 home runs and 20 RBI's, Jeter will try to become only the 28th player in Major League history to join the 3,000-hit club. The question that remains is where it'll take place, whether it's on the road or at home whenever he returns to the Yankees lineup.
With a new team now crowned as NBA Champions, the talk of the offseason will be how LeBron James failed once again to add a Larry O'Brien Trophy to his track record and the turmoil that has followed. And what better way to kick that off than by providing an in-depth look into LeBron's troubled Finals performance.Despite averaging 27 points per game during the regular season, LeBron only managed to average a minuscule 18 points per game in the Finals, making it the largest differential for any player in NBA history. To his credit, LeBron did end up winning two more games than he did in the 2007 NBA Finals when his Cleveland Cavaliers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. However, another failed attempt regardless of how close, doesn't quite live up to the king-sized expectations the one they call "King James" brought upon himself and his team which started last offseason, eight days after the highly criticized -- 'Decision'. Instead of the usual press conference to announce his decision, James made it a worldwide spectacle where he made the infamous, "I'm taking my talents to South Beach" quote.
If his hour long special didn't get under everyone's skin, what followed next most likely did the trick. With the return of Dwayne Wade and the arrival of James and fellow free agent Chris Bosh, Miami Heat president Pat Riley orchestrated an introduction similar to that of a Kiss concert, showcasing Miami's big three. Though the pyrotechnical event was more of a rally to amp up the Miami area and its fan base, many took it as an act of arrogance and thought the team had over did it. Proving just that, LeBron would then make one of the most criticized statements in the history of sports when he proclaimed the team would win, "Not 5...Not 6...Not 7...," implying that they would win 8 NBA titles during their tenure. Whether or not he was in the heat of the moment and just joking around, after his first failed attempt I think the smart thing to do would be to rephrase his prediction considering he was virtually a non-factor in the series as the team was (-) from the floor in games 3-6 when LeBron was on the court.Prior to Game 4 in Dallas, Wade and LeBron were caught on camera mocking and poking fun at Dirk Nowitzki's 101 degree fever. Finishing the night 3-for-11 from the floor with a whopping total of 8 points, LeBron seemed to be the one who was ill. After eventually losing the game which tied the series at 2-games apiece, LeBron told reporters that Game 5 was the most important game of his career. He then answered by shooting 8-for-19 from the floor with only 17 points to show for in route to a 112-103 loss. With a chance to redeem himself two days later, LeBron would improve from his disappointing Game 5 effort by scoring 21 in a 105-95 loss at home.
As if his poor Finals performance didn't warrant enough criticism, his post-game presser did when he opened up another can of worms by saying:"All the people that were rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today. They have the same personal problems they had today. I'm going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that. So they can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may be on being happy about not only myself, but the Miami Heat not accomplishing their goal. But they got to get back to the real world at some point."While I'm sure he meant something entirely different than what he said and the way he said it, the media along with the fans took it as an easier way to say, I'm better than you. And anytime you have to personally clarify what you meant like LeBron did the following day via Twitter, it probably should have been left unsaid. Many believe the whole world against LeBron thing has been blown out of proportion, but the truth is all the negativity aimed towards him has only been brought upon himself. He also just happens to be the biggest name in sports today which comes equipped with having your every move being observed under a microscope.
Though I'm not from Cleveland, Ohio nor have I ever been there for that matter, I feel for the fans considering LeBron was looked at as somewhat of an icon and a savior to be the one that finally leads the city to a championship. The fact that he's an Akron, Ohio native and would not only turn on his hometown, but in the way that he did it, just baffles me. Without their superstar, the Cavs join the city-wide mediocrity led by the Cleveland Browns who haven't won a Championship since 1962 and their baseball counterparts -- the Cleveland Indians who currently own the second longest World Series drought in Major League Baseball (62 years), only behind the Chicago Cubs (102 years).
Also joining the criticism attack on LeBron was Cavs owner Dan Gilbert who has had a history of bashing his former All-Star. After their Finals collapse which saw the Dallas Mavericks reign victoriously on Miami's home-court, Gilbert tweeted: "Congrats to Mark C.&entire Mavs org. Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings. Old Lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE!" James' former Cavs teammate Mo Williams who was among those heartbroken about LeBron's decision to join the Heat also chimed in through his Twitter account by saying, "Dallas just healed my HEART." And though LeBron is hoping he'll wake up one day with the whole world forgiving him for all he's said and done, that's a bit of a far cry considering he barely finished the first year of his six-year, $110 Million contract.
If the NBA encounters a lockout, it'll just give the rest of the basketball world a longer time to spew hatred on the one they call the 'King'. But since his team isn't the one being dubbed as Champions, it looks like instead he'll be referred to as Prince James for yet another year.
It pays to be silent - After a rather surprisingly quiet Postseason from one of the most outspoken personalities in the game of basketball, Mavs owner Mark Cuban can finally break his silence as his team brought home the highly coveted Larry O'Brien trophy for the first time in franchise history on Sunday. While Cuban has spent 11 years at the thrown of the Mavericks waiting for this much anticipated achievement, the Dallas faithful that have been around since day one have waited a patient 31 years since the franchise was founded in 1980. Ironically, they did it against the same team that overcame an 0-2 deficit in the '06 NBA Finals to end their chances of hanging a banner in the rafters just four years ago when Dallas made their first ever Finals appearance.With a title to finally add to their trophy case, it was only appropriate that the greatest player in team history received the hardware as Dirk Nowitzki was named Finals MVP, scoring 21 points in route to a 105-95 victory in the clincher. The former league MVP in 2007 stuck it to those who questioned and poked fun at his illness of a 101 degree fever in Game 4 and a torn tendon in his left middle finger in Game 2 by averaging 26 points in the series to overcome both hardships. In spite of becoming only the fourth player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP that was born outside of the U.S., Dirk's production would come much later as he was cold to start the game. With a poor 1-for-12 shooting performance in the first half, the 10-time All-Star picked it up down the stretch in the 4th quarter like he's done all series long, putting up a 10 spot when it mattered most.
A staggering stat to prove just how dominant Dirk was throughout the series in the final quarter; while Miami's dynamic duo of Dwayne Wade and LeBron James combined for a total of 62 4th Quarter points, Dirk logged 62 4th Quarter points on his own. Though Nowitzki's late-game efforts were among some of the most significant shots of the night, it would be an absolute mockery if I failed to mention Jason Terry.
Prior to the season, Terry, the recipient of the Sixth Man Award in '09 made the gutsy decision to get the Larry O'Brien Trophy tattooed on his right bicep as a reminder to what exactly he was playing for. When asked by the media about the tat before the Finals begun, Terry said he'd have it removed if they were to lose. Luckily for him, both his skin and wallet will be saved as that's no longer the case thanks in large part to Terry's game-high 27 points.Having played not only the entire series, but the entire postseason without their second best player in Caron Butler, players like Terry, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, DeShawn Stevenson and J.J. Barea all stepped up big to help ease the workload of Nowitzki when needed. Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle who was somewhat of a rookie coaching in this Finals atmosphere, made decisions that would make one think otherwise. While there are many to choose from, none were bigger than his choice to start backup point-guard J.J. Barea over Jason Kidd in games 3 through 6 which proved to be a key adjustment. Carlisle also did a fine job orchestrating a defensive scheme to crowd Miami's LeBron James and force the ball out of his hands which practically made him a non-factor in the latter part of the series.
Throughout these playoffs, the Miami Heat were virtually unstoppable at home, posting an undefeated mark of 8-0. Unfortunately for them, their dominant streak at home would be put to the test against a Dallas team that's been nothing short of stellar when playing on the road away from Dallas' American Airlines Arena. Dallas would eventually win two of their four games while on the road in Miami as they finished the postseason 8-3 on the road.Next on the agenda for the World Champion Mavs: the parade. And with a billionaire owner, who better to pay the tab than Mr. Cuban himself. After their Game 6 celebration, Cuban said he's doing just that. One thing he isn't paying for however, are rings. In a post-game interview with the Larry O'Brien Trophy in his lap, Cuban told reporters that rings are too passe and that he's got something else in mind. Considering it's Dallas' first ever NBA title, I find it odd that Cuban plans to reward his players with something other than a ring. But with as much money as he has, the possibilities are endless.
While I'm curious as to find out just what Cuban has up his sleeve, I can only imagine what two the team's more seasoned veterans in Dirk (14 years in the league) and Kidd (17 years in the league) think of the whole idea given they've been on a hunt for a ring their entire careers. Regardless, they'll now have an NBA title under their resume when they're enshrined into the Hall of Fame.After a long night of celebrating his team finally bringing a Championship to Dallas, Cuban tweeted: "This will sound weird. Im laying in bed with the trophy next to me. #dreamscometrue." It appears that sleeping wasn't all the two did together...
With the NFL lockout inconveniencing many players and their teams, one who can take advantage of the current labor dispute is Plaxico Burress. The former New York Giants wide-receiver was released from prison today after serving 21 months behind bars for carrying a loaded weapon to a New York city night club. But now that he's served his time, I think it's safe to say there's only one thing on his mind other than his family and that's returning to the game of football. Burress' departure from the New York penitentiary proved just that as his agent Drew Rosenhaus was among the first to greet him.Despite missing the last two and a half full seasons of the game he's played since his childhood, the NFL's work stoppage could be somewhat beneficial to Burress as it'll allow him extra time to get back on track and into shape depending on how long it lasts. However, if the lockout were to continue on throughout the year, canceling the 2011 season entirely, it would be just another wasted year for the soon-to-be 34 year old Burress who was arrested during the prime of his career. As memorable as Burress' game-winning touchdown catch was with 35 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLII to defeat the New England Patriots, 17-14, ending their bid at an undefeated season, the one incident that could very well define Plaxico's career is the shooting that took place on November 28, 2008.
With a Glock pistol tucked in the waistband of his pants, Burress inadvertently pulled the trigger when the firearm slowly began to slip down his leg, shooting himself in the process. Luckily for him, the injury was not life-threatening which meant for a possible return to the football field after his sentence. With Burress vying for a comeback, the story of Mike Vick's return to fame comes to mind and many even have the two linking up for the upcoming season. And Burress' choice of head wear only added to the discussion as he was interviewed shortly after his release while donning a Phillies ball cap. However, the only real reason for one to think Burress has a shot at becoming an Eagle is that they took a chance on signing Vick when not a lot of teams had the guts to. But with a solid core of young talent already in tact at the wide-receiver position, all signs have him going elsewhere.According to Cadillac Harris, a high school coach and friend of Burress', there's at least eight teams showing interest in signing the former first round pick once the lockout ends. While half of those teams remain unknown, the few we do know about are the Washington Redskins and the Giants cross-town rivals -- the New York Jets. With the Skins in desperate need of a wide-out assuming they lose veteran Santana Moss to free agency, I think they'll be the frontrunners to dish out a lucrative contract and land Burress when it's all said and done. But who knows as a lot can change between now and then.
With both the Western and Eastern Conference Finals coming to a conclusion this past week, the table is now set for the NBA Finals which will feature the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. While most critics are calling it a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals which saw the Shaq led Heat overcome a 0-2 deficit to bring Miami their first and only Larry O'Brien Trophy, I wouldn't call it a sequel given the new faces. Since their '06 showdown, both teams have underwent makeovers as only two players from each team have stuck around -- Dwayne Wade and Udonis Haslem in Miami and Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry in Dallas.
While the cast of superstars featured in the series will be a good one, the storyline of how both teams got here is just as good. Out west, the Mavs' well-seasoned veterans played a key role in defeating a Portland Trailblazers squad that caught fire after acquiring Gerald Wallace from Charlotte before the trade deadline. Next Dallas made a trip to the Staples Center where they disposed of the back-to-back defending world champion Los Angeles Lakers in a 4-game sweep. Finally they toed off against a young but very talented Oklahoma City Thunder squad that was unable to find an answer for Dirk Nowitzki who logged one of the best games in Postseason history by torching OKC for 48 points including a perfect 24-for-24 performance from the free-throw line in Game 1. Dallas would eventually close out the series in 5 games.
Following the diva-like antics the Miami Heat made prior the season starting when they formed their All-Star caliber line-up, anything less than a NBA Finals appearance would be a disappointment. However, LeBron and company have only accomplished half of what they set out to achieve. Facing up against an inexperienced Philadelphia 76ers squad, Miami took the series in 5 games, making their way to the Conference Semifinals. Round 2 against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics which was projected by many to be their most challenging task would prove to be otherwise as Miami manhandled the elderly Celtics who seemed to be expiring faster than a carton of milk. With two steps of the way there, the Heat would then take their talents to Chi town to face off against a Bulls team that boasted the best record in the NBA and swept them in all three regular season meetings.
But after being bullied by the same team in the regular season, the Bulls would experience a twist of fate as Chicago instead found themselves being the ones bullied. After taking Game 1 at home in the windy city, the Bulls were dissected, enduring back-to-back heart wrenching losses where they failed to hang on to a fourth quarter lead including a 12 point debacle in the deciding Game 5. With Carlos Boozer who was acquired by Chicago in the offseason to be the go-to-man of Derrick Rose, the former Utah Jazz All-Star instead played like an an absolute shadow of last year's Boozer as he played no factor in the series what so ever. Boozer along with the rest of the Bulls' lack of production forced the league's MVP to try and do it all by himself, only to come up short as Miami rallied to outscore Chicago 18-to-3 in the final 3 minutes to take the series 4 games to 1.
While the Heat are coming off of 4 consecutive wins over a team that had not lost three straight games all year, the Mavs are winners of 10 of their last 11 games and are coming off of two straight impressive come from behind wins of their own. Having been virtually unstoppable this postseason and nearly unguardable, will we see LeBron try his luck on another former MVP in Nowitzki? Though James was successful when guarding the much smaller D.Rose, trying to contain the 7-foot Dirk will be a much more daunting task given his size advantage over LeBron. Regardless of who's guarding who, the series should be a good one which could easily go either way and the distance.
Prediction: Though I wouldn't rule out any chances of the series going all seven games, I'm predicting the Mavs in six. With two future Hall of Famers in Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki yet to win a ring, what a story book ending it would be to the careers of both players if they were to bring Dallas and Mavs owner Mark Cuban their first ever Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Both teams look to take the hardwood in Miami at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday on ABC.
At AT&T Park on Wednesday, the San Francisco Giants played host to the Florida Marlins in game 2 of a 3 game set where they found themselves in an extra inning affair. Down 6 to 2 in the ninth inning, the defending World Champion Giants rallied to tie the game on a 2-run double by first baseman Aubrey Huff. Despite their valiant effort and late game heroics, San Francisco would go on to lose the game by a final score of 7-6 in extra innings. However, the Giants would lose much more than the game as last year's reigning Rookie of the Year Buster Posey was on the receiving end of a home plate collision.With one out in the 12th inning and the game tied at 6, Emilio Bonifacio stepped up to the dish with Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins on third base. Bonifacio hit a sacrifice fly to shallow right field as Cousins broke for home, bulldozing the defenseless Posey to score the go-ahead run. Immediately following the hit, Posey was seen grimacing with pain and clawing the dirt as team trainers and medical personnel rushed to the scene. After a stoppage of play, the 24 year old Posey was helped off the field and taken to the Giants clubhouse where he was given further evaluation. After receiving x-rays, MRI's revealed torn ligaments in Posey's left ankle and a broken bone in his lower left leg. While his fractured fibula should heal normally according to Giants head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner, his ankle would require season ending surgery, putting the Giants' chances of winning back-to-back titles in jeopardy.
In what is still referred to as being relatively young into the season, the Giants have already had their fair share of injuries as Barry Zito, Pablo Sandoval, Mark DeRosa, Aaron Rowand, Andres Torres and Cody Ross among others have all served time on the bench or on the disabled list. However, no absence is greater than Posey's who not only takes on the daunting task of batting cleanup, but also having to catch an All-Star cast of pitchers that currently owns the fourth best ERA in the Majors (3.23). Both are traits of Posey's which helped play a key role in San Francisco's recent success.Highly regarded as one of the best young catchers in all of baseball, it'll be nearly impossible for the Giants to acquire someone to fill the shoes of Posey given how irreplaceable he is. But that won't prevent Giants general manager Brian Sabean to consider a possible trade if San Francisco's backup catcher Eli Whiteside continues to struggle at the plate. Though nothing is set in stone, all signs point to a possible trade for Washington's Ivan Rodriguez if need be. The injury of their most important position player who was currently riding a 13 game hitting streak, comes at a pivotal time as the Arizona Diamondbacks who have been somewhat under the radar, have crept up from behind in the standings threatening to take over first place in the division.
Though it was just an unfortunate event, nobody feels worse about the incident than Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins, an alum of the University of San Francisco who says he feels bad Posey was hurt and that the Giants are his team. Since the incident, Cousins has called the team twice to send his apologies. Having started in 41 of the Giants' first 48 games this season, Posey has also gotten a beating behind home plate after taking a number of foul balls off the mask. And whether or not you agree, the most recent ailment regarding one of the Giants' most prized possessions has only added fuel to the discussion of if the organization should consider moving Posey to another position to avoid a similar incident from occurring. After all, their most fragile position player is at the most vulnerable of positions.While neither Posey nor his teammates called Cousins' hit dirty, shades of Ray Fosse and Pete Rose in the 1970 All-Star Game come to mind. If a change in Posey's position isn't made, perhaps there will be a change made elsewhere like in the rule book. Although it's happened before, some think the most recent incident could result in a rule change banning catchers to block the plate. Posey's agent and Giants skipper Bruce Bochy certainly think so and are lobbying for a rule change concerning collisions. "I think this probably needs to be addressed," said Bochy who knows a little bit about catching having served 10 seasons in the Big Leagues behind home plate. With Posey sidelined for the rest of the season, the Giants who have been struggling before the injury, will need someone else to step up offensively. The one question us Giants fans are pondering, is who will it be?
While Phil Jackson plans to return to his native Montana to meditate among God know what else this offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers are forced to move on. And though his retirement is thought by many to be a brief one, if he does return to coach in the NBA, it won't be with the purple and gold. If Jackson gets bored of fly-fishing after awhile like I would expect him to, all signs are pointing to him coaching the New York Knicks whom he played 11 seasons with, winning two NBA titles. Instead of retiring at the pinnacle of greatness after winning his record 11th ring last season, the Zen Master returned for a shot at a third career three-peat, but was instead treated to his first ever sweep at the helm of the Lakers after being upset by the Dirk Nowitzki-led Dallas Mavericks.With Jackson no longer part of the equation in Tinsel Town, a new name would emerge and be forced to perform under the bright lights of Staples Center. Such names as Bryan Shaw, Rick Adelman, Mike Dunleavy and Jeff Van Gundy were all potential candidates, but none made the cut. Instead former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown who was said to be a long shot, was chosen to be the one who puts an end to the Phil Jackson era. Brown who was a product under Spurs head coach Greg Popovich, was awarded the job of a lifetime and a 4 year, $18.25 Million contract after awing Lakers vice president of personnel Jim Bus with his defense-minded style.
Not only does Brown inherit a star studded line-up, but he also inherits the larger than life expectations that comes equipped when coaching one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. Not to mention he's got some pretty large shoes to fill. Though it wasn't the ideal hiring in my opinion as I was hoping for Shaw or Adelman to land the job, Brown does have some impressive credentials on his track record including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2007 and a 2009 NBA Coach of the Year Award. However, the 2-time MVP LeBron James has a lot to do with that. During his tenure in Cleveland, the LeBron-led Cavs finished back-to-back seasons with the best record in the league under Brown. But it's worth noting that if Brown was a successful mentor with basically one player, it'll be interesting to see what he's capable of with an entire cast of all-star caliber talent.The biggest shocker though revolving the hire of Brown is that the organization did not consult team captain Kobe Bryant. Days after the Lakers made the signing of their new head coach official, the only discussions between Kobe and Brown have been through text messages. Although Kobe hasn't publicly disapproved of Brown being named the 24th coach in franchise history, it's no secret he was lobbying for his former teammate Brian Shaw to land the gig. With Brown now under control in L.A. and calling the plays for one of the games all-time greats, the relationship between him and Kobe could either be a match made in heaven or it could be a recipe for disaster considering Brown has been known for being somewhat of a pushover in Cleveland as LeBron was often seen as the one calling the shots.
Some good news for Texas Rangers fans as one of the leagues most formidable tandems of Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz return to the lineup. The revamped offense will see the homecoming of their reigning American League MVP for the first time since April 12 when he was placed on the DL after sliding into home on a debatable play at the plate, being tagged out at home and breaking his arm in the process. Hamilton went public regarding the disputable call from the Rangers third base coach to send him, saying it was a bad decision. Since their blazing start to the season with Hamilton in the lineup, the Rangers have been six games under .500 without him (15-21).
Though he doesn't generate as much production as Hamilton, Cruz's return to the lineup will also be a welcomed one, as much of Texas' hot start had a lot to do with Cruz's consistent hitting to begin the season which saw him hit 7 home runs in 31 games before suffering a strained quad on May 3. Cruz also become only the third player in Major League history to ever homer in the first four games of the season. The timing of the return will be perfect given the Rangers have struggled to score runs lately, plating a combined 5 runs in their last four games. Not to mention the division is still up for grabs as a slim 2.5 games separates last place from first.
As for the Philadelphia Phillies who have been without arguably the best second baseman in the National League to start the season due to a knee injury, the team is hoping the addition of Chase Utley's bat in the lineup will help Philadelphia pull away with the division. Without their All-Star second baseman, the Phils offense has been struggling a bit, but their dominant starting rotation has kept them atop the standings as they currently own a 1.5 game lead over the second place Florida Marlins. With both the Rangers and Phillies projected favorites to not only win their divisions this season, but also contend for a title, who's return will make a bigger impact to their team, Utley's or Hamilton's?
If anybody has the right to criticize a ball club and its players, it's the team owner. And with what looks to be another disappointing season in Queens, Mets owner Fred Wilpon is doing just that. After signing a string of players to lucrative contracts and little success to show for mainly due to injury, Wilpon has expressed publicly just how harsh he's being on not only the players he signed, but also himself for investing in them.Referring to Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran who had a historic Postseason while a member of the Houston Astros in 2004 where he belted 8 home runs tying a single Postseason record before signing with the Mets, Wilpon told The New Yorker magazine, "We had some schmuck in New York who paid him based on that one series. He's sixty-five to seventy percent of what he was." Following his impressive run in Houston which ended after losing in the World Series to the Chicago White Sox, Beltran garnered the attention of Wilpon as a free agent who signed him to a 7-year, $119 Million deal which at the time was the richest contract in franchise history. Little did he know, much of Beltran's tenure with the ball club would be plagued by injury as he's missed portions of both the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Making matters worse, Beltran underwent knee surgery last season which the Mets claim was without their consent.
However, Beltran wasn't the only player targeted by Wilpon, as he also had some not so nice things to say about third baseman David Wright who's been the face of the Mets franchise since being called up in 2004. "David Wright is a really good kid, but not a superstar," Said Wilpon. As for Mets shortstop Jose Reyes who like Beltran is in a contract year and has also had his share of injuries, Wilpon told The New Yorker, "He thinks he's going to get Carl Crawford money. He's had everything wrong with him. He won't get it." For Reyes who's currently in the final year of a four-year extension signed back in '06, the 27 year old speedster is hoping to return to form as he's been among the elite at his position when healthy.Despite going public with his strong disinterest in how his team has performed over the past few years, Wilpon does have something to be mad about. Coming into the 2011 season, the Mets owned the seventh highest payroll in the league with much thanks to the recent spending of players like Johan Santana, Jason Bay and Francisco Rodriguez. While both Santana and K-Rod have performed as expected thus far in a Mets uni, Bay has so far failed to meet expectations as his name will most likely be added to Wilpon's list in the near future. To avoid overspending and falling in a similar hole, Wilpon says he plans to slash the Mets payroll by as much as 30 percent next season. Luckily for them, first base will be among the few positions they won't need to address as they've got a promising young talent in 24 year old Ike Davis.
Just four days after Minnesota's Francisco Liriano etched his name into the record books by throwing a no-hitter, Tigers ace Justin Verlander joined him by tossing the second no-no of his career and seventh in Tigers franchise history.
On the road in Toronto while facing the Blue Jays, Verlander who normally baffles his victims via the strikeout, having led the American League in K's in 2009, instead managed to get the opposition out by way of the ground and fly ball variety. And though he didn't amass an impressive strikeout total like he did in 2007 when compiling 12 K's in his first no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers, the four punch outs which also matched a season-low, enabled him to coast through innings with a relatively low pitch-count heading into the latter innings of the ballgame. Verlander did have his strikeout stuff though as his fastball reached speeds up to 101 MPH as late as the 7th inning.His only flaw would come with one out in the 8th inning when he walked Jays rookie catcher J.P. Arencebia in a 12-pitch at-bat that ended in a ball just millimeters off the plate. Had it not been for the walk, Verlander would've had a perfecto as no other Blue Jay reached base. However, the former AL Rookie of the Year did face the minimum 27 batters as Toronto third baseman Edwin Encarnacion followed Arencebia's walk by hitting into an inning-ending double play. Verlander's masterful performance was capped off by striking out Rajai Davis swinging en route to a 9-0 victory. The 28 year old hurler was treated to a Gatorade shower after his teammates rushed the mound to congratulate him on his magnificent feat.
With a second no-hitter on his resume, Verlander became just the seventh pitcher since 1954 to toss a no-no while facing the minimum (27 batters) and only the 28th player in modern Major League history to record multiple no-hitter's. Even after joining the short list of pitchers with more than one no-hitter, Verlander has his sights on an even greater achievement and says he's aiming for 7 no-no's, a territory only one man has been able to reach -- the legendary Nolan Ryan.Preparing for his voyage, the Tigers righty will have the odds against him as only five pitchers have thrown more than two no-hitters. But as a proud Fantasy owner of Verlander, I'll be wishing him luck and cheering him on every inch of the way.
