Beantown Sports Guys

Sometimes when you lose, you win

With all this talk about how teams are losing (or trying to) on purpose in order to have a shot at the sure fire # 1 draft pick this year so they can grab Reggie Bush, time after time after time are people saying that "No, these are professionals, they wouldn't do that". First and foremost, the NFL is a business. At this point in many teams' seasons, one more loss doesn't matter.

Except in April.

Except when you're setting up your Draft Board.

Except when you have a shot at a stud like Reggie Bush.

Today I heard an interesting scenario: with the way the matchups and scenarios can play out this weekend, there can be a 5 way tie for the # 1 pick, including the Jets having first dibs at it. They have Curtis Martin (an aging RB who just had knee surgery) and depending on how Chad Pennington heals (or doesn't) they could have a need at QB. Which is the safer pick? Bush or Matt Leinart? If Pennington misses any amount of time again next year, Testaverde or Brooks Bollinger won't cut it. When Martin comes back, he may be a step slower, but even then he'd still be a top 15 back in the league for sure, and having a QB like Leinart to pull some pressure off of him from carrying the load a bit could help him out.

One more little scenario that jumps at you is something completely left field that could definitely happen:

The Jets trading for Terrell Owens.

What?!?

Yes. Yes, I've read a few articles and rumors that say that TO could be on his way to New York. Now if this happens before the draft, and the Jets have a shot at Bush or Leinart, who do they grab? Leinart? Because you need healthy talent that can actually throw the ball to him? Or a big-time game breaking RB that can bust the game open and make it easier on TO getting balls thrown his way, be it from Pennington, Bollinger, or Testaverde?

Rewind back to the beginning. I said the NFL is a business and how all pros just balk and laugh at the idea of "losing on purpose", but "trying new things" during the last few weeks of the season when it's clear you have no shot at the playoffs is easy to mask and make it look like you aren't losing on purpose.

Here are a couple scenarios that almost always play out at the end of the season for non-playoff bound teams:

• Teams try backups in place of starters. A QB that has been on the bench (ie: Philip Rivers in San Diego) can easily play in the final game of the season instead of the normal starter (Drew Brees in this case).

• Teams can try new plays they normally wouldn't try if they were still in the playoff hunt. Not that teams play more conservatively when they are in the playoffs or shooting for them, but this is when you sometimes see more "college" type plays, like flea flickers and fun plays like that that don't usually pan out at the pro level.

• Teams try players at new positions. This is sometimes common during preseason, to see where guys can fit in on the squad. The Patriots did this with Troy Brown a couple years ago, opting to try him at the defensive back position. It turned out to be more than an experiment and paid dividends bigtime throughout the season and into the playoffs.

These aren't all bad things, which can help give a team a good look at how some of their players can play against the starters of other teams. This is better than a preseason game, because many preseason games, you don't have all the true starters on the field, except for the final game and that is usually only for the first half. This is a better benchmark for future player decisions.

But like I said, it could be "losing on purpose" that looks like they are just "trying new things".

Pro players aren't always in control of what happens on the field. The coaching staff is influenced by the front office more towards the end of the season than any other time because it is a business. It's not that the players don't do their best, but they aren't the ones calling the plays, putting people in their spots on the field, and trying new things.

This weekend should be interesting. I don't think Houston will beat San Francisco (even though they should), but I don't think it will be as obvious as that horrible 30 yard field goal shank a couple weeks back that would have tied the game.

We'll see though, I've been shocked before and I am sure it will happen again.

When the Stupid Get Greedy

Two teams that haven't done much this offseason to improve their teams at all continue to act dumber every single day. The Sox, Yankees, and even the Blue Jays have gradually pulled off trades, signed some free agents, and generally gone on to improve their overall teams.

The two teams that are acting like spoiled idiots are none other than Seattle and Baltimore. Time after time after time do I hear some trade rumor that has the Mariners trading "potential stud" outfielder Jeremy Reed for someone like Arroyo or Clement, or even both. Totally laughable. He had a very forgetable rookie season, not even putting up stats worthy of posting here. The funny thing about this is that it comes up every 3 or 4 days at this point. I'm just waiting until someone says the Sox should trade Manny for Reed straight up. It will happen, I am sure of it.

Even more ridiculous than Seattle's rumors and requests for players are the Orioles. Miguel Tejada has said a couple times already he isn't impressed with the Orioles and their offseason moves (or lack thereof). He said it most recently just today. What is funniest about this is the O's originally said they would trade him for Manny, Clement, AND a prospect.

Excuse me?!??!

I'm sorry. I thought the 2004 season was a dream, perhaps I haven't woken up yet. Let me try this on for size:

The Baltimore Orioles wants the Boston Red Sox to trade the best hitter in baseball for a great player in Tejada? Ok, fine. Straight up, they still get the best end of the deal, we all know this; however, maybe it's needed to get Manny out of here for decent value.

But wait...

They want a starting pitcher (preferably at least a number 3), AND a relief prospect.

Damnit, while the Sox are at it, perhaps they should just give them Ortiz and 'Tek.

Are they are on crack?? Seriously.

They either seriously overvalue Tejada or are trying to make up for what they haven't done in the offseason so far which is get a pitcher and a relief pitcher.

Or they think the Sox are seriously stupid.

Either way, the Orioles are looking terrible right now as an organization, especially since they wouldn't want to pull off a trade like Manny and Clement because the money doesn't add up.

Oh here's an idea: Manny for Tejada STRAIGHT UP means you only have to pay another $3 million a year for the next 3 years, rather than almost $30 million.

Are they stupid? Do they think we're that stupid? Or desperate?

I think they are. I think they do. And yes, I think they are.

Here's predicting the Orioles finish 30 games back of the AL East leader at the end of the season.

Goodbye, Johnny

"'There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they are going to come after me hard,' Damon said. 'It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need.'" -- 05.01.05, Alan Eskew, MLB.com

"New York came after me aggressively and that's what sealed the deal... I'm headed to New York... I'm very excited... It's with mixed emotions... Time for me to look forward." -- 12.20.05, Johnny Damon on CBS4 Boston

Wow. Funny how so much can change in 7 months.

So many people in Red Sox Nation today are waking up, and hearing this news. To some it's shocking, and unexpected. To others, they figured it was a matter of time. Some are angry. Sad. Confused.

I am not.

I am disappointed. I am disappointed in Johnny because I thought he was better than the money. I guess I was wrong. It's funny because he could have signed a 4 year, $10 million deal with us, and if his agent was worth anything to him, could have easily found a way to get $3 million a year in endorsements. He won't get those in New York. He had Beantown in the palm of his hand, and he threw it all away.

Two major things people that are upset about this need to think about that should make them happy:

1. Johnny has never been on the DL. This may be surprising if you don't know his history, but after some comments a few months ago it does not surprise me. He has admitted in different ways to taking amphetamines to help speed up the recovery process one's body goes through on a nightly/daily basis because of the rigors of major league baseball. What some people aren't aware of is that when baseball banned steroids, they also banned  amphetamines. When the Sox were thinking about resigning him this worried me greatly, that his production would now drop off because he won't be able to heal as quickly or he will have the propensity to now become "human". Which brings me to point number 2....

2. Yankee Stadium will not be kind to Johnny. The dimensions for Center field (including spill over to left and right field) will now be 399, 408, and 385, whereas Fenway was 379, 420 (that middle alcove), and 380. Balls rarely hit that alcove in Fenway, mostly because that is the warning track, so I'm willing to bet that true center in Fenway is closer to 390 or 400. Either way, Johnny's wet noodle of an arm will not get any help from the House that Ruth Built, and his batting average away from Fenway for the last three years (more specifically, in Yankee Stadium) was a whopping .265, while his hometown average was .318. That is a 53 point difference, and like I said, with the  amphetamine ban who knows what that will do to his production.

Regardless, I wish him well in New York, and thank him for the good times in Boston. I just think he was a moron for leaving all those endoresments on the table if it really was about the money. If it was about the money, he should have had the cajones to tell everyone it was about getting paid. At least people could respect him this morning.

Now all I need is to get tickets to the first game he plays against the Sox...May 1st.

eBay here I come.

What a Season

Normally I am a little more than a casual hockey fan. I figured after the lockout I would be psyched to see hockey. Out of all my friends I was probably the only one who cared if the lockout ended. And it did.

But I don't care now.

Odd.

It's not just because the Bruins are playing worse hockey than some high schools, because in the Eastern Conference I love the Avalanche and haven't kept up on them at all.

I love fantasy sports and decided I would join a public league. I did, and haven't changed the roster more than 3 times since the season began. I have a really good team, and yet, I don't care.

I can't pinpoint it, but it probably has to do with the fact that there always seems to be a football game on, the baseball season was ending when hockey began, and the Celtics are playing pretty well right now. Combine that with the lockout, the Thornton trade, and just a total lack of enthusiasm from everyone's point of view, even the local sports shows, radio shows or tv shows.

Baseball survived a lockout in the 90s. The NBA survived one as well. But it doesn't look like the NHL will.

Not with me at least.

Celtics Faces of their Franchise

So I have been trying to figure out a Celtics front office decision for a little while now. Heading into this season, the team decided to showcase their young talent for their cover of the media guide and spotlight them in commercials and make them the new face of the franchise. 

Now being a big-time and long-time Celtics fan, I too am excited for our future with some good young talent in our system now. Just last night, during the Celts/Pacers game, a commercial came on with Celtics players and quotes from them. First was Al Jefferson, then Ryan Gomes, Justin Reed, Delonte West and Gerald Green. Pretty cool, but something about it just wasn’t right. I love all these kids and hope they all just keep growing and getting better and better in their developments. 

But it just seems the front office is going about this in the wrong way. Do the kids need this pressure? Al Jefferson is still quite a ways away from being a marquee player in the NBA. He could be an all-star someday but he’s not even close right now. West is a gritty, tough-nosed point guard who gives tremendous effort all the time on the court. However, he’ll never be an all-star caliber player. Same goes for Gomes, Reed and Perkins. All great young talent who leave it all on the court. Then Gerald Green is another who could be a superstar someday, with the key word being could. Right now, he’s the last guy on the bench getting next to no playing time so to throw him in as the face of the franchise is just silly to me.

So onto how I really feel. Is it me or are the Celtics blatantly dissing Paul Pierce and Ricky Davis? I know Pierce really hurt his image in last year’s playoffs and I know Ricky has always had a tarnished image around the NBA. BUT, these are the two best guys on this team by a wide margin. Everything is run through these two. Opposing teams defensive strategies are to slow these two down first. Pierce is an all-star player who is maybe not one of the top 10 players in the NBA anymore, but you’d have a hard time telling me he isn’t top 15. Pierce is averaging 40 minutes, 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. Give me 15 players in the league you’d rather have on your team filling up a stat sheet. As for Ricky, he’s only averaging 42 minutes, 21 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Davis also gives his all out there as much as the youngsters and has really done a good job since his arrival in Boston in cleaning up his image. 

So why have the Celtics been trying to act as if Paul and Ricky are not part of this team? I don’t understand it at all. These are their two most valuable players. Hands down! So how about a little love for the two best basketball players in Boston and let the young talent develop and EARN being the face of the franchise when they rightly deserve it through some production on the court. The production that Pierce and Davis display every night which has earned them as the real faces of this franchise!

Breaking News: Renteria GONE to Braves

"The Braves and Red Sox have agreed on a deal that would ship shortstop Edgar Renteria to Atlanta in exchange for Braves third-base prospect Andy Marte, ESPN's Peter Gammons has learned. An official announcement is expected in an hour."

I'm only fine with this if we trade Marte to the Devil Rays to get Huff, Baez, and Lugo. Anything less than this I would be pissed. That's a deal everyone seems to be thinking will happen so let's keep our fingers crossed.

The Greatest Hitter in the Game

I can't believe the Sox are considering trading away the greatest hitter in the game and not get someone major in return. Manny straight up for Vlad? Manny straight up for Ichiro? Do something that makes sense with at least one major bat. Remember, if they trade Manny for a couple parts, what will happen to Ortiz's numbers? Massarotti pointed that out in the Herald almost verbatim of what I've been saying all along: the Angels are trying to duplicate what the Sox have done with Manny and Ortiz, only with Vlad and Manny. Why gift wrap the ALCS trip for them for the next 3+ years? Come on. I hope the Collective of Sox officials are smarter than that.

Again, why do we need to trade him? Because he's asking us to? So what? Keep him, call his bluff and see where that lands us. I'm sure Manny will break and will play. If he does, the Opening Day lineup could be really powerful if we pull of a couple trades:

1B: Aubrey Huff ( give them Youk or Shoppach or Arroyo or any combo of those guys to the Rays for him)

2B: Nomar (sign him to a 1 year deal, but sign Graff for backup; I still believe his heart is still in Boston, plus, management can always pin his trade on Theo if they want him that bad; also, if we dont sign either guy, Pedroia should get his shot now)

3B: Lowell

SS: Edgah

C: Tek ( and make sure you keep Mirabelli; too many people are trying to send him off but he catches Wake and is always a spark off the bench; not that Shopp or Tek can't catch Wake, but how many years is Wake going to be around for us? Given he is a knuckle guy, probably a long time and 'Belli should be here along with him )

RF: Trot

CF: Sign Johnny, plain and simple

LF: Manny

DH: Ortiz

For a lineup, that is a lot better or can be pretty easily with a couple trades I think. Don't trade Manny unless your socks are knocked off. A lot of these teams talking trade are asking we pickup at least $3 million of Manny's contract for them to take him. Are you serious? Ok, so we're GIVING you the best hitter in baseball AND we're paying you to take him? I think not my friends.

This could end up worse than the Ruth trade back in the day, and I don't want to be a part of it. Keep him, send him on a nice vacation with his family and Ortiz's family, and convince him to buy a house in the suburbs around Boston rather than an apartment right in the middle of the hustle and bustle.

The Fenway Faithful will love him for it even more than we do now.

Let's take a little trip back in time

Just yesterday, Adam Vinatieri quietly kicked his way into history again, as he passed Gino Cappalletti as the All-Time Leading Scorer in Patriots history. It wasn't the greatest kick in NFL history, but it was fitting that he did it at home, where the greatest kick (clutch or not) happened. Granted, it wasn't at the same stadium, but when Foxboro was taken down, the memories remained. That spot where Adam lined up the greatest kick ever is part of the Gilette Stadium parking lot now. Damn, I wish they marked it off on the ground, commemorating a special space or something.

Reading the Globe online, I was reading an article that brings us back in time a bit to that amazing kick. I had to paste a section of it here because it caught it perfectly:

One more time we must go back to the night of Jan. 19, 2002, the last game played in Foxboro Stadium. After the infamous tuck rule call, it was Vinatieri who kicked a 45-yard field goal with 32 seconds left to tie the game. New England won in overtime -- on a Vinatieri kick -- and went on to win the first of three Super Bowls in four seasons.

By most accounts, that tying kick is the greatest clutch kick in NFL history. It was made on a snow-covered field and struck through heavy snow and driving wind. The football was hard as a bowling ball, and just about as heavy. Vinatieri went on to kick a couple of buzzer-beating field goals to win Super Bowls, but nothing will match the Snow Bowl kick. They even made a snow-globe out of it -- Currier & Ives meets ''Any Given Sunday".

''The greatest kick I've even seen or known about," said Cappelletti.

''The best kick I've ever seen because of the conditions and what was at stake," deadpanned coach Bill Belichick.

''It's the one I'm most proud of," admitted Vinatieri. ''It's the most difficult I've had to make."

A lot of people in life are proud of things they've done, places they've been, people they've met. I can't say that I'm proud of a lot as far as people I've met and places around the world I've been. But I am proud of the fact that I was at that game. I was at the end of field around the 10 yard line. I was at that game. I was there, at that point of history, where Vinatieri had coolant running through his veins as everyone else froze their asses off. No one sat the entire game. Not out of excitement or anticipation, but because there was a foot of snow on the bleachers and seats. Because it was easier to stand and huddle for warmth than to sit on a freezing cold wet metal bleacher. After a while our legs went numb and no one cared we were standing for over 4 hours, especially when that kick went through the uprights.

What is funny about the whole thing is not nearly as many people were there that have claimed they were there. The stadium barely held 60,000 and I bet at least 300,000 people have said they were there. The funny part is at game time, it wasn't full. There was a blizzard like you wouldn't believe, and yet, Patriots fans being the blue collar type of fan, found a way to pack it by half-time. And yet, when Brady "fumbled" the ball, and the Tuck Rule was explained, before the ref had a chance to review it, I'd bet there weren't 30,000 people left in the stadium. It took longer than the 90 seconds to review it because of the snow and getting to the equipment. It took even longer to explain it. The refs conferenced on it before it was reviewed, and after before the explaination. In total it took about 10 minutes for it to play out.

And yet, people left. They figured "These bums are breaking our hearts again, just like the Sox!"

But they didn't. The refs got the call right, and Vinatieri hit that 45 yarder. I was on the phone with my buddy James and asked him if it was good because of the angle I was at. I couldn't tell, and with the snow and the wind it was impossible for us to see. He screamed, "It's GOOOOOOOOD!!!!!" and I told everyone about a second before the people in the back of the endzone even knew. It was amazing. I can't see how that sports moment will ever be topped for me.

It was the last game in Foxboro Stadium and no one wanted to leave. Everyone was hugging each other and I didn't leave the parking lot where I parked until around 2.30am. Tailgating after was almost as good as before the game with all that anticipation. The drive home took forever and I didn't get home until almost 5am but I didn't care. It was the best night of my life.

How Can This Happen?

Being a Red Sox fan, I was ecstatic to hear we were getting Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell. I've had both in fantasy leagues before, and have always been happy with both. Even last year when Lowell wasn't having one of his better years he still wasn't that bad as a spot utility infielder for me. I was more than happy to hand over prospects (even Hanley Ramirez) for established guys. It gave them what they needed (youth and the advantage of getting rid of some of their bigger contracts) and at the same time it helped us. That is what I call an even trade.

Since that trade, the Marlins have shipped Delgado to the Mets, Luis Castillo to the Twins for a couple nobodies, and have now sent off Paul Lo Duca to....yup, the Mets, and again, for a couple nobodies.

Teams should not be able to dump payroll and guys like this. The Marlins did it back in 1996 when they won their first World Series and they are doing it again. Juan Pierre is on the block as well, and as much as I'd love for the Sox to make a run at him in anticipation of not having a chance at signing Damon or keeping Manny, I have this feeling that we are the only team in baseball that would give them anything they could use.

The Yankees don't have much in their farm system, but I'm sure they could easily put together a nice package of Yankee memorabilia and half full cups of beer to get Pierre to replace Bernie in Center for them. I'm not too surprised the Yankees didn't jump on this trade yet since the New York Post announced the Yanks are about $85 million in the hole from last year.

Whatever happens with the rest of the pieces on the staff, the Marlins as an organization need to be ashamed of themselves for doing this to their fans. It's awful and it should not continue.

...unless they want to send Dontrelle to the Red Sox for some no name Minor Leaguers.