The MLB is @#$%ed

Since it's the front page of every sports website, I'm sure you've heard. A-Rod allegedly tested positive for steriods back in 2003. Blah, blah, blah. I'm past the point where I'm angry at steroid guys. Now it's just depressing. As much as I hate A-Rod, he was supposed to be baseball's clean record holder. A-Rod is going to have immortal records if he stays healthy and the mlb was relying on him to be hope in the steroid era. He was an immensely talented young kid in Seattle, turned superstar who feld to Texas, turned weirdo who has trouble handling the NY pressures. Now this.

This sucks. I was a huge A-Rod fan back in the day and have absolutely hated him recently. But I never would have wished for this because it is setting baseball back into the steroid stone age. If it comes out that Griffey was a steroid user, it will ruin my childhood and I'll probably be done with baseball forever.

Recent Baseball News & Notes

Here's some recent baseball news and notes over the past week or so that you might have missed in the midst of bowl season and the nfl playoffs (go birds!):

1. Cubs sign Milton Bradley: I love this deal for the Cubs. Milton got 3 years, 30 mil (less money than Ibanez) and is a great addition to a Cubs team that is very close to the top. Milton was the best hitter of the OF/DH group (other than Manny) and is also the youngest. He may be a head case, but on a team without an identity (make that a city without an identity), crazy guys are sometimes just what you need.


2. Pat Burrell signs with Rays: Not a bad signing for the Rays. They gave him two years, the second of which will probably be useless. Pat had a resurgence this season, but don't expect much consistency. He's a good signing for them because he has no problem staying out of the limelight and playing second or even third fiddle to other stars in the lineup. Also he should benefit from playing DH and not running around aimlessly in the outfield all season.


3. Giambi close to signing with the A's: This one makes sense. The A's have thrived lately on thriving aging vets like Frank Thomas, Piazza, etc. Giambi is a great OBP guy, so it's easy to see why Beane liked him.


4. Derek Lowe and Manny still unsigned: Another unsurprising fact. These two seem to be the odd superstars out in free agency splurge. The economy has hit these two hard and they won't get anything close to the money they expected earlier this spring.


5. Howard and Hamels hit arbitration soon: How much will they get? Howard is most likely going to break his own record and Hamels should be getting a sweet payday too.


6. J.C. Romero suspended 50 games in '09: Sometimes even the over-the-counter ones can get you. Wake the hell up J.C. that's why they have trainers in the lockerroom.

That's likely not all the baseball news, but that's what you should have seen or heard. Moving forward, there won't be much baseball talk with the NFL Playoffs steamrolling through, but keep an eye on the Bottomline to get just enough baseball fix to keep you going.

Yankees Fix Numbers to Cheat Taxes on Stadium

As covered on Shysterball earlier today, emails were leaked that revealed that politicians asked the tax assessors to overestimate the value of the stadium property so that the Yankees could claim a billion dollar tax deductable. Initially estimated to be valued at 27 million dollars, the land was "re-evaluated" to be worth over 200 million dollars! No wonder they had enough money to sign C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and possibly Mark Teixieria...

Big Contracts=Big Busts?

With the recent signings in the MLB off season this past week of C.C Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Francisco Rodriguez, one question arose in my head: How will big players like these react after signing such a large contract? It got me thinking about big name players, such as the ones mentioned, performing at the same level before signing. Barry Zito for example, once a CY-Young winner who signed a huge contract with the San Francisco Giants for a 7 year $126 million in 2007. Before signing the contract, for his career, Zito was 102-63 including his magical year in 2002 going 23-5. After his contract, Zito is currently 21-30. Bust? or is he going to settle in after 2 years? Other big contracts that have been a waste to MLB teams include players such as Mike Hampton (8 years $121 million), Mo Vaughn (6 years $60 million), and Kevin Brown (7 years $115 million).

We are yet to find out how these players perform with their new teams. C.C Sabathia was unbelievable in the regular season with the Brewers in the second half of the season, but ran out of gas in the playoffs. A.J. Burnett is injury prone, but there is no doubt about the fact that he has dirty stuff. Last But not least, Francisco Rodriguez is coming off his record setting year with 62 saves. However, did the Angels put him in 69 games because they knew they could not afford him after the season? His stamina will remain in question as the season progresses and hopefully the curse of Mets closers does not haunt him. Hopefully all of our questions are answered once the season kicks off in April of 2009.

Yanks Land Another Ace

It is believed that the New York Yankees and free agent pitcher A.J. Burnett have reached a preliminary deal of 5 years, $82.5 million. Burnett went 18-10 with a 4.07 ERA with Toronto. Just days after the Yankees signed southpaw C.C. Sabathia, they land another dominant pitcher. So with the two newcomers, how good does this make the Yankees?

It's impossible to say for sure what this staff's numbers are going to look like in 2009, but this is how I see it playing out.

C.C. Sabathia- 19-6, 2.90 ERA. Sabathia showed that he is the most dominant pitcher in the league last year and should continue to put up great numbers with the best offense he is ever going to have.

A.J. Burnett- 18-9, 3.50 ERA. A little better than his numbers last season, I feel like Burnett has the stuff to produce these types of numbers. Along with his usual 200 plus strikeouts, I expect him to be a good fit for the rotation. The only knock on him is his health. Burnett has only pitched 200 plus innings 3 times in his career. If this flamethrower can stay healthy, I don't see why he can't put up better numbers than last season.

Chien-Ming Wang- 20-8, 3.20 ERA. I believe Wang could have a Cy Young type year. Wang is an innings eater and has a quiet demeanor and stays low key, but from 2006-2008, nobody has more wins than him. He was a solid ace before Sabthia and Burnett came to town, and I can see him getting better with these guys around.

Andy Pettitte- 15-11, 3.90 ERA. Pettitte is aging and didn't have his best year in 2008. Right now it is unsure if he will come back because the Yankees are asking him to take a $6 million paycut, but many insiders expect Pettitte to return. Pettitte has always been a great second half pitcher and I believe he will be a great #4 starter.

Joba Chamberlain- 15-8, 3.30 ERA. If Joba does end up in the starting rotation next year, he will be an awesome #5 starter. When Joba had a starting job last year, he had a great ERA and his strikeouts were impressive. His only knock last year was his low amount of innings pitched, but I feel if they groom him to be a starter out of spring training, that he will be ready to improve his innings pitched.

These are just my predictions. I don't think the Yankees are done adding free agents just yet. I wouldn't be surprised if they went after Derek Lowe if Andy Pettitte decided not to come back. I also think that sometime during this winter, they will add a big bat into their lineup. They have already been trying to acquire Mike Cameron from the Brewers for Melky Cabrera. Cameron provides more power than Cabrera and is just as good defensively. This would be a solid pickup until emerging star OF Austin Jackson is ready to get called up to the big leagues. The Yankees are on their way to putting together a great team and have taken care of their starting pitching, something that they have been lacking for a while.

Phillies Sign Ibanez, Cut Ties With Burrell

Barring an introduction of the DH to the National League. Today marks the end of an era. The Pat "The Bat" Burrell era in Philadelphia. This era surely had it's ups and it's downs and things weren't always happy. A few years after being the Phillies first round pick, Pat set the world on fire in '03 and was awarded with a huge contract extension, things couldn't have been better. Then, Pat put some dreadful seasons together with mild success and hot streaks scattered in between. Finally, to end the era, Pat the Bat hit the double that lead to the game winning run, in the clinching game of the World Series for the Phillies. It was a storybook ending to say the least and it all ending today, now that the Phillies have signed his replacement, Raul Ibanez, from the Seattle Mariners.

I love The Bat, and hate to see him go. He was the subject of more hilarious comments than I can begin to remember, but let's look at this rationally in a Burrell vs. Ibanez, comparison showdown:

Contract:

• Burrell: The Phils reportedly offered him 22mil/2 years, which would have been a smart move, but he declined. Anything more than that, would have been too much, in years or in dollars. Pat is only 32, but plays like he's 38.


• Ibanez: The deal he got was 30mil/3. About market value, which really isn't too bad. In year 3, Ibanez will most likely be dead weight, but that's how it is with most free agent contracts nowadays. At 36 now, 38 & 39 are going to be tough years to expect top production from him.

Offensive Skill:

• Burrell: Big-Time power, but overall his skills are diminishing, quickly. When Pat is using the whole field he can be dangerous, he showed this earlier in '08, but those moments are few and far between. His best years were half a decade ago in '03. Also, Burrell may be the slowest man to don the Philly Pinstripes since John Kruk. Even Ryan Howard has got him by a few steps.


• Ibanez: He hit near .300 this year with good power (23 hrs) and solid production all around. He's also knocked in 100 rbi's the last 3 seasons, in Seattle no less. Ibanez also brings atleast speed better than Burrell's, but he isn't much of a runner either (2 sb's in '08)

Defensive Ability:

• Burrell: A total disaster in LF. Constantly was pulled in late-innnings for defensive replacements.


• Ibanez: Maybe a step better in the OF, but only a step. In doing some Raul Ibanez reading, I am getting the feeling that Mariners fans weren't a fan of his OF play either. But a step up nonetheless.

Fit in the Lineup:

• Burrell: When he is playing well, Pat is the perfect fit. He's a power-hitting right handed bat. Exactly what we need to protect Utley and Howard.


• Ibanez: He is a lefty with moderate power and good average. Not at all what we need, but he did hit .300 against left-handed pitching in '08, although he hits .260 against them lifetime.

Personality:

• Burrell: This is the kicker for Burrell. Once Phillies fans (myself included) stopped expecting Pat to be a superstar and just accepted him for what he is, Pat became an instant fan favorite. The stories about Pat's late-night habits and exploits were no longer a burden, but hysterical. It was daily comedy making jokes about how hungover Pat was at batting practice earlier. Or how drunk Pat Burrell after the Phillies won the World Series.


• Ibanez: Does Raul Ibanez have a personality?

Outcome/Results:

I'm not excited about the Raul Ibanez signing, however, I think there's a good chance that he does a good job and puts up some solid numbers hitting in the Bank. Also, at Pat's market value, I don't think he produces well enough to bring him back at the contract he will most likely receive.

But I can't hate the feeling that there are smarter options that the Phillies could have explored. I have long talked about Adam Dunn and how much I like him and I wish the Phillies would've tried to sign him. Atleast if we aren't getting a good upgrade with the glove, you know that you're getting a monster bat. Him and Howard would strikeout a ton together, but probably hit 50 home runs each! Mark DeRosa (UPenn Grad baby!) would be a great option for us if we could deal for him because he plays a good LF and could fill in a 2B until Utley returns. He may not have a fantastic bat, but is he that much worse than Ibanez? What about Milton Bradley? I think he is a far more accomplished hitter than Ibanez and he is 6 years younger! He may be a head case, but he is a player and a good one at that.

Well, there's no going back now and it is Ibanez or bust. So we'll just have to see if Ibanez is the answer or if next winter the Phillies will be looking to eat his contract and find a different guy.

Winter Meetings Update

According to MetsBlog, the Mets have offered Fransisco Rodriguez a 2 year deal, with a third year player option. The deal is reportedly worth $12 Million per season.

This doesn't make much sense to me. All the talk surrounding K-Rod suggests that he is seeking a 4 year deal, and I feel like such a low ball offer might come as an insult. Come on Omar

Chicago Sun Times writer Gordon Wittenmeyer discusses the increasing likelihood that Jake Peavy will join the Cubs.

Personally, I am not buying this rumor until I get a legitimate source. After all, it was widely discussed that Peavy would be a Brave "by Thanksgiving". But imagine a rotation of Peavy, Harden, Zambrano, Dempster, and Lilly.

According to mlbtraderumors, the Marlins and Giants are discussing a swap of Jorge Cantu and Jonathan Sanchez.

I really like the Giants commitment to improving their offense. And I feel like this would be an absolute steal for them. Sanchez is little more than an average pitcher, and Cantu has 35+ HR potential.

Gordon Edes of Yahoo Sports claims that Manny Ramirez never even responded to their 2 year offer. Which confirms my belief that the Dodgers never actually wanted to resign Manny. Instead it was a move to appease their fanbase.

The article also claims that the Dodgers have reached a tentative agreement with third baseman Casey Blake, and are making progress in resigning Rafael Furcal.

Jon Heyman believes that the Brewers are back in the C.C. Sabbathia sweepstakes. The Brewers, according to sources, are open to adding a sixth year for Sabathia, which would likely raise their offer from $100 million to close to $120 million.

Here's my take on Sabbathia. As dominate as he was last season, I don't like the idea of tying up $120 Million over 6 years for a power pitcher who checks in at nearly 300 pounds. The potential for long term injury is enormous.

Thats all I've got...I'm still waiting for the hot stove to finally heat up. I'm feeling confident that the Mets will leave Las Vegas with a closer, but other than that the big name players are seemingly hesitant to sign.

Major League Baseball and the Economy

Whether people want to admit it or not, it is clear that we are facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. But will the tumultuous economy have a profound impact on Major League Baseball? A recent New York Times article addressed this question:

At the moment, baseball is bucking a trend. Teams are about to start awarding free agents lavish contracts that, in at least two instances, will almost certainly top $100 million. Meanwhile, the stock market continues to sink, retirement accounts are disappearing and the Big Three automakers are on the verge of bankruptcy.

It is unclear how much baseball is insulated from the nation’s economic problems and whether teams will cut back on the money they might normally offer free agents, or take other measures to save money.To date, the most vivid example that teams are keeping a close watch on the economy came last week, when the Boston Red Sox, a model of success on and off the field, announced they would not raise ticket prices for the first time since 1994.

As for baseball’s free agents, first baseman Mark Teixeira and pitcher C. C. Sabathia seem likely to end up with multiyear deals that could be worth close to $150 million. Others, like outfielder Manny Ramírez and pitcher A. J. Burnett, could easily get deals that top $50 million. Volcker’s remarks to the owners were unlikely to dampen those deals, but lesser free agents could be affected.

In my opinion, I believe it is time for teams to cut back on spending, at least until our economic issues are resolved. Now don't get me wrong, I believe players earn their paychecks, and I'm not complaining about high profile players. Instead, I believe the issue lies within low level players with inflated salaries.

Craig Calcaterra of ShysterBall recently worte an article discussing average salaries in the MLB. According to the MLBPA, the average salary in major league baseball is $2.93 Million. Although this is a slight decrease from 2007, I still believe that number is too high for an average salary. I have no problem with guys like A-Rod, Johan Santana, and CC Sabbathia getting contracts upwards of $100 Million. But the problem exists with contracts such as Geoff Jenkins ($13 Million/2Y), Marlon Anderson ($2.2 Million/Y), Kenny Rogers($8 Million/Y). Its killing the free agent market. If a career pinch hitter like Marlon Anderson gets $2.2 Million, then what is an all-star caliber Outfielder worth. Apparently about $100 Million (Torii Hunter).

My opinion on this subject is an unpopular one, but quite frankly I don't really care. As long as average players continue to get inflated contracts, my ticket prices will continue to rise. And in our current economy, thats something we cannot afford.

Tops Dogs in Sports Blogs

News and blog site, Wikio, updates monthly blog rankings based on some algorithm about links and posts and other blogs that I won't pretend to understand. However, it is cool to see the best sports blogs out. Even if these aren't perfect rankings, they do give a pretty good representation of the best blogs available. They've got the top 100 listed on the link, but you can search for any blog to check its ranking. Your's truly comes in at a cool #21489, so props to anyone who has helped attribute to that, we're just happy to be on there. Here's the top 25 sports blogs with some others Cheap Seats favorites mixed in. We'll bold our favorites:

1. Deadspin


2. MLB Trade Rumors


3. The Big Lead


4. D.C. Sports Blog


5. True Hoop


6. EDSBS


7. The LoHud Yankees Blog


8. Baseball Musings


9. Beyong the Boxscore


10. MetsBlog


11. Hardwood Paroxysm


12. Kissing Suzy Kolber


13. Mr. Irrelevant


14. Blazers Edge


15. MLB Rumors -- MLBTradeRumors.com


16. U.S.S. Mariner


17. AstrosDaily.com's Astrowire


18. MGoBlog


19. DRaysBay


20. Wizards Insider


21. Mile High Report


22. Blogging the Boys


23. Music City Miracle


24. Windy City Gridiron


25. Pride of Detroit

27. Baseball Analysts

47. The Good Phight

84. ShysterBall

Overall, I think it's a good list, although it is a travesty that ShysterBall is listed so low, it must be a algorithmic technicality. I look at this list like a little kid holding baseball cards, hoping one day that could be us, yet having the sense to known it's probably not going to happen. Nontheless, it is a cool listing and you should definitely check out some of the sites and see if they float your boat.

How to Obsessively Gamble: Without Being a Degenerate

I'm not going to lie, I love betting on sports. It can make any game more exciting and turn a normally meaningless game into a battle of life and death for you, the gambler.

Now, being relatively money-less, I don't have the funds for an obsessive gambling habit. I can't afford to lose the money that i don't have (or my mom doesn't have). Therefore, I wanted to find another option to place some bets and have some fun, but to avoid all of the risk and problems.

I stumbled upon, CentSports, a free sports betting site. On this website, you are automatically given $.10 at sign-up and free to bet it on anything you want: baseball, football, basketball, soccer, college sports, tennis, boxing, MMA, etc. You can bet straight or you can parlay. Basically, it is all the fun of a bookie without the threat of getting your legs broken.

Better yet, if you take that $.10 and blow it on the first bet, they keep giving you $.10 more everytime that you fall below the $.10 line. It's a never-ending fund for you to gamble with. Now, I know, $.10 isn't much, but if you're good and you can work it up to $10, all money after that is yours to keep and you can cash it out. Yes, for most of us, that is a pipe dream, but that is what makes it fun in the long run! I know I'll probably blow it long before $10 (my best is $4), but I keep trying and am constantly screaming at the tv over a $.20 parlay of Penn State and the Over.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, you can sign up here. I love it and can't imagine this kind of harmless fun doesn't suit most other people either.

Possible Goodbye to One of the Games Greatest

355 wins, 3, 371 strikeouts, 3.16 era, 1.14 whip, 109 complete games. These are the career numbers of Greg Maddux. After 22 years of playing in the Major Leagues with 4 different clubs, Greg Maddux may be calling it a career. Maddux started his career in Chicago where the Cubs drafted him in the second round of the 1984 draft. His first full season in the bigs came in 1987 where he went 6-14 with a 5.61 era. However, since that dreadful first year, Maddux ran off a string of 17 seasons in a row where he won at least 15 games spanning from 1988-2004. Within those 17 consecutive seasons, he won four Cy Young Awards. Amazingly, those four came in four straight years which he was the first ever to do.

In 1992, his season totals were 20-11 with a 2.18 era for the Chicago Cubs. He pitched an enormous 268 innings with nine complete games and four shutouts. That offseason, he signed with the Atlanta Braves where he would spend the next 11 years of his career. The first three however were magical individually for him. From 1993-1995, he compiled a record of 55 wins and 18 losses. His earned run averaged during that time was 1.85, while pitching at least 200 innings in each season. Oh, and he also won the Cy Young each year.

Greg Maddux if he were to retire this offseason would rank eighth on the career wins list ahead of legends such as Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, and Gaylord Perry. He was never known as a strikeout or power pitcher, but somehow managed to reach the 3, 000 strikeout plateau where only 16 men in history have ever done so. He has more strikeouts than Phil Niekro and Bob Gibson. Maddux holds the record for most 15 win seasons with 18. The man was a genius on the mound and with the baseball. After 22 years, he may finally be calling it quits and he is without a doubt one of the best pitchers that has ever lived.

Top 25 Baseball Players Under 29, Who Ya Got?

Bill James is the resident genius among baseball statisticians and sabermetricians and recently released his annual baseball yearly review book. A quick review of some of the book can be found at the Baseball Analysts. Now, I haven't read this, but I have read Bill James before. He is constantly forward thinking, intelligent, and to the point, which makes for some great baseball thinking whenever you get some time to read his books.

In this year's edition, James lists his top 25 players under the age of 29. This list is "based on proven major league talents, not prospects or young players who are not yet proven as major league players." I found this section in a post over at It is about the money, stupid, where one man shares his opinion on James' selections. However, I've got my own thoughts and questions on the list, some very similar to the thoughts from IIATMS. Here's the list, then the rambling:

1. Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman, age 24
2. Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins shortstop, age 24
3. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants pitcher, age 24
4. David Wright, New York Mets third baseman, age 25
5. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers left fielder, age 24
6. Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox second baseman, age 24
7. Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder, age 23
8. Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles Angels pitcher, age 26
9. Jose Reyes, New York Mets shortstop, age 25
10. Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles right fielder, age 24
11. Joakim Soria, Kansas City Royals pitcher, age 24
12. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals third baseman, age 23
13. Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, age 24
14. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies shortstop, age 23
15. Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners pitcher, age 22
16. Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox pitcher, age 24
17. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays third baseman, age 22
18. John Danks, Chicago White Sox pitcher, age 23
19. Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres first baseman, age 26
20. James Loney, Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman, age 24
21. Stephen Drew, Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop, age 25
22. Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves catcher, age 24
23. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers first baseman, age 25
24. Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians center fielder, age 25
25. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds first baseman, age 24

First of all, I have trouble rambling about this because Bill James compilled the list and has an infinitely wider aray of baseball knowledge than I do. Also, I should probably read the book for more in depth analysis on the list and you should too. Nonetheless, here's my take on the names, at first glance.

Prince Fielder topping the list really surprises me. There is no doubt that he is a great power hitter, but I see him as much less of a complete player than most of the guys near the top of this list. I would have seen him closer to fifth. Behind, Ramirez, Lincecum, Wright and Braun, who I think are ordered accurately.

I'm very high on Matt Kemp and think he'll be a fantastic player some day (soon), but I'm not sure if I think he tops Hamels, King Felix, Lester, Longoria, or Sizemore.

Speaking of Sizemore...#24? I understand that he didn't perform to fully to potential this year, but he is a superstar and much more established than many of the names above him, especially everyone in the 18-23 range, with the exception of possibly Adrian Gonzalez, but he isn't the complete player that Sizemore is.

Also, Longoria seems low at #17. He struggled mightily in the World Series, but showed all season why he was hyped so much as a prospect. He is a superstar in the making and deserves more credit on this list.

As for IIATMS' comment on Joakim Soria up at 11, I don't have a problem with his ranking. Yes, I am a charter member of his fan club, however his numbers don't lie. He is a fantastic closer and a top of the line pitcher. It can definitely argue that he is a little too high, however you won't be getting that argument here. Soria is the truth, and he will be displaying that for years to come.

Hamels should probably be a little higher based on the fabulous playoff run he just put together. That doesn't change the good, not great regular season that he had, however, it was a wildly impressive.

And congrats to Nick Markakis for getting some love outta Baltimore. He is a great player who doesn't get the attention he deserves while toiling away in the AL East cellar with the lowly Orioles.

If I was king of the sabermetric world and people would pay for my opinion I probably alter the list a little. But, I'm not and I won't pretend that I can statistically back these comments up. The list is out there and up for discussion. I can't be the only one left a little confused...

Let's Not Start That Again

With the close of baseball season, comes as it always does, the MVP debate. Yes, Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, Manager of the Year and the Gold Gloves inspire debate amongst fans. However, every year there seems to be a heated battle for MVP in one league or another. This year pits Ryan Howard vs. Albert Pujols, but let's give it some history before we delve into this one.

In '06, Howard and Pujols went 1 on 1 for the award and Howard won it, riding the coat-tails of his fabolous finish that carried the Phillies to a near playoff miss at the hands of the tough NL East. Shortly after, Pujols held a press conference to complain about the injustice of the award because his Cardinals made the playoffs and that should be all that matters. Pujols hit an astounding .331 with 49 HRs and 137 RBIs. But, he lost to Howard's .313 with 58 and 149. The award came down to the writer's rewarding Howard for his late surge when it mattered most. Also, Pujols won the award in 2005, a year earlier. This shouldn't matter, but you have to think that played a part in the process.

Now in '08, the tables turned. Pujols' team missed the playoffs despite his other-worldly numbers and Ryan Howard's made the playoffs off another of his summer surges. Not to mention the fact that they went on to win the World Series! Pujols posted a dominant .357/37/116 (coupled with a year long elbow injury) and Howard hit .251/48/146. And this year, Pujols won and was a 17-7 favorite over Howard as voted by ESPN's experts. The Cardinals finished 5 games out of the wild card. When Howard won it, the Phils were 3 games off the wild card when the season ended. That's not a large disparity, but that's not mentioning Pujols' own complaining when he lost to a man whose team wasn't playoff bound.

I can't fight the feeling that the writer's tried to be fair and give Pujols the award now that things are the opposite. Also, not many people outside of Philadelphia are too crazy about the idea of three straight Phillies MVPs. However, in the end, Ryan Howard and the World Champion Phillies won the bigger prize. And being a Phillies fan, I should be counting my blessings and not complaining. There will be a post about the champs soon and seeing as I attended the clinching win, there should be plenty to talk about.

Prospect Watch: Tyler Flowers

Tyler Flowers has never generated much hype as a prospect, but he is having a breakout season in the Arizona Fall League. In just 62 at-bats, Flowers leads the AFL with 10 HRs, while posting an impressive .387/.458/1.000 line (Yes, he actually is slugging 1.000)! Drafted in the 33rd round of the 2005 draft by the Atlanta Braves, the 21 year old catcher has shown consistent improvement every season in the minors. Last year he batted .281 with 17 HR and 88 RBIs for class A Myrtle Beach.

Its only a matter of time before Flowers starts showing up on top prospects list. At 6'-4'' 245 lbs, Flowers has the frame of a big league catcher, and he continues to produce at the minor league level. Last year, Flowers was a surprise non-roster invitee to spring training, and the organization had nothing but praise for him. According to Bobby Cox, "He hits the ball probably as hard as anybody we've got," which is high praise for a relatively unknown 21 year old. If he remains on track, Flowers may reach the big leagues by 2010. But with Brian McCann behind the plate, the Braves are in no hurry to rush Flowers. Barring a trade, Flowers will most likely end up as a first baseman, and I feel like he has the potential to develop into a .300/30+/100 type of player. But as it is with all prospects, only time will tell.

Griffey: The Best Who Ever Lived

As much as I like to deny it, the end is near for my childhood hero. Ken Griffey Jr. turns 39 this month and his career is slowly nearing the finish line. The Grif has been past his prime for quite some time now and may no longer be able to be a starting outfielder for a contending team. It's been a long time coming since Griffey was the best player in the game. The kid with the sweetest swing in the bigs.

While I fondly remember watching "The Kid" make highlight catches and blast home runs all throughout growing up, kids today must think that Griffey is just a injury-prone old guy who isn't that cool. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. Griffey was the epitome of cool. After he came up, everyone kid was wearing their hats backwards and rocking their shoulders when they hit. The walls of my room were covered top to bottom with everything Griffey you could think of: pictures, posters, bobbleheads, starting line-up guys, anything. I didn't go anywhere without my Mariners hat on and I'm from central New Jersey. I've never even been off the east coast! On every baseball team there was nearly a brawl to wear no. 24 and be like Junior.

One quote from Griffey sums him up, "As long as I have fun playing, the stats will take care of themselves." Back in his days on the Seattle Mariners, Griffey was on top of the world. Everyone loved the new kid who did everything and always wore a huge smile to the park. Sadly, when Griffey left to go to Cincinnati, the storybook tale didn't continue. He had to shed his famous 24 and took on no. 30, eventually honoring his father by switching to no. 3. Junior was a star whenever he played, however, he was riddled with injuries and rarely played in a full season. By the time he got over those injuries, he was well past his prime and into the twilight of his career. Last year, Griffey was traded to the White Sox and it just didn't seem right to see him don the no. 17 jersey.

By the time he is done, Griffey will be a sure-fire, first-ballot hall of famer. He's won 10 gold gloves, was named to 10 straight all-star games, won an MVP, and was named to the All-Century Team despite only playing 10 seasons in that century! Also, Griffey will have over 2700 hits, 620 hrs and 1800 rbi's. Not to mention, Griffey lost parts of or most of 6 seasons due to his rash of injuries, not to mention the strike season of 94 when he was off to a blistering pace and put up .323/40hr/90rbi's in only 111 games! That's a fantastic 162 for any other player. Thinking about what could have been for Ken Griffey Jr. always makes me a little sad. Griffey could have been regarded as the best who ever played with over 800 lifetime home runs. But, there's no telling what he would have accomplished with a clean bill of health, so we'll all just have to wonder.

Every summer, even today, I pray that Griffey will enter the Home Run Derby and show off the sweet swing that helped him mash so many home runs. Sometimes, I find myself perusing eBay, looking for people who are discarding old Griffey jerseys or shoes, anything to relive his glory days. I wear my old school Mariners Griffey shirt all the time and still have his poster on my wall for all to see. I've never been starstruck of any celebrity or athlete, but if I ever got the chance to meet Griffey, or even see him across a crowded room, I think I would lose consciousness.

Now, before his 20th season, Griffey is going to be in search of employment and possibly, one last hurrah to get a ring. Now that the Phillies have won the big one, I'll be hoping in the back of my mind that whatever team he signs to wins it all, because he deserves it. After years of being over shadowed by the steroid era and injuries, Griffey deserves gratification for his abilities and all of his hard work. Now, I beg you: appreciate him while you still can. Sometime soon it's all going to be over and only in Cooperstown will we be able to celebrate his illustrious career. I know that I'll always remember him as the backwards hat wearing, home run king. When I have children and they have children, I'll constantly be telling stories of Ken Griffey Jr., the best baseball player who I ever saw, and in my mind, the best this sport has ever seen.

Free Agency Blitz

Its that time of year again, and it almost feels like Christmas. In just over an hour, 330 players will hit the open market. This years class is headlined with big name stars, including CC Sabbathia, Manny Ramirez, and Mark Teixera.

With all the hype around Manny, CC, and Tex, I thought I would take a closer look at the other 327 free agents. These are the players I'm more interested in, because the first three will receive outrageous multi-year contracts, that they will probably not live up to. Here are some of the key free agents I've got my eye on.

• Joe Beimel- The best reliever you've never heard of. Beimel was lights out last year posting a 2.02 ERA in 71 appearances. His high WHIP is a little bit of a concern, but at just 31 years old Beimel is in his prime and poised to build of last years success.
• Casey Blake- Blake may be a little old, but hes a model of consistency. You can expect .270 20 HRs 80 RBIs year in and year out. But more importantly Blake plays the game the right way, and he's the type of guy I want on my team.
• Jason Varitek- I've always considered Varitek to be overrated, and I was disgusted to see him make the all-star team this year. However, according to a 2008 players poll, Varitek is the best in the majors at calling games. This is something that doesn't show up in the stat sheet, and Varitek has long been a key ingredient to the success of the Red Sox. He may not have much left in the tank, but he will come at a big time discount after last years offensive mess.
• Pat Burrell- Public Enemy Number #1 to Mets fans (recently replaced by Shane Victorino), this man has caused a great deal of pain and suffering for me. But I can't help but respect him. He is one of the worst defensive players in the entire league, but Pat the Bat can flat out hit. He might not be a good fit for National League teams, because within the next year or two he will probably become a full time DH.
• Milton Bradley- Another man who I really don't like, I'm actually surprised that there isn't more hype surrounding Bradley. Last season, Bradley had a breakout season, overcome his ADHD and nearly lead the American league in batting. Clubhouse issues may be a concern, but if Bradley can remain healthy and consistent, he will be a steal for whoever signs him.

Are These Guys Really NEXT?

ESPN the Mag's NEXT issue is on shelves soon and they've rolled out their annual big four for us all to debate over. Every year, they seem to get the top obvious two right and then pitch two reaches on you. Then they choose their top guy (or girl) and give him the cover. This year is no different.

In years past, they have chosen some bonafide superstars as NEXT, which in some cases wasn't difficult to see. There are always the second-tier NEXT-ers who have varied in fame from Star to Nobody, but I'm just looking at cover guys for this quick recap. NEXT started off in 1998 with the two spot-on choices of Alex Rodriguez and Kobe Bryant. A-Rod and Kobe are both arguably the marquee players in their sport and made NEXT look real good right off the bat. Kordell Stewart also got on it, but ESPN is trying to get everyone to forget that. In '99 Randy Moss and Keith Van Horn shared the cover, you can see how that one turned out. Then in the following years, Vince Carter ('00), Yao Ming ('01) and Brian Urlacher ('02) became solid choices who all are leading great careers with various shades of superstar status and production.

The came '03, where LeBron James was the easiest NEXT choice that there will ever be. He is a Super-Mega-Ulta Star who may be the NEXT-best ever. Then, they coupled that with the worst NEXT selection ever in, you guessed it, Kaz Mazui! This one is a terrible, terrible miss. Kaz couldn't be less ordinary in every way. He plays good defense but that hardly makes you NEXT. Anywho, Adrian Peterson, a certifiable stud, brought it back in '05, but Reggie Bush ('06) isn't producing up to the off the charts potential he so often showed at USC. Dwight Howard ('07) has been an absolute monster and should make the NEXT crew at ESPN look real smart for years to come. Then, Joba Chamberlain to follow in '08, who is looking like he rode the Yankee hype machine straight to the cover.

So if recent history repeats itself, the '09 NEXT should be spot on. So here's my rundown of the participants:

• David Price: This fireballin' lefty exploded on the MLB scene this October by shutting down the all-mighty Red Sox and gaining national attention in the process. The former #1 draft pick has exceeded all expectations by blazing an almost immediate trail to the bigs and mowing down nearly every hitter in his way. Couple his dominant fastball with a power slider and other plus off speed stuff and Price should be a great frontline starter for years to come. Right now, Price is riding the hype machine hard and all indications point to him not disappointing. Other possible MLB NEXT-ers are Jay Bruce and Tim Lincecum, but Price is the best choice. Bruce isn't exciting enough nationally and Lincecum has already accomplished a ton. Price gets the ever-important (or not) Mike seal of NEXT approval.


• Matt Ryan: Ryan is already front-runner for the Rookie of the Year and we're only half way through the season. First round QB's are so often busts that Matty Ice is a tremendous breath of fresh air. The Falcons are fun to watch and surprising everyone, who saw this coming?!? Ryan is poised in the pocket and throws a beautiful deep ball. He deserves this NEXT and at this moment looks more than ready to make good on his selection. Another NFL worthy NEXT would be San Fran's Patrick Willis who is a MON-star LB, who led the NFL in tackles last year as a rookie. He's long been a Cheap Seats favorite, but you wouldn't know that because we only started so recently ago.


• Joey Logano: I don't waste time talking Nascar. It's not my style.


• Ricky Rubio: I've been intersted in this guy ever since I heard he could be the next Pistol Pete Maravich. "The Pistol" was the only of his kind, so to be compared mentioned together in the same breath, must say something about Rubio. He'll never be Maravich because he lacks the pure shooting, but Rubio is a dynamic playmaker who'll be wow-ing crowds in an NBA city near you. Also, Rubio managed to shine on a Spain team with many NBA caliber players in Rudy Fernandez (a fantastic rookie with the Blazers), Pau Gasol (the Lakers star PF), Marc Gasol (a young Grizzly - I think - with wild potential) and great Raptors PG Jose Calderon.

When it comes down to it, I've got to endorse Matt Ryan as the next ESPN NEXT cover guy. He's already showing the key intangibles to be a great QB and is leading an average Falcons team to the contending season that they never saw coming. Also, he shares the name of Cheap Seats Founder Matt (Ryan). That has to stand for something. What kind of self-respecting blog would we be if we couldn't support someone who's practically our own!? In Matty Ice we trust!

N.L. Cy Young Award Review

There were numerous candidates for the 2008 N.L. Cy Young Award but none deserved it more than the San Fransisco Giant's Tim Lincecum. The undersized righty baffled hitters and put up astonishing numbers all season long including his 18 wins (for a team that only ended up with 72), a 2.62 ERA (second in the league), and led the league in strikeouts (265). Lincecum racked up 23 out of 32 first place votes.

Followed by Lincecum came Brandon Webb, Johan Santana, and Brad Lidge. Rounding out the top five was Milwaukee's C.C. Sabathia. Now although all of these guys had amazing seasons, I feel like the only other pitcher someone can make an argument for winning the Cy Young was Johan Santana. Johan, who led the league in ERA (2.53) kept the Mets in contention all summer. In the second half of the season, he went 9-0 with a 2.09 ERA. He also came up huge on the second to last day of the season with a complete game shutout to give the Mets a chance. Although Lincecum did deserve this award, Santana did put up Cy Young numbers. Advice to N.L. hitters in 2009: "Don't mess with the Johan."

Brandon Webb did have 22 wins, but his ERA was almost a run higher than the league leader. Also the Diamondbacks had a better offense than the Giants and Webb struggled down the stretch... Maybe next year Brandon.

Even though Brad Lidge didn't blow a save this season and led the Phillies to another N.L. East title, I feel like it's tough to give him the award because he wasn't even the best pitcher on his own team. Cole Hamels didn't have his best regular season numbers wise (mostly due to the lack of run support) but in my eyes is a better pitcher than Lidge, even though it's difficult to compare a starter to a closer. It was nice to see Lidge have a solid season. He seems to be over the moonshot that he served up to Pujols a few years ago. Let's see if he can keep it up next year.

Last but not least, C.C. Sabathia. What an absolute animal this guy was after coming to the Brewers. He went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA, 7 complete games, and 3 shutouts in 17 games with the Brew Crew. These numbers are just unreal, but to put it in perspective, lets look at Randy Johnson's numbers in 1998 when he was traded to the Astros for the second half of the season. Johnson went 10-1 in 11 games, posting a 1.28 ERA, with 4 complete game shutouts. Johnson gave up less hits and had a lower WHIP than Sabathia. With those incredible numbers, The Big Unit lost the Cy Young to Roger Clemens. My point is that Randy Johnson had better numbers than Sabathia did and did not take home the award. C.C. will also have to wait another year to bring home the trophy. Maybe next year he can do it while wearing pinstripes.

All of these hurlers had great seasons and deserve tons of credit for their efforts. But it's nice to see that the voters got this one right. So congrats to Timmy Lincecum, the 5'11, 160 pound flamethrower. Not only did I gain respect for you by watching you dominate hitters all year, but you beasted it for my fantasy team which was awesome.

Fernando!

After being out of baseball for nearly 5 years, Fernando Tatis is having a storybook season in New York. The former all-star is hitting .302 with 9 HRs and 34 RBIs for the Mets, while providing a much needed spark to compensate for the loss of Ryan Church. But none of this can compare to the remarkable path that Tatis has brought Tatis back to the big leagues.

When Tatis was just 24 years old, he had a breakout season in St. Louis, posting solid numbers across the board .298/34/107 en route to his first all star selection. But by the time he was 29, Tatis was out of baseball. Upset with his poor performance, Tatis retired in 2003 and returned home to the Dominican Republic.

When he returned home, Tatis was very disappointed with the state of his hometown, and they needed to build a new church. With no income to speak of, Tatis knew the only way to fund the church was to return to baseball. The only problem...nobody wanted Tatis. So after months of working out, Tatis was finally given a minor league deal with the Orioles. He was determined to make it back, and after dominating the minors for nearly 2 years, Tatis is in a pennant race, starting for the New York Mets. And his church in the Dominican Republic opened its doors a few months ago. Truly a remarkable story.

2008 has been filled with remarkable stories similar to Tatis. Here are just a few:

Josh Hamiltion- This ones a no brainer. Two years ago, I figured that Hamilton would be dead or in jail by now. Instead he's a prime candidate for AL MVP.

Milton Bradley- Another Ranger with former character issues, Bradley appears to finally have his ADD under control, and is enjoying a career year.

Cliff Lee- The journeyman left hander was not even guaranteed a rotation spot coming into 08, but he has responded by posting a ridiculous 16-2 record, to go along with his league leading 2.45 ERA. Unbelievable.

The Entire Marlins Roster- Despite a payroll of $22 MM (less than A-Rod makes), the Marlins are playing like a team and remain in contention for the NL East. I still believe they will fade, but even if they do, you gotta respect the way they've played.

Christian Guzman- He hit .219 in his last full season, and has battled injuries the last few years. But he has been a bright spot in Washington, among the league leaders with 135 hits.

Mo'ing 'Em Down

Toiling away in lowly Kansas City, is in my mind, one of the best young closers in the league. Joakim Soria has been a tremendous player since being selected by the Royals in the Rule 5 Draft (from the Padres) in 2006. Nicknamed the "Mexicutioner" Soria is consistently very good day in and day out, and unless you play fantasy baseball, chances are you don't know who the hell he is.

Currently, Soria is 2nd in the MLB with 32 saves. He is 13 behind leader Fransisco Rodriguez (45), but the Royals have only won 53 games to the Angels 71. That puts both the Mexicutioner and K-Rod at saving just over 60% of their teams' games. However, Soria sports a 1.57 ERA (best among closers not named Joe Nathan or Mariano Rivera) and has thrown 3 more innings than K-Rod, with nearly half the ERA (1.57/2.40), almost half the WHIP (.75/1.20) and less than half the K's (11/28). Add in less wild pitches and less stolen bases and Soria has a tremendous stat-line running this season.

In my mind, he is easily in the top tier of the league's closers, along with Nathan, Brad Lidge, K-Rod, Mo Rivera, and Jon Papelbon. Rivera is well into the twilight of his career, despite his success this year, but is widely considered one the best closers of all-time. I see a lot of Mariano in Soria and think that as long as the Royals don't move him to the starting role, he will continue to prove those similarities correct. They are both cutter heavy pitchers who routinely make hitters look foolish, even though they know what's coming.

So a word to the wise, get on the bandwagon while there is still plenty of seating available. Get him on fantasy teams, watch his starts, anything you can. He truely is a hidden gem the common fan doesn't of, who deserves a lot more attention than he is getting. I've got the wonder if the Royals had any idea what they were getting when they picked up off the Padres trash pile in 2006...