Bleacher Report - Articles by PJ Ross

Tiger Woods' Cheating Scandal: How Will It Affect His Endorsements?

PJ Ross — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:52:30 -0500

Tiger Woods has never shanked a drive this badly in his life.

First, Tiger was challenged by the outlandish accusations of the National Enquirer, then came the suspicious single-car accident early on Friday morning, and now reports in US Weekly of another affair have put Tiger in some of the deepest rough he has ever stumbled upon.

The last encounter proved to be the tipping point for Woods, who released another statement this afternoon.

In light of his most recent comments, in which he apologized to his family for any wrongdoings, one must begin to wonder if the lucrative sponsorship deals that made him the world's first athlete to amass $1 billion will be affected by the drama of this situation.

We saw Nike drop Kobe Bryant for being unfaithful and Michael Vick for going Cujo on on some dogs.

We saw Michael Phelps lose his deal with Kellogg's after going one toke over the line.

But there was hard evidence in each of those cases.

The lawsuit for Bryant; the infamous bong photo for Phelps; the disturbing images of the dog-fighting compound for Vick.

In this case, we are left with a voicemail that depicts Tiger telling Jaimee Grubbs, one of the alleged mistresses, to change her answering message in order to trick his wife, Elin.

It doesn't prove anything definitively, but it certainly holds enough power to skew the perception of Woods' persona.

I think the huge pendulum swing in the public's view of Woods can best be captured by going way back to 2004, when Forbes Magazine characterized Woods as being the "good looking, clean-cut, articulate, scandal-free golf whiz."

So much for that whole "scandal-free" thing.

For the first time in Woods' storied career, which began in 1996 when he turned pro at the age of 21, he has hit a wall (and a fire hydrant and tree) with his image.

But I still find it hard to believe that Phil Knight and Nike, his biggest endorsers who re-signed him in 2006, will abandon Woods over an issue in which no one knows the full details.

Tiger has exponentially expanded the brand power of Nike, something that even Kobe and Vick couldn't do.

That's because they play team sports, in which there is always a new face to latch your trailer to and start up a new campaign.

In golf, there isn't that sort of thinking when it comes to the face of the game.

It's pretty simple logic: If Tiger represents golf, and Nike sponsors Tiger, then Nike is golf.

And, although this has been anything but a desirable end to his 2009 season, Tiger will undoubtedly come back with the same passion and fire to be the best golfer in 2010.

But there are other organizations with more options on the table that might become weary of the same hazy details that keep Nike on board and in Tiger's corner.

EA Sports struck a new six-year contract with Woods in 2006 to keep producing the video game that bears his name.

In 2007, Gatorade rolled out Tiger's own brand of sports drink in a deal that will earn him over $100 million through 2012.

Along with superstar tennis player Roger Federer, Woods is making between $10-20 million as one of the leaders for the Gillette Champions marketing campaign.

Woods' contract with Buick expires soon, a deal that originated in 1999 and was re-worked in 2004 to the tune of around $40 million.

And those companies may be thinking, what really happened that night?

Where was Woods going?

How did he cut his face?

The answers to those questions are really neither here nor there, but the fact that they are asked exposes the real problem for Woods that arises within the world of sponsorships.

EA Sports can produce a game for Anthony Kim; Gatorade can start making a brand for LeBron James; Gillette can put the workload on Federer; Buick can get David Beckham.

The point is that these other brands are not tied directly to the world of golf, and they have the ability to move away from Tiger and take their business elsewhere.

But aside from Nike, where the world of golf and sponsorships meet, Tiger will indelibly be juxtaposed to Phil Mickelson.

Phil is his closest competition both on the golf course and in his wallet.

In a world built upon the mentality of “what have you done for me lately,” those who award lucrative sponsorships are left with far different impressions of Phil and Tiger at this juncture.

Our most recent memory of Mickelson is as the brave family man, who stood next to his wife, Amy, as she battled cancer.

We can relate to the way Phil took time off to be of the utmost support to her and the family, and those looking to shell out millions of dollars in endorsements will have that at the forefront of their impressionable minds.

On the other hand, we have Tiger, who made his latest statement asking for privacy and apologizing to his family for any indiscretions.

He has withdrawn from his tournament this weekend, and keep in mind that this isn’t your regular tournament withdrawal.

The event functions as a huge fundraiser for the Tiger Woods Foundation; his absence will plummet ticket sales and take money away from his charity interests.

How can current and prospective sponsors not be turned away by those actions, and instead turn to Mickelson to be the pitch-man for their campaigns?

The simple answer is that they can't look away from what might have happened.

So while Nike will more than likely stick by its man, Tiger may see that $1 billion bank account begin taking in fewer deposits going forward.

Vince Young: Can the Ultimate Winner Help Your Fantasy Team?

PJ Ross — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:28:28 -0500

Fantasy football playoff time is fast approaching and frantic owners nationwide are scrambling in search for that one player who can put them over the top for the stretch run.

Some have turned to Vince Young for help, who is undefeated since taking over the 0-6 Tennessee Titans in Week Eight.

Young's ownership went up five-and-a-half percent in ESPN.com leagues in the past week on the heels of what is now a five-game winning streak and is now at 15 percent overall.

But don't be fooled into an impulse singing after his 19-point output on Sunday.

Consider that nine of his 27 passes on Sunday were completed on the final drive, and in recent weeks leading up to Sunday he hasn't done much in terms of racking up fantasy points (no more than 13 in his previous four starts).

Young's attempts have steadily been on the rise, starting at 18 in Week Eight and catapulting to 43 in Week 12, allowing him to amass 387 yards through the air in a win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Yet those passes attempted will regress back to around 25 per game, mainly because of the team's reliance on Chris Johnson to carry the workload and eat up turf through the ground game.

Johnson is one of the main drawbacks for acquiring the versatile quarterback because he steals points from Young like a middle school bully steals lunch money.

The young running back has absolutely exploded this season after what already was a breakout 2008 campaign, becoming the head-over-heels fantasy leader amongst non-quarterbacks.

His 220 points for the season are 28 higher than Maurice Jones-Drew, the second ranked non-QB, and puts him 35 points in front of the consensus No. 1 pick Adrian Peterson.

Obviously Johnson's legs take away points from Young, but they also give him the ability to hang in the pocket longer due to the respect a defense must have for the talented running back.

It opens up the field for play-action passes because the threat of handing off to Johnson keeps the linebackers honest, but it also cuts into Young's rushing attempts, which spiked in Week Eight (12 carries for 30 yards) and Week 11 (11 carries for 73 yards).

Based on these trends, I wouldn't expect Young to put up the lofty rushing numbers we were accustomed to seeing from him in the past.

Instead, the Titans now seem comfortable with him in the pocket and Johnson as the runner, and aside from the occasional option play or quarterback-keeper, Young isn't being asked to win games with his legs like he was in his rookie season.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that although Young has thrown only one interception since becoming the starter, he is still yet to throw for more than one touchdown in any given contest and he only has one rushing touchdown this season.

This leaves Young far more likely to hover in the low-teens range for fantasy points and unless you play in a two-quarterback league, he just doesn't put up the type of numbers that translate to fantasy victories.

So while Vince Young can certainly win games on the field, he might not be the best man to turn to as a fantasy savior off the field.

Michael Turner Injury Leaves Atlanta Falcons Backfield with Many Questions

PJ Ross — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:33:46 -0500

Michael Turner left Sunday's game against Tampa Bay after re-aggravating a right ankle injury.

Turner initially suffered a high-ankle sprain two weeks ago, and was re-injured today after awkwardly twisting backwards on the previously damaged ankle.

Considering that a high-ankle sprain requires at least four-to-six weeks to heal, what were the Atlanta Falcons thinking?

Additionally, the injury can sometimes be so severe that it requires a cast or splint to support the damaged joint.

An athlete who sustains this injury will normally be on crutches for around two weeks, yet the Falcons' training staff seemed to have no qualms about rushing their superstar back against the Buccaneers.

Turner signed a six-year, $34 million contract before the 2008 season, and as the featured back he had no business trying to play through this injury.

By no means should he have been on the field during Week 12 action, especially considering the Falcons were facing the the one-win Bucs.

Not to mention that putting him back on the field allowed him to further damage the joint and perhaps could keep him out for the remainder of the season.

My hat goes off to Turner for attempting to show him teammates and coach that he is tough enough to play through the injury, but he displayed a visible hitch in his gait during Sunday's game even before hurting the ankle again.

Turner carried 12 times for only 33 yards before leaving the game.

If the Falcons had played this on the safe side, they could have had Turner back at full strength by Week 16, but now his timetable for return could extend past the end of the regular season.

Despite coming from behind and picking up a 20-17 victory, the Falcons face two pivotal games in the upcoming weeks with Philadelphia and NFC South leading New Orleans coming to town back-to-back.

Atlanta is now left with Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood to shoulder the load.

Many fantasy owners picked up Snelling before his breakout game last week, when he rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, and it would be a good idea to retain him for the near future considering Turner's unsure status going forward.

Snelling rushed only four times for eight yards today, but he will surely see an increased workload next week against the Eagles.

As for Norwood, he also returned from an injury today, and he carried the ball six times against Tampa Bay for 22 yards, with 18 of those coming via one long run.

For those owners looking to fill an RB2 slot or utility role, Snelling or Norwood might provide a boost for your squad over the next few weeks.

But with the lingering question of which back will get the bulk of the carries, be sure to keep up-to-date during the week on whether Snelling or Norwood is being favored at practice.

Tiger Woods' Accident: Elin Nordegren Administered Not-So-Accidental Injuries

PJ Ross — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 03:23:48 -0500

Well, for all of those outraged bloggers who accused Tiger Woods of being plastered and crashing his car, think again.

It appears that the greatest golfer of all-time was the victim of domestic abuse.

TMZ has reported that Woods' spouse, Elin Nordegren, was the cause of his facial lacerations.

Not the impact of a car being backed out of a driveway, but the impact of the nails of his gorgeous wife.

Some were quick to dismiss that the middle-of-the-night accident came shortly after allegations of Tiger being involved in an affair, yet it's now clear that it was no coincidence the accident came just one day following the report.

The TMZ report details that Tiger had a conversation with a person at the scene of the accident, and he claims that there was an altercation between he and his wife prior to the crash.

Supposedly, Nordegren tore into his face after the argument about the affair escalated from words to physicality.

Tiger made a dart for the car and tried to get away, but Nordegren used her husband's tool of choice to smash out the back window of his 2009 Escalade.

Honestly, is this really that surprising?

When the police said that "charges were pending," that raised a red flag for me, because there were no charges that could come from plowing down a fire hydrant if you're not drunk.

The only thing that results from doing damage like that would be a reckless driving ticket and a fine to replace the hydrant.

Police also returned to the home and wanted to question Tiger about the incident on Friday afternoon, but his wife ran interference and said that he was resting.

With this new information confirmed, it has become apparent that the police are pursuing some sort of domestic violence charge in the case.

Another piece of evidence that didn't quite add up was the golf club being used to "free" Tiger from the car.

Talk about a load of crap.

If Nordegren had actually been trying to rescue Woods from the car, like reports said earlier, she could have just opened the door to let him out.

There was obviously no need to bash out the window with a golf club.

As for the implications of the alleged affair, well, who knows what will come out of that side of the story.

Maybe he's messing around and maybe he isn't, but in any home the rumblings of an affair will cause a disturbance amongst spouses.

The only difference is that in most houses, the confrontation doesn't turn physical.

And in the houses that is does, the victims go nameless.

But when the world's richest athlete is the victim?

Front page news.

This whole ordeal has provided an ugly glimpse into the behind-the-scenes life of Nike's White Knight.

The man who could do no wrong, the man who is feared by all on the course and adored by all off the course, is suddenly human.

This single, unfortunate incident has made Tiger Woods just another American going through hard times with his wife.

Why Edgar Martinez Should Be Inducted Into the Baseball Hall of Fame

PJ Ross — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:33:16 -0500

The ballot for the 2010 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame was announced on Friday, and 26 players will be waiting on the phone call to join the most elite group in baseball.

Edgar Martinez is one of the 15 first-time players on the ballot, and he is certainly a unique case to consider.

Since he played the majority of his career as the designated hitter, a role that many voters will look down upon because it only encompasses one facet of the game, Martinez may face difficulties earning the 75 percent needed to be inducted.

However, commissioner Bud Selig said of Martinez, "He is the greatest DH since the rule was put in," and if you consider the DH a specialty role (like that of a closer) then by the same logic Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman should never make the Hall of Fame.

After all, they are the best closers of all time, but they only played a select role on their respective teams.

Another knock against Martinez is that he fell short of 3,000 hits (2,247) and only hit 309 home runs.

But I'm here to tell you that, although I can see the negatives, it would be a travesty if Martinez was denied entry.

While he may have not done anything in the field, Martinez was certainly one of the league's best hitters during his tenure in the majors, hitting .312 and driving in 1,261 runs in 18 seasons of work.

Any manager from the 1990's would confirm the hitting prowess of Martinez and his undeniable domination from the right-handed batter's box.

He went to seven All-Star games and won five Silver Slugger awards, capturing batting titles in 1992 and 1995.

Martinez led the league in on-base percentage twice, a testament to the stunning patience he displayed at the plate, and further evidenced by his 1,283 career walks compared to just 1,202 strikeouts.

In fact, since 1901, only four other players have had more walks than strikeouts (with at least 1200 or more of each) while hitting .300. You might know the others:

Babe Ruth: .342 avg., 2062 BB, 1303 SO
Frank Thomas: .301, 1667, 1397
Jimmie Foxx: .325, 1452, 1311
Hank Aaron: ..305, 1402, 1383
Chipper Jones: .307, 1343, 1231

That's some elite company right there.

Additionally, Martinez was one of the driving forces behind saving baseball in the Pacific Northwest during the 1995 season when he carried the team in the absence of Ken Griffey Jr. during the summer months.

The season was highlighted by their epic comeback in the AL West, and with one swing of the bat on his game-winning double in Game Five of the ALDS, he secured a future for baseball in Seattle.

And those beautiful two-baggers were the cornerstone of his repertoire.

From Day One, they just never stopped coming, as the line-drive hitting Martinez collected 514 in his career.

Martinez used an inside-out swing that always allowed him to keep his hands behind the ball and gave him a chance to collect hits to all fields.

In Seattle adoring fans wore t-shirts that read, "Edgar esta caliente!" (Edgar is on fire), and Martinez has a chance to become the first Mariners player to go into the Hall having completed their entire career with the organization.

In my opinion, he deserves to make the Hall of Fame.

It won't happen this year, or even next year.

Heck, it probably won't even happen within the next five or 10 years because just like Jim Rice, Martinez will be overlooked by voters for reasons unbeknown to me.

But eventually, Edgar Martinez deserves to be among the baseball gods.

Cuban Missile Crisis? The Los Angeles Dodgers Must Reach Out to Mark Cuban

PJ Ross — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:55:15 -0500

The Los Angeles Dodgers are rapidly approaching a breaking point within the front office.

Yesterday, I detailed how Frank McCourt's diminishing bank account could have a pulverizing effect on the Dodgers' organization.

Which brings me to Mark Cuban, the possible savior for the future of the club.

Cuban was rumored to be interested in purchasing the Dodgers about two weeks ago,but just one day after the initial report was made about his interest, the Dallas Morning News ran a story that adamantly denied his desire to buy the Dodgers .

Considering Frank's financial situation and the pending divorce settlement, he needs to recruit Cuban as the future owner of the team.

The caveat issued by Cuban is that he must be able to purchase a controlling share of the team.

Some reports, including the one denying Cuban's interest in the Dodgers, may say he doesn't want to add another team to his role call.

I don't believe it for one second.

He already lost out in his bid for the Chicago Cubs, but Cuban claims that, "more [Dodger fans] than I can count," have asked him to buy the team.

He also showed interest back in 2005 to purchase the his hometown Pittsburgh Penguins, but the deal never materialized.

The bottom line is that he wants another team, and it's just a matter of time before he gets one. Why not make it the Dodgers?

Cuban, although excessively involved and sometimes over the top with his antics involving his Dallas Mavericks , is an absolute top notch owner.

The man has a deep-seeded passion for sports, and while that occasionally manifests in some crazed outburst by Cuban, it also provides the team with unlimited resources to achieve success.

He understands the bigger picture, something that the McCourt's are apparently having difficulty doing, and Cuban is willing to do whatever it takes to take a team to the top.

It's evidenced by how Cuban bought a majority share of the Mavericks in 2000 and took over a team that had a franchise winning percentage of around 40 percent. Since then, the team has won at almost a 70 percent clip, and also made it to the NBA Finals for the first time in 2006.

Not bad for an internet billionaire if you ask me.

He also dominates in the business world, a trait that's necessary in a cut-throat industry such as professional sports.

While McCourt has just $1.2 million in his checking account, Cuban is estimated to be worth $2.3 billion by Forbes Magazine , and I can guarantee this much—you won't find Cuban's bank account dwindling down to $167,000 anytime soon.

There was also something else that came to my mind.

Around the same time as the Cuban rumors arose, Jamie McCourt had supposedly secured financial backing to buyout Frank from his ownership of the Dodgers.

This raises the question, was Cuban her financial backer?

Now I can't stress this enough—the team is not for a sale at this time, and the situation is not completely ideal for Cuban when looking at it as strictly an investment opportunity.

He wants to be able to buyout a majority shareholder and gain control of the team, but the McCourt's are the only people with shares of the club. In order for Cuban to gain ownership he would have to buyout the $800 million franchise.

But pending the outcome of the McCourt divorce, Frank could very easily be forced into selling the team to a third party in order to meet the settlement.

One thing to keep in mind is that before Cuban put in his bid for the Cubs, he announced that he wouldn't comment on buying the team when it wasn't officially for sale.

Sound familiar?

Cuban clearly has a desire to expand his portfolio into the realm of Major League Baseball, and the Dodgers situation is developing into the perfect fit for the eccentric, but always successful, businessman.

LA Confidential: Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt Is Running Out of Money

PJ Ross — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:23:02 -0500

I was foolishly under the impression that things couldn’t get any murkier for the Los Angeles Dodgers front office.

Then I came across a startling article in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that claims Dodgers owner Frank McCourt is running out of money.

Uh-oh.

The piece, written by John Emshwiller, details some very disturbing facts that have emerged from the divorce papers filed between Frank, the team owner, and his soon-to-be ex-wife Jamie, former Dodgers CEO.

To quickly summarize what has happened up until this point, the heart of the divorce hearings will be to decide whether or not Frank is the sole owner of the team, a claim that Jamie argues is completely false.

She insists that they have joint ownership of the club, valued at $800 million, and is entitled to half of the club and its assets.

Jamie is fighting to gain back that lost share because Frank fired her shortly over a month ago, citing insubordination—in the form of an alleged affair with a personal security assistant—and her insufficient performance in the front office.

A judge has already upheld her dismissal from the club, and the couple is waiting for what will be an ugly showdown during their court proceedings in which a Los Angeles county court will divide the couple's assets.

Taking things back to the Wall Street Journal article, the most shocking thing revelation is how Frank is “essentially living from paycheck-to-paycheck” and only has $1.2 million of cash assets at his disposal.

It even goes so far as to say his liquid assets dropped as low as $167,000 recently after making a $700,000 payment to his wife for her expenses.

That may seem like a hefty sum of cash to most people, but for the owner of a professional sports team it amounts to merely pennies.

Additionally, Jamie says that Frank is behind on mortgage payments—which started as high as $28 million to pay off two homes in Malibu valued at $45 million total.

Jamie currently has more accessible liquid assets than Frank, and she has offered to buy the team from him outright, but he insists that it’s not for sale.

The current unrest highlights worries that have been present ever since the McCourts bought the team in 2004.

There have always been lingering questions as to how much money Frank really has in his name and if his funds are enough to fully support the organization.

Whatever the case may be, the bottom line is that these new revelations could have damning implications for the Boys in Blue.

The focus of the baseball world will now be thrust upon the impact that the McCourt divorce will have on one of the most storied franchises in all of sports.

Not only does it leave the future in doubt, but it also raises questions about recent transactions and the effect the upcoming divorce may have had on them.

Clearly, both Frank and Jamie saw this divorce coming, because we all know that 700 sheets of divorce papers don’t just come out of nowhere.

We also already know that at the present time, the organization is making an attempt to be financially responsible, which has already resulted in the team exiting bidding for John Lackey despite the glaring need for a top-end starting pitcher.

So is it possible that the pending divorce case prevented the Dodgers from trading for Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay at the trading deadline?

I think the answer is most definitely yes.

What a shame it is—that the Dodgers could have had their ace if Frank and Jamie McCourt could have just figured out their personal matters.

More worrisome is the litany of young players headed to arbitration in the next two years, including Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Chad Billingsley, and Clayton Kershaw.

From this point forward, it appears that Frank is on a collision course with being forced to sell the team, as demonstrated last year when we saw the San Diego Padres owner sell the team as a result of a nasty divorce.

A change of ownership would be a gigantic issue, especially with so many players headed to arbitration, and the team could face a scenario where they lose most of the young core of this top-end team.

Whether Frank has to sell his share of the team to Jamie, or to a third party, the ownership flux in Los Angeles will be a colossal detriment to the Dodgers' title hopes.

We Don't Want No Drama: Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp Standout for the Dodgers

PJ Ross — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:05:28 -0500

Thus far, the offseason for the Los Angeles Dodgers has been mired in speculation about the divorce of Frank and Jamie McCourt.

Does the team have enough expendable money to fill their roster holes?

Will Frank have to sell the team to a third party?

Is this organization dedicated to winning even with the front office distractions?

But no amount of off the field drama can sour the recognition being earned by Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp.

Both players would be the first to admit that personal accolades mean nothing, even after they each earned Silver Slugger awards and both finished in the top 10 in MVP voting.

On top of that, Kemp won a Gold Glove for his play in center field.

Ethier came in sixth and was sandwiched between two fellow NL West players, Troy Tulowitzski and Pablo Sandoval. The Dodgers' right fielder received two second place votes, three fourth place votes, and 113 total points.

Kemp finished 10th, earning two nods for fourth place and totaling 49 points.

When asked to comment about the awards, each young star will surely downplay the recognition they are receiving.

Don't let that fool you though, as the recognition of the youngsters will go a long way in the clubhouse. Having two players acknowledged as being amongst the elite in the National League is a positive experience for the entire team.

It motivates pitchers, knowing that they have two outstanding bats to support them for at least a couple more years.

It encourages those in the Dodgers' farm system that an organizational talent like Kemp can excel in the majors at such a young age.

It provides the Los Angeles fan base with alternative options, aside from "Mannywood," to rally around when they go to Chavez Ravine for a game.

And while celebrating the accolades of Ethier and Kemp might seem trivial with the absence of a trip to the World Series, we have to remember that championship teams aren't always built in one season, and sometimes not even two.

Joe Torre has guided the Dodgers to back-to-back NL West titles but has failed in each postseason against the Philadelphia Phillies, yet there is no manager in baseball better equipped to bounce back from such disappointing conclusions to consecutive seasons.

Torre knows that with two or three new pitchers, a new second baseman, and a (hopefully) rejuvenated Manny Ramirez, this team is very capable of taking home a World Series championship.

Which brings us full circle, right back to the organizational unrest.

Is there enough money?

Are there going to be new owners?

Will the front office be committed to winning for the long-haul?

So take a deep breath and enjoy the awards won by Ethier and Kemp, because this could be one long, dramatic offseason experience.

Vince Young: Maybe That Hall of Fame Talk Wasn't So Crazy After All

PJ Ross — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:05:26 -0500

Remember when Vince Young knocked off USC in the 2005 Rose Bowl?

For the next few months leading up to the draft, the talk of the football nation was that of Young and his heroics.

How regardless of his out-of-the-pocket centered game, just knew how to win, whether it came via his powerful arm or explosive legs.

He was a flat out gamer.

He didn't need to score well on the wonderlic, I mean, did you see him at the combine?

At 6'5", 230 lbs., the guy is an absolute genetic freak with breathtaking talent on the field.

Young went on to shine in his rookie season with the Tennessee Titans, going 8-5 as a starter and earning the offensive rookie of the year award along with a Pro Bowl appearance.

Come 2007, Young was able to improve his completion percentage from 51.5 to 62.3 percent and get the Titans into the playoffs, even with his 17 interceptions during the regular season.

Flash forward to the start of the 2008 season.

It was supposed to be a huge year for Young, the springboard for a storied career after two years of adjusting to pro football and learning the game.

But during a season-opening win against Jacksonville, Young was forced out of the game due to a leg injury.

Speculation erupted that he had refused to re-enter the game after throwing a fourth quarter interception, and he was booed by the home crowd before Kerry Collins came in to finish the game.

The next evening he famously went "missing" from his home in Nashville and rumors spread of his possible mental instability.

This, with good reason, turned suspicions of his future in the NFL turned sour and many wrote him off as not being able to handle the atmosphere of pro football.

In 2009, young made matters worse when he added the quality of being excessively cocky to his resume,

He was quoted in Esquire magazine back in August saying, "I don't know when I'll start again. But I will be the next black quarterback to win the Super Bowl. And I will be in the Hall of Fame."

The release of the quotes brought a total turnaround to the perception held on draft day, when he was the future dual-threat quarterback of the NFL.

Young's persona had morphed so drastically that the media viewed him as a crazy, arrogant, and a mentally fragile young quarterback.

But even before that incident, what is far too easily forgotten is the impact that Steve McNair's death had on the youngster.

McNair was a mentor to the developing quarterback, and his game was beginning to take shape and be modeled around that of Air McNair.

That's what stirred his comments in the postseason.

With the recent death of his good friend, Young was eager to prove that he had learned from McNair and wanted to prove it on the field.

His yearning to change his image was so great that he blurted out the hall of fame comments.

The thing is, Young wasn't exaggerating in his mind.

To me, there's no doubt that he fully expects to be in the hall of fame at the end of his career.

Young got the message, unfortunately disguised in the horrific tragedy of McNair's passing, that life is too short to be dramatic.

It's too short to worry about throwing an interception.

It's too short to worry about getting booed.

So on the heels of the Titans pitiful 0-6 start, capped off by a 59-0 drubbing during a blizzard in Foxboro, Young finally got his chance at redemption on the field.

He got the opportunity to use the tools given to him by McNair and turn them into on-field success by rallying the Titans to a four-game winning streak and catapulting them back into the wild card race.

With Arizona, St. Louis, and Miami at home, and Seattle on the road, Tennessee now has the opportunity to scratch their way back into the playoffs.

During the Titans' four-game winning streak, it's clear that Young sees the field much better than in the past and is playing with far more structure to his game.

Aided by the league's leading rusher, Chris Johnson, the Titans have far too much speed in the backfield for any team to contain on a regular basis.

It's absolutely flooring that they have been able to effectively run a college-style option play against NFL defenses and be successful, and that's a testament to the offensive weaponry Jeff Fishes possesses.

Last night's game-winning drive in the fourth quarter brought Young's career record as a starting quarterback to 22-11.

All of sudden, he's that winner again.

That unstoppable athlete with the size of a quarterback and speed of a running back.

That gamer that no matter what you throw at him, always bounces back stronger than ever.

And if the Titans keep up this run, Vince Young's preseason talk isn't going to be sounding so laughable after all.

Clash of the Titans: Albert Pujols or Joe Mauer as the Overall MVP?

PJ Ross — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:36:57 -0500

Joe Mauer won his first career American League MVP in an almost unanimous decision today.

Albert Pujols—barring some sort of disgusting error by the BBWAA—will win his second consecutive National League MVP trophy early tomorrow afternoon.

Both players are phenomenal talents that played at the highest level throughout the season and were clearly the most valuable player in their respective league.

Just take a look at the raw numbers for each player:

Pujols: .327/47/135/1.101 OPS

Mauer: .365/28/96/1.014 OPS

Those stat lines are jaw-dropping, and one might glance at the astronomical numbers of Pujols and consider him the easy choice for possessing more value.

However, it's my opinion that Mauer is the most valuable player in Major League Baseball.

When you consider more than just the basic stat lines, Mauer had more overall value and was more impacting on the success of his team than Pujols.

At the plate

A lot of people might dismiss the notion that Mauer could even be compared to Pujols and his astronomical power outputs.

And I know, it's pretty undeniable how imposing Pujols is at the plate.

He led all of baseball with 47 home runs and ranked third with 135 RBI.

Mauer, although he had a career year with 28 home runs, is no where near the power threat of Pujols.

But what Mauer lacks in thump he makes up in thwack.

He ripped through pitchers on the junior circuit and notched a .365 batting average, 38 points higher than Pujols at .327.

To put this in perspective, Mauer had 45 fewer at-bats than Pujols, but still had seven more hits for the season.

Mauer, despite the huge advantage in batting average, only edged Pujols by one point in on base percentage (.444 to .443).

Even so, both tallied more walks than strikeouts for the season, with Pujols at 115 walks and 68 strikeouts and Mauer with 76 walks and 63 strikeouts.

A lot of this differential can also be attributed to the 44 intentional walks issued to Pujols—30 more than the 14 issued to Mauer.

Take note that Mauer (4.18) even sees a noticeably higher amount of pitches per plate appearance than Pujols (3.84).

Another compelling piece of evidence in favor of Mauer's batting prowess was his .400 average with two outs and runners in scoring position, which towered over Pujols' mark of .243 in the same situation.

Mauer was also 28 points higher in late and close situations, hitting .310 as compared to Pujols' .282.

Regardless of these splits, it's impressive how each player was remarkably consistent on a month-to-month basis.

This is echoed by the fact that Mauer's lowest monthly average was .309 and Pujols lowest was .289, both of which were posted in the month of July

In the field

I think one of the big pieces of evidence that swings the nod in Mauer's favor is his position as a catcher.

Catchers are inherently more valuable to their team, and therefore Mauer has a more consistent impact on the overall output of his team.

By this I mean that catchers have more responsibility within the game itself, and his standout performance as the field general puts him a rung above Pujols.

From behind the dish, the catcher must know alignments for all positions, including bunt coverages, double-play coverages, pickoff plays, etc.

He also must be able to command and direct the pitching staff not only throughout a game, but for the entirety of the season.

The catcher must establish a working relationship with the pitchers that forms trust between the two parties.

Trust by the pitcher that their battery-mate is making the correct calls, and trust by the catcher that his pitcher can execute the calls.

Mauer has achieved this relationship with his patchwork staff, and his ability to compile a scouting report on the opposition and call a game that will tailor the game to the pitcher's advantage is a unique skill that he possesses.

An additional piece of added value to a catcher is the pounding one takes (as evidenced by Mauer's mysterious back injury that held him out until May) that makes it so difficult to be successful for the entire season.

Mauer has to be given more consideration for his value while maintaining stability behind the plate.

By no means is this a knock on Pujols, as the Machine plays outstanding defense.

But his impact on the defensive side is much lesser than Mauer's.

In the clubhouse leadership

Neither player is the "rah-rah" type of leader, but rather the leader who demonstrates a level of work ethic that is unparalleled by any of his teammates.

Mauer and Pujols work painstakingly hard to set the bar high for the rest of their team and it results in getting more production out of lesser players.

Mauer has the added pressure of having an entire franchise placed on his back, and without him the Minnesota Twins would just about be left for dead.

An All-American at Cretin-Derham Hall high school in St. Paul, Mauer has excelled at being a hometown hero and was been able to carry the Twinkies into the postseason with a captivating run in September to catch the Detroit Tigers.

Pujols, on the other hand, has the benefits of a more fiscally bold organization.

After getting little help in the first half of the season, Pujols got the luxury of his team acquiring Matt Holliday to provide him with some protection in the order.

Inserting Holliday into the lineup helped the Cardinals pull out of an early-August deadlock with the Chicago Cubs and secure a Central division title.

Of course, the front office aspect of the game is completely out of the control of each player.

Still, we must factor into the value that Mauer is at a distinct competitive disadvantage and managed to take him team equally as far as Pujols did with Cardinals.

Who gets the edge?

After analyzing the body of work for each player in 2009, I have to give the edge in value to Mauer.

When you look beyond the basic numbers and dissect what builds those statistics, I think that Mauer had more impact on the Twins that Pujols did on the Cardinals.

The Race For National League MVP: Can Albert Pujols Be Unseated?

PJ Ross — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:05:35 -0500

If Joe Mauer was a lock for the American League MVP, then Albert Pujols is a lock, deadbolt, and steel reinforced wall to win the National League honors.

Mauer received 27 of 28 first-place votes, nearly taking the award unanimously, and I think Pujols will complete the clean sweep of the senior circuit.

Tomorrow afternoon the voting results will be handed down and there's just no way you can give a first-place vote to anyone other than the Machine based upon the body of work he compiled in 2009.

If he wins his second consecutive MVP, he will be the first player to do so since Barry Bonds in 2003-2004.

Just watching Pujols work at the plate is something to behold.

The way he stays so perfectly balanced and calmly bends at the knees while timing the pitch is purity at it's finest.

He is a workhorse and a consummate teammate, and Pujols carried a mediocre St. Louis Cardinals' lineup until the arrival of Matt Holliday.

With the ridiculous numbers Pujols posted this season, I contemplated not even breaking down the other potential MVP candidates.

Then I realized that someone has to come in second, right?

Let's take a look at how the voting will shakeout:

Pujols (.327/47/135)

He had another unreal season and will be adding his third MVP trophy in the last five years to his display case.

The only knock that can be made on the Machine is the power outage he experienced down the stretch run.

In some respects, that makes the impressive numbers he accumulated for the season even more powerful, because they were almost done being tallied by the beginning of September.

With the inevitable Pujols crowning in mind, I thought it would be interesting to explore who will battle for the remaining share of votes.

Runner Up: Prince Fielder (.299/46/141)

Much like Miguel Cabrera in the American League, Fielder quietly put together an excellent offensive season.

Fielder played in all 162 games this season, and his OPS (1.014) was third in all of baseball behind only Pujols and Mauer.

And who can forget the walk-off home run celebration when Fielder "shook the Earth" and sent his teammates to the ground at home plate?

Third Place: Hanley Ramirez (.342/24/106/27 SB)

This kid is flat out phenomenal.

The 2006 Rookie of the Year had huge expectations placed upon him entering the season, and he certainly came through with a big time season at the plate.

Although he saw a dip in home runs, Ramirez increased his RBI total from 67 to 106 while his average skyrocketed from .301 in 2008 to a league leading .342 in 2009.

Fourth Place: Andre Ethier (.272/31/106)

"Mr. Miracle" mounted a career year in home runs and RBI on the most winning team in the National League.

He established a new level of clutch hitting in the late innings during the regular season, socking four walk-off home runs and six walk-off hits total in 2009.

In the ninth inning or later, he hit .317 with four home runs 17 RBI.

Honestly, I don't think any of the other three candidates have the slightest chance to knock off the incumbent Pujols.

Each player had a top-notch season, but Pujols was otherworldly in all aspects of the game and he deserves to win.

Not only is he the premier power hitter in all of baseball, but he also offers top-line glove work at first base.

Combine that with the fact he stole 16 bases this season, something you wouldn't expect from a hulking slugger, and it's obvious that Pujols is the runaway favorite to take home his third MVP award.

MLB Rumors: Gary Sheffield Claims He Can Hit 40 Home Runs in 2010

PJ Ross — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:09:08 -0500

Gary Sheffield was quoted in the Boston Globe over the weekend saying he could hit at least 25 home runs if a team gives him the chance to play every day.

He even went so far as to say that he could hit upwards of 40 home runs in the proper situation.

I hate to say it, Gary, but it's time to hang it up.

To put the current length of his career in perspective, Sheffield was drafted sixth overall in the amateur draft by the Milwaukee Brewers just four months after I was born in 1986.

The nephew of Doc Gooden, Sheffield came up as a talented shortstop and shot through the minor leagues, getting his first taste of major league ball at the age of 19 in 1988.

By the time he was 23, Sheffield had a breakout year and hit .330 with 33 home runs and 100 RBI, capturing his first—and only—batting title.

Incredibly, and this came as a bit of a shocker to me, Sheffield has never led the league in any major offensive category aside from taking the batting crown in 1992 (unless you count his lead in on-base percentage in 1996).

He belted as many as 43 homers in a single season, but that guy we used to know as Sammy Sosa bested Sheffield with a 50-home run campaign.

Sheffield finished in the top three of MVP voting three separate times, and he was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero in 2004.

After a long career, including 499 home runs, Sheffield found his way to the New York Mets last season to connect on No. 500.

Despite hitting the second-most home runs (10) on the team, Sheffield had a home run percentage that was far below his career average.

He hit a home run in 3.2 percent of his plate appearances in 2009, his lowest mark since 1989 and a full one-and-a-half percent below his career average of 4.7 percent.

Not only that, but his strikeout percentage was the third-highest of his career at 14.7 percent, coming just one year after he posted the highest percentage of his career in 2008 (17.2).

He's just flat-out too old.

Gary turned 41 last Wednesday, and unless he stumbles upon the fountain of youth sometime before spring training, he's just going to keep adding mileage to his meter.

Last season we saw Frank Thomas, who is just six months older than Sheffield, go unclaimed in free agency, and that is probably the best indication of things to come.

Sheffield maintains, as would anyone vying for a contract, that he is in top shape.

But by that age in a player's life, he just doesn't have the bat speed he once used to, and it's something that cannot be overcome.

It's one thing for a pitcher like Jamie Moyer to throw well into his 40s, because a pitcher can adjust his approach on the mound and be able to slow things down in good way.

Sheffield mounted a career based on the violent and swift swings of his bat, and a return to the majors for his 23rd season would just be unnecessary.

I can remember watching him as I grew into a ballplayer, being captivated by trying to find the kind of sock he had in his bat by increasing the torque on my swing.

Yet Sheffield is not the same player I knew back then, and I don't want to see him turn into another player who hangs around far too long until nobody wants him.

So Gary, just walk away, and you can control the ending to a long and productive career.

Why Joe Mauer Is a Lock To Win the American League MVP

PJ Ross — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:14:34 -0500

The winner of the 2009 American League MVP award will be named on Monday, and Joe Mauer is the front-runner to take home the trophy.

There are a number of players in pursuit of the Golden Boy, including Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira.

Jeter has certain unmeasurable qualities that have earned him the title of Yankee Captain, and Teixeira was the most powerful weapon on the best team in the majors.

But Mauer is no slouch as far as leadership goes, and his prowess at the plate was just as daunting to opposing pitchers as Teixeira's.

Mauer came up as a highly-touted superstar and hometown hero, and he has delivered on both fronts during his time with the Twins.

Then, tucked away in Detroit and somewhat forgotten after the Tigers late-season collapse, we have Miguel Cabrera, who quietly mounted an outstanding offensive campaign.

The big right-hander hits the ball about as hard as anyone in the league, but his impact on the field just doesn't stack up to that of Mauer.

There are also some that might argue for Cy Young winner Zack Greinke to win the award because of the dominant numbers he put up on the mound for a terrible Kansas City team.

I just don't think you can hand the award to a player on a last place team; I mean after all, if the Royals didn't have Greinke they still would have finished last.

It doesn't take anything away from the season Grienke had, but the other players I will break down had more of an impact in helping their team to success than Greinke did.

With that out of the way, here is how I think voting in the top five will shake out:

1. Mauer (.365/28/96)

Joe Mauer flat out mashed the ball in 2009.

After missing time early in the season due to a back injury, Mauer exploded onto the scene on May 1.

One of the few abilities Mauer left to desire in the past was his low power output, as he hit just 16 home runs in 2007 and 2008 combined.

Then, in his first at-bat of the season, he slammed a 2-0 pitch for a solo home run over the left-center field wall.

That moment set the pace for the following 137 in which he played, as Mauer set career highs in all three triple crown categories with a batting average of .365, 28 home runs, and 96 RBI.

Not only did he increase his power output, but he also recorded 13 more walks than strikeouts (76 BB/63 K) while doing so.

2. Miguel Cabrera (.324/34/103)

After losing a considerable amount of weight in the offseason, Cabrera decreased his strikeout total from 126 in 2008 down to 106 in 2009, and he also worked 12 more walks.

His power numbers did go down slightly from 2008 (37/127), but there's no denying that without Cabrera in the Tigers' order they wouldn't have had a lead in the division to blow down the stretch.

3. Derek Jeter (.334/18/107 runs/30 SB)

Jeter won his first Gold Glove since 2006 and his average ballooned by 34 points from last season.

The Yankees' captain is an irreplaceable asset for his team, but not as irreplaceable as Mauer in Minnesota.

4. Mark Texeira (.292/39/122)

The switch-hitter led the league in home runs and RBI even after getting off to his normal slow start.

He played Gold Glove first base, and deserves a lot more credit for just how dynamic he is in the field.

Teixeira has excellent hands and saves his infielders from countless errors, either by scooping a ball out of the dirt or coming off the bag to make a tag.

5. Ichiro (.352/11/88 runs/26 SB)

He finished second to Mauer in batting average and recorded his ninth consecutive 200-hit season. Ichiro also won his ninth Gold Glove in a row and the third Silver Slugger award of his career.

Also, would you believe that the singles specialist led the league in intentional walks?

A lot of people might think it's outrageous that Cabrera would finish in front of both Jeter and Teixeira, but I see the latter two splitting votes and keeping each other out of the second spot.

Let me say this: I would put Teixeira as the runner-up, Jeter third, and Cabrera fourth, but I believe that the voters will be divided on the two Yankee candidates and it will result in Cabrera leaping over the both of them.

In regards to Mauer, he just had far too dominant of a season for any of the other players to steal the award from him.

For those that still can't trust the numbers I've outlined, I can't stress enough that neither Cabrera nor Jeter led the league in any of the major stat categories, while Mauer led in a number of areas.

There is the issue that Mauer missed the entire month of April with an injury.

I argued during the NL Cy Young race that Chris Carpenter shouldn't win the award because he failed to register 200 innings.

Mauer still started in 105 games—seventh amongst AL catchers—and the big difference is that when he came back, he played every day.

Carpenter ranked 26th in the NL in innings pitched.

It works out to be a little unfair to Carpenter, but since he didn't get to play every day and instead took the mound every fifth day, the time he missed was too much to overcome.

By playing nearly every day upon returning, Mauer was able to fight his way back into enough games to be accepted for the award.

All of that being said, Mauer is the clear-cut MVP in my book.

Roy Halladay Is Not the Antidote to Halting the New York Yankees' Title Defense

PJ Ross — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:17:10 -0500

We have been subjected to every theoretical trade scenario under the sun since Roy Halladay was rumored to be available via trade last season.

There are dozens of hypothetical deals that send an entire farm system worth of players in exchange for Halladay and his contract, which expires after 2010.

National League clubs see Halladay as the key to defeating the New York Yankees in the World Series.

American League clubs are of the opinion that not only can Halladay help them in the playoffs, but acquiring him can stop the Yankees from getting far enough to defend their title.

No matter where Halladay is traded, if a deal does occur, the team that gains his services will have to negotiate with him for a new contract.

Halladay has said that he will offer an exclusive negotiation window for whatever team he is dealt to, and the team will have to work a new contract within a short amount of time before the deal goes dry.

The newly re-emerging rumors that multiple teams have been in contact with the Blue Jays regarding the ace are great for rumor mills, but I don't think the supposed deals on the table are worth the cost of the 32-year old.

Let me just say that I'm not trying to devalue Halladay's ability.

He is the best pitcher in the junior circuit and still has a number of years with top-notch production remaining in his right wing.

But the team that brings him on board has to have other top-of-the-line pitchers to aid him, because his arm alone will not win a World Series.

The team that gets him needs to be committed to throwing him three times in a seven-game series, because unless you have the plan to ride your big gun through it all, then it's not worth selling the farm system for him.

We found out in the World Series between the Phillies and Yankees that the key to winning the championship does not lie in one pitcher.

Yankees' manager Joe Girardi laid out a three-man rotation, anchored by C.C. Sabathia, and stuck to it.

Girardi also had the benefit of free agent signing A.J. Burnett and the seasoned veteran Andy Pettitte to support the workhorse Sabathia.

Charlie Manuel, on the other hand, was hesitant to outline a definite postseason rotation, and his decision to not bring back his ace, Cliff Lee, on three days rest was catastrophic.

Manuel's decision was complicated by the less than impressive season turned in by former ace Cole Hamels and the lack of a solid third starter to rely upon.

By not committing to his ace, Manuel put Phillies in a poor position for Game Seven had they made it that far.

If the Phillies had managed to force a Game Seven, they wouldn't have had Lee available for the epic finale because he was used in Game Five instead of Game Four.

The decision made by Manuel relegated his ace virtually useless, and without the backup of one or two top-end arms in the starting rotation, it made the acquisition of Lee a moot point.

What I'm saying is there is no good done in trading for Halladay if you don't have a quality staff to back him up.

Even more troubling is that trading for him will require either jeopardizing your future or destroying your current roster.

Halladay has stated that he only wants to go to a winner, and that makes a trading a lot more restrictive for the Jays.

It develops into a catch-22 because whatever chips are exchanged for him can't significantly hurt the team he is going to because it might devalue the team to the point that Halladay doesn't want to pitch for them.

That leaves the other option, which is sending an army of top-end prospects for Halladay.

Sure, it sounds tempting to put all of your eggs in one basket and go for broke in 2010, but you can't run an organization in that manner.

Sending a litany of top-prospects to the Jays may sound tempting, but just ask the Seattle Mariners how their trade for, at the time, ace Erik Bedard worked out.

Bedard has battled injuries for the past two seasons while Adam Jones, the main player traded for Bedard, enjoyed an All-Star season that he recently capped off with a Gold Glove award.

Now, clearly Halladay is a much higher-caliber pitcher than Bedard, but the point to take away is that the Mariners stunted the future growth of the team by sending away the talented centerfielder Jones.

In my opinion, whichever city acquires Halladay will be sorely disappointed when he is unable to deliver a World Series title by himself and then the organization is left with little in the bank of their farm system.

There is, however, one daunting exception that could place Halladay in an elite rotation.

If Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro can secure the Doc to go along with Lee and Hamels, the Phillies will then have that scary top-three rotation to ride throughout the postseason just like the Yankees did this past fall.

And as a Dodgers fan, that scares the life out of me.

Video: Nate Robinson Shoots at Wrong Basket, Mike D'Antoni Blows a Gasket

PJ Ross — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:46:44 -0500

A pretty interesting situation played out today in a game between the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets, making an otherwise disgraceful contest very much amusing, if only for a few brief seconds.

With 0.5 seconds remaining in the first quarter, the Knicks were inbounding the ball in their back court with a 28-24 advantage.

Nate Robinson—the same player who was once called for a traveling violation while trying to bounce an alley-oop to himself—caught the inbound pass and fired a shot at the Nets basket.

Robinson sunk the three-pointer.

He did launch the 30-footer after the buzzer sounded, sparing the Knicks of one of the most embarrassing plays in NBA history, but Robinson clearly was just messing around and knew what he was doing.

He didn't accidentally shoot at the wrong hoop, and the action was in no way going to harm the Knicks during the game.

But when Robinson headed towards the bench, Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni absolutely freaked out on the two-time Slam Dunk champion and motioned towards the clock to point out how potentially dangerous that shot could have been had it left his hands before the buzzer.

D'Antoni was so riled up about Robinson's actions that the coach benched him for all but three minutes for the rest of the game.

The Knicks went on to win the game, 98-91, and after the game D'Antoni changed his tone.

He insisted that he was merely giving Nate some rest.

"Nate's great. We don't have any problems," said D'Antoni.

It could be the case, considering Robinson is just coming back from an ankle injury, but the more likely scenario is that D'Antoni realized he might have gotten a little too animated about the shot.

In a case like that, Robinson was ill-advised to take the shot, yet still, D'Antoni didn't need to freak out like a school-girl and berate Robinson between periods.

I must say, however, that when I first saw the footage I thought he had shot the ball before the buzzer sounded, so I can understand the initial reaction from D'Antoni.

The coach did the smart thing by downplaying the situation, and this will go down as another round of hilarious antics in the career of Robinson.

Then again, maybe Robinson just felt bad for the winless Nets and was trying to throw them a bone.

Flash Forward: Why the Los Angeles Dodgers Matt Kemp Will Be the 2010 NL MVP

PJ Ross — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:48:41 -0500

The National League MVP will be announced this week, and it will undoubtedly be handed to Albert Pujols.

With this year's race all but locked up, I wanted to take a look at a player who I consider to be the front-runner for MVP in 2010.

At 25 years old, Matt Kemp has already put up impressive numbers that rank up there with some of the elite names in baseball history.

He is just one of 17 outfielders in the integration era—a list that includes Willie Mays, Darryl Strawberry, and Grady Sizemore—to to hit more than 60 home runs, steal more than 80 bases, and compile over 200 RBI by the age of 25.

In 2009, Kemp emerged as a versatile offensive weapon for the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Batting in nearly every spot in the order, Kemp excelled wherever he was placed and took home his first career Silver Slugger trophy.

Kemp batted .297, maintaining a .300 average throughout the majority of the season, and set career highs in home runs (26) and RBI (101).

Combined with his 34 stolen bases, Kemp displays the power and speed combination that it takes to become the next member of the 40/40 club.

In addition to his dynamic attributes at the plate, Kemp also won a Gold Glove for the manner in which he grazes centerfield, earning him the nickname of "The Bison" from his teammates.

This five-tool approach to the game is why Matt Kemp will win the 2010 NL MVP.

A prime example of Kemp's impact in both the field and at the plate occurred on July 10 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Kemp went 3-for-5 on the night and blasted a game-winning grand slam in the top of the 10th inning, but it was the style in which he did it that was so captivating.

Batting eighth in the order, Kemp timed an offering from Carlos Villanueva perfectly and put a ball into orbit, launching a grand slam high above the left-center field wall and pushing the Dodgers in front 10-6.

In the bottom of the frame, Dodgers' closer Jonathan Broxton allowed two runs to cross the dish, and faced Jason Kendall with runners on the corners and two outs.

Kendall drilled a high fly ball to deep centerfield, and with Kemp playing shallow to prevent a bloop from falling, he had a an eternity to go in order to corral this drive.

But Kemp, at 6-foot-2 230 lbs., made an over-the-shoulder snag just before hitting the wall to end the game and kill the Brewers' rally, securing a wild 12-8 win for the Boys in Blue.

This is just one example of the many highlight reel plays he makes on a near daily basis in the field and at the plate.

At this juncture in his career, we can project Kemp's career going one of two ways.

Considering his propensity to strikeout, he could become the next Preston Wilson.

Wilson hit 31 home runs, drove in 121 runs, and stole 36 bases when he was 25-years old, but he also struck out 187 times while drawing only 55 walks that season.

In 2009, Kemp fanned 139 times and walked 52 times.

We saw the youngster struggle in the NLDS, going 1-for-13 after a first pitch home run in Game One. Kemp fell victim to an off-speed attack from Cardinals' pitchers and was never able to square-up a ball following his early home run.

The good news for Dodger fans is that Kemp seems to be going in the right direction, as indicated by his subtle improvements from 2008, when he struck out 153 times and walked 46 times.

And that was in 10 fewer plate appearances than 2009.

On the other hand, Kemp could continue his growth and become one of the biggest threats in the senior circuit, wearing out pitchers with bat, catchers with his legs, and hitters with his glove.

Only time will tell, but with the skill set Kemp possesses and the trajectory his career is on at this point, I'm predicting that he takes home the 2010 NL MVP.

Tim Lincecum Wins NL Cy Young, Continues on Path to Baseball Greatness

PJ Ross — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:33:47 -0500

Tim Lincecum has joined an elite group of hurlers by capturing his second consecutive Cy Young award on Thursday.

The Giants had only one Cy Young to their credit (Mike McCormick, 1967) until 2007, and Timmy has brought home the trophy for two consecutive seasons and put himself at the forefront of the pitching world on the senior circuit.

The last time a pitcher won multiple Cy Young awards in a row was when Randy Johnson earned four straight from 1999-2002 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After Zack Greinke took home the AL Cy Young with 16 wins, and now Lincecum won the NL honors with 15, the voters have sent a strong message that they are capable of looking past the meaningless win-loss records and instead vote based on numbers that actually make a difference.

I think this was a big year for Cy Young voting because of the well-cast votes by the BBWAA, which made a statement that they care about who was the most dominating on the mound, and not who was cast by the baseball figure-heads as the anointed winner.

As I wrote yesterday, the scenario played out just as I had suspected, and the two Cardinals' pitchers, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, split votes and helped Tim win the award.

Wainwright actually had 12 first-place votes to Lincecum's 11, but Timmy got the overall nod by 10 points over him and just seven points over the runner-up, Carpenter.

Overall, it was the third-closest Cy Young race in the last 40 years.

In my opinion, the major thing aside from splitting votes that held Carpenter back from winning the award was the fact that he didn't notch 200 innings pitched this season.

There has never been a starting pitcher (in a non-strike season) to win the Cy Young and have fewer than 200 innings pitched, and the fact that the voters acknowledged this was a huge step forward for the voting process.

But don't get me wrong: Lincecum won the award based on his dominating performance more so than Carpenter lost it for his lack of innings.

Timmy lowered his ERA from 2.62 in 2008 to 2.48 in 2009, and while doing so he held opposing hitters to a .206 batting average against.

He has led the league in strikeouts during both of his Cy Young campaigns and the youngster from the state of Washington is just starting to build his trophy case along the road of a lengthy career.

The 2009 season, although he won one less game than last year, was a huge improvement for Lincecum as a pitcher.

He walked 16 fewer hitters, showing that his game is still evolving, and even lowered his WHIP from a tiny 1.172 in 2008 to a minuscule 1.047 in 2009.

Perhaps a more telling statistic is that in 2008, he led the league in hits per nine innings with 7.2; this year, he brought that even lower, to 6.7 hits per nine innings.

Altogether, it was a brilliant season for Lincecum (and that's coming from a Dodgers fan).

Lincecum has the opportunity, at just 25 years old, to develop into one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game.

Consider that the great Sandy Koufax didn't win his first Cy Young until age 27, and Randy Johnson won his first at age 31, and it's easy to see why Lincecum has the chance to position himself with the greatest players of all-time by the time his career runs dry.

Those who contend that his herky-jerky and unconventional wind-up will shorten his career because of injury problems are flat out incorrect in that assumption.

In that regard, I really have to tip my cap to the Giants' organization for trusting his unorthodox motion and not forcing him to change his delivery.

My dad and I have discussed many times the fact that if the Seattle Mariners had not passed on their hometown talent in the amateur draft, they surely would have toyed with his delivery and screwed up his career trajectory.

Timmy is gifted with a rare talent that we can call a "rubber arm," and this guy could throw on two or three days rest, if necessary, and still be at the top of his game.

Back when he played high school ball, I can remember him pitching seven innings on a Monday and coming right back to throw seven more on Wednesday—and he would be more dominant in the second start.

It's a unique ability that he has, being able to throw so many pitches with little repercussions on his arm, and I think this is one of the main reasons that he is going to mount a storied career that lasts for a very long time.

It may seem ridiculously obvious that I am announcing that a man who just won two Cy Young awards will be one of the all-time greats before his career is over, but I am confident in saying that Tim Lincecum will be among the baseball gods at the conclusion of his run in the majors.

Pontiac Silverdome: The Ultimate Fantasy Factory at a Bargain Price

PJ Ross — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:51:00 -0500

The Pontiac Silverdome was sold at an auction to an unidentified Canadian real estate agency on Monday for a measly $583,000.

Now, a Michigan judge has put a hold on the sale because of a complaint that another company already had a deal to buy it.

But that's neither here nor there.

Considering that the stadium was built for $55.7 million in 1975, I'd say that's a pretty good deal, and now I'm deeply regretting not taking out a home-loan to purchase the domed-mammoth.

I'm just wondering if the first-time home buyers credit would count if I bought it?

I could have shipped off from a two-bedroom condo in Washington and set up shop at the Silverdome's 80,000-seat venue.

There would be so many perks to moving into the lofty site, I can only begin to imagine...

First of all, screw the Direct TV Sunday Ticket Package—I'm ordering it and selling one dollar tickets for an all-day Sunday pass.

I can watch games on the big screen with 80,000 of my closest friends, and with the dome, business can be open year round for all the major sports.

The facilities for concessions are still intact, so I'll just go to Costco and throw some burgers and hot dogs on one of my dozens of grilling surfaces throughout the concourse.

Next, I would buy a WNBA team and an MLS team in a package deal with some spare change lying around and make the two teams play doubleheaders.

The only catch is that the teams would be flip flop; that means WNBA players could play a game of soccer and vice-versa.

I imagine this as a great way to stir up some excitement for both leagues. Considering only about 4 percent of the nation has any idea the MLS championship game is this Sunday, I think they could use the publicity.

I would also start an RV park outside—reserved for tailgating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Since the stadium sits on a 127-acre lot, there would be plenty of space for fans in Detroit to gather any day and, instead of being subjected to their hometown Lions, just flat-out get plastered in preparation for Sundays.

Above all else, I would make a habit of filming my friends and I re-enacting great moments in Super Bowl history.

I can just see it now: Making a Joe Namath jump pass; stopping Kevin Dyson at the one-yard line to save the game; housing an interception 100 yards a la Jerome Harrison.

And just for some added drama to the outings, I would hire the Oregon Cheerleaders to attend every simulated game.

The cheerleaders would also be required to attend the post-game press conference.

So, with the Silverdome now spoken for, I'm hoping that once the Metrodome closes it will meet the same fate.

Because I can't let this opportunity pass twice.

A Pair of Cards Might Help Tim Lincecum Win the NL Cy Young

PJ Ross — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:25:18 -0500

The National League Cy Young Award will be announced early Thursday afternoon, and there are a trio of pitchers with viable claims to the trophy.

Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, and Tim Lincecum are the front runners to win, but one of the main things to keep in mind as the results are announced is that it is rare to see two pitchers from the same team vying for the Cy Young.

For this reason, I see Carpenter and Wainwright splitting votes and weakening the chances of either to take home the honor.

Between the two Redbirds, I would personally give the nod to Carpenter over Wainwright, the main reason being that the St. Louis offense simply produced more runs, for whatever reason, behind Wainwright.

Consider this: Wainwright received 5.5 runs per start, while Carpenter got just 4.6 runs per start. That means Wainwright had virtually an entire run more of support per game throughout the season. This allowed him more margin for error on the mound.

That's not to say Wainwright was unimpressive, but rather just suggesting that Carpenter was that much more impressive.

However, I do think that no matter how the voting shakes out, it is going to reflect a schism between the two in shares of votes.

This voting debacle could and, in my opinion, will result in Lincecum catapulting past the duo and earning his second consecutive Cy Young award.

A knock against Lincecum's candidacy could be his 15 wins not stacking up with the 17 for Carpenter and 19 for Wainwright, but as Zack Greinke proved on Tuesday, wins are not all they're cracked up to be.

If you adjust records for wins lost and losses saved, Lincecum balances out more evenly with Carpenter and Wainwright.

Timmy's record goes to 18-8, while Carpenter's levels out at 19-7 and Wainwright's jumps to 22-10.

Examining the pitchers in more depth than just records, Lincecum still stacks up as a pitcher very much deserving of the Cy Young.

With that said, let's examine how I think the top five should look, and it's stacked with a powerful group of right-handers.

Tim Lincecum (15-7, 2.48 ERA)

"The Freak" led the league in strikeouts, complete games, and shutouts.

He also lowered his Cy Young-winning ERA from 2.62 in 2009 down to 2.48 in 2010.

Some might try to convince you that since Lincecum threw with the backing of a laughable San Francisco Giants offense, his performances were that much better than the pair of Cardinals pitchers.

That assumption would be correct in regards to Wainwright, but Timmy got the same runs per start (4.6) as Carpenter did for the Cardinals.

Chris Carpenter (17-4, 2.24 ERA)

Carpenter went 12-1 after the end of June and was virtually untouchable for the stretch run.

He led the league in ERA (2.24) and adjusted ERA-plus (183).

Carpenter would be the first starting pitcher ever to win the Cy Young without recording 200 innings during a non strike-shortened season.

When he took home the crown in 2005, he tossed 241.2 innings compared to 192.2 in 2009.

Now I'm not saying that his inning total is anything to scoff at, but it certainly raises questions as to the whether his complete body of work is up to par.

If he takes home the Cy Young, it would set a unique precedent for winners in the future.

Adam Wainwright (19-8, 2.63 ERA)

Wainwright led the league in innings pitched and wins, and he allowed two runs or fewer in 26 of his 34 starts.

Somewhat forgotten behind the spectacular season of Carpenter, Wainwright's talent must not be ignored.

Danny Haren (14-10, 3.14 ERA)

Haren was the early season favorite for the award before hitting some harder times in the second half of the season.

The right-hander led the league in walks, hits per inning pitched (1.003), and strikeout-to-walk ratio, with a ridiculous 5.87 (223 K/38 BB).

He got only 4.4 runs per start on a woeful Arizona Diamondbacks club, but one major knock on his resume are the 27 home runs he gave up in 33 starts.

Josh Johnson (15-5, 3.23)

Johnson had the second most wins lost (five) in the National League, and he recorded a strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than 3-to-1 (191 K/58 BB).

Based on raw ability, Johnson is right up there with the best of them, but he still has to more development to undergo before he has a serious claim to the Cy Young.

Zack Greinke Wins AL Cy Young Award, No Longer Stands Alone

PJ Ross — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:05:42 -0500

The final votes are tallied, and Zack Greinke is your overwhelming winner for the American League Cy Young award.

The baby-faced right-hander from powerhouse Apopka High School in Orlando received 25 first place votes and finished well ahead of runner up Felix Hernandez.

Overcoming his off the field personal issues, the 26-year old sprinted out of the gates to a herculean April start and never looked back.He notched a victory in all of his first six decisions while allowing just two earned runs over a 45-inning span.

Similar to the way he ripped through the start of the season, he finished out the year by mounting a 5-0 record in his last eight starts with a 1.29 ERA during that stretch.

But before I get into too much depth about Greinke, I want to address the other pitchers who were in the running to take the honor.

In my opinion, the race was whittled from five potential candidates down to two exemplary youths.

Sure, C.C. Sabathia won 19 games and left everything he had on the field with the World Champion New York Yankees.

And yes, Justin Verlander won 17 games for the Detroit Tigers while leading the league in strikeouts.

Even Roy Halladay, somewhat forgotten after his non-action at the trading deadline, put together 17 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA.

Yet we can’t always assume that the top Cy Young candidates only come from the big name pitchers, and the voters certainly gave the award to the right pitcher in 2009 by selecting Greinke over these outstanding talents.

Additionally, we must overlook the shortage of wins for Greinke because wins cannot be taken at face value ever since of the specialization of the bullpen and the preposterous new era that has seen the emergence of the “Joba rules.”

By this I mean that pitchers are not given the opportunity to win games without the aid of their relievers, and that clearly subjects the win total of a starting pitcher to be altered drastically by others on the staff.

Maybe the starter is rewarded with a 2008 Brad Lidge closing out games and gaining more wins, or perhaps they have the 2009 Lidge which results in losing a number of games they were once in position to win.

It’s almost comical to subject your staff ace and his record to be tarnished through the usage of routinely lesser arms to secure what could be a hard earned victory.

Just take a look at the numbers surrounding the win-loss records from 2009 and you can’t deny the spectacular season put up in the Pacific Northwest by Hernandez or the awe-inspiring campaign turned in by Greinke on an awful Kansas City Royals team.

Halladay, Verlander, and Sabathia all had very good seasons, but their efforts were overshadowed by the two new kids on the block in the Cy Young voting.

If I had to place the top five candidates, they would go in the following order.

	IP	CG	ERA	ERA+	Record	SO/BB	Runs/Gm	BQR*
Greinke	229.1	6	2.16	204	16-8	242/51	3.8	4
Hernandez	238.2	2	2.49	174	19-5	217/71	4.4	9
Halladay	239	9	2.79	155	17-10	208/35	5.2	0
Verlander	240	3	3.45	133	19-9	269/63	6.0	14
Sabathia	230	2	3.37	127	19-8	197/67	4.9	18

*Bequeathed runners (runners left on base when pitcher exited game

As far as I’m concerned, even the large hadron collider couldn’t split atoms small enough to indicate the differentiation between Greinke and Hernandez on the field.

The 23-year old Hernandez was absolutely dazzling in his own right, and his 2009 performance was certainly Cy Young worthy had it not been for such a remarkable effort from Greinke.

King Felix finally earned the crown that was bestowed on him as a teenager in the Emerald City, decimating hitters on the road and putting up a 1.99 ERA away from Safeco Field.

Hernandez also allowed a miniscule two runs or fewer in 23 of his 34 starts this season.

Still, the Midas touch that King Felix possessed can’t quite compete with the pace-setting numbers that Greinke amassed.

A telling statistic that gives much better depth to the basic win-loss record is the number of wins lost and the number of losses saved by the bullpen.

Using this stat to adjust wins and losses, it brings Greinke closer to Hernandez in the wins column and almost balances the losses.

Greinke had three wins lost and one loss saved, while Hernandez had two wins lost and eight losses saved. Those eight saved losses were the second-highest mark in the league.

If we adjust the win-loss record of each player for wins lost and wins saved, Greinke becomes 19-9 while Hernandez moves to 21-12.

When thinking about Greinke accumulating just 16 wins, keep in mind that during his nine no decisions Greinke had a 2.35 ERA. Amidst those no decisions, he lost two games when giving up only one run and saw two shutouts go to waste when the Royals blew his top-shelf efforts.

Greinke also had a silly 18 starts in which he allowed one run or fewer. Most pitchers don’t get that many quality starts in a year, let alone that many outings of such dominating quality.

Look no further than 2006, when the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Brandon Webb went 16-8 for a 76-win team but still took home the Cy Young hardware.

Webb even had a higher ERA (3.10) and fewer strikeouts (178) than Greinke did in 2009. If you think that Webb just had better control than Zach, think again, because Webb walked just one fewer hitter (50) in his award-winning season.

Not only that, but he also got 5.21 runs per start, almost one-and-a-half runs greater than Greinke who received a measly 3.8 runs per start this season.

Webb’s 152 ERA+ also led the league in 2006—so did Greinke in 2009, yet his mark was an astonishing 204.

The bottom line is that you can’t penalize him for playing on a losing team and the amount of havoc he wrought on the league is undeniable.

You could crunch numbers until the cows come home and no matter how you contort the stat lines, Greinke was the best pitcher in the junior circuit this season.

When you add in the factors of Greinke overcoming social anxiety disorder in 2006, this becomes an enthralling personal interest story with a storybook ending.

November Is a Callous Month for the Committed Baseball Fan

PJ Ross — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:04:24 -0500

For those who are the truest of baseball fans, November is a transitional time where the depleted dreams of the past meet the blooming aspirations for the future.

You are forced to evaluate what went wrong in the recently concluded season and are asked to formulate a plot to combat those weaknesses.

The month is an extended waiting period—supplemented by the intrigue of who does and doesn’t pick up their contract option—in anticipation for the winter owners' meeting, where there’s always a chance that your team might hook the big catch of the offseason.

Also within those meetings lies the glaring reality that your team might exit Indianapolis on Dec. 10 in the same dire shape in which it entered just three days prior.

The changeover into the offseason sharply reminds me of when I was a kid, and the mission that encompassed going back to school and succeeding after an undisciplined summer.

On one hand, there was the hope of a great year in the months to come, filled with field trips and recess shenanigans, while you bided your time until winter break so that you were set free once again.

But with the positives, like generally being a terror to the teacher with no actual repercussions, we are unavoidably dealt the negatives, which means there was also the impending feeling of the unknown, leaving the sentiment that maybe you’ll pull the ultimate gaffe and trip in the cafeteria in front of everyone.

Bringing it back to the world of baseball, there arises the same degree of uncertainty amongst the failures of last season, and that inherently functions to formulate speculation, descending us into thousands upon thousands of hot stove projections.

And nothing is more tedious to me than offseason guesswork.

Everyone has outlined a blockbuster deal that will somehow bring Roy Halladay to his or her favorite club.

Or even better is when you come across a deeply conjured theory as to why Jason Bay and Matt Holliday might sign in your hometown.

This is how November works as a month to tease the hopes of all those dedicated fans that rode the emotional rollercoaster of the summer months only to see the season end so quickly.

And even fans in the Bronx have embraced little time to celebrate their 27th World Championship, promptly turning their passionate focus to the forthcoming offseason ahead.

November is also a month when the routinely questionable winners of the Cy Young, Gold Glove, and MVP awards are confronted with harsh scrutiny, inevitably leaving a sour taste in the mouth of those devout worshippers of sabermetrics.

"The children of the stats," as I like to call them, will surely attempt to persuade you that they have the most precise measure for each award winner, rendering your mind disturbingly overwhelmed by WHIPs, UZR ratings, and BaBips.

We are mired in theory with no chance of treatment in sight, left longing for the day that pitchers and catchers report for camp in order to rectify the faults of seasons past.

But this is why November, above all, is a distant month for baseball fans, where we are far too removed from the game we have learned to cherish.

The National League's Most Prolific Offensive Players of the 2000s

PJ Ross — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:33:18 -0500

The list I have compiled sorts through the players who have created and produced the most runs in the National League from 2000-2009.

To do this, I have looked at the runs created and runs produced stats.

Runs created is a statistical tool created by Bill James that does an excellent job at gauging a particular player’s direct contribution to the team’s run total.

I will be the first to admit that I’m not fully on board the sabermetrics bandwagon, because sometimes stats can be deceptive, but I feel that the runs created statistic is fully reliable in it’s current form.

Runs produced is simply home runs plus RBI plus runs scored.

First, I made the cut-off for making this list to be 900 runs created from 2000-2009, and I found that only 10 players mounted those numbers over the past 10 seasons.

From there, I compiled those same players numbers for runs created and added these two numbers (runs created plus runs produced) together in order get a more complete profile of the most prolific offensive players of the past decade in the NL.

This simple addition changed the order of the list around quite a bit, removing Todd Helton from the top spot and instead placing Albert Pujols as King of the Hill. It also moved Adam Dunn out of the top 10 entirely, and moved little man Jimmy Rollins all the way up to eighth.

What I have done by combining these two statistics, runs created and runs produced, accounts for a player like Rollins, who has lesser power than the others, to make his way onto the list for his effectiveness of producing runs.

Of course, this is still an imperfect tool, and I’m not by any means arguing that this is a concrete list of the 10 most prolific offensive players in the last decade.

As you will see, there are the usual suspects scattered across this list, but there are certainly some names that surprised me.

I am confident, however, in saying that this list is a very reliable representation of the elite men at the plate in the NL for the past 10 seasons.

*Corresponding numbers are runs created/runs produced—total run contribution*

Albert Pujols: 1,364/1,817—3,181

“The Machine” was just 21-years old when he began his assault on the NL in 2001, and he hasn’t relented ever since.

Pujols has only posted a sub-1.000 OPS twice in his career (2002, 2007) and has won four Silver Slugger awards at three different positions (third base, first base, outfield).

Todd Helton: 1,370/ 1,738—3,108

Helton had an on base plus slugging percentage of 1.000 or higher for five straight seasons from 2000-2004, and with a .328 career average, he ranks third among active players (trailing only Ichiro and Pujols).

In college, he suffered an injury while playing quarterback at the University of Tennessee, giving the starting job to Peyton Manning.

I’d say that injury worked out just fine for the sweet-swinging lefty in the long run.

Lance Berkman: 1,242/1,676—2,918

The Big Puma does a spectacular job from both sides of the plate and in 2006, he joined Mickey Mantle (who did it four times) as only the second switch-hitter to belt 40 or more home runs in two different seasons.

A Texan throughout his whole life, he’s never slugged fewer than 20 long balls in a full season’s work.

Chipper Jones: 1,146/1,564—2,710

Although Jones played in all 10 seasons this decade, he still notched the second fewest plate appearances (5,887) of any player on this list because of his litany of injuries.

He has smashed 273 homers since the turn of the century, and has collected the third most home runs all-time for a switch-hitter, behind only Mantle and Eddie Murray.

Brian Giles: 1,075/1,459—2,534

I know what you’re saying: Brian Giles?

Believe it or not, he ranks up there with the big swingers over the past decade in the National League. Giles has averaged 69 extra base hits and 93 RBI per 162 games in this decade, quietly mounting an outstanding career.

He is also the only full-time outfielder to make it onto this list, and keep in mind he played only 61 games in 2009, which significantly cut down his plate appearances for the entire decade.

Derrek Lee: 1,041/1,425—2,466

Unheralded as far as rewards go, Lee owns only one Silver Slugger (2005) and two All-Star appearances (2005, 2007) in his career.

In 2005, he collected 99 extra base hits (50 of which were doubles), falling just short of the rare milestone of a season with triple-digit extra base hits.

Barry Bonds: 1,171/1,152—2,323

Bonds had the fewest plate appearances (4,072) by far of any player turning up on this list, but the ridiculously inflated numbers he posted in 2001 rocketed him into the cream of the crop.

Additionally, he has the most walks (1,128) of anyone on the list, leading Helton by over 100 base on balls.

He won four consecutive MVP awards from 2001-2004, and steroids or not, the guy flat out annihilated the ball.

Jimmy Rollins: 899/1,420—2,319

Rollins has scored 100 or more runs in five of his last six seasons, and having Ryan Howard to drive him home certainly has aided his stats.

Even so, Rollins is a unique talent and with 146 home runs in the decade, he has the fewest total of anyone on the list.

Jeff Kent: 902/1,388—2,290

He might not be able to wash his truck (allegedly) without breaking his wrist, but the grumpy Kent maintained a .300 batting average and hit 216 home runs in this decade.

Kent won four Silver Sluggers from 2000-2005, and is the all-time leader in home runs by a second baseman.

Luis Gonzalez: 935/1,325—2,260

Gonzo, along with Bonds, was lifted by an insane 2001 season when he hit 57 home runs. Aside from that season, he never hit more than 31, and that total came just the year before in 2000.

Then again, he is one of the only players to prove that Mariano Rivera is mortal in the postseason.

Others who just missed: Andruw Jones (2,226), Aramis Ramirez (2,231), Adam Dunn (2,184), and Jim Edmonds (2,141)

Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle Mariners Got It Wrong by Inking Deal For 2010

PJ Ross — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:45:03 -0500

It kills me to say this, but Ken Griffey Jr. should not be wearing a Seattle Mariners uniform in 2010.

The news broke this morning that the 39-year old Kid will be returning to the tune of $2 million for next season to play an extremely limited role with the club.

Before I get into this, let me first say that Griffey is unequivocally my favorite player in the history of the game and the greatest player I have ever seen in person.

He holds a spot close to my heart and is a link back to my childhood. Anytime I want to imagine Junior leaping over the wall at Tiger Stadium to bring back a home run, I can summon the memory on cue.

His 630 career home runs, fifth all-time, are a marvel and his swing is the most beautiful thing since sliced bread.

But he has no business occupying a roster spot on a Mariners team that in a state of rebuilding and in need of every roster spot available.

According to the reports, Griffey has stressed to management that playing time would not be an issue, and this is where I have my reservations about the signing.

If Griffey knows that his playing ability is so limited that he won’t even lobby to be on field consistently, then why is he coming back?

I know, he is a great clubhouse influence and Ichiro seemed to beam with excitement around Griffey throughout the 2009 campaign.

But the objective of Jack Zduriencik needs to be focused on winning an AL West title and unseating the Los Angeles Angels from the lofty view from the top.

The Mariners rebounded from a laughable 2008 campaign of only 61 wins to ascend above the break-even mark and go 85-77 in 2009.

The Kid was able to stroke 19 home runs and collect 57 RBI in 2009, showing that just maybe his career still has legs under it, but I just don’t see how Griffey helps develop this team further into the future.

And sure, I was at Opening Day last season, and there was nothing better than seeing Junior jog out from behind the right-center field wall for introductions.

However, by the middle of the season, everyone had seen the Kid back in town and stopped coming out to support a middle of the pack ball club.

This season, the attraction of his “victory tour” will only do so much, and it certainly won’t have any positive impact on the success of the Mariners.

It won’t will ball games.

It won’t sell out every home game.

Don’t get me wrong, Griffey will marginally increase crowds throughout the season and will probably drill 15 home runs and drive in around 50 runs.

Those numbers are nothing for a player at the age of 40 to frown at, but they don’t supply the Mariners with the necessary pop from the designated hitter position that they need.

Seattle has a serious problem on the offensive side of things, especially considering that Russell Branyon declined a contract offer for next season.

Branyon was one of the only Mariners capable of producing runs in 2009, and his absence will extend the void in the middle of the lineup into one of great magnitude next season.

So it kills me to say this, but Griffey should have hung up the cleats and walked off into the sunset after 2009.

Yet even with that being said, I’m still going to make it a personal mission to see the Kid play as much as I can next season.

I mean, how often can you see a sure-fire future Hall of Famer in your own backyard?

Derek Jeter, Placido Polanco Selections Devalue AL Gold Glove Winners

PJ Ross — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:35:47 -0500

The American League Gold Glove winners are in, and as always, they missed the mark in multiple positions.

First off, let me say that the voters hit the outfield award-winners right on the mark.

Ichiro and Torii Hunter each collected their ninth Gold Glove, and both are well deserving of the award.

On a side note, Ichiro has won the award in his first nine Major League seasons and is the only player to do so. He also extended a streak for the Seattle Mariners, who have now had a Gold Glove winner in a Major League best 23 consecutive seasons.

Moving on to the infield, Mark Teixeira was the easy choice at first base.

Teixeira displays excellent glove work at first and is also one of the most intelligent fielders in the game.

For example, a right-handed first baseman struggles making a throw down to second base when on the inside of the base path, but Teixeira handles this play as well, and usually better, than any left-hander at the position. He has excellent touch on his throws and is able to direct them with pinpoint accuracy.

Evan Longoria was a great choice at third base, and the budding superstar has many more awards coming his way in the future.

He may have lucked out, however, because if Joe Crede had played the entire season, the award may have gone into his hands.

At catcher, look no further than the eye-popping play that Joe Mauer made against the Yankees earlier in the season to see the magnificent way he plays behind the dish.

Mauer leaped out in front of the plate to field a bunt, and when he retrieved the ball, he dove back towards home to tag the runner out at home just in time.

Not only does he make plays like that on a daily basis, but he also commanded a not-so-good pitching staff into the playoffs.

In regards to choosing a pitcher, it is always a toss-up, and why not reward the sure-handed, recently perfect Mark Buehrle?

So with the agreeable selections out of the way, that brings us to the middle infield, where I have to throw my hands up in amazement at the Gold Glove recipients.

Derek Jeter, who was once an elite shortstop, has no business winning the award, and Placido Polanco is by no means the best second baseman in the American League.

At shortstop, where is the love for Marco Scutaro?

He is long forgotten in the powerhouse AL East, but the 33-year-old veteran made only 10 errors in 621 chances during the 2009 season.

Jeter made just eight, but only had 554 chances in five more games played than Scutaro.

This discrepancy in attempts is one of the reasons I would give the nod to Scutaro.

The gap is partially due to Jeter’s decreased range and lack of ability to get to balls that other shortstops—like Scutaro—can get their gloves on. That increased range makes for more chances, and therefore more errors.

The bottom line is that you can’t make an error on a ball you can’t touch, so Scutaro shouldn’t be penalized for having just two more errors when he possesses so much better range than Jeter.

Undoubtedly, Jeter received votes for not only his past history, but for the history he passed during the regular season.

He of course passed Lou Gehrig for the all-time Yankees’ lead in hits, and I’m sure that many votes were swayed in Jeter’s favor based on this event alone.

Don’t get me wrong, Jeter is a once-in-a-generation leader and has achieved a level of excellence on the field throughout his career that puts his amongst the game's elite, but he didn’t play a Gold Glove shortstop in 2009.

In my opinion, even youthful players like Elvis Andrus and Asdrubal Cabrera made better cases for the award in 2009 than Jeter.

As for Polanco at second base, the voters were certainly persuaded by the gaudy statistic he boasts of making only two errors in 731 attempts during the regular season.

Yet any baseball scout or even your average fan could tell you that Polanco is not on the same level as Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox.

I personally dislike Pedroia and pretty much despise anything and anyone from Boston, but even my personal thoughts can’t drown the fact that the youngster’s outstanding play in the field is undeniably good and the award was done a disservice by going to Polanco.

Pedroia has implausibly quick hands and the feet of a dancer when he turns double plays, a characteristic in which Polanco is lagging behind.

Pedroia can also track balls down in shallow right field and deep into foul territory on which no other players, let alone the aging Polanco, can get to within 10 feet.

But the voters saw that Pedroia had the “gigantic” total of six errors in 663 attempts, rendering him unworthy of the honor.

This lazy selection process of Gold Glove winners is thoroughly flawed, and the middle infield choices in 2009 fell perfectly in line with the predictably bad selections year-after-year.

Those who cast a vote rarely can compile a full profile on the player that best defends his position throughout the entirety of the season, and voters are therefore reduced to using highlight reels and stat sheets to form their final decision.

With such an abstract way of reasoning among the voters, it allows room for too many biased opinions to come into play, rendering the award meaningless at many positions and useless for the annals of baseball history.

Joe Torre Needs a Contract Extension Amidst Unsure Time for Dodgers

PJ Ross — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:46:38 -0500

Uncertainty is the most unbecoming characteristic of a baseball team, and right now it has emerged as the best way to describe the state of the Los Angeles Dodgers heading into the offseason, both on the field and off.

Owner Frank McCourt is neck-deep in divorce proceedings with his wife and former Dodgers CEO, Jamie, and the decision of a Los Angeles County court could trigger an unwanted sale of the club over the offseason.

This would be the worst possible outcome of the divorce, with Frank being so swamped by the outrageous demands of Jamie that he is forced to sell the team to a third party in order to meet the ruling of the court.

That, among other reasons, is why the Dodgers must lockup manager Joe Torre on a new extension.

Torre will be turning 70 next season and his three-year contract expires at the conclusion of 2010, but the LA Times has reported that the team is in talks with Torre to extend his deal for at least one season.

Additionally, general manager Ned Colletti has acknowledged the commitment of the team to sign Torre’s coaching staff, including the highly sought-after Don Mattingly.

In my opinion, Mattingly is the best option to replace Torre in Los Angeles, and inking "Donny Ballgame" to a new contract is incredibly important for the organization to continue successfully past the Torre era.

However, I don’t think Mattingly is ready to take over the reins after next season.

He needs more time to learn under the tutelage of Torre before he can be fully prepared to manage the team, and that is yet another reason why Torre needs to be resigned for at least one more season.

As it stands for Torre, he is currently tied with Bobby Cox for the most consecutive postseason appearances (14) all-time, and he has brought home back-to-back division titles to Los Angeles for the first time in over 30 years.

Look, I have been as critical of Torre as anyone regarding his methodology at times, but one thing that is undeniable is Torre’s sheer passion to win and his ability to manage ball games with the precision of a surgeon.

"It's been fun. When I came here, I was curious about how it might go. But the last two years have been invigorating. You see progress and your ego tells you maybe you had something to do with it," said Torre.

Despite falling short of the World Series in 2009, Torre had the right approach towards the season and when the Dodgers were firing on all cylinders, they couldn’t be stopped.

The club ripped through the senior circuit in the first half of the season, only to see a swift downfall of the pitching staff coincide with an extensive drought on the offensive side.

The deterioration and demise of the team culminated when the Dodgers ran into fatal problems and the players flat out didn’t execute for Torre in the NLCS.

These events have placed the organization at a critical point in setting up the future.

If Torre leaves after 2010, and Mattingly is persuaded to manage somewhere else, then the young core of this team will be abandoned by the club at a critical juncture in their development.

Players like Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and Clayton Kershaw have the ability to elevate this team to the next level and bring a World Series championship to the Dodgers, but they can’t do it without the guidance of a special manager.

Losing Torre after only a three-year stint would be an absolute shame.

The team has made enormous strides in the past two seasons under Torre's micro-managing approach and all of the momentum built along the way will be lost if Torre doesn’t come back after next season.

The bottom line is that the Dodgers need Torre to keep Mattingly, and they need Mattingly to have a promising future.

That’s why an extension for Torre is so important to this club moving forward.

2010 MLB Free Agent Class: Positional Best Bets and Sleepers

PJ Ross — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:55:51 -0500

The 2010 free agent market is razor thin.

This is because many of the top players eligible for free agency (Brandon Webb, Victor Martinez, Manny Ramirez, Josh Beckett, and Ryan Franklin) are controlled under either club or player options.

For the sake of this article, players with options (either player or club) for 2010 are not included for the positional breakdown.

Even with just an average pool of players to fish in, teams will still be in search of talent and if they choose wisely, the reward can be rather high.

One particular thing to keep a close eye on is the Dec. 12 deadline for tendering players.

It will be interesting to see how teams handle the multitudes of players headed towards arbitration, as the financial restructuring that occurred within many organizations will force teams to release (or try to trade) players that might command a high price in arbitration.

This could leak a few higher-caliber free agents into the market, but that won’t be seen until the deadline passes and the players become non-tendered.

So that brings us to the positional breakdown, where I have included the player I consider to be the best bet for an inquiring team at each position, and also a player that might be overlooked in the market that could give a team solid production in 2010.

First base

Best bet—Nick Johnson

I’ve always liked the hard-nosed approach Johnson takes to the game, and his production has been overshadowed in Washington by the big bats of Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman. Still, he has a sweet left-handed stroke that can instantly give gap power to a team in need.

Sleeper—Hank Blalock

Still only 28-years old, Blalock can go for 30 home runs and 100 RBI if he finds the right situation. While a shoulder injury has moved him from third base to first base, Blalock’s bat can more than make up for what he may lack in the field.

Second base

Best bet—Felipe Lopez

Few realize that Lopez batted .310 and ranked fifth in the senior circuit in hits (187). He struggled defensively at shortstop early in his career, but since making the full-time move to second base, his defense has improved greatly.

Sleeper—Ronnie Belliard

Belliard stole the starting spot for the Los Angeles Dodgers at second base from All-Star Orlando Hudson late in the season. He provides a steady glove and good pop from the middle infield.

Shortstop

Best bet—Orlando Cabrera

The former gold glove winner solidified the Minnesota Twins infield for the amazing stretch run in pursuit of the AL Central crown. Despite being 34-years old, he still has the range to play shortstop at an elite level and also packs a clutch bat in his bag of tricks.

Sleeper—Khalil Greene

The shortstop crop is thin, to say the least. Greene to rebound from his problems with anxiety and depression, but he still has the skill-set (carrying a .264 career average on the road) to return to his 2004 form when he placed second in the rookie of the year voting.

Third base

Best bet—Chone Figgins

An offensive catalyst in every sense of the word, Figgins led the league with 101 walks and also collected 183 hits in 2009. He has stolen 30 or more bases in each of the past six seasons.

Sleeper—Joe Crede

Crede is an elite fielder and back surgery sidelined him for the final 70 games of the season. Before the injury, he showed resurgence in power, belting 15 home runs in 90 games compared to 17 in all of 2008.

Catchers

Best bet—Benji Molina

Molina is a flat-out workhorse, catching 117 or more games in each of the last five seasons. As it holds true with all Molina brothers, he is a great defender and calls an excellent game. He is a great asset for any young pitching staff.

Sleeper—Jason Kendall

Sure, his average has dropped off in the past three seasons, but you can’t ask for a better-rounded ball player than Kendall. A student of the game and a 14-year veteran, Kendall still has enough juice in his legs for a couple of more seasons.

Outfield

Best bet—Jason Bay

It looks as if the St. Louis Cardinals are nearing a six-year deal with Matt Holliday, which makes Bay the prized offensive piece of this free agent class. Bay has 100 or more RBI in four of the last five seasons and has the power to jolt 35 or more home runs without blinking an eye.

Sleeper—Rick Ankiel

Injuries hampered the 2009 campaign for the former wild-armed pitcher, but his defensive abilities combined with a knack for going on power tears at the dish make him a valuable addition to any potential suitor.

Starting pitcher

Best bet—John Lackey

Lackey has collected 102 wins in just eight seasons and consistently works ahead in the count, resulting in a very good strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has walked just 87 batters in the past two seasons while striking out 269.

Sleeper—Jon Garland

The Dodgers already declined a $10 million option, but he pitched brilliantly down the stretch and has an arm proven to give you a season worth of innings. He has notched 200 or more innings in five of the past six seasons, and the added bonus of postseason experience with a World Series ring on his shelf.

Relief pitcher

Best bet—Rafael Soriano

Opponents are hitting just .199 against Soriano in his eight seasons of work in Seattle and Atlanta. He has the power to blow hitters away, yet the finesse to keep them guessing.

Sleeper—Fernando Rodney

Don’t be fooled by the way the Detroit Tigers whittled away at the end of the season. Rodney was an excellent closer throughout the year and possesses a great upside for the future. Posting an uncomfortably high career ERA of 4.28, Rodney may be kryptonite for some and gold for others.

Tim Lincecum Smokes Weed: Time to Cue the Outraged Media

PJ Ross — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:35:56 -0500

Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum was cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession last weekend in southern Washington State.

Washington State Patrol reported smelling marijuana when Lincecum initially rolled down the window, and upon inquiring about the smell Lincecum produced 3.3 grams and a pipe.

I just want to tell those members of the media who are about to explode: its OK.

Life will go on.

Look, the 25-year old Lincecum went to Liberty High School in Renton, WA just a few miles away from me and was also just a grade in front of me.

He remained in the Pacific Northwest when he went on to play college ball at the University of Washington, and throughout the years we played in many of the same leagues and played with many of the same people.

You may not be shocked to learn that this news comes as no surprise to some of us in the area.

But of course, the ensuing talk of the sports jabber heads around the country will be to chastise Lincecum for being irresponsible and lacking the characteristics of a proper role model.

The media will have a field day using whatever they think is the hip lingo to demonize Lincecum as some sort of menace to society, and somewhere amongst the masses of opinions you will surely hear the argument that “if he smokes weed, what else does he do?”

Nothing else.

I can assure you of that.

He didn't go all Andre Agassi on us and end up on some crystal meth, and Lincecum was not driving under the influence at the time. He was cited for going just 14 MPH over the posted 60 MPH speed limit.

The stretch of highway that he got pulled over in is a well-known spot for speed traps, because it is located just a few miles from the Oregon border where speed limit changes about every 20 yards.

Seriously, the speed limit is ridiculous.

It goes from 45 through Portland, then to 55, and back up to 60 before it hits a cool 70 a few more miles north.

Regardless of the speeding or weed involved, Lincecum has no prior history of indiscretions and no tarnishes on his record up to this point, so can’t we just give him a break on this one?

I’m sure that Timmy will be the first to admit that this was an extremely poor decision and come on folks—he’s still a kid.

Knowing the kind of guy Tim has been over the years, I would be greatly surprised if he runs into anything remotely like this throughout the remainder of his career.

He’s a smart guy, and he happened to make a very public mistake.

But hear me out Tim, if you choose to smoke weed, and you happen to be a Cy Young award winner, it would probably be wise to drive as close to the speed limit as possible when transporting said weed.

Jamie McCourt's Request To Rejoin Dodgers Denied by LA Court

PJ Ross — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:57:32 -0500

A Superior Court Commissioner ruled that there is no state law to give back Jamie McCourt her role as CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“From an employment analysis, there’s no law that would support the court reinstating an employee,” said court commissioner Scott Gordon on Thursday morning.

Her husband, Frank McCourt, fired Jamie last month on the grounds that she was having an inappropriate relationship with an employee and was also doing a poor job as CEO.

Frank’s lawyers have presented the case that Jamie simply carried the title of CEO but did nothing in her time with the team as far being involved with organizational decisions.

They claim that she was trying to push her position as becoming a general manager someday, and was largely into promoting herself rather than what was best for the team.

“Her position has been largely ceremonial,” said Frank McCourt’s attorney, Mark Seltzer. “He makes the major decisions.”

Frank paid Jamie $500,000 as severance pay to cover her salary from Oct. 1-Dec. 31, and this push to regain her spot as CEO seems to be a last ditch attempt to take money from her husband before a separate hearing begins on Dec. 15.

Both Frank and Jamie sent a gauntlet of lawyers to the Los Angeles County courtroom, but neither was present for the ruling.

As for now, this case will go silent, but there is much to be decided in the upcoming months.

The smoking gun in the divorce proceedings is going to be a document signed by Frank and Jamie when they initially gained ownership of the club that outlined Frank as the sole owner of the team, while Jamie was the sole owner of the couple’s estate.

The agreement was drawn up to keep the couple’s personal assets separate from their business, but Jamie contests that she didn’t know the full scope of what she was signing.

Whether or not the judge rules that the team is “community property,” meaning that Frank and Jamie each hold ownership in the club, is yet to be decided.

That decision will be made over the course of a full trial.

If the team is deemed to be community property, then Jamie will regain access to the Dodgers’ organization.

If the team is given solely to Frank, it still might not be the end of Jamie as far as the Dodgers go, because the costly divorce could force Frank to sell the team in order to accommodate the lofty demands of Jamie in the separation proceedings.

This could spell disaster in the off-season for the Boys in Blue, who have hoards of players heading to arbitration, and a team in the flux of ownership may have a difficult time maneuvering the salaries of the club.

Andre Ethier, Jonathan Broxton, Chad Billingsley, Matt Kemp, James Loney, and Russell Martin are just a few of the big names up for arbitration for the Dodgers.

Yankees' Joe Girardi Helps at Scene of Accident on Way Home from World Series

PJ Ross — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:50:26 -0500

At 2:25 a.m., Joe Girardi was just hours removed from winning his first World Series Championship as manager of the New York Yankees.

Girardi was driving home on the Cross County Parkway in Westchester early this morning when he came across a woman who had crashed her car into a wall.

When Girardi came upon the accident, he exited his car to see if the driver needed any help.

Keep in mind that traffic is moving around 80-MPH at this point of the highway.

Yet he still got out, just like any regular non-World Series-winning citizen might do and inquired if the driver needed help.

"He was jumping up and down, trying to flag me down," an officer said. "You don't expect him standing by a car accident trying to help."

The driver was 27-year old Marie Henry, and she didn’t even recognize who Girardi was until a police officer told her his identity because the Yankees’ manager was simply dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.

So Girardi didn’t exactly save anyone’s life, as the woman didn’t even take a trip to the hospital, but nonetheless I am extremely taken aback by Girardi’s actions.

That’s because there was a drunk driving checkpoint very nearby that Girardi had just passed through, and he would have known that police would have been on the scene at the accident within moments.

Is this a special event or headline news?

Nope.

But isn’t it refreshing to hear about someone in sports doing the right thing for once?

We are constantly bombarded by things like Tom Cable being an out of control rage-a-holic, or Brandon Spikes attempting to rip out the eyes of a Georgia running back, but this story stands up as a sports figure doing the right thing.

We can even look at the case of another former Yankees’ catcher, Jim Leyritz, who killed someone while drunk driving accident in 2007.

It might be completely coincidental, but yesterday Leyritz was quoted in an article as denying any wrongdoing in the fatal two-car DUI accident in which he was involved.

Leyritz scorned the deceased driver for not wearing her seatbelt, and said that he didn’t violate any traffic laws during the accident.

No accountability, no shame.

It shows us that the bottom line is Girardi didn’t have to stop.

He could have let the cops eventually show up and tend to the situation.

He could have kept driving and acted like he was above the situation.

But he did stop.

The man has spent the past month being grilled and skewered by the media about his pitching rotation (which worked out brilliantly by the way) and last night he reached the pinnacle of the baseball world.

I’m sure there was nothing more he wanted to do than get home and see his family, and even with that in mind he took the extra time to go out of his way and see if this stranger was in need of help.

You can talk about the Yankees “buying” World Championships all you like, or second-guess his decisions as a manager all you would like, but Girardi just demonstrated to us that we don’t always know the person behind the logo like we might think we do.

The One Where Vicente Padilla Goes All Plaxico Burress on Us

PJ Ross — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:13:51 -0500

It has been a short-lived offseason for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but already yet another story has arisen that makes the organization seem more like a soap opera than a Major League Baseball club.

Reports out of Nicaragua on Tuesday confirmed that Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla was treated and released for a gunshot wound to the leg.

The incident comes just days after the ugly developments of the McCourts' divorce case became public with the release of over 700 pages of case documents.

Apparently, Padilla was accidentally shot in the right leg by his bodyguard while at a shooting range about 22 miles southeast of Managua. It appears that the bodyguard was in the process of trying to fix a malfunctioning weapon when it discharged and struck Padilla in the right thigh.

Ok, so it’s not exactly Plaxico, but it sure is close, as initial reports claimed that Padilla had actually shot himself.

News slowly leaked that the bodyguard was at fault, and that Padilla had spent around 40 minutes at a private hospital before being released.

The injury was not considered serious, but this one surely gets filed under the “you’ve got to be kidding me” tab.

The Dodgers right-hander was signed in August and went 4-0 with a 3.20 ERA during the regular season. Padilla will file for free agency soon and will be seeking a multi-year contract.

Is this really the way you lobby for a contract, Vicente?

Although he thrived under the management style of Joe Torre when he joined the Dodgers, Padilla has obtained a wrap sheet for being a clubhouse malcontent.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that getting shot by your bodyguard is not going to increase the value of your 32-year-old arm in any way, shape, or form.

Sure, he helped his case with a series-clinching win in St. Louis over the Cardinals, but he was also hammered for six runs in three innings in the series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies.

I just don't think bringing back Padilla will do anything to help this team take the next step towards winning the World Series.

So while the McCourt divorce obviously has a direct impact on the Dodgers’ future, Padilla will just become the butt of many jokes once this incident spreads.

It’s just another crazy development that further throws the organization into a state of flux as the battle of ownership squares up to take center stage in a California courtroom.

In regards to the McCourt case, Frank has presented a document signed by his soon-to-be-ex wife (and former Dodgers CEO) Jamie that states he indeed has sole possession of the team, while Jamie is the sole owner of their estate.

Jamie contends that she didn’t know what she was signing at the time.

The document was drafted when the couple first moved to Los Angeles from Boston after their purchase of the Dodgers, and it was done to protect the ownership status of the team in the event of a breakup.

Ironically, that document will now be the smoking gun in deciding the fate of one of baseball’s most storied franchises.

If the judge decrees that Frank is the sole owner of the Dodgers, then Frank might have to sell the team in order to cover the exorbitant costs demanded by Jamie in the divorce proceedings.

If both are declared to be partial owners, then there is no telling what will happen from there.

Frank fired Jamie from her position as CEO, citing insubordination and her inappropriate relationship with a personal security assistant assigned to her. That means that if both are positioned as owners, she will have to be reinstated within the front office.

Like I mentioned, the Padilla shooting incident will have no bearing on the Dodgers’ future because they most likely will not resign the free agent, but it just adds another comical chapter to the current state of the organization.