New York Islanders Player Report Cards
By Mike Basile
Forwards:
John Tavares- (29 GP, 11 G, 21 A, 32 Points, +/- -5) No question the best player on the team and keeps them in some games single handedly. Would like to see a few more big goals from the young kid, but can’t complain about Tavares. Grade: A-
John Tavares has been one of the few positive notes this season for the Islanders (Photo by Andy Marlin/Getty Images)
Kyle Okposo– (29 GP, 8 G, 18 A, 26 Points, +/- -1) After a great playoffs last season, fans wondered how Okposo would play this season. No doubt he is a streaky player, but for the most part he has been good this season helping out the captain on the top line. Grade B+
Frans Nielsen– (29 GP, 10 G, 13 A, 23 Points, +/- – 5) Frans got off to a hot start and has cooled down of late overall his play has been above average for him this season. Playing with Josh Bailey and Michael Grabner has only hurt him. Grade B+
Josh Bailey (28 GP, 4 G, 6 A, 10 Points, +/- – 3) Josh Bailey has not scored a goal in over three weeks, and after starting the season off pretty well, many fans believed he was ready to break out. It seems the beginning of the season was a fluke and Josh Bailey has returned to being invisible on the ice. Grade C
Pierre Marc-Bouchard (27 GP, 4 G, 5 A, 9 Points, +/- -8) One of Garth’s off-season moves that did not pan out to what he wanted. With just 9 points in 27 games and a –8, he has not done much to help this struggling team. Grade C-
Thomas Vanek (13 GP, 4 G, 5 A, 9 points, +/- +3) Thomas Vanek and John Tavares are starting to develop some chemistry, but his lackluster defensive play frustrates many fans and that +3 will quickly drop if that continues. Grade B-
Michael Grabner (26 GP, 2 G, 6 A, 8 Points, +/- -5) Michael Grabner has not scored since opening night, and continues to frustrate fans, as he gets at least one opportunity to score every night. He is normally good on the PK to make up for that, but I cannot even give him that this season. Grade D
Brock Nelson (19 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 8 points, +/- -6) One of the most consistent players on the Islanders and all he gets is a healthy scratch. The young kid showed he could play with Tavares and works hard every night. Grade B +
Casey Cizikas (29 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 Points, +/- – 3) Casey is a great 4th line center, he works hard every night and gets rewarded with the occasional goal and has great ice vision. Grade B-
Cal Clutterbuck (23 GP, 3 G, 2 A, 5 Points, +/- -4) Another player who is doing his job this year. I would definitely like to see him more on the score sheet, but he throws the body around and wins many physical battles. Grade C
Peter Regin (28 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 Points, +/- -4) Who is this guy? And why is he still on the team? He barely played in Ottawa for a reason. Grade D
Matt Martin (29 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 points, +/- -3) Matt Martin is an extremely smart hockey player and throws his body around for fun. He has taken some bad penalties this year that have surprised me and knowing that he is a smart player is unacceptable. Grade C+
Eric Boulton (6 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 Points, +/- +3) Never thought I would say this, but Eric Boulton has been good in the games he has played this season. I love that he is a +3, which shows that good things happen when he is on the ice. It would be unfair for me to grade him on only 6 games though.
Colin McDonald (22 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 Points, +/- -10) Colin is an upbeat player and a big fan favorite, but he is just not an NHL player. – 10 is a stat that tells me that when he is on the ice I have to be scared at all times. Grade D
Defense:
Andrew MacDonald (29 GP, 3 G, 8 A, 11 Points, +/- – 6) Andrew Macdonald is not having the best year to be quite honest, but that is because Capuano is trying to make him things that he is not! He is not a quarterback on the power play, he is not a 1 or 2 defensemen and should not be playing 26 minutes a night. I may get some criticism for this, but MacDonald plays hard every night and is a big part of this team. Grade B
Travis Hamonic (29 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 points, +/- -6) Travis is also being too heavily relied on this season and the fatigue is showing. I believe Hamonic should be a + defensemen every season, but this year’s being overworked is hurting his game. Grade C+
Matt Donovan (22 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 points, +/- – 5) Matt Donovan has been exactly what I expected. Gets involved in the offensive rush and helps out offensively, but makes rookie mistakes on the defensive end all too often. Grade C
Thomas Hickey (29 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 Points, +/- – 3) Gives up his body for the team game in and game out and works very very hard. The mistakes he makes show to be costly and has to cut down on those with the defense slacking big time. Grade C
Matt Carkner (23 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 Points, +/- – 7) All the hate on Matt Carkner from the fans is totally understandable. He is paid to play defense and constantly gets caught pinching when he has no offensive ability and is a – 7. Grade D
Radek Martinek (10 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 Points, +/- -1) Radek is doing exactly what the Islanders needed him to. He plays sound defensively when they need him to. Sure he makes some mistakes, but with the defense they have, he has showed some solid veteran play. Grade B-
Lubomir Visnovsky (8 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 points, +/- +3) It is no secret that this team is hurting without their best all-around defenseman. Their power play was ranked in the top 5 when they had Visnovsky and now without him it is in the bottom 10 of the league. I will grade him by saying COME BACK!
Aaron Ness (12 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 Points, +/- – 7) The young kid has come in and to be honest, has not done much for this team. He is just too small and every game gets bullied around in front of the net. Grade C-
Brian Strait (9 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 Point, +/- – 2) With the defense playing like they are, I would love for Strait to come back just for some hope that maybe he can help us out.
Calvin De Haan (3 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Points, +/- -1) Not much to say only playing 3 games so far this season, but overall, I do like what I see from the young man who has been injury plagued.
Goaltending:
Evgeni Nabakov (14 GP, 5-5-3, 3.30 GAA, save % .892) Since the playoffs last season, Nabby has lost all trust from Islander fans and after a recent groin injury fans are not to optimistic about him coming back and being the Nabby that led this team to the playoffs. Grade D
Kevin Poulin (13 GP, 3-10-0, 3.24 GAA, save % .887) I can’t blame Kevin Poulin for having bad statistics with the defense they have, but he has let up some soft goals in big situations that make me question our goalie of the future. Grade C
Anders Nillson (4 GP, 0-1-2, 3.26 GAA, save % .883) Anders played very well against two of the best offenses in the NHL (Penguins and Capitals). I will try to be optimistic about the giant goaltender who I think has some talent.
Overall Team Grade (29 GP, 8-16-5, 21 points) After making the playoffs last season there were high expectations for this hockey club, but with some injuries and lack luster play, this team has found itself in the basement to begin this season. The only good sign is that they do have time to bounce back with an 82 game season this year! Grade C-
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Mike Basile is a sophomore at York College Of Pennsylvania. He is a huge sports fan, and when it comes to hockey maybe considered a little obsessive. Giving insight on the Islanders and all things hockey. You can follow him on twitter at @mikeybasile1
United States Draws “Group of Death” for 2014 World Cup
By Dan Lagnado
Over the last three years, soccer clubs around the world have been going through a series of World Cup qualifying matches. Yesterday, the 32 teams that qualified learned their group for the first round of play, the group stage. The United States National Team cruised through qualifiers with a record of 7-2-1 and easily garnered the points and placement needed to go to Brazil. However, the yesterday’s news indicates that their stay could be short-lived. The US has been placed in what is known as “the group of death”. Every World Cup features this group. Typically it is characterized by having three or four of the best teams in the world. As a result of the organization of the tournament only two teams will move on to the knockout stage from each group. And so, therefore, one of the best teams will be bumped from the tournament in the first round.
This year’s group of death is Group G. This group contains the United States, Ghana, Germany, and Portugal. All four of these teams are rated to be in the top 25 teams in the world and three of them are in the top 15 (Ghana is ranked 24). These matchups could provide serious issues for the US.
Germany is considered one of the best teams in the world (ranked 2nd overall) and is the favorite to win the group. They are led by star midfielder Mesut Ozil, who just recently was transferred to Arsenal for a club record transfer fee of £42.2 million. He is known to have fantastic footskills as well as vision and a powerful shot. Though Germany also has star players such as Mario Gotze, and Miroslav Klose, Ozil is considered to be Germany’s version of Ronaldo or Messi.
And Ozil will have to be because his first matchup will be against Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo, the player many people say he emulates. Portugal is ranked as the fifth best team in the world and is favored to be the runner-up of the group just barely over the US. Of course Ronaldo is the leader of this squad, and is the second best, if not the best, player in the world. He won 2008 FIFA player of the year and has the speed and footwork to take on defenders, provides crosses for his teammates and can deliver some of the best free kicks in the world. However, many of the other star players are aging stars such as Bruno Alves and so if Ronaldo can be limited other teams can pull an upset.
The US will have to take down Portugal, led by Christiano Ronaldo, if they want to get out of group play. (Via Yasour)
Hoping to pull this upset is the United States. A team that has had mixed results in their history at the World Cup, hopes to shock the world in their first appearance with Jurgen Klinsmann at the helm. This club is led by several solid players at every level, though none considered to be the best in the world. Tim Howard is the anchor of the defense, has been the US keeper for years and has been able to perform at a high level even at age 34. Clint Dempsey is the captain of the squad and provides a spark from an attacking midfield position. Jozy Altidore has performed well lately as he has four goals in five international appearances since the qualifiers though he has been unable to transfer his skill into World Cup success. The most recognizable face of this squad however is Landon Donovan. Best known for his last minute goal against Algeria in 2010 that clinched a second round appearance, Donovan has the shown the ability to perform on the international stage and put the ball in the back of the net.
Ghana has been the thorn in the side of the American national team for 8 years. Despite being the underdog in the group of death (once again 25th ranked in the world and given the worst chances of advancing) Ghana is not a squad to be taken lightly. They have eliminated the United States in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. This squad is led by Michael Essien and Kevin-Prince Boateng. Essien was nominated for the 2006 Player of the Year award and has a powerful shot as well as the power to work through opposing defenders. Ghana also has a new manager in Kwesi Appiah who took over in 2012. He hopes to help his team compete against the other three powers in this group.
Other Notable World Cup Drawings
Host country Brazil is in Group A along with a slumping Mexico, Croatia and the Samuel Eto’o led Cameroon and is the most favored country to move on given a 99.6% chance of advancing to the knockout stage. Mexico, despite its disappointing qualifying tournament, is the favorite to come in second in the group and also advance. Eto’o has led Cameroon to some World Cup successes though the odds are stacked against him this year. Luka Modric and Croatia look to take advantage of Mexico’s recent slump and sneak into the second round.
Group B features reigning World Camp champion Spain as well as Chile, the Netherlands and Australia. Spain seems to be in a good position to move on and attempt to repeat as champs. The Netherlands will get a chance at revenge for their loss in the 2010 final against Spain and Robin van Persie will attempt to lead his team to a revenge victory. Chile came in third place in South American qualifiers and behind the ability of Arturo Vidal, has a decent chance of advancing. Australia unfortunately seems to be the underdog of the tournament and is given a 98% chance of being eliminated. Australia was the last team to qualify from a week conference and so have fairly low expectations. However don’t tell that to Tim Cahill as he will keep spirits up and maybe try to play spoiler for another team in this group.
In Group C we will see Colombia, Greece, Japan and the Ivory Coast. Colombia finished only behind Argentina in qualifiers. Striker Radamel Falcao is a prolific scorer as he now holds the Europa League scoring record and is the main weapon of a strong Colombian squad. Greece was tied for first in their qualifying tournament and is hoping Kostas Mitroglou can lead them past Ivory Coast and into the knockout stage. Ivory Coast boasts the talents of Didier Drogba as well as Yaya Toure. This squad is favored to be the runner-up and has the talent to cause some teams trouble. The Japanese squad hopes to build on the victory by their women’s team in 2012. However, Shinji Kagawa will face some heavy lifting if he hopes to advance his mates into the second round.
If Group G is the group of death, Group D is the group of death junior. Made up of historical soccer powerhouses Uruguay, England, Italy as well as Costa Rica. Uruguay emerged in 2010 as a team to be reckoned with as they ousted Ghana in the WC quarterfinals. Luis Suarez, despite his occasional negative public appearance (he bit an opponent in 2010) is one of the best strikers in the world and is capable of making things happen with the ball at his feet. Costa Rica finished behind only the US in qualifying as they turned in an impressive tournament. Captain Bryan Ruiz has his team ready to make a run for the second round and has them believing that they can get past more storied European squads England and Italy. England, earned their place in Brazil with an undefeated qualifying round. England has been known as a powerful soccer team for years now. Forward Wayne Rooney and Keeper Joe Hart hope their cautious optimism enables them to channel their best play and help them advance. Italy were the champions of the 2006 World Cup. However much has changed since then. 2010 was very disappointing for this squad and they feel that a bounce back tournament is in the cards. Andrea Pirlo provides veteran leadership and “Super” Mario Balotelli hopes to provide offensive fireworks.
Group E contains Ecuador, Switzerland, France and Honduras. Switzerland does have the weapons to be powerful team in this tournament and in a weaker group it is possible this team can squeak into the next round on the feet of Xherdan Shaqiri. Ecuador finished tied with Uruguay in qualifiers indicating that they have the ability to win a few games and get to the second round. Antonio Valencia and Cristian Benitez provide leadership and offensive ability for a dangerous squad. France is coming back from a disappointing 2010. Look for them to live up to their potential this time around and take control of their group. Patrice Evra, Frank Ribery and Karim Benzema provide both skill and leadership at all three levels of the formation. Honduras finished behind the US and Costa Rico in qualifiers but that does not mean that they are not capable of making things happen in this group. Emilio Izaguirre hopes to lead his team to a surprising finish in this somewhat not as strong group.
There may only be one reason to watch Group F. This group is made up of Argentina, Nigeria, Bosnia & Herezgovina and Iran. But the reason to pay attention to what goes on here goes by the name of Lionel Messi. Argentina boasts the best player in the world (as well as pretty good odds to handily win this group). Of course the team has many more weapons such as Gonzalo Higuain and Angel di Maria, but Messi is certainly the face and name that everyone recognizes. The four-time Player of the Year Award winner and owner of the record for most goals in a calendar year should lead his squad easily into the second round. The battle in this group will be for second-place. The SPI gives the edge to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Edin Dzeko. Despite tying Greece for the top spot in their qualifying division, B-H had an absurd goal differential of +24. This shows their ability both offensively and defensively. The Iranian squad is led by veteran midfielder Javad Nekounam, who hopes to lead a few upset victories. Meanwhile the Nigerian squad is led by Victor Moses and are in a similar situation as Iran, many doubters but a chance to surprise people.
Finally there is Group H containing Belgium, Russia, Algeria and South Korea. Belgium also had an undefeated qualifying tournament and look to continue that success led by Vincent Kompany and Eden Hazard and are given a strong chance to advance. Kompany is a defensive back who has shown the ability to score the occasional goal as well as provide veteran knowledge. Algeria seems to be the significant underdog of the group. Madjid Bougherra hopes to change these opinions and get a few wins. Russia has the ability to challenge Belgium for the top spot of the group. Goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev has emerged as one of the best in the world and Alexander Kerzhakov has emerged as an impressive offensive present. South Korea hopes to make waves in the soccer world. A new coach and a hot young striker in Son Heung-min, hope to pull an upset or two and surprise everyone.
In 187 days, the world will be glued to their TV sets to see how everything shapes up. The first US game is on June 16, 2014 against Ghana.
*All predictions and odds are provided by the Soccer Power Index (SPI)
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Dan Lagnado is studying communications, law economics and government at American University. He’s a fan of both the Mets and Jets and has been writing about sports for four years. You can follow him on twitter at @dlag1995
BREAKING: ROBINSON CANO REPORTEDLY AGREES WITH MARINERS
By Brett Malamud
Multiple sources have reported that Robinson Cano has agreed to a 10 year, $240M contract pending a physical to take place on Monday. The deal was first reported by ESPN’s Enrique Rojas
#Mariners and Cano agree. $240 million/10 years. Physical next monday in Seattle
— Enrique Rojas/ESPN (@Enrique_Rojas1) December 6, 2013
The deal marks the end of Cano’s tenure in pinstripes. Meanwhile, the Yankees just wrapped up a contract for one year, $16M with Hiroki Kuroda, and according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, have turned their attention to Shin Soo Choo and Carlos Beltran. Don’t be surprised if they make a run for Omar Infante as well, as they now have freed up the $175M that they offered to Cano.
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Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy
Mariota Will Return to Oregon, 2014 Heisman Impact
By Nick Vespasiano
Yesterday, Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota elected to return to Eugene next season. The redshirt sophomore was considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2014 NFL draft. He entered the 2013 season a Heisman hopeful but saw it slip away with losses to Stanford and Arizona.
Despite being out of the Heisman race for 2013, Mariota has completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 3,412 yards, 30 touchdowns and four picks. He also has 582 yards on the ground and nine scores. Those are Heisman numbers but his team’s two losses are keeping him out of contention.
Marcus Mariota will return next season to the Oregon Ducks (Via ESPN)
This decision comes as a surprise to me. Running back De’Anthony Thomas is likely entering the draft, number one receiver Josh Huff is a senior, and last season Chip Kelly abruptly bolted for the Philadelphia Eagles. Mariota could be vying for a better draft position. The upcoming NFL draft will feature quarterbacks like Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, Clemson’s Tajh Boyd, Alabama’s A.J, McCarron, and Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel. Despite the competition he would have faced in the next draft, he was widely considered a potential first round pick. Perhaps he’s just loyal to his Ducks.
Mariota should be an early Heisman favorite yet again heading into the 2014 season. Other players who are ineligible for the 2013 draft with legitimate 2014 Heisman ambitions include Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, Georgia running back Todd Gurley, Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon, and my favorite, UCLA linebacker/running back Myles Jack.
Draft eligible but returning next season is Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty who should be on the short pre-season Heisman list. UCLA’s star quarterback Brett Hundley and Ohio State’s Braxton Miller have yet to make decisions on next year’s draft.
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Nick Vespasiano is a senior English major at St. Olaf College and aspiring sports writer. He was raised in Minnesota, favorite teams are the Vikings, Wild, and Twins. Favorite athletes are Randy Moss and Jaromír Jágr.
Reaction to the Ellsbury Signing
By Sam Breiter
If you did not get the chance to hear yet, Jacoby Ellsbury signed a multi million-dollar contract last night. No, he won’t go for a second straight title with the Boston Red Sox, but rather he has decided to sign with their number one rival. Yes, Ellsbury is a member of the Evil Empire and will be wearing pinstripes next year, and with the money he now making, I think he will survive shaving off his beard. Ellsbury over the next seven years will be making $153-million and will be making well over $20-million per season. This was after he denied Boston’s $14.1-million qualifying offer, so he obviously made a good financial choice. So the question lies, was he worth the deal? Ellsbury, who is now 30 years old, will be playing in the Bronx most likely until he is 37. Ellsbury is known for his quickness, great fielding ability, and contact at the plate. Although, his power, and on base percentage has been inconsistent. Some people may call Ellsbury a five-tool player, but besides 2011, he has never really been known for hitting the long ball. Ellsbury, who has been playing for seven seasons, has found himself getting substantial injuries in two seasons. In 2013, Ellsbury was healthy for much of the season, and had a batting average of .298, with 52 stolen bases.
With the help of his agent Scott Boras, Jacoby Ellsbury joined the Evil Empire, and signed a seven year deal with the Yankees (Via Sox Nation)
Even though he has proved to still have potential to be an MVP candidate, I don’t not believe this was a smart contract. By the middle of his contract, it’s doubtful Ellsbury will be able to steal 50 plus bases, as he does so well. Additionally, he has proven to be an injury threat, and it just isn’t worth it to pay a guy $20 million in a season who has battled injuries, and is running out of his prime. The Yankees signed Ellsbury to make a statement, they wanted to prove to the fan that we have money, and we will spend it. They already made a statement signing McCann to his overpriced deal, and it is no surprise that Ellsbury got equal treatment. Congratulations Yankees, you have achieved what you have always done best, spending money for current talent. In four years from now when Ellsbury is 34, batting .270, and stealing 15 bases at most, all were going to hear about is what a terrible deal this was. These big $100 million dollar deals for veteran stars always ends in terrible fashion especially when they come from another team. Don’t forget A.J Burnett, and Carl Pavano, and Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees have a history of these disastrous contracts, and Ellsbury will soon be added to this list.
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Sam Breiter is a high school senior at Plainview- Old Bethpage JFK High School. Sam is looking to major in sports management, with a minor in communications next year. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite teams are the Mets, Giants, and Knicks. You can follow him on twitter at @baseballbreiter
MLB Hot Stove Roundup: What’s Happened Since the Fielder-Kinsler Trade?
By Ben Ozur
With the exception of an eventual Robinson Cano signing, this blockbuster trade will most likely end up being the headline of the offseason. But other moves have since been made. Here are the other miscellaneous moves that have been made since the trade (in chronological order):
The Royals sign LHP Jason Vargas. Though many believe this was an overpay (as we will see with other signings later), this was a good move for the Royals. It adds depth to a rotation that already has James Shields and Jeremy Guthrie, and it fills the void of the probably-departing Ervin Santana. He is a solid three-or-four-starter who will give the Royals a veteran who can give innings – something that the Royals find pretty valuable. I think this will set the tone for other KC offseason moves that will allow them to be a real threat for a Wild Card spot this year.
The Mets sign OF Chris Young. See article here.
The Cardinals trade 3B David Freese to the Angels for OF Peter Bourjos. These two guys are both coming off tough years, but these two guys have both showed promise in the past. Also, it fills holes for both teams. The Angels desperately needed a third baseman, after getting the worst third base production in the MLB. However, David Freese was only a league average hitter last year, so it wasn’t a huge improvement. With Peter Bourjos, he brings extra depth to centerfield already occupied by Jon Jay (I assume they will platoon, or maybe Bourjos will get the larger share). They can both afford to part ways with their old players; the Angels have JB Shuck to use in leftfield, and the Cardinals now have room for top prospect Kolten Wong to start at second base (Matt Carpenter will move to third base). This is a close call, but I give the edge to the Cardinals in this trade.
The Yankees sign C Brian McCann. By signing the clear-cut best catcher on the free agent market (and one of the top catchers in the league in general), this was easily the biggest move of the offseason for the Yankees (with no disrespect to the trading of Chris Stewart). He is one of the best offensive catchers in the league, and he has been said to be a good guy to have behind the plate. However, his production, albeit potentially due to injury, has faltered over the past two seasons. Though he is definitely a top catcher in the league, it may be because of the weakness of the position as a whole. He is being paid this much because he is one of the best at what he does, but I don’t think he’s worth that money. Also consider that he will probably be a DH by the end of this deal, which decreases his value even more. Short-term, this deal will probably work out for the Yankees. In two years, I believe it will be a regret.
Brian McCann made headlines last week, signing with the Yankees (Via Bronx Baseball Daily)
The Cardinals sign SS Jhonny Peralta. Aside from the controversy due to the PED usage, it’s hard to deny the great deal the Cardinals got. Peralta is a well above average offensive shortstop (he has shown that throughout his career, even before his suspension-filled 2013 season) and arguably the best shortstop on the market (close with Stephen Drew). It also fills a gaping hole for the Cardinals, as thy received the worst production from their shortstops in the MLB in 2013 (primarily Pete Kozma). This was clearly a good signing, but of course, there’s the controversy. Though you may not like the rule of how short the suspension is, you have to deal with it. He was told to sit out for 50 games and he did. He served his punishment, and that should be the end of it. Anyway, why should the Cardinals be criticized for the signing? It’s not like they’re condoning his decision to take PEDs. I get that people are still peeved about this, but in terms of this signing, it shouldn’t be seen as a factor of how good it truly was.
The Dodgers sign RHP Dan Haren. A $10M deal for a pitcher who hasn’t had even a league average season for a pitcher since 2011? I get it; he’ll probably be the fourth starter for the Dodgers, and they have all the money in the world to spend. But that doesn’t mean they should just throw it away. They should’ve been more resourceful with that money. There are better pitchers on the market, and they’re probably going to make less (i.e. Bartolo Colon, Paul Maholm, and others on the trade market). Not too good of a signing in my opinion, but still, there’s no such thing as a bad one-year deal.
The Twins sign RHPs Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes. This was certainly a forced issue. Ricky Nolasco – okay, solid pitcher, good fit for the Twins in that ballpark, but for over $11M AAV (average annual value)? Phil Hughes – there is no justification in this signing. He has never posted an ERA under 4 in a season as a full-time starter, and he’s making $8M a year? I get it – the Twins are desperate for pitcher, coming off a year where their starting staff collected a cumulative ERA over 5, easily the worth in the MLB. But the last few times they’ve tried to get pitchers (Vance Worley and Mike Pelfrey, namely), they’ve been disasters. I understand it’s a huge park in Minnesota, but then why are all of their pitchers doing so poorly? Finally, signing two guys to big contracts when they aren’t anywhere close to competing is far beyond me. These signings make no sense whatsoever.
The Athletics sign LHP Scott Kazmir. Nice comeback story for Kazmir last year with Cleveland, after pitching the previous season with the Sugarland Skeeters of the Independent League. His ERA hovered around 4 last year, which is respectable, and he posted nice strikeout numbers for a starter. But can he do it again? The A’s surely think so, considering the $22M contract they gave him. This was a risky signing, but a good risk in my opinion.
(UPDATE: The Athletics have also traded INF Jemile Weeks and a player to be named to the Orioles in exchange for AL saves leader Jim Johnson)
The Tigers trade RHP Doug Fister to the Nationals. There were rumors that it would be Max Scherzer being traded by Detroit, but they chose Fister instead. Fister was arguably the best fourth starter in the MLB (pitching behind Scherzer, the Cy Young award winner; Justin Verlander, a former Cy Young award winner and MVP, and Anibal Sanchez, the ERA champion in the AL). Since coming over to the Tigers, Fister has shown much consistency, maintaining a very respectable ERA of about 3.50 in each of his years there. This will prove to be a major upgrade to an already great Nationals rotation, clearly. The Tigers will not reap the benefits of this trade immediately, as the three players they got back in return (Steve Lombardozzi, Ian Krol, and Robbie Ray) are all fairly young. At least for now, it clears a space for Drew Smyly, and they still have minor league pitching depth; so this wasn’t as big of a loss for the Tigers as it is a gain for the Nats.
Other worth-mentioning notes. The Royals extend GM Dayton Moore for two years. Ted Lilly, the 15-year veteran of 7 MLB teams, has retired. The Mets continue to show interest in Bronson Arroyo and Curtis Granderson. And Finally, the Yankees and Robinson Cano remain $80M apart in contract negotiations.
(UPDATE: The Boston Red Sox have signed catcher AJ Pierzynski to a one year, $8.25 million contract)
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Ben Ozur is an absolute baseball guru. He is a huge Mets, Jets, Knicks and Islanders fan whose life revolves around fantasy sports.
NHL Power Rankings
By Mike Basile
1) Chicago Blackhawks (20-4-4, 44 points) Currently on a six game win streak, this team continues to get hotter and hotter and are a sure pick for number one on the power rankings.
The Blackhawks lead the league in goals per game, led by Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews (Via Sports Talk Florida)
2) San Jose Sharks (18-3-5, 41 points) Also on a nice win streak, the Sharks have won five in a row. With only three regulation losses, they are a very dangerous team.
3) St Louis Blues (18-5-3, 39 points) With one of the top goal scores in the league (Alexander Steen) and a great goaltending duo, this team rounds out the top three.
4) Colorado Avalanche (19-6-0, 38 points) Still a surprise team to many but with great young talent, this team’s hot start does not come as a surprise to me.
5) Boston Bruins (18-7-2, 38 points) They are the most consistent team in the league in my opinion. They come to play every night and with great goaltending, are usually in the win column.
6) Anaheim Ducks (18-7-4, 40 points) After a hot start, Anaheim hit a little cold spell, but I am not worried that they will be stuck in it long.
7) Los Angeles Kings (17-7-4, 38 points) They are still playing good hockey even with their all-star goalie out until Christmas. Dustin Brown has shown true leadership with this team.
8) Pittsburgh Penguins (18-9-1, 37 points) Usually you would expect to see this team around the top three, but with some inconsistency this season they have dropped to number eight.
9) Phoenix Coyotes (15-7-4, 34 points) This team fights hard for wins and is backed by some very solid goaltending.
10) Tampa Bay Lightning (16-9-1, 33 points) In my opinion one of the most impressive teams this year. Without Stamkos and still way over .500 is a nice surprise and so they finish the top ten.
11) Detroit Red Wings (14-7-7, 35 points) They’re on a four game win streak right now and beat the Islanders for the first time since 2003 this week. With play like this, they can shoot up the rankings quickly.
12) Vancouver Canucks (14-10-5, 33 points) It’s been an up and down season so far for the Canucks. If they do not find consistency, they will not find any success.
13) Minnesota Wild (16-8-5, 37 points) With a rough end to the month a top ten team in points will be found out of my top ten.
14) Montreal Canadiens (16-9-3, 35 points) 7-1-2 in their last 10 and quickly rising in the standings. They can crack the top ten soon if they continue to perform at this rate.
15) Washington Capitals (14-11-2, 30 points) With a big comeback win against the division rival Islanders this weekend, the Capitals won two straight and improve to .500 on the road.
16) Dallas Stars (12-9-4, 28 points) A team that I thought would be a playoff threat with great goaltending has been disappointing thus far.
17) Nashville Predators (13-11-3, 29 points) A -13 goals against is not beneficial for any team, but especially not a team that prides itself on defense.
18) Toronto Maple Leafs (14-10-3, 31 points) Toronto is considerably low on my rankings because I expected a lot from this team and quite frankly am disappointed in their overall play.
19) Philadelphia Flyers (12-12-2, 26 points) The team still has some pieces to connect, but Steve Mason is the biggest piece and he is in place.
20) New York Rangers (14-14-0, 28 points) A team that can usually have Lundqvist as a backbone did not start him for the second straight game last night in favor of Cam Talbot, who has been good in net. If Henrik gets going, they could have a scary two-headed monster.
21) Winnipeg Jets (13-12-4, 30 points) I usually do not like to call out one player, but the Jets expected big things from Ondrej Pavelec and have got pretty much nothing from him.
22) New Jersey Devils (11-12-5, 27 points) Win one lose one is not a good attitude to have in the NHL and it seems like the Devils have been playing like that all year so far.
23) Ottawa Senators (10-13-4, 24 points) It seems like their offense and defense can never click on the same night and that has resulted in a poor start for the Sens.
24) Columbus Blue Jackets (10-14-3, 23 points) A team that just missed the playoffs last season that had high expectations has struggled to say the least to begin this season.
25) Carolina Hurricanes (10-12-5, 25 points) Carolina has too many questions and no answers on the blue line. 57 goals for also does not help a struggling team.
26) Edmonton Oilers (9-17-2, 20 points) The best of the worst! They begin my bottom five in the league and this young team will NOT win games with poor defense and weak goaltending.
27) Calgary Flames- (9-13-4, 22 points) As expected, Calgary is in the bottom tier of the league. 3-5-2 in their last ten is not making matters any better.
28) New York Islanders (8-15-4, 20 points) After a good start to the season, everything went downhill after an injury to Lubomir Visnovsky. The team has lost six straight now and is treading water to stay alive.
29) Florida Panthers (7-15-5, 19 points) A team that is still in rebuild mode has Tim Thomas leading the way but is trying to pave the way for goaltender Jacob Markstrom. If there is a bright spot for this team, Aleksander Barkov looks great!
30) Buffalo Sabres (6-20-2, 14 points) Not much has to be said when your goal differential is -37. Actually there is one thing, DRAFT PARTY!
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Mike Basile is a sophomore at York College Of Pennsylvania. He is a huge sports fan, and when it comes to hockey maybe considered a little obsessive. Giving insight on the Islanders and all things hockey. You can follow him on twitter at @mikeybasile1
What’s Next for the New York Jets: Looking Ahead to 2014
By: Dan Lagnado
It pains me to say it as much as it pains you to read it but it’s probably about time to wave the playoffs goodbye for this season. The Jets have now lost three in a row and four of their last five games, and now sit at 5-7 on the season. “But wait”, those few remaining loyalists will say, “there’s still a chance to go 8-8 or even 9-7.” Mathematically that is correct, but is it realistic?
In this writer’s (and fan’s) opinion, no. I haven’t seen anything to make me believe that this team can beat even the lowliest teams in the NFL. The chunk of schedule after the bye was not considered to be the hardest of this season, yet the Bills, Ravens, and Dolphins have given the Jets fits. The same team that beat the Patriots and the Saints in three weeks now have lost to three straight teams who had come in to the game with losing records and lost embarrassingly. Geno Smith’s offense scored only three points against the Ravens, and the only points scored against Miami came on a drive led by Matt Simms. That offensive production is not going to get anyone into the postseason. I don’t think that the problem is only Geno Smith, as many people claim that it is, however it is true that the rookie’s performance has not been up-to-par of late. I believe that part of the issue lies in the wide receivers.
Geno Smith has not played like the first round pick he was projected to be (Via USA Today)
To begin the season, the Jets had Santonio Holmes, Stephen Hill and Jeremy Kerley penciled in as starters and Kellen Winslow as the starting tight end with Jeff Cumberland as support. However, it’s never that easy. Holmes has been plagued by foot and hamstring injuries that have caused him to miss five games and rendered him ineffective in a few games as well. Hill has played quite the disappearing act. Despite being active in every game this season, Hill has been held without a catch four different times, most notably in three consecutive games against New Orleans, Buffalo and Baltimore. Since his 108-yard performance against Buffalo in week three, his stats have dropped drastically as he managed the same yardage in nine games combined. Jeremy Kerley is the Jets’ leading receiver this season, but he has missed time as well of late because of the injury he suffered against the Saints. Winslow missed games for both injuries and a suspension and even Cumberland was held out of a game due to a concussion. As a result the Jets have had to rotate other players in to fill the empty spots. And so for this season we have seen the likes of Clyde Gates, Greg Salas, Josh Cribbs, Zach Sudfeld, Konrad Reuland and David Nelson. Though David Nelson did provide a bit of a spark in a few games, this rotation of receivers could be reason for lack of chemistry between Geno and the wide receivers.
This is not an excuse for the poor play of the offense, nor is it an excuse for the poor decisions and play of the rookie quarterback. It is simply the idea that not all the blame belongs to Geno Smith.
Another issue that is facing the Jets is that of their secondary. The departure of Darrelle Revis certainly has been felt. Antonio Cromartie has been playing hurt most of the season and as a result has not played his best, despite leading the team with three of their six interceptions. Rookie Dee Milliner has now been benched three times and has not quite lived up to the expectations of a top-10 overall pick and there isn’t really anyone else in the secondary able to effectively cover a number two receiver. This has been an Achilles heel all season for what has been a very good defense otherwise and Ed Reed has not been the solution.
And while it is true that the Jets are only 2 games out of the final playoff spot, it is important to note the teams that are ahead or tied with them: Ravens, Dolphins, Chargers, Titans and the Steelers. Four out of those five teams own the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Jets. Basically, the Jets have to be alone in the 6th Wild Card spot to get to the playoffs.
But I will state again, unless something changes drastically with the offense, this team will be lucky to come away with two wins in their last four games.
So what comes next? It’s impossible to determine anything draft-related at this point in time. There are too many variables that would determine draft order or even who will be free agents at the end of the season. But we can consider the areas that most likely will be addressed in the offseason. In my personal opinion, I would expect to see a new coach first and foremost. John Idzik began his rebuilding of this team last season and surprised many by keeping Rex Ryan on as coach. However, Rex may not get a second chance again after this season. Look for Idzik to bring in a new face to lead the team to the future. With a new coach at the helm and a GM looking to be a contender look for the Jets to fill the holes right away this offseason. As for the quarterback situation…your guess is as good as mine.
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Dan Lagnado is studying communications, law economics and government at American University. He’s a fan of both the Mets and Jets and has been writing about sports for four years. You can follow him on twitter at @dlag1995
Isles Trade Rumors Swirling…. Are Any True?
By Mike Basille
With a three game losing streak and losing their last game to the Winnipeg Jets, it is safe to say this team’s defensive problem is still not fixed. The penalty kill is still last in the league and it does not look like the top defensive pair can carry the load. In the bottom three of the league with 83 goals allowed on the season, this team needs a defensive swing fast. If anything, last game should have put this team over the top on making a trade. They allowed five goals (3 in less than 3 minutes) to a mediocre Philadelphia Flyers squad. This team is must make a defensive trade, an area in which they are weak and thin.
In regards to a possible trade, Carolina Hurricanes defensemen Tim Gleason’s name has been thrown around. After being a healthy scratch last game, it really looked like they were going to ship him. There has still been no sign of him being traded other than that. People may have overlooked that he was being scratched for the purpose of being traded, because he has only played in seven games this season. His stats definitely do not make you think a team should go out and get him but when you’re struggling like the Islanders have been, a veteran d-man could help. This is not the first guy I would pull the trigger on, but if it comes down to it, he would indeed help this team.
The Islanders would never make a trade with the Rangers right? So you would think, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Michael Del Zotto could possibly be seen wearing blue and orange. He still makes some glaring mistakes, but we must remember that this kid is only 23. The last two seasons he has posted a +26 so he must be doing something right! That is better than every Islander on the team had the past two seasons. If I am Garth Snow and the Rangers are serious about this deal, I would snatch him up fast.
Michael Del Zotto could be a huge boost to a weak Islanders defense (Via Getty)
Now we all want to know what the Islanders would have to give up for either of these two defensemen. In the case of Tim Gleason I would not want to see the Islanders giving up any more than a 3-4th round pick. He has had a rough start to the season and has found himself on the bench opposed to the ice. Now for a guy like Del Zotto, I would go and give away Michael Grabner. If the Rangers don’t bite on the struggling Grabner, I could see the Isles giving up a second rounder for him, but no more than that. If the Islanders want to turn this season around, they need to make a move now.
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Mike Basile is a sophomore at York College Of Pennsylvania. He is a huge sports fan, and when it comes to hockey maybe considered a little obsessive. Giving insight on the Islanders and all things hockey. You can follow him on twitter at @mikeybasile1
Mets Outfield Gets Young-er
By Dan Lagnado
The New York Mets spent money on a free agent! I repeat, the Mets have spent money! It was reported last week that the Mets signed outfielder Chris Young (no, not the one that pitched for them a few seasons ago, but the other one). Young played last season with the Oakland A’s but spent seven of his eight seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Young is a right-handed hitter who has the ability both to hit for power as well as use his speed on the base paths. However, in the past two years, Young has struggled. He hit .200 and .231 in 2013 and 2012 respectively while combining for 26 homeruns and 81 RBI. In 2010 alone he hit 27 homeruns and 91 RBI with 28 stolen bases. His past two down seasons aside, Young still has career averages of 24 homeruns, 73 RBI and 20 stolen bases. The Mets are hoping that he can return to these kind of numbers and give a boost to an outfield in need.
The Mets locked up Chris Young to a one year deal (via USA Today)
I don’t think this is a bad deal for the Mets. That said, it is not the only move to make and does not answer every outfield question. Young is a solid defensive outfielder with more assists in his career than errors. It’s unclear where he will be playing but he has experience at all three outfield spots, though most of that in centerfield. Even in his subpar seasons Young has had success against left-handed pitching making him at worst a platoon outfielder. At best, Young will be able to regain his 2010 form and become a significant part in a Mets lineup in need of both power and speed.
One thing that I think was a mistake for the Mets was the price. Young signed for one year, which limits risk and was a technique we saw last year with Marlon Byrd. This allows the Mets not to be tied down to a long-term deal with a player who may not contribute. However, the one-year will cost the Mets $7.25 million, making Young the highest paid player that isn’t named David Wright. This is a large monetary commitment to a player who could end up only being a platoon outfielder.
All in all, this move has a chance to pay-off for New York if Young can return to All-Star form. However I would look for them to still sign another outfielder, possibly a left-handed bat in case a platoon is needed. This lineup is hardly a finished product and much of the roster is still in flux. However, this is a nice fairly low-risk signing in terms of years and it is good to see the Mets getting involved so early in the free agency process when last year they didn’t sign a free agent until almost February. I would look for a few more free agent signings from this team as well as a potential trade or two in the works as the team continues to look to the future, though the a much nearer future than in years past.
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Dan Lagnado is studying communications, law economics and government at American University. He’s a fan of both the Mets and Jets and has been writing about sports for four years. You can follow him on twitter at @dlag1995
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