The Matrix is covered with Diesel

ARGH!

As you may have heard, the Suns have reached an agreement (pending physicals) with the Heat to send Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks for Shaquille O'Neal. Now, Shaq would be a fine addition if we weren't giving up one the best all-round players in the NBA.

Money:
Marion and Banks have big contracts. That's why they were ideal to be traded. Too bad Shaq's is bigger and longer at 20 million for 2 years. This is stupid.

Play:
Not even close. Sure, having a true center is good. But giving up the most athletic player on the team for one that will be the slowest is not good for a fast-paced team like the Suns. Shaq will be mainly used as a low-post defender, which the team desperately needs. But it's not worth it.

Could this be Steve Kerr getting his way over D'Antoni? If so, go to h***, Kerr. I really hope that the team likes D'Antoni more and will "make sure" that Shaq fails the physical. I don't care that the Mavs might get Kidd and the Lakers got Gasol. If the team really wants a big man, trade Marion for Camby, or something, some one who is actually good.

UPDATE:
The deal was accepted and Shaq passed the physical. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Steve Kerr stinks. 1. Doesn't save money 2. Doesn't work well with team 3. Stabs D'Antoni in the back 4. Makes team worse 5. Makes team worse 6. Makes team worse 7. Makes team, well you get the point.

Captain Morgan and Suns

I'm back, for now.

In Yankee Land, Johan is now with the Mets. I'll say this much, it's better than giving up Hughes, Wang, Chamberlain, Kennedy or letting him get to the Mets. Other than a total steal of a trade, this might have been the best-case scenario (now out of the league).

Morgan Ensberg has been signed to what is likely a minor-league deal with an out clause if he doesn't make the big league roster (like Ron Villone). He'll play third base, DH, and first base. There's no risk, with some upside, so I like this trade. He hit .230, with 12 homers, 47 runs, and 39 RBI, last year for the Astros and Padres. His best year came in 2005, when he was an All-Star, Silver Slugger, and 4th-place MVP finisher, hitting .283, 36 home runs, 86 runs, and 101 RBI.


SUNS:
Rumor has it that Damon Stoudamire (a target for backup point guard) will instead sign with the Spurs - who happen to be the Suns opponent tonight.
Suns are still "not in rhythm" yet, but with the second-best record in the NBA, at 33-13, they seem good enough to me.

Preview:
The Suns won last game to the tune of 100-95. Big performances came from Tim Duncan (36 points, 17 rebounds) and Grant Hill (22 points, 7 rebounds). Tony Parker was injured last game, but is injured this game as well.

Tonight's 10:30 game will be a mix of Spurs defense and Suns offense.
Predictions:

Suns win 106-79.

Duncan is held to "only" 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Michael Finley will be his biggest "help" with 14 points.

Amare will run wild with 34 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks - 2 on Duncan.
Nash and Marion will post 15-15 double-doubles in the obvious categories.
Grant Hill will be tried out in Manu's role (starter playing off the bench) and will produce Manu-like numbers - 25 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists. Why?
Boris Diaw is a new starter - 23 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists.

GO SUNS.

Feedback

Since this is a relatively new blog, I was hoping that any of my readers would give me feedback to improve this blog. I'm averaging less than 10 hits a day! Help me out and recommend me if you wish.

Please post your feedback as a comment to this post.

Sorry

I've had an extremely busy week with mid-term exams and music concerts. I'll be back to regular posting within a week. If it means anything to you I got a 100 on my math midterm. The next highest in the class was 88.

Suns/Bucks Recap

The Suns bounce back from a dreadful loss to Utah with a 122-114 win over the Bucks. Interestingly enough, it's the longest active win streak against one team. Even though they were trailing by 7at the half, they pulled out a patented 3rd quarter blowout to get the win, scoring 17 more than the Bucks. It was a much-needed win and showed just how important Steve Nash is.

Player Performances:
Suns-

• Alando Tucker did have a big game, too bad it was in the D-League for the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, not in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns. He scored 33 points with 10 rebounds. He's torn up the D-League this season, averaging over 28 points and 7 rebounds.
• Marion kind of stunk. I guess his shoulder/elbow is still hurting. The 9 rebounds and 2 blocks were good, but the mere 5 points weren't.
  
• Barbosa had 12 points, 2 treys (threes), and a block.
• Raja was better with 13 points, 3 treys, 3 steals, and 4 blocks. He also had a game-high +19 +/- rating. Great defense. I've noticed that Grant Hill and Raja have consistently been to top +/- players. They're true winners. (?)
  
• Amare was great, especially in the first half, totaling 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
• D.J. didn't play and Skinner didn't shoot, but he did collect 3 rebounds.
• Diaw was the breakout player of the game with 21 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and a block and a steal. And I recently dropped from my fantasy team. Maybe I should drop Grant Hill just for the heck of it. But Hill's ranked 30th in my league and Diaw wasn't top 150, so I think I'll keep him/
• Anyway, Steve Nash was the game MVP with a big night back from the stomach flu (as I so brilliantly predicted). His line was 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 for 4 foul shooting.

Bucks-

• Some Bucks were solid, too.
• Michael Redd put up 18 points.
• Villanueva, Bell, and Simmons each put up double digit points (10, 18, and 17, respectively).
• The loser's MVP was Andrew Bogut who (like every other decent center) played well with Amare "guarding" him. His final stats were 29 points and 11 rebounds.
  

Yankee News / Preview Suns and Bucks

No more Mike Cameron. He's apparently agreed to a deal for 1-year and less than $7 million with the Brewers. Melky's just fine.

The Cardinals and Blue Jays are nearing a swap of their third basemen Scott Rolen and Troy Glaus. The Blue Jays now get a great defensive third baseman who could rebound with the bat. A-Rod's better!

And more Santana stuff. Now the Yankees are out. Guess we'll never know until he's traded. But then, if he's traded somewhere else, maybe the Yankees are going to chase him there. Or if the Yankees get him, they just want to swing him away for more. Jeez.

Preview:
Bucks suck. Suns are fun? Not after two nights ago when the Suns got killed with three starters. The Bucks lost, too, but only by five to the Lakers. They have not played yet this season, but the Suns beat them twice last season. This time, the Suns will probably have Nash and Marion, but definitely not Hill. A Suns win 119-102.

Player Predictions -

• Nash will have big nights after sitting the Jazz game. Nash - 26 points, 14 assists - and Marion - 35 points, 18 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 steals.
• Amare's as good as always with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
• 17 points for Bell and Barbosa, each with 2 threes.
• Strawberry again sets a career-high in points with 11, 2 steals, 4 assists, and 2 threes.
• Tucker gets extra time and produces with 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists.
• Skinner has a kind of weird line with 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 blocks.

And the Bucks -

• Redd shoots like crazy with 38 points.
• Bogut is pretty solid as well with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
• Mo Williams get 13 points and 8 assists.
  

Minor Moves and Recap

Yankees did indeed sign Jason Lane to a minor league deal. Ah well. There's no harm. He primarily played outfield, but did get in a few games at first base. By the way, I was incorrect in a previous post. While, Lane did play for the Astros last year, his most recent team was the Padres. Last year, he hit .175 with 8 home runs and a .599 OPS. Ouch.
His best year was 2005 when he hit .267 with 26 home runs and a .815 OPS.

The Yankees also have some interest in 35-year old former Gold Glove CF Mike Cameron, who was suspended for 25 games next year for amphetamines. A-Rod supports this decision. Does this mean Melky will be traded? If so, Cameron would be the best choice. He is still a very good fielder and a better hitter (for now) than Melky.
If Melky is traded, I don't want it for Santana. My interest in him wanes each day. Next year, Sabathia (who I like more) is a free agent, and there's the rumors of a Yu Darvish posting. Maybe Melky to Pittsburgh for Damaso Marte? That wouldn't be too bad; Marte is a great bullpen lefty. If we can add an extra prospect for Matt Capps, that would be sweet. But the Pirates already have a bunch of young outfielders and top prospect Andrew McCutchen.

I don't even want to go into the Suns/Jazz game very much. The Suns lost 108-86 without Grant Hill, Shawn Marion, and Steve Nash. I guess it kind of makes a difference when you lose two of your top 3 starting defenders (Marion and Hill, the other is Bell) and you offensive captain (Nash).

Performances:

• Barbosa scored 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals to take the loser's MVP.
  
• Amare got 21 points, 14 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
• D.J. Strawberry got to play scoring 8 points (3 of 6) with a trey (three-pointer) and the only positive +/- rating on the team (+4).
• As for Jazz:
• Kirilenko didn't play.
• Boozer had a below average game with 18 points, but only 1 rebound.
• Deron Williams had 17 points and 11 assists.
• Ronnie Brewer was solid with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and a game-high +24 +/- rating.
• The game MVP was Mehmet Okur with 22 points, 17 rebounds, and a block.

Absolutely disgusting.

Suns and Jazz Preview

Third straight post:

Right off the bat, we know that neither Steve Nash nor Grant Hill will be able to play against Utah today. But given how well they played down the stretch (not beginning) of yesterday's game, I'm not worried. They usually always (does that make sense?) find some way to win. They'll do that tonight with a tough 123-120 win. Marcus Banks will hit the tie-breaking three pointer with 5.6 seconds left before stealing the ball from Deron Williams to seal the win.

Last time:
This was the chipped-tooth game for Steve Nash who was great with 29 points and 11 assists. The Suns won 103-98. Shawn Marion was great as well with 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks.

Player Predictions:
Marion will shine even brighter with 34 points, 21 rebounds, 5 steals, and 8 blocks. Andrei Kirilenko who might not play, but will, will do almost as well with 26 points, 14 rebounds, 4 steals, and 6 blocks. Apparently, neither of these great defenders will do well at containing each other. As for the Stoudemire/Boozer matchup, Stoudemire will outshine Boozer to the tune of 27 points to 19 points, 14 rebounds each, and 4 blocks for Amare and none for Boozer. Barbosa will score 27. Raja Bell will hit 5 threes for 18 total points. Skinner will grab 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Ronnie Brewer will steal away 4. Deron Williams will have an off night with only 13 points and 6 assists.

Not like any of those predictions will be close.

Recap tomorrow afternoon.

Yankee Tidbits

• Hank Steinbrenner now says that he thinks the team will do just fine without Johan Santana.
• Many now believe that the Mets are the leading candidate for Johan with a package involving prospects: P Deolis Guerra, OF Carlos Gomez, P Phil Humber, and P Kevin Mulvey.
• I think a Mets trade is the best case scenario outside of Johan staying with the Twins or the Yankees trading a really lame package for him.
• Yankees have been linked to 31-year old free agent Jason Lane (formerly of the Houston Astros). They want him as first baseman (he's played 4 games there, but should adjust well to it). Dumb idea. He's had just one good season with 26 home runs, and that was in 2005.
  

Suns Recap

This game was too close for comfort. The Suns needed an extra 5 minutes to win this one 129-122 (overtime). But, once again, a win is a win is a win.

Phoenix Player Performances:

• Grant Hill obviously didn't play.
• Steve Nash came out of the game earlier because of a stomach flu. When he was in, he scored 9 points with 4 assists.
• Because of the injuries, Diaw and Banks got some extra time. Diaw made the most of it with 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists (sort of close to a trip-double). Banks didn't make a three after going 7 of 8, but he did end up with three points.
• Skinner got some solid minutes and put up 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
• Barbosa was clutch in replacing Nash, scoring a total of 26 points, 5 assists, and a game-high +26 +/- rating.
• But Raja Bell was the game MVP with 27 points, including 6 threes, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Wow.
• The other two twenty point scorers for the Suns were Amare and Marion with 25 and 23 points respectively. Marion also grabbed 12 boards. Amare was clutch from the foul line going 11 of 14; he also grabbed 11 rebounds with 1 block.

Pacer Player Performances:

• The loser's MVP goes to Danny Granger for his 22 points, 11 rebound effort.
• Other notables were Troy Murphy (15 rebounds), Jamal Tinsley (19 points, but 8 of 26 shooting, 11 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks), Jeff Foster (11 rebounds), Mike Dunleavy (14 points, 7 rebounds), and Shawne Williams (22 points).
  

No Preview

There will be no preview for tonight's Suns/Pacers game. Luckily, I will post a recap tomorrow afternoon. Actually, I will predict another huge Suns win to the tune of 129 to 97.

Miguel Cairo signed with the Mariners. Can't exactly say that I'm bummed about.
There's continued talk of the Steinbrenner boyz/CashMAN power struggle. As long as Cashman, is back for next year, I'm cool. But that's no guarantee. I'd sure like to be the Yankees GM.

The biggest and worst news of the day is that Grant Hill has to take an emergency appendectomy and will miss two weeks. Good Luck. He's a great player and, more importantly, a great person.

Suns/Nuggets Recap, THE GOOSE, the top 10 yankees prospects

Big Post Today:

The Suns absolutely came out blazing against the Nuggets. A 137-115 win was the result. Talk about ridiculous.

Suns:

• This win embodied the Suns; give up a solid amount of points, score even more, and hit 3's. Tonight, the Suns nailed 20 (out of 31) 3-Pointers, one off of the NBA record.
  
• Hmm, where to start?
• Nash was probably the one Suns star who didn't shine, but was solid with 13 points, 10 assists, and 2 threes.
• Raja Bell was worse, with 7 points and just 1 three-pointer.
• Amare was solid to the tune of 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
• Grant Hill helped the point barrage with 20 of his own to go with 5 rebounds and a three.
• Leandro B. didn't score much (12 points) but hit a couple of threes and dished out 6 assists.
• Diaw was similar, but lesser with only 4 points but 6 assists.
• Piatkowski hit a three pointer.
• Skinner also nailed a three to go with 2 rebounds and perfect 3 for 3 foul shooting.
• Alando Tucker played 2 minutes but didn't do anything but pick up a foul.
• The breakout player of the game was Marcus Banks. This team cast-off showed he belonged in a big way with 23 points, 2 blocks, and a team-high 7 three pointers.
• But the MVP goes to Shawn Marion. He shot a career-high 5 threes and picked up 27 points. His 14 rebounds and 4 assists were nice, too. So were his 6 blocked shots.
• As a team the number two blocking team in the NBA (Suns) out blocked the number one (Nuggets) 13 to 4. The Suns shot an astronomical 64.5% from behind the arc.

Nuggets:

• The Nugget players weren't that bad.
• A.I. did nail 32 points and Carmelo got 20 points and 14 rebounds; however, no one else scored above 17 (like I predicted), actually, the next best was Camby's 13.

Great game all the way. A+ performance from the Suns. Apparently Steve Kerr's pep talk and Coach D'Antoni's criticisms really motivated the team. The bar has been set high, and I hope the Suns will meet it more often than not.


THE GOOSE:
Former Yankees closer Rich "Goose" Gossage was the only one to be elected in the Hall of Fame this year (Red Sox outfielder Jim Rice was kind of close). Gossage jumped from 71% last year to a whopping 86% this year. He definitely deserved it. He was described as a top-three all-time closer by ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian (but somehow Mariano Rivera wasn't on that list). Gossage's stats: 124 wins, 3.01 ERA, 1809.3 innings, 310 saves, and 1502 strikeouts. Amazing.

Top 10 Yankee prospects:

I'm a bit late on this one, but here's Baseball America's top 10 Yankee prospects list.

1. Joba Chamberlain
2. Austin Jackson
3. Jose Tabata
4. Ian Kennedy
5. Alan Horne
6. Jesus Montero
7. Jeffrey Marquez
8. Brett Gardner
9. Ross Ohlendorf
10. Andrew Brackman

The rest of article (including best tools and analysis) is here:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/265405.html

I disagree with much of this list. Dellin Betances should be in there. Many other Yankee bloggers don't even have Gardner in their top 20. Marquez should be lower, as should Ohlendorf. Kennedy should be number two, and I wouldn't put Austin Jackson ahead of Tabata just yet. But their the so-called experts.

Suns and Nuggets Preview

The Suns have been maddeningly inconsistent over the past few weeks. The road to consistency won't be any easier with Denver and its Player of the Week A.I. 'Melo and A.I. will prove to be a troublesome duo, but if D'Antoni sticks Marion on 'Melo and Raja Bell of A.I., the defense would work much better. Regardless, this will be a high-scoring game, but the Suns have more stars and are a better team. That equals a 127-119 win.

Last time: Last year October 25, the Suns pulled out a 116-113 win against Denver. The three point lead was thanks to rookie D.J. Strawberry's (now with the D-League) 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds left. Carmelo and Iverson each scored over 20, but the Phoenix Suns didn't have anyone get over 20 points. Thank God they're balanced; seven Suns players scored double digits, with the two rookies Strawberry and Alando in that group (the starters also all scored double digits and Barbosa sat out with bruised ribs).

Player predictions: The only rookie still on the roster is Alando Tucker. This will be his breakout game with 19 points and 8 rebounds to complement 4 assists in 22 minutes. Nash and Stoudemire will get big double-doubles (I'm thinking 30+ points and 15+ assists/rebounds). Grant Hill will almost get a triple-double: 21 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, while Marion does barely get one: 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. Barbosa and Bell will both score in the high teens. Denver's two stars will hit over 30 points, but they will be the only members of the team to score over 17.

Suns vs. Hornets Recap

Are you kidding me? The Hornets won the game without their second best player (David West) and came from being 13 points down (78-65) to winning 118-113. They're a good team, but Phoenix should have won this won.

Suns:

• Marcus Banks and Boris Diaw each scored 11, and Diaw added 3 rebounds and 4 assists in 31 minutes.
• Marion was disappointing collecting only 6 points and 7 rebounds on 2-9 shooting. At least he blocked 3 shots.
• Grant Hill was solid adding 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
• Raja Bell played less than 3 minutes and didn't do much.
• Stoudemire was sub-par by his lofty standards with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks.
• The biggest loser with Leandro Barbosa who had a -15 +/- rating, despite having scored 28 points.
• The loser's MVP award went to Steve Nash for his 23 points, 11 point night.

Hornets:

• All five of their starters scored at least 19 points.
• Leading the way was game MVP Chris Paul who got 28 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals, playing a full 48 minutes.
• Tyson Chandler also picked up a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
  

Suns vs. Hornets Recap

Are you kidding me? The Hornets won the game without their second best player (David West) and came from being 13 points down (78-65) to winning 118-113. They're a good team, but Phoenix should have won this won.

Suns:

• Marcus Banks and Boris Diaw each scored 11, and Diaw added 3 rebounds and 4 assists in 31 minutes.
• Marion was disappointing collecting only 6 points and 7 rebounds on 2-9 shooting. At least he blocked 3 shots.
• Grant Hill was solid adding 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
• Raja Bell played less than 3 minutes and didn't do much.
• Stoudemire was sub-par by his lofty standards with 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks.
• The biggest loser with Leandro Barbosa who had a -15 +/- rating, despite having scored 28 points.
• The loser's MVP award went to Steve Nash for his 23 points, 11 point night.

Hornets:

• All five of their starters scored at least 19 points.
• Leading the way was game MVP Chris Paul who got 28 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals, playing a full 48 minutes.
• Tyson Chandler also picked up a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
  

SUNS/Hornets Preview and Other Tidbits

Preview:
Let's go for 5 in a row. This game against the Hornets is going to be tough. But the Suns are the best team in the West now, and I think they'll win a close one. The Suns lost by 3 (101-98) in the last matchup of the best veteran point guard (Steve Nash) and the best young one (Chris Paul). This time, the vet will win, but players will do extremely well. The final score: 107-104 Suns victory.

Players:
Steve Nash and Chris Paul will both post huge numbers. Nash: 33 points, 19 assists, and 3 steals. Paul: 26 points, 16 assists, 6 steals.
The big men Chandler, West, Stoudemire, and Marion will benefit from their point guards. Double-Doubles for all four, the worst being Chandler (12 points, 11 rebounds) and the best being Stoudemire (39 points, 17 rebounds, 4 blocks). West and Marion will get around 25 points and 15 rebounds.
The smaller guys will be left out a bit. The best of rest will be Grant Hill, posting 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists.


The Angels are interested in a trade for Paul Konerko (White Sox). They'll give up either a package with Howie Kendrick or Chone Figgins. That's just stupid. Kotchman has a similar bat and a much better glove.

Brad Wilkerson is a free agent. I realize he plays the exact position that the Yankees are trying to get rid of (1B/OF/DH) but he could probably do better than Shelley. Only a few years ago (2004) he swatted 32 homers and walked 106 times with Montreal. He's still only 30 years old. He's not a must have, though. My ideal first base situation with a platoon of Shelley Duncan and Juan Miranda.

Bye Bye and Hello

Andy Phillips and Matt DeSalvo have signed elsewhere, the former with the Reds and the latter with the Braves. I'd be lying if I said I would miss them. Both were not that young (but babies compared to rest of Yankees) in their upper 20's, and their upside was limited. DeSalvo could become a middle-end rotation starter, but Phillips probably won't improve much. DeSalvo could hit over 90 mph and threw 20 different pitches (not really). His control was above-average, too, but he wasn't in any Yankee plans.

Clemens, Knoblauch, and Clemens have been asked to testify for Congress. I don't care, it's not going to change the Yankees that much. I prefer to post on strict baseball, not this riffraff. Unless something dramatic happens, you'll have to look elsewhere for steroid etc. coverage.

But good news has arrived. Yankees signed a few more minor league free agents: IF Nick Green, LHP Heath Phillips, LHP Billy Traber, C Jason Brown, OF Greg Porter, and RHP Scott Strickland (first found a River Ave. Blues).

Nick Green (born in 1978) - was once a Yankee in 2006 as a utility infielder, and that's about his upside this year; good glove playing 2b, SS, and 3b with a bat that'll get 10 hits in a lifetime

Jason Brown (born in 1974) - has been a minor league catcher for the Yankees since 2005; is a career minor league backup catcher; just a roster filler

Greg Porter (born in 1980) - put up great numbers at AA and AAA in the Angels' system getting a .316/.369/.456 vital line and 11 homers and 17 steals; career minor leaguer (career minor league OPS is .801) is a sleeper for a backup outfield job and eliminates any thoughts of Lew Ford

Scott Strickland (born in 1976) - has been a career journeyman, amassing decent major league 3.34 ERA and striking over a batter per inning; his control isn't bad; however, he hasn't seen major league action since 2005; a deep bullpen sleeper candidate, he's just going to strengthen the Scranton bullpen

Billy Traber (born in 1979) - a former 2000 first round pick of the Mets, Traber has been solid in the minors (3.61 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) but atrocious in the majors (5.41 ERA, 1.55 WHIP in 194.6 innings); still on the good side of 30, there is a chance for a breakout season as he enters his prime and could result in a lefty role in the Yankee bullpen

Heath Phillips (born in 1982) - the best haul of the bunch, Heath was rated by Scout.com as the number 10 ChiSox prospect as recently as last year, he was non-tendered this year, and gives the Yankees some much-needed minor-league lefty pitching depth; he is a solid workhorse pitcher who throws a high-80s sinker, and he is a solid sleeper for a LOOGY role in the majors

I hope the Yankees sign even more minor league free agents because cost so little and some can turn out to be very useful. Bounce back-candidates are good, too, for the reason that it will build their trade value.

Colon

According the this site (found through MLB Trade Rumrs) Bartolo Colon apparently can't even throw 90 mph, removing from the high-risk, decent reward firethrower list. This means that I no longer see him as an intriguing pickup. Forget him, stick with pursuing Lincecum, Cain, Dotel, etc.

http://www.metsblog.com/2008/01/04/note-colon-not-hitting-90-mph/

SUNS SONICS Recap

That wasn't the blowout I had expected, but a win is a win no matter what. The Suns had to rally from a 20-point deficit to win the game 104-96 due to an atrocious first quarter.

Suns-

• Steve Nash got the double-double with 17 points and 10 assist, but also committed 5 turnovers.
• With eleven points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks, Raja Bell also added the highest +/- rating with +13.
• Grant Hill had a average night with 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
• Shawn Marion 11 points, 14 boards, and 2 blocks with another multi-dimensional night.
• Alando Tucker didn't hit the floor once.
• Barbosa scored a sweet 16 off the bench.

Sonics-

• Durant took 24 shots, making 11 of them en route a 28 points night with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Earl Watson came fairly close to a trip-double with 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists, taking the loser's MVP award (MVP of the losing team).
• Nick Collison grabbed 14 rebounds and fouled out with 6 PF's, while Jeff Green scored 14 points.
• Chris Wilcox didn't even play 6 minutes, but shot 4 points and snagged 3 rebounds.
• Former Sun Kurt Thomas got the team's only double-double with 14 points and 12rebounds.
  

The game's MVP was Amare Stoudemire who made 34 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Somehow, he managed a -2 +/- rating.

Free Agents and Trade Candidates for the Yankees

I know I've posted on this topic before, but the offseason is not yet close to over, and many transactions have occurred since the last post.

Free Agents that NYY should target or at least look at:

LHRP Affeldt, Jeremy - a "much-needed" bullpen lefty who posted a 3.51 ERA for the Rockies last year; if he's cheap, fine, but he's been asking for three years and that won't happen; I still think Kei Igawa would be fine as a bullpen lefty; in his only MLB relief appearance, Kei held the Red Sox scoreless for 6 2/3 innings, replacing an injured Jeffrey Karstens; Kei has potential that shouldn't be wasted

RHRP Benitez, Armando - a high-risk, med. reward player, I believe Benitez still has value in his arm as long as he keeps pumping 90+ mph fastballs, which he still does; if he can be had for an incentive-laden contract with a low base, I see no reason to take a small gamble; too bad he's looking for a lot more than that

RHSP Colon, Bartolo - another injury returnee, Colon was a Cy Young pitcher as recently as 2005; he could return to ace form; he's asking for too much money, though; if the salary is reasonable, if there was any chance that he could convert to the bullpen, the injury risk would decrease and he could be very good

RHSP DeSalvo, Matt - just re-sign as an insurance policy; but I doubt he'd pitch in any situation other than mop-up duty

RHRP Dotel, Octavio - yet another injured, hard-throwing reliever who could add to the bullpen; a low-cost pitcher, too, we should ignore his previous outings with the Yankees and let him try again

OF Ford, Lew - he's a minor league free agent, so he could help the AAA team, as well as, provide some outfield depth; only a few years ago, he was considered to be a multi-dimensional up-and-coming player with upside

RHRP Otsuka, Akinori - his arm must really look bad if the interest in him is this low; his numbers are great and would be a welcome addition to any team's bullpen; my proposition - a 2-year deal giving the team at least one year if 2008 is lost to injury

OF Sardinha, Bronson - he wouldn't be a huge loss; but I don't want to give up on his upside just yet

RHSP Jaret Wright is a free agent again, but no one wants him this time.

Other free agents who are decent players, but don't fit with the Yankees:

RHSP Jennings, Jason - was once on a path to ace hood, now lucky to be a number 3

OF Cameron, Mike - Gold Glove defense with solid bat is being counterbalanced by a suspension, money, and age

3B Feliz, Pedro- many agree he was robbed of a Gold Glove; Feliz has a solid batting eye and power, but his average is horrendous; thank God we've got A-Rod back because a Miggy Cabrera trade wasn't happening and I don't believe Lowell was ever going to leave the Red Sox.

Trades Candidates:

CL Huston Street - I've posted about him before when writing about the A's recently. He would be groomed as Mariano Rivera's replacement. I recall reading that he had once struggled a bit against lefties. Now if only Rivera could teach him the cutter ...

1B Carlos Pena - He is a decent defender with a great bat at our weakest position. And to think we released him a year ago. And that there were rumors of a deal for him involving a mere package of Sean Henn and another minor leaguer. Oh well, now he would cost a big 3 pitcher (Kennedy, Hughes, or Chamberlain) and few other top 20 prospects.

P Matt Cain/Tim Lincecum - As much as I love Matsui, I would've loved him more if we could've traded him for one of these two young, high-upside, fireballing Giants pitchers. However, Cain might force Chamberlain to the bullpen (Hughes and Kennedy aren't suited for relief) or Lincecum would convert. Either way, it would be the best bullpen strengthener of all the moves I have just suggested (except for maybe Street). I prefer Lincecum because he's younger and has less service time.

The common theme of these moves is bullpen. Most are high-upside right pitchers who throw 90+ mph fastballs. But this also reminds me of Kyle Farnsworth !?!?!?!

Tigers and Catchers

No, not Ivan Rodriguez.

The Wildlife World Zoo had named to tiger cubs after Suns players: Nash and Raja. Four newborn tiger cubs had to be named, too. As a result, we have added Amare, D'Antoni, Marion, and McCoy. What sounds better the Phoenix Suns or the Phoenix Tigers? I still like Suns because their offense is HOT! I think the next tigers should be named Grant, Barbosa, Strawberry, and Boris (in that order).

As for catcher, have no fear, Jesus Montero is here. And Francisco Cervelli. And Austin Romine. The Yankees might have the best farm system for catchers. I know Chad Jennings at SWB Yankees disagrees calling it the weakest position, other than first base, for the Yankees. If that's so, the Yankees have a great system. (http://emedia.thetimes-tribune.com/Blogs/SWBYankees/tabid/552/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1911/Prospect-watch-Catcher.aspx)


Anyway, over at Project Prospect, the boys have created a top 10 catching prospect list. The Yankees are the only team with two on the list (Montero at 7 and Cervelli at 9). John Sickels over at Minor League Ball has Austin Romine ranked ahead of both of them. If all this is true, and at least one of them fulfills their vast potential, the Yankees could have a great replacement for Posada. My prediction: Montero keeps growing and is forced into a 1B/OF/DH role with a Manny Ramirez bat; Austin Romine becomes the starting catcher with a I-Rod-esque arm and a bat similar to V-Mart; Cervelli becomes a solid average and doubles hitter, but his main calling card is defense, forcing him into a role as Romine's backup.

Fire Sale: A's are the second coming of the Marlins

The A's swapped OF/1B Nick Swisher to the ChiSox for prospects Ryan Sweeney, Gio Gonzalez, and Fautino De Los Santos. All of the prospects had been top-5 prospects in the White Sox system. Swisher is a powerful bat with a solid batting eye, although he could use some help in the batting average department posting a .262/.381/.455 (AVG/OBP/SLG) line in 2007.

So far, the A's have traded their best hitter (Swisher) and pitcher (All-Star starter Dan Haren). Next up, starter Joe Blanton, starting reliever Rich Harden, and reliever Huston Street. If Street and Harden come at reasonable price (with Billy Beane? Yeah, right.), I would like to see the Yankees go for them. An ideal price would be two top relief prospects (H. Sanchez, K. Whelan, J. Cox, D. Robertson, M. Melancon, R. Ohlendorf, E. Ramirez, etc.) and a top prospect or young player (I. Kennedy, A. Jackson, M. Cabrera, etc.) for Street, and one player less for Harden. I don't see this happening, though. Swisher would have solved our 1B problem, though, but the package would be the equivalent of losing Alan Horne, Melky Cabrera, and Dellin Betances, not something I would do given that Mark Teixeira is a free agent next year, and Carlos Pena and Miguel Cabrera are the year after. As for Street, if the price is too high, we can sign Francisco Rodriguez as a FA after 2008, and Street would be a free agent the year Mariano Rivera's contract is up. Interesting.

Preview SUNS vs. SuperSonics

This should be a good start to the new year of 2008 for our Suns. A win here would make it four straight, so that means the Suns will be trying for 5 in row for the next game. Seattle obviously isn't a good team, and they might be without both Chris Wilcox and Kevin Durant. During the last Phoenix and Seattle match-up, the Suns won 106-99 behind strong double-doubles from the big 3. Durant led Seattle's charge putting up 27 points and receiving praise from Raja Bell. Wilcox also had a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. This game's outcome: 121-92 without Wilcox/Durant or 116-107 with both of them (obviously both Phoenix wins).

As for player predictions (boy, these are fun): Four Phoenix starters (Nash, Stoudemire, Hill, and Marion) put up double-doubles with Hill and Marion nearly netting trip-doubles. Alando Tucker gets playing time contributing a little in all categories. As for Seattle, I do not believe Durant or Wilcox will play. Their next best player will be Jeff Green, who puts up a point-rebound double-double, although neither total exceeds 20.

UPDATE:
Durant is now listed as probable and Wilcox is probable. If they both play full minutes, I would expect a small double-double from Wilcox (closer to 10-10 than 15-15) and 20+ points from Durant. Greens numbers will also go down.

You know Yu?

The East Windup Chronicle offered a third-hand report that the Yankees had interest in Yu Darvish, the young Iranian-Japanese phenom of a pitcher, who could become available after the 2008 season. At the ripe young age of 21 and standing 6'5", weighing under 180 pounds, Darvish has considerable upside, as he has probably not yet finished growing. The pitched (and dominated) in Japanese baseball with the Nippon Ham Fighters. He throws a low 90's fastball (91-93 mph) with strong secondary offerings of a knuckle-curve, slider, sinker, and change-up. His control is strong as well. In 2007, his first year without Daisuke Matsuzaka in the league, he won the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young award.

He is nowhere near free agency, but, apparently, a few MLB team have hoped and inquired his team to use the posting system that allowed Daisuke to reach the MLB a year early. If he is posted, he will almost certainly cost more due to his youth.

Prediction (if the Yankees get him): $75 million posting fee (he projects to be in the $50-$60 million range like Daisuke, but, remember, Daisuke's projected posting fee was $30-$40 million, and we know how that ended up). His contract will be larger as well, perhaps: $65 million for 5 years, a little more than Daisuke $52 million contract. Yu has more leverage than Daisuke because he won't have any problems returning to Japan for a few more years. In fact, there is no real proof he, his team, or his family even will consider the posting.