Bobby Valentine Article

Ba-boom, check it.

http://iusportcom.com/prosports/valentines-day-red-sox-get-their-man-but-is-he-the-right-choice/

Let's Start the Bidding at...

Baseball is over. As hard as it is for me to say that, it's true. Baseball is over...

...well, for the most part.

Free Agency Frenzy is upon us!

As of 12:01 AM, players who have filed for free agency can begin negotiating new contracts with all 30 clubs. The star studded free agent class, headlined by St. Louis Cardinals slugger/machine/alien/god, Albert Pujols, is sure to be the topic of interest this offseason, as teams look to improve their clubs to gear up for the 2012 season.

While Pujols is the cream-of-the-crop of free agent hitters, the top free agent pitcher did not even get the chance to hit free agency. The Yankees re-signed ace left-hander CC Sabathia to a five-year, $122 million contract to make him the highest paid pitcher in baseball. Sabathia, who was in the midst of a seven-year, $161 million contract had an opt-out clause that could have allowed him to hit free agency. However, after professing his love for New York and the Yankees, the two sides were able to reach an agreement rather quickly and prevent Sabathia from using the opt-out clause.

So we've got our first big name off of the market. While the marlin has been reeled in, there are still plenty of big fish left in the pond. I know, lame analogy, but it worked a little? (Please, give me some laughs)

With many other great free agent hitters and pitchers auctioning their services, this market will be one to surely keep an eye on. Who will go where? How much? Will we have some shockers?

I compiled a list of the top-five free agents, and gave my take on where they'd end up and how much it'd take to get them. So without further adieu, let's start with number one:

1. Albert Pujols

Position: First Base

Opening Day 2012 age: 32

Original Team: St. Louis Cardinals

Baseball, meet your next $200 million man. If anyone's deserving of the next $200+ million contract, it's 32 year-old Jose Alberto Pujols.

A three-time National League Most Valuable Player and a career .328 hitter who has slugged 445 home runs over an 11-year career with the Cardinals, "The Machine" might be the best player in the game. Scratch that, it's not even debatable - he is the game's best.

Fresh off his second World Championship in this year's feat over the Texas Rangers, Albert is looking to cash in big-time. However, he just completed his "worst" season, hitting .299 with 37 home runs and 99 RBIs, snapping his 10-year streak of a .300+ batting average, 30+ home runs and 100+ RBIs. He must be pretty washed up, eh?

There's a chance he could pass Alex Rodriguez's record setting $275 million contract (signed in 2008) with the Yankees, but will it happen in St. Louis?

That remains to be seen.

Will the Cardinals give Albert what he's worth to keep their star in red and white? My senses are telling me that there's absolutely no way that Albert Pujols leaves St. Louis. It's a scary thought for sure, handing out a huge $200 million contract to a player who's nearing his mid-thirties and will hit the inevitable decline stage, but it's something simply the Cardinals must do, if not for their team then for their fan base. Albert is going to spend the rest of his career mashing the ball in Busch Stadium

Destination: St. Louis Cardinals, eight-years/$245 million

2. Prince Fielder

Position: First Base

Opening Day 2012 age: 27

Original Team: Milwaukee Brewers

At just 27 years of age, Big Daddy Jr. will be hitting the free agent market. The second-best hitter on the market, Prince Fielder will be looking for at least over $180 million wherever he decides to take his talents. A bulky kid, standing at 5'11 and 275 lbs, Prince is sure to provide the pop to whichever team requests his services.

After publicly stating that he probably would not return to the Brewers, public speculation is that Prince will 100% be in another uniform come Opening Day. With Fielder, a team is getting a player who plays solid defense at first base, provides at least 37 home runs, and energizes a clubhouse. The big lefty slugger was a key cog in Milwaukee's playoff run this season, hitting .299 with 38 home runs and 120 RBIs during the regular season.

Teams are reported to be scared of Fielder for one reason: his weight. Fielder, like his father Cecil, has always been known to be a big guy. While his weight hasn't been shown to effect him in his career so far, there is worry that as he ages the weight will soon take its toll on his knees. If his weight issue doesn't scare teams, perhaps super agent Scott Boras, who just so happens to represent Fielder, will.

With Boras, it's very likely that Fielder will demand a long-term deal that should be within the $180-200 million range. For a player of Fielder's strengths and age, it makes sense... but where is the fit?

Enter, the Chicago Cubs.

With new President of Baseball Operations, Theo Epstein, and General Manager, Jed Hoyer, at the helm, expect the Cubs to be very aggressive suitors for Fielder's services. With tons of money to spend, and a rebuilding process in the works, Chicago could look into securing Fielder as the cornerstone piece to their return to glory alongside Starlin Castro. The Cubs currently hold a vacancy at first base, and I'm sure that Prince would love to mash some homers onto Sheffield Avenue.

Destination: Chicago Cubs, seven-years/$195 million

3. Jose Reyes

Position: Shortstop

Opening Day 2012 age: 28

Original Team: New York Mets

Mets fans, time to toss those "KEEP REYES" t-shirts. Jose Reyes, the National League's batting champion, is looking for a new home.

A career Met, Reyes is most likely not going to return to Flushing next season to play in the newly refurbished Citi Field. A high-contact hitter who focuses his game on stealing bases and hitting triples, Reyes, 28, is looking at upwards of $100 million. In other words, he'll be taking his services to whoever presents him with "Carl Crawford Money."

"Carl Crawford Money" refers to the seven-year, $142 million contract that Crawford signed with the Boston Red Sox last winter. Reyes and Crawford are similar players who base their game on speed and hitting for contact. After the season Reyes just had, .337 with seven home runs, 44 RBI and 39 stolen bases, one would think that he is definitely deserving of such a contract. However, Reyes has been known throughout his career to be injury-prone, as he spent part of each of the past three seasons on the disabled list, and is, in some ways, a shell of the former player he once was.

Once a lock for 60+ stolen bases, Reyes can no longer run the way he used to. Various hamstring and foot injuries have derailed his base running skills. No team should expect for him to steal upwards of 50 bases, as around 30-40 seems more reasonable. Despite these injuries, Reyes is still one of the best shortstops in the game.

Is Reyes deserving of $140 million? His play on the field says yes, but any team looking to sign the All-Star Reyes will probably be cautious. I've always been a big believer in being cautious before giving a big contract to a player who bases his game on speed. As Reyes ages, his speed with inevitably start to slow, and he'll now longer be a stolen base threat. It's a risk that some team will have to take on Reyes.

That being said, I see Reyes landing his big deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers, who cut loose shortstop Yunieksy Betancourt, would be the perfect fit for Reyes. The Brewers would not only be fixing their hole at shortstop, but they'd be adding another potent offensive hitter to help ease the loss of Prince Fielder, who most likely will not return to Milwaukee. Reyes fits the Brewers style of rag-tag, gritty-gutsy baseball, and has the energetic personality to light up a clubhouse that already includes Nyjer "Tony Plush" Morgan and NL MVP candidate, Ryan Braun.

Destination: Milwaukee Brewers, six-years/$138 million

4. C.J. Wilson

Position: Left Handed Starting Pitcher

Opening Day 2012 age: 31

Original Team: Texas Rangers

With CC Sabathia back in New York, C.J. Wilson becomes the cream-of-the-crop for free agent pitchers. Wilson, who has spent the past two years as a starter for Texas after five years in the bullpen, will be seeking anywhere from "A.J. Burnett Money" to $100 million.

That's not a typo, folks. The guy has two years as a starter and wants $100 million.

Despite it being just his second year as a starter, Wilson had a fantastic season for the American League Champion Rangers, going 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA in 34 starts while striking out 206 hitters in 223.1 innings over the course of the regular season. His performance this season surely makes him worthy of a $100 million contract, right?

Wrong.

Wilson was terri-bad (yes, that is terrible and bad) in the postseason for Texas, going 0-3 and posting an ERA over 6.00 and walking 19 batters in 28 innings. However it is not just his postseason track record that may not make him deserving of such a big payday, it is also his inexperience as a starter and the fact that he is already in his 30s. If I'm a team that has interest in the lefty, I am not giving him what he demands. Instead, I would reason him down to about $70-80 million, perhaps topping out at $82.5 million, the amounts similar pitchers Burnett and John Lackey received when they hit free agency.

Wilson is an ace of some sorts, but profiles as an above-average solid #2 or #3 starter for sure, and he'll be filling that role next year when he re-ups with the Rangers. The Rangers cannot afford to lose Wilson. While they are pipelined with young arms in the minor leagues and have one of the best farm systems in baseball, they do not have a true ace to head their rotation. Derek Holland, while he shined in the World Series, is not ready for that task, ditto that for Colby Lewis. Wilson has also publicly expressed interest in staying in Texas, but will consider his other options. I fully expect him to re-up in the Lone Star State.

Destination: Texas Rangers, five-years/$75 million

5. Yu Darvish

Position: Right Handed Starting Pitcher

Opening Day 2012 age: 25

Original Team: Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan)

The fifth-best free agent on the market isn't even a free agent yet, and hasn't even pitched in Major League Baseball. So how is Yu Darvish ranked fifth?

Darvish, 25, has been talked about for years as the next "big-thing" from Japan. Said to be better than Daisuke Matsuzaka, Darvish could be posted this offseason by the Fighters if he chooses, and at this point it's very likely, to want to play in America.

With Japanese players who are restricted free agents, American teams must bid for the rights to talk to the player. For example, in 2006, the Boston Red Sox paid a record-setting $51.1 million to speak to Matsuzaka and signed him to a six-year, $52 million contract. While a team can win the rights to talk to the player, that does not mean that they can agree upon a contract. In this case, the team receives the money it bid back and the player would spend another season in Japan.

Darvish is a different breed from other Japanese pitchers. At 6'5, 185 lbs, Darvish is the owner of a career 75-32 record with a 2.12 ERA over six-seasons with the Fighters. He has had an ERA under 2.00 the past four seasons. Darvish's other accolades include being named the Pacific League MVP twice (2007 & 2009) and winning the Eiji Sawamura Award, the equivalent of the Cy Young Award, in 2007. He also was a key component in Japan's 2009 World Baseball Classic win.

In the MLB, Darvish is projected to be an ace or, at worst, a #2 starter. Still considered a prospect, reports say that Darvish will surpass Matsuzaka's bidding record with upwards of at least $60-70 million, on top of receiving a contract that is predicted to be around $100 million. What's even better is that, if the hype is true, he'll be worth it.

Signing a Japanese player is always a risk. Over the course of the past decade we've seen successful Japanese pitchers such as Matsuzaka, the Yankees' Kei Igawa, the Braves' Kenshin Kawakami, and others squander in the major leagues. The MLB is a huge step from the NPB. The competition is tougher, the ballparks are different, and the American baseball is slightly bigger than the Japanese baseball. There's no reason to say Darvish won't excel in America, but there's also plenty of concern and proof that he could fail.

In my opinion, Darvish is a different pitcher from the other Japanese players who have migrated to America. He's got better command of his pitches, has truly dominated the NPB, and is young enough to mature to American talent. That's why Darvish, pending he is posted, is going to pitch next season with the New York Yankees.

The Yankees have been doing their homework on Darvish for years. Yankee Universe has buzzed about with the idea of Darvish joining a dream rotation as the second starter behind Sabathia and rookie-sensation Ivan Nova. However, after their most recent Japanese pitching failure in Igawa, could the Yankees be worried that Darvish could turn out the same way, only much more expensive?

“I think we’re more prepared today than we have been in the past in terms of how we evaluate players over there and what risks we’re willing to take,” Yankees' GM Brian Cashman said. “… We’ve gotten a lot more educated by our past experiences as you would expect. That doesn’t mean we’re going to shy away. That doesn’t mean we’re going to be more aggressive. That just means I think we’ve gotten more educated, that’s all, and that’s a good thing.”

So while there's no indicator that it is a definite that Darvish lands in New York, or that he comes to America, there is a definite consensus among the industry that Darvish is the real-deal. I expect the Yankees, who are said to not be heavily interested in Wilson or Roy Oswalt, to go hard for Darvish.

Destination: New York Yankees, five-years/$100 million

The 2011 World Series: Who Cares?

Can I get a show of hands for who would have picked the 2011 World Series matchup of the St. Louis Cardinals vs. the Texas Rangers?

Anyone at all? No one? Not so shocking because, quite honestly, who would have predicted that outcome at the start of the 2011 season?

Who cares about the World Series?

If you thought last year's World Series (San Francisco Giants vs. Texas Rangers in which SFG won) was dull and drew low ratings (8.4 rating was the lowest in history - tied with 2008 Tampa Bay Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies), well, it's pretty much the same situation this year.

You guessed it: Two non-east coast teams, in not-so-big sports markets, competing yet again for baseball's title. Yes, the Cardinals have a great fan base in St. Louis and it's bigger than San Francisco's, but let's be honest: it's nothing compared to the fan bases of baseball's powerhouse east coast teams. As for the Rangers' fan base, it's just beginning to take shape. In two consecutive American League West division titles and American League Pennants later (2010 & 2011), it's grown, but still is no match for the eastern teams. For Fox broadcasting, this means another year of record low World Series ratings.

It's no secret that Fox's broadcasting of the playoffs and World Series is always higher when any of the big east coast teams are in it. Those teams have bigger fan bases, the names fans want to see, the history, so much more at stake, and most importantly...

The most amount of haters.

Believe it or not, but the New York Yankees are good for baseball. So are the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, and (wait for it) New York Mets.

How can these teams, all four of which are in the top 10 in payroll, be good for the game? How can these teams that buy talent be considered vital to baseball? Aren't their tactics for success ruining the game for fans of smaller market teams?

While the average small-market fan hates these teams for all the reasons mentioned above, television broadcasting stations and Major League Baseball, on the other hand, have a different opinion.

They love them.

Why?

It's all about the money.

Consider the following statistics:

• 2010 World Series: Giants vs. Rangers - Ratings Average of 8.8
• 2009 World Series: Yankees vs. Phillies - Ratings Average of 11.7
• 2008 World Series: Phillies vs. Rays - Ratings Average of 8.4
• 2007 World Series: Red Sox vs. Rockies - Ratings Average of 10.7
• 2006 World Series: Cardinals vs. Tigers - Ratings Average of 10.1
• 2005 World Series: White Sox vs. Astros - Ratings Average of 11.2
• 2004 World Series: Red Sox vs. Cardinals - Ratings Average of 15.8
• 2003 World Series: Marlins vs. Yankees - Ratings Average of 12.8
• 2002 World Series: Angels vs. Giants - Ratings Average of 12.0
• 2001 World Series: Diamondbacks vs. Yankees - Ratings Average of 15.5
• 2000 World Series: Yankees vs. Mets - Ratings Average of 15.5

Of the Top Five World Series ratings of the past decade, four featured at least one east coast team. As well, one can note the significant drop in ratings after the 2007 World Series, in which the Red Sox played, to the 2008 World Series (before Philadelphia became a major powerhouse) which featured, at the time, two small market teams.

However, after Philadelphia won the 2008 World Series and found themselves in the 2009 World Series against baseball's most-watched money-making machine, the Yankees, ratings rose over 30%, only to fall back down 30% during the 2010 World Series.

So, why do television broadcasts and Major League Baseball do so well when east coast teams (specifically the Yankees, who appear 3/5 times in the top five) are in the World Series?

It's simple, really: People want to see the Yankees lose.

Baseball fans hate the Yankees. They hate their money, winning, and fans. Consider this: Last year, TBS broadcasted the ALCS between the Yankees and Rangers, averaging a 5.1 rating. This year, TBS broadcasted the NLCS between the Cardinals and Brewers, drawing a 2.9 rating. Drop-off much?

That's not to say baseball fans don't hate the Phillies or Red Sox as well. They have just as much money and winnings as the Yankees do. But it's a fact: people want to see the best teams in baseball in the World Series. That's why the Red Sox and Phillies was supposed to be a lock for this year's fall classic. Had the Red Sox not collapsed, and Philadelphia not underperformed, ratings for this year's series might be on the cusp of the top five.

I'm still going to watch the World Series. I love baseball, and always will. Will I care as much though, seeing as neither of baseball's best teams in their respective leagues are in it? Probably not. No one, I mean no one, could have predicted this World Series. I don't expect these ratings to be at an all-time-low however. St. Louis is a great baseball city and their fans will get those ratings up.

As John Sterling always says: "You can't predict baseball."

Cardinals in seven.

Theo Epstein: Savior?

Since their epic collapse at the end of the 2011 season, the Boston Red Sox have not had trouble staying out of the headlines.

From the disbelief of the team's collapse, Terry Francona's duties relieved as manager of the club, the allegations that Red Sox pitchers were drinking beer, eating fried chicken and playing video games in the clubhouse on days which they did not start, to questions of the leadership of veteran players in the clubhouse, the Red Sox have been the punch-line of everything gone wrong since the end of the season.

To make matters worse, the team has now lost its "Michelangelo," so to speak. The architect who constructed a team that was destined to have been the 2011 World Series Champions, is trading his office at Fenway Park for a new one at Wrigley Field.

Yesterday, (now former) Boston Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein agreed to a five-year contract worth $20 million with the Chicago Cubs to become their new GM and President of Baseball Operations. The lovable losers have brought in Epstein with the intent of ending their dismal 103-year World Series Championship drought and ending the "Curse of the Billy Goat." Epstein, who constructed two World Championship Red Sox teams, including the 2004 team that broke the 86-year "Curse of the Bambino," is no stranger to breaking curses.

Theo Epstein: General Manager, President of Baseball Operations &... Savior?

That has a nice ring to it.

The news of Epstein signing with the Cubs is only another spiral in the downfall that the Red Sox have endured this postseason.

Just a few weeks ago, there was speculation at the end of the season after the collapse that perhaps Epstein would bolt Beantown to go to Chicago to fill their GM vacancy. At the time, Epstein was still under contract with the Red Sox for one more year, his contract expiring after the 2012 season. While many thought it was unlikely that Epstein would leave a guaranteed 90+ win team with the capabilities of contending for a championship every year, as well as an ownership group that had pockets deep enough to contend with the Steinbrenner's in New York, growing belief in the baseball industry was that Epstein had "had enough" in Boston after nine years, and that he was looking for a new challenge.

In 2002, the Red Sox appointed Epstein, just 28 years old at the time, general manager of the club, making him the third youngest GM in baseball history and the youngest at that time. Since Epstein took over in November 2002, the Red Sox:

• Have won 90 or more games seven out of Epstein's nine seasons
• Won the 2007 American League East Division
• Won the American League Wild Card five times
• Appeared in the playoffs six times of the nine seasons
• Won two World Series Championships in 2004 & 2007
• Have a payroll of $160,257,476 - the third largest in MLB

To say the least, Theo Epstein has turned the Boston Red Sox into a major league Power-House.

Good luck to the guy who steps in to fill Epstein's shoes.

However, while Theo might be "the guy" for the Cubs who delivers them a championship, that isn't to say that Epstein isn't without flaws.

The allegations that pitchers Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and John Lackey drank beer, ate fried chicken and played video games in the clubhouse on days on which they did not pitch led many to believe that perhaps Epstein and now ex-manager Terry Francona did not have the respect of their players. Francona, as the manager, is in charge of the ball club from a team perspective, and does not have the power that Epstein does. It's simply unacceptable that Epstein would allow his players to do such things in the clubhouse, especially with the power he had as a general manager. It's unprofessional and embarrassing.

Despite these allegations, Epstein has also been known to fall in love with signing big-name free agents to long-term, expensive deals, many of which have not been worth the money printed on their paycheck. The most recent examples include left fielder Carl Crawford, pitcher John Lackey, and outfielder J.D. Drew - all of which have mediocre, if not less, during their tenure in Boston.

So what does the future look like in Boston? Right now, it does not look too promising. Yes, the team still has its core players intact with the likes of Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Adrian Gonzalez, but after a season in which the team released their eight-year veteran manager, lost perhaps the best general manager in baseball, had controversy in the front-office, drama in the clubhouse, and disappointment on the field, the future looks cloudy. Ben Cherington, the assistant to the general manager, is the favorite to be Boston's new GM. He'll have a big offseason ahead of him, not just with the likes of Jonathan Papelbon and David Ortiz scheduled to hit free agency, but to rebuild the organization.

On the bright side, how does the future look in Chicago, Cubs fans?

Being a life-long Yankees fan, I've never experienced "losing." However, since I arrived at Indiana University, I've noticed the extreme amount of Cubs fans on campus. When the MLB Playoffs started, Cubs fans could not care more. The Cubs had just wrapped up a season in which they finished in 5th place in the NL Central (in part to the Houston Astros for being horrible), at 71-91. They were prepared to lose All-Star third baseman Aramis Ramirez via free agency, and the dreams of capturing a championship in 2012 seemed bleak. What seemed more than likely was that the Cubs' drought would continue.

Now, with news that come November the Houston Astros will be changing leagues and moving to the AL West, the Cubs have a very real possibility of finishing in last place in the central. However, those thoughts have since been put to rest.

Enter, Theo Epstein: curse-breaker.

That's right: Theo Epstein is going to break the curse of the Billy Goat.

I said it when former Cubs GM Jim Hendry was fired, while Epstein was still with the Red Sox and before speculation even began to swirl. Epstein and Chicago would be a perfect fit.

Imagine if Epstein, who already broke the 86-year "Curse of the Bambino" could break the 103-year "Curse of the Billy Goat?" That's over 180 years of curses that Epstein would have solved. Could he be a mortal baseball god? Perhaps that's getting too ahead of things, but if Epstein were to break the Cubs' curse, he would be a Hall of Fame GM.

That being said, no, the Chicago Cubs will not win a championship next year, or perhaps the year after. Epstein's first few years with the Cubs will be rebuilding years. Do not expect him to sign Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder or any other big name this year via free agency. Do not expect Epstein to handicap the Cubs with big-contracts.

Instead, expect Epstein to rebuild the entire Cubs organization from the ground up. Epstein will re-stock the entire Cubs farm system, which ranked 16th overall last season in Baseball America's farm system rankings, with pure baseball talent. He'll build a team around shortstop and face-of-the-franchise Starlin Castro, second baseman Darwin Barney, and pitcher Matt Garza.

While we can speculate all day about who will be playing for the Cubs next season, right now Epstein's first task is hiring a new manager. It's more than likely that manager Mike Quade will not return next season, and rumors circulated that whoever the new Cubs' GM was, they would bring someone from outside the organization. Could a Francona-Epstein reunion be re-ignited in Chi-Town? That would instill a winning mentality for sure, and would draw players to the friendly confines of legendary Wrigley Field.

Now here's my bold prediction: Within three years of Epstein's tenure as Cubs' GM, the Cubs will return winning form and will win a championship under Epstein. I stand behind that statement 100%.

In Theo Epstein, the Chicago Cubs are getting a General Manager who has been exposed the beauties and ugliness of baseball in the American League East. They are getting a GM who has never been afraid to spend money to get resources that his club needs. Most importantly, the Cubs are hiring a GM who knows the one major concept of baseball: winning.

Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox) predicted in Back to the Future II that the Cubs would win the World Series in 2015, and you have to admit, with Epstein at the helm of baseball operations, it's looking more and more likely. Then again, maybe that's just a coincidence.

Get ready Cubs fans, the future in Chicago starts now.

Did that really just happen?

Am I dreaming?

Seriously, is this real life?

Did the Boston Red Sox lose and miss the playoffs?

Did the Tampa Bay Rays really rally back to win from a 7-0 deficit in the 8th inning against the American League's best team?

Did the Atlanta Braves really blow it in the 9th?

If you told me that, without seeing it for myself, I'd think you were full of it... but last night, all of those questions were answered.

Perhaps what is now the worst American League collapse in baseball history, the Red Sox will not be seeing October unless it's on the television. Ditto that for the Braves, who collapsed just as bad in the National League. The two biggest collapses in baseball history within 20 minutes of each other.

Both teams led by a score of 3-2 in the 9th inning with their All-Star closers on the hill to close it out and send both teams to, if not the playoffs, a one-game tiebreaker.

Both closers imploded.

By the time the 9th inning came around, the Braves already knew that the St. Louis Cardinals had defeated the Houston Astros 8-0 and secured a spot for a one-game tie-breaker playoff, should the Braves be able to hold on and win the game. They knew the Cardinals were hot, finishing September with a record of 18-8. Atlanta's 8.5 game lead (on Sept. 2nd) had fizzled, and the Braves were looking to erase their 9-18 record September failure.

However, things didn't exactly work out that way.

Rookie closer Craig Kimbrel, who led the National League in saves with 46, blew up in the 9th inning, struggling to retire the side and allowing the Philadelphia Phillies to tie the ballgame up at 3-3. The game would go on for four more innings, ending with a 4-3 Philadelphia win in 13 innings after a double-play ground out by Atlanta first baseman, Freddie Freeman. Stunned that they would not be playing October baseball, the Braves gathered their belongings and made the long trudge back to the clubhouse, while the Cardinals celebrated in Houston as the NL Wild Card Champions.

Perhaps what happened in the American League was an even greater shock.

The 2011 Boston Red Sox were supposed to be the team.

They had it all. They had just signed Carl Crawford and traded for Adrian Gonzalez. The pitching was coming together. Jacoby Ellsbury had a season for the ages. The team was destined to meet the Phillies in the World Series.

That worked out real well, eh?

On Sept. 2nd, the Red Sox led the Rays by nine games in the AL Wild Card.

Nine. Games.

It was inevitable. The Yankees were on their way to win the East and the Red Sox would tag along as the Wild Card. No way were they going to miss the playoffs, not with this team.

But, as John Sterling always says "You just can't predict baseball."

If one were to ask what happened to the 2011 Red Sox, only one word, one painful, agonizing word would sum it up:

September.

The excuses of injuries will be thrown around, but truly the Red Sox just struggled, plain and simple. In September, the Red Sox:

• Went 7-20.
• Had a team ERA of 7.28, the worst ERA in baseball.

Enough said.

It was not even foreseeable that Boston would miss the playoffs when September rolled around. What we saw was the greatest September collapse in baseball history.

The Baltimore Orioles have lost 93 games this year.

In the bottom of the 9th inning, the Orioles had a man on second with two outs. The Red Sox All-Star closer, Jonathan Papelbon was on the mound, just a strike away from potentially winning the Wild Card or forcing a tie-breaker should the Rays, who had rallied back to tie the game 7-7 after being down 7-0 in the 8th inning and were now in extra innings, beat the Yankees. The Orioles hottest hitter, outfielder Nolan Reimold, was at the plate with a 2-2 count. Strike three and it was all over.

It was not to be.

Reimold smacked a double to centerfield, tying the game 3-3, and to the plate stepped shortstop Robert Andino.

Excuse me: Robert Bleepin' Andino, as he is referred to in Boston, now.

On a 1-1 count, Papelbon threw the splitter. Andino, a light .263 hitter, was no threat.

Or so it was thought.

Andino sent the ball on a short fly into left field. Red Sox left fielder, and $142 million investment, Carl Crawford, slid for the ball. It looked as if the game was going to extras. However, Crawford never caught the ball, and he would end up bobbling the ball, which allowed the Orioles to score and win the game, sending Boston's playoff hopes in a flux.

Disbelief.

No less than three minutes later (literally, three minutes later), Boston's season was over.

A storm was brewing in Tampa. The Rays had rallied back from being down 7-0 in the 8th inning thanks to a three-run homer from face-of-the-franchise third baseman Evan Longoria and a 9th inning solo home run to tie it up by journeyman Dan Johnson. The game would go into the 12 inning before it was all said and done.

The Red Sox entered the clubhouse at just the right time.

The final score of the Red Sox-Orioles game was posted at Tropicana Field and the crowd went insane. They could do it, the Rays could win the Wild Card and complete the worst collapse baseball has ever seen.

It was only fitting that it was Longoria at the plate.

"I'm just thinking about, 'Wow, did this really happen?' " Longoria said. "When I saw it clear the fence, it didn't seem real."

With two outs and a 2-2 count in the 12 inning, Longoria swung, and sent Tropicana Field into a frenzy with a line-drive home run over the short wall in left field.

The Rays had won it. Their 17-10 September had finally paid off, and they were the AL Wild Card champions.

The Red Sox were going home.

I still could not believe what I had witnessed. I never thought a Yankee loss would be part of the greatest night of baseball I've ever seen in my life. What a night it was. What a season it was.

The playoffs kick off on Friday with the Rays and Texas Rangers kicking off the action at 5:07 in Arlington, Texas and the Yankees taking on Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers in the nightcap at 8:07 in the Bronx, New York.

2011 was one of the most exciting seasons in baseball history and, without a doubt, had the most exciting finish. As for what is to come...

Let the games begin.

First Show in the Books!

What a debut.

As many of you know, I got involved with WIUX Sports 99.1 FM student radio a few weeks ago and was given the title of producer for the morning sports talk show "Excessive Celebration," with Mike Lascola and Jay Hillman. As a producer, I work the soundboard. I control the mics, volume levels, telephone, and commercial breaks songs, PSAs and jingles.

Today we had our first show, which you can hear every Thursday from 10-11 AM on wiux.org by simply clicking on the "click here for the live stream" button, and it went great.

We kicked off the show with NFL football and eased our way into some college football, which took up the first half of our show. Our second half was devoted to MLB baseball, where we talked about the playoff races, predictions, awards, and much more. Luckily, my hosts let me talk and let me do the baseball segment with them, which I appreciated and was more than elated to talk about.

Overall, it went great. Except for a few technical bluffs (like some dead air, grr) it was a great experience and I'll only get better. Can't wait to do it again next week.

#602

"He needs to pitch in a higher league, if there is one. Ban him from baseball. He should be illegal."

- Former Minnesota Twins Manager, Tom Kelly (1996).

The bottom of the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium just ended, and the New York Yankees lead the Minnesota Twins by a score of 6-4. The bullpen doors open and Metallica's "Enter Sandman," a song that signals certain doom, begins to play. #42, Mariano Rivera, begins his jog to the mound with history, nevermind you the game, on the line.

The Twins, however, already know their fate.

Game over.

For years, Mariano Rivera has been hailed as "The Greatest Closer of All-Time." From his consistent regular season dominance to his postseason perfection, Rivera's career will always be regarded as, quite simply, the best closing career ever. However, officially today, now we can say that Rivera is truly the greatest closer of all-time.

On September 19, 2011, Rivera recorded his 602nd save, passing former great San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman's mark of 601, for the most saves all-time. Rivera and Hoffman are the only two closers in baseball history to reach the mark of 600 saves. Rivera, unlike Hoffman, did it all for one team. The one team that is the most recognized brand in the world: The New York Yankees.

Rivera joins other Yankee greats, such as Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, and Roger Maris, in the record books. With Ruth regarded as the best hitter to ever play the game and DiMaggio one of the best centerfielders to ever play, the Yankees can also add Rivera as the greatest closer to ever pitch.

Mo's career is one of mystique and aura. His regular season stats since taking over as the full-time closer in 1997:

• Two 50 saves or more seasons (career high 53 in 2004)
• Eight seasons with at least 40 or more saves
• Seven seasons of 30 or more saves
• 602 saves, most all-time
• 881 games-finished, most all-time

Mr. Automatic? If his regular season statistics were not enough, his career postseason numbers are even a greater testament to Rivera's success. Consider his success over a span of 15 postseasons, meaning 94 games and a 31 combined series:

• 8-1, 0.71 ERA, 42 saves
• Allowed just 13 runs, 11 earned, two homeruns, 21 walks, 109 strikeouts and 86 hits in 139.2 postseason innings
• 11 saves in the World Series, all-time record
• Most postseason saves, all-time record

Oh yeah, besides all that, he's also a five-time world champion.

Perhaps what is most amazing about Rivera is that his career has been defined by one pitch, which, surprisingly, Rivera discovered by accident while playing catch. One pitch that has been his "bread and butter" for 17 seasons. One pitch that all hitters in baseball know is coming, but cannot hit it. One pitch that has made Mariano Rivera famous.

The cutter.

"It was just from God. I didn't do anything. It was natural," says Rivera.

Cleveland Indians' slugger and member of the 600+ home run club, Jim Thome, has described it as the single best pitch in the game.

Even Hoffman has been noted as saying that Rivera "will go down as the best reliever in the game in history."

For my generation, it's amazing to see a player that you grew up watching set such a record that probably will not be reached for decades. I can only imagine the generations that saw other greats set some of baseball's greatest records. Imagine being part of the generation that saw Babe Ruth set the homerun record, only to then be part of the generation that saw Hank Aaron break it? Or how about the generation that saw Joe DiMaggio set the record 56-game hitting streak - a record that will never be broken? The generation that saw Pete Rose set the hits record? We can all now say that we are part of the generation that saw the greatest closer of all-time cement himself as the best. Of course, Rivera was always known as the best ever, no matter how many career saves he had.

Besides his regular season and postseason success, perhaps the other reason Rivera is going to be regarded as the greatest closer of all-time is because throughout his career he has never gone through something that even Hoffman suffered: a decline phase. Just 41 years young, Rivera has always been the same automatic pitcher since he broke in as a dominant force as a 26 year-old in 1996.

Even though he is one of the oldest players in the game, all throughout baseball know that Rivera has defeated father-time season after season, and there is no reason to doubt he will continue his success. Rivera certainly earned the right to keeping his uniform number after it was retired throughout major league baseball for Jackie Robinson in 1997, and has done it justice. Mariano Rivera is perhaps the second-greatest #42, along with Robinson, in baseball history.

However, he is the #1 greatest closer.

First Article for IUSportCom!

http://iusportcom.com/prosports/surging-rays-sliding-red-sox-highlight-wild-al-playoff-picture/

Check it!

Remember when I said...

That the Yankees would win the American League East, all the way back in March?

....

Well if you don't remember, check it here. Proof.

I always like to look at my previous work and see where I stand. Let's take a look, shall we?

- Back in March, I thought that Ivan Nova would be a crucial cog in the rotation for success. I think I've been right so far. Also in my predictions article which can be found here, I had him pegged for 16 wins with an ERA in the 3.80s. Not too far off eh? I also said he'd be more valuable than Daisuke Matzusaka would be this season (Daisuke went down with Tommy John surgery this year).

- I was wrong about Josh Beckett struggling in his return from his previous shoulder injury. The dude has been flat out nasty this season.

- I was correct in saying that the Red Sox pitchers were far more prone to injury than Yankee pitchers.

- I was correct in saying that the Yankees' bullpen would prove to be a strength and be better suited than the inconsistent Red Sox bullpen.

- If you happen to check out the predictions article that I linked here, you'll be able to see how far off I was with some predictions, (with the exception of my Nova prediction, Halladay prediction, and some of my division winners) like the White Sox, Reds, and Rockies making the playoffs and Alex Rodriguez being the MVP.

ANYWAY!

As of today, September 15, 2011, the New York Yankees sit atop the American League East at 89-57 with a substantial four game lead on the beginning-of-the-season favorites, the Boston Red Sox.

Everything is in New York's favor. They have the best record in the American League (and it's not even that close), Their roster is getting healthy, CC Sabathia is pitching like an ace, Jesus Montero, the offensively-talented prodigy, has been everything and more for the Yankees since his call-up (and could make his way onto the playoff roster), the Bridge-to-Mariano is pitching up to expectations, and Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson continue to build upon their potential MVP seasons. They are, without a doubt, the best team in the American League right now, with their chances of making the playoffs at 99.4% and chances of winning the East at 88.0% (thanks to riveraveblues for that one).

Boston, who sat atop the division not too long ago, has done anything but prove that they have a fighting chance to retake the crown. If losing their grip on the AL East wasn't bad enough, they're also starting to slide in their lead for the AL Wild Card, and lead the Tampa Bay Rays by just three games!

In the past week, since their series against the Yankees (Aug 30 - Sep 1, in which they lost 2/3 games to New York) the Red Sox have produced the following:

Lost 2/3 vs. Texas Rangers (Sep 2 - Sep 4)

Lost 3/4 vs. Toronto Blue Jays (Sep 5 - Sep 8)

Lost 3/3 vs. Tampa Bay Rays (Sep 9 - Sep 11)

That's right, the Boston Red Sox are losers of five in a row.

Five. In. A. Row.

Meanwhile, the surging Rays, who swept Boston, have been winners of five in a row.

Last week, Boston led Tampa by nine games in the Wild Card.

Ridiculousness? I think so.

Is it possible that the Red Sox, the same team that was projected to win almost 100 games after acquiring Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford and meet the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, could collapse, a la 2007 New York Mets, and possibly miss the playoffs?

Ya huh, it is. Likely though? Not a chance. However, as the Mets proved in 2007, losing a seven-game lead in the final 17 games, anything is possible.

The Red Sox play the pitiful Baltimore Orioles seven more times this season while also playing one more (what could be) crucial series against the Rays, split by a series in New York to face the Yankees, not to mention a short two-game series against the Blue Jays, whom they lost 3/4 to. If anything, besides the series against New York and Tampa, the schedule is in their favor and the Wild Card is Boston's to lose.

It's Tampa, actually, that has the tougher schedule. Currently in a series with the Orioles (they've taken 1-of-3 so far), they then travel to Fenway Park to play four with the Red Sox and then go to Yankee Stadium to play four with the Yankees. A three-game series with the Blue Jays unfolds after that series before they host the Yankees back home for a three-game series that could ultimately decide their playoff fate.

Boston has been decimated by injuries of late. Everything from Josh Beckett's ankle sprain to Kevin Youkilis' sports hernia, to even Daniel Bard's recent inconsistency, has hurt the product on the field that was supposed to be destined for greatness in October, but now serves as a question mark. Tampa on the other hand has been playing great of late, going 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are definitely pushing for it all, and with James Shields and David Price at the helm of a dangerous pitching rotation, in addition to the spark that rookie outfielder Desmond Jennings has provided thus far, there is no reason that they could not overtake Boston and make the playoffs.

Could you imagine?

It's certainly time to panic up in Beantown. The Red Sox are slipping fast and their players are dropping like flies. They just called up some reinforcements in Lars Anderson, Jose Iglesias and more, but the Rays also called up their prized left-hander (who was ranked as the best pitcher in the minor leagues) Matt Moore, who could have a "2008 David Price" kind of effect out of the bullpen for the Rays. Scary thought.

The Red Sox schedule is definitely in their favor, while Tampa's is a tad more difficult - but they're surging, and anything can happen when a team catches lightning in a bottle in September. Again, it's unlikely Boston misses the playoffs, but it's possible.

Plus, who doesn't love a tight race coming down to the line? Boston's got 16 games left, Tampa 15 games left, and it's going to be very, very interesting. If you thought that last year was fun towards the end, it's going to be a lot more fun in baseball's best division this year.

Oh lord, do I love baseball.

Ten Years Later... Some Quick Thoughts

Has it really been ten years already?

Jeez, I'm old.

It's extremely hard to believe that the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks were ten years ago today. Perhaps the darkest day our nation has seen in it's history affected the lives of millions, but brought us all together as one. I, for one, remember exactly where and what I was doing when those planes crashed into the World Trade Center.

I was eight years old at the time of the attacks, and like every other eight year old in the third grade, I did not want to go to school. On the morning of 9/11, which began as any other morning, I told my mom I did not want to go to school because I had a stomach ache and I did not think I could last throughout the whole school day. Luckily, my mother gave in and allowed me to stay home from school. Since then, she's always said that she was happier that I was with her when the news hit rather than at school.

My mother brought me with her to run her errands for the day, one of which included scheduling my younger brother's birthday party at Pizza Pizzaz, a pizza/arcade restaurant in Mt. Kisco, New York. Upon entering the restaurant, the woman behind the counter had the news on. On the screen were the Twin Towers up in smoke, with the news ticker flashing like a siren. While she was scheduling my brother's party, my mother, unknowingly, asks the woman "Oh, is this is a new movie?" The woman looks at my mother and responds, "No. Two planes just crashed into the Twin Towers."

Shortly after, my mother decided to cancel her errands and we returned home to find out that another plane had hit the Pentagon and another had crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. All schools in the area evacuated and my mother had to run to pick up both of my younger brothers from pre-school. I remember trying to watch television but every station having the news on with the reports of the attacks. At the time, I had no idea what was going on and I didn't take it seriously at all. I remember in the days following how worried everyone was about another attack in the coming days. What stands out most is how concerned my father was about my grandfather, who, at the time, was working in New York City and luckily was safe and sound.

The next few days in Somers were pretty somber, as there were many families in town mourning the losses of their loved ones, others paying their respects in general, and many who still just in disbelief.

Then, there was one event that reunited New York City, if not the nation, for the night.

Mike Piazza's walk-off home run against the Atlanta Braves in the first baseball game following 9/11.

I remember it clearly. The Mets payed their respects to the New York City Police Department and New York City Fire Department that day by wearing NYPD and FDNY hats throughout the game. Then Piazza's homer to win it brought the city together.

---

Looking back on 9/11 now, ten years later as a freshman in college, I'm still in disbelief of the attacks. Being one of the few New Yorkers here, I'm extremely proud to be a New Yorker and even more proud to be an American. I'm proud to represent my hometown, wear those New York shirts with pride, and be able to say that New York City is the greatest city in the world. There's not as much sympathy to the subject of 9/11 out here, simply because it's Indiana and we're pretty far away from New York, but I'll always remember it. If the Media LLC does go to New York City for spring break as planned, I'll be even more proud to represent New York and I'll be able to prove how this is the greatest city in the world.

Rest in peace to all those lost in the attacks on 9/11, you will never be forgotten.

God Bless America.

Getting involved with WIUX, IUSTV and more.

I'm finally starting to live out that dream.

This past week, I've attended two meetings: one for IUSTV, Indiana University's student-run television station, and one for WIUX, which is IU's student-run radio station. I've filled out applications for both and I'm hoping to get some responses soon enough.

For IUSTV, I, along with my co-partner Kody Gilliland, applied to be a part of Hoosier Sports Nite. Hoosier Sports Nite is a sports show that focuses on IU's school sports. Like a typical sports broadcast, there are interviews, analysis, highlights, and sometimes streams of live games. While I'm not too big into the whole television thing (as most of you know), I figured it'd still be a smart idea to get involved.

For WIUX, I filled out an application with Kody to try to get our own sports-talk show on the radio. WIUX isn't just a sports radio, they also carry music, news, talk-shows and more on the station. It's great because you can be involved with more than one station and even DJ on some of them. However, for me it's all about sports. Kody and I brainstormed some ideas for our show on what we would talk about, who we would interview, how we would operate, etc. After that, I filled out the app and sent it in earlier than it was required in the hopes of getting our show on the air as soon as possible.

In other news, I'm loving college. The opportunities here are endless, I've got some great friends, and now I'm starting to get involved in what I want to do. It's been great so far.

How about them Yankees? They've been on a roll huh (despite losing these last two soggy-games, eh)? Jesus Montero has been en fuego of late and has really been a spark for this team. So I'm asking you guys: do you think that Jesus Montero will make the playoff roster as the starting DH? Leave your responses in the comments.

Talk to you all soon, about to grab some grub.

It's been a long time comin': The first few days of life as a college student

Hey all!

It's been a while since I last posted (May of 2011, sheesh), and I figured it was time to get back into the swing of things.

I've currently been enjoying my first week as a college student at Indiana University-Bloomington. Now, some of you may be thinking "WTF Y IZ HE AT IU, I THOUGHT HE WUZ GO!NG TO PENN $T@T3?!" But give me a sec to explain, because it's a mouthful and I think it's best if I just sum it up for you.

Basically, I got wait-listed at IU and I had to have a deposit in for a school. As I posted months ago, I deposited at PSU, where I would be doing two years at their satellite campus, PSU Altoona, followed up with two years at PSU University Park in the college of communications. However, when I received a notice that IU had decided to accept me to Bloomington, it was a no-brainer of where I would end up. IU was always one of my top choices, and from the first few days, it seems as though it was the right choice. Almost instantly, I called my parents, relayed the news, and cancelled my enrollment at PSU. Smart choice to say the least.

It's definitely been an interesting experience so far. I'm currently living in the Media LLC (Living Learning Center), where I live with other students who are interested in the same career path as myself. I moved in on 8/23 and I've already got a pretty good group of friends: Michael, Kody, Pat & Billy. You can check out Billy's blog after clicking the link here. He's got a lot of nifty stuff on there and he's also a huge sports nut like myself. Michael and Kody are also sports guys and Michael is interested in vocal performance. Pat's another media guy who's interested in music. It's pretty neat to be able to connect with people who are interested in the same kind of career as myself, and it's a huge learning experience and it's great that we can rebound off of each other and help each other out and actually know what we're talking about.

Anyway, it's been great so far. There's a ton of opportunities that I'm definitely going to be taking advantage of. I've got tons of resources at my hands. Currently, I'm sitting in my Journalism Class, J110, writing this post. So yeah, I should probably get back to class.

Just a little preview of what's to come: I'll be covering post season baseball.

Talk to you all soon.

Alas...

It's done.

WISE is officially over.

The blog? Not so much.

Today was my big ol' presentation. How'd it go, you ask?

Fan-freaking-tastic!

What I thought would be an absolute nightmare turned out to be one of the most memorable moments of my life. My blog spoke volumes, my words (which were winged and came directly from the heart) were felt by those there, and my confidence, which before was at an all time low, skyrocketed.

I want to thank Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Ferraro, Dr. Hardy, my Mother and all my friends who came to my presentation. Thank you so much for your support, and thank you for attending and seeing my hard work.

As I said in my presentation, I'm still not 100% satisfied with my work and I think it still has the potential to be a lot better. Just because WISE is over doesn't mean my blog is finished. I'm going to keep working on it until I'm truly satisfied with my work, because I know I can do better. It's going to be better. This is only the beginning.

Well, here we go.

3

Days until I present my WISE Project.

It's safe to say, I'm dreading counting down the days, hours, minutes, seconds, and whatever form of time comes after that, to my presentation.

Friday, May thirteenth, twenty-eleven. Sixth Period. Eleven-Oh-Eight AYE-EM.

Of course I had to choose my date to be Friday, The 13th right?

Looking back on the whole WISE experience, I think I have some mixed emotions.

a.) Did I enjoy WISE? Sure I did. I liked being able to do my own thing and really try to work out what I wanted to do as a career to see if it's what I wanted. But WISE was also stressful, and things with the NCN didn't exactly ever get going and no one was there to assist me with MSGVarsity...

b.) Did I learn anything from WISE? Sure I did. I learned that sports reporting might not be what I'm best suited for. There were some days where I just really didn't feel like pumping out a new story or sitting on the computer writing an article on something that's already been reported and is old news. I guess I felt this way because I'm still just a high school kid and unlike the reporters in the professional world, I don't have the sources to inside news and rumors that they do. So everything that I did was after they had provided the information in their own pieces.

c.) What would I give myself in WISE? An 85. I know that I've been doing this blog since last year, but I don't feel as though I ever had the motivational fire lit underneath me to really grab this course by the horns. I realized that my presentation is going to be very tough, seeing as it's journalism, and that there isn't much I could do to present other than show off this blog and its over 250 entries. Hopefully ya'll will appreciate all the work that I put in to this blog and see that journalism isn't as easy as it seems.

With two full days left, let's hope I can get something else together.

Well, here goes everything.

Building Trade Packages for Jose Reyes and David Wright

The New York Mets are in a tailspin:

• They're last in the NL East at 14-18, and it doesn't look like it's going to get any better.
• They have the highest payroll in the National League.
• The owners, Fred and Jeff Wilpon, are currently not only a billion dollars in debt, but are under investigation due to their involvement in the Bernie Madoff ponzi scam and may lose control of the team.
• The team is for sale, but no one's buying.
• The team is financially handicapped, and may not have the money to re-sign All-Star short stop and franchise favorite Jose Reyes.

So yeah, one could say there's some issues with this organization.

It hasn't been all bad though. New GM Sandy Alderson's signings of Chris Young (1-0, 1.88), Jason Isringhausen (9 IP, 2.89), and Chris Capuano (2-3, 5.40 - but he's been great recently) have been very surprising and productive so far early in this season. Rule 5 selection RHP Pedro Beato, who's currently on the DL with elbow tendinitis, has been perhaps one of the best stories on the team not named Ike Davis. Through 17 innings pitched this season, the rookie reliever has an ERA of 0.00 with 10 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.71.

However, that's about it for what's been good for the New York Mets this season.

It seems as though inevitably the team is going to have a fire-sale this season. Despite their recent six-game win streak, the Mets are not going to compete this season. They simply do not have the pitching or chemistry to keep up with the Philadelphia Phillies, Florida Marlins, and Atlanta Braves. They'll most likely remain in the cellar of the NL East, and what's worse is that they are so in debt, that they can't make moves during the season, or even in the next offseason, for star players because they simply can't afford them. Mets fans are fearing the end of the season, mainly because they're expecting Jose Reyes to leave. Why? The Mets cannot afford him.

If the Mets decide to call it quits and go into full-sell mode, you could expect to see these three names in the daily New York headlines: Jose Reyes, All-Star third baseman David Wright, and outfielder Carlos Beltran. With the exception of Davis, Beato, and Jon Niese, everybody should be made available. But here's the harsh reality Mets fans...

Jose Reyes and David Wright will not be New York Mets by the end of the 2011 campaign.

It pains me to say it - it pains Mets fans to read it - but that's the truth. Reyes and Wright, who are the two faces of the franchise, are the team's best trade chips.

So let's take a look at both players and see what the Mets could get in return as they try to rebuild.

Jose Reyes

Position: SS

2011 season: .326, HR, 10 RBI, .377 OBP, 12 SB

Free Agency: End of 2011 season

If Jose Reyes is not a New York Met by the July 31 trading deadline, then it's more than likely he will not be a New York Met next year. Reyes, 27, is eligible for free agency for the first time in his career when his five-year, $33.75 million contract expires at the end of this season. A three-time All-Star, Reyes has played his entire career with the Mets. An "ignitor," Mets fans have grown to love Reyes. They love his enthusiasm - his dances in the dugout, his high-fives with teammates, his goofy and spastic personality - but they also love the electricity he brings to the team. His combination to hit for average and to have plus speed is what defines an ignitor. No fan wants to see the day Jose Reyes leaves the New York Mets.

It's going to happen. Whether it's trade or signing with a new team in the offseason, Reyes will not be the Mets' starting shortstop next season. He's going to demand at least a seven-year deal for $120 million +, demands that a shortstop with a plus bat and a rocket for an arm should get, but demands that the Mets cannot match. I think that the best thing for the Mets is to trade Reyes for prospects that will help with the rebuilding of the franchise. Most recently, we've heard that the defending champion San Francisco Giants are interested in building a deal for Reyes. In my opinion (besides the Boston Red Sox), there could not be a better fit.

The Giants are lacking at shortstop. Since Omar Vizquel's departure, the Giants have had a revolving door at shortstop with names like Edgar Renteria, Emmanuel Burris, and Juan Uribe manning the position. Free agent signing Miguel Tejada (he's hitting just .198) has not produced this season, and with third baseman Pablo Sandoval missing the next four-to-six weeks on the DL, the Giants are definitely looking for a spark plug to their lack-luster offense. Reyes could be that spark plug that ignites the Giants and propels the team back to the playoffs and gets them out of the funk they've been in recently (16-16 this season). However, the Giants are not going to just get an All-Star shortstop for free; You gotta give to get, as they say.

So let's just say that the Mets are open to discussing a deal with San Francisco: What are realistic demands for the Mets the ask for in return for the Reyes? It wouldn't make sense to ask for top first base prospect Brandon Belt, seeing as the Mets already have a first baseman for years to come in Ike Davis, ditto that for Gary Brown seeing as the Mets have a surplus of young outfielders. Here is the package (after doing a very evaluative research) that I came up with that the Giants would have to send to New York.

Giants get:

SS Jose Reyes

Mets get:

RHP Zack Wheeler (#2)

SS Brandon Crawford (#6)

LHP Eric Surkamp (#9)

2B/SS Emmanuel Burriss

(The numbers are what these players currently rank in San Francisco's 2011 top-10 prospects by Baseball America)

Any deal to send Reyes to the Giants must and most likely will start with Wheeler. The Giants' 2009 first round pick was ranked the organization's second best prospect behind Belt, #55 in all of basball, and is the best pitcher in the Giants' minor league system. Just 20, he's pitching in Single A+ to a 2-1 record with a 4.00 in five starts. He's got ace-like potential and should develop into at best an ace and at worst a number two or three starter. Wheeler still has a lot of room for development and should be the prime target for the Mets to acquire.

While Wheeler would be the headliner of the deal, the Mets would also acquire shortstop prospect Brandon Crawford (2008, 4th round), left handed pitching prospect Eric Surkamp (2008, 6th round), and former top prospect Emmanuel Burriss. Crawford, 24, a former UCLA Bruin, is a plus defensive player with a great glove and good range. He's still got work to do on the offensive side of things, but the upside is there. Surkamp is lefty with the best control and the best changeup in the Giants' system. He's currently in Double AA pitching to a 2.05 ERA in five starts. Burriss was the Giants' first round pick in 2006 and was supposed to be their shortstop of the future. However, offensively Burriss could not secure himself a job on the major league roster, despite having a good 2008 season as a rookie. He has appeared in a total of 12 games in the majors since being sent down after 61 games in 2009.

Why would this be a good package for the Mets? For starters, Wheeler would instantly become the team's best pitching prospect. A rotation that would include Wheeler and top pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia, along with current workhorses Mike Pelfrey and Niese would be a very solid rotation for the future. As well, the Mets would be getting Reyes' future successor in Crawford, a solid #4 or #5 starter in Surkamp, and Burriss, who would most likely fill-in as the Mets starting shortstop for Reyes until Crawford is ready.

I think this is fair deal that San Francisco has to sacrifice. Originally, I thought of adding Gary Brown (#3 overall prospect in system) and Tommy Joseph (#10) with Wheeler and Crawford, but that's too much for a *potential* rental of Reyes, if he were to walk after the season.

Now that Reyes has been covered, let's move on the player fans probably want to stay the most: David Wright.

David Wright

Position: 3B

2011 season: .244, 5 HR, 16 RBI, .343 OBP

Free Agency: End of 2012 season, club option for 2013

Captain of the Mets? You could very well say so and make the case that Wright, since his burst upon the scene in 2004, is the team's leader. Wright, 28, was the Mets' first round pick in 2001 and has developed into their best player. He's a five-time All-Star, two-time NL Gold Glove winner, two-time Silver Slugger winner, and has been a consistent .300, 25+ HR, 100+ RBI player his whole career (with the exception being his 10 HR season in '09). He's not eligible for free agency until after the 2012 season when his six-year, $55 million contract expires, and if the Mets decide to turn down his 2013 club option. However, with the team's recent underachieving the past three seasons, the Mets may look to unload Wright for some plus prospects to boost their farm system. Trading Wright could net a bigger return than Reyes, but trading both players would surely make the future bright for the Mets.

When Wright's contract expires at the end of the next season, the Mets will most likely still be trying to steady themselves financially. He'll most likely ask for a seven-year deal for around $140+, which he should get. He's a bonafide All-Star third baseman with a fantastic glove and a power bat. However, the Mets probably won't be able to afford their franchise's best third baseman. Rather than deal with the heartbreak next year, and avoid having Wright become next year's Reyes, it might the "Wright" move for the Mets to deal Wright this summer (see what I did there?).

Among the rumored interested teams are the Detroit Tigers, who have made their interest known and are most interested in Wright. The Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals are among the teams that could be good fits for Wright. However, I don't see the Marlins (being an NL East team) as an option, ditto that for the Cardinals, who have a good third baseman in David Freese, despite him being out with a hand injury. I think the two most logical landing spots for Wright are Detroit and Los Angeles. Here are two deals that the Mets could make with either team.

TRADE #1

Tigers get:

3B David Wright

Mets get:

3B Brandon Inge ($11.5 million remaining contract, expires in 2012, club option for 2013)

RHP Jacob Turner (#1)

RHP Drew Smyly (#8)

RHP Jose Ortega (#10)

TRADE #2

Angels get:

3B David Wright

Mets get:

3B Alberto Callaspo

RHP Tyler Chatwood (#2)

3B Kaleb Cowart (#6)

RHP Garret Richards (#7)

As you can see in the two deals, and as it's been reported, the Mets are going to preach young pitching as their priority when it comes to trades. With Wright especially, they are going to ask for premium pitching in return. With these deals, I think it could go either way, but let's break it down:

TIGERS: With current third baseman and Detroit fan favorite Brandon Inge struggling, the Tigers are going to look to upgrading their offense. The Mets would most likely have to take Inge, 34, in return for Wright, seeing as the Tigers truly have no spot for Inge, as Magglio Ordonez is the team's designated hitter. He has $11.5 million remaining on his contract, which expires at the end of the 2012 season. Like Wright, he also has a 2013 club option. Inge is a leader and is best defined as a "gusty" player who gives it his all. A great defensive third baseman - perhaps one of the best in the game - Inge is also decent with the bat. He'll give you around 15-20 home runs, with a batting average somewhere in the .230 - .240 range. Inge would immediately step in as the Mets' everyday third baseman.

Jacob Turner is a tall right-hander with premium ace potential. The ninth overall pick in the 2009 draft, Turner is the Tigers' top prospect and #21 in all of baseball. Just 19, he's had some health concerns in the past and there's worry that the Tigers have rushed him, but he's still held onto the potential. At worst he's a #2 or #3 starter. Drew Smyly, 22, was the Tigers' second round pick in the 2010 draft. A left-hander, he seems destined to be a very good fourth starter. Jose Ortega, 21, is a young reliever from Venezuela with a plus arm.

ANGELS: The Angels have a surplus of infielders. Alberto Callaspo, Maicer Izturis, Howie Kendrick, and Erick Aybar each share time at 2B, SS and 3B regularly. However, with Izturis hitting like a mad man, Kendrick living up to this batting title potential, and Aybar returning from injury (he was the team's starting shortstop in 2009 and 2010), it seems as though Callaspo, although he's played the most games, is the odd man out if the Angels were to acquire Wright. Callaspo, 28, would be a good pickup for the Mets. He's a decent third baseman who can hit for some average (.295 this season), and plays solid defense. He'd step in as the starter.

Tyler Chatwood is the Angels' best pitching prospect. At age 21, he's in the majors now, pitching to a 2-1 record with a 4.08 ERA in six starts. He's been projected to be at worst a solid #3 starter, and he's got tremendous upside that could even push him to a #1 or #2. Chatwood was the Angels' second round pick in 2008. Kaleb Cowart, 18, was the Angels' first round pick in the 2010 draft. A third baseman with tremendous athletic ability, he could very well be the next David Wright. However, he doesn't have enough sample size to show for it. Garret Richards, 23, was the Angels' first round pick in 2009. He's a solid #2 or #3 pitcher in the majors and is only going to improve from there.

Like I said, you could go either way with these deals. They pretty much have the same talent, but if the Mets' truly want to prioritize pitching, the Tigers' deal is the way to go. I personally feel as though Wright to the Tigers is the best fit.

Nonetheless, the season is still young and this is all just pure speculation. For Mets fans sake, I'd like to see Wright and Reyes remain Mets for their whole careers, but with the organization's corruption and finances, it just dosen't seem likely. Trading these two stars is the right move for the Mets and perhaps the most positive for the future. Both deals would net huge prospects and would make the Mets' future just that much brighter. Enjoy your time in New York while you can Mr. Wright and Mr. Reyes, because it could be over soon.

(I started this at 8:03 this morning. So. Much. Work.)

Journal Entry: Day 17. FREAKING OUT

Okay, today's Day 17 of my journal entries and I'm currently FREAKING OUT.

Why, you may ask?

Well, my presentation is May 13th, which is coming up sooner than I expected, and I still have no idea what I'm going to do for it. Powerpoint? Kinda boring, been done before. Highlight reel? Too much work, not enough time. Use this blog as my presentation? That could work.

I've been busy as hell lately and I've been really stressing about this. With the presentation just two weeks away, I've really got to start busting my ass and figure something out and not let senioritis get the best of me. I want to do more MSGVarsity stuff (seeing as I haven't done an article for them since November, a soccer piece) but I have no one to aid me in production. If you think you'd wanna hit up a high school game with me and film, I'd welcome it. I'm looking to get an interview with senior pitcher Jarred Bronley this week.

Well, back to freaking out.

Journal Entry: Day 16

Hey everyone! Sorry about the long layoff this week, I've been very busy (and stressed) with getting out all my college stuff.

With the deposit deadline approaching (May 1st) I had to really buckle down, lay out all my paperwork, weigh my options, and talk to my parents about what school would really be the best for me. Ultimately, I've decided to attend Pennsylvania State University in the fall of 2011. Penn State is a very, very, very well-known school and is held in very high regard. What makes it sweeter is that they accepted me into their Communications College. Cool stuff, no? So at this point, that's what the future holds for me.

Let's talk WISE. I'm freaking out.

Yeah, I know Mr. Murphy said it's good if you're a little stressed, but I'm realllllllly stressed. I can't stress it enough. Pun intended. Okay, crappy joke. Moving on...

My presentation is May 13, also known as WISE day. I think what I'm going to do, as I've stated prior, is make a Top 10 Plays, Sportscenter-esque highlight reel of all my WISE work. It's gonna be a lot of work, making graphics and what not, but you gotta do what you gotta do, no? I'm on spring break right now, so work mode starts as soon as I get back to school.

So who's following the NHL playoffs? No one? Thought so. Well, I'll be in attendance tomorrow night for the Rangers vs. Capitals at MSG, so anyone who happens to be there and wants to stop by and say hello, feel free. Section 209 row D.

Also, new question of the week: Will the Red Sox make the playoffs after their terrible start to the 2011 campaign? Discuss down below.

Big News and The Weekend

Hello all!

Never have I been as happy as I am right now during WISE.

I'm currently in the process of finalizing another internship, this time with the local newspaper, The North County News. As of now, talks are still in the early stages, with some email-trading going back and forth, but it should get done pretty soon! I'm very excited! This is a huge step forward for me for what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm hoping that I can get started soon and get my feet wet with this internship to see if this is truly a career that I'm going to pursue. Cool stuff, eh?

Secondly, don't expect any posts this weekend. This weekend I'll be with my parents visiting Penn State. We'll be going on a tour, learning some info, and ultimately making a decision if this is the school for me. I got into their College of Communications, which is pretty sick if I do say so myself, so I'm definitely looking forward to this tour. I know, I know, I can see the sad faces and tears dripping down your cheeks, but fear not, next Monday I shall return. Until then, all you Yankee fans out there can go enjoy the first Yankees-Red Sox series of the year.

That brings an end to this post and our question of the day: Will the Red Sox beat the Yankees for a win during this series, or will they be swept and have to wait? Post it in the comments section, you know what to do.

New Song of the Week

On the right-hand side, check it out. I've been listening to Rise Against a lot lately. If you haven't heard it, pick up their new album Endgame.

Tuskers take opener 13-5 vs. Iona behind Bath's Grand Slam

Hershfield delivers a pitch.

I'm just getting the word on this now, so sorry for the brevity of this post:

The Somers Tuskers kicked off their 2011 baseball season today with a 13-5 win over the Iona Prep Gales today, powered behind sophomore Joe Scambia's third inning home run and senior third baseman Zach Bath's (2-4) fourth inning grand slam. Senior Nick Hershfield, who started for the Tuskers, pitched 5.2 innings of three run baseball, none of which were earned. As well, junior Dan Ishoo flashed the leather with some eye-opening plays in left field. Senior catcher Rob Tomasulo also had a productive day at the plate, going 2-4 with a single, double and an RBI.

Catcher Rob Tomasulo, who was crucial in the win today.

A smiling Bath rounds the bases.

The slam really turned things around for Bath, who had a bad day in the infield.

"Not my best day in the field. Since up to that point I was 0-2 with those two errors, I tried not to allow the defense to transfer to the offense, and I knew that in the two previous at-bats that I had been pulling out with my shoulder and hadn't let the ball travel. I focused on that in the two next at-bats. It was a 2-1 count of all fastballs, and I knew the pitchers wouldn't throw an off-speed pitch at 2-1, so I geared up for the fastball and was able to get on top of it enough, even though it was around my letter," said a cheerful Bath after the game.

It's all added up to a well-deserved, power-struck win for the Tuskers. Catch them tomorrow as they take on Lakeland-Panas @ 4:00 PM at Lakeland!

(photo credit to Rob DiAntonio / North County News)

Journal Entry: Day 15. Back Home At The Ballpark.

The Boss... No, not George Steinbrenner, me! Just kidding.

Well folks, baseball is back, and what better way then to spend your sunny Sunday afternoon than freezing your buns off in 15 mph winds, hearing tons of profanity, and watching opposing fans get the boot from the game in The House That George Steinbrenner Built? The answer: There is no other way. Baseball is back, and that's the best feeling in the world.

So to state the obvious, I was in attendance today with my baseball partner-in-crime, my father, for the Yanks' 10-7 loss to the Detroit Tigers in the final game of the opening weekend series, my first 2011 game of the season. The Yankees, who could have swept the series had Phil Hughes and Bartolo Colon not completely blown it today, now stand at 2-1, second place in the AL East. Despite it being freezing cold and the wind whipping, today's game, even though it was a big fat L, was a blast, and by a blast I mean literally. A total of seven homers were hit today, four by the Yankees (Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira - who now has three in as many games - and two jacks by Jorge Posada) and three by the Tigers (Brennan Boesch had one and Miguel Cabrera had two). I felt like I was at a home run derby rather than a regular season game. The Yanks now have nine home runs in their first three games, a new franchise record.

One thing that really caught my eye was the severity of how hard Cabrera clobbered those home runs. Both of them, which happened to be two-run homers, were lasers to left field, and there was no doubt about it when the ball left the bat that they were gone. I don't think I've ever seen a baseball leave the stadium that quickly. But that's why Miguel Cabrera finished second in the AL MVP voting last season and is regarded is one of the best right-handed hitters in the game.

We had great seats: Section 105, row 11, just two rows behind the right field wall. That being the case, we got there early to watch batting practice and try to score some autographs but were unsuccessful. So after striking out on trying to get autographs, we tried to see if we could get into Monument Park. You all know that I love the Yankees and I've been a fan my whole life, but I must confess: never in my life have I ever been to Monument Park. It's been something I've wanted to do since I first stepped foot in the original House That Ruth Built which is now known as the dust-bowl next door. Sadly, the line was ridiculously long (seriously, it went up two stair cases) so we weren't able to get in.



We returned back to our seats by game time, just in time to watch the Yankees take their laps in the outfield. Shortly, the sun came out, it warmed up, and it was game time.

"Swishalicious," to quote John Sterling.

Perhaps the highlight of my day was none other than the man playing right field whom I sat right behind: Nick Swisher. Talk about a ball player who likes to have some fun. Every time a fan called out his name, gave him praise, or said his wife, actress Joanna Garcia, was "hot," Swish would turn around and give a wave and a smile, or a thumbs up. It was great to see that at least one athlete is human. Swish is just a fun loving guy who loves playing in New York, and I really hope that the Yanks pick up his option at the end of this year and that he's here for a very long time. My favorite line of the day was from the fan behind me, who brought up Swish's twitter account (@NickSwisher), asking "Hey Swish, can I get a re-tweet?" to which Swisher replied by turning around, laughing, and slapping his glove. You gotta love a guy who shows that he's having a blast playing the game.

Then there were the unruly fans behind us who heckled poor Tigers' outfielder Don Kelly. Today was not a good day to be that guy. The right field fans, who tend to be rowdy, wouldn't leave Kelly alone. Screams of "You suck Kelly!" "Hey there Pat Kelly!" "Nice strikeout Kelly! Really helping your team!" and many more which I can't list here because this is a school project (sigh), were echoed through the caverns of the outfield. All Kelly could do was do his best to ignore them and try to concentrate on the game. It got me thinking though, seeing as Swisher responded to anyone who talked to him from the stands, that ballplayers really do hear everything that the fans say. I could only imagine what was going through poor Don Kelly's head as Yankee fans ripped him apart.

Yeah, see Phil, we can't have this all year.

Another thing I noticed today was how low Phil Hughes' velocity was. The Yankees' young pitcher, who reportedly had low velocity during spring training as well, was incredibly ineffective. I'm pretty sure his hardest pitch was a 91 mph fastball in the first inning. Other than that, he was 80-89 with every other pitch and only lasted four innings, giving up five runs, two of them home run by Cabrera. I don't think I stand for myself when I say that I hope Hughes figures it out, because with the uncertainty of the Yankees' rotation this year, he can't afford to be ineffective. It's not like his counterpart, Max Scherzer of the Tigers, was any better. He went five innings and gave up six runs, four of them home runs. Bartolo Colon, who made his first major league appearance since 2009 out of the Yankees' bullpen, couldn't stop the bleeding. After having an incredible spring, he gave up four runs in four innings. Today was just not a day for the pitchers.

Even though I witnessed a great game, saw the joyful Nick Swisher, and almost caught a ball, the best part of my day was spending it with my father. We don't usually get to spend a lot of time alone together, seeing as he's usually busy, and we always bond over baseball. We literally watch every game every night together.

Ever since I was a kid, I can remember watching baseball with my Dad. He introduced me to the game I love and taught me everything about it. Soon enough, I surpassed his knowledge of the game and became a sabermetrics freak (don't ask, just google it), and now I have to explain stats and other things to him. So yeah, he's the reason I am the baseball freak that I am today. I give him a lot of kudos for braving it out in the cold today (he wore a winter jacket and three shirts, just for your information) and waking up early to get on the train to go watch batting practice, even when the night before he stated that he really didn't want to get to the stadium that early to "sit in the freezing cold and freeze my ass off." But he knew that I really wanted to get there early to watch BP, so he caved. You gotta love him. We used to go to games together all the time when my Dad was a season ticket holder up until the 2007 season, but then of course tickets spiked in price and we weren't able to keep them, so now it's a once in a while trip to the place we call home for the summer. I love going to game with him and I cherish every minute of it.

Anyway, let's end this post on that note. Today was a great day and I'm looking forward to tons of more games this season.

As always, until next time.

(Pictures on the left are of Joba Chamberlain and Ivan Nova. We were able to snap those photos from our seats. Pretty good seats eh? The other pictures are from Google.)