Bleacher Report - Articles by Tomer Talmy

Why the L.A. Angels Could Present a Mismatch for the New York Yankees

Tomer Talmy — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:53:15 -0400

It took five long years for the mighty Yankees to get back to the ALCS, but the celebration did not last long, as the Yankees started to prepare for the war with their haunted rivals out west.

In 2008, for the first time since 1995, the Yankees were not playing baseball in October. In the final season of the most historic ballpark in baseball, the Yankees were watching the postseason from home while their former manager, Joe Torre was stringing together wins for the Dodgers.

It seemed like the Yankees experiment with Joe Girardi was a failure and that many changes have to be made. 2008 marked the true end of the era starting in 1996 when Joe Torre arrived in New York. The Yankees powerhouse teams from the '90s were all but forgotten and only a few players remained.

The Yankees revamped their roster over the offseason and the loads of money spent by the Yankees angered New Yorkers whose jobs were either taken or endangered as a result of the global economic recession.

However, Yankee fans could not wish for more as the Yankees added: CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Mark Teixeira, and Nick Swisher to their already talented roster.

The expectations going into this season were the biggest since 2004 when the Yankees landed Alex Rodriguez in a big trade with the Rangers. Ironically enough, that was the last time the Yankees were in the ALCS and things have gone downhill from there.

In 2009, the Yankees met all expectations during the regular season, posting a stellar 103-59 record. But as always in the Bronx, the regular season means absolutely nothing and the only achievement is a World Series ring.

The first step of this mission started last week in the ALDS against the Twins. A tired Twins team slipped into Yankee Stadium after a great run to finish the season ahead of the Tigers. In Game One, the Twins looked over matched as the Yankees took the game 7-2 behind their ace, CC Sabathia.

Game Two was one of the most exciting games of the past few years in the playoffs or otherwise for the Yankees and the Yankees also took Game Three in Minnesota to close out the sweep.

Next up are the Angels, a pesky team from Anaheim which has haunted the Yankees throughout the Joe Torre era, posting the best regular season record against the Yanks and eliminating them from the playoffs twice in 2002 and 2006.

This matchup looks to be very even and we should be heading for a very close and long series. The Yankees answered all the question marks in the division series against the Twins with the likes of Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia performing a ta very high level.

The key in this series for the Yankees is the play of Alex Rodriguez and the starting pitching. The Angels have a very strong starting staff and the Yankees have only three reliable starters, a major weakness in seven game series'.

One solution for the starting rotation is to pitch Sabathia in three games: Games One, Four, and Seven. Sabathia could pitch Game Four for the Yankees instead of Chad Gaudin or Joba Chamberlain. Sabathia pitched on three days rest multiple times last season for the Brewers, carrying Milwaukee into the playoffs.

The Angels also present a problem because of their speed and pesky hitting. The Angels have a number of players who can steal bases with ease, and Mike Scioscia teams have always been good run-producing ball clubs.

The Yankees could match up with the Angels by using their own speed to produce runs. Brett Gardner could have a big impact on the series either starting in CF instead of Melky Cabrera or pinch running in the late innings. The Yankees also added Freddy Guzman, a speedy utility man, to their roster for the ALCS.

If Alex Rodriguez keeps on performing the way he has in the last few weeks, the Yankees could pound the Angels bullpen in the late innings and score enough runs to support their starters.

While the Yankees have had nothing go wrong so far in the postseason, things could go wrong if the Angels can get their speed game going and it will be tough to beat them in their own game.

Can the Yankees keep up their play from the division series or will they fold in the hands of the modern "Big Red Machine"?

For more coverage of the series visit Tomer Talmy's YouTube page at: http://www.youtube.com/user/tomertalmy

Or visit the Bronx Informer blog:

http://bronxinformer.blogspot.com/

Yankees-Blue Jays: Series Preview

Tomer Talmy — Tue, 12 May 2009 07:11:46 -0400

The Yankees are riding a series win going into a series of rare importance early in the season. The Yankees have been very streaky since the start of the season and their most recent streak was one for the worse.

However, the Yankees managed to snatch two games in Baltimore behind the bat of Alex Rodriguez and the solid pitching by CC Sabathia and Joba Chamberlain. With Alex Rodriguez back in the lineup, the Yankees entered a new phase of the season and under that regime, they are 2-1.

In the series opener, A.J Burnett will take the mound against his former teammate and close friend, Roy Halladay. As always, Roy Halladay has been consistent this season and has gotten six wins for the surprising Jays.

On the other side of the rubber, Burnett has a 5.26 ERA entering the game and while he has looked phenomenal at times, he has struggled as of late. This should be a close matchup that will come down to which team can get to the bullpen of the opposition the earliest.

In the second game of the series at Rogers Centre, Andy Pettitte will take the mound against Scott Richmond. Pettitte has been rather consistent for the Yankees and has been the only pitcher to display that characteristic here in the early season. He will be matched-up with Scott Richmond, a rookie starter for the Jays who is 4-1 with a 3.29 ERA and has pitched well early in the season.

In the finale, we will see CC Sabathia coming off a shutout win in Baltimore match up with Brian Tallet, who has been mediocre for the Jays with a 4.95 ERA. It is crucial for Sabathia to rebound after a strong start and give the Yankees some innings in an attempt to give the worn out bullpen a bit of a rest.

Sabathia has looked sharp several times this season but he finally was able to piece it together in his last outing.

This is a crucial series for the Yankees from several different perspectives.

First, the Yankees would like to get over .500 and start playing some good baseball with Rodriguez back in the lineup.

Second, the Yankees would like to get closer to the division leading Blue Jays and certainly not dig themselves a hole early on like they have in past seasons.

Third, this is a division game for the Yankees and they have struggled with a 5-11 record within the AL East.

Going into tonight, the Yankees see three even pitching matchups with the third favoring them. If the hitting comes along and the starters give the Yankees some innings, they should be able to take a couple of games this week from the Jays.

New York Knicks' Season All but Over

Tomer Talmy — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:35:34 -0400

With their disappointing loss to the Orlando Magic at home on Monday, the New York Knicks' losing streak stretched to a frightening five games, and the season looks like it might be lost.

After a campaign full of ups an downs, it would be easy to evaluate 2008-09 as "average." In this first year under coach Mike D'Antoni, N.Y. was at one point beating teams like the Rockets and Suns and looked like they would be back in the Playoffs. But since then, their level of play has fallen off dramatically.

While it is hard to criticize D'Antoni, as he's done a great job this year, there are some key points that Knicks should consider when they begin to prepare for next season. While the main mission for '09, to get the Knicks back to the "respectable" level, was accomplished, 2009-10 must see even more improvement.

D'Anotni's uptempo style changed many facets of the Knicks' game offensively, but the lack of defense has hurt them tremendously down the stretch. The Knicks play sloppy defense and are unable to guard true stars such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Both of them put on a show in their trips to the Garden this season.

The lack of defense has also hurt the Knicks late in games. They're rarely out of a game, but they've been unable to finish against teams like Orlando and Miami despite big leads heading into the fourth quarter.

The Knicks' laundry list is undoubtedly long, but it has been shortened since Isaiah Thomas left. With Donnie Walsh as the general manager, fans can look forward to the 2009-2010 season with the free agency frenzy of 2010 awaiting on the horizon.

A-Rod Tarnishes Yankee Legacy with Steroid Controversy

Tomer Talmy — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:49:23 -0500

Another dark day in the history of the Yankees, the greatest franchise in the history of team sports.

Since October of 2003, the Yankee ship has been sinking into the dark waters of the Hudson River. After losing the World Series in 2003 to the Marlins, it seemed like a great run in the Bronx was finally over. On February 15, 2004, the Rangers traded Rodriguez to the New York Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and it seemed like the Yankees were bound to make another run at the title in 2004.

Them, a new face showed up in town. The greatest talent to ever take the baseball field, and he went by the name of Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod was the best all around player in the game and he made the move from shortstop to third base just to fit the Yankee need in hope for a championship ring.

However, the Yankee ship kept on sinking as they suffered the worst postseason collapse in the history of baseball losing four in a row to the Red Sox after leading 3-0 in the ALCS.

The Yankee ship kept on sinking as they lost in the first round of the playoffs in 2005 to the Angels, in 2006 to the Tigers and in 2007 to the Indians. Joe Torre was fired after the 2007 season and it was officially the end of an era in the Bronx.

2008 was another painful year and the Yankees did not make the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.

This offseason seemed to be perfect as the Yankees picked up three of the best free agents on the market in Marx Teixeira, C.C Sabathia, and A.J Burnett. Yankee fans had their hopes up once again and all focus was on a championship.

The positive thoughts were terminated by Joe Torre’s book which came out just a few days ago and in it laid several criticisms of the game’s best player, Alex Rodriguez. Torre said that A-Rod was referred to as “A-Fraud” when he was struggling and he had a hard time connecting with the players in the Yankee clubhouse. This was the second of two controversies for Alex Rodriguez this offseason with the first being his scandal with Madonna.

Today however, the Yankee ship hit rock bottom as Alex Rodriguez got back on the national spectrum with yet another bothersome outrage. Sports Illustrated released a report earlier this morning that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two different steroids in 2003. The seemingly perfect Yankee offseason suffered a major hit today and this might be the start of the biggest controversy in major league history.

Yes, it is going to be bigger than the Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens controversies. After all, this is A-Rod we are talking about, the most talented player to ever play the game of baseball. Everyone associated with baseball wanted this guy to break the record currently held by Barry Bonds. He was the "clean" guy who kept the integrity of the game alive as long as he was on the field. However, countless numbers of controversies have haunted this guy over the last few seasons. Spring trainings have been the outlet for the Alex Rodriguez soap opera.

Rodriguez will eventually break the all time home run record if his pace is not slowed down by injuries or a lack of emotional capacity for his latest saga. He was notified about this positive test following 2003 and was also notified about the report that would magnify his stature to a whole new level. A-Rod however, chose not to do anything and it is apparent that he is unable to deny these allegations because even in his mind, they are true.

All Yankee fans can do is hope that this will not affect the team in any way and that the now blemished offseason will be enough to lead them back to the promised land in the new Yankee Stadium, a place that has yet to be inhabited by the Yankee soap opera.

Knicks Welcome Lebron In a Must Win Game

Tomer Talmy — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:05:39 -0500

After an embarrassing loss to the Lakers on Monday night, the Knicks will take the floor against another, superstar, capable of dropping 60-points on any given night.

Kobe Bryant scored an easy 61-points against the Knicks in a game where he was not easy to guard. Making shots from all over the floor, Kobe proved, once again, that he is the most capable scorer in the NBA.

What he also did was show the weaknesses the Knicks have on defense.

While there is no doubt that Mike D'antoni has improved the offensive side of the Knicks and has inserted in them a will to win, the defense has struggled mightily against strong scorers.

The Knicks lack a shutdown guard who can defend the leagues best players and this could hurt their playoff chances.

While Quentin Richardson is not versatile enough, Wilson Chandler is not strong enough to guard a scorer like LeBron or Kobe.

The next task for the Knicks defense is to stop the NBA's most powerful and most athletic scorer, “King James.” Lebron forms a serious mismatch against any Knick defender and will likely have his way dealing with the Knicks.

The Knicks have another concern on their minds and that is to get back to the win column. After dropping a full game behind the Bucks for the final playoff spot, the Knicks should look to get a win tonight against LeBron and the Cavs.

After a strong win in Indiana and a five game winning streak at home, the Knicks looked lost on Monday against the Lakers.

With Gasol dominating down low and Kobe hitting shots at his own will, the Knicks were humiliated on the defensive end.

While it is still early to talk about the playoffs, the Knicks need to get every win they can get against good teams and tonight is the first step in that direction.

Sabathia Winter Meetings Update

Tomer Talmy — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:38:25 -0500

C.C Sabathia has been the hot topic so far in the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.

After meeting with Yankees GM Brian Cashman, Yankees manager Joe Girardi and Yankee legend Reggie Jackson, C.C seems to be interested in the Yankees. The Yankees met with C.C Sabathia for two and a half hours yesterday but C.C seems to be interested in coming to the Bronx as he approached the Yankees again today to gather some more information about the team and the city of New York.

Sabathia has been rumored to be interested in the west coast but it does not seem like any team in California is a good fit for Sabathia at this point.

Although Dodger GM Ned Coletti said that C.C wants to be a Dodger, it does not seem like the Dodgers will be able to make a serious run at Sabathia considering the enormous offer the Yankees have on the table for the veteran lefty. The Dodgers seem to be determined to go after Manny Ramirez which will leave them with very little money for pursuing Sabathia.

Other Potential fits include the Giants and Angels.

The Angels are also pursuing a big time free agent in Marx Texeira and in all likely hood they can not sign both Texeria and Sabathia. The Giants, a team with a fairly low payroll, have spent $16 million so far this offseason so it seem unlikely they will pursue Sabathia.

That leaves it up to the Yankees and with a six year $140 million offer on the table, it looks like the Yanks will be the favorites in the C.C Sabathia sweepstakes.

Winter Meetings Update 12-8-08

Tomer Talmy — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:05:06 -0500

The Winter Meeting officially started today and several small deals went down, while others, seem to be in the working.

Earlier today, The Tigers sealed a deal with the Rangers, landing them catcher Gerald Laird of the Rangers in exchange for two minor league pitchers. The Tigers were in need of a catcher after losing Ivan Rodriguez to the Yankees in a trade deadline deal.

Laird has been a consistent force for the Rangers behind the plate, although he has been nagged by injuries over the past few seasons.

The Tigers also signed Adam Everett to sure up their hole at shortstop with the departure of Edgar Renteria.

Some big name free agents also met with general managers today and there are many rumors all around baseball about big deals in the making.

The Yankees met with CC Sabathia and his agent today to discuss the current situation and according to a source close to the situation, the meeting went "great." The Mets were also in business today offering closer Francisco Rodriguez a three-year contract but, unfortunately for the Mets, it does not seem to be long enough, even with this slow moving market.

Although, none of the big free agents seem to be ready to sign at this point, many trades could go down during the Winter Meetings.

Jake Peavy is not interested in coming to the American League, but we could see him land with a National League team, like the Braves if they strike out on A.J Burnett. Other possibilities include J.J Putz and Zack Grienke, both coming off good seasons.

On the other hand, Dodgers manager Ned Colleti said that he has not had any talks with the Yankees about Robinson Cano. While Cano is certainly not at the peak of his value at this point, the Yankees could deal him and pursue a second baseman like Orlando Hudson, while acquiring a young outfielder like Matt Kemp from the Dodgers.

Although, this free agent market has been fairly slow moving thus far, it seems likely that we will see many deals go down at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.

Jets Down Titans To Become Superbowl Contenders

Tomer Talmy — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 11:01:43 -0500

Believe it or not, the Jets are the best team in the AFC. After beating the previously undefeated Tennessee Titans by a score of 34-13, the Jets are finally being classified as one of the best teams in the NFL.

All NFL fans know that the Jets have been associated with failure and a history of bad drafts throughout their existence. But what no fan of the NFL can avoid any longer is the presence of the Jets as a Super Bowl contender.

After a series of big free agent signings and a big trade with Carolina, the Jets were considered a playoff contender at best.

But then, a new man showed up in Hempstead by the name of Brett Favre. I personally covered the signing and attended several practices after the signing of Favre. For the first time in their lives, Jet fans saw their team get national exposure for something other than failure.

When the Jets took the field today in Nashville, Tennessee, they had an opportunity to show the league what they can do against the top teams in the league. After a big win in Foxboro over the Patriots it seemed like the Jets were at their peak, but today's game showed us how good the Jets really are.

The Titans came into the game undefeated, but from the first minutes of the game, the Jets took control. The Jets stopped the Titans on their first drive and quickly drove down the field against one of the game's most prolific defenses. The Titans defense, led by Albert Haynesworth, took a hit in the first quarter and everything went uphill from there for the Jets.

The Titans were hampered by severe penalties throughout the game. The Titans committed eight penalties amounting to 60-yards, something a team cannot do against a strong Jets team.

The key to the game for the Jets was Leon Washington. Washington revealed his home run ability in week 11 against the Patriots, but today he took his game to a different level. Washington scored two touchdowns and rushed for 82 yards on eight carries for the Jets. Washington was able to run the ball effectively against a tough rushing defense for Tennessee, something many did not foresee.

On the other side of the ball, the Titans were held to a mere 45 rushing yards. Rookie RB Chris Johnson rushed for 46 yards in the loss. Touchdown machine LenDale White only got the ball once, in a carry that went for negative yardage.

The big key on defense for the Jets was Kris Jenkins, the difference maker in the 2008 Jets. Jenkins was acquired in a trade with the Panthers this past offseason and has proven to be one of the best DT's in the business. Jenkins clogged the run today and helped the Jets stop one of the NFL's best rushing attacks.

The Jets showed the league their true ability today and have made themselves Super Bowl contenders by beating the best team in the NFL.

NBA Report 11-22-08

Tomer Talmy — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 08:37:08 -0500

Although the Knicks big trades may be the hottest NBA topics, several stories are flying under the radar in the NBA.

The Toronto Raptors' Jermaine O'Neal went down with an injury in the Raptors' disappointing loss to the Nets Friday night. O'Neal re-injured his knee Friday on a flagrant foul from Sean Williams of the Nets. O'Neal arrived in Toronto this offseason in a trade with the Pacers and has been reliable averaging a solid 12.9 points and 9.3 rebounds.

Dwyane Wade missed practice on Saturday, but he hopes to play against the Pacers later on tonight. Many rumors have been floating around the net regarding Wade going to the Knicks in 2010. After clearing $27.5 million off their salary cap on Friday, the Knicks look to be targeting several big time free agents. The list includes the top two scorers in the NBA in Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.

Manu Ginobili looks to be recovering well from his ankle injury. This past summer, Ginonbili reaggravated his ankle injury while playing for the Argentinian national team. The Spurs have been struggling so far this season only going 6-6. The addition of Ginobili to the mix should make this team better for the rest of the season.

Ginobili is a good scorer who fits Greg Popovich's system well and makes the players around him better. Manu Ginobili is ahead of schedule and could be looking at a possible return to the lineup by next week for the Spurs.

Meanwhile, in New York, the Stephon Marbury era continues. After sitting on the end of the bench for the start of the season, Marbury had an opportunity to play last night, but reportedly he rejected it. After trading three players last night, the Knicks were short on players coming into the game against the Bucks. Marbury rejected the offer to play from Mike D'antoni and the Knicks played with an eight man rotation.

D'antoni indirectly criticized Marbury saying that he will only play the guys who give their hearts out and that is who he will love.

Knicks Throw Up White Flag in Hope for LeBron James

Tomer Talmy — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:17:11 -0500

The Knicks have a long term plan and the two word description for that plan is LeBron James. As the day is coming to a close here in New York, the Knicks are shifting their minds towards 2010.

The Knicks made two big transactions today that, from a basketball standpoint make no sense, but will help the Knicks erase more than $27 million by 2010. At that time, some of the best players in the league will take their game to the free agent market. The list includes LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and possibly Amare Stoudamire.

The first of the Knicks' moves was trading guard Jamal Crawford to Golden State in exchange for Al Harrington, a solid forward. The Knicks made a second move by trading Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins to the Clippers for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas, who is a former Knick.

The Crawford move makes some sense from a basketball standpoint because he does not fit D'Antoni's system well and Harrington is the rebounder that the Knicks have lacked. The Randolph move makes very little sense from a basketball aspect because he has improved greatly this season and the players the Knicks got back are average at best.

While these moves do not make sense from a basketball aspect, the Knicks are aiming towards a different cause, the free agent market of 2010. What the Knicks did today by freeing up so much cap space will enable them to possibly sign two of the big free agents. With the type of money the Knicks will have by the 2010 offseason, they will be able to pair up LeBron James with one of the other free agents such as Wade or Bosh.

The Knicks moves today will not get them far in the next two seasons, but could make them the best team in the league after the 2010 offseason. If the Knicks are able to attract LeBron James and possibly one other big free agent, they could become the favorites in the NBA.

The other contenders for James include the Pistons, who will free up some cap space themselves by trading for Allen Iverson, and the Nets. Unfortunately for the Nets, the new arena in Brooklyn does not look like it will be ready for the 2010 season and therefore they will have to stay in New Jersey for an extended period of time. While LeBron James has a good relationship with part owner of the Nets, Jay-Z, New Jersey is not an attractive place and that could eliminate the Nets from the sweepstakes.

Donnie Walsh made two great moves today that showed his determination for change. The team Isiah Thomas built in New York was a total failure and the cap space problem became too costly for the Knicks. Walsh started his campaign here in New York by replacing Stephon Marbury with a good leader in Chris Duhon. Walsh has now shifted his attention to the upcoming free agents and especially James. Walsh and the Knicks organization are determined to change the face of this team and are aiming towards LeBron James as the solution.

Knicks Loss to Celtics Reveals True Character

Tomer Talmy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:27:42 -0500

When the New York Knicks loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, they showed us what they're really made of.

Over the last couple of years, the Knicks organization and their fans have been humiliated by what has become an embarrassment to the city of New York.

Under Isiah Thomas, the Knicks franchise was shameful, suffering their worst season in team history. By the time Thomas took over as head coach last season, his reputation was shattered.

Fortunately for Knicks fans, the organization has made a change for the better.

Bringing in Mike D’antoni and Donnie Walsh has changed the culture of this team and has brought about a new sense of pride to this Knicks team.

The first sign of courage we witnessed out of this Knicks team was during their 110-101 loss to the Celtics on Tuesday night.

Although they lost to the Celtics, the Knicks revealed their new character.

By starting the season off with a 6-3 record, they displayed that they are a team capable of winning some games in the upcoming season. But, what they also showed in their last two losses to the Dallas Mavericks and the Celtics is that they could compete with the class of the NBA.

This past Sunday, the Knicks were one shot away from beating a strong Mavericks team led by the likes of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd. Unfortunately for the Knicks, a miscue on Mike D’antoni’s part, late in the game cost them a possible victory.

On Tuesday, the Knicks played the defending champion Celtics tough, but came up just short of pulling out a victory at the Boston Garden.

After getting embarrassed last season in Boston, Knicks fans expected another big loss. Although the Celtics did come into the game without Kevin Garnett, they were the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks played the Celtics close and the depth of this team was made clear by this loss.

Several players showed their ability in Tuesday’s loss to the Celtics.

Wilson Chandler, a first round pick of the Knicks last season, who many regarded as a bad selection has taken his game up a notch, earning a starting job with D’antoni’s Knicks.

Chandler put up a career-high 27 points against the C's which kept the game within reach. Chandler has averaged around 15 points and 5.5 rebounds this season as a Knick, and has become a serious scoring threat under their new coach.

D’antoni has implemented Chandler in several roles this season and his athletic ability has helped him fit D’antoni’s system.

Another player who has played very well for the Knicks has been Zach Randolph.

Randolph scored 18 points and had eight rebounds in Tuesday's game. After a bad season under Isiah Thomas, Randolph has become a scorer under D’antoni and has had similar production to his days in Portland.

Randolph averages 20.5 points and 12.5 rebounds so far this season and has become the scoring forward the Knicks hoped he would be. Randolph has shown a touch from the outside as well and is a definite scoring threat.

The revamped Knicks squad have matured under Mike D’antoni and the good results early in the season should encourage Knicks fans.

For the first time since the Lenny Wilkins era in New York, the Knicks have reached a mark of two games over .500.

While there are many strong teams in the Eastern Conference this season, the Knicks are going to be able to compete for a playoff spot. They are in the second-tier of teams behind the Celtics, Cavaliers, Hawks and Pistons.

Although it is very early to make predictions, it looks like the Knicks will be in the running for a playoff spot this season. Mike D’antoni’s style has fit this Knicks team perfectly and the improved play of several players has led them to a good start this season.

How MLB Will Be Affected By the Economic Crisis

Tomer Talmy — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:50:38 -0500

NEW YORK- Although most people do not associate the current economic crisis with the game of baseball, it does pose a major threat to the game and many of its players. As we head into another offseason with an arsenal of free agents available at every position, money is a focus of many major-league teams.

Over the last few years, Major League Baseball has set all-time highs for attendance and TV ratings. This has impacted the game positively, but the negatives include high ticket prices and record-setting deals for players.

After the 2000 season, Alex Rodriguez signed a 10-year, $252 million deal. This was an all-time high for a position player in baseball. Just a year ago, we witnessed Johan Santana receive a six-year, $137.5 million contract from the Mets, the most ever for a pitcher.

While the economic crisis has had a global affect, it will not affect the top free agents in this year's class. Free agents such as CC Sabathia, Manny Ramirez, and Mark Teixeira are attempting to set the standard for their respectful positions, and the economy will have no effect on this top class of free agents.

On the other hand, the middle tier of free agents could be severely affected by the credit crisis. Free agents such as Pat Burrell, Oliver Perez, and Orlando Cabrera could suffer from the economic crisis. While these free agents would typically earn $10-$15 million on the open market, they could get $7-$10 in this year's market.

While this may seem like it will only affect baseball negatively, this crisis will have its positive affects. Small-market teams will await the end of free agency and at this time, they could sign quality players for a fairly low cost. The middle class of free agents in this year's class will be affected by the economic crisis.

While revenues have been soaring throughout the MLB, fans can expect prices to decrease as a result of the financial crisis. Over the last few years, outrageous ticket prices have made it difficult for average families to attend Major League Baseball games.

Unfortunately, for most major-league teams, revenue will decrease as a result of the global economic crisis, which could result in decreased ticket prices.

While this would typically increase attendance, the economic crisis will cause less people to attend games, and you could be seeing empty ballparks in some small-market teams in the upcoming season.

Although the credit crisis will not have a substantial affect on the players, teams could be facing colossal losses of revenue in the upcoming seasons.

New York Yankees' Offseason Preview

Tomer Talmy — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 10:05:05 -0500

Offseason Preview: Yankees

Although they won close to 90 games this past season, the Yankees played a brand of baseball that was very different from years past. Because of the recent failure in the playoffs and the Octoberless first season under Joe Girardi, many fans are calling for a big offseason.

Although I agree on the fact that giving up young players for aging veterans is not always the way to go, the Yankees need to improve vastly to contend after moving across the street in the Bronx.

This season marked an end to an era in the old Yankee Stadium, and next year will be a new beginning, with what I think will be a new team.

Here is the offseason that I propose for the Yankees.

These moves will be very costly but will put the Yankees in great position going into next season.

C-Posada 1B-Giambi 2B-Cano SS-Jeter 3B-A-Rod RF-Nady CF-Cameron LF-Ramirez DH-Damon

I think the Yankees should bring in Mike Cameron, because he is not too costly yet is still efficient.

Manny Ramirez has to be signed, too. He is a veteran right-handed hitter with a ton of power—something that the Yankees lacked that for most of 2008. People forget the offensive problems early in the season and the Yankees lacked offensive production throughout 2008.

Manny Ramirez has to be part of this team even with his age and expensive price tag.

Rotation

1. Sabathia 2. Wang 3. Pettitte 4. Mussina/Perez 5. Hughes

I think the Yankees have to bring in CC Sabathia at any cost. After making a mistake on Johan Santana last season, the Yankees can not miss out on this opportunity to get a premiere starter at the top of the rotation.

Since the golden age of Roger Clemens at the top of the rotation, the Yankees have laced a premiere starter. Sabathia is a "can’t miss" pitcher (unless he gets injured!) and the Yankees have to pursue him.

Assuming Mussina retires I think the Yankees should consider bringing in Oliver Perez. He has experience in New York and if he could become more consistent he will be one of baseball's top pitchers. In my opinion, Pettitte will come back for one more season in the new stadium.

Bullpen CL-Rivera, SU-Chamberlain, MR-Cordero, MR-Bruney, MR-Veras, MR-Ramirez

I think the Yankees should bring in Chad Cordero as a middle reliever. He is available through free agency and has shown some sparks of greatness in Washington. He will not cost a lot of money and is not that great of a risk.