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Nothing can escape the evil clutches of our recent economic downturn, including major league baseball. Judging at the number of high profile unsigned free agents this winter, and the recent news that Citigroup may rescind their offer for naming rights to the new Mets stadium, the economics of MLB reflect what’s happening in the rest of the country.

This is not without some residual insanity from other recent deals, perpetrated by overly aggressive sports agents. Case in point is Manny Ramirez and his recent rejection of a one year $25 million offer to stay with the Dodgers. At 36 years of age this could very well be Manny’s final contract. This money is going to have to last him and his family (and apparently his agent) for the next few decades. $25 million is not enough (on top of the many tens of millions he’s already pulled in). Have these people heard the news or picked up a newspaper lately? There’s no question he’s one of the best right handed hitters in the history of baseball and still an impact player, but his attitude doesn’t help his cause and his age is working against him. He might have two seasons left as an everyday player or three to four seasons left as a designated hitter. If he thinks he’s an everyday player, the most he’s going to get is $50 million for two years. If he’s being shopped as a DH, he can expect no more than four years and $70 million, and there’s probably one team from NY that can give it to him. And it certainly isn’t the Mets.

Continue Reading Poor Economy Doing It to Manny and the Mets

Editor’s Note: Deep Into Sports will be cross-promoting video posts with Smackcaster.com. The following is the first video I recorded as part of this relationship; due to the timeliness of the subject matter, I am posting it locally while everything is still being setup.

I’ve never liked Alex Rodriguez. Not when he was with the Mariners, not when he was with the Rangers, and certainly not since he’s been with the Yankees. For all his talent–and, like A-Rod or not, he is a talented ballplayer–I’ve always thought his attitude was terrible and his actions (such as shouting at Howie Clark during the pop-up in Toronto or trying to slap the ball out of Bronson Arroyo’s hand in the 2004 ALCS) completely bush league.

But this, this is too good. A-Fraud tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003, thus truly earning the nickname so frequently applied to him by his detractors and, apparently, his Yankees teammates (thank you, Joe Torre!) even though there’s no evidence–yet–that he was still on the juice once he arrived in New York.

Time to wipe that smug, whiney “Who me?” expression off your face, Alex.

Maybe he’s not so talented after all. Stopping use of the ‘roids after the 2003 season (when it became illegal to take them) might explain his postseason failures as a Yankee, overrated MVP seasons be damned. Without the juice, perhaps A-Rod just petered out at the end of the year.

If baseball’s greatest rivalry wasn’t enough already, I now cannot wait for the Yanks to play at Fenway this season even more. Rodriguez will absolutely, and well-deservedly, be crucified. Barry Bonds will wipe his brow and actually think the Sox fans let him off easy in comparison.

I’m going to love every second of it.

It’s never too early to berate baseball’s managerial decisions.

Not much in life is guaranteed. However, I believe I can guarantee a method whereby a professional baseball team can win at least a half dozen more games a season. All it will take is one simple change. Get rid of the “closer” and change him to a “stopper”.

Seriously, in a game ruled by statistics, I am amazed that this little ritual has survived. Is there another sport that saves one of their best players until they may NOT be needed? Did the Bulls only bring in Michael Jordan for the last shot in the fourth quarter? Okay, not a perfect analogy because these guys can…ahem…“only” pitch one inning. But really, what is the point of bringing in a closer only in the 9th inning? How about in the 7th inning when you are up by one run and they have the bases loaded? No, let’s bring in our second or third best relief pitcher, get down by a run and then never use our best pitcher. Or, we can wait until the ninth inning and we’re up by 3 and facing the 7-8-9 hitters. (Okay, the opponents MAY use a pinch hitter here, but really, if these pinch hitters were the best players on the team they would be playing not riding the pine most of the time.)

Continue Reading Opening with the Closer

As thrilling as Super Bowl XLIII was, there were still many situations that raised my ire and/or incredulity both as part of the game and in its coverage. So instead of handing out game balls (which are well-deserved by the likes of Santonio Holmes and Larry Fitzgerald), I’ve decided to throw out penalty flags (sadly deserved elseswhere).

Incidentally, several of my penalty flags have to deal with the actual game penalties.

The Officiating Crew – 5 Yards for Delay of Game

As a fan, you want to see the Super Bowl, of all games, decided on by the players on the field, not by the referees. Unfortunately, this officiating crew seemed determined to make the game about themselves. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of legitimate penalties, such as the egregious holding calls by both teams. But in the Super Bowl, the refs should let any borderline penalty go. Beyond the actual yardage gained or lost, too many penalties take both teams out of their rhythm. The Karlos Dansby roughing the passer penalty was a horrible call. Dansby was already in his motion when the ball was thrown, and he didn’t spear or drive Ben Roethlisbuger into the ground. What a joke. Nice job, refs.

Continue Reading Super Bowl Penalty Flags