Sox Sign Brad Penny

The Red Sox signed Brad Penny to a one year deal for $5 million. That's a nice little pick up for them to beef up the back end of the rotation. If he can make pitch 170 innings and keep his ERA at 4.00 or below, I would definitely take that to compliment Beckett, Dice-K, and Jon Lester.

2008 NFL Regular Season: Final Thoughts

• The Redskins completed the season losing a close one to my friend Dennis' 49ers who have been playing well. Washington finishes the season scoring 265 points. The Lions scored more points.
• Speaking of the Lions, they did not deserve to finish 0-16. At least they played hard every week. There are some other teams who in my mind are much more pathetic. I'm looking at you, Chiefs, Browns, and Bengals.
• Did the Bucaneers (poop) the bed the final month of the season or what? I don't know why I kept trying to convince myself to keep them on my power rankings.
• My MVP is Peyton Manning. When the Colts were playing like crap, he pulled a couple of wins out of his (behind) to keep them from falling off the face of the Earth. Their win vs. the Vikings in Week 2 should be one for the ages. Plus, he did it Tiger Woods-style on a bum knee. Rounding out my top 4 MVP choices are Adrian Peterson, Drew Brees, and Michael Turner (who has contributed a great deal to helping Matt Ryan eventually win Offensive Rookie of the Year).
• I am very interested to see how Ryan and Joe Flacco handle their first playoff games. I was impressed with Ryan the one time I saw him play. I was less so with Joe Flacco. Both teams aren't stupid though and will run the ball 40 times if they can. The Ravens and Falcons ranked one and two respectively in rushing attempts this season. That's how you break in a rookie QB.
• My two pre-season Superbowl picks will miss the playoffs. Dallas is out and deservingly so since they wilted like bad lettuce yesterday. New England deserves to be in (insert tirade regarding the playoff system here), but it will be refreshing to have a Patriot-less playoffs, just like a Yankee-less playoffs was for baseball. Heh, heh.
• I would be a little concerned if I were the Titans. I know the season finale was meaningless, but to get shut out by the Colts, a team Tennessee could very well meet in the playoffs, is no confidence booster. The Colts didn't need the game either, but they showed a little pride. The Titans couldn't even muster a field goal.
• Next weekend features three wildcard games where the road teams should be favored. My predictions for the entire playoffs will come before the end of the week.

Yanks sign Kevin Cash, realize he has none

I wasn't even aware that Cash was a free agent but the Yanks seem to have picked him up on a minor league contract as a bit of insurance for Jorge and Molina. I also think the Steinbrenner boys got their hands on a baseball history book but they didn't get past the chapter where the Yankees bought the entire 1918 Boston Red Sox lineup, including Babe Ruth from Sox owner Harry Frazee since that seems to be their new plan of action.

I think it is also worth noting that the Yanks are doing something pretty cool for the preseason openers in Yankee Stadium. The two games the Yankees will play against the Cubs on April 3 and 4 will feature ticket prices from the original Yankee Stadium opener of 1923. Its a nice gesture, but it seems that the average fan will be last in line to get a hold of these cheap tickets.

Teixeira to the Yanks

This one hurts. I didn't care that they got the 300 LB Lefty. I didn't care when they got the second coming of Carl Pavano. Now, they have Teixeira and I am worried. No, they Yankees aren't ruining baseball by spending more money then everyone, but, this blow definitely will make the tough AL East even tougher. It should come to no surprise Teixeira went to the Yankees they had the most money and a need at 1st base, I hate myself for being so foolish.

My next question, what is Theo's next move?

The rich get richer

I didn't see this coming but it looks like the Yanks have swept in and stolen Mark Teixeira from the Red Sox and the Nationals. Jon Heyman is saying the deal is sitting in the range of $180 million over 8 years. I don't know where the Yankees are pulling all this money from but I can't really believe they actually can afford all of these huge contracts. Maybe they have some old couch in Old Yankee Stadium that they haven't cleaned out since Mickey Mantle retired. There is a ton of money coming off the books in a couple of seasons, but the Steinbrenner accountants most be livid right now.

I think Teixeira is a good player and of course he is going to be overpaid. He was going to be overpaid no matter which team signed him, but I am happier that the Sox didn't get him than I am the Yankees getting him. They haven't had a first baseman of this quality since the Tino days of the late '90s. A guy who can pick it at first and swing the bat.

It will take a lot for this team to gel, but if the Yanks haven't beaten the Sox on the field since '03 they have certainly won the spending wars during the off-season. Cashman couldn't have done it better really as he got everything the Yanks needed this off-season (except a centerfielder though, Swisher could fill that role) and I don't believe that any Yankee fan should feel bad that they have spent so much. It's not our money and the Yanks are just playing by the rules.

Believe it or not this trade probably helps them shave money from the payroll over the next couple of years. Now they don't really have to worry about Matsui, Damon and Nady walking next season as Swisher can move to a corner spot and Austin Jackson should be ready to take over centerfield by then (hopefully).

I'm sure Teixeira to the Yanks will create an uproar throughout baseball. Whether happy or mad everyone is going to have something to say. I'm sure most of it will be negative but hey, the Yankees know how to deliver a Christmas miracle to their fans.

NFL Top 10: Week 17

This will be the final installment of the power rankings for this season. Come next week, I will predict the playoffs, NCAA Tournament style. It figures, anytime I jump on or off any band wagon, I get proven wrong. The top four are back to where they were back in Week 15. I'm glad I spent all this free time on the rankings every week. Sheesh.

1. Giants (12-3): Last week #3. Just as I thought, with Jacobs back and the offensive coaches recommitted to the running game, the Giants are back on track. I like the way they stayed the course with the ground game though they were down early to the Panthers. The D is looking a little depleted however. Perhaps there is cause for concern.

2. Titans (13-2): Last week #4. I thought their D would struggle without Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch, but wrong again! The defense may be just nasty enough to get them through the playoffs, but I still just can't get excited about them.

3. Pittsburgh (11-4): Last week #1. When Big Ben becomes Bad Ben, this team doesn't have a chance. The one constant during their win streak had been Roethlisberger's ability to take care of the football. That's the only way they could win a rematch with Tennessee.

4. Panthers (11-4): Last week #2. 301 yards rushing? Ouch. A week after running for 299 themselves, they allow a monster day to Jacobs and Co. I'm banking on that performance being an aberration.

5. Colts (11-4): Last week #5. It hasn't been Peyton's best year statistically, but if ever he deserved MVP consideration, it is now. The Colts have won eight in a row and shown that they have brass ones in the process, pulling out a number of close games including their last win vs. the Jags. This sets up an anticlimactic season finale with the Titans, where nothing is on the line and no one will play. It will probably be a boring game on top of it, with neither coach wanting to tip his hand in case these teams meet in the playoffs.

6. Dolphins (10-5): Last week #6. Time for Chad P. to get the last laugh on the Jets. No one is talking about a weak arm anymore.

7. Ravens (10-5): Last week #7. If nothing else the Ravens know how to play to their strengths. They have a rookie QB and a great defense, therefore they have more rushing attempts than any team in the league.

8. Falcons (10-5): Last week unranked. I should have gone with my gut instead of my head last week. The Bucs were ranked instead. I said I was skeptical all year, yet I kept the Bucs in the rankings. Now they're sucking wind and the Falcons have clinched.

9. Patriots (10-5): Last week unranked. It's scary to see them scoring 40+ with regularity again. The AFC better hope New England doesn't get in.

10. Cowboys (10-5): Last week #8. God, I hate you guys. Do they beat up on the weak or what? Then they cower like dogs when they play a big boy defense like Baltimore. Even still, win and they're in. I hope they don't.

What the hell is up with...? The Broncos. You let the once 4-8 Chargers back in the mix. If you had any cajones you would have wrapped up this putrid division weeks ago. All you had to do was win one stupid game. It sickens me to think that either you or the Chargers are going to show up for one game only in the playoffs and the Patriots could be 11-5 and watching from home.

Wang and Yanks agree on 2009

Word coming now about the Yanks avoiding arbitration with Chien-Ming Wang. They have agreed to a one year deal at the pay rate of $5 million. Not much to say except that its good for the Yanks relationship with Wang that they avoid the messy process of arbitration hearings like they had last year. Those can only make future contract negotiations more difficult to work out.

Wang was 8-2 last year with a 4.07 ERA. He has been the anchor of the staff since 2006 and when he went down last year it pretty much killed the Yanks rotation. He is kinda being forgotten about during this whole CC and A.J. mess, but he is a huge factor in the Yankees 2009 plans. If he can bounce back to be his reliable economic old-self, then the Yanks rotation will be formidable and it will take pressure off of Joba and the youngsters to eat innings.

Barring any major injury the Yanks will probably look to lock him up for a longer deal after the season. Something that will be economical and team friendly. Though, nothing is stopping Wang from looking to his left and right and wanting the same deal as the guy who weighs 300 pounds and the guy with his arm in a sling.