Unusually quiet trade deadline for the NHL

Posted by Dan Cafiero.

Rick Nash was one of the big names not moved on Monday.

The NHL Trade Deadline is one of the most exciting days for hockey fans. Everyone is sitting at work watching their twitter feeds, refreshing the NHL Trade Tracker on NHL.com or watching NHL Tradecentre on NHL Network and TSN to see who or what their beloved team is going to acquire. The fans’ “wants” may sometimes differ from “needs” of the team” and that is what makes it so exciting. It’s always fun checking the rumor blogs everyday for a month leading up to the deadline, some of the rumors become done deals while others don’t get past the rumor stage. This year, it felt like none of the rumors came true. Which brings us to “the trade” that never happened.

Rick Nash, the most talented player available at this year’s deadline, was involved in all kinds of rumors for about a month. Rumors started gaining some steam in the beginning of February. Some say he was packing his bags and catching a flight to L.A while other sources had Brandon Dubinsky along with several other Rangers heading to Columbus in exchange for Nash. It was later revealed that Nash had asked GM Scott Howson for a trade out of Columbus but he never got one. When the clock hit 3pm ET, Rick Nash remained a Blue Jacket and a frustrated one to say the least. He didn’t want to wait until the summer to be traded but it looks like that is now going to be the case. The 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist told the media after practice on Tuesday that his trade request was for all the right reasons and nothing selfish. He believed the hockey club could bring back several good hockey players along with top draft picks, which would help move the rebuild along in Columbus. The New York Rangers are believed to have been the closest to acquiring Nash on Monday, offering Brandon Dubinsky, J.T Miller, Tim Erixon, Christian Thomas and a 1st round draft pick, Howson declined that offer. Therefore, for the time being, Rick Nash will remain a member and captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets.  However, I do believe he will have played his last game as a Blue Jacket on April 7th when they host the New York Islanders in their final game of the season as a draft-day deal seems imminent. 

Now for the few trades that actually did occur on the February 27th, Cody Hodgson was probably the biggest name dealt. Vancouver sent the young promising forward to Buffalo in exchange for Zack Kassian. Hodgson has played with Buffalo’s Tyler Ennis and Tyler Myers in the past so it shouldn’t take him long to adjust to life in Buffalo. The Sabres also dealt the gritty forward Paul Gaustad to Nashville for a 1st round pick. This deal had many people scratching their heads. I’m not sure if Gaustad is worth a 1st round pick but obviously Nashville’s GM David Poile thought differently. He will add some toughness to the lineup, which will be needed come playoff time. The Predators have had a lot of success over the last few years but have yet to find their way to the finals. The Gaustad deal may just be another attempt to keep pending unrestricted free agent Ryan Suter in Nasvhille. Obviously the deciding factor for Suter come July 1st is not going to be whether or not Paul Gaustad is on the roster. However, it does prove that Poile is doing everything he can to improve this team and make a run at the Stanley Cup. The Predators also acquired Andrei Kostitsyn from Montreal for a 2nd round pick and a conditional 5th round pick. Kostitsyn will join his brother Sergei in Nashville who was also traded from Montreal in June of 2010.

Another fairly big trade involved defenseman Nick Schultz leaving Minnesota with Edmonton’s Tom Gilbert heading the other way. Schultz, a 2nd round draft pick in 2000, has played every game in a Wild uniform. Meanwhile, Gilbert will be returning home to Minnesota where he grew up in Minneapolis. 

In a few minor deals, the New York Islanders sent veterans Mike Mottau and Brian Rolston to Boston for 2 prospects. Tampa Bay’s GM Steve Yzerman sent Long Island native Matt Gilroy to Ottawa for Brian Lee and acquired veteran Mike Commodore from Detroit for a conditional 7th round pick in 2013. 

The biggest trades were made prior to the February 27th deadline with Columbus dealing Jeff Carter to the Kings for Jack Johnson and a conditional 1st round pick. The Rangers sent Wojtek Wolski to Florida for a 3rd round pick and Mike Vernace. The New Jersey Devils acquired Marek Zidlicky from Minnesota in exchange for former Wild players Kurtis Foster and Stephan Veilleux along with Nick Palmieri, a 2nd round pick in 2012 and a conditional 3rd round pick in 2013. With Craig Anderson out for a few weeks due to injury and uncertainty behind him, Ottawa addressed their goaltending needs by adding young Ben Bishop from St.Louis for a 2013 2nd round pick. This was a great trade for both teams with the Blues already having two all-star caliber goalies in Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliot. 

All in all, this was one of the quietest trade deadlines in years. There was nearly double the amount of trades just two years ago with many more high-profile names on the move. However, there was not that big of a difference between this year and last year as far as the number of trades go. Will this trend continue next year and for years to come? There just simply were not as many sellers as we have seen in the past, which would obviously result in fewer trades. With the standings being so tight in both conferences, it seems like every GM in the league feels their team has a chance to make the playoffs. They are not going to trade any valuable pieces away if they feel they are still in the tick of the playoff race. When UFAs hit the open market on July 1st, general managers will certainly be a lot busier than this past weekend. With stars like Ryan Suter, Zack Parise and Alexander Semin set to test the open market, it should be interesting to see where they land. 

NBA All-Star Weekend

Posted by Dan Dragicevich.

With the majority of the focus being on Sunday and the all-star game, are the two previous days necessary anymore?

Sunday’s all-star game has been and always will be the cherry on top of the NBA all-star weekend. With Sunday’s game being no different than usual, the fans and even the players had an entertaining night. With the lack of defense being played and the frenzy of alley-oop after alley-oop seemingly always to either Blake Griffin or Lebron James, the all-star game was a success.

What wasn’t a success about the weekend was the bevy of events that take place on Friday and Saturday leading up to the all-star game. I mean it seems like it is getting a little ridiculous with everything they have now. On Friday, they have the Sprint celebrity game and the BBVA rising stars game, on Saturday they have the D-League all-star game, the Haier shooting stars challenge, the Taco Bell skills challenge, the Foot Locker 3 point shooting contest, and the Sprite slam dunk contest, and finally on Sunday they have the All-star game. Is it me or does it seem like the NBA is having all of these events just so companies can sponsor them? Of course the NBA is out to make their money, but what happened to the days when the all-star break was all about the players and the fans just relaxing and having a good time instead of it becoming a huge advertising party?

David Stern and the NBA are heading in the right direction, especially with many other sports all-star games kicking the bucket (NFL’s Pro Bowl). But is it really necessary to have an all-star game for the D-League? The Celebrity game is one thing, because it provides the fans with names they have heard before and gives them someone and something to cheer about, but unfortunately no one has heard of anyone in the D-League and having one event at the all-star break isn’t going to attract more people to go to the games.

What they should do is get rid of Friday’s events and the Haier shooting skills contest and make everything on Saturday and Sunday. Obviously they have to keep the 3 point shooting contest and the dunk contest because those are staples, but maybe they should try and have bigger names and better dunkers join the contests. No disrespect to Chase Budinger, but do the fans of the NBA really want to see him in the dunk contest? Yes, he can dunk the ball, but what happened to when Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon used to participate in it? 

Lebron James is one of the best dunkers and high flyers of all-time and he has still yet to participate. I think if you are one of the best at what you do then you should feel responsible to participate in an event that showcases the best of the best. That’s the way it used to be and it needs to get back to that way very soon.

Network concedes to Linsanity

Posted by Jon Creem.

Jeremy Lin

If you don't live in the greater Manhattan area then you might not have known that even fans living in the Big Apple were not able to witness Harvard phenom, Jeremy Lin, inspire and ignite the Knicks to their winning ways. Time Warner, who provides the cable to the customers who watch games played on MSG, along with MSG themselves, have been in an ongoing dispute over carriage fees, or the amount of money MSG pays Time Warner to broadcast events.

Since Lin arose to the Knicks starting point guard, complaints from the New York faithful began to increase. As the outbreak of demand continued, pressure by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo drove talks from the companies to make a deal. MSG chairman, James Dolan, and Time Warner Cable chairmen, Glenn Britt, then met Monday, February 13th to finally end the dispute.

What's even more compelling is that even with the Rangers, being in first place and hockey fans fuming, it took Lin's rising celebrity status to get a deal to work. Unfortunately, no financial agreement has been made public, but according to the NY Post, after a deal was made and MSG was back on the air, the network posted a rating of 4.66 and drew 344,272 viewers. The rating was the highest since Carmelo Anthony's Knicks debut.

If your a Knicks (or Rangers) fan, add this to the thank you list for the front office to consider for next year, as contract talks will most certainly heat up as Lin continues to put the team on his back.

MLB: 10 players to watch this season

Posted by Anthony Romano.

Stephen Strasburg

1) Stephen Strasburg (Washington Nationals, SP)

Strasburg was limited to only 24 innings in 2011 as he made a successful comeback from Tommy John surgery. Looking at 2012, Strasburg will be put on an innings limit, though the number has not yet been determined. With this innings limit imposed on Strasburg, it will be interesting to see how he is used throughout the season. Can his elbow remain healthy on a normal scheduled workload? And maybe most importantly, what would the Nationals do if they happened to be in a playoff race?

2) Buster Posey (San Francisco Giants, C)
Last year, Posey was involved in a controversial collision at home plate that resulted in a broken ankle for the young star. Posey claims to be 100% heading into spring training. But it will be interesting to see how the ankle holds up. Catcher is a very demanding position and Posey is the future of the franchise. There is no DH in the National League so Posey either plays catcher or doesn’t play at all. If the ankle remains healthy, the Giants will breathe a huge sigh of relief. If it doesn’t, the future of Posey could be in serious doubt.

3) Adam Wainwright (St. Louis Cardinals, SP)
Like Strasburg, Wainwright had Tommy John surgery before the 2011 season ever began. Unlike Strasburg, Wainwright did not make an appearance in 2011 as he focused on regaining the strength in his elbow. Wainwright does not expect to be limited at all in 2012, as no innings limits will be used with him. The Cardinals won the world series without its sec last season, but they have now lost Albert Pujols to the Angels. If Wainwright can pitch like he did before the injury, the Cardinals won’t miss a beat, Pujols will be an afterthought, and another world series title could be heading back St. Louis for a second consecutive year. If Wainwright struggles, will the Cardinals keep throwing him out there every 5th day and risk another injury? The latter doesn’t seem an issue, but is always a possibility.

Matt Kemp

4) Matt Kemp (Los Angeles Dodgers, OF)
Many people believed that it was Kemp who deserved the National League MVP over Ryan Braun. Kemp finished 2011 with 39 homers and 40 stolen bases while batting .324, falling one home run shy of reaching the 40/40 club. Kemp has called it that he will be the first player in major league baseball history to have a 50/50 season. 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season is unheard of and Kemp has guaranteed he will do it. All the pressure is on Kemp as he will be closely watched day in and day out to see if he is on pace to match his guarantee. Kemp will deal with a lot media over the course of the year, but if anyone can handle it, Kemp sure can.

5) Yu Darvish (Texas Rangers, SP)
Yu Darvish was the biggest name out there when it came to starting pitchers in the offseason. A sensation in Japan for the last seven years, Darvish has the numbers to support why he was wanted by so many teams. With a 93-38 record and a WHIP under 1, Darvish will have a high reputation to live up to. The pressure will be on Darvish to impress both the Rangers organization and the nation of Japan. When the Red Sox too a gamble on Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2007, the same type of hype surrounded him. Darvish has handled the media well up to this point, but like every other major leaguer, will struggle and it will be interesting to see how he handles that type of media coverage when the time comes.

6) Manny Ramirez (Oakland Athletics, OF)
Manny Ramirez is about to get his third chance in the major leagues. The Athletics took a flier on the 39-year old after he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and retired shortly after. He has come out of retirement for at least one more year after signing with the Athletics. Manny will have to sit for the first 50 games because of the positive test. It will be interesting to see if Manny is still in baseball shape and to see if the gamble the A’s took was a good one. He is only getting paid for 112 games at the most as another chapter, and maybe the last one for good, will be written on “Manny being Manny.”

Ryan Braun

7) Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers, OF)
Ryan Braun has had a very difficult offseason. He tested positive for performance enhancing drugs after winning the MVP in 2011. Braun denied the positive test saying it was a mistake. After weeks of sitting and waiting, the arbitrators surprisingly found Braun innocent and Braun is now able to play the entire season instead of missing the first 50 games. It will be interesting to see how Braun is treated by the fans away from Miller Park and if that will effect his play. Braun is now able to play in all 162 games for the Brewers and they could’t be happier. Can he still produce the MVP-type numbers without Prince Fielder around? Only time will tell.

8) Aroldis Chapman (Cincinnati Reds, SP)
Chapman might be the hardest throwing pitcher in all of baseball. At the young age of 23, Chapman is just beginning what could be a very successful career in the major leagues. Consistently topping over 100 mph with his fastball, Chapman pairs that fastball with a deadly slider that is always keeping the batters guessing. Chapman has always pitched out of the bullpen which makes this season worth watching. The word around baseball is that he will now be used as a starting pitcher, but it remains to be seen how he will be used. At only 23 years old, the Reds do not want to over use him, but at the same time cannot ignore his superb stuff. An innings limit may be used but only time will tell.

9) Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees, 3B)
What’s a watch list without Alex Rodriguez on it? The 14 time all star and 3 time AL MVP is under the spotlight each and every year he plays. Being in New York makes that spotlight even bigger. Last year, A-Rod was held to just 99 games as he suffered a knee injury that kept him from recording 30 home runs and 100 rbi’s in a season for the first time since 1998. Rodriguez will turn 37 years old just before the trade deadline. The Yankees do not plan on using him as the primary designated hitter, but with the number of injuries seeming to increase for A-Rod, he might have to.

10) Ryan Howard (Philadelphia Phillies, 1B)
Howard tore his achilles back in October and has been rehabbing it ever since he got surgery. He will not be ready for Opening Day when the Phillies travel to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates on April 5th. Howard may very well miss the first month or so of the season. He will have to play 1st base when he returns and it will be interesting to see how the achilles holds up. Howard is a force in the middle of the Phillies lineup that very much needs him. His power threat helps others like Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins have better seasons offensively. Without Howard, the Phillies making it to the postseason become just a little more difficult.

UEFA Champions League: English Premier teams on the brink of elimination in Europe’s top competition.

Posted by Marino Crocco.

EPL is in danger of having no representation in the 2012 Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 1996.

Chelsea, along with Arsenal, is one of the only EPL teams left in Champions League.

When Ezequiel Lavezzi’s 65th minute strike hit the back of the net to give Napoli a 3-1 lead over EPL giants Chelsea in the first leg of the round 16, Portuguese manager Andres Villas Boas walked back to his bench and sat down in disbelief. 

Barring a sensational comeback at the Stamford Bridge and the Emirates Stadium in the following weeks vs. Napoli and AC Milan, Chelsea and Arsenal will be joining the two Manchester clubs in front of their TV sets, at home, watching the quarterfinals of Europe’s biggest competition. In fact,  this will be the first time since 1996 that England will have no representation in the quarterfinals of Champions League.  This is a big blow for the star-studded EPL, who claims to be the “best soccer league in the world” 

Is the EPL losing its edge? Or, is this just a year to forget? England’s fate is in the hands of Arsenal (down 4-0 on aggregate) and Chelsea (down 3-1) and they will need a miracle to advance and avoid what could potentially be one of the most embarrassing Champions League campaigns.

Hey, but it’s sports. Anything can happen.. 

USA Men's Soccer Roster Set

Posted by JJ Comeau.

Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has announced a roster of 21 to start training in preparation for their February 29th match against four-time world champion Italy. Here is the roster list that Klinsmann will be working with, via US Soccer:

GOALKEEPERS (3) : Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (7) : Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Michael Parkhurst (FC Nordsjaelland), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City)

MIDFIELDERS (6) : Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)

FORWARDS (5) : Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)

Jurgen Klinsmann and Landon Donovan

Lebron 'Villain' James

Posted by Dan Dragicevich.

Lebron James went from savor of Cleveland basketball to Villain of the entire NBA when he decided to “take his talents to South Beach” and play for the Miami Heat.

When people hear Lebron James’ name in the media what do they think of? My guess is that they remember when he so arrogantly decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team he was drafted by, and go play for the Miami Heat. This was a big deal because of the way he did it and the fact that he let a lot of people down who brought him into this league.

Lebron James came into the league fresh out of high school as one of the most anticipated players the sport has ever seen. With his body structure, skill, speed and overall athleticism, people knew he was destined for greatness and that is exactly what he started out as. James was drafted by a horrendous Cleveland team and while he was there he managed to bring attendance up, jersey sales up and the overall hype of Cleveland basketball up. He even managed to help out the economy of the city because people from all over wanted to see him play which created a boom in other businesses such as restaurants and bars. In a nut shell, Lebron James was God in Cleveland, Ohio.

Then in one full swoop his status as God came crashing down. His existing contract was up and free agency suddenly became imminent for James as every team was bidding on him to bring him to their city. Blah, Blah, Blah, we all know how this ended up. The Media made a free agency deal into a huge production and probably about 50% of why Lebron James is hated is because of the media. We all know about “The Decision” that took place on air and how ridiculous that whole thing was. We also know about how when he arrived at Miami with Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, and company, that they basically had a fashion show showcasing themselves in their uniforms and where Lebron so foolishly predicted that they will win “not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, but seven NBA titles.”

So OK, we know about how much of a jerk he is for what he did two years back but that’s not why I’m writing about this. I am writing about this because of something he said a few days ago. Lebron James is under contract with the Heat for two more years with the option of extending his contract for two more and after coming back to Cleveland for the third time to play against his old team, he was asked a very interesting question. When asked if he would ever return to Cleveland he said, “I am open to anything, I don’t know what the future holds but as long as I am healthy I wouldn’t mind coming back.” He also added that he had a lot of good times playing there and that it could be fun coming back. I’m sorry but is he serious? The arrogance of this guy is unbelievable and the fact that he would say that coming back to Cleveland would be fun is ridiculous. I don’t know what the loyalty is like in Cleveland but if the fans have any self-dignity they should openly come out and say, for lack of better words, "go screw yourself Lebron". What he did was the lowest of the low in sports especially the way he did it and to say those things is like a slap in the face to Cleveland fans.

I’m sorry Cleveland but what you have going on now with the young talent of Kyrie Irving and some of the supporting cast around him they can make some noise themselves. Give them a few more years to build and they will be in the playoff race every year.

This is just another example of why Lebron James keeps digging himself into deeper and deeper holes with people around the league, and unless he starts winning to silence some of the critics, he will be one of the most hated players ever outside of South Beach.

The rarity of a 300 win pitcher

Posted by Anthony Romano.

Will we see another 300 win pitcher in our lifetime?

Roy Halladay

There have only been 24 pitchers in the history of Major League Baseball to ever reach the milestone of winning 300 games in their career. Of the 24 pitchers who reached this milestone, 20 of them have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. So this begs the question: Do we have a chance at seeing another 300 win pitcher in our lifetime?

Not many people realize just how hard it is to reach the 300 win plateau. On average, a pitcher would need to win 15 games over a 20 season duration. Not only is the 15 wins a challenge in itself, but having a pitcher be able to complete 20 full seasons, without a significant injury, is very difficult.

Here is a list of the top five active wins leaders in Major League Baseball today:

Player - season - age - wins

Roy Halladay - 14 - 34 - 188

Tim Hudson - 13 - 35 - 181

CC Sabathia - 11 - 35 - 176

Livan Hernandez - 16 - 36 - 174

Derek Lowe - 15 - 38 - 166

CC Sabathia

Of these 5 pitchers, CC Sabathia is the only pitcher who has averaged over 15 wins a season. At the rate he is going, averaging 16 wins a season, CC could possibly become the next 300 game winner in roughly seven to eight years. This means he will need to stay away from the injury bug while still piling up the wins year after year.

Roy Halladay and Tim Hudson both average over 13 wins a season and surely have a shot at 300 wins as well. The only issue they face is their ages, as Halladay will be 35 in May and Hudson 36 in July. At the current rate both pitchers are going, Halladay and Hudson could reach 300 at 42 and 43, respectively, but will have to do it without missing any significant time due to injury.

Clearly, CC Sabathia has the best opportunity to reach 300 wins as he is only 30 years old and pitches for the offensive juggernaut known as the New York Yankees. But anything can happen in baseball and only time will tell if we will see the illustrious milestone of 300 wins reached again.

Long Island 495ers looking to add another National Championship

Posted by Dan Cafiero.

Key offseason additions have made the Elite 495ers a powerhouse in the AIHL.

The Long Island 495ers are a member of the American Inline Hockey League (AIHL). The AIHL has 40 teams across the country in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Michigan, Illinois, Virginia, Texas, California, Nevada, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Arizona. There are two leagues within the AIHL, an elite and a minor league; the 495ers have a team in both of them. Both teams are members of the New England division in their respective leagues. Skate Safe America, home of the 495ers, is located in Old Bethpage, NY on Long Island. 

Long Island 495ers of the AIHL

The elite team is currently sitting comfortably atop the division and is the clear-cut favorites to finish there. They have a 16-point lead above the New York Terror, another team based on Long Island. The minor team, the defending national champions, is just 1 point behind New England for 1st place as of February 21st.  You can find all of the league’s standings, scores, stats and schedules on the league’s official website www.aihlhockey.com.

In 2011, it was the minor team that brought home the hardware. With a roster with the likes of Captain Steve Sharkey, Vinny Bianco, John Schiavo, Chris Mezzapesa, Matt Metz, Jimmy Metz, Mike Saporito, CJ Tiefenwerth, Chris Bracken, Erik Molzahn, Anthony Rotola, and Tommy Nostramo, the 495ers were tough to beat all season long, losing just 3 games in the regular season. Led by league MVP, Vinny Bianco, the 495ers traveled to Pittsburgh with their eyes set on a national championship. Backstopped by playoff MVP, Tommy Nostramo, the 495ers beat the Corona Ducks from Corona, California in the finals to win their first national title. With a great regular season and a championship to cap it off, it was anything but easy for this hockey team. “ We experienced a lot of ups and downs during the course of the season but we found a way to come together as a team and finish on top.” Said Steve Sharkey, captain of the 495ers. 

After what felt like a dream season for most of the team in 2011, they know this season won’t be any easier than the last one. They have already matched their loss total from last season with 8 games remaining. The good news is that Nick Gullo has stepped up in net, winning all 4 of his starts this season while allowing just 7 goals on 75 shots this season. Vinny Bianco’s 24 points leads the team and is tied for 7th in the nation.  Two games against the Terror on March 10th at Skate Safe America may decide where they finish in the standings; the Terror trail the 495ers by 6 points in the New England Division.

On the Elite side, the 495ers fell to the Philadelphia Brawlers last season in the conference semifinals. The Brawlers advanced all the way to the finals, only to be swept by the Oakland Goodlife. After a disappointing finish to 2011, the elite squad made some key changes for the 2011-2012 season. One of the biggest changes was behind the bench, naming Tim McManus head coach. Long Island also added some of the biggest names in roller hockey with John McGuiness, Greg Thompson, J.P Susco, Brendan Nelson, Derek Kern, Dan Healy, Travis Bokina and John Petito. McGuiness, in his first season with Long Island, leads the nation with 66 points in his first 16 games. Returning players include Jon Mosenson, Rowan Porter, Michael Bochichio, TJ D’Agostino, Anthony Landro and Pete Pennecke. 

This team is certainly loaded with talent and is without question the best team, on paper, in the country; but with an undefeated record so far, they haven’t disappointed.  When a team makes as many changes as they did in the offseason, chemistry is usually a concern with most teams, but not for this one. “Going into the season we were very confident that we would have great chemistry,” Said Greg Thompson, the league’s 2nd leading scorer. “ A majority of the team has played at the high level and we have a lot of guys who have been in the "big game” before.” Even though they have had a great start to the season, they understand they haven’t won anything yet. “From goaltending on up we have a strong team and we hope we can keep it going for the rest of the season. Every team is going to have their best game against us so we really have to come hard and bring our best every game.” 

Both 495ers teams will continue their season on Saturday, March 3rd, when they host the New Jersey Surge. They will play two games a piece, as the puck will drop at 6pm and 6:45pm ET for the minors and 7:30pm and 8:30pm ET for the Elite at Skate Safe America. 

NL West Standings Projections

Posted by Anthony Romano.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (96-66) 

LOS ANGELES DODGERS (91-71) 

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (85-76) 

COLORADO ROCKIES (75-86) 

SAN DIEGO PADRES (70-92)

The Arizona Diamondbacks sported the 3rd best record in the National League last year finishing 94-68 and winning the National League West. The acquisition of Trevor Cahill from the Oakland Athletics gives the Diamondbacks the ability to improve upon that record from last year. With Cahill joining young stars Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson, pitching does not seem to be an issue going forward. On the offensive side, the Diamondbacks are hit or miss. Though they ranked in the bottom half of the league in total team average, hitting at a .250 clip, they were in the top ten in homers totaling 172. If the Diamondbacks can improve upon their batting average, there is no question they will make some noise in the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were clearly a distracted team last year as then-owner Frank McCourt filed for bankruptcy. With McCourt out of the picture and the Dodgers looking for a new owner, players can now focus solely on baseball. Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw will look to lead a starting rotation that had the 5th best E.R.A last year and 4th most strikeouts. But if the Dodgers want to challenge for the National League West, they will need more offense outside of Matt Kemp. Kemp is coming off arguably his best season as a major leaguer, coming up just one home run shy of being part of the 40/40 club; 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases, while still batting .324. James Loney and Andre Ethier must produce more to give the Dodgers hope in 2012.

The San Francisco Giants definitely hurt by the loss of young catcher Buster Posey in a collision at home plate back in May. Posey is the core of the Giants, being their best hitter on offense while managing the pitching staff day in and day out. With a healthy Posey in 2012, the Giants have a chance to be able to improve upon their 2nd best 3.20 E.R.A. The problem for the Giants is that they finished in the bottom 10 in average, hits, home runs, and runs. One player, as good as Posey is and can be, will not be enough to get this team out of the bottom 10. They will ride the arms of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain throughout the entire season.

The Colorado Rockies have arguably the best shortstop in the game in Troy Tulowitzki. They also have a young blooming star in outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. These two carry an offense that is in the top half in most major categories. Playing in the thin air in Colorado doesn’t hurt either. But ever since Ubaldo Jimenez was traded to the Cleveland Indians back on July 31, the Rockies have been searching for an ace. Until they find that ace, they will continue to be in the bottom half of the MLB in pitching; which doesn’t help when half of their games are at home and the balls tend to fly just a little bit further in the thin air of Denver.

The San Diego Padres had the worst overall offense in 2011. Ranking in the bottom five in hits, runs, home runs, average, and runs batted in, they are looking for all the offensive help from wherever they can get it. The spacious confines of Petco Park do not help much either. The pitching is 3rd best when it comes to E.R.A, but there is just no run support. When Adrian Gonzalez was lost to the Red Sox, it was evident that the Padres were looking to rebuild. They acquired slugger Carlos Quentin when he was a free agent after playing with the Chicago White Sox for the previous four seasons, but will need much more than that to even make a whisper in the National League West.

Malkin has the team on his back

Posted by Dan Cafiero.

Evgeni Malkin has excelled this season without Sid the Kid.

Evgeni Malkin is performing just fine with the absence of Sidney Crosby.

The face of the NHL, Sidney Crosby, has played just 8 games since January 5th of last year. It all started when Washington’s David Steckel put a hit on Crosby in the 2011 Winter Classic. The play was obviously deemed questionable by members of the Penguins and the hockey community as nobody wants to see a player like him get hurt. He repeatedly denied the notion of being injured on the play. Therefore, he stepped on the ice for the Penguins in their next contest against Tampa Bay.  During this game on January 5th, just four days after the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Victor Hedman hit Crosby hard along the boards. He would end up finishing the game, but missed the rest of the season with a concussion and has played just 8 games this season. Whether you are a player on the Penguins roster, Owner Mario Lemieux, Coach Bylsma, GM Ray Shero, or simply a Penguins fan, you have to be concerned not only for Sid, but also for the Penguins as a team. 

Apparently, Evgeni Malkin wasn’t too concerned; he may have even been excited. The Russian star has been absolutely dominant this season without Crosby in the lineup and has helped Pittsburgh compete for the Atlantic Division and a playoff spot. While playing just 52 games this season, he has accumulated 71 points with 23 games still to be played. He leads the league with his 71 points; only Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos has more goals than his 32 and is currently 7th in the league with 39 assists. He is without a doubt, the number one reason why this Penguins team is sitting in the top 8 in the Eastern Conference. Not to take anything away from James Neal, Marc-Andre Fleaury or head coach Dan Bylsma, they wouldn’t be where they are without them either. However, nobody has been as good as Malkin, in the entire league, let alone the Penguins. 

It is scary to think somebody can be this good without arguably the best player in the world. Malkin has proved over the course of his career that he is a better player on the ice without Crosby, averaging 1.47 points per game as compared to 1.14 with him. He seems to perform at an extremely high level when the pressure and the spotlight are on him. It is even scarier to think about how good this team could be if he performs like this, if or when, Crosby returns to the ice. Can he keep it up? If history repeats itself, he probably won’t since he has proven to be a better player without Crosby. The Penguins’ coaching staff might want to figure that one out. If they do, I don’t see this team losing a playoff series. 

Yanks' get nothing, and like it

Posted by Jon Creem.

On the eve of pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training the Yankees deal once World Series hero, A.J. Burnett, to the Pirates. The details of the trade, however, are making Yankee fans scratch their heads.

A.J. Burnett

Game two of the 2009 World Series is most likely the lasting image of A.J. Burnett's career as a Yankee. Since then, his win totals have dropped, his loss totals have risen, he has lost a little mustard on his fastball, and he has lost support of the Yankee organization and fan base. Coming off a 18 wins season in Toronto, the Yankees spending spree of 2009 saw Burnett come in with a 5 year, $82.5 million contract, and making him the overnight number two in the eventual World Series champion's rotations. What would be an unprecedented amount of money and commitment for the majority of other teams in the league, the contract was business as usual for the Bronx Bombers. Analysts conclude that Burnett's best years as a Yankee were over after the right-hander went 11-11, with an ERA of 5.15 and who's 31 homers against him was a career high, but to the Yankee organization, that first year was worth the contract. 

The Yankees traded Burnett to the Pirates for two prospects that we will get into later, but first lets talk about the numbers. Burnett is owed roughly $33 million on the contract from 09'. The Pirates, being the small market they are most definitely could not handle Burnett's contract fully with the investment still that big. So now, the Yankees are paying $20 million of the $33 million Burnett is owed for the next two years. According to an article by ESPN MLB, the Pirates will pay Burnett the remaining $13 million with $5 million this year, and $8 million the next. 

The Yankees didn't get much in return for Burnett either. The two low level minor leaguers include 20-year old outfielder  Exicardo Cayones and 25-year old right-hander Diego Moreno. Fox News Latino reports that Cayones batted .293 with no homers and 12 RBI for the Gulf Coast Pirates in Pittsburgh's Rookie League team last year. Moreno, playing seven games for Double-A went 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA, and before that went 2-4 with a 3.21 ERA in relief Bradenton of the Florida State League. Neither of the the two players seem will have much impact in the Yankees organization this season or in the near future. So why make the deal?

Raul Ibanez

The deal, as we found out, was most likely made so that outfielder Raul Ibanez can be brought in to add to the Yankee offense. Ibanez, who is 39 will be used primarily as a DH, now that Jorge Posada has retired, although he can still play a couple games in left field if the Yankees need him too. Coming off a solid year where Ibanez hit .245 with 20 homers, the Yankees signed him for one 1-year $1.1 million. What does the Burnett deal have to do with Ibanez signing? Even though the Yankees are paying Burnett $20 million to pitch for another team, they are saving themselves $5 million and utilizing it to sign Ibanez and possibly to re-sign Eric Chavez.

The Yankees are known for their big spending, and the Burnett deal is no different. As I said before, any other team would have a real problem letting go a guy they've already invested close to $70 million for two players that aren't going to be used in the near future, but that's the kind of organization the Yankees are. Burnett's time in the Bronx was over, but even without him the Yankees still look to be a favorite in the American League.

You can read up about my co-writer, Anthony Romano's predictions on how well the Yankees will do this season as he predicts the AL East standings for the 2012 season.

NBA weekend wrap-up

Posted by Dan Dragicevich.

This weekend had some interesting story lines, especially the emergence of J.R. Smith in New York.

J.R. Smith of the New York Knicks

As a follow-up to my recent article, I wrote about the in-season acquisition of shooting guard J.R. Smith by the New York Knicks. This weekend he made his season debut when he came off the bench against the reigning champs, the Dallas Mavericks. This was a surprise to many because even though Bill Walker was unable to play, Smith was reportedly still a long shot to play with only a few days of practice with his new team. Well, the Knicks made the right decision and are happy they did because Smith came out on fire scoring 15 points and knocking down 3 treys to go along with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. He ended up going 6 of 16 from the field which is a .375 shooting percentage which is right around his average. This is a great sign for Knicks fans because if Smith can stay consistent (which is a big if), he can really take pressure off of Carmelo Anthony who is scheduled to return tonight. Also, Jeremy Lin continued his dominant run by scoring 28 points, dishing out 14 assists, and having 5 steals. The Knicks are starting to develop a great supporting cast for Carmelo Anthony, let’s just hope it doesn’t all fall apart when he gets back.

Another interesting headline in basketball that happened over the weekend was the jab that Kobe Bryant took at the Laker’s front office after their game against the Phoenix Suns. In a post-game interview he explained (with some expletives) that he is very upset about the job that the Laker’s front office is doing with the talks about the Pau Gasol trade. He said, “I'd rather (Lakers management) not trade him, but if they're going to do it, (expletive) do it already. If you're not going to do it, come out and say you're not going to do it.” Bryant didn’t seem too upset when talking about it but he was very serious about it. Although Gasol is playing well, Bryant believes it is having an effect on his game and that it isn’t right what management is doing for him and the team. We’ll see what kind of effect this has on the team because this isn’t the first time Bryant has done something like this. Much like his old coach, Phil Jackson aka the Zen Master, Bryant knows exactly how to fire up his team when he feels they are struggling. For all the Laker fans out there (including myself), I wouldn’t worry about this having a negative effect on the chemistry of the team because Bryant is one of the greatest leaders of all-time to play this game and I think he pulled out the big guns just in time for the Laker’s to make a run leading up to the all-star break.

One Last Go for Mo?

Posted by Michael Millan.

After arriving to Yankees Spring Training camp in Tampa, Florida on Monday, Mariano Rivera stated that he had already made up his mind about whether or not this would be his final season about two or three weeks ago.  And although Rivera failed to make an official statement regarding his status for the 2013 season, everything that Rivera did say would lead you to believe that the 2012 season will be his final season.

Mariano Rivera

"I know now," the all-time saves leader said. "I just don't want to tell you. I know now. I will let you guys know when I think I should tell you."  When asked if there was any chance that he might change his mind later on in the season, Rivera stated that he would not, "...even if I save 90 games," he said. "If they want to pay this much money ... anything."  A statement like this would leave many to believe that Rivera has already decided to end his career at the conclusion of this season.

Following the recent retirement of longtime teammate Jorge Posada, Rivera finds himself in a unique position.  Unlike Posada, and other longtime teammate and iconic Yankee Derek Jeter, Rivera's skills have not declined one iota.  His statistics would dictate that Rivera was just as effective last year as a 41 year old as he was when he was in his twenties.  And if you watch the Yankees game in and game out, you wouldn't think anything differently.  Although it hasn't been made official, it seems very likely.  It makes all the sense in the world for Rivera to want to retire at the end of this season.  42 years old is very old in this league.  He has a son in college and a family who he hasn't been around for over the last 22 years of playing professional baseball in the Yankees system.

So this season looks like it's going to be Mariano's farewell tour.  For Yankee fans everywhere, all I can ask is that you take it all in.  When the ninth inning comes around and those strings of Enter Sandman start playing and 42 comes trotting out of the bullpen in all of his godliness, just remember that it's never going to be this easy ever again.  We get one last season to witness the most dominant baseball player at his position ever.  The modern day Babe Ruth of closers, and in an era where having a closer is an absolute necessity if you want to compete in this league.  So sit back and enjoy this one last year and don't take it for granted.  Every generation has an Albert Pujols, a Micky Mantle, a Sandy Koufax, or a Greg Maddux, but there will never be another Mariano Rivera in any generation, ever again.

Allen Iverson's bizarre soccer offer

Posted by JJ Comeau.

Former NBA star has received a head-turning offer to play in a indoor soccer league.

The Rochester Lancers of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) have shown interest in helping the financially troubled Iverson. They have offered him a substantial pay-per game contract for their final two home games of the season. Here are the terms of the contract offering, via Rochester Lancers News:

The Rochester Lancers host two remaining regular season home games to conclude their season.  The offer stands at $20,000 per game, with a bonus of $5,000 per goal scored, win bonuses, and merchandise bonuses.  There are over 12 goals scored on average per game.

"Allen Iverson is one of the premier athletes of our time," said Rich Randall, Vice President of the Rochester Lancers.  "With his athleticism and competitive hunger, I think he can be a great fit with our team and fans as we make an important playoff push, while also driving interest to an exciting, growing sport."

If accepted, the Lancers have also offered to host his friends and family through the duration of his stay.  With the per-game pay and bonuses, this offer will come close to the offer (per game) set by Turkish basketball team, Besiktas and ultimately keeping him the United States.

Money and notoriety. It's what Iverson used to have, and now the Lancers want (although I'm pretty sure Iverson would like to have this back as well). This is clearly a massive marketing stint with the hopes of a boost in revenue and fans in Rochester. The Lancers see an opportunity to make some money through a pitiful situation and a worn down Iverson. Sure, there's money to be made for both parties, but is it really worth it?

In the Lancers eyes, the answer is yes. However, I'm not so sure it's the same situation for the former NBA great. Pride and respect are two of the greatest qualities you can own in this world, and Iverson may be battling tough times that are altering his image, but nothing will do more harm than a full-fledged brutal embarrassment.  One can argue that Iverson is one of the quickest, fastest and most athletic world-class athletes around, all of which are necessary skills to even think about stepping on a soccer pitch. But don't be fooled, even though you may have not heard of the MISL, these athletes ARE professionals and it will be an ugly comedy show.

If the NBA star we were talking about was Steve Nash, the offer may seem more legit. But until then, Allen Iverson needs to configure some other logical way to pay his jeweler back the $859,896.46 he owes.

What can Bobby V accomplish?

Posted by Kevin O'Hara.

Bobby Valentine, believe it or not, is a perfect fit in Boston. 

The biggest off-season move made by newly crowned General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, Ben Cherington, was not a pitcher to shore up the starting rotation, not a closer to fill the hole left by Jonathan  Papelbon (although Andrew Bailey is a nice acquisition), or a right fielder to replace J.D. Drew (who has probably sold all his baseball equipment and will probably debut in the next episode of ‘Swamp People’), but rather a new manager who is two years removed from managing a baseball team (in Japan) and is ten years removed from his last MLB gig. Sounds like the Fenway Faithful have themselves something to be excited about avenging their historic regular season collapse in which they lost 18 of their last 24 games, huh? Actually…yes they should. 

Terry Francona, the manager who led the Red Sox to two World Series championships, and someone whom Boston fans should forever be grateful for, has now switched spots with his replacement Valentine… although I’m not sure wrapping bubble gum in Redman is allowed on national television. Now, although fans in Boston should forever be grateful for the two World Series Championships that Francona was able to deliver, it just seemed as though his voice was no longer being heard in the locker room and as so for every manager in every sport…his time was up. Francona was notorious for being a player manager who lacked the fire that others like, say, Valentine possess. Francona was run out of Philadelphia for this exact reason, earning himself the nickname “Francoma”. He was fabulous in his first season during the historic 2004 campaign and remained effective up until 2007 when the Sox were in the winning circle again, but as time went on, the naysayers who believed Francona’s style was too soft and that the team needed more structure started to gain some more traction. A lot has been said about the whole chicken and beer fiasco last season, but what is more baffling than a team’s top three starters being less than 100% committed to their team in a pennant race is the fact that Francona didn’t see the culture of the clubhouse changing. Francona was letting the inmates run the prison and it showed at the end of the season. 

Lets face it…although the Red Sox don’t have the payroll the Yankees have, John Henry and company have done everything in their power to become the Yankees in the fact that they have been throwing money at past their prime, ex-All-Stars, hoping that a championship team can be built because of the depth of their wallet. The number of awful signings made by the ownership group during their tenure is nauseating, but this off-season something was different. There were no big money contracts handed out this off-season, partially because the market was rather shallow unless you were in the market for a first baseman, but no matter the reason, the Sox did not just open up the checkbook again. A sign that the Sox are trying to return to their old ways of creating lasting, sustainable success through a strong farm system? Possibly, but even if this off-season was just an anomaly, it is refreshing, as a fan, to feel like the front office has a plan. 

Back to Valentine… What could be seen as a negative of having Bobby V in Boston? Well, there is the fact that he hasn’t managed in the majors for ten years and his style could be seen as ancient in comparison to the modern day way of managing a game, but for once I feel like the old way is the right way. Around the league, people are buying into this idea of ‘Moneyball’ using sabermetrics to calculate your way through the game. Although there is something to be said about proven statistics, there is also something to be said about playing baseball the way it was supposed to be played. For instance, the art of bunting has almost become extinct because people around the league feel like it is giving an out away. They are conceding an out, but they are also moving a runner into scoring position and allowing a base hit to score the runner. Bunting is about manufacturing runs and you can have enough stats about the negatives associated with giving up outs, but at the end of the day those numbers don’t mean a thing if you don’t outscore the other team when the final out is recorded. Jacoby Ellsbury, one of the fastest players in the league could potentially bunt for a base hit 10-15 times a season, but refuses to do so. Valentine has said he believes in the basics of the game of baseball and bunting is a part of that and hopefully we will have a manager who actually manages his team by bunting, stealing bases, putting runners in motion, and not just playing Cribbage with Pedroia in the clubhouse while Josh, Jon, and John order take out. 

If this team proved anything last season, it is that they have a ridiculous amount of potential, but also that they are a bunch of prima donnas. Adrian Gonzalez, one of the best players in the league and the owner of one of the most beautiful and effortless swings since Junior Griffey, needs to realize that he is a professional athlete and he needs to concede to the fact that he has games on Sunday if he is going to get paid millions of dollars. Josh Beckett, the supposed leader of the rotation, needs to realize that he is not as tough as he thinks he is and should focus more on regaining his 2007 form when he was fanning more Indians than were midges in fat Joba’s mouth. I think Bobby V will be able to tell these guys how it is. I think it may rub some of these players the wrong way since they are so used to Francona’s lackluster ways, but over the long run I think it will pay off. Bobby V is signed for two years, and in all honesty I think no matter how successful he is, that is all the time he will have here because of John Farrell’s contracting being up in Toronto at the same time, but I think two years is all he needs. 

It's tough to really put substantial expectations on this years Red Sox team, but I can’t deny the immense amount of talent this team has. With a lineup of Ellsbury, Pedroia, Gonzalez, Youkilis, Ortiz, Ross, Crawford, Salty, and Punto-Aviles-Inglesias in whatever order, you know this team will score runs. No matter what this season has in store for Red Sox Nation, one thing is for certain, Bobby V will make it interesting

NL Central Standings Projections

Posted by Anthony Romano.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (92-70) 

CINCINNATI REDS (84-78) 

MILWAUKEE BREWERS (81-81) 

CHICAGO CUBS (75-87) 

PITTSBURGH PIRATES (72-90) 

HOUSTON ASTROS (60-102)

The St. Louis Cardinals have had plenty of changes during the offseason. You may have heard Albert Pujols signed in Los Angeles with the Angels and Tony LaRussa retired after winning the world series last year. New coach, Mike Matheny, will look to lead an Albert-less Cardinals team back into the postseason. The hardest part will be finding a replacement for Pujols. Though no one is expected to put up the numbers Pujols has put up during his career in St. Louis, Lance Berkman and Carlos Beltran are possible candidates for the number three spot in the lineup as long as they can stay healthy. Adam Wainwright will return to the rotation after missing the entire 2011 season while recovering from Tommy John Surgery. He will provide an immediate upgrade to the starting rotation as the ace looks to get back to his old ways along with Chris Carpenter.

The Cincinnati Reds finished in the bottom half of the league in E.R.A last season. That number figures to get better after they acquired Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres in the offseason in exchange for Edison Volquez. The Reds are also expected to make young phenom Aroldis Chapman a starter before the season begins. Great American Ballpark is considered to be a hitter’s park and the Reds sure do have some hitters. Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce lead an offense that ranks inside the top ten in most offensive categories. The Reds may need to ride their offense if they want to have a chance at making the playoffs this season.

The Milwaukee Brewers are still waiting on a decision to be made whether or not MVP outfielder Ryan Braun will be guilty of testing positive for performance enhancing drugs (PED’s). If Braun is found guilty, he must sit out the first fifty games of the regular season. Since Prince Fielder signed with the Detroit Tigers, this means that the Brewers could be without their two star players from last year for over 25% of the season. The Brewers will most certainly need to ride their starting pitching, who were surprisingly durable last year. The Brewers only needed six starters to get through the rigorous 162 game schedule. Of course, all of this depends on if Ryan Braun can play in the first fifty games or not. That is certainly a pretty big “if” that the Brewers are facing.

The Chicago Cubs are arguably the most unlucky franchise in sports. They have not won a world series title since 1908, which is a span of 103 years. Theo Epstein took on the task of being the Cubs new general manager and looks to rebuild the organization. The process may take some time, but Epstein knows what it takes to win from his days in Boston. The offense is not as bad as people may think, with the likes of Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd, and Starlin Castro leading the attack. It’s the Cubs pitching that has really let them down. Ryan Dempster has faired well over his career in Chicago and Matt Garza did well in his first season last year. But the Cubs rotation after these two is a toss up and the other starters in the rotation will need to step up for the Cubs. Carlos Marmol, the Cubs closer, must reduce his wildness in order for him to be an elite closer in the league.

The Pittsburgh Pirates need help all over the field, both offensively and in pitching. The Pirates just completed a trade for starter A.J Burnett from the Yankees, which will help, but that is just the beginning. The offense has a few bright spots in Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker, but will need much more help to be able to move up in the division standings. Joel Hanrahan is one of the best closers in the MLB, but his chances are scarce as the Pirates often don't have many leads.

The Houston Astros sported the league’s worst record last season finishing at an abysmal 56-106. The Astros can only hope to improve on that record as they develop their young players all over the field. Carlos Lee will be a veteran presence for the offense as the Astros are clearly in a rebuilding phase. The pitching staff, led by Brett Myers, isn’t half bad. Bud Norris sported an impressive 8.52 k/9 innings last year which was good for 18th overall. Houston will definitely need to ride their starting pitching as they look for run support throughout the season.