Bleacher Report - Articles by Ross Romano

Check My Watch: Is Retirement the Final "Answer" for Allen Iverson?

Ross Romano — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:29:53 -0500

Today Allen Iverson announced his retirement from the NBA after 14 terrific seasons. Throughout his career, the generously-listed 6’0” guard has electrified crowds with his unique combination of speed, quickness, scoring ability, and feel for the big moment.

He led the league in scoring four times, in steals three times, won Rookie of the Year in 1996-97, and the MVP award in 2000-01. In addition, he was a 10-time all-star, winning two all-star MVPs, and carried his teams to the playoffs nine times.

Today’s announcement was a step, and maybe not the final step, in what has been a strange saga, beginning last season when Iverson was traded from Denver to Detroit. At the time, it was a surprising trade for both teams, but one looked at with optimism on each side. S

ome were puzzled that Detroit would part with Chauncey Billups, who was the leader on a championship team and a Pistons squad that had reached the Eastern Conference finals in six consecutive seasons. On the other side, many were surprised that the Nuggets would trade away a scorer of Iverson’s caliber so early in the season.

The deal worked out much better for Denver, who thrived under Billups’ leadership and made it to the Western Conference finals before falling to the Lakers. Detroit decided to bring Iverson off the bench, favoring a starting backcourt of Richard Hamilton and second-year man Rodney Stuckey, and idea which A.I. was no fan of.

Just the season before, Iverson had averaged 26.4 points and per game, good for third in the league, and he felt that as an elite veteran player he had earned the right to start over a young player like Stuckey. Making this situation worse was the fact that the entire team slipped and Iverson was unable to showcase his best talents in what was a contract year.

Those problems continued this season and even became worse. Iverson signed with Memphis after being overlooked by the rest of the league. He believed that on a young, struggling team, surely a player of his stature would be a starter and have the opportunity to at least try to bring the team into playoff contention.

Coach Lionel Hollins, however, had other plans, starting Mike Conley over Iverson. A.I.’s one sticking point has always been that he is a starter and will not accept coming off the bench.

The Grizzlies didn’t address this issue and decided to go with it anyway, disregarding the fact that Iverson is a far superior player to Conley. This didn’t sit well with A.I. and he left the team after just three games, never to return.

Over the past week, it was speculated that Iverson may sign with everyone from the Knicks or Bobcats to the Heat or Celtics, but nothing ever materialized. Surprisingly quickly, he seems to have come to the decision that the time has come to hang up his sneakers.

Iverson’s quotes, posted on Stephen A. Smith’s website, are seemingly contradictory to his decision and make it hard to understand why he made this decision, especially why he made it right now. He says he still has the passion for the game and the ability to perform at a high level, which most would consider to be the two requirements for playing in the NBA, so why is he retiring?

It’s so strange because it seems that Iverson, one of the greatest players of his generation, is basically unwanted in the league. While other players like Stephen Jackson and Ron Artest, who have caused twice as many problems in the NBA and have had only half the accomplishments, continue to get chances with more teams, Iverson is sent to a reluctant forced retirement.

While I, along with many others, believe it is only right for Iverson to leave the league on his own terms, knowing he can still play the game, I don’t think it should happen like this.

The Answer, as he is called, came into the league believing he had all the answers, which has worked both to his benefit and detriment. During his time in Philadelphia, he notably clashed with Larry Brown, one of the best coaches in the league.

In the end, however, the two men maintained a mutual respect which led them to achieve greater heights than the talent on the roster would indicate that they should. Brown even called other teams this week, lobbying on Iverson’s behalf, but still nobody wanted to get involved.

Like his team with the 76ers, Iverson reached greater heights than his size should have allowed him to reach. Widely regarded as the greatest player of his size in NBA history, Iverson has scored the sixth-most points per game in league history with a 27.2 average.

He was criticized often for shooting too much, but still averaged 6.2 assists over his career, and 7.3 per game during the years 2003-08, when he developed more of a veteran presence. He led a team that started Eric Snow, George Lynch, and Tyrone Hill to the NBA Finals, where the mighty Kobe and Shaq Lakers were just too much (but not before Iverson single-handedly won game one and almost game two).

Any way you look at it, Iverson is one of the most impressive players to put on an NBA uniform. He has the second-highest playoff scoring average, 29.7 ppg, behind only Michael Jordan. He led the league in minutes per game seven times in his career, even though he was constantly getting thrown to the ground by larger defenders while attacking the hoop.

Along with legends Jordan and Jerry West, he is one of only three players to average at least 25 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals per game in his career, and he surpassed these numbers comfortably (he and West are the only two to average 25, 6, and 2).

Hated by many, but loved by more, Iverson’s jersey was among the league leaders year after year, his personal shoe and apparel line was the most popular outside of Jordan’s, and he was voted an all-star starter nine times by fan voting.

While nobody wants to see Iverson leave the game without a ring, we also don’t want to see him latching on as a bit player on a team that would probably already win a title anyway, as many have done before. That’s just not his style. Iverson was a player who took over the league from the start of his career, captivating viewers, playing harder and tougher than anyone. It would make no sense for him to go out on the bottom.

It’s a difficult thing to accept, but maybe it’s the best thing. It’s hard for fans to part with one of their favorite players so unceremoniously, but A.I. has always done things his own way, by his own rules, so it would be unwise to expect that to change now.

For my part, I still don’t think that we have seen the last of Allen Iverson. He’s too talented a player and has too much passion for his career to end now, when he still has so much to provide to a team. But when he does return, I just hope it’s on his terms and not as another veteran hanger-on. He has too much pride for that.

The Philadelphia Eagles' Top Five Offseason Needs for 2009

Ross Romano — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:04:04 -0500

Not even the most cynical fan could find just cause to call the 2008-09 Philadelphia Eagles season a failure. The Birds made it to their fifth conference championship game under coach Andy Reid and showed signs that there is more young talent on this roster, particularly on defense, than many had thought.

However, when a team wins just nine regular season games and looks as pathetic as the Eagles did at times, it's not hard to find places for improvement. In fact, any time a team fails to reach the Super Bowl, it becomes obvious that things need to change.

The following is my list of the top five needs the Philadelphia Eagles have entering this offseason, in ascending order of importance:

5. Acquire a Big, Run-Stuffing, Defensive Tackle

The Eagles' defense was among the league's best all season and has several talented young players to lead it into the future. Even with Brian Dawkins aging, the secondary is one of the NFL's elite, the young linebacking corps is developing into a very good one, and there is great depth and talent in the defensive line rotation.

However, the one thing the defense sorely lacks is a wide-bodied lane-clogger in the mold of a Jamal Williams or Marcus Stroud. Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson form a very solid DT duo, but they would certainly benefit from a guy like this being part of their rotation.

Many of the defensive linemen are smaller in stature than a lot of players at their position, and having a giant in the middle would help them out a lot. Also, a tackle who commands constant double teams frees up his partner to pursue the QB and also keeps blockers busy, so that Stewart Bradley has a chance to roam free.

4. Improve the Tight End Position

While Brent Celek used the last half of the season, and particularly the playoffs, to establish himself as a more desirable alternative to the struggling LJ Smith, he has not shown that he can be a regular starter in the NFL. In my eyes, Celek would do better as a very solid No. 2 TE behind a better all-around player.

Celek has shown a knack for making big plays in the receiving game, but hasn't displayed the blocking abilities necessary for an every-down TE. It's no knock against Celek that the Eagles need to add another player at his position, as even Jason Witten and Antonio Gates have very capable back-ups.

In today's NFL, it is important to have versatility at the tight end position. You need guys to block and also to provide easy outlets for the QB. Celek has shown himself to be a good target for McNabb.

However, it isn't hard to imagine the positive impact Tony Gonzalez, one of the league's true elite tight ends, would have had on this offense had the Eagles acquired him at the trade deadline. Not only would he have made lots of first downs in the passing game, but his blocking would do a lot to help Brian Westbrook get to the edges and run for big gains against opposing defenses.

3. Draft or Sign a Lead-Blocking Fullback

For years now, Andy Reid has neglected the importance of the fullback position, and this year it had painful consequences. The Eagles were among the NFL's poorest performers in short yardage situations, couldn't score on the goal line, and in the playoffs struggled to run the ball at all.

Most people usually clamor for a big back to complement Westbrook in the backfield, imagining a player in the Brandon Jacobs mold to snag some goal line carries. I believe, though, that Westbrook and Buckhalter form a duo that is more than good enough in this league, but they need someone to pave the way.

The Giants and Ravens had two of the league's best run games, not only because of talented halfbacks, but because they had some of the NFL's best lead blockers.

LaDainian Tomlinson struggled this year for two main reasons: first was his turf toe, but also, and perhaps even more importantly, was the loss of Lorenzo Neal, one of the best lead blockers ever.

2. Get the Offensive Line Younger and Healthier

It's no secret among Eagles fans that one of the major reasons for the struggling ground game this year was Shawn Andrews' absence from the lineup for, basically, the entire season. They simply must have Andrews back healthy and ready to go next year, or else the line will continue to struggle. He is among the true elite offensive linemen in the NFL.

The other major weakness on the line this year was Tra Thomas, who is beginning to show his age. Due to years of wear and a bad back, Thomas no longer has the lateral quickness necessary to be a consistent pass blocker. He may still have a few years left in him, but the Eagles need to start thinking about moving on.

Everyone remembers Winston Justice's mortifying performance against Osi Umenyiora in last year's Eagles-Giants game, but he was a very good college player who the Eagles took in the second round of the draft. He may be the answer, but if they have decided that he is not, they should think about using a draft pick this year on a new LT.

1. Sign or Trade for a Top Wideout

Everyone could see this one coming. The Eagles have a number of talented receivers, led by speedy Kevin Curtis and breakout rookie DeSean Jackson. However, they do not have the No. 1 guy they need to make big plays in key situations.

Never was this more evident than in the NFC Championship game against the Cardinals. Larry Fitzgerald, an elite pass-catcher, torched the Eagles for three touchdowns. Meanwhile, McNabb did a good job using all his available options, but when it came down to it, they didn't have enough to get the job done.

On the play that ended the Eagles' final drive of the game/season, Kevin Curtis was tripped up by what appeared to be an uncalled pass interference. However, with an elite wide receiver, it never results to that.

A bigger, stronger guy like a Fitzgerald or an Anquan Boldin would not have fallen down from that minor trip. But, even more importantly, they would have caught the ball anyway. Even with the trip, the ball still hit Curtis right in the hands, and he just dropped it.

Now, imagine an Eagles wide receiving corps with Anquan Boldin (or Chad Johnson, Plaxico Burress, etc.), DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, and Jason Avant. Maybe even add in Tony Gonzalez at tight end. That would only be two changes, but what a world of difference it would make.

The Eagles still have the foundation in place to compete for championships, but they need to make these changes to realize that goal.

Mark McGwire Is a Hall of Famer, Regardless of the Voting

Ross Romano — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:25:19 -0500

At the same time as one redemption story, Jim Rice, finally makes it to the baseball Hall of Fame, another downtrodden former slugger, Mark McGwire, has been left out once again by a huge margin.

How can this man, who hit close to 600 home runs and was the premier slugger of his day, be given so little respect in balloting for the Hall? I know the reasons why, and I still disagree.

For one, McGwire, like Rice, was unpopular with baseball writers throughout most of his career. Simply put, the people who are voting just don't like him. The hard-headed, biased writers in many cases allow personal preference for a player's personality to overshadow what he did on the field.

One of the 28 writers who didn't vote for Rickey Henderson this year said, "I'm just not a Rickey guy." Sorry, I guess I'm naive. I didn't realize you had to be a "Rickey guy" to vote for him.

Guess what, I'm a Phillies fan and can't stand the Mets, but when Mike Piazza is eligible for the Hall, I would still vote for him.

I understand the relationship writers have with players is different from the average fan. Some guys give great interviews, while some are quiet and withdrawn. This is the reason that Shaquille O'Neal is a much more popular NBA player than a guy like Kobe Bryant, who is just as accomplished.

The media likes Shaq, so they go out of their way to portray him positively. They dislike Kobe, so they don't give him the same effort.

I have experience with players; I've worked for a major league baseball team. I know that while some guys are great to be around, others are absolute jerks. In the case of the team I worked for, there were more jerks than not. However, that didn't affect my perception of their playing abilities.

Maybe some of these writers aren't smart enough to make that distinction. If that's going to continue to be the case, it may be time to change the voting process and get someone else involved, maybe even the fans.

I think that's a lot of responsibility to give fans, especially given how inaccurate their picks are sometimes for all-star teams, but something has to change.

The other obvious reason for McGwire's exclusion is the steroid question. Did he or didn't he? There's no proof that McGwire used any illegal substance, but there's also no proof for a lot of other guys who probably did.

I'll be the first to tell you that McGwire probably did use steroids at some point in his career, whether it was with Oakland, St. Louis, or both. However, by looking at it objectively, it's plain to see that he was still the greatest slugger of his time and one of the most feared hitters to play the game.

Many other players were using performance enhancers at the same time and didn't put up those numbers.

Obviously, I believe cheating is wrong and I'm glad to see baseball cracking down on steroid use. I'm happy to have it out of the game and to know that we can feel that current sluggers, like Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriguez, are doing it cleanly and by the rules.

However, as in every era, we should judge players by the time period in which they played and McGwire was one of the best of his time. Mariano Rivera wouldn't have been considered anything special thirty years ago, when closers were expected to pitch three innings. The ERAs of today's pitchers look weak in comparison to the hurlers of the dead ball era.

Bill Mazeroski would never make it to the Hall had he played in today's game with the huge offensive numbers. And even Rickey Henderson, had he played in today's American League, would have a hard time, since they likely wouldn't let him run even half as much as he did in his day.

As with all these guys, players have to be judged in the context of the game when they played. Big Mac was one of the greats of his time and he, along with fellow embattled Sammy Sosa, saved the game of baseball.

The game was dying in popularity and those two brought it back to life. Bud Selig was happy to use them as the face of the sport then, but has been quick to cast them off now. What a stand-up guy, huh?

The fact is, in his era or any other, the numbers speak for themselves. His 583 home runs are 201 more than Rice. I don't think steroids can hit 200 home runs for you. McGwire hit 49 or more home runs in a season five times, had over 1400 RBI, and finished his career with an almost .400 on-base percentage.

Mark McGwire is a Hall of Famer.

Top 10 NFL Rookies of 2008: Take Two

Ross Romano — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:19:16 -0500

Following Week Three of the NFL season, I wrote about the top 10 NFL rookies at that time. If you want to check out that list, it can be seen here.

As you can see from the previous list, hailed by commenters for its accuracy, things have drastically changed over the past 12 weeks. Guys like Darren McFadden and Felix Jones got off to hot starts but have seen their production drop, due to injury or other factors.

Matt Ryan, the best rookie QB since Ben Roethlisberger, was ranked sixth in the early going but now has his team on the verge of a playoff spot.

Here are the top 10 rookies this year, as I see it.

One note: I will stick to skill position players, since I have not had the opportunity to analyze the play of linemen and all the other defensive players. If I was including defense, Jerod Mayo would certainly still be on this list.

Honorable Mention: Leodis McKelvin, KR, Bills

McKelvin has already established himself as one of the best game-breaking kick returners in the league. His 29.3-yard average is tops among kick returners and he is tied for second with seven returns of 40 or more yards. He's also a pretty good cornerback.

No. 10: Kevin Smith, RB, Lions

Smith ranks fourth among rookie runners with 773 rushing yards and is one of the lone brights spots for the winless Lions. He finally became the feature back in Week Nine and has rushed for 86 yards or more four times in the past six weeks, including 112 yards Week 11 in Carolina.

No. 9: John Carlson, TE, Seahawks

Carlson ranks eighth among NFL tight ends in both receptions and receiving yards and is one of only five TEs to have 10 catches for 20 or more yards. He hit his stride in the season's second half, grabbing 31 of his 51 catches in the past seven games. He has converted 19 first downs in those seven games.

No. 8: DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles

Jackson has 53 catches and ranks second among rookies with 775 receiving yards. He is tied for ninth among all NFL players with 14 receptions of over 20 yards. In addition to providing a big play threat on offense, Jackson has been the punt returner the Eagles desperately needed.

No. 7: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers

Stewart has teamed up with DeAngelo Williams to form one of the NFL's best backfield tandems. Although he averages just 11 carries a game, he has plowed his way to 751 rushing yards, and ranks second among rookies with nine rushing TDs.

No. 6: Eddie Royal, WR, Broncos

Royal has been a consistent producer for Denver all season. He ranks ninth in the NFL with 75 catches and leads all rookies with 847 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. His 34 catches for first downs rank second only to Jackson among rookies.

No. 5: Joe Flacco, QB, Ravens

Flacco has exceeded all expectations as the Ravens' rookie starter, and this team once seemed to be on the decline heading into this year. He has led the team to a 9-5 record and a chance for a playoff spot.

In the last eight weeks, he has thrown 12 touchdown passes versus five interceptions and has had a 95.0 or better QB rating five times.

No. 4: Chris Johnson, RB, Titans

The top four is jam-packed, as in any other year any one of these guys may have been the top rookie.

Johnson is tops among rookies and sixth in the NFL with 1,159 rushing yards. Even though LenDale White gets the bulk of the goal-line carries, Johnson has still run for eight TDs. He has three games of 125 or more rushing yards.

No. 3: Matt Forte, RB, Bears

Forte, who was No. 1 on my list after three weeks, has done little to prove himself undeserving of the accolades. He has been a workhorse for Chicago, carrying the ball 280 times for 1,115 yards while also catching 58 passes for another 424. His 11 total touchdowns is tops among rookies.

No. 2: Steve Slaton, RB, Texans

Slaton didn't make the list after Week Three but has recently burst onto the scene. He is seventh in the NFL with 1,124 rushing yards and has run for eight scores. He also has 40 catches for another 305 yards. Slaton has five 100-yard games overall, including four in the past five weeks, where he has averaged an astounding 116 yards per game.

No. 1: Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons

I will be shocked if Ryan, who plays one of the most demanding positions in professional sports, does not win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He has a 90.0 QB rating, just percentage points below Peyton Manning's 90.3 mark.

Ryan has thrown for more yards than Brett Favre and Eli Manning. He has thrown for over 300 yards twice and has done more than owner Arthur Blank could have hoped in allowing Falcons fans to forget Michael Vick.

Maurice Cheeks' Firing Another Example of What's Wrong with NBA

Ross Romano — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:51:15 -0500

Maurice Cheeks was the heady point guard of the Philadelphia 76ers' 1983 NBA championship team—one of the NBA's greatest teams. He was always well-liked by the players here in his days as an assistant under Larry Brown and was on the coaching staff of the Sixers' 2001 run to the NBA Finals.

As head man in Portland, Cheeks won 99 games in his first two seasons, while somehow managing a roster that featured known headcases Rasheed Wallace, Damon Stoudamire, Bonzi Wells, Ruben Patterson, and Zach Randolph. This is the team which, soon after Cheeks' departure, would be referred to as the "Jailblazers."

He seemed like the perfect man to lead this team, beginning in 2005-06 when they were trying to win with two stars (Allen Iverson and Chris Webber) and a young, unpolished supporting cast. Coming into 2005-06, the Sixers had gone through four coaches in the previous three seasons and were in desperate need of stability.

It didn't work out with Iverson and Webber. Although C-Webb put up good numbers, his knee injury had taken enough of a toll on him that he was a shell of his former self, resigned to elbow jumpers as his main offensive weapon. He scored 20 points per game, but shot only 43 percent, a very low number for a power forward.

The egos of these two stars would not allow them to gel with the rest of the team. Iverson and Cheeks were close while Cheeks was an assistant, but when he came back as the head man, they never got along. Eventually both were shipped out of town in a move toward full-scale rebuilding.

And with the rebuilding squad, he did a great job of developing young talent. Under Cheeks' tutelage rising stars Andre Iguodala, Louis Williams, and Thaddeus Young all began to blossom and the team played an exciting, attacking style.

The young squad went 30-28 to finish the 2006-07 season after trading Iverson, and after a rough start to the following year, finished 35-29 in the final 64 games to make the playoffs.

That 2007-08 team, whose final record was 40-42, was picked by most experts to finish dead last in the Eastern Conference. The team was young and inexperienced and without a proven go-to scorer. About a quarter of the way through the season, Cheeks was able to find a suitable style of play for the players he had and ran with it.

They made the playoffs and in the first round pushed the mighty Pistons to six games, giving a great team a very tough challenge. After witnessing the transformation the young team went through last season, most expected them to take the next leap forward this year.

When the front office spent about a combined $160 million to sign star forward Elton Brand and lock up Iguodala long-term, expectations rose yet again. This team was now a trendy pick to challenge for the Eastern Conference crown and was expected to be, at worst, the fifth best team in the East.

Through 23 games, this has not happened. The 76ers sit at just 9-14 after losing eight of their last 10 games, and are in last place in the Atlantic Division, behind even the New York Knicks. Obviously, things have not gone according to plan.

But this is not a good enough reason to fire Cheeks right now. As I mentioned earlier, it took a quarter of the season last year for Cheeks to find the appropriate style of play for that team. Last year's team got off to an even rougher start at 5-13.

After adding Brand to the mix as the new No. 1 option, it's obvious the Sixers need to change the style of play that got them to the playoffs this year. That takes time and patience, as the other players, particularly Iguodala, have taken a long time to adapt to Brand.

In addition to adapting to Brand, he needs to adapt to them, and adapt to even playing daily in the NBA again after basically missing all of last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. It's obvious from watching this team that he's still only at 80 percent, if that, and that it will take time for him to fully recover.

All of these factors have played into this team's slow start. Iguodala and Williams, two athletes who prefer to run the fast break, have struggled to adapt to a more half-court style. Samuel Dalembert, who was expected to benefit the most from Brand's arrival, has taken a step back.

Cheeks turned things around last year, so why wouldn't the front office have faith that he could do a similar job this season? Last year he took a team that was expected to be among the league's worst and took them to the postseason, so surely he could turn around a team with even better talent, right?

Well, according to GM Ed Stefanski, I guess not. As has become all too common a trend in the NBA, another coach was fired early in the season after a disappointing start. NBA executives have perhaps the shortest memories in sports, unable to recall the accomplishments of last season.

I'm not saying this to knock Stefanski, because I think he's done a great job of overhauling this roster in his short time here and putting this team in a position to compete, but I think the leash was way too short for Cheeks. They needed to cut him a bit more slack and give him some time to get this team back on track.

I have seen the team in person this year, and I will be the first to say they have looked absolutely horrible. But that's not rare for a team incorporating a huge new piece into their offense, especially one who is coming off an injury and has changed their entire style of play.

Ironically, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith is reporting that Eddie Jordan, the former Wizards head man who was fired earlier this year, is Stefanski's target to lead the Sixers beginning next year. Jordan is another guy who got a raw deal, getting canned just 11 games into this season, though his team had made the playoffs in each of the past four years.

Not only had he made four straight postseasons, but Jordan was coaching without his best player, Gilbert Arenas, who has been out all year and pretty much all of last with a knee injury. He signed a $111 million contract in the offseason, but hasn't even been able to step on the court.

So, the carousel goes around and around, and coaches have no stability. This is an epidemic in the NBA that needs to stop. Give these guys some time to do their jobs.

Some of the best coaches in the league, such as Utah's Jerry Sloan, don't have a great year every season and haven't won a championship, but over time their systems work.

But you'll only know that if you give them the time.

Phillies and Mets Make Trash-Talking Cool Again

Ross Romano — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:32:35 -0500

Over the past few years, the NL East's Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets have developed on of the fiercest, most competitive rivalries in professional sports. Located just over 80 miles from one another, these two cities have long been a rivalry waiting to happen, but over the years, the two teams had never been good simultaneously. Now both teams are perennial playoff contenders and the players know it, and are not afraid to say it. This is what sports is all about. The following is a (probably incomplete) history of the trash-talking between the teams. Enjoy what you see, and I encourage anyone who knows of more trash-talking that I missed to post it below in the comments so we can all learn about the art of talking trash.

Begin Slideshow

Phillies Sign Raul Ibanez, But Is It A Good Move?

Ross Romano — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:14:47 -0500

Earlier today, the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies signed Raul Ibanez to be their everyday left fielder. While Ibanez is a very good and underrated hitter who has been overlooked throughout his career playing in smaller markets, I think the Phillies made a mistake by signing a player who doesn't seem to fit their needs.

If you look at Ibanez's numbers from last season, he was very productive, and may have even been better than outgoing left fielder Pat Burrell. Ibanez hit .293 with 23 homers and 110 RBI to go along with a .353 OPB and .479 slugging percentage.

Burrell's numbers were: .250 BA, 33 HR, 86 RBI, .367 OBP, and .507 SLG.

The same trends hold over the past few years, with Ibanez consistently hitting for a higher average and driving in more runs than Burrell, but with Burrell maintaining better on-base and slugging percentages and hitting more home runs.

I'm not one to worry too much about how many home runs a guy hits, because if he's driving in runs, he's getting the job done. Ibanez has knocked in 338 in the past three seasons, so he has certainly done that.

But by the same token, since Burrell is much better at drawing walks, he is on base even more than Ibanez, so the batting averages don't seem to be as important as you may think. Also, since Burrell has been hitting behind Ryan Howard, who has more RBI than anybody the past three years, he has had fewer opportunities to knock in runs when he is not hitting homers.

Ibanez is a bit of a better defensive outfielders than Burrell, although Burrell is more solid out there than he is normally given credit for. One facet of Burrell's game that hurts more than anything is his astounding lack of speed. One of the slowest players I've ever seen.

Based on his past production, clubhouse presence, and sentimentality, I would have preferred to have kept Burrell. However, even if the Phillies had decided already to move on from Burrell, there are two major reasons why I feel Ibanez is a questionable signing.

The main reason is that Ibanez is yet another left-handed bat that will be added into an already lefty-dominated batting order. The Phillies' two main power hitters, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, are already lefties, and they really needed to have a right-handed power bat in the line-up, Burrell or otherwise.

It will be a challenge for manager Charlie Manuel to come up with an adequate line-up to split up the lefties, so that opponents can't bring in left-handed relievers to retire all three in order.

Utley will miss the beginning of the season following surgery, and it's unclear for now who will replace him. Pedro Feliz will likely be replaced mainly by Greg Dobbs until he is healthy.

When everyone is healthy, I would suggest a line-up of Rollins-Victorino-Utley-Howard-Werth-Ibanez-Feliz-Ruiz. However, this would put a ton of pressure on Jayson Werth to protect Howard, given that he is a guy who just had his breakout last year. Another way would be to reverse Werth and Victorino, but Shane really isn't enough of a power threat to hit behind Howard, and this would also negate some of his speed.

With that said, I still prefer this line-up to some of the previous proposals that featured a left field platoon featuring Juan Rivera, Rocco Baldelli or Jerry Hairston joining Geoff Jenkins and Matt Stairs. Those were awful proposals that would have placed a lot of mediocre players in key positions, so at least in this case the Phils have added a proven everyday run producer.

The other reason I'm skeptical of this trade is Ibanez's age. He will turn 37 on June 2, whereas Burrell just turned 32. That five years is a major difference, and it remains to be seen how productive a 37-year old can be on a daily basis.

Not only is it unclear how productive he can be this year, but it's a three-year deal, meaning the Phillies are banking on production through the age of 39. I'm hopeful that it will happen, but there's only so many Jamie Moyers out there.

Since the Phillies gave Ibanez $10 million a year, a very reasonable amount, they are actually saving money from what they had been paying Burrell last year, so the age factor is a calculated risk. Even if he can give them only two good years, it still can't be considered an awful deal, and they can use some of that extra money to go after more pitching help.

Of course, as a Phillies fan, I am very hopeful that Ibanez will be a big piece in a title defense, and as a baseball fan, I'm very aware of what a good player he is. Until I see the team in action though, I'm not convinced this is a good fit. I'm certainly willing to give it time to see how it goes, and the rest of the offseason will still have a huge say in how the '09 Phillies look.

Philadelphia Eagles' Andy Reid Wears Two Hats That Don't Fit

Ross Romano — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:36:42 -0500

Are you joking, Andy? You really must be.

By throwing Donovan McNabb under the bus, Reid basically admitted to the fans, media, and his players that he lacks accountability for this travesty of an Eagles season we have witnessed.

He couldn't even personally tell McNabb he was benching him? That's pathetic.

Reid wears two hats with the Eagles' organization, and neither is particularly fitting right now. Reid's inability to even become a competent play-caller has drawn most of the ire of Philly fans over the past several years. He has failed just as miserably in his executive role, which has, in turn, made his coaching job that much tougher.

Let's start with this year. He neglected to even have a fullback on the roster! Not only do they not have a good fullback or a decent fullback or even a mediocre fullback, they do not have one at all. Does Reid know that you're supposed to fill out all the positions on your roster?

He never has been one to respect the position much, entrusting the starting jobs to guys like Cecil Martin, Josh Parry, and Thomas Tapeh—pass-catchers who did not play the majority of the team's offensive downs. But this year has been ridiculous.

In a year where fullbacks are gaining back respect in the league, and guys like Madison Hedgecock and Tony Richardson are gaining acclaim right up I-95 for their stellar blocking for the New York teams, Reid tried to convert running back Tony Hunt to a fullback.

Hey Andy—Hunt can't even power through the line to move the chains on a 3rd-and-1, how do you expect him to lead block?

Then things got even more comical, or miserable, when they Eagles decided to make Dan Klecko, a defensive tackle, into their fullback.

Yes, Klecko played some fullback in goal-line situations with the Patriots. No, that does not make him a viable option.

The Bears never started William "The Refrigerator" Perry at tailback.

And we wonder why we can't pick up a yard on the goal line? This isn't college—you have to play smash-mouth football in the NFL, and the Eagles are playing a man or two down.

Andy has also failed to address the perennially pathetic tight-end situation. Since the retirement of Chad Lewis, the Eagles have tried to get by with the disappointing L.J. Smith, their former second-round pick out of Rutgers.

Look, I'm actually not an L.J. Smith hater, and I think he has good speed and receiving skills that could be used to be successful in this league, but the guy is by no means an NFL starter.

To be a starting tight end in the NFL, you have to be able to BLOCK. Smith doesn't know this, and anyone who saw the way he was mauled by the pathetic 49ers defense can attest to this.

Smith would do well for himself in a situation like the Indianapolis Colts, where they often put their tight end in the slot and let him run routes out of the middle of the field. But, as a conventional TE, he hasn't been able to get the job done adequately.

And those who say Brent Celek is the answer are missing the point as well. He had one big game against Seattle but is far from a complete package.

It's astounding that in an era where the tight end has become so vital to the team, three of the league's best have actually played in the NFC East all along. Reid has still missed the point.

Jason Witten, Chris Cooley, and Jeremy Shockey (now with the Saints) have all faced off against the Eagles as division rivals and have all given them fits. That's because these guys are the complete package and represent the new NFL.

Instead of trading out of the first round this year for the second straight season, why not draft Dustin Keller, who has already become a playmaker for the Jets?

Greg Olsen went 31st last year. He, too, could have been had if the Eagles didn't decide they would rather not use their first round selections.

The other three positions that Reid has failed most pathetically to address are getting a power running back, big defensive tackles, and a go-to wide receiver.

When did this team actually have their last power runner? Duce Staley, if he counts as such. Ricky Watters?

Not since Reid has taken over the reigns as GM has this team acquired any type of power goal-line running back, and this year, they are paying dearly. The Eagles have always struggled on goal-line offense for this reason.

They also struggled because they did not have a power back, and Reid had to often throw the ball on the goal line—one of the hardest things to do in the NFL. How about just drafting somebody?

Tim Hightower went in the fifth round of this year's draft and now has nine touchdowns as a goal-line runner for the Cardinals. LenDale White is one of the best goal-line backs in the NFL.

He went 45th overall in 2006; six picks after the Eagles selected offensive tackle Winston Justice. Justice is best known for becoming Osi Umenyiora's personal turnstile in last year's Eagles-Giants matchup.

In 2005, the Eagles drafted Matt McCoy, a useless linebacker, 65th overall. Two picks later, Frank Gore went to the 49ers.

Then, 77th overall, the Birds were happy to take a smaller, less-talented, less well-rounded version of Brian Westbrook—with Ryan Moats.

Are you kidding me, Andy? Do you even have scouts on the payroll?

As far as defensive tackles go, the current starters are very talented guys, and I actually like Bunkley and Patterson a lot. But they're not big DTs, like every dominant defense has.

Jim Johnson is one of the game's best coordinators, but if he's not given the tools to work with, his defenses suffer.

The Eagles haven't been able to stop the run consistently for several years, and the main reason is they don't have lane-clogging tackles. Patterson and Bunkley would be great as part of a three-man rotation, but they need that big guy in there.

Kris Jenkins and Marcus Stroud, two of the league's best defensive tackles, could have been easily had on the open trade market this off-season. They would have solidified this defense.

Look what they've done for the Jets and Bills, respectively. The Jets, in particular, had the fourth-worst run defense in the league last year and now have the third-best.

The last time the Eagles had a stud defensive tackle was Corey Simon. Coupled with Hollis Thomas, a wide-bodied run-stuffer, they had one of the best defenses in the league.

Probably the most highly publicized deficiency has been the lack of any big time wide receiver outside of Terrell Owens. Sure, he was a pain, but the guy was a playmaker, and Donovan McNabb was never a better passer than when he had T.O.

This is with Owens being the only competent receiver on that team, unless you think Todd Pinkston and Freddie Mitchell were competent.

Adding a top wideout to this year's supporting cast would have worked wonders for the offense. Curtis, Jackson, and Brown, if healthy, could all be very good complementary receivers.

I know the Eagles tried hard to get Randy Moss, but I really wish they had done everything they could, even if it meant overpaying.

In the 2001 draft, the Eagles passed over Reggie Wayne, Chad Johnson, Chris Chambers, and Steve Smith to pick Freddie Mitchell. Ouch. Any one of those guys could have made this an elite offense for a long time.

So yes, Andy Reid is an awful play-caller. Yes, he has been doing a terrible job of coaching his team the past couple seasons. But most of the fault lies on the GM.

Unfortunately for Reid, he is also the GM, so it's still his fault. Had the Eagles hired a better GM years ago when they granted Reid full control, I think this team would have been in multiple Super Bowls.

But for now, they'll just have to settle for throwing McNabb under the bus and hoping Kevin Kolb is some sort of savior.

Hey, can Kolb play fullback?

Hey, Andy Reid: It's Time To Go

Ross Romano — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:25:51 -0500

Puzzlement.

That is the word that best describes the look on Andy Reid's face in every important game situation. But, that cannot go nearly far enough to describe the feelings of Philadelphia Eagles fans after this week's pathetic showing—a tie against the one-win Cincinnati Bengals.

The fans, apparently unlike the Eagles players, knew that NFL games can end in ties. Even knowing that, I would venture to say that the fans were even more surprised that this one actually did. A tie? Against the Bengals? Seriously?

Andy Reid is the most accomplished head coach in Philadelphia Eagles history and has had a great run of success with the team. However, as this team continues to slide closer and closer to mediocrity, we have to start asking ourselves how much longer we can really retain this same coaching staff.

How long ago it seems, back to the days when the Birds routinely dominated NFC East opponents. During their run from 2001 to 2004, the Eagles appeared in four straight NFC championship games including the 2004 Super Bowl. They had a ridiculous 21-3 record against divisional opponents.

Since then, however, they have played at a meager 7-14 clip against the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins. The core of the team that once dominated the East has remained much the same, but not enough improvement has been made to stay ahead of the pack.

How long ago it seems, since the Week two shootout between Philadelphia and Dallas, a highly-anticipated affair between two of the NFC's Super Bowl favorites. After the game, a 41-37 Dallas victory, most who watched agreed that they had just witnessed the NFC's (and perhaps the NFL's) best two teams do battle.

Who is saying that now?

The Eagles have fallen far and hard and the one who should shoulder the blame for this one is Coach Andy Reid. When your team is consistently losing games you could and should win, it becomes obvious that you as a coach have lost your effectiveness.

Do I think Andy Reid is an awful coach? Yes and no.

During the week, I would argue that at least for the first eight years of his tenure in Philly, he has been among the best coaches in the NFL at preparing his team for Sunday. However, as a game day coach, he has always been questionable, notably with his play-calling and clock management, but his teams have for the most part been so talented and so well-prepared that it had rarely come into play.

But, now with the rest of the NFC East closing the talent gap, those flaws are becoming more and more apparent. Reid was given a free pass last year, despite an underachieving season because of off-season family problems that lingered into the year. Last season, five of the team's eight losses were by four points or less. This year, none of their four losses have been by more than six points.

In that time frame, they are a pathetic 1-9-1 in games decided by six points or less. In this league, you simply have got to win the close games, and the Eagles have not been doing it.

Most of these losses are directly attributable to Reid's game management. I do not have any specific stats on this and I do not know if any are necessarily available, but the Eagles must be the worst clock management team in the league. Fans of the Birds have become all too familiar with the sight of the clock slowly ticking down as the team on the field, and Reid on the sideline, lack any sense of urgency.

The play-calling at this point has become a disaster, culminating with this week's decision to drop back for 60 pass attempts, while running the ball just 18 times, against a Bengals defense that allows 131 rushing yards a game. Not only is this a terrible decision in the first place, but the swirling winds in Paul Brown Stadium and the inability of Eagles receivers to gain any separation from the defensive backs, made the passing efforts futile from the start.

I understand more than anyone that losing Shawn Andrews has been a huge blow to this running attack, but losing one player to injury is no excuse for being unable to run the ball against the Bengals. Brian Westbrook is an elite NFL running back and it is the job of the coaches to put him in a position to make plays.

In addition to poor game management, Reid's normally superior preparation of his team for game-days seems to have worn off. They have been coming out of the gate flat and Reid's game plans do not seem to show a very good knowledge of his opponents. He has not put his offense in position to strike early, and as a result they have been playing from behind far too often.

The season still has six games left, but they are six very tough ones against the Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Giants, Redskins, and Cowboys. These teams' combined records are 38-22. And now, sitting at 5-4-1, they can basically count on having to win five of those six to secure a playoff spot.

That is the task for Andy Reid and his staff: to take a team that has fallen to a new low, turn them around, and finish off with one of the strongest stretches of football in his head coaching career. Make the playoffs and he lives to see another year.

Miss out and I am afraid it has got to be time for him to go.

How To Make The Oakland Raiders a Winner In 10 Easy Steps

Ross Romano — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:27:07 -0500

The late, great Al Davis once said, "Just win baby." Under their current management, it looks like maybe they should go back and take a page out of Davis's book. Whoever is running this team now doesn't seem to have a clue.

If Al Davis were alive to see this, he would never stand for it. After clashing with former coach Lane Kiffin over the signing of certain free agents in the offseason, it now appears management would like to cut their losses after only half a season.

Al Davis had a long and distinguished history of honoring all his contracts. As with Mike Shanahan and Lane Kiffin before, I'm sure the Raiders will honor the long-term deals he gave to DeAngelo Hall and Javon Walker.

Giving up early is just not what the Raiders do. Art Shell can attest to that. And how about the "Brett Favres" of the franchise, the QBs who played game after game, year after year, fighting through adversity because of the unabashed enthusiasm and support of the front office. Aaron Brooks, Andrew Walter, Daunte Culpepper, the list goes on. True warriors in silver and black.

It's no question Jamarcus Russell will follow in those elite footsteps, but they are tough shoes to fill, even for his heavy feet. With that said, and all this great talent, in fact a surplus of talent, in place, here are ten more moves the Raiders should make before next week's game. Better hurry:

1. Fire Tom Cable. This guy is awful.

2. Hire back Bill Callahan to take the franchise back to the glory days of losing the Super Bowl and then falling apart.

Offer him a fat seven-year, $40 million deal to keep him locked up.

3. Immediately fire Bill Callahan.

You don't really like this guy anyway, remember when he lost the Super Bowl? Getting your hopes up and then having a letdown is worse than never getting there at all. Your fans would rather suffer through two-win seasons then Super Bowl losses. Plus, if you fire him now, you can buy him out for a slick $15 million, saving $25 million off his original contract. Good thing your financial advisers know their stuff.

4. Hire back Tom Cable.

He may be terrible, but at least he's a company man.

5. Release DeAngelo Hall and Javon Walker.

Look, they've had a full eight games to prove themselves, and the team is not doing well enough. If only Lane Kiffin hadn't protested against their signings, it wouldn't have hurt their feelings and made them perform so poorly. Psychological warfare is a powerful thing, and it appears Kiffin unleashed it on these poor guys.

6. While we're at it, how about releasing Marques Tuiasosopo, Darren McFadden, and Nnamdi Asomugha now.

Tuiasosopo is costing you dearly in printing costs. I'm sure we could find a back-up QB with a nice four-letter last name to save you some money on that one.

McFadden has been here eight games and you still suck, get him out of here.

Asomugha—can you imagine how much money this guy is going to ask for after the year? He's your best player for crying out loud! Better to get him our of here now before he causes problems by asking to get paid.

7. Sign Jeff George.

This is just the kind of air-it-out QB Al Davis would have wanted if he were still with us today. Let him play two years while Russell sits and waits. George could get this team to the promised land. Remember, back in 1997, his last full year with the team, he threw 29 TDs. That's production you can't buy.

8. Fire Tom Cable.

He's been here long enough. Time for fresh blood.

9. Hire Frank Caliendo to be the head coach.

There's a lot of reasons why this is a good idea. First, he can impersonate John Madden, the greatest head coach in Raider history. This is probably better than actually being Madden, because he can break out of character when necessary.

Secondly, he can impersonate Al Pacino. This means that every halftime, he can give Pacino's halftime speech from Any Given Sunday . That has to account for an extra four wins a year.

Third, he does those commercials for Dish Network. Everyone knows a satellite dish gets more HD channels than (Tom) Cable.

10. Sprinkle Al Davis's ashes on the field before the next game.

It's what he would have wanted. Plus, as you saw in the World Series with Tug McGraw's ashes, it could bring good luck.

Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups: What Does It Mean?

Ross Romano — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:05:00 -0500

Wow.

After a 2007-08 season characterized by monster trades, which begun with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen being dealt in the offseason and continued with the likes of Shaq, Pau Gasol, and Jason Kidd being moved during the year, the 2008-09 season has already begun with a bang.

The trade of "The Answer," Allen Iverson, to the Pistons for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess is a major, star-powered deal that few saw coming, especially so early in the season. Even when Pistons GM Joe Dumars warned his team following last year's playoff exit that "there are no sacred cows," most players did not believe something so drastic would happen—and many experts predicted that it would be Rasheed Wallace, not Billups, on his way out of town.

Whether expected or not, this is the trade that was made, and it is certainly a major one for both teams. Detroit, a team with title aspirations, decided a major shake-up would give them the best shot. Denver, a team most expect to miss out on the playoffs, chose a change of direction, with the Iverson experiment the past two years failing to make them an elite team.

One rule: I will be discussing strictly the effect the deal will have on the basketball court, and not on the salary cap or any potential future free-agent signings. I will not talk about how Iverson's deal is expiring, while Billups still has three more years after this one. That's for the GMs to worry about.

Let's now take a look at how this trade will affect the players involved, as well as their new teams.

For Detroit

Some of the veteran Pistons who have been around since the 2004 championship have already expressed displeasure at the departure of their longtime teammate and floor general Billups. However, Joe Dumars should not be faulted for making this deal, and in fact should be praised for taking a chance on a veteran superstar.

As we witnessed last year, sometimes the risks work (as with the Celtics), and sometimes they don't (Dallas and Phoenix). However, Iverson, at age 33, has a lot more tread left on his tires than either Shaq or Jason Kidd did at the time they were dealt.

Iverson fills the main need of this Detroit team—a proven go-to scorer. The Pistons have long been one of the most well-rounded and balanced squads in the NBA, and are still among the top contenders for another title, but last year their lack of a go-to guy hurt them in the playoffs, when they could not overcome Boston's Big Three.

At 27.7 points per game, the Answer has the third-highest career scoring average in NBA history. The guy can flat fill it up. While not as accurate a three-point shooter as Billups, Iverson uses his superior speed and quickness to penetrate at will, scoring most of his buckets in the paint, either with fadeaways or floaters over taller defenders.

The Pistons won't miss the three-point shooting of Billups because they have other guys who can fill that role. Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace are all accurate outside shooters who will benefit from Iverson's penetration and the added defensive attention that has to be focused on such a prolific scorer.

Last season, Hamilton had his lowest scoring average (17.3 ppg) since his rookie season and Prince (13.2) had his lowest since his second year. Wallace has averaged fewer than 13 points per game in each of the last two seasons. With the scoring averages of its stars dropping, Detroit desperately needed to add a scorer like Iverson.

Now don't think just because he's a scorer he can't dish it out, though. 2003-04 was the season when Billups really came into his own with the Pistons. Since that time, he has averaged 6.8 assists per game. In the same time frame, Iverson has averaged 7.3 assists. In three different seasons, he has averaged over 30 points and over seven assists.

In addition to the upgrade from Billups to Iverson, it appears Detroit has a good shot at re-acquiring McDyess, who does not want to play for Denver and may be bought out of his deal. If that's the case, this team will retain the same core, while adding one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Aside from the little bit of time it will take the team to gel with Iverson's style of play, I see no downside to this deal for the Pistons.

For Denver

While I still feel this deal could work out positively for the Nuggets, I liked it a lot better before it became clear that McDyess was not a willing participant. The Nuggets could really use some added muscle up front after the salary dump that cost them Marcus Camby.

In under 30 minutes a game last season, McDyess averaged 8.5 rebounds. In his career, he averages 9.6 boards per 36 minutes. Besides being a force on the glass, McDyess has a polished offensive game that doesn't require a lot of shots to thrive. He has a career .497 shooting percentage and would have fit in nicely with Denver's uptempo style.

Without McDyess, though, this becomes basically a deal of Iverson for Billups. Although Billups is not as talented a player as Iverson, he is a pure point guard who has the potential to have better chemistry with Denver's talented scorers Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith.

Anthony is already one of the premier offensive players in the league, so having Iverson around may have even been a little overkill. Having two big-time perimeter scorers has rarely been a recipe for championships, and in fact the last NBA champion to have two perimeter players average 20 points per game was the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls.

Trading away Iverson makes it clear that this is Carmelo's team, and paves the way for him to mature as a player and grow into the role of go-to guy. Too often over the past two years, it has been unclear whether he or Iverson was the number-one scorer, and that kind of confusion is unproductive.

Even last year, with Boston's Big Three, it was clear that Paul Pierce was the go-to scorer when they needed a bucket. Now the Nuggets have established that for Carmelo.

In addition to benefiting Anthony, J.R. Smith is the Nugget who will get the most out of this deal. He should see an increase in his minutes, and will probably become the starting shooting guard. Anthony Carter should be seeing far fewer minutes.

Smith is a pure scorer, whose style in a lot of ways is similar to Iverson's, making it hard for the two to play at the same time. Now, though, he will be playing with a pure point guard whose top goal is to get him the ball in position to score.

Besides being an athletic penetrator, Smith shot 40.3 percent from beyond the arc last season. He should get a lot of good looks from Billups. Before this year, the most minutes he has averaged over a season was 24.5 in his rookie year, but that should go up to 32-35 this year. Last season, Smith averaged 23.0 points per 36 minutes.

For Billups himself, I expect this trade to bring about a bit of a different style of play. His passing and leadership skills will remain solid, and he will likely even average more assists in Denver's up-tempo style with the scorers that they possess.

However, I also see more opportunities for him to score himself. He is a very good three-point shooter and this is a team that likes to shoot the three. He should see his shot attempts go up and should help the Nuggets a lot.

I still don't see Denver being a playoff team in the deep West, but they could make a run at the eighth spot if Portland, Golden State, and Dallas continue to struggle. I think this is a good move for the Nuggets, one that will help their young stars to develop for the future without preventing them from having success now.

Philadelphia Phillies Are World Series Champs Thanks to a Total Team Effort

Ross Romano — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:29:24 -0400

After 28 years of waiting, the Philadelphia Phillies have finally won the second world championship in team history. Behind stellar pitching, timely offense, and solid defense, the Phils vanquished the talented Rays, four games to one.

This championship drive truly was a total team effort for the Phillies, with everyone making a significant contribution to the team's success. Below, I will go through each man on the 25-man postseason roster and describe how they were a key part of ending the Phillies' championship drought.

Starting Position Players

Carlos Ruiz -This guy is the biggest unsung hero of the playoffs. Ruiz played great baseball in the NLCS and World Series, coming up with numerous clutch hits and taking over the starting catching job through the stretch drive and the postseason, doing a great job of controlling the pitching staff.

Ruiz hit a combined .344 in the NLCS and World Series, including a big second inning home run in Game Three, in which he also recorded the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth.

Ryan Howard - It is certainly safe to say that without the big bopper, the Phillies could have been sitting at home in October. He carried the offense in September, hitting .352 with 11 homers and 32 RBI in the month, helping the Phillies surpass the Mets for the N.L. East crown.

After struggling in the NLDS, Howard batted a .293 combined in 10 NLCS and World Series games. He found his power when the World Series shifted to Citizens Bank Park, connecting for an important home run in Game Three and then crushing two bombs in Game Four and driving in six runs total in those two games.

Chase Utley - The best second baseman in the major leagues showed his talents on the big stage. He hit .353 in the NLCS, willing the Phillies to the championship, with his sixth-inning home run off Derek Lowe in Game One, perhaps turning the tide of that whole series, as the Dodgers had gotten off to a dominant start.

In the World Series, Chase connected for two big home runs, one in the first inning of Game One, giving the Phillies a lead they would never relinquish, and the other a key shot in Game Three.

But the biggest impact Utley made in the playoffs was his defense. The middle infield of the Phillies turned countless clutch double plays throughout the postseason, and Utley flashed brilliance throughout.

One of the most memorable plays of these playoffs will be from Game Five, where on a tough grounder up the middle, Utley raced to his right to keep the ball from getting into the outfield, faked the throw to first, and then fired home to catch Jason Bartlett, preserving the tie score and allowing the Phillies to go on and take the lead immediately after.

Jimmy Rollins - The catalyst at the top of the Phillies order, it can always be said that the team goes as Rollins goes. He scored 10 runs in 14 playoff games, and when Jimmy scored, the Phillies did not lose.

In the clinching games of both the NLDS and NLCS, Rollins led off with home runs, getting the Phillies off to a hot start by himself both times. In the World Series, he used line-drive hitting and speed in games Three and Four to give the offense a boost.

His defense was also outstanding throughout the postseason as the other half of the double play combo with Utley. Rollins was a Gold Glover last year and showed why he deserves the award again.

Pedro Feliz - The much-maligned third baseman with a bad habit of constantly chasing the first pitch (he has walked just 182 times in his nine-year career) came through big for the Phillies in the playoffs.

Feliz batted .375 in the Fall Classic, including the game-winning RBI single in the deciding fifth game. In addition, he played outstanding defense all season, giving the Phillies their only competent third baseman since Placido Polanco. He is as deserving of a Gold Glove as any N.L. third baseman.

Pat Burrell - The longest-tenured Phillie has endured a ton of criticism throughout his nine seasons with the club but has always been a productive hitter. In the playoffs, he came through big again.

Burrell slugged two home runs in the clinching Game Four of the NLDS in Milwaukee and also hit the game-winning homer in Game One of the NLCS.

In the World Series, he really struggled at the dish, but came through big when it mattered most. Burrell's only hit of the series was in Game Five, when he led off the seventh inning with a double off the center field wall, which led to the winning run.

Shane Victorino - Among position players, either Utley or Victorino would have to be the playoff MVP. "The Flyin' Hawaiian" did everything for the Phillies this postseason, with his bat, glove, legs, and attitude.

Shane set a Phillies all-time playoff record with 13 RBI, and every one of them was clutch. He hit a grand slam off CC Sabathia in Game Two against the Brewers, a game-tying two-run homer in the eighth inning of Game Four of the NLCS against Jonathan Broxton, and gave the Phillies their first two runs of Game Five of the World Series with his first inning single.

In addition, he went toe-to-toe with the Dodgers after Hiroki Kuroda threw at his head, firing up the Phillies, who would go on to dominate the series and advance to the fall classic.

Jayson Werth - Werth became the full-time right fielder about midway through the year and proved he belonged. He hit .315 in the playoffs, while his speed and defense both posed problems for opponents.

Jayson stole two bags in the World Series, and his presence on the base paths was constantly a distraction to Rays pitchers. His rocket home run in Game Four drove a stake into the heart of Tampa and his RBI single in the sixth inning of Game Five helped the Phillies clinch the title.

He finished with 17 playoff hits, including eight in five World Series games.

Bench

Chris Coste - Due to the emergence of Carlos Ruiz as a postseason force, Coste only played in one playoff game, when he was the DH in Game One of the World Series.

However, who knows if the Phillies would have gotten where they did without Coste. He played 98 games as catcher this season, providing nine home runs and 36 RBI from the position, offensive production Carlos Ruiz could not give.

Greg Dobbs - A key part of the Phillies team all year, Dobbs set the franchise record for single-season pinch-hits, stealing several victories for the Phils.

In the playoffs, Dobbs hit .500 and was always a guy Charlie Manuel could have confidence in when looking to his bench.

Matt Stairs - One swing was all it took to enter Stairs into Phillies lore forever. His mammoth two-run blast won Game Four of the NLCS for the Phillies, turning around the momentum and allowing the Phils to move toward the championship.

Geoff Jenkins - Needless to say, Jenkins has not lived up to the expectations placed on him when he signed a two-year deal before the season, but he also had one big swing for the world champions. His leadoff double in the sixth inning of Game Five led to the Phillies' third run of the day, giving them the momentum to win the series.

Eric Bruntlett - Bruntlett filled in admirably when Jimmy Rollins missed a month early in the season with a sprained ankle, playing good defense and helping the Phillies to stay afloat in the NL East.

His primary role throughout the playoffs was as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement for the slow-footed Pat Burrell. Bruntlett scored the winning runs in both Games Three and Five of the World Series.

So Taguchi - OK, Taguchi is the one guy I can say made absolutely no on-field contributions to the team this season. He was terrible throughout the year: He could not hit, bunt, or defend.

He did provide us with a great comedic moment though, when a reporter, following the clinching game of the World Series, asked Charlie Manuel about his importance to the roster. It was classic seeing Manuel sit up there after winning a championship and have to praise the merits of a reserve outfielder who didn't step foot on the field. Look this video up if you can.

Starting Pitchers

Cole Hamels - Named the World Series MVP, Hamels was really the MVP of the entire playoffs. He truly developed into an ace in this postseason, with the Phillies knowing they would win each time he took the mound.

Cole was 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in the playoffs and was the winning pitcher in the opening game of each series, and the starter in both the NLCS and World Series clinchers. He struck out 30 batters in 35 innings while allowing a measly 23 hits.

Brett Myers - If Myers hadn't gone down to the minors in midseason and turned his year around, the Phillies would never have gotten to October. He went 7-4 with a 3.06 ERA in the second half of the year, pitching the way the Phillies expected when they named him the opening day starter.

In the playoffs, he went 2-1 and was a solid No. 2 behind Hamels. He out-dueled Sabathia in Game Two of the NLDS, going seven strong innings, while drawing a key walk and adding a base hit.

He also helped himself win in Game Two against the Dodgers, notching three hits and three RBI. All told, Myers hit .800 for the postseason.

Joe Blanton - Speaking of pitchers becoming hitting stars, in Game Four of the World Series, "Joe the Lumber" got just the third hit of his entire career: It was a home run.

In addition to his hitting exploits, when Blanton was acquired in July, he really shored up the back end of the Phillies' rotation. The Phillies went 9-4 in his 13 starts for them, making him a big reason why they made the playoffs.

In the postseason, Blanton was 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA and was the winning pitcher in the NLDS clincher.

Jamey Moyer - The 45-year old struggled in the first two rounds of the playoffs, but if he didn't have the year that he had, the Phillies would have been sitting at home. Moyer was the Phillies' leader with 16 wins during the regular season and was a stabilizing presence for a young pitching staff.

In his first career World Series start, in Game Three, he out-dueled Rays star Matt Garza, the ALCS MVP. Moyer gave the Phillies 6.1 solid innings, leading the way for what would eventually be a 5-4 victory. The Philly-area native, who was at the 1980 victory parade, earned his way back there in 2008.

Bullpen

Scott Eyre - The Phillies picked up Eyre off waivers and he filled an immediate need as a guy who could consistently get left-hander out. He did a great job for the Phils, with a 1.88 ERA down the stretch, and in the World Series, he was used to neutralize Akinori Iwamura in two key situations.

J.A. Happ - Happ's main contribution was the fact that he was at least good enough to be trusted to be on the roster, allowing the Phillies to demote Kyle Kendrick, who imploded in August and September.

Clay Condrey - While he didn't pitch much in the playoffs, Condrey was a guy Manuel had confidence in all season. He pitched in 56 games, posting a 3.26 ERA and getting many key outs. He did a great job stepping up when the top bullpen guys were worn out.

Chad Durbin - When I saw him warming up during the seventh inning of Game Five, I said "anything but Durbin," but he did, however, do a great job for the Phillies this year. Durbin was a low-key signing, but his contributions made the Phillies' bullpen one of their strengths.

In the playoffs, he appeared in six games, allowing just one earned run. He was steady all season, and although his second-half ERA jumped to 4.33 after a 1.89 in the first half, he was a reliable reliever all season for the Phils.

J.C. Romero - Romero has been great since coming to the Phillies in the middle of the '07 season. He pitched 7.1 scoreless innings in the playoffs, including 4.2 in the World Series, on the biggest stage.

The four outs he recorded in the seventh and eighth innings of Game Five allowed the Phillies to take the lead, retain it, and get the ball into Brad Lidge's hands to close it out.

Ryan Madson - Madson has always been a solid reliever, but in the playoffs, he turned into a star. He had an 0.64 ERA with 17 K's in 14 IP in September, and that was just a precursor to what he did in the playoffs.

Madson took the mound for 12.2 stellar postseason innings, striking out 12 and allowing just three earned runs. His fastball frequently topped 95 MPH and combined with one of the league's best change-ups, he was nearly unhittable.

Brad Lidge - And now we get to the only guy more unhittable than Madson. Including his N.L. record-tying seven postseason saves, Lidge was a perfect 48-for-48 in save opportunities this season.

He allowed just one run in 9.1 playoff innings, striking out 13, including Eric Hinske, the last out of the World Series. Lidge allowed just six hits in the playoffs, and with his dominant slider, he never allowed the Phillies to be threatened.

For my money, Brad Lidge was the Phillies' most valuable player this year, but as you can see, they all played major roles in this championship.

Rain Postpones the World Series? Only in Philadelphia

Ross Romano — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:15:18 -0400

Only in Philly could this happen. The city known for passionate fans and hard-luck teams, finally on the brink of the first major championship in 25 years, had that dream delayed for at least another day.

No, not because of the Rays, although they very well could end up winning Game Five, which enters the bottom of the sixth inning ties at two. Because of rain. Huge, pounding, relentless raindrops that began bombarding the field around the fourth inning and continued until the umpires reluctantly postponed the game after Cole Hamels retired the Rays in the top of the sixth.

Hamels, the Phillies' ace left-hander, was expected, and needed, to finish out the series tonight. It was highly anticipated that Hamels would shut down the young Rays team, who had struggled all series, close the door, and allow Philadelphia's championship-starved fans to celebrate on their home turf.

Not so fast. The city has waited 100 combined sports seasons, since the 76ers' NBA title in 1983, for a major sports title. The Phillies have not won since 1980, with that being their only World Series title in 125 years of play. They will have to wait at least a little longer.

I can honestly say, without exaggeration, that I have never seen anything like what occurred on Monday night. For the last three-and-a-half innings of the game, the rain poured down harder than any rain that baseball would normally be played in. Usually, if the rain reaches anything more than a light drizzle, the game will be stopped.

However, due to the magnitude of the game and the futility of the weather forecast, they played on. The swirling winds reached the point that Gold Glove shortstop Jimmy Rollins missed a seemingly routine pop-up and the infield-fly rule was eventually discarded due to the fact that nothing could be considered routine.

The puddles were comical, looking like quicksand waiting to engulf would-be base stealers. Fortunately for B.J. Upton, he was able to swipe second, putting himself in scoring position for Carlos Pena's eventual game-tying hit.

As it stands, the game is tied heading into the bottom of the sixth. Hamels will have to be removed from the game, negating the Phillies' decided advantage in starting pitching. It will have to go to the bullpens, and although the Philadelphia 'pen has been stellar, the unusual nature of this situation can't have anybody feeling too comfortable.

This has to be seen as an advantage for Tampa Bay. Hamels' influence on the game has been denied. It's tied and he will not be able to continue. In a three-and-a-half inning battle, one big hit could decide it.

And if this game goes back to Tampa, it's anyone's game and both the home field and pitching advantages go right back to the Rays. The Phillies simply must close things out at home.

But who knows when this will happen. Tuesday night? Maybe. The forecast isn't exactly pristine for tomorrow. If it goes until Wednesday, the entire series gets pushed back a day. That potential can only be viewed as a disaster.

So here's hoping that the Phillies can come out and find a way to not only get the game played on Tuesday, but finish off the Rays in what would be the shortest day of clinching baseball in World Series History.

Well, as it would seem, that would only happen in Philly.

New York Giants: Defending Champs Are Overrated in '08

Ross Romano — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 07:16:09 -0400

I've been saying it for weeks, but thanks to the Cleveland Browns' butt-whipping of the Giants on Monday night, I can finally write it: the G-Men had become very overrated.

It's quite a roller coaster ride of over- and under-ratedness the Giants have been on the past two seasons. Last year, they began the season a bit overrated, then became very underrated with their early struggles. All the way up until they beat the previously undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl, they were overlooked.

As soon as that game was over, however, everything changed. Suddenly, the Giants were America's sweethearts, having slain the big, bad Patriots. Eli Manning was suddenly an elite QB and the defense drew comparisons to some of the best of the past two decades.

Then, suddenly, it changed again (I realize these ups and downs are ridiculous, but it's all true). Thanks to a couple of other overrated teams, the Eagles and Cowboys, the Giants became underrated again, picked by many to finish third in the NFC East. The defending champs; picked to finish third!

Not to be outdone, however, New York beat up on weak early-season competition and took advantage of some stumbles by its division rivals and became hailed as the NFL's best team again. False, false, and false.

Don't get me wrong, the Giants are still a very good team, but this is probably an 11-5 team at best. Many of the team's weaknesses have been overlooked early on thanks to the weak schedule, and winning the Super Bowl caused certain players to be rated far more highly than they deserved to.

Here are some reasons why the Giants are overrated:

1. Contrary to popular belief, this defense is worse than last year's.

Somehow, I keep hearing Giants fans and football analysts alike raving that the defense is even better than the unit that relentlessly pressured opposing QBs last season, culminating with a dominant performance in the Super Bowl.

This is simply not so. You don't just replace a future hall of famer like Michael Strahan, a pro bowler the caliber of Osi Umenyiora, and three solid pros like Kawika Mitchell, Reggie Torbor, and Gibril Wilson without at least going out and picking up something in the free agent market.

The Giants were in the best position to replace the retired Strahan, because they had Justin Tuck, a pass-rushing beast who recorded 10.0 sacks last year, waiting in the wings. However, once Umenyiora went down with a season-ending injury in training camp, having just one replacement wasn't enough. They were equipped with another natural defensive end, Mathias Kiwanauka, but moving him up from his spot at linebacker creates a weakness there.

And that's where the weakest part of the defense is right now. Gerris Wilkinson has stepped in as the starting right outside linebacker and has failed to produce. He has just eight tackles through the first five games, including only four in the last four contests.

2. Eli Manning is not an elite quarterback.

This one may be even more puzzling than the first. Where does everyone suddenly get the idea that Eli Manning is some type of stud signal-caller? Yes, the Giants did win the Super Bowl with him at the helm, but nobody ventured to say Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson were elite QBs when they hoisted the Lombardi trophy.

First Madden 09 gives the guy a 93 overall rating, seventh-best in the game. I know it's just a video game, but they scout this stuff very thoroughly and I'm wondering how they got to this conclusion.

Then, after a few games this season, I actually hear people suggesting Eli is the better of the two Manning brothers? Is this a joke? Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, when healthy, are interchangeable as the top QBs in the league. Eli is very mediocre.

Did everyone get so swept up by the Super Bowl run last year that they forgot Eli had just a 73.9 passer rating last year, 25th in the league? His rating was worse than such known bums as Kyle Boller, Damon Huard, and Joey Harrington.

Didn't anyone notice that Eli's 20 INTs thrown last year tied him for the most in the league, while his 23 TDs were only 11th? That's not a very good ratio.

Can we stop fooling ourselves by thinking this guy is some kind of star?

3. Kevin Boss is not Jeremy Shockey.

Anyone intelligent already knew this, but since some football fans aren't intelligent, I have to say it. During last season's title run, Boss became somewhat of a cult hero among Giants fans, while the injured Shockey sulked in the corner.

Yes, they did end up winning without Shockey, but that's thanks to the defense and a huge wide receiver that goes by the name of Plaxico. Trying to go the full year without a stud tight end like Shockey is a poor choice.

Although injuries have limited Shockey to just three games this year for New Orleans, he has already managed 16 catches for 151 yards. Boss has played in all five of the Giants' games and has caught just six passes for 84 yards.

From 2002-2007, in addition to being a superior blocker, Shockey averaged 62 catches and almost five touchdowns a season. Boss has 15 catches and three touchdowns in his career.

4. The NFC East is not the NFC West.

This one requires some explaining. The NFC East is the best division in football and it will take a monster weekly effort to emerge as division champs, and even to survive the regular season.

The Giants have looked so good early in the season primarily because they have played two teams from football's worst division, the NFC West, in the Rams and Seahawks, and have also played winless Cincinnati.

The Giants scored 41 points against the Rams and 44 against the Seahawks, who have the league's 29th and 32nd scoring defenses, respectively.

They combined for just 30 points against the Browns and Redskins, the only two teams they have played in the top ten in scoring defense, and needed overtime to beat the Bengals, a team which has yet to win a game.

The rest of the season will speak for itself, but the Giants' performance so far has not warranted the praise that has been heaped on them. Manning has not yet established himself as an elite QB and both the offense and defense need to prove themselves against better competition before they can be judged accurately.

The NFL So Far: Top 10 Busts of '08

Ross Romano — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:54:00 -0400

For every breakout performer this season, it seems there have been two absolute busts: guys who came into the year following huge 2007 campaigns or just highly-productive careers in general, who have failed to even come close to meeting their expectations for '08.

Some players' underperformance has had a dramatic effect on their teams—a very negative one. Without further ado, I give my list of the top 10 busts to this point in 2008.

Warning: If more than one guy from your team appears on this list, you probably aren't doing very well.

10. Joseph Addai (IND), halfback

The Colts, long one of the AFC powers, have fallen on hard time early in ’08, stumbling out to a 1-2 mark. Addai has really struggled in the early going. He carried 27 time for just 64 yards in the first two weeks of the season, and even after a decent 78-yard performance in Week Three against Jacksonville, he is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry.

Addai gained over 1,400 combined rushing and receiving yards in each of his first two years in the league, but this year he has a very long way to go if he wants to approach those numbers. He has just 168 total yards through three games this year, and perhaps most disappointing is that he has caught only four passes, after catching 40+ in each of his first two years.

9. Roy Williams (DET), wide receiver

The Lions expected a big boost after getting Williams back from an injury that cut short his ’07 season. Well...Not so much. While second-year wideout Calvin Johnson has flourished opposite Williams, No. 11 has failed to provide much of anything (aside from rumors that his days in Detroit may be numbered).

He has caught no more than three passes in any of the games, totaling eight receptions for 113 yards thus far. Williams has not broken free for any big plays and has scored just once. With Matt Millen gone, it may be only a matter of time before big Roy exits, as well.

8. Tarvaris Jackson (MIN), quarterback

Nobody was expecting this guy to be the next Daunte Culpepper (at least I hope nobody was), but come on. When you place a young QB at the helm of a playoff contender, you expect to get at least something out of him.

I’ll give you some stats, but let me preface it with this: When you get replaced by Gus Frerotte (he of the 74.2 career QB rating) after just two games, you know you messed up.

Jackson completed just barely more than half of his passes (31 of 60) and accumulated only 316 yards through the air in two starts. He generated one touchdown but turned the ball over twice. Even with the juggernaut named Adrian Peterson with him on the Vikings' offense, Head Coach Brad Childress decided Jackson wasn’t ready, and so he replaced him with the aforementioned Redskin legend, Frerotte.

7. Peyton Manning (IND), quarterback

It’s a bad sign when both your QB and HB make this list, but it is the case with the Colts. Yes, it’s true that Peyton isn’t fully healthy, but this is Peyton Manning, one of the true greats of the game, and boy has he been pedestrian so far.

He’s ranked 24th in the league in passer rating, behind such notable scrubs as Kyle Orton and Mark Bulger. He has thrown more interceptions (four) than touchdown passes (three), and is completing less than 60 percent of his passes for the first time since his rookie year.

With Addai not providing the expected punch and Marvin Harrison in decline, it will be an uphill battle for Manning to regain his place among the league’s elite QBs.

6. Chris Perry (CIN), halfback

The Bungles, I mean Bengals, released Rudi Johnson with the belief that Perry would be an upgrade. I guess you can’t always believe what you believe? Perry really hasn’t been anything more than terrible. He has carried 72 times, 10th in the NFL, but has just 208 yards, 24th in the league.

His 2.9 yards per carry is second-worst among starting backs and is well below the league average. Additionally, he has contributed next-to-nothing as a receiver, with just 26 yards in that category. Not to pile on, but Chris has also fumbled four times already, losing two of them.

One positive stat, though, for Bengals fans: zero arrests for this guy!

5. Matt Hasselbeck (SEA), quarterback

I’ll concede that he did lose his top three receivers before Week One, but he hasn’t just been bad, he’s been atrocious. Remember, Donovan McNabb played the first three weeks without his top two wideouts and has been one of the top performers in the NFL.

Hasselbeck has thrown for just two touchdowns and his high passing yards for a game is just 190, done in Week One against Buffalo. His completion percentage is a horrendous 48.5 percent and his rating is an equally poor 60.1, second-worst among starters. This is bad.

4. Chad Johnson (CIN), wide receiver

Ocho Stinko has been a non-factor this season, despite his highly-publicized name-changing antics. Proving once again that he is not even the best receiver on his own team, No. 85 has caught just 11 passes in four games, compared to T.J. Houshmandzadeh’s 24.

I respect the fact that he’s playing through a painful shoulder injury, but wouldn’t it be better for his team if he got the surgery and took the time off? This scrub squad is going nowhere fast anyway (for my money, they’re actually a worse team than the Rams). Alas, it’s unlikely that Johnson is actually motivated by team-related factors.

85’s season high for yardage is 37, the only time he has managed to eclipse the prestigious 30-yard mark. He has scored just once and has fewer receiving yard than Johnnie Lee Higgins (That’s not a joke, Higgins is actually a real guy).

Just shut it down, Chad.

3. Braylon Edwards (CLE), wide receiver

Of the top three on this list, two play for the same team. And you wonder why the Browns suck? Edwards, 97th in the NFL with his 95 total receiving yards in four weeks of play, has been possibly the biggest shocker of the year. This is a guy who exploded for almost 1,300 yards and 16 TDs last year, establishing himself as one of the best young players in the league and one of the best receivers, period.

Oh, what a difference a year makes. That’s what they said last year, when the Browns rose from perennial cellar-dwellers to 10-win playoff contenders. Well, they can say it again this year, because this team is terrible.

Edwards, like Chad Johnson, has just 11 catches and one touchdown, but with the heightened expectations entering the season, he ranks as the bigger bust. Don’t forget, that Johnnie Lee Higgins stat applies here, too.

This past week alone, 11 different receivers had 100-yard games, a total Edwards has yet to reach this season! Three different Arizona Cardinals this week had more yards than he has this year. In his defense, though, maybe some of this is due to that play of...

2. Derek Anderson (CLE), quarterback

...our number two bust, Mr. Anderson. The cries for Brady Quinn have never been as loud as they are now, and who can blame Cleveland fans? After 3,800 yards and 29 touchdown passes last season led to a big contract extension, I’m assuming they expected more than this.

In four games this year, Anderson has thrown twice as many interceptions (six) as touchdowns (three), has thrown for over 150 yards just once (166 at Pittsburgh), and one week had a passer rating of 22.9.

Even with his big numbers last year, he wasn’t the most efficient passer, but this season, he has completed less than half of his tries and is averaging less than five yards per attempt.

I mentioned earlier that Matt Hasselbeck was the second-lowest rated passer in the league. Derek Anderson’s 49.9 rating is the worst.

1. Randy Moss (NE), crybaby

Last year, Moss had what was quite possibly the greatest season ever by a wide receiver. He had 98 catches for almost 1,500 yards, including a single-season record 23 receiving TDs. My, how circumstances can change things.

Have you seen Randy Moss, circa 2006, when he was with Oakland? If so, you’re already prepared for what’s to come. In Minnesota, he admitted to taking plays off. Well, in Oakland, the guy took two full years off, and without Brady behind center, this will be much of the same.

Moss has always shown a lack of effort when not paired with an elite QB, which makes very little sense, since in many cases it is Randy himself who makes the QB as good as he is.

In the past two games, with Matt Cassel at the helm, Moss has caught just six passes for 47 yards. By contrast, teammate Wes Welker has caught 13 for 127. Cassel is certainly good enough to get the ball to Moss, but no wideout in the NFL can succeed without maximum effort.

I agree preemptively with what many of the critics will say: Randy Moss has not been the worst player in the NFL this year and possibly not even the player who has most underperformed, given the expectations.

But in my mind, he is the most disappointing, given the fact that on any given Sunday, he has the ability to be completely unstoppable and has not shown that he cares about achieving that this season.

Top 10 NFL Rookies

Ross Romano — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:31:00 -0400

In the first three weeks of this 2008 NFL season we have already seen a ton of impressive performances from the neophytes of the league.

It has already been a great year for running backs, but we have also seen rookie QBs step into the fire and lead their teams, as well as wide receivers and many guys on the defensive side of the ball.

Here, based on their performances so far this year and the expectations for the rest of the '08 campaign, I rank the top 10 NFL rookies:

10. Antoine Cason (SD), Cornerback

Cason has stepped right into an already good defense and played like he belongs. The Chargers defense has struggled a bit in the early going—most notably by allowing 39 points to the high-powered Denver offense in week two.

But Cason has teamed up with Antonie Cromartie to form a young CB duo with a chance to become one of the league’s best in the years to come. He already has an interception and a forced fumble to go along with his placing fifth among all rookies in tackles with 15.

9. Eddie Royal (DEN), Wide Receiver

After exploding out of the gates with a nine-catch, 146-yard performance in week one, this receiver out of Virginia Tech has cooled a bit in the past two weeks.

Although he racked up just 37 yards in week two, he scored the Broncos' touchdown that cut the Chargers lead to 38-37. On the very next play he proved how clutch he can be by hauling in Jay Cutler’s two-point conversion pass to win the game.

8. Jerod Mayo (NE), Linebacker

Even after losing their own first round pick due to Spygate, a shrewd move with the Niners during the previous year’s draft still left the Patriots with the seventh pick, which they wisely spent on Mayo.

He has jumped into a defensive core that was desperately in need of some youth and has not disappointed. Even with the Dolphins shredding the Patriots on the ground all day this past Sunday, he stepped up with 12 tackles and on the season leads all rookies with 25.

7. Darren McFadden (OAK), Halfback

The consensus No. 1 running back in the draft showed what he can do in week two, with a 164-yard performance against the Chiefs, helping the hapless Raiders to what may be their only win for a while. McFadden has often been compared to last year’s star rookie, Adrian Peterson, which certainly isn’t a bad thing.

But it’s unlikely he will get enough carries this year to have the same kind of production. In weeks one and three combined, he has just 23 carries for 88 yards.

6. Matt Ryan (ATL), Quarterback

While Ryan’s stats aren’t as impressive as many of these other rookies, he has stepped into a tougher situation than any of them. Being a rookie quarterback on a bad football team is an unenviable task, but Ryan has adapted to the role impressively, winning two of his first three games, playing efficient football in the two wins.

He has been helped greatly by the running of Michael Turner and Jerrious Norwood, but in the two wins, Ryan has compiled a stat line of 21-31 passing for 353 yards and two TDs. Very good stats indeed.

5. Felix Jones (DAL), Halfback

McFadden’s former running mate in the Arkansas backfield has had even more of an impact so far. Jones has scored a touchdown in each of the Cowboys’ first three games, and has quickly justified Jerry Jones’ decision to select a back from his alma mater.

Jones has been electric as a kick returner, taking one to the house against the Eagles, and has a 60-yard TD run against Green Bay to his credit. The only factor preventing him from ranking higher on this list is that he has only carried the ball 18 times so far this year.

4. Chris Long (STL), Defensive End

Lost amid the absolute futility of the Rams' team as a whole is the fact the No. 2 pick in the draft can really play some football. After struggling in St. Louis’ week one shellacking by the Eagles, he has come on strong with 11 tackles and a sack from his defensive end spot the past two weeks.

Long’s strong upper and lower body make him an asset against the run, in addition to his already well-developed pass-rushing abilities.

3. DeSean Jackson (PHI), Wide Receiver

Eagles fans came into the season with high hopes for this diminutive wideout from Cal, but many were skeptical that he could have much of an impact on the offense. Given his lack of size and experience, they figured that he would primarily impact the team as a punt returner.

Jackson immediately proved those skeptics wrong by becoming the first Eagles receiver since 1940 to go for 100 yards in each of his first two games. He has caught 17 passes for 256 yards and been electric returning punts as well, averaging 10 yards on 12 opportunities.

Aside from his memorable flub against Dallas (which I’m sure you’ve all seen), he has been everything the Eagles needed, and has established himself as the best rookie receiver in the league.

2. Chris Johnson (TEN), Halfback

Not a whole lot of people knew about this guy coming into the season, but they sure know about him now.

Johnson is fast. Crazy fast. His clocked 40-yard dash time of 4.24 seconds at the NFL combine is the fastest ever, and that speed translates directly to the field, where he and LenDale White have formed one of the league’s best running tandems.

He has averaged 5.5 yards per carry on his way to 276 yards in the first three games, including a 51-yarder in week two that helped him to 109 on the day.

1. Matt Forte (CHI), Halfback

This has certainly been a banner year for rookie halfbacks thus far, and none more so than Matt Forte. All of the other running backs on this list have been explosive, but have not carried the bulk of the workload for their respective teams. Forte has.

Forte walked into a Chicago lineup that sorely needed a dependable runner after letting Thomas Jones go in favor of the great draft bust Cedric Benson.

He has 86 touches in the first three games, running 73 times for 304 yards and catching 13 passes for another 105. With a great defense and the incomparable Kyle Orton at QB, the Bears will undoubtedly lean heavily on Forte in their bid for a playoff spot in the NFC North.

Should Ryan Howard Be the N.L. MVP?

Ross Romano — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:34:51 -0400

There's no denying that Ryan Howard is the greatest home-run hitter in the game today. Since entering the league full-time in the middle of the 2005 season, Ryan has 172 HR and 485 RBI in just three-and-a-half seasons, tops in the majors.

However, his penchant for striking out in large amounts has been troubling, and never more so than throughout much of this season, in which he now has 190 K's, only 10 shy of breaking the all-time single-season record he set last year and becoming the first player ever to strike out 200 times in one season.

With all that said, the question at hand is this: Should he be the NL MVP this year?

Despite the lofty strikeout totals and low batting average (.249, but rising), he has 45 HR, eight more than the nearest competitor, Adam Dunn, and 137 RBI, an astounding 23 more than David Wright, who is second in the N.L. in that category.

His ability to produce a huge number of runs and carry the Phillies offense for long stretches makes him one of the most valuable players in the game for sure. Even with his batting average being so poor all season, he has racked up 310 total bases, third in the league. The production numbers are undeniable.

The N.L. MVP race is very wide-open right now, and this is why Howard has been able to jump back into the picture as a viable candidate after struggling for much of the season. The other top candidates right now are most likely David Wright, Albert Pujols, and Lance Berkman. Each presents strong evidence to support their candidacies, but they also have their flaws.

Although Pujols has been great once again this season, I will dismiss his case because he is playing for a fourth-place team with no shot at the postseason. Yes, for much of the year the Cardinals played over their heads and looked like contenders, but they have cooled off now, and Pujols' numbers aren't far enough ahead of the pack to separate him.

Pujols leads the league in batting average and slugging percentage, but he has done little else to separate himself, even from teammate Ryan Ludwick, who has the same number of homers (33) and RBI (101) as Albert.

The thing that separates Howard from Pujols is that Howard has 36 more RBI and has also scored five more runs than Pujols. The run-production differential is large enough to excuse Howard's other flaws.

The next competitor to challenge is Lance Berkman, who got off to a torrid start in April and May and appeared headed for the trophy. Although the Astros have caught fire of late, Berkman has actually cooled off significantly.

He is hitting .273 since the All Star break, as compared to .347 before it, and he has just six homers and 27 RBI in the second half of the season! It is basically as if the Astros have been winning lately despite Berkman, not because of him. His batting average of .163 this month is certainly not becoming of an MVP.

By comparison, the Phillies' recent surge has come because of Howard, who, by comparison, has 17 HR and 53 RBI in 56 second-half games. He has ramped up that production in September, hitting .393 with eight HR and 23 RBI this month alone, basically equaling Berkman's run production for the entire second half.

We have now shown that Howard is more deserving of this award than Berkman and Pujols, now how about Wright? David Wright, to me, is the most worthy adversary here, and the two happen to play in the same division.

While the Phillies and Mets are battling for the N.L. East title, it is very likely that these two are also battling for the MVP.

Let's try to dissect this one. Let's first get out of the way that Wright is a superior defensive player, and in a close call would have that tiebreaker on his side. Now for the hitting stats.

For the season, Howard has huge advantages in HR and RBI, while Wright has the higher batting average and has scored more runs. They have virtually identical slugging percentages (Howard's is .536, compared to .530 for Wright), and are certainly the heart of their respective teams' lineups.

Wright, like Howard, has picked it up in the second half, hitting .318 with 14 homers and 44 RBI after the break, compared to a .276, 17, 53 stat line for the Phillie. In the September stats, Howard really separates himself, though, with the aforementioned .393 BA, eight HR, and 23 RBI. Wright has been good, but not great, with a .304/4/11 line.

Howard's slugging percentage in September is an absurd .964, and his Phillies have rallied around him to overtake the Mets and Brewers in the playoff positioning. With that said, Wright has been a consistently productive and steadying force on the Mets all year and has been certainly their best player.

It will go down to the wire, and it may come down to who wins the N.L. East. However, since both of these teams could get into the playoffs, that may not be enough. The voters will have a tough job of deciding between two worthy competitors. As for me, I'll cast my vote for Ryan Howard.

The MLB Stretch Drive: Who You Can (And Can't) Count On In September

Ross Romano — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:59:30 -0400

We’re coming down the stretch of the baseball season, with just over two weeks remaining, and as the anticipation builds, everyone wants to know who will make it to the playoffs.

Well, having players who you can count on to produce late in the season is a main indicator of September success, while conversely, having guys who have repeatedly shrunk in the heat of the pennant race predicts an early exit.

Here I have named the starting nine guys you want on your team late in the season, and also the nine guys you want to avoid.

Some rules for this list:

1. Only players from contending teams were considered, since they are the ones who are actually in the pennant race. The Angels were excluded, since they have already clinched the West.

2. Players should have a proven track record of September performance, whether good or bad. A reason for not wanting a guy down the stretch cannot be “well, he’s a rookie, so he hasn’t been through this before”.

And now here are the squads (all stats accurate as of Sept. 12).

Catcher

Who you want: Joe Mauer, MIN – Mauer has been good in all months throughout his career, and September is no exception. His career .315 AVG in the big leagues hasn’t slumped much late in the season, as it does for most catchers, as he has hit at a .297 clip in his career during the season’s final month. This season, he has hit .321 with 23 RBI and 22 runs scored since the beginning of August.

Who you don’t: Jason Varitek, BOS – Varitek is not immune to the wear and tear that backstops take over the course of a long season, owning just a .232 career batting average in September. Last season he sputtered to a .225 clip after the break and has compiled only 70 RBI in his last 170 games played, including just 10 since the All-Star break this season.

First Base

Who you want: Ryan Howard, PHI – Ryan leads the majors in home runs and runs batted in since he entered the bigs in ’05, and he does his best work in the month of September. Over his career, Howard has hit .314 with 39 HR and 94 RBI in 96 September starts.

Add to that a .794 slugging percentage and 1.149 OPS, and this guy is a true September slaughterer. He started this year's final month by going .368 with six HR and 15 RBI in the first 10 games.

Who you don’t: Adam Dunn, ARI – Dunn’s production has consistently dropped off late in the year, as he has hit just .225 in September during his career. His 26 HR and 68 RBI in 170 September games are by far his lowest totals of any month. He has failed to produce runs of late this season, with just four HR and 15 RBI in his last 37 games.

Second Base

Who you want: Dustin Pedroia, BOS – Pedroia, along with his .302 AVG and 22 runs in 25 September games last year, established himself as one of the main components in Boston’s championship run. He has hit .356 in the second half this year, which has jumped up to .371 since the beginning of August, and he has knocked in 30 runs in his last 35 games.

Who you don’t: David Eckstein, ARI – Not only is Eckstein playing out of position now for Arizona, but his bat won’t help them cure their woeful offense. He has just 80 RBI in the last three seasons. The entire seasons, not just September!

He hit just .154 in his first seven games as a D'back and has contributed just 35 career September RBI, to go along with a fairly modest 89 runs scored in 160 games.

Third Base

Who you want: David Wright, NYM – Wright uses his late-season performance to establish himself as the Mets’ best player (over Jose Reyes, who will show up a little later).

He is a career .324 hitter in the second half, including 49 HR and 186 RBI in 260 August and September games. Last season, he hit .372 in the last two months of the season with 12 HR and 41 RBI.

Who you don’t: Bill Hall, MIL – Hall has really struggled since the All-Star break in ’07. He hit just .226 after the break last year and has hit just .225 for this entire season, which has dropped even lower, down to .203 after the break.

Hall has contributed just one HR and 10 RBI, since the beginning of August, in his apparent efforts to help the Brewers miss out on the playoffs once again.

Shortstop

Who you want: Jimmy Rollins, PHI – Last year’s NL MVP turned it on late by hitting .298 with 15 XBH and 18 RBI in September ‘07 to help the Phillies overcome a huge deficit to reach the playoffs.

In his career, he has hit .295 with 29 HR and 124 RBI, not to mention 162 runs scored, 54 doubles, and 22 triples, all his highest totals of any month.

Who you don’t: Jose Reyes, NYM – Reyes played no small part in last season’s Mets demise, hitting just .205 in September. This year, he has gotten off to an even worse September start, going just .182 with two XBH, zero RBI, and two runs scored in eight games.

I will say that Angel Berroa is probably still a less-desirable stretch-drive shortstop, but given that fact that pretty much anyone would rate Reyes among the game’s best at the position, his late-season struggles are more disappointing.

Left Field

Who you want: Manny Ramirez, LAD – Probably the least surprising pick on this list, Manny being Manny in September means Manny just being a damn good hitter. He is a .316 career hitter in September, with 269 RBI in 330 games.

As if that wasn’t enough of an indication, Ramirez has hit an otherworldly .396 with a .488 OPB, 14 HR, and 40 RBI in 38 games as a Dodger. I guess he likes it there.

Who you don’t: Pat Burrell, PHI – Burrell is one of baseball’s streakiest hitters, but he has had a tendency to struggle in September. He is a .248 career hitter in the month, and this year is hitting just .210 with seven HR and 20 RBI in the second half, after offering up a .275, 23 HR, 57 RBI stat line in the first half.

Although it was disguised by the Phillies’ dramatic comeback last season, he struggled to a .209 average last September.

Center Field

Who you want: Carlos Beltran, NYM – Along with Wright, Beltran was one of very few Mets not to go into a coma last September. He put up a .304 BA, with 14 HR and 50 RBI in the last two months of ’07 and is hitting an outstanding .329 since the beginning of August this season.

And although it's not really among the criteria for this list, I feel compelled to remember his unreal 2004 postseason with Houston, when he hit .435 with eight HR in 12 games.

Who you don’t: The Windy City Old Guys – This one came down to a tie between two of this generation’s best, who have both seen better days. On the north side, Jim Edmonds (CHC) has had several consecutive years of September struggles.

Dating back to the 2003 season, his September batting average is just .238. This year, he is hitting .233 in the second half (at least he’s consistent, he hit .232 before the break), and since the beginning of August has hit .203 with only eight RBI.

On the south side, Ken Griffey, Jr. (CWS) is one of the greatest players to ever set foot on the field. But the Griffey who trots out there now is far from the one who earned the Hall of Fame credentials.

Over the last three seasons, his batting average in the last month of the season is just .192 with only two homers and 12 RBI in 28 games. "The Kid" hasn’t made a significant September contribution since 2001, his second year in Cincinnati.

Right Field

Who you want: Jermaine Dye, CWS – Dye has gone over 30 HR for the third time in four years and has a history of late-season success. Last season, he hit .298 with 16 homers after the All-Star break, and in ’06, he was even better, going .313 with 19 bombs. On the road to the ’05 World Series, Dye put up 10 HR and 27 RBI in the season’s final two months.

Who you don’t: Kosuke Fukudome, CHC – This is the one time where I do a bit against one of my rules, since Fukudome doesn’t really have a major-league track record.

However, the decline in his numbers over the course of this season is hard to ignore. Here are his batting averages by month, from April to September: .327, .293, .264, .236, .193, .133.

Not only has his batting average declined in every single month, to the point of futility, but his power numbers have progressively gotten worse. After the break, he is hitting just .221 with a measly nine extra-base hits and a putrid .317 slugging percentage.

On the Mound

Who you want: Johan Santana, NYM – Johan has long held a reputation as a second-half stopper, and the numbers back that up. He is 55-17 with a 2.75 ERA and a .210 BAA for his career in the second half.

He has won his last six-straight decisions this year, including a 4-0 mark with a 2.10 ERA since the end of July.

Who you don’t: Dan Haren, ARI – Haren is a September struggler, with just a 7-13 career record in the month. His career ERA during the months of September and August is a poor 4.44, and this year, it has been worse.

After beginning the season 11-5, he is just 3-3 with a 5.83 ERA in his last eight starts. If he doesn’t turn it around soon, the Diamondbacks will have no chance of catching the Dodgers out west.

So there you have your starting lineups of the good and the bad. If you have a lot of the successful guys on your team’s roster, you should feel confident heading into the season’s final stretch drive.

If you have a bunch of guys on the other side (err, Arizona), well...Anything can happen, right?

Cleveland Browns: Doom Starts with 'D'

Ross Romano — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:37:57 -0400

I feel bad writing this, what with all the high hopes and everything surrounding the Cleveland Browns this season. They have some of the league's best and most dedicated fans. The Dawg Pound is possibly the roughest fan section in the NFL.

Cleveland fans haven't won a championship since Jim Brown was running wild in the old days before Lamar Hunt cleverly devised the Super Bowl. They've even endured the loss of their team to Baltimore, then got back an expansion squad a few years later, only to watch the Ravens go on to Super Bowl glory.

But I must say, while this is the best Browns team since the return of football to Cleveland, they will not make the playoffs. The winless preseason was an indicator, but wins and losses in the preseason can't be taken too seriously. The opening day loss at home was tough, but the Cowboys may be the most talented team in the league, so it's not a travesty to lose to them. The problem is how totally and thoroughly the Browns have been dominated.

A Super Bowl contender doesn’t come out and get thrashed 30-3 in the first 16 minutes of a preseason game, as happened against the Giants. Especially when the team hasn’t made the playoffs since Kelly Holcomb was running the show and when they are facing off against the defending champs on Monday Night Football.

Yes, it's just preseason, but a real contender comes out and puts on a good display for a quarter before taking it easy. You have to actually prove something before you earn the right to completely mail in an entire preseason (as the Patriots did).

Derek Anderson’s concussion is a shame, since he played so well for much of last year. A QB with 29 TD passes is no joke. But he did hit a wall down the stretch, with eight INTs in the final month, so he has yet to prove he can do it over a full season. With the lingering nature of concussions, it’s not a given that he’s going to stay on the field for 16 games this year, let alone produce for 16.

Another thing Cleveland bandwagoners seem to be forgetting: Jamal Lewis is getting old. He’s been in the league for nine seasons and just turned 29. That age is by no means a death sentence, but as far as running backs go, 30 is ancient. So it stands to reason that there’s not a ton of tread left on his tires.

After a remarkable 1,300-yard bounce-back year in ’07, how long can he realistically keep it up? Don’t forget, he ran for just 1,015 yards per season in the previous three years and is far removed from his 2,066 yard performance in ’03, in which he mounted a serious assault on Eric Dickerson’s rushing record.

But what this Lewis point has led us to is this: The more things change, the more they stay the same, and that is true of Cleveland’s defense. No matter how dynamic Braylon Edwards (who was terrible against Dallas, but will pick it up soon) and Kellen Winslow are, and no matter how explosive Donte’ Stallworth can be, the defense remains one of the most wretched units in the league.

Do you remember who made Lewis’s 2003 season possible? Well in two games against the Browns that year, he racked up 500 rushing yards on just 52 carries! As astounding as that is, they haven’t managed to get much better. They ranked just 30th in the league in total defense last year, and began this campaign by allowing 487 total yards and 30 first downs against Dallas.

That is not championship-caliber defense. Lewis should have let them know that. I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten that the Super Bowl ring he won with the Ravens was based 85 percent on defense, 10 percent on his running talents, and 5percent on Trent Dilfer not messing up.

Against the Cowboys, Cleveland’s D let Tony Romo do as he pleased in the pocket, as he felt absolutely zero pressure all day long. Romo is prone to mistakes, and he gave the Browns a few gifts. Unfortunately, their awful pass defense couldn’t accept the gestures, and dropped some easy interceptions.

There’s nothing wrong with having no-names on your defense, but these guys just aren’t good. Outside of Shaun Rogers, Corey Williams, and Kamerion Wimbley, not a single player on that defense would start for another NFL team.

And as bad as it was with Romo, it will continue to get worse. The Browns face one of the NFL’s toughest schedules and play a lot of primetime games, something they haven’t done before. To adjust to primetime is one thing, but to do it against the league’s elite is a whole new ballgame.

They still face the Steelers twice, along with the Jaguars, Colts, Bills, Titans, Eagles, and the Giants. Though the Bengals and Broncos may not be contenders, Carson Palmer and Jay Cutler could have field days against this defense.

It’s sad for me because I really want this team to do well. Braylon Edwards is one of the league’s best receivers and Derek Anderson is a great story. Romeo Crennel is a very good coach who deserves better defensive personnel than he has. But with the lack of defense being played and the brutal schedule, not to mention the lack of any positive signs so far, I find it hard to believe this team could rally to make the playoffs.

I’ve got just one thing to say to Cleveland if they don’t like this: Go out and prove me wrong.