Journal Entry: Day 9

The past two days have been very busy for not just the major media sports outlets, but for an aspiring sports journalist such as myself. With the Carmelo Anthony trade, I spent hours yesterday morning and late into the night, as well as hours this morning, researching information on the deal and the players involved, as well as posting my own review of the deal. The end result was three posts having to do with the deal.

Now, it's official. Anthony is on his way to New York as we speak, according to multiple sources. While it's still unknown what uniform number he's going to wear (he wore no. 15 with Denver, but it's been retired twice by the Knicks) all indications are that Melo and Chauncey Billups will be available and in tomorrow night's starting lineup against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The past two days have been very big days for me as an aspiring writer. Mixing my own opinions with those of multiple media outlets has been a great learning experience. Emulating the styles of professional writers has opened my eyes. I love giving my own two cents on transactions, it's one of my favorite sports topics to handle. So while I wrote these past few posts due to the circumstances, expect to see a couple of Yankees posts in a few days, maybe as soon as next week. Obviously all the "Melo-drama" interfered with the progress of those articles, but I'm looking forward to them being up real soon.

What a day. Let's end it by passing around some quotes on the Melo deal.

Knicks' All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire:
- "Every team needs a 1, 1A punch, and so with the ways that we both can score .... we're very versatile, so it's hard to guard us."
- "It's what he wants. It's what I wanted, to come to New York and play on the big stage. He has the same type of swag. This is what he wants and he can handle it. We're going to do it together."

Nuggets' Head Coach George Karl:
- "I'm glad it's over. I'm glad it's an opportunity to reinvent. I think everybody handled it as classy as you could handle it. There's some sadness to it, there always will be."
- "I'm 100 percent behind the decision we made, even though it will be dangerous and there won't be the veteran point guard back there."
- "I think Chauncey will go down as one of the greatest winners. His record of seven or eight conference finals is, I mean, that's incredible. I think that's who he is, that's what he stands for. He brought one of them to us. Last year we had a miserable ending. I think there's many people, including myself, that will be sad for Chauncey. I know he loves Denver and we love him, but things happen. There's decisions that have to be made."
- "Felton, I thought was having a great season this year. But I think Ty [Lawson] and Felton are going to have a great challenge to live up to what Chauncey has given us in past years."
- "I can't deny that when the trade went down last night, I was kind of more sad than happy. I think most of that sadness was because of Chauncey -- and A.C. a little bit, too."

ESPN columnist Jemele Hill:
- "I'm not suggesting the Knicks don't need Anthony. Who can't use a 25-points-per-game scorer who can fill up the basket from any spot on the floor? But I question their strategy. I'm just not convinced this is the best way for the Knicks to make themselves championship contenders."

ESPN columnist Stephen A. Smith:
- "The Knicks are a better team today. A better attraction. They are officially on the basketball map again. No longer do they have to defer to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh in Miami."
- "Despite higher taxes, cooler weather and no championship pedigree to speak of with roundball, Carmelo Anthony's arrival changes all of that."
- "It doesn't change it because it guarantees a title. It changes it because it puts the Knicks in the conversation of Eastern Conference contenders."
- "The Knicks are on the upswing. Madison Avenue will be calling once again. You can talk about crawling before walking, but this is a little bit more than that. It's officially the best chance the Knicks have had to compete for something significant since the days when Latrell Sprewell and crew went to the Finals in 1999, back in the Patrick Ewing era."

Knicks' President & GM Donnie Walsh:
- “At 26 years old, Carmelo is in the prime of his NBA career having already established himself as a one of the game’s elite players and the opportunity to add him to our roster was one we could not pass up."
- “I feel we now have a great frontcourt tandem in Amar’e and Carmelo and this is an exciting day for the New York Knicks and all our fans. It is extremely difficult to trade away players, but we feel like the team is in better position to win and we have excellent players to build around for years to come.”

Knicks' Head Coach Mike D'Antoni:
- “Carmelo is one of the top pure scorers in the league and like Amar’e, I believe he will really embrace the opportunity to play back home in New York and help us continue our goal of building towards a championship."
- “Chauncey is a winner and having a veteran point guard of his caliber will be extremely valuable in helping us win games, especially in the playoffs.”

The Overlooked Man In The Melo-Buster: Chauncey Billups

Billups (left) and Anthony. "Melo, they forgot about me!"

Last night, the New York Knicks acquired one of basketball's top five players in the form of Carmelo Anthony, by a three-way deal with the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. As soon as Tuesday morning in New York, Knicks fans are going crazy over Melo.

While the fuss is obviously over acquiring Anthony - as it should be - there is one player that the Knicks also acquired with Anthony who is being overlooked. That man, is point guard Chauncey Billups.

Billups, 34, is a 13-year battle-tested veteran. He's been an All-Star (5x), he's been named to the All-NBA Second Team, the All-NBA Third Team (2x), the All-Defensive Second Team, as well as being named NBA Finals MVP in 2004 as a member of the 2004 champion Detroit Pistons.

Simply put: the man is a winner.

While Billups is past his prime, there's no reason for him to overlooked in this trade. Yes, the Knicks got their man in Anthony, but Billups is also a huge addition for this team. Not only does he provide veteran leadership, but he's also scoring an average of 16.5 PPG. In fact, according to reports, the Knicks are prepared to pick up Billups' 2011-12 option. This is a player who, along with Melo, is going to help to re-vamp the New York Knicks. Take a look at this starting five:

C - Ronny Turiaf
SF - Carmelo Anthony
PF - Amar'e Stoudemire
SG - Landry Fields
PG - Chauncey Billups

That starting five has a heck of a lot more to be excited about than the original starting five this season.

By adding Billups, the Knicks are getting a proven winner. For him to be included with Melo in the deal is a huge plus for the Knicks, and his talents - although he's on his last leg - should not be overlooked.

By adding Billups, the Knicks are better.

Done Deal! Knicks land Carmelo Anthony in blockbuster deal with Nuggets & Wolves

After months of speculation, and a very early blog post this morning on it, Carmelo Anthony has been traded to the New York Knicks as part of a three-way deal between New York, the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Anthony, who was born in Brooklyn, NY and was a member of Syracuse University's 2003 Championship, is averaging 25.5 PPG.

"I'm glad its over," Nuggets coach George Karl said, according to the newspaper. "I'm glad it's an opportunity to reinvent. I think everybody handled it as classy as you could handle it. There's some sadness to it, there always will be." (ESPN)

The deal, which was completed earlier this evening, is a blockbuster deal. Anthony, who will sign his three-year, $65 million extension, is headed to New York along with Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman, and Anthony Carter. In return, the Nuggets will acquire Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov, the Knicks' 2014 first-round pick, two second-round picks, and $3 million. The third team involved, the Timberwolves, will acquire Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry from the Knicks for Corey Brewer.

Broken Down:

KNICKS GET: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman, Anthony Carter, Corey Brewer
NUGGETS GET: Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov, the Knicks' 2014 first-round pick, two second-round picks, and $3 million
WOLVES GET: Anthony Randolph, Eddy Curry (expiring contract)

This is a good move for all sides. It's hard to say who got the better end of the deal. The Knicks DID get the four-time All-Star in Anthony, but the Nuggets received an overhaul of young talent in Gallinari and Mozgov, as well as the draft picks. However, the Knicks also got three more years of Anthony, due to the extension he has signed since being traded to the Knicks, rather than the half year they would have had, had he not asked for an extension. I think this is really a deal one can only judge in time. The play of Anthony in the pressure-packed city of New York vs. the unproven talents of Mozgov and Gallinari will shape the decision as to who got the better end of the deal. As I said, in time.

This morning, I wrote about how the Knicks should go all-in and trade their chips for Anthony. Well, they did. The roadblock that was Timofey Mozgov was cleared, as the Knicks ultimately - after holding him out of any potential deal - sacrificed Mozgov, no matter what his future potential may be, for the sure proven star that is Carmelo Anthony.

This is a win-now move the Knicks. Not only do they acquire Anthony's talents, but now they have a better chance of signing another superstar such as Chris Paul or Deron Williams during the 2012 free agent class. Great players will now be intrigued by the opportunity to play in New York, not just because of the aura of Madison Square Garden, but because now basketball is back in New York.

Yes, trading four starters is going to hurt, but when you replace them with Anthony, you lick your wounds a lot easier. It's going to be different without the strong, resurgent play of Felton (17.1 PPG), who arguably could have been an All-Star this year. It's going to be hard to watch both Gallinari (who's showing he's evolving already at 15.9 PPG) and Mozgov mature and execute their potential in a Nuggets uniform. The rag-tag, scrap-heap, chemistry strong, fun-loving, surprising Knick team prior to the All-Star break is no more.

But it's going to be fun to watch Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire start the next Knick dynasty.

The New York Knicks are back.

(picture credit of Anthony in Knicks uniform to ESPN)

(Journal Entry: Day 8) Don't Let Timofey Get In The Way

It's been the big question throughout the whole NBA season: where will Carmelo Anthony end up by the Feb. 24 trading deadline?

As we know, the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets are the teams most interested in Anthony's services, and are willing to part with their most premium talent to acquire him. It's openly known that Anthony, who's from New York and attended Syracuse University, wants to play for the Knicks. However, no matter what either team offers to the Denver Nuggets for Anthony, it's still his call on whether he'll decide to approve of the trade, as he must sign a three-year, $65 million contract extension with whichever team acquires him, a prerequisite he has lain down. Anthony has never said he'd sign an extension with the Nets. He's only said he'd sign with the Knicks.

After meeting with both the Knicks and Nets in Los Angeles during All-Star Weekend this past weekend, Anthony declined comment on both meetings, simply stating that they "went well." Nets' owner Mikhail Prokhorov described the meeting as "fantastic" and added that "I think we made a very good tactical decision to force (the) Knicks to pay as much as they can. So it's very good, it's very interesting, it's very competitive."

While in Los Angeles, it's believed that Knicks' owner James Dolan met with Anthony and also upped the Knicks' offer for Anthony. The Nets, whose package is openly known to be preferred by the Nuggets, includes rookie phenom Derrick Favors, All-Star Devin Harris, Troy Murphy (expiring contract), Ben Uzoh and four, yup, FOUR first-round picks. In return, the Nuggets would send Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Melvin Ely and Rendlo Balkman to New Jersey.

Knowing this, the Knicks have upped their offer to include (according to sources) budding star Danilo Gallinari, the warrior-attitude play of Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler and the Knicks' 2014 first-round draft pick. With the Knicks' deal, a third team, in this case the Minnesota Timberwolves, would also be involved in the trade, as they would land Anthony Randolph and the expiring contract of Eddy Curry, while sending Corey Brewer to Denver. In return, the Knicks would acquire Anthony, Billups, Williams and Balkman.

Confused?

KNICKS RECEIVE: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Renaldo Balkman
NUGGETS RECEIVE: Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Corey Brewer, Knicks' 2014 first-round pick
TWOLVES RECEIVE: Anthony Randolph, Eddy Curry

So while the Knicks have made their declared "final offer," The Nuggets have openly stated that they will not trade Anthony to New York unless young center Timofey Mozgov, just 24, is also included in the deal. The Knicks have been resistant to include Mozgov in a deal for Anthony. However, because they refuse to trade All-Star rookie Landry Fields (phew), Mozgov would ideally be the piece that the Knicks have to sacrifice. According to reports, it's been mulled in the Knicks' front office on whether to trade Mozgov, as sides are split. Most New York sports media outlets suggest that Mozgov should be traded.

As for me, I think that the Knicks should trade Mozgov and go all-in for Anthony. The chance to acquire Carmelo Anthony is a premium chance, and Mozgov should not prevent the Knicks from acquiring the piece they've needed all along to combine with the MVP play of Amar'e Stoudemire. Acquiring Anthony would lure other NBA stars to play in Madison Square Garden alongside Anthony and Stoudemire. The 2012 free agent class, which is loaded with stars such as Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams, could be intrigued by the Knicks' chances to win with Anthony and Stoudemire. Paul and Williams have already stated previous times that they would play alongside the duo.

Yes, there's a chance that Mozgov (who's getting barely any playing time) could become a very, very good player, but Carmelo is an excellent player right now. Anthony, 26, is just two years older than Mozgov, and a lot more accomplished. Melo is a winner, and Mozgov is unproven.

Even if Mozgov did meet this expectations, the Knicks, who would not only have Melo, Stoudemire and Fields but also could have one or two of Williams/Howard/Paul, would still be a way better team. Not trading Mozgov prevents this dream.

Trading Mozgov allows the Knicks to get Melo. Trading Mozgov allows the Knicks to get better.

But, if the Knicks' refusal to include Mozgov makes them lose out on Anthony... then he better turn out to be the star they're projecting him to be.

Mark my words, come Thursday, Carmelo Anthony will be a New York Knick.

(This was an article I've been working on for the past couple of days, thanks for reading!)

Journal Entrys: Day 6 & 7

Intimidating, I know.

Happy Thursday everyone!

Yesterday I walked into the library and saw copies of the school's newspaper, The Tusker Times, stacked near the librarian's desk. It was the first edition published this year, and I was hopeful that the sports article on the San Francisco Giants' World Championship (from October, sheesh, and it was just published) would be still featured. Sure enough, there it was, smack dab in the center of the sports section. While I was annoyed at some of the edits the editors had made (there were grammar mistakes that they made, also they messed with the flow of some sentences), I don't really have any power over it. I was just glad it was in the paper.

Today, I saw Mr. Murphy in the hallway for a brief couple of minutes and asked whether I should scan the article in the computer to post on the blog (be on the lookout). After being granted permission, we talked about emailing the editor of the North County News, which I plan to do in the upcoming days. Everything it truly going to plan.

Journal Entry: Day 5

As the second full day of pitchers and catchers comes to a close...

Today I met with Mr. Lombardi from MSGVarsity after school in the Mac Lab. While in the lab, we talked about the upcoming school sports season and what we would be doing to prepare for the season. I printed out a schedule of the baseball team's games, as well as conversed with Mr. Lombardi about some possible ideas that we could do for the upcoming season. We've got some great ideas, and we're looking forward to putting them into action.

Would you trade this man...

Also, I read an article today which really got me thinking. The article, (which you can read here) written by Fox Sports columnist Ken Rosenthal, had to do with the Albert Pujols saga. Pujols, as most of us know, is the best player in baseball on the planet, heck maybe even the universe. However, he's set to be a free agent after this season and is said to be seeking a contract that could be as much as 10-years, $300 million. The St. Louis Cardinals, who are reluctant to hand their star player such a contract, have been deep in discussions with the three-time MVP, but have failed to get a deal done. Pujols, who stated his contract discussion deadline would be tomorrow, has said he may test the free agent waters if a deal can't get done, leaving Cardinals fans in a frenzy.

However, Rosenthal brought along an idea, one that, at first, I thought was crazy and would never happen: The Cardinals trade Pujols to the New York Yankees for Mark Teixiera. After reading the article, it wasn't as crazy an idea as I thought.

From the article:

...for this man?

"Pujols for Teixeira is a way out for the Cardinals, who are running out of time in their quest to meet Pujols’ deadline for a new contract by the start of spring training.

Teixeira for Pujols also is a way out for the Yankees, who lost the offseason to the Red Sox and need a major splash to divert attention from their scary-thin rotation.

Heck, the deal even would be a way out for Pujols, who not only would get his money, but also would leave St. Louis with his reputation intact. His parting gift to the Cardinals would be Teixeira, a first baseman who is nearly at his level."

Tex makes less money than Albert, and is almost the same player. Meanwhile, the Yankees, would could no doubt afford Pujols, would counter all the moves the rival Red Sox made over the offseason (Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford) and acquire the game's best player. While no-trade clauses would no doubt interfere, as well as some other issues, I began to think that this could be possible. At first, I thought "hell no, the Cards won't trade Pujols and the Yanks wouldn't trade Tex," but as I kept reading and thinking over the idea in my head, I realized this could be more realistic than I imagined.

So bloggers, here's the question of the day: Would you trade Mark Teixeira for Albert Pujols?

Talk about it in the comments below, I'd really like to see what everyone thinks. Heck, maybe I'll do a post on your thoughts. Until next time!

Journal Entry: Day 4

Alright, so yeah, I know this entry is a couple days late...

I've been very busy recently. From track after school everyday, to track meets, various social gatherings, and (not going to lie) a tad bit of slacking, I haven't really had the greatest amount of time to work on my articles. However, with the track season officially over, and with more time to spare, I'm going to continue working the projects that I've been getting started. Tomorrow, I plan to meet with Mr. Lombardi in the Mac Lab to discuss where we are at in the process.

Be sure to be on the lookout for some new stuff this week. Until next time.

Journal Entry: Day 3

Today I met with Mr. Lombardi from MSGVarsity after school in the Mac Lab. We were planning out dates during the spring that myself and my MSG partner, Anthony Minaici, would go and videotape/broadcast/publicize sporting events for spring athletics.

In addition to learning the new formats around the new MSGVarsity Somers site, as well as the new "uploader from home" feature, Mr. Lombardi and I had some time to discuss my current state in the WISE process.

I told him about my plans, and how I had already started doing some work and research to prepare for an article to have published. I haven't fully decided yet, but Mr. Lombardi suggested it should be an article done on local athletics, meaning school sports. While I agreed (on the fence) I still feel as thought my greatest strength would be writing about pro-sports. Mr. Lombardi also gave me the email address of the sports editor of the North County News. While this isn't exactly the paper I'm thinking of, (I'm shooting for bigger things) it could prove to be a good starting point. I'm looking forward to, in the coming days, putting the research info together and doing a draft of an article to publish. All I need is to decide whether it'll be local sports or pro-sports. I'm satisfied at where I'm at and looking forward to tomorrow.

Journal Entry: Day 2

Today, I began to research statistics and information for my next blog article. The next article is expected to be a "bold predictions" article on the New York Yankees for the upcoming 2011 season. In it, I'll be writing down situations that I think will play out during the season, some trades the Yanks might make, how they'll finish in the standings, and maybe some surprise candidates out of spring training.

I spent time today reading articles on other sites to see if anyone else had any other predictions up and saw some similar works on the LoHud Yankees Blog and on River Avenue Blues, two sports blogs. Both sites have some predictions, but not to the extent of the predictions I will be doing. I also wrote down some possible article titles for future writing. I also plan to have a 30-clubs-30-predictions article out soon as well, where I'll preview and predict for all 30 clubs in major league baseball.

I plan to meet with my mentor, Joe Lombardi, the head of MSGVarsity on Wednesday after school in the Mac Lab after a presentation on the new MSGVarsity Scholarship. Things are going smoothly and accordingly and I hope to have these two new posts up soon.

Journal Entry: Day 1

This is my first journal entry for my WISE Project.

This morning, I wrote an article titled "What Andy Pettitte's Retirement Means For The Yankees." Before I wrote the post, I outlined an idea for the post the day prior. I gathered information from various articles on Pettitte that I read, as well as researching statistics and also researching past history of the player. This, all together, took me about an hour to get the information and write it down.

After spending about another hour writing a draft last night (originally longer than the post that was published), I edited it this morning and added more information in order to come up with a final product. I posted it at 9:29 AM and started editing at around 8:00 AM. It is up for reading now. Enjoy!

Total hours worked: 3.

What Andy Pettitte's Retirement Means For The Yankees

Yesterday, long-time Yankees' starting pitcher and original "core-four" member, LHP Andy Pettitte, officially announced his retirement from major league baseball. A 22nd round draft-pick by the Yankees in 1990, Pettitte, 38, pitched 16 seasons in the majors: 13 with the Yankees (1995-2003, 2007-2010) and three more with the Houston Astros (2004-2006). A three-time All-Star and five-time World Champion (all with Yankees), Pettitte won 21 games twice in his career (1996 & 2003), and is the winningest pitcher in postseason history with a 19-10 record and 3.83 ERA in 42 postseason starts. His 19 wins are the most all-time. Pettitte was en route to one of his best seasons last year, 11-2 with an ERA in the low 2's and an AL All-Star, before a groin injury cut six weeks of his season, as he made just five more starts (two in the postseason), before the Yankees lost in six games to the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series.

I'll pass along some quotes here from Pettitte before I get into the post (courtesy of yankees.com).

"My arm feels great. My body feels great. I know that my body would get where it needs to be, but my heart is not where it needs to be," Pettitte said. "I just feel like if I have any kind of hesitation on doing this, my heart is not fully completely sold out to do this again."

"Being on the New York Yankees, you have an opportunity to play with some of the greatest players to ever play in the game. That is fun," Pettitte said. "You have a chance to win a championship every year, and that has been fun, and it has been special. I have to thank the Steinbrenner family for that."

"At the end of the season last year, I started losing a little bit of that desire to compete," Pettitte said. "I guess because I was out of it for the two and a half months of the second half, so I definitely thought about it. For me, it's not the right way to do it. That's all that I kept telling myself: 'This isn't the right way to do it.'"

"I will not pitch this season, I can assure you of that, and I do not plan on pitching again," Pettitte said. "I think taking the mound every fifth day is over. I am looking forward to this next chapter in my life, and figuring out what that is. I don't want it to be anything except hanging out with my family."

After nearly three months of awaiting a decision from Pettitte, the Yankees tried to operate under the impression that Pettitte would not be returning to the Bronx for the 2011 season. However, after they failed to sign prized left-hander Cliff Lee, the Yankees, it seemed, hoped for the best that Pettitte would return for another season. Missing out on Lee left the Yankees' 2011 rotation in question. While they would be anchored by the front two of ace CC Sabathia and rising star Phil Hughes, the rest of the rotation, led by the "jekyll and hyde" pitching of A.J. Burnett, is in jeopardy. As it stands now, the Yankees have three pitchers who will definitely be in the rotation: Sabathia, Hughes and Burnett. However, it is the final two spots in the rotation that are yet to be determined and where the Yankees' pitching woes lie. During spring training, the final two spots will be up for grabs (barring a trade for a viable starter) by competition as rookie Ivan Nova, returning pitcher Sergio Mitre, and recent minor-league signees, but former All-Star aces, Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia will all compete for the final two spots. In those four is where the problem is: you don't know what you're going to get from any of them.

Nova, 24, who made his rookie debut last year, dominated in Triple-A but struggled a bit in the majors, otherwise he was solid. Mitre, 29, a journey-man pitcher returning for his third year with the Yankees, was primarily used out of the bullpen last year before an injury tampered with his season. Originally a starter, he did start a few games for the Yankees back in 2009, but was mediocre at best. Colon and Garcia are both former aces. Colon, 37, a former 21-game winner and 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner, has seen his star fallen with age and health. The last time he pitched in the major leagues was in 2009 with the Chicago White Sox. Garcia, 35, pitched to a 12-6 record last year with a 4.64 ERA in 28 starts for the White Sox. Once an 18-game winner, Garcia has seen his career dwindle the past few years due to injury.

That's why the Yankees needed Andy Pettitte back.

With Pettitte, you know what you're getting. His 162 game average suggests at least a 17-10 record, a 3.88 ERA, 34 stars, 215 innings. While he's no-doubtly fallen from there, now a 13-15 game winner, Pettitte is still a viable and trustworthy starter. With Pettitte on the mound, you always expected a win. He's certainly better from what the Yankees now have to choose from.

The Yankees' signing of shut-down reliever Rafael Soriano last week led many to believe that the Yankees were acknowledging the likelihood of Pettitte not returning, as the new reliever would help to shorten games out of the bullpen along with closer Mariano Rivera and pitchers Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson. The Soriano signing, while criticized by many, including GM Brian Cashman who called it an "ownership driven move," could be looked at as both good and bad. The bad being the money/years (3-years/$36 million), the good being that now, in essence, when the Yankees play, their opponents' game will be shortened to 7 innings as Robertson/Chamberlain will get the 7th, Soriano the 8th and Rivera the 9th. It's a dominant bullpen and a dominant "bridge to Mariano."

But alas, although the Yankees fixed their bullpen, and the Soriano signing will ease the loss of Pettitte, due to now-shortened games from a lock-down bullpen, the rotation is still in question.

In my opinion, I think the best option for the Yankees is to trade for a quality starting pitcher. They've been rumored to be interested in the Angels' Scott Kazmir, Althetics' Gio Gonzalez, Padres' Wade LeBlanc & Clayton Richard, and the Diamondbacks' Joe Saunders. Any of these pitchers would be a significant upgrade over their options right now.

Had Pettitte returned this season, when the Yankees truly needed him most, a rotation of Sabathia-Hughes-Pettitte-Burnett-? would look a lot better than Sabathia-Hughes-Burnett-?-?.

So what does Andy Pettitte's retirement mean for the Yankees now, especially to the pitchers fighting for a rotation spot?

"Step up."

Thanks for the memories, Andy. (2009 World Series Game Six)

What The Russell Martin Signing Means For Jesus Montero

Way back on December 14th, the Yankees signed former LA Dodgers' catcher and once promising face-of-the-franchise player Russell Martin to a 1-year, $4 million contract. A few weeks before, when Martin was non-tendered a contract by the Dodgers (allowing him to become a free agent), the Yankees almost acquired Martin in a straight-up, one-for-one deal that would have sent Francisco Cervelli to LA. However, talks broke down after medical records were reviewed and the Yankees backed off, leading many to believe Martin in pinstripes wasn't going to happen. Nonetheless, when he was officially released, the Yanks pounced on the opportunity.

Now, the word from the Yankees after the postseason was that franchise catcher Jorge Posada, who, with Cervelli, ranked last in % of thrown out would-be base stealers and defense, would shift to the designated hitter spot for the 2011 season and that top catching prospect, the hitting prodigy, 21-year old Jesus Montero, would battle with Cervelli and prospect Austin Romine for the starting job at catcher. Despite Montero's reported defensive struggles, all signs are that his bat is ready. Often drawing a Miguel Cabrera-esque comparison with the bat, the young venezuelan catcher has been the top demand by any team who wants to make a trade with the Yankees, who are reluctant to deal him. Yankee fans were very excited when they found out Montero had a chance to be the starter in 2011, coming off a .289/21 homer season in triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Montero was the favorite for the job, seeing as his competition (Cervelli, Romine) can't hit water if it fell out of a bucket. It would truly be a changing of the guard.

However, there was also skepticism. Why would the Yankees throw a 21-year old kid, who only has one year of triple-A experience under his belt, into the AL East, especially when he isn't a terrific defender? Many argued that while Montero had a chance to make the roster, he should get some more seasoning in triple-A, seeing as his first half in Scranton wasn't great as he batted around .250 until going on a scorching tear the second half of the year. Perhaps a month or two in the minors would do Montero good. If he tore it up, he'd get a call up and be the full-time catcher.

With fans fantasizing at the idea of the young slugger in the Bronx, all dreams stopped when the Yankees signed the 27-year old Martin. GM Brian Cashman declared that Martin "will be our starting catcher," putting any dreams of Montero as the starer to rest. Yankee fans were on the fence about the move, questioning why the Yankees had signed Martin, who was coming off two down years at the plate (.248, 5 HR, 26 RBI, .679 OPS in 2010) , not to mention a fractured hip which limited him to just 97 games last season. Why would the Yankees sign a player, especially a catcher, a position where one has to crouch, with a recently fractured hip? It was a puzzling move to say the least.

However, the move also had upside to it. Analysts raved that it was a very good signing for the Yankees, as it gave them further depth at the catching position, arguably the strongest position in the organization, as well as that it would give Montero more time to develop in the minors until he is ready. As well, it's certain that Martin is primed for a rebound and is more of a sure-thing than Montero is because he's proved it at the big league level. He's just three years removed from an All-Star .293, 19 HR, 87 RBI season. Perhaps Martin just needed a change of scenery to move on. While New York is a tough place to play, Martin is the man for the job. A clubhouse guy who was once deemed the leader of the Dodgers, Martin is a good fit for the Yankees not just on the field but in the locker room. He certainly has a lot to prove this season, because he is expendable if he happens to flop, especially with Montero waiting in the wings.

If Martin meets expectations and returns to the form he was with the Dodgers, it could also work very well in the long-term for the Yankees. He's young enough to be the catcher for a long time for the Yankees, and is in the middle of his prime years. If he were to return to All-Star form, the Yankees could in turn keep the sure-thing in Martin and trade Montero (a prospect is just that, a prospect) for premier pitching, a void they've been trying to fill this offseason. While the Yankees have stated that they "will not trade Montero this offseason," it doesn't mean they won't trade him. They offered him in deals for Cliff Lee last summer and Roy Halladay last winter, so he certainly isn't "un-touchable," but also is to some extent.

So what does the Russell Martin signing mean for Jesus Montero? It means that he has more time to develop into the player he's projected to be, while being able to work to improve his game defensively. Once he figures out defense enough to the extent to be a good catcher, he'll get the call to the show. The bat's ready. But what else could it mean? It could mean that he could be playing for another team some point this season if he is traded for prime pitching. The Jesus Montero Era hasn't even started, and we might not even see it.

In my opinion, I think Martin will be a great steal for the Yankees. I do think that he will rebound this season and be serviceable, but, when the time comes and Montero is ready, he'll become expendable, much like what the reigning world champion San Francisco Giants did last season with catcher Bengie Molina and 2010 Rookie Of The Year, catcher Buster Posey. In May, after Posey was tearing up triple-A, they called him up and traded Molina to Texas, allowing Posey to get the full-time starting job. I think the Yankees could do something similar this season.

But it's like John Sterling always says, "you can't predict baseball."

NFL Postseason Picture

Hey guys! I know it's been a while (almost a month!), and I'm really sorry! I've been very busy with college apps, school work, track and other stuff. I promise I'm going to try to post as much and as often as I can!

Anyway, the NFL season came to a close yesterday. 12 move on and live to play another day, while everyone else goes home for the winter. Among the playoff teams are:

AFC

No. 1 New England Patriots (14-2)

No. 2 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)

No. 3 Indianapolis Colts (9-6)

No. 4 Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)

No. 5 Baltimore Ravens (12-4)

No. 6 New York Jets (11-5)

Schedule:

WildCard Round

3 IND vs. 6 NYJ (1/8)

4 KC vs. 5 BAL (1/9)

Divisional Round

Lowest Seed Remaining vs. 1 NE (1/15)

Highest Seed Remaining vs. 2 PIT (1/16)

Championship Round

TBD vs. TBD (1/23)

NFC

No. 1 Atlanta Falcons (13-3)

No. 2 Chicago Bears (11-5)

No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)

No. 4 Seattle Seahawks (7-9)

No. 5 New Orleans Saints (11-5)

No. 6 Green Bay Packers (10-6)

Schedule:

WildCard Round

5 NO vs. 4 SEA (1/8)

6 GB vs. 3 PHI (1/9)

Divisional Round

Lowest Seed Remaining vs. 1 ATL (1/15)

Highest Seed Remaining vs. 2 CHI (1/16)

Championship Round

TBD vs. TBD (1/23)

SUPERBOWL

AFC Champion vs. NFC Champion (2/6)

Recapping the news of the past week

This is gonna be really quick! Sorry guys, I've been very busy!

- Former Washington Nationals' 1B/OF Adam Dunn, 31, agreed to a four-year, $56 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. The Sox, who were always interested in Dunn, (they tried to acquire him at the trade deadline) plan on using Dunn as a DH and re-signing 1B Paul Konerko to create a devastating 3-4 combination in the lineup. The club also re-signed C A.J. Pierzynski to a two-year, $8 million deal.

- Perhaps the news of the day, the Nationals, completely out of the blue, signed former Philadelphia Phillies' All-Star OF Jayson Werth to a, *clears throat*, seven-year, $126 million contract. Werth, 31, was the third best player on the market and was most rumored to end up in Boston. Last season, the late-bloomer hit .296 with 27 home runs and 85 RBIs last season for the Phillies.

- All is well in Yankeeland. The New York Yankees, after much speculation and pure hell thanks to the media, re-signed both SS Derek Jeter and CP Mariano Rivera. Jeter, 36, was the subject of much speculation in the media since the free agency period began. The initial offer, a three-year, $45 million deal, couldn't cut it for Jeter and thus began the thought of Jeter leaving the Yankees. However, it wasn't meant to be and, in quick Yankee-like fashion, they re-upped Jeter to a three-year, $51 million deal with a new hybrid-type option for a fourth year. If the option is maxed, the deal could be worth as much as $65 million. On the other hand, Rivera, 41, was a much quieter situation than Jeter, as good ol' Mo got a two-year, $30 million deal after being offered similar contracts from rivals the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox.

- The Red Sox deal for first baseman Adrian Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres fell-through today, as the Red Sox, who had a 2 PM negotiating window, failed to get an extension signed between the two sides. RHP Casey Kelly, 1B Anthony Rizzo and OF Reymond Fuentes were the prospects said to be heading off to San Diego. However, with the deal right now at an impasse, it's unlikely the deal gets done.

- On side notes, 1B/OF Lance Berkman signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals to play LF, and RHP Aaron Harang got a one-year, $3 million deal with the Padres.

That's all for now! The GM Winter Meetings in Orlando get underway tomorrow, so be prepared for lots of baseball news!

Cleveland's Former Favorite Son Returns Home

Cleveland's former "chosen one" is going back to where it all began.

Months since his "Decision," LeBron James has been one of the most hated athletes in the sporting world since he changed allegiances from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat last off season.

A native child of Akron, Ohio, James, 25, was the big buzz of last off season, with speculation on where he would land or if he would stay with his hometown team. After many failed attempts, Cleveland's favorite son eventually chose to leave the hometown team he imagined himself winning multiple NBA titles with and jettisoned off to Miami to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form the NBA's "Big 3," a three-headed monster offense that guaranteed multiple championships, a new dynasty, and lots of criticism.

Cavs fans immediately turned their backs on James: burning his jerseys, tossing rocks at the "We Are All Witnesses" poster which featured their beloved hero, and destroying any lasting evidence that they had of James in a Cavaliers uniform. The city went on a riot. With worries of the city's economy failing, as well as their team failing, fans went into outrages, burning James' jersey in the streets. Even the Cavs' owner, Dan Gilbert, posted a letter from himself on the Cavs' website, bashing James and guaranteeing that the team would recover. While some of the hatred towards James has obviously simmered since the breaking news, the pain still remains in the heart of Cleveland.

Now, with the Heat struggling at 11-8 (after they were predicted to win 60-70+ games), good for just third in their division, even with their "Big 3," criticism has been thrown around about the team: The Big 3 can't play together; Bosh is garbage; They don't know how to pass the ball; Head Coach Erik Spoelstra is butting heads with his players; etc. The team's future is up in the air, and many are now skeptical of their ability to live up to the hype.

The Cavs, while at 7-10, aren't failing as terribly as many had predicted when James (along with Shaquielle O'Neil) departed from Cleveland.

Now, for the first time in his career, James returns to Cleveland, and will be, without a doubt, showered with boos. No one will be sympathetic for James, especially for the way he "handled" his "decision," airing it on national television and tearing the hearts of Cavaliers fans everywhere. This is a must win game for not just James, but the Heat too, as the team would not only continue to slide in the standing, but they would never hear the end of it from the social media and fans if they failed to defeat the Cavaliers.

Even if the Heat win, the fans will never forgive LeBron for quitting on their team. Quitting on them. Quitting on his hometown.

In Cleveland, LeBron James will always be known as "LeQuitter."