Bleacher Report - Articles by matt elias

2009 Pinstripe Preview: A Quick Look At The New York Yankees

matt elias — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:36:00 -0400

Here we are, ready to start the 2009 regular season, so before the New York Yankees take the field let's take a quick look at what to expect from them this season.

On paper, the Yankees look to boast another strong team, and with a $200 million payroll, they should always be in contention. The additions of CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Mark Teixera, and Nick Swisher bring a lot of excitement to the season.

The Yankees again boast another strong team, even without A-Rod for the first few weeks. Most teams would kill to have the names of Jeter, Damon, Teixera, Nady, Cano, and Posada, but in New York, if A-Rod's name isn't included, people are concerned.

The lineup does have some question marks heading into the 2009 campaign. First of all, who knows what the psyche of A-Rod will be following his topsy-turvy offseason, from steroids to Madonna to an injury to kissing himself in a mirror?

They also have to find out if Robinson Cano is a .330 hitter or .280 hitter and if Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada can return to their old form. Also, Bret Gardner brings some needed speed and athleticism to the team.

When looking at the lineup, Yankee fans will notice (or already probably noticed this weekend) that there is a major change. Derek Jeter will be batting leadoff and Johnny Damon is batting second. The flip-flop could be an attempt at protecting Jeter, who has hit 40+ double plays the last two years, 15 of those in the first inning. This only protects him in the first inning, but it might be one of a couple changes Jeter sees in his role.

There has been a lot of talk about Jeter and his contract following 2010. A lot of this is just to grab headlines, as last I checked, Jeter batted .300 last year while being injured. He is the face of the Yankees and baseball and on the verge of being the first Yankee to obtain 3,000 hits. He still gets the job done and leads the team.

On to the pitching staff, where the Yankees feature their best rotation since at least 2003. With Sabathia, Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettite, and Joba Chamberlain, the staff is as strong as any other. The fact that Wang, Pettitte, and Chamberlain will matchup with other team's No. 3-5 starters gives the Yankees an edge. Who would you favor, Pettitte or Sidney Ponson?

They also have reinforcements for when someone gets hurt, and someone will, in Phil Hughes, Alfredo Aceves, and Ian Kennedy.

The bullpen is still fortified by the greatest closer of all time in Mariano Rivera, and the bridge to him will still be a key to winning ball games. Brian Bruney last season quietly had a similar 2008 to what Chamberlain had in 2007. Phil Coke had a great September and spring and has looked very promising.

Coke and Damaso Marte give the Yankees some important lefty arms. They also have Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez to help eat up some innings.

The big offseason debate has been whether Joba Chamberlain should be a starter or a bullpen man. He is a starter now and should be a starter always. But if he fails there, or an injury to Rivera or Bruney forces him into a bullpen role, he will be fine.

The big weakness on this team is defense. The addition of Mark Teixera will save some errors in the infield, as it is believed he saves 40 runs a year with his glove. Jeter and Rodriguez' range will be an issue on the left side of the field. Cano has the talent to win a Gold Glove but his effort needs to be there.

As for the outfield, Gardner covers a lot of ground, and Damon is an above-average defender but has no arm. Xavier Nady in right field is probably a dropoff from Bobby Abreu (except he will go within 20 feet of a wall.)

The outlook for 2009 is bright for the Yankees, but to win No. 27 they need to hope certain things happen. Playing in the AL East will be tough with the Red Sox and Rays, arguably the top two teams in baseball after New York. The Yankees need to hope no major injuries occur and that they improve their hitting with runners in scoring position.

In any event, 2009 should be an exciting year in the New Yankee Stadium.

Checking out the New Digs

matt elias — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 21:08:00 -0400

The Eliassportsblog spent the past weekend checking out the new home for the New York Yankees. We were lucky enough to get tickets for both games and spend both days moving around the ballpark and checking everything out. The anticipation of getting inside the stadium really felt like the anticipation on Christmas before you open your gifts. There was not enough to check everything out as the place was huge but here are some first impressions.

First of all, the place is just massive. You really feel like you are walking into a cathedral. It just has a feel that it's something special. However, while in your seats, you don't feel that it is a huge ballpark. It really feels close to the action

The history of the Yankees really jumps out at you when you enter the Great Hall. The pictures of the past greats really give you goosebumps.

When you finally see the field, the first thing you notice is the gigantic scoreboard in centerfield. Gigantic doesn't even cover it. The screen is massive and has a great picture. It's better then any HDTV you have ever seen.

The best part of the stadium is that it looks and feels like the old one across the street. From some angles everything really looks the same. There are even some of the same advertisements on the walls. The dimensions are the same, and just looking at the field, it's tough to tell the difference.

The stadium looks like the old one but feels like a modern park. There are wide walkways that allow you to see the field from anywhere. You can stand and watch the game from anywhere. There are plenty of places to eat and drink and go to the bathroom. Hopefully this means waiting on lines will be a thing of the past. The food is upgraded as there is everything that you can imagine, from sushi to Italian food to garlic fries. The Mohegan Sun Sports Bar or the Bleacher Cafe in centerfield provides a very nice view of the whole place. It will be a great location to hang out, eat, and watch the game.

It seems that the new park will be a hitter's park. The Yankees hit seven home runs in two games in early April. This is a time when hitting is supposed to be difficult. It really makes you wonder how it will play when the air heats up in June. The ball got to the gaps very quickly and I am sure this made the hitters extrememly happy and the pitchers nervous.

The only negative is the crazy ticket prices that are being asked for some of the best seats. However, the only problem with that is that companies can't afford them these days, and those great seats might be empty most days. It's not like the average fan is losing out because they usually don't sit there. The seats are are (well, were they are likely sold out for the year?) in the Terrace and Grandstand levels. Also, the obstructed view or standing room seats are a great bargain because you have access to everything in the park.

All in all this, is going to be a great place to watch a ballgame and a place that everyone will enjoy.

Hope Springs Eternal on Baseball's Opening Day

matt elias — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:18:00 -0400

Just received this text message from a friend: "Its finally here. Best night of the year." That just about sums up today. The games finally count and all the prognosticators, writers, and talk show hosts can finally be quiet and we will let the teams decide who is the best on the field.

For the first night since Oct. 29, the games count. It is very fitting to see the first game of the year being played in the same place the last game was played. 2009 should be a very exciting year, as you can make the case for at least half of the league to have a shot at winning the pennant. And after the Rays last year, every team has hope to make a dream run.

There are lots of story lines. From two new ballparks in New York, to the A-Rod saga, to new faces in new places, and finally to the game's continued transition to younger, athletic players. This is easily seen with teams giving the nods to top prospects such as Jordan Schafer in Atlanta, Colby Rasmus in St. Louis, Dexter Fowler in Colorado, and Trevor Cahill in Oakland. Teams are deciding to give the young guns a shot instead of paying money for an older player who won't produce.

The exception to this rule is in New York with the opening of $2 billion worth of new stadiums. The two New York teams have decided to go out and add the top free agents: C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira now call the Bronx home, while the Mets have tended to their 2007 and 2008 Achilles heals by adding Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz to tighten up the bullpen. We will see if these investments pay off.

Predictions:
AL East: Yankees
AL Central: Indians
AL West: A's
AL Wild Card: Red Sox

NL East: Mets
NL Central: Reds
NL West: Dodgers
NL Wild Card: Cubs

Surprise teams: Royals, Rangers, Reds, Giants

As of now, everyone is 0-0, and everyone has a chance. Well, maybe not the Pirates. But everyone, even the Royals, have a chance to be good and win their division. Fans are figuring out which breaks they need and who needs to stay healthy or take the next step to help their teams contend.

Who Else Is On The 2003 Steroid List?

matt elias — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:18:45 -0500

When asked to write an article on the most likely guy in the major leagues to be on the 103 person list of people who failed a 2003 steroid test, one name popped into my head. I know this is going to sound like a bitter Yankee fan, and I know it's against the rules to have a Red Sox player named or tested for steroids, but this is my guy: David Ortiz.

Ortiz was basically a failure in baseball. Following a couple big homerun years in the minors where he cranked out 30+ homeruns, Ortiz floundered in Minnesota where he hit around 50 homeruns over his career. He was even released by the Twins following the 2002 season. He was basically done in baseball.

But then the 2003 season has Ortiz as a member of the Red Sox and his career takes off. He is averaging almost 40 homeruns a year since joining the Red Sox, who play in a pitcher's park (especially to right field.) So since 2003, Mr. Ortiz has turned himself from a bench player who was released to a guy who is a perennial All Star and a top 5 MVP candidate yearly.... seems suspect.

Let's compare him to Jason Giambi, a marginal player who became an MVP using steroids and then became a shell of himself. Both players had their rise to being one of the most feared hitters in the game. Both have had major health issues which are usually associated with PED's. Giambi had a tumor on his pituitary gland and Ortiz has had heart problems. Both have seen their body breakdown- Giambi had multiple knee problems and foot problems while Ortiz also has had knee problems and a now a problematic wrist.

I know MLB doesn't want the Red Sox included in the steroid talk, that's why an owner of the Sox did the Mitchell Report. But if David Ortiz isn't on the list, it will be more shocking than seeing David Eckstein on it.

Joba Chamberlain vs. David Price: The Great Debates, Part 1

matt elias — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:54:05 -0500

Which Can Lay Claim to Being Baseball's Best Young Hurler?

The best part about baseball is comparing different players and arguing who is better and who you would rather have on your team. From the debates of Mickey Mantle vs. Willie Mays, to Joe Dimaggio vs. Ted Williams, baseball fans have a long love affair with such debates. Well, this is the first in my own series of debates on that matter.

Up first are two of the top young pitchers in the AL East: The New York Yankees' Joba Chamberlain, and the Tampa Bay Rays' David Price.

Both pitchers have extreme amounts of talent, and have burst onto the scene with great dominance. Both are envisioned to be starters but have had much success coming out of the bullpen. Both spent very little time in the minors following selections in the first round of the draft, and both had very good college careers. Their success is considered crucial if their teams are to be successful in 2009 and beyond.

As a Yankees fan, I personally love Chamberlain—even with this recent legal issues—but this is a no-brainer. Joba has been great and finished with one of the top ERAs in baseball, even though he split time between the bullpen and the rotation. His July start in Fenway Park against Josh Beckett was a glimpse of the greatness he could attain.

However, the answer isn't Chamberlain. You have to take David Price for one reason: he is a lefty. Lefties are so rare, especially ones who have stuff as nasty as Price, and who have such poise at such a young age. Now, Price has not been as lights-out as Chamberlain was in their respective first seasons, but look at Price's rise through the farm system. He lost one game all year, and went through four levels of the minor leagues as quickly and as dominatly as anyone in history. His performance in Game 7 of the ALCS will always be remembered in baseball history. It also helps Price that the Rays are not thinking of him as a reliever, and he knows that he will be a starter come 2009.

Both of these guys look like they have very bright futures. This is, of course, barring any injuries, which are always a concern and something that Chamberlain has already dealt with.

What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments section.

The Curious Case of Jonathan Papelbon

matt elias — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:16:00 -0500

With arbitration case season just ahead of us there are some interesting cases out there. The first is obviously Ryan Howard who threw out one of the largest requests in the history of arbitration with an $18 million request.

The Phillies' counter offer of $14 million is completely fair and should be what is awarded. Albert Pujols makes that and he is 10-times the all-around player that Howard is.

But the most interesting case is for a guy who has already signed back with his team to avoid the arbitration hearing. This case is the case of Jonathan Papelbon. He recently took a $6 million offer for the upcoming season. He is using a different tactic than fellow teammates Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis.

Papelbon is willing to take this year-to-year and not buyout any arbitration years or free-agency years. He is taking a risk on his health by trying to get to free agency quicker.

However, he is the one guy who should not be willing to sign for anything less. He is also the one guy who should never sign with the Red Sox for a home-town discount. If anyone has already sacrificed for the good of the team, it is Jonathan Papelbon.

Papelbon was groomed to be a starter as that is what he did his whole career. However, when he was called up in 2005 the Sox had a weakness in the bullpen and the team asked him to move to reliever and eventually closer. This move has led to a world title in 2007 and three all-star appearances in his three years as a closer.

His success and dominance in the role of closer doesn't make up for the amount that Papelbon has sacrificed. He has agreed to take a role on a team that is not in his best career interest. Closers do not make as much money as starting pitchers. Look at what K-Rod made and what CC Sabathia or Derek Lowe just signed for.

Also he has taken on a position that leads to more injuries and shorter careers. Mariano Rivera aside, most closers are dominant for a short period of time and not long lengthy runs of dominance. Closers are usually abused and overused while starters are coddled and cared for.

Papelbon is also one of the top closers in the game. He and Mariano Rivera are in a separate class of closers, as they routinely have gotten their team more than three outs. Papelbon is willing to come in and get six outs if needed—something that most closers won't do.

He also has postseason success as he hasn't given up a run in October. If K-Rod got $12 million a year, Papelbon should get more than that.

The Red Sox have put him in a position that worsens his economic standing and makes him more prone to injury. He has done this for the team and the team should step up and pay him accordingly.

He should be paid top dollar right now as the abuses his arm takes closing might not allow him a lengthy career and the full monetary value he would earn if he were a starter.

Santa Returns to the New York Yankee Christmas Tree

matt elias — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:23:00 -0500

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It appears that Santa Claus forgot to drop off all of his early Christmas gifts that were ticketed for the Bronx. Less then a week after dropping off two expensive pitchers, Santa returned and dropped off the top hitting prize on the market. The Yankees must have been extra good this year despite missing the playoffs to be rewarded like this.

The Yankees will be bringing in arguably the three top prizes on the free agent market. In a move that nobody saw coming the Yankees were able to pull off a huge coup and steal Mark Teixera from the Red Sox.

The Yankees were always mentioned as being obsererves of the Teixera situation but never really serious contenders. It appeared all winter that Teixera would either be a Red Sox and a nemisis to the Yankees or go to the Nationals and be irrelevant for his career. Instead he chose to follow in the footsteps of his idol Don Mattingly and play in the largest stage in baseball.

Brian Cashman played the 2009 free agent market perfectly. He set the tone on CC Sabathia and let the rest of baseball know that they shouldn't even think about signing the big lefty. He let Sabathia know his level of interest early and show how sincere he was. He then went and paid a visit to the lefty's home and got his wife onboard.

Cashman used a different tactic with Teixera. He met with him early in the offseason where I believe he expressed his interest and asked Teixera to give the Yankees a chance to make an offer before he signed.

That was news to his agent Scott Boras as he loves to keep the Yankees hanging around to raise prices. Cashman always denied his interest and the possibility of brining in the young firstbaseman. Cashman kept the price low enough and swoopt in and took him in the last minute.

Now you are going to hear everyone complain about the Yankees spending but in reality their payroll will still be lower or about the same as last years payroll. The Yankees are swimming in money and should not be expected to hold on to it. They bring in a lot of money from the YES Network and the opening of a new stadium.

It would be worse if they made this money and didn't put it back into the team. The Yankees only commitment is to their fans who are paying big money to see them play. They must do their best to put the best show on every night for the fans.

The Red Sox fans will complain, but they should only blame their team management. They let 14 million dollars over eight years stop them from signing a guy they coveted. Tell me if a team worth about a billion dollars (including the Stadium and NESN Network) should really let that stop them from getting a guy they want.

The Red Sox are not done by and large stretch. They are still a team who were a few outs away from a second straight World Series. They will need David Ortiz and Mike Lowell to bounce back from injury plagued years. They will also need Josh Beckett to return to being an ace and see how Jon Lester bounces back from his first full season. If they need to sign someone there are a lot of cheaper guys on the market who can help them: Bobby Abreu, Adam Dunn, Milton Bradley to name a few.

Teixera might not be a top ten guy in the league (a point I have made before) and he might not be worth the money he is getting. But there was no way the Yankees could find a guy of his talent, skills and youth other then Teixera. He does a lot of things very well and the Yankees really couldn't pass on the chance to get him.

They have a lot of money off the books this year and next year (Matsui and Damon most notably). Plus next year's free agent class is extrememly weak and the Yankees don't look to be big players in it.

This move is actually a positive for baseball too. Sure it looks bad to have one team spending all that money but now every game the Yankees play will be sold out, at home and on the road. They will bring in more money for visiting teams then they make the rest of the year. The Yankees will also be a must see team and every game on national TV will bring in big audiences.

This move and offseason didn't win the Yankees the World Series or the AL East but they have greatly improved on a third place finish. They will likely be the new favorites to win it all but they still have to play the games in the toughest division in baseball. These moves did show the Yankees will always look to improve the team and how badly they want to win.

To Play or Not to Play?

matt elias — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:18:00 -0500

Around this time of year in the NFL you continually hear writers and announcers say that teams should rest their players for the playoffs and not give it their all in the seasons final game. This has been brought up again with the Giants already clinching the best record in the NFC. Oh how quickly they forget.

Last year the Giants whole turnaround on their road to the Super Bowl was the confidence they built up by challenging the Patriots even though they had "nothing to gain." The majority of pundits wanted the Giants to lay down and not play.

But Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning decided to go for it and proved they had a lot to gain. They gained immence confidence and proved to themselves they can play with and possibly beat any team.

The Giants rode that momentum to the Championship and yet the same pundits are saying the same thing this week. Luckily Tom Coughlin isn't listening to them again. He plans to play the team that gives him the best chance to win and build momentum towards the playoffs. The Giants have a bye week and can rest players there.

Breaking News: AJ Burnett Is a Yankee

matt elias — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:07:07 -0500

AJ Burnett has chosen the New York Yankees over the Atlanta Braves. Final details are being worked out but the offer is five years and just over $80 million. The pitcher coming off his career year is the second big name free agent signing by the Yankees this week.

Breaking News: CC Sabathia a Yankee

matt elias — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:00:41 -0500

The New York Post is reporting and ESPN confirmed that the top free agent on the market CC Sabathia has accepted the Yankees' six-year, $140 million offer.

He still needs to pass a physical before the record-setting deal is official. The move came after Yankees GM Brian Cashman went out to San Fransisco to meet with Sabathia and his wife, Amber. Sabathia informed Cashman that negotiations were done and that he wanted to be a Yankee.

A Giant Fall for Burress

matt elias — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:50:00 -0500

In early February, Plaxico Burress was on top of the NYC sports world. He not only had one of the best performances in NFL postseason history to help the Giants win in Green Bay, but he caught the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl.

He was arguably one of the three most popular Giants. Even after signing a new contract, Burress was causing minor problems for the team. He was missing practices and acting out.

From February 2008, fast-forward to December 2008 and check to see how far Plaxico has fallen. Now, instead of Giant fans seeing highlights of his previous game on Monday, they were subjected to seeing him taken in handcuffs following his bizarre incident Friday night at the NYC nightclub Latin Quarter.

As you all know by now, Burress accidentally shot himself in his thigh as he was carrying an illegal hand gun.

Burress is rightly facing a lot of public heat. Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants the full book thrown at the star wide-receiver. The minimum sentence would be 3.5 years, it is doubtful he sees a sentence that long with a plea deal.

Bloomberg is correct to go after Burress as a message needs to be sent to people about what happens if you were caught with an illegal handgun. He should get just as harsh or even harsher treatment being a celebrity and someone people look up to.

Burress is extremely lucky he only shot himself and not an innocent person. I will never understand why he needs to carry a loaded weapon into a NY nightclub that is in the middle of the city. It was in a very good area. The idea that he needs it for protection because of all the jewelry and bling he had on is ridiculous.

Does he need to bring all that with him? And if he wants to, higher a body guard. Packing heat is a dumb dumb idea. It's one thing to have a gun in your house for protection, but to carry it out in public is a bad move.

When is the last time you heard of the athlete with a gun shooting two robbers or thugs and saving himself? Let me know, because it will be the first. Having a gun will not end well for these guys. They should be allowed to go out and have a good time but they need to be smart and know not everyone likes them.

They need to control themselves and not bring attention to themselves. Don't put yourself in a situation where you would need a gun.

This problem with Burress is not only affecting him but also anyone else who was involved in the situation. Antonio Pierce is the Giants emotional leader and he maybe facing jail time or a suspension. He did drive an illegal gun across state lines.

His good reputation will hopefully help him out as I am sure he panicked. He doesn't seem like the type of guy to be involved in this stuff. The hospital workers who covered up for Burress also are going to be in trouble. Along with Giant staffers who may have been contacted.

This situation is luckily only bad for Burress, as he did not accidentally shoot anyone else or hurt anyone else.

The Not-So-Hot Stove Update

matt elias — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:38:00 -0500

Some quick thoughts on the current state of the MLB Hot Stove. But first I would like to apologize for the lack of updates. Between the holidays and starting a new job, I have been very busy and haven't found the necessary time to put some real thoughts down on paper.

Hopefully things have settled down and I can continue to give my opinions on the sports world.

* Yankees offer no arbitration to anyone—This is a sign of the current economic state of the world. The fact Bobby Abreu didn't get offered arbitration is a huge surprise. All year it was understood that Abreu would be offered arbitration and the Yankees would either get draft picks as compensation or they would get Abreu for $16-18 million for the 2009 season.

Either was looked at as a win-win. But with the current economic state of things Abreu isn't getting any offers anywhere near $16 million and he definitely would have accepted. Which means Yankees would have paid him a lot more then his economic value.

* Besides Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, and probably A.J. Burnett, who is going to get big money? The markets seem to be very dry and there isn't the big money everyone was hoping for. Will players like Adam Dunn and Rafael Furcal accept the low offers?

*When will the players start signing? I would expect around the winter meetings in a couple weeks. Everyone is waiting for Sabathia and Teixeira to set the standard and then the dominoes will all fall quickly.

* Where is the outcry over the Red Sox beginning an international conflict? The Red Sox signing of Japanese amateur pitcher Tazawa is going to open a whole new can of problems for MLB. There had been a gentleman's agreement between the MLB and Japan Leagues not to pursue each other's amateurs.

Well, that is clearly gone, and now it is expected that Japanese Teams will offer America amateurs big money to leave and go play there instead of in minor leagues. This could turn into a major problem. Imagine the outcry if the Yankees did this? ESPN would have a new special every hour.

Same Old New York Jets

matt elias — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:26:00 -0500

Just as the world was starting to worry that it was coming to an end, everyone can take a deep breath as we found out that the Jets are not the best team in the NFL. They are probably not even the best team in the AFC.

There had been talk of a NY-NY Super Bowl all week leading into the Broncos game. People were counting on a home playoff game following a bye in the wild-card weekend.

Apparently everybody had forgotten that this was the NY Jets and not a normal organization. Brett Favre and Kris Jenkins had done a good making everyone forget about the previous 40 years. They had given everyone hope and made everyone think that the Jets had changed.

Ah, but you can change the players on the team, but you can't change an organization's terrible history. No, the Jets aren't terrible like the Lions, but they have their own history of blown chances and crushing losses.

In fact, recent years have seen the Jets often make the playoffs. But the fanbase wants to see their team make the next step and get to the Super Bowl. Especially after last season's Giant Super Bowl victory made all Jet fans hungry to see their own ticker-tape parade.

Jay Cutler and the Broncos had other ideas as they came into the Swamp and exposed almost all of the Jets weaknesses. The Jets couldn't tackle, couldn't cover anyone in the passing game. The offense had no real rhythm. The Jets didn't look like the same team who went into Tennessee and dominated the Titans.

Now with two West Coast trips in the next three three weeks; the Jets' season is at a crossroads. Either the team takes the wake-up call and gets better, or even Brett Favre cannot keep the team's fate of collapsing from happening.

New York Sports Preview Week of Nov. 17

matt elias — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:11:00 -0500

This week should be a little less hectic for NY sport fans, as they can still revel in their football teams' big wins and a winning week for both the Knicks and Rangers.

In terms of baseball, both Met and Yankee fans can look forward to their teams being aggressive in the free-agent market. K-Rod and CC Sabathia have been given offers and each team is waiting for a response.

The Mets and Yankees are differing in their approach: the Yankees are looking to blow teams out of the water and surpass their offers, and the Mets are trying to be competitive with others and raise them when needed. We will see what works best.

As for the Knicks, they face the defending champs Boston Celtics and then get some easier games versus the Bucks and Wizards. The Celtics should be a tough game to give the Knicks a realistic view of where the team stacks up.

The Rangers have two games vs. the Senators, which sandwich a game versus the Canucks. The Canucks game will be a great battle between Roberto Luongo and Henrik Lundquist.

Another big event in NYC will be the Coaches vs. Cancer college basketball tournament, which will feature two of the top programs in the country—Duke and UCLA. Should be a fun two days at MSG, as everyone hopes for the championship game between those two schools.

The New York Football Giants will head to the desert and the site of their Super Bowl Championship as they take on MVP favorite Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals. A win here gives the G-Men a good grip on the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage.

The Jets and Bret Favre come off their biggest win in years after beating the Patriots on the road. And how are they rewarded? A trip to Nashville to face the Titans and their undefeated record. A win here and the talk will be about a NY-NY Super Bowl. This game should bring the fans back to earth.

MLB's Top 10 Free Agents

matt elias — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:17:00 -0500

With the countdown to free agency about to hit seven hours, let's take a quick look at the top free agents available right now.

1) CC Sabathia- What else can be said about the big lefty? He is in position to earn himself a big contact.

2) Mark Teixera- The top offensive player on the list is in high demand and should get himself a monster contract. As one of his friends said, "It's good to be Mark Teixera right now." How true.

3) Manny Ramirez- If not for his age or attitude, he would probably be the top offensive player on the list. He could get A-Rod money but for how many years. It is doubtful he gets the contract that takes him to 42 like he wants.

4) A.J. Burnett- Burnett is coming off a huge season, possibly the best of his career and he chose to opt out following it. This will all lead to a big payday.

5) Derek Lowe- Lowe showed once again that he is a big-game pitcher by helping the Dodgers make the playoffs and reach the NLCS. He wants to move back to the east coast after 4 years on the west coast.

6) Fransisco Rodriguez- K-Rod had himself a huge walk year by setting the single season saves record. He also is lucky the Mets' bullpen was atrocius last year, as that will lead him right to Citi Field.

7) Ben Sheets- Sheets expected to be higher on this list following an All-Star game start but another late season injury has raised questions about his health and the need for a long term deal for him.

8) Orlando Hudson- There is a lot of interest in the slick fielding and solid bat. He is the best 2B option on the market.

9) Bobby Abreu-

10) Ryan Dempster- Dempster is coming off a career year and an All-Star appearance. He also was the Cubs' Game One starter for the NLDS. It will be interesting to see where his funky windup will be pitching next year.

Guys To Watch:

1) Jason Varitek- Do the Red Sox bring him back or does he go somewhere else?

2)

Review of New Jersey Devils' Prudential Center

matt elias — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:54:11 -0500

Last night was my first experience inside the brand new arena for the New Jersey Devils in Newark, the Prudential Center. I went to see my Blueshirts take on their rival NJ Devils.

Let's get the positive out of the way. The arena is beautiful and extremely nice. It is a great place to watch a game and even the site lines from the top are good.

I really enjoyed the arena. Everything was clean and there were plenty of food options and bathrooms. It was a top of the line experience to watch the game.

However, despite how great the arena was and that the Rangers scored five goals to win 5-2, my experience would rate as the worst game I have ever attended. And I have probably attended close to 500 games in my lifetime.

I have been to Yankee-Red Sox, Yankee-Mets, Rangers-Devils, Ranger-Islander, Jets-Patriots games before and never felt threatened to root for the team I like. Nor have I ever experienced fans of the other team being threatened for just cheering for their team.

This all changed last night. For the first time ever, I felt that I was in danger simply because I was wearing a Ranger t-shirt. I think most of it was the section I was in. It was filled with the lowest class of people that I have ever seen grouped together.

The things they were yelling were offensive, rude and mean spirited. I have no problems with good-natured talking between fans of opposing teams, but you can tell when it is mean spirited and an attack against you. It completely ruins the joy of the game.

Security was completely unprepared for the rowdiness of the fans. Less then five minutes into the game, Ranger and Devil fans were getting into an argument which turned into a brawl between security and the Ranger fans in the row.

Yankee Stadium security would have shown up in 30 seconds into an argument, broke it up and not let it escalate into a brawl.

The class of the fans at the game had to be the lowest of the low. The stuff that was heard in that section was so bad it cannot be repeated. I went to the game with my father looking to enjoy a good hockey game not to be attacked.

Some woman in the section even told me "I was next" following the brawl in the stands. Plus, the classless fans were all singing "Hey you suck" to the beat of a song following a Devil goal.

How is this a family friendly environment? It is one thing for the fans to start a cheer but to have the organization encourage it by continually playing the song—that's disgraceful. Buying a ticket does not give you the right to yell whatever you want at whomever you want.

The Devils are well run on the ice and they have some good player development and management. But they are outclassed by every other NY area team (even the Mets). This was truly disgraceful.

They have a great arena, which should be a great place to watch a game. It's unfortunate that the people who call themselves "fans" have to ruin it for everyone.

Rangers Rock The Devils at The Prudential Center

matt elias — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:08:16 -0500

The Rangers looked like a dead team for the first twenty minutes of last nights game versus their cross-river rival the NJ Devils. The crowd at the Rock was into it and rocking as the Devils had a 1-0 lead going into the first intermission. Even more so was the fact the Rangers played their worst period of the year, being out shot 13-5. The Devils completely dominated the first period.

But how quickly things change, as the Rangers were able to draw multiple penalties early in the second period and light the lamp three times to put the crowd to sleep; at least those fans who were wearing red. The many Ranger fans in attendence enjoyed the play.

Michael Rozsival finally decided to shoot from the point on the powerplay and blasted one through. And then the Captain Chris Drury lasered one to the back of the net. The big goal might have been the one from Lauri Korpikoski as the rookie finally tallied a goal this year and may now get the confidence he needs. Two goals were added by Nikolai Zherdev .

The Rangers showed good puck movement on the power play and some toughness too, as Colton Orr and Brandon Dubinksky stood up for their teammates and showed them they would no longer be pushed around.

The Devils, without Martin Brodeur, had to use Kevin Weekes and he was no match for King Henrik Lundqvist and his dominance in the rivalry. He is 13-1-1 in his most recent games against the Devils, including a dominating playoff series.

This could be a turning point in the season as the Rangers may have squashed their downturn before it turned into a huge panic. They looked like the team there were the first three weeks of the season (and this was without Scott Gomez.) When Gomez returns things could really start to click.

New York Jets vs New England Patriots: A Thursday-Night Showdown

matt elias — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:29:00 -0500

So, as we wait for Friday's free-agent market to open up, let's take a look at Thursday's big game.

First place in the AFC East will be up for grabs, as the New York Jets travel to Foxborough to face their rivals, the New England Patriots (the word rivalry gives the Jets too much credit, as they seem unable to beat the Pats).

This is the biggest regular-season game the Jets have played in recent memory. This is definitely the biggest game since the 1998 AFC Championship game, and it might be bigger.

It could be the biggest game since Super Bowl III. This game is meaningful for the entire Jets franchise. This is their chance to take over the AFC East. They need to prove to themselves they can beat the Pats.

Their fans need it and, most importantly, the organization needs it.

Yes, the Patriots do not have Tom Brady, Adalius Thomas, their top three running backs, or most of their secondary, but history still favors them.

The Jets always seem to lose these types of games, and though most New York fans have a lot of hope for the game, they know the worst will ultimately happen.

Maybe Brett Favre is the right guy for this spot. He has won a lot of games and thrown a lot of big touchdowns, but he also has a lot of losses and a lot of bad interceptions. The difference is that Favre is able to put everything behind him and move onto the next play.

That is what the team needs this week. They can't worry about the history or anything else. The main focus must be the 11 men lined up on the other side of the ball.

For the Jets to be successful, Eric Mangini needs to establish Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, and the run game. The weather is calling for rain, which means a sloppy field, perfect weather for the Jets' new offensive line and the gunslinger Favre to steal a win with a balanced attack.

And that means Favre can't be throwing the ball 45 times.

On defense, Mangini needs to pressure Matt Cassel and get the QB's jersey dirty. They can't give him time in the pocket. The defense needs to go get the quarterback.

If the Jets win, they have a great shot at the AFC East title. If they lose, they face a 6-5 record and the Titans coming up the week after.

This game will also tell how the Jets' franchise views itself for years to come.

Yankee Hot Stove: The Offense

matt elias — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:25:00 -0500

Before getting into what the Yankees need to do this offseason to improve their offense, there's a bit of news.

The Yankees have signed Damaso Marte to a three-year, $12 million deal. I was never a fan of acquiring Marte last year and still will not trust him in a big spot. However, the move makes sense as the Yankees need a lefty reliever they can rely on (no more Billy Traber or Mike Myers, please). Phil Coke looked good last September, but let's let him develop before we give him the eighth inning (Remember how good Ian Kennedy was last September?).

Ok, onto the offense:

As we know, Friday will be a big day for the Yankees. Maybe even the biggest free agency day in Yankees history. The offense was the major problem for the Yankees last year. If you take the same pitching last year with 2007's offense, the Yankees make the playoffs.

Hopefully Posada will come back healthy and restore some stability to the catching position. Arguably two of the top Yankee hitters last year, Jason Giambi and Bobby Abreu, won't be back next year. They both had very good 2008 campaigns. It seems any player on the team not named Jeter or A-Rod will be on the block.

The Yankees have shopped Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon, finding teams are showing some interest in both. The big name the Yankees can offer is Robinson Cano. The tough move is to decipher whether 2008 was just a bad year and if he will return to his batting title form, or is he a guy you need to get rid of?

Cano could get you the CF the Yankees need as Damon definitely won't be there, and there are doubts if Brett Gardner or Melky Cabrera can handle the job. Cano for Matt Kemp of the Dodgers has been rumored for months and seems like a good deal. If Cano is gone, look for Orlando Hudson to be signed to replace him.

I wouldn't mind seeing Abreu back for one year and having Gardner and Cabrera try to handle CF this season, as there are no top guys to get to fill those holes. For 1B, I am not a big Mark Teixeira fan, but he seems to fit their needs perfectly. Great defense, good OBP and power. Teixeira doesn't do anything great, but does a lot good. He isn't as good as the money he will earn, but that's the market, and the Yankees need him.

If I were Yankees' brass, I would see if Todd Helton and Ryan Howard were available. Howard doesn't seem likely to stay in Philly too long, and he is very pricey. Maybe he can be traded for. If I were Cash, I would bring Giambi back on a cheap, short contract, as his OBP and OPS last year were very good, and he had some nice numbers besides avg.

As for Manny Ramirez, I do believe the Yankees will have a chance for him. If they can move Matsui, Manny wouldn't be a bad DH for a year or two. Anything more then two years is a bad contract.

I ultimately believe Cashman won't sign him no matter how hard Scott Boras tries. If Cashman wants a CF he should see what Toronto wants for Vernon Wells if he is available.

So Abreu back, Gardner in CF, and Teixeira at 1B is my pick. I will probably be wrong on all my ideas but I do know this: The next month will be very exciting to see what moves the Yankees make.

MLB Postseason Awards Preview

matt elias — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:06:00 -0500

With my renewed hope in the intelligence of the sports writers who vote for MLB Awards, here are my picks and whom I actually believe will win it.

A.L. Cy Young

I would vote for Roy Halladay. He is truly a marvel to watch, as he goes out and expects to throw a complete game every time out there. He also pitches in the toughest division in baseball and continues to be the top pitcher in the A.L., year and year out.

Who will win: Cliff Lee. Lee had a great year on an even worse team than Lincecum. Giving the award to him is fine by me.

N.L. MVP

This was probably the toughest choice for me. As far back as June, I thought Chase Utley had it locked up. But as he slowed, two candidates clearly emerged as the choices: Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard.

The only argument against Pujols is his team didn't make the playoffs. But he did keep them afloat into September, not to mention doing it with a bad elbow that needed surgery. The other strike against him is he puts up these crazy video game-like numbers every year. It isn't a shock to see him do this at all.

Howard, on the other hand, got his team into the playoffs with big hit after big hit in September. He led the league in home runs and runs batted in.

Sounds like the winner, right?

Not so fast. Factor in his .250 batting average and 199 whiffs, and you see some blemishes. I would vote for Howard (even Pujols said Howard should get it).

Who will win: Pujols gets anotherMVP. Again, no problem with this choice.

A.L. MVP

It pains me to say this, but the MVP of the A.L. is going to be the balding, 5'0" second baseman of the Red Sox.

The little man swings a big stick and willed a banged up and subpar (as per Boston standards) Red Sox team into the playoffs. The team had no Beckett, Ortiz, Manny, or Drew for parts of the year, so Pedroia rose to the occasion and really defined this team.

His hustle and effort on every play (Take notes, Robbie Cano, take notes) was what defined this Sox team. He gutted out every at-bat. And you know he does something right when I say he is one of the few Sox I would like to see on Yankees.

Who will win: Pedroia

Managers of the year

Joe Maddon (obviously) and Charlie Manuel.

The Week in NY Sports: Week of Nov. 10

matt elias — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:47:00 -0500

A new feature here on the Elias Sports Blog, we will take a look at the upcoming week for NY teams and preview the biggest games for each team. What a big week this is coming up for NY sports. All teams in action will have big games and the NY teams look to be active in the MLB Free Agency frenzy, starting Friday 12:01 AM.

Knicks

Mike D'Antoni's boys look to build on a hot 4-2 start as they go to San Antonio and face the Tim Duncan and the Spurs. A win here would be sure to give the team more confidence.

Rangers

The Rangers take on their cross-river rivals on Wednesday for the first time since Martin Brodeur has been shelved. Following a great start, the Rangers have only won once in their last five games. Has the European trip finally caught up with them?

Jets

The game of the week in the NFL features the Jets going up to Foxborough and taking on the Patriots in a battle for first place. This game is one of the biggest in Jets history and will show what this team is made of. (More on this game to come later in week.)

Giants

The defending champs will take on the Ravens at home this week. The G-Men sit at 8-1 and would need a Mets-like collapse to fall out of the playoffs. The Ravens feature a superb run defense, so this should be a good test for Brandon Jacobs and company.

Mets

The second team in NY looks to add a closer and another bat in free agency.

Yankees

The shopping spree begins just after midnight Friday morning. The Yankees are expected to be big players and to open up their wallets.

Black Friday Nears

matt elias — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:52:00 -0500

Just about 72 hours seperate us from free agency and the Yankees opening their giant wallet to see who will take their money. It is an exciting time to be a yankee fan as they are poised to be big players in the offseason. Hal Steinbrenner was quoted today saying that "they are ready for free agency."

Pitching Needs:
Everything I read and hear sounds like they will be making a giant run for CC Sabathia and they are willing to give him anything he wants. They would even "let him DH" from what Mike Francesa was told. I think the Yankees will make him a Godfather offer (an offer he can't refuse.) Who turns down big money anyway?

I also see the Yankees making a big run at either A.J. Burnett or Derek Lowe and adding two of the big three to their rotation. If they strike out on those two they have Ben Sheets or Ryan Dempster as possible options as well.

I think Pettitte will be back at a sizeable discount and Mike Mussina will go off into the sunset with his only 20 win season. As for the bullpen, no major needs, and I think Cashman learned to build the bullpen with youth and not free agent signings. Bullpens are fickle and change year to year. I would expect Damaso Marte unfortunately to be back and maybe a run at Juan Cruz to be added to the pen.

Offense Hot Stove Tomorrow

Hot Stove Heats Up

matt elias — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:35:00 -0500

Now that the GM meetings are over, the real fun will begin. While the GMs were busy working on their golf game or their bowling game, they managed to find some time and lay the ground work for some possible trades or free agent signings.

This time of the year for baseball is possibly just as exciting as the actual season. Everyday there are new rumors and new possible deals coming out. One day you think its a lock CC Sabathia is going one place and Jake Peavy is going another, only to read the next day that none of it was true and a third team has upped their offer.

It is a fun time to sift through all the material and find the reporters who you believe. Some of the best to follow or Jon Heyman of SI and Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports; but the best in the business is Buster Onley (especially for Yankee fans. He seems to break all their major news).

Right now it seems every team is interested in every player. This is especially true of the Yankees. It sounds like they are rumored to sign every player this offseason. A word of warning: Don't Believe the Rumors. They are just rumors. For every deal that happens there are 100 rumors. And usually the deal that happens, happens quick and is unexpected.

For example:

Matt Holliday to the A's

This move was straight of left field. Everything I read seemed to point to the Cardinals or the Phillies. But Billy Beane swooped in made a giant offer and got a great hitter. I do not understand the criticism of Beane on this move. If he has proved anything, it is that he usually has a plan and knows what he is doing.

He restocked the A's farm system last year in trading away Joe Blanton and Danny Haren. He had never been a fan of closers making big money so getting rid of Huston Street makes perfect sense. (Street is overrated as it is, but thats another story.)

So worse case scenario for the A's now that they traded for Holliday is either A) They trade him in July and get prospects or B) They keep him make a run at the playoffs and get two draft picks for him when he leaves. Its really a win win, and why wouldn't you want Billy Beane to have extra draft picks?

As for the Rockies, they got a good young CF, two good young pitchers and another trade chip in Huston Street. This was a great deal for both sides.

A few thoughts

1) What are the Royals doing? It seemed the Royals had a clue this season as they finally made some good draft picks and seemed to making a good step to being legit. Now they trade for Mike Jacobs, who is a solid player, but goes against their OBP plan. I just don't get it.

2) Was that the Nationals big move? I have been reading for days about the money the Nationals had and how they planned to make a move for Teixeira, Adam Dunn, or Manny Ramirez. They believed they were a bat away from being in contention. Now they trade for Josh Willingham and Greg Olsen? Please tell me this isn't their big offseason move.

3) Where does Manny go? The whole Manny Ramirez offseason will be intriguing. Scott Boras orchestrated a player quitting on his team so he would be let out of his contract- that worked. Then said player has the best second half in MLB history and is lined up for a big pay day.

Only one problem, no team wants to give him long term security b/c they are worried he will quit on them. I don't see Manny getting the contract he wants that will take him to 42. I think he will end up with Dodgers taking less then their offer of $25 million per year for two years and signing for three seasons.

Cy Young Voters Got It Right

matt elias — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:16:31 -0500

Maybe the world really is "changing," as everyone seems to believe. I was always under the impression that MLB writers who vote on the postseason awards were not intelligent and just voted for the obvious choice.

This would have been confirmed this season if Brandon Webb or Johan Santana had won the N.L. Cy Young award. True, Webb won 22 games in an era where people rarely win 20, and Santana pitched three great games in September to nearly get the Mets into the postseason.

But anybody who watched Tim Lincecum pitch would know he was the best pitcher in the N.L. His herky-jerky windup that produces a blazing fastball or knee-buckling curve is really something to enjoy.

The writers finally showed they are not locked up in the overrated stat in the win column. Lincecum won 17 games on a terrible team, and even lost three or four more because of the bullpen.

He was ahead of other top pitchers in K's. K/9, hits, obp/a. If the Giants made the playoffs or were even in contention, Lincecum would have been the easy choice. Those who say he didn't deserve it either don't know who he is or haven't seen him pitch because he is on the west coast.

This is probably the first of many Cy Young awards for Lincecum and because of the great voting. I want to applaud the baseball writers.