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2010-03-22T10:43:00.002-04:00

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Keep Wavin' Those Towels

2009-09-11T09:50:00.005-04:00

I'll take the good with the bad; Well, when the Steelers win the game, that is.
The game was as nailbitten as any season opener can be, and the defensive fistfight between the Titans and Steelers seemed almost inevitable. The game was really sloppy, and no team had a perfect drive, but I think we all can agree that we saw two very talented teams on the field. Be afraid AFC, be very afraid. Here are my thoughts on the main storylines of the night.
The Good.

Ben: BBR was very much himself. The clutch QB looked sloppy at times, but when he got things rolling, he was essentially impossible to stop. Yes fellow Steeler Fans, I know it feels odd to have so much trust in our passing game. But when one has an elite QB hooking up with two Super Bowl MVP wide recievers, one can't really complain. It's becoming a trademark of Ben's to convert 3rd down passing plays like he's eating peach rings-and in the 4th quarter nonetheless. I'm also getting to the point where I'd rather see the ball in Ben's hands in shotgun on 3rd down and 2, rather than put the conversion into the hands of our offensive line's run blocking capabilities.

WR's: Mike Wallace made a clutch play, and a great move to get open. Hines Ward was incredibly clutch-yes, even with that fumble. And I have a strange feeling that Hines is going to spend the rest of the season making up for that drop-even though we won the game. Oh, and Santonio Holmes was ALWAYS THERE. I don't think i've ever been this excited for our wide recieving corps.

D: The run defense had a shaky start, but they really clamped down after the first half. Keyaron Fox looked right at home, and looks like a very solid backup. He had a fumble recovery after James Harrison's destructive tackle of Bo Scaife. The pass rush didn't get to Kerry Collins enough, but Farrior had a crucial sack to take away field goal range, and KC was rushed often into making some bad throws. BIG SNACK was absolutley tearing it up out there. The secondary was hurting out there, and I'll get to TP a little later, but they pulled it together to stop some crucial drives late in the game.

Special Teams: Isn't it nice to have some talent in our special teams? Stefan Logan looked like he could break out into a TD run at any point in the game. Jeff Reed made the clutch kicks. Sepulveda BOOMED the ball, and Aaron Smith blocked a field goal that proved to be the difference of the game. What more can I say?

The Bad:

Troy:Most guys would put Troy's injury in the ugly, but we're talking about the Steelers. Injuries aren't excuses, they're opportunities for other guys to step up. Troy will be out 3-6 weeks, but he'll be resting and possibly fully energized to take on the post-season if it comes to that. Also, Tyron Carter is one of the best back-ups on the team. He has incredible energy, veteran smarts, and makes big plays. I may be overthinking this, but I think teams underestimate the defense when Troy is out. That gives the Steelers a leg up to catch their opponents sleeping. There are still great playmakers. But boy, the way Troy was playing in the first quarter, I cannot wait for him to get back.

The Ugly

Running Game: There is no way I'm blaming Fast Willie for this running attack. As i've said from the end of last season, the run blocking is the worst element of this Steeler Team. I don't know what the coaches can do, but they need to take some action. The line needs to make opportunities for Willie to run; it was utterly embarrassing to see WP caught in the backfield repeatedly. That being said, Willie needs to break the first tackle. There were times when a little hole was there, but his ankle got caught and boom, there goes that run. The one shining light was Mewelde Moore's runs in the 4th quarter; he can be a real slimy dude when he wants a first down. With that on the table, let's remember that the Titan D-Line is one of the best, even without Hayneworth.

Overall, I wasn't dissapointed with the team in the least. There is definitley room to improve, but they just got one of their toughest foes knocked off the schedule, and got away with a mark in the win column. Although the Bears are a tough team, the matchups really benefit the Steelers. Baltimore will be the next game that could be as tough as this one. Let's all hope that Troy will be back and in great shape for that one.

Here's to the start of another great Steeler season.

Towel Stomper, or Titan Romper? Steelers Titans Preview;

2009-09-09T15:53:00.005-04:00

This year's season opener is already proving to be a goodie, and kickoff is still more than a day away. Just thinking about it give me the tingles, and there are some great story lines that are bound to play out.

Unfinished Towel Business: Ever since Lendale White and company laid their dirty, blasphemous cleats on the towel of glory, Steeler fans and players have been itching for some payback. Thinking back to TJ Shoebomber's stomp o' the towel in 05, the B n G got their payback soon after-defeating them in the AFC wild card game, and eventually winning the Super Bowl (insignificant tidbit). But the Steelers didn't get a stab at the Titans in last year's playoffs. they got beat before we got to them. we wont the biggie. ouch.

So now's our chance. The time to say "hey, that towel is our glory rag, and you really need to eat crow." By crow I mean losing the 1st game of the season-never a great start to a team that has already lost its best player, has a deteriorating quarterback and a suicidal backup, and a depleted recieving corp in which Nate Washington can rise to the very top in a matter of weeks.
just sayin.
Lendale White wants to stomp on it again. Let's just see to it that he leaving the stadium with a white towel over his head, and a check in the loss column.

O-Line
Everyone is making nonsensebuzz over Darnell Stapleton being out. Given, he was decent last year, and has great potential, he's not the core of the O-line. It will be interesting to see how the line operates, though. Big Ben certainly looks himself, so hopefully they can hold back the Defense just long enough.

Joystick
Stefan Logan, nicknamed "Joystick," could start for kick and punt returns this week. We all saw what he could do in the preseason against first, second, and third team special teams. If he lights it up in any similar form, the Titans better watch out. The steelers did a great job at finding and picking this kid up. A dangerous return man is just what every other team is fretting-pretty much the only thing that can instantly improve this Steeler team.

Foxy
Keyaron Fox is starting in place of Lawrence Timmons at inside LB. He's been great in special teams and second team defense since he put on a Steeler uniform, and I expect no less from him this week. This is his chance to prove that he deserves to be the go-to-guy in terms of LB reserves. ie. what tyrone carter has done year in and year out for the secondary.

Washington
Nate Washington may not play in his game due to a hamstring injury, but if he does, i'll be excited to see what he can do. He's never been the number one or two reciever, and given the oportunity, he could become a dependable guy. He's always had the speed, but never the talent to rise up in the Steeler system. The Titans really like him, and I hope he gets an applause if he starts. He played some solid years with some clutch catches for Pittsburgh.

There are so many other story lines-the Pittsburgh running game, Kerry Collins, Titans D Line, Chris Johnson. But the aformentioned are my favorites.

The season has really snuck up on us. Here We Go.

[Lebeau]tiful

2009-08-26T17:02:00.004-04:00

Dick Lebeau has finally been nominated for the Hall of Fame. He's now being taken into consideration for a seniors' spot in the class of 2010. His role, however unique, deserves a spot in the Hall.

No man has had such an impressive a playing career-7th all time in interceptions and possibly the most consecutive starts for a cornerback-and gone on to change the game as a coordinator. Come on people, he invented the zone-blitz.

Although this nomination is long overdue, it was also easily foreseen. Peter King and Rod Woodson, leading media and player push respectively, are two of the many NFL observers that were shocked by his absence in the Hall.

As Steeler Fans, we've watched his amazing schemes confuse quarterbacks and coaches alike. We've seen him scold and praise players and turn boys into bodysmashing, runstopping, route detecting, o-line rupturing machines. He made the defense a bonded unit that, with ease, touted the league's top achievements for years.

Now his placement in Canton is only a summer's wait away- he's belonged there for quite some time.

Stefan's Speed;Thoughts On Preseason Game 2

2009-08-24T11:32:00.004-04:00

Ben was out for this preseason game, and the Steelers got a better look at some of the younger guys-especially against the Redskins' first team. Some guys made a great impression, and some did their job, but no one really made a bad impression this game.

Here's some quick thoughts from yours truly.

*Daniel Sepulveda continues to boom, so I may start calling him "thunder." His consistency will make him a key component to the 2009 team.

*Although Fast Willie ran well, Rashard was definitely more impressive. Mendenhall got several carries against the Redskins first team defense, and he made the most of them. After 2 or 3 carries, he got into a great rythm. More importantly, he was making some great cuts between the tackles.

*Run Blocking, for the second game in a row, was not impressive. Runners are getting the getting the ball only to face a brick wall. We can't expect them to make great cuts every time. They need holes to find if the Steelers want to move out of their embarrasing 23rd rushing offense.

*Mike Wallace continues to impress for two reasons. First-his speed is always lingering as a danger for coverage. He hasn't been covered well downfield in a game yet. Second-he's making great short catches to keep the coverage guessing. He made a great sliding catch and ran decent slants when he was in there. More importantly, he was running routes against first team coverage. No one really expected this guy to come into the league with this much polish. If he had Sweed's height, he'd be the number 3 reciever without question. This WR competition is shaping up to be interesting-->it can only help the team. I'm still giving the 3rd spot to Sweed for now; Wallace will get his chances though.

*Tony Hills needs to get his snap count together. He continued to jump the ball, line up in the wront position, etc. Other than that he protected fairly well.

*Stefan Logan was by far the most impressive player this week. His kickoff and punt returns were the most promising and consistent i've seen since Randel El-->and he wasn't even that great. His cuts and speed make him the danger that we've needed at that position. Although I don't think he'll start at the position, he should make the team if he continues his magic in practice/future games.

*The First Team Defense is full of weapons just waiting to explode. There is so much talent at every position, and all of the guys look like they're in the best shape of their lives. It's really a treat to watch these guys perform for just one quarter. I can't wait until the real deal.

Jets Looking into Receiver Options

2009-08-19T13:06:00.005-04:00

Brandon Marshall has been asking out of Denver for a few weeks now but the Broncos have not shown much interest in moving their premier receiver. Their relationship is rocky to say the least at this point.

The Jets, seeing an opportunity, have begun to entertain conversations with Denver to see about maybe acquiring a big time target for Mark Sanchez. Marshall has caught over 100 balls and 1,000 yards the last two seasons and has been refereed to as a "defensive lineman playing wide receiver." He is known as a strong physical receiver which could really add some swagger to the Jets who have seemed to lack some character the last few years.

The Jets are also talking with Kansas City about Dwayne Bowe who followed up a strong rookie season with a breakout sophomore year. He hauled in 86 passes for 1,022 yards and 7 TDs.

At this point the talks are not particularly concrete and we are not sure what pieces the Jets are willing to give up but the talks are promising. Beyond Jerricho Cotchery the Jets do not have a whole lot of talent at the wide receiver position. With the Jets grooming Sanchez to be a superstar having a wide receiver like Marshall or Bowe can make that growth period a lot less tumultuous.

Even if they do not get the deal done as a Jets fan it is nice to see them being more aggressive when it comes to building their team. They are not just sitting back and hoping but going out and getting quality talent to run out there every week.

Goodwill Punting

2009-08-19T11:40:00.004-04:00

Daniel Sepulveda could be that extra boom the steelers need-->no pun(t) intended.

But seriously, has the return of a punter ever been so celebrated? Now, let's not forget that his first trot onto Heinz Field turf was in front of many drunk and giddy fans, waiting for something to cheer about during a preseason game; but nevertheless, Sepulveda's first boomer was quite the stomach release for a Steeler Faithful. He could be that extra peptobismol dose the team needs to get over the feared super bowl hangover. Let's face it, no one wants to live through a repeat of 2006.

Sepulveda's punting was greatly missed in 2008, as Steeler Fans were enlightened as to how important punting and field position can be in a close game. Mitch Berger's punting in several games cost us either a comfortable win, and in some cases a tally in the loss column. I'm thinking of the week 8 loss to the Giants, specifically. Although the Offensive Line was labeled as the worst unit in Black and Gold, punting is certainly the worst, and most overlooked part of the team. Berger's punting was wretched and put the defense into horrible holes that, usually, they could somehow escape from. But with Sepulveda launching the pigskin deep into enemy territory, the defense will have a lot more room to play with, and alot more freedom to blitz as they please.

The only caveaut I might add is that the Defense seemed to perform at their best when they were under great pressure. When the opposition was at midfield, or approaching field goal territory, the secondary would clamp down, and black and gold sack machines would turn to extreme mode. So, although other teams will be starting much further back than in 2008 with our new addition, the Defense has got to keep that pressure mentality up to perform as well as last year. This is a small worry of mine, because the the additions and improvements in the defense can only make it a better unit this year. And having more breathing room certainly has more benefits than downsides.

Playing the Ravens 2-3 times in a year, a matchup in which field position can decide games single-handedly, I'm certainly relieved to see Sepulveda booming away in the backfield.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

2009-08-14T11:33:00.005-04:00

Those of you that read Sports Illustrated, you know that after flipping through the occasional jibber jabber and ad scatter, there is a high quality-well written article that will turn up once in a while. And although I usually appreciate SI more for their online coverage and large printed pictures in their magazine preface, I really enjoy reading the feature articles that SI digs up.

This week's SI Issue had such a great article, that it was a no brainer for Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week. The article, titled "A Gift from Africa," tells the heartwarming story of a South African Pirates' prospect that goes by "Gift"(his middle name and translated first name). The article follows him as he arrives in Bradenton, Florida and goes back to his struggles as a young child. Gift is still a Pirate Prospect and he's got some great potential to hit a major league field one day.

It's just an amazing story. And to boot, Gary Smith does a great job with writing it. I'm not sure i've read a more high-quality sports article in any magazine of sort. The piece is long, but the story doesn't get boring and the writing flows like koolaid in an ice pitcher. Smith is a veteran SI writer, and he's got some other great stuff in his article bank.

Kudos to SI for digging this story.

Whatchutalkinbout, Wallace!?

2009-08-12T12:16:00.003-04:00

O.K. all of you fellow die hard Stiller fans, don't get too excited. Don't go buy his stitched authentic jersey or draft him early on in your fantasy league. Don't place bets on his success and definitely don't get a tattoo of his face on your bicep; But Mike Wallace is looking reaaaaal good in camp.

Wallace was only drafted late in the 3rd round, and wasn't perceived as a wide receiver with much polish or mechanics, but boy, he's been quite the unexpected gem so far in workouts. He ran the second fastest 40 at the combine, behind only Darrius Heyward-Bey (that kid that Oakland drafted 7th overall), and scored in the top 5 for jumping as well. But the biggest surprise has been his route running and finish at camp-he's not just using his speed.

This gives us steeler fans some hope that this kid might be more than just a Nate Washington-more than a guy that can get away with using his speed to stay at the 3 spot. But with Hines Ward aging and Limas Sweed looking to step up, it sure is comforting to see some unexpected talent to break coverage. Wallace is already looking like a threat downfield, as Roethlisberger has hit him several times after he beat coverage on every play.

Jim Wexell has already labeled Wallace the fastest Wide Reciever in Steeler History (uhhhhh),
and much as been made of a possible race between the reciever and Ike Taylor, supposedly the fastest man on the team. In fact, Taylor's summer workout man has touted him as the fastest in the NFL (this guy works with Chris Johnson as well). It's really exciting to have such young speed on the team.

Sometimes we Steeler Fans forget that we have Kevin Colbert at the realms. The guy that found William Gay in the 5th round two years ago, and Willie Colon in the 4th round of 2006. These are two dependable starters going into 2009. Super Bowl Champion-dependable starters, that is.

So watch with me on Thursday, as Tomlin shows off his new toy in Mike Wallace. He'll start the game as the kickoff return man; so don't blink-you might just miss him.

7 to the 4: August 8

2009-08-09T13:42:00.001-04:00

Yankees 5 Red Sox 0

After a game like yesterday CC is finally starting to earn his pinstripes. He pitched an absolute gem yesterday; going 8 innings and not allowing a runner past second. He was perfect through 4, no hit through 6 and finished with 9 strikeouts and no earned runs. The Red Sox should be happy with how Clay Buchholz performed but it is not enough to soften the blow being down 5.5 games.

Mets 1 Padres 3

Now that the Mets season is effectively over they are trying out different players to get an idea of what they have to work with next year. They started rookie Bobby Parnell with a pitch count of around 60-75 pitches. He lasted just 2 1/3 and gave up 2 runs and four hits and left with the bases loaded. He said he could not get his slider over which is no surprise considering all he has is a fastball anyway.

That Tomlin Swag

2009-08-08T11:55:00.003-04:00

Swag isn't something you can just mimic. It's not easily recreated or transferable through any medium. It's someone's patented and established way of carrying themselves; Of talking, of walking, of acting. But specifically for Mike Tomlin-it's coaching.

Since his emergence into the league as the sultan of swagger, many have tried and failed to mirror his essence, his style, his culture. They've seen those steely eyes when he trots into Heinz Field on game day. They've envied his pat-on-the-back encouragement after first down completions. They've spent nights staring into the mirror, practicing one liners that don't come close to Mr. Tomlin's glorious fire-spits.

Why wouldn't they want to be like him? Tomlin is the leader of the most successful franchise in Football. He won a Super Bowl in his second coaching year, and he became the youngest coach-second ever African American-to win the biggy. The desirous bunch of unaccomplished coaches have plenty reason to follow his every move, but they can't even touch him. Blinded by the reflection off of his pitch-black shades, they struggle to catch a glimpse of Pittsburgh Potentate.

We all understand why teams are hiring these young, defensive coordinators as coaches. We know why they're looking for that guy that doesn't take any nonsense; the man that has a simple plan-one of few words and hard action. Guys like Mike Singletary and John Harbaugh are reasonable attempts for a team's recreation of the Tomlin Aurora. But they fall short in so many ways. Lombardi trophies, like helium, lift Tomlin and the Steeler Organization over the posing potentials.

Singletary proved this past week that he doesn't come close to Tomlin. The main reason?-he tries too hard. His obvious attempt at shooing away Michael Crabtree drama is yet another case of Tomlin mimicry that just doesn't feel right.

Singletary's failed effort sounded like this:
"In terms of Crabtree, when he comes in, he comes in," "Would you love to have him in? Absolutely. You'd love to have him. Do we want him here? Yes, we want to have him in. But until that happens, I just can't sit back and think about the what-ifs. All I can do is concentrate on what is, and control that."

Far too many words Mr. Singletary. It comes no where close to a Tomlin Tag like "Not subscribing to hocus pocus." So much less blabber, yet so much more swagger.

So the posers can pose, the haters can envy, and the hungry can starve. But with Tomlin, "Together we all eat."

His swagger can't be touched.

QB Battle Brewing

2009-08-07T18:12:00.003-04:00

The Jets find themselves in the middle of the age-old debate; do you start your new rookie-stud right away or do you put the mediocre veteran under center?

For every Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco there is a Matt Leinart, Ryan Leaf and David Carr. There is no set answer as to how to prepare a QB for the rigors of the NFL. Ryan came in as a rookie and turned around an entire franchise, erasing the memory of the infamous Michael Vick. Carson Palmer sat for a year and came in for his second season and lite it up. David Carr played right away and flopped. You just never know.

For the Jets they have their 50 million dollar arm in Mark Sanchez and their crafty experienced QB in Kellen Clemens. They have to decide which route they are going to take. Sanchez is the kind of QB that can win games and make spectacular plays with his arm. Clemens does not have that type of talent. On his good days he is a game manager.

There is a risk of running Sanchez out there too early. If he gets pummeled and the Jets continue to lose the pressure of New York and the speed of the league can get into his head. He can basically play himself out of the league right away. However, If you sit him you might be sacrificing a special talent at a premium position.

The Jets, however, are a run first team. They do not need a QB to come in and sling it around the field; they do not need Peyton Manning back there but rather Ben Roethlisberger. They need a guy who can hand it off to Thomas Jones and make enough quality throws to keep the defense honest. So why risk your future franchise QB by placing him under center too early. He is still learning the offense and adjusting. There is no reason to take a chance with his health/head by slapping him in there early. Clemens has a strong enough arm that a defense has to respect his ability but for the most part he should be handing the ball off.

Sure a rookie QB can come in and thrive in a situation like that but there is no risk of keeping him on the bench for some time. Whether it be 6 games or 16 games give him time to learn and get comfortable before throwing him into the fire. The Jets are not going to be winning any Super Bowls this year (although in the NFL you never know) but they have a chance to do it down the road if Sanchez pans out as everyone is hoping. Why risk the future for maybe a few wins now?

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

2009-08-06T13:39:00.002-04:00

This week's Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week might be the last article featuring the Pirates. Given that training camp is approaching, and most have lost interest in the Pirates since the trade deadline, most press has been about them losing, their bad management, or their hiatus until 2011. But after last week's deadline, Jeremy Crasnick, writing for ESPN, featured the Pirates trade moves and movement this year. The article is titled "Pirates 'Clean House' in a very big way."

Crasnick really impressed me with this article-it's the first national article on the Pirates that i've come across that doesn't fully criticize or write them off. He is very much an analyst, rather than an opinion-disher, and he digs deep in his analysis. He goes back several years, reviews the current state of the team, and takes a look at the prospect pool-all with accuracy. It's extremely impressive and refreshing, that a national story on this rebuilding team doesn't have any negative tone or implication.

Check out more of Crasnick's writing here

Top 11 Steelers of the Decade

2009-08-04T15:12:00.005-04:00

The decade of the New Milennium has been a momentous one for the Steelers Organization. There have been many highs, lows, changes, and of course, championships. The Steelers Management has a reputation of not overpaying players, and letting guys go when they become free agents. In this decade, it has proven a successful strategy for the team. Relying on the draft has created competition, youth, development, and depth within the organization, but it makes it hard for a player to last. Well, except for the great ones.

These are the players with that Steeler Mentality. The true essence of Black and Gold. The quintessential hypocycloids, if you will. The guys that don't get overpaid, but overperform, so that their contributions lead the team to success year, after year. Based on their attitudes on and off the field, statistic contribution, consistency, and team success while playing, these players have stood out as the best of the BG. Some are gone, some are retired, and some are suiting up as we speak. Given that there are 11 guys on the field for a team at any time, doing 11 guys only makes sense. These guys are the top 11 steelers of this decade.

11. Deshea Townsend-CB
Although not the most talented, nor flashy player on the team at any point in the decade, he made the list because of his hustle, leadership, and most of all consistency. All of these contributions can't be shown through statistics, but he is such a great component to the team because he can be so under-the-radar, yet make big plays at crucial times. Also, his coverage has never been doubted, and the skills he's learned in his 11 years as a Steeler have enabled him to keep up with today's passing game. The skill and leadership that he passes down to younger cornerbacks is unmeasurable.

10. Dan Kreider-FB
Krieder was the player most missed by Steeler Nation, following his release in 2008. The fullback position played a crucial role in the running game from 2000, his rookie year, to 2005. However, Bruce Arians has since devalued the position's contribution. Kreider was a force in front of Jerome Bettis, and his loss hurt the Steelers in the 2008-2009 season, when they suffered the worst running attack since entering the AFC in 1975. Willie Parker was continuously caught in the backfield, and Kreider's blocking skill was hurtfully longed for. Kreider was a tough competitor, who played without recognition. He triumphed when his running attack triumphed-and playing Steeler Football, he got his share.

9.Joey Porter-LB
Porter only played in 7 years of the decade, but in those 7 years he defined himself as a player with significant passion, work ethic, and performance. Talking trash was a large part of his game, but backing the trash up was just as important to Porter. He got into people's heads, then he destroyed them on the field. Porter played a signficant role in the playoff runs of 2001, 2004, and the road to the super bowl in 2005. "Peezy," was the team leader in speeches and motivation of all kinds. Possibly his most influential contributions came when he sacked Peyton Manning twice in a row to smother their comeback attempt, leading the Steelers to the AFC Championship Game. Porter also led the Steelers in sacks in 2002, 2005, and 2006. Although he left the team in 2006 to play for the Dolphins, he will always be remembered as a Steeler.

8. Alan Faneca-OL
Faneca was the Steelers most well known offensive lineman, and most recognized for his tough mentality and nitty gritty playing style. He was a six time pro bowl selection with the B n G, because of his consistency, and ability to run block. His most famous block came in the 2005 Super Bowl XL, when he cleared the hole for Willie Parker to make the longest run in super bowl history. His relationship with the Steelers soured in 2007, when he felt he should be resigned, but the Steelers didn't want to overpay him after his playing peak. Faneca signed with the Jets, and continued to produce pro bowl blocking. Faneca makes the list because he held the offensive line together for the Steelers, and established the run blocking game that enabled them to continously run the ball the Steeler Way. His six pro bowl invites are the kicker.

7.. Jerome Bettis-RB
Bettis has made a case as one the best running backs in Steeler History-behind Franco Harris, perhaps, as second best. "The Bus" was quick on his feet but hard on his hits, and could destroy a defense in the 4th quarter. He could run out the clock single handedly, and rushed for a 5th best 13,662 yards in NFL history. Bettis is only 5th on this list because he retired after the super bowl run in 2005, and only has one ring with the Steelers.

6. Ben Roethlisberger-QB
Roethlisberger joined the Steelers in 2004, and made one of the best Rookie Campaigns ever in the NFL. He won 15 straight games as the "manager" of the steeler offense, and led the team to the AFC Championship Game. Although he only played 6 years in the decade, his contributions to win the team's two super bowl wins in the decade surely make him worthy of the All Decade Team. He's defined the Steeler Offense in the past two years, making clutch plays and "getting it done." Roethlisberger continues to make his case as one of the best quarterbacks in Steeler History. He makes the list above Bettis because he has earned two super bowl rings in the decade.

5.Casey Hampton-NT
As the nose tackle in the Steeler Defense, Hampton held together the core of the infamous 3-4 defense for every year in the decade. His ability to take on double teams and move back the line of scrimmaged enabled continous pressure and run stopping year, after year. "Big Snack" earned 4 pro bowl selections, and made significant contribution to the Super Bowl runs of 2005 and 2008. He is a key component to why the Steeler Defense has been elite throughout the decade. Hampton has two super bowl wins, and has played with the team throughout the decade.

4.Troy Polamalu- S
Drafted by the Steelers in 2003, Polamalu improved the Steelers Secondary instantly with his impact. His playing style enables him to be "all over the field," and he consistently makes plays that are unthinkable, and unexpected. He is a nightmare for an offense. Earning 5 pro bowl selections in only 6 years, he has defined him self as one of , if not the best safety in the league. He earned 2 super bowl rings with the team, and made big plays on both super bowl runs. But he makes the 4th spot on this list, because he transformed a below-average secondary into an elite passing defense through his consistency and big plays.

3. James Farrior-LB
Farrior is the current captain of the Steeler Defense, and his perhaps the best Free Agent signing of the decade for the Steelers. Playing from 2002 to the present after being signed from the Jets, Farrior has consistently led the team in tackles, terrorizing defenses as both a pass rusher on the line and a run stopper in the secondary. Although is one of the oldest members of the team, his ablity to stay in shape has made him the Steelers' most consistent tackler of the Decade. He earned 2 pro bowl selections and 2 super bowl rings, and his role as Defensive Captain puts him above Casey Hampton on this list.

2. Aaron Smith-DE
Smith is the most underrated player in Steelers history. Known perhaps only to Steeler fans, this gritty, hard working, and incredibly skilled defensive end has been the core of the Steeler Run defense for 11 years, throughout the decade. He was most recognized when he was injured midseason of 2007, and the Steelers run defense deteriorated. He has two super bowl rings, and sadly only one pro bowl selection. He is recognized league-wide among players as one of the best defensive ends in Football in the decade. He makes the list at number two because of his play without recognition, his consistency through 11 years, and his ability to hold together the run defense.

1. Hines Ward-WR
Ward is the epitome of a Steeler. His tough playing style, work ethic, consistency, clutch play-making, leadership, and personality make him the best steeler of the decade without question, and one of the best Steelers in history. As a wide reciever he is underrated because of his speed, and as a player he is feared because of his blocking. Ward is one of the best blocking wide recievers in NFL history, and is hated for it by un-expecting cornerbacks and linebackers. Playing from 1998 to present, he has showed no signs of decline, given that his skill at route running makes up for his lack of speed at the position. His leadership on the team and among wide recievers is unmeasurable, and his dedication to the Steelers is a large part of why the team has been so successful in the decade. He was MVP of Super Bowl XL, and although he was injured in the 2008 super bowl, he still played, as well as made significant contributions in the road via in 2008.

Honorable Mention: Ike Taylor, Willie Parker, Jeff Reed, Jeff Hartings Larry Foote, Clark Haggans

Looking to the future: Santonio Holmes, Ike Taylor, James Harrison, Lamaar Woodley, Ben Roethlisberger, and Lawrence Timmons

Cutch Got Tha' Powah'

2009-08-02T12:31:00.004-04:00

The Pirates don't expect home runs out of Andrew McCutchen. The fans have come to give him a pass in that respect as well. After all, he could go two months without a long-ball, and still be the most significant contributor in a Pirate uniform. He doesn't have the power to hone home run expectations. He has the speed, quick swing, and poised ballwatching to get around the bases the old school way.

But Boy, did we Pirate Fans just get new-schooled.

Mr. Cutch has the swing to knock 'em out once in a while. By once in a while, I mean hitting three home runs in one night, capping off a 6 RBI 4 hit night for the young buc(k). The humble slugger shrugged it off as a good night where he got his pitches, but it was much more than that. It was surprise slugger party for a team that will take all and any pleasant surprises at the moment.

Surprises like Lastings Milledge hitting in RBIs when it counts.

Like Ronnie Cedeno hitting well at the bottom of the order.

I think we're all beginning to enjoy these stint-series with Nationals.

Let's Go Rebuilders

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

2009-07-31T15:18:00.003-04:00

For the Pittsburgh Sports Article this week, I'm going celebrate the build-up to Steelers Training Camp. In past years, Jim Wexell has been the absolute best when it comes to Steelers beat writing. He has the clutch interviews, inside information, and great writing all packaged into one. I also recommend his book "Steeler Nation," about his hilarious travel around the States to Steeler bars, parents, alumni, etc. It's a great read for a Steelers fan.

Although Wexell writes for a payed-subscription online newspaper at Steel City Insider, this article was released for free as a little treat to preview training camp. The article, Camp Points of Interest, highlights a few of the controversies, battles, and expectations heading into camp. I know I can't wait until things kick off.

Please Do Not Say You're Surprised; Pittsburgh Edition

2009-07-30T13:57:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the title thievery, but right now, surprises are like crying in baseball, they just don't happen.

From the big shot teams suffering steroid outbreaks-cough Red Sox and Yankees-to the small market teams trading away their money players-your own Pittsburgh Pirates-nothing has really shocked me.

Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, and Ian Snell were traded yesterday from the Pirates. But before you criticize, before you call the pirates a farm team for the big market, and before throw away your Pirate Parrot Bobble Head Doll-please recognize that the Pirates are on the right track.

The Good: The Pirates are in rebuilding mode, and they're following the pattern effectively. These trades brought them some great potential with low cost upside. Of course, we won't see the return until 2011 as Ron Cook points out in his latest column, but if even half of our prospects turn out as projected, the Pirates could be in serious contention in a few years.

thats right-not fighting for .500 with all our pennies on Jack Wilson and Nyjer Morgan coming through-but in contention with established pitching, depth, and hopefully some good hitting. Signing big names or keeping old players would just put the rebuilding process in jeopardy.

I will admit, I wrote an entry earlier this month praising Wilson and Sanchez and begging to keep them, but that was assuming that the return for Wilson would be very small. Somehow, the Pirates found a way to get 3 decent pitchers, a great prospect in Jeff Clement, and a veteran shortstop to cover Jack's hole. They were also able to get rid of the mess that was Ian Snell.
Later in the day, the rebuilders were able to get one of the Giants' best pitching prospects in Tim Alderson for Freddy Sanchez. He instantly becomes the Pirates best pitching prospect in a depleted farm bullpen.

The Bad:
The Pirates aren't going to win much this year. They've already fell out of contention, and have no veteran leadership on their team. Furthermore, the infield will suffer tremendously on the defensive end. Freddy and Jack held together the double play, and although Delwyn Young can hold his own at the plate, flashy plays are a rarity for him. Cedeno is average at best.

The personalities of these guys will also be missed. Jack Wilson's efforts seemed to revitalize some guys, and inspire them to give their all on the field.

The Ugly:
The fans have been dropping like base hits on Ramon Vazquez. People have walked away from this season, as they rightfully can, given that the team is no longer in or trying to become in contention. Players are also speaking out, or are just speechless. That's what scares me. These guys need to recognize just as well that their organization needs to make changes for the future. It is understandable that they fear for their own jobs, but speaking to the media is no way to change that. Hopefully they keep the drama off the field-something they've been able to do very well this season.

Due to the drastic changes within the Pirate Ballclub, I will now refer to the team as "The Rebuilders." This not a negative nor a positive term, just an adequate label to what the team is pursuing at the moment.

Let's Go Rebuilders.

7 to the 4: July 29th

2009-07-30T13:53:00.003-04:00

Yankees 6 Rays 2

Joba went eight strong innings for the second time in his career. When Joba is on he is as good as it gets in the league but that has been Joba's big problem; the consistency is just not there. He is only 23 so you have to think it will come. Teixiera went 2-3 with a HR and 2 RBIs. Cano homered in the 6th and Melky in the 9th.

Mets Rockies- Postponed

Playing two tomorrow.

Please Do Not Say You Are Surprised

2009-07-30T12:45:00.005-04:00

If there is one thing we should have learned by now as a baseball fan it is that the entire era was tainted by steroids. Forget all those wonderful feelings of purity and pride and everything else baseball evokes; Major League Baseball did not care.

This morning's report that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive in 2003 really does not have the shock value anymore. This list, that was supposed to remain quiet, has torn down A-Rod already and now it has done its share of damage of Ortiz. You have to wonder who else is on there and when the next names will leak... but does it really matter?

All you really all you have to do is look at Ortiz's numbers to know something was going on. From 1997 to 2002 Ortiz never hit more than 20 dingers. In 2003 he hit 31, 2004 41, 2005 he knocked 47, and in 2006 a whopping 54 bombs.

This really cannot taint the World Series titles of the Red Sox because steroids was a apart of the era. Just accept it. The players are not evil; we are talking about their lively hood. If there was a pill you could take that could guarantee you a huge promotion at work your saying you wouldn't talk it because it is unfair? No you bet your ass your popping pills. As Buzz Bissinger put it "If I could take a pill that would make me John Grisham I'm there. I'm f---king there."

The home run saved baseball. Don't kid yourself because Sosa and McGwire's home run race in 1997 brought the fans back after the strike. Baseball made the home run god and this is what we got. So if you really want to point fingers then send them in the direction of the owners and league but you just have to accept it. The league turned a blind eye in the name of profits but freaking out every time a big name breaks out is just pointless.

I stand by the idea that only one name could shock now and it is Albert Pujols. He has constantly screamed that he is clean and fans can trust him. At this point I do believe him because he has put together six of the best all-around seasons right from the start. He has been consistent and basically great and I want to trust in baseball again.

Americans have this idea that athletes should be pure and we turn them into modern Greek Gods. Forget it. If you honestly believe that then you have bigger problems then steroids.

Down with the Vickness

2009-07-29T15:51:00.005-04:00

Mike Vick is now free to sign with any NFL team; Well, any NFL team that will take him.

The 29 year old dash-man is well past his prime in the league for several reasons. One being that quarterbacks need to be able to throw with accuracy and composure. With premier safeties and pass rushers dominating league defense in the past couple years-Troy Polamalu, Bob Sanders, Ed Reed, Osi Umenyiora, James Harrison, Albert Haynesworth-it's become impossible to rely on throwing the ball downfield and/or attempting to scramble as an adequate game plan.

The second reason is that scrambling through wildcat offense, perhaps the only organized set up that would incorporate Vick well, is so 2008. The wildcat setup like any music downloading program ever created-we're talking Morpheus, Limewire, Napster, Bit Torrent. They're the best, and easiest things to execute since Sega Dreamcast, and then they get hacked, figured out, and full of viruses and become worthless, unusable space on your desktop. However lost in digression this simile has become, the Wildcat offense is easy to stop once you're prepared for it. And because it was all the hype in '08, it's going to be the first thing prevented in 09.

That being said, people still seem to think Vick will land on a team and possible get playing time as a specialist. Some have even gone so far as to put him in the Steelers' laps. Chris Mortensen seems to believe that Mike Vick would fit perfectly with the Steelers Organization, because they have
1. Great Ownership
2. Great Coaching
3. An Established Veteran Locker Room
4. An Established and Leading Quarterback

Let me tell you right now Mr. Mortensen-it is because the Steelers don't take chances on guys like Michael Vick that they have these, forgive the wordplay, a-four-mentioned qualities. The Steelers do have an established locker room, coach, owner, and quarterback-so although it might be the best situation for Vick, there is absolutely no reason for the Steelers to want this guy. They'd much rather help a younger guy develop into a useful player for the future-not a washed up dog torturer that is stuck in the scramble offense of 1998. A guy like Dennis Dixon, who has the same qualities as Vick, but is much younger and has much more time and potential to learn how to win in the league.

Six V. Lomardis doesn't come from dogshit.

7 to the 4: July 28th

2009-07-29T11:06:00.004-04:00

Yankees 2 Tampa Bay Rays 6

The streaking Yanks were halted last night by the Rays. CC was less than impressive, giving up 5 runs over 5.2 innings. The bronx bombers are 11-11 in CC's starts. They haven't been particularly sharp when he is on the mound; often not giving much run support or playing poor defense, as was the case last night. The Yanks got some help from Boston when lost to the A's in the 11th.

Mets 4 Rockies 0

The Mets are begging to look like a team who knows how to play baseball. Pelfrey gave a strong start last night, pitching seven shutout innings for the Mets. Their offense pecked away as Castillo, Francoeur, Murphy and Schneider all drove in runs. These are the kind of wins you should expect to see at Citi Field; strong pitching and timely hitting. This makes 4 wins in a row for the Mets who are 5.5 out of the Wild Card.

Antonio Pierce To Face Criminal Charges

2009-07-28T19:08:00.005-04:00

With the Plaxico Burress case heating up in NYC Antonio Pierce finds himself in an unsuspecting position.

The Giants linebacker who accompanied Plax to the club on the night when the receiver infamously... well "Plaxicoed" himself, is now facing criminal charges from a somewhat overzealous DA. Apparently after Burress shot himself Pierce took the gun from him and brought it to Burress's home.

The New York DA appears to be going after a weapons possession charge which carries a minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years.

John Mara, the co-owner of the Giants, has thrown his support behind is player:

While we in no way condone Antonio's decision to be in a nightclub in Manhattan less than two days before a game, we cannot understand the DA's position that Antonio is subject to criminal charges. When this incident occurred, Antonio reacted out of concern for the health and well-being of Plaxico Burress. His first priority was to make sure Plaxico received proper medical attention for what very well could have been a life-threatening wound. There was no criminal intent on the part of Antonio, who was thrust into this predicament simply because he accompanied Plaxico that evening and because he made the decision to immediately take Plaxico to the hospital.

Mara is making the right move here. It does seem like a stretch to go after Pierce in this case and I'm sure it helps him out to know that the Giants are throwing him under the bus. Apparently an upcoming DA election is having an effect on these cases as the District Attorney is trying to appear tough on crime by using these highly public cases as a medium.

If charged with a crime Pierce could also face more punishment from the league. Although it is hard to believe that these charges will stick. We will keep you posted.

7 to the 4: July 27th

2009-07-27T22:49:00.002-04:00

Yankees 11 vs Tampa Bay Rays 4

A.J. Burnett has continued to shine as he racked up his 10th win tonight against the Rays. He went 7 innings and only allowed two hits while on the mound. Nick Swisher did his part with two homers, one from each side of the plate and A-Rod added a two-run double on his 34th birthday. The Yanks are now 10-1 since the All-Star break and have a 2.5 game lead on the Sox

Mets 7 vs Colorado Rockies 3

Fernando Tatis is easily the hero of this game. With the score locked at 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth and the bases loaded Tatis came in as a pinch hitter and blasted a rare Citi-field grand slam home run. This win gives the Mets three in a row and they now sit 6.5 back of the NL Wild-Card with three more games to go against the Rockies, who have the lead in the Wild Card.

Can Minaya Do Anything Other than Spend?

2009-07-27T20:39:00.005-04:00

It seems almost everyday that Omar Minaya's seat as GM of the Mets gets just a bit hotter. With the often-cited injuries the Mets have shown an extreme lack of depth within the organization and Minaya has taken most of the blame. This morning the Mets fired Tony Bernazard, their vice-president of development for an alteraction with a minor leaguer and issues with Francisco Rodriquez. At the press-conference Minaya got into an argument with a Mets beat writer over one of his articles about Bernazard. It showed an extreme lack of professionalism on Minaya's part and it begs the question whether Minaya has the organizational and leadership skills to run the Mets club through this tough time.

Without a doubt you cannot deny that Minaya can create headlines and bring in star power. He helped an attention-starved Mets team compete with their cross-town rivals, the Yankees, on the sports pages. When the Mets hired Omar Minaya he immediately made a splash with the signings of Pedro Martinez and Carlos Beltran. He went on to sign Billy Wagner and Francisco Rodriquez, trade for Carlos Delgado, Johan Santana, John Maine and JJ Putz. He helped turn the Mets into an immediate contender but from what we see now it seems he only built a contender on the surface.

Minaya has yet to have any of his draft choices make any type of impact on the major league level. Granted hes only had about four drafts to get it done but his picks have left much to be desired. All Minaya has to show is under-performing prospects Bobby Parnell and Fernando Martinez. Steve Phillips, the Mets old GM boasts Jose Reyes (signed at 19), David Wright and Scott Kazmir (Phillips also has Mo Vaughn under his belt).

It is unfair to blame Minaya for all of the problems the Mets have been facing this year but this unprecedented run of injuries has exposed the holes in his club. The Mets have been unable to plug in their minor leaguers for any type of success. They also lack those platoon players that can shift around the diamond. The Mets seem to be more about flash than fire.

Minaya's professionalism has also been cited as of recently. He mishandled the Wille Randolph firing last year when he canned him just one day into a west coast road trip. Randolph's job had been in question for a few weeks but Minaya called him in his hotel room after a win over the dodgers and informed him of the firing. Many Mets players and staff found out through media outlets rather than from the organization. Then there was the debacle at this morning's news conference. You don't see Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein, the gold standard of GMs, pulling something like that.

Whether its missing third-base, falling flat on your face in center field or calling out a writer the Mets always seem to make themselves look like a second class organization. Minaya has proved that he can spend money and create headlines with the best of them but when it comes to the nuts and bolts of an organization Minaya just flat out is lacking.

The Double Play; Good and the Bad

2009-07-27T17:19:00.002-04:00

Getting a double play in baseball is like...

realizing that your ice cream sinks all the way down the cone

getting a superhero figure in your wheaties box

finding money in the laundry

getting free shampoo in the mail

i could go on, and on

The point is, a double play is not only relief, but a pleasant surprise. Seeing a guy on first base disappear-and consequentially their prior hit made irrelevant or, at least, less damaging-is incredibly satisfying, exciting, and relieving.

But, statistically speaking, is turning a lot of plays a good thing in baseball? Although this statistic does imply that your defense is on point and efficient, it also suggests that the defense allows guys to get on first base a lot.

So does leading the league in double plays mean that the team has great shortstops and second basemen duos, or that they don't have the pitching and infield defense to keep guys off base?

let's look at the stats.

The Pirates, with 107 DPs, are tied with the Indians, and second only to the Astros who have turned 109 DPs.

The Pirates, Indians, and Astros are all in the top 10 team fielding percentages in the MLB-the Pirates in 2nd, Astros 5th, and Indians in 8th

However, NONE of these teams are in the top 10 for Pitching ERA

and ALL are in the bottom of the league in On Base Against Average for Pitching-the Indians and Pirates are in the bottom 5, and the Astros are 19th in the league.

These teams are great at fielding, but they let guys on base far too much.

And, although this tendency does translate into a lot of double plays, the earned runs average speaks for itself.

Because so many hitters reach the base with these three ball clubs, and not all of them are stopped with double play groundouts, the pitching ERA suffers drastically, and translates into losing games.

Although the Double Play is certainly a satisfying thing to watch and execute-it's not necessarily a good stat to lead the league in.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

2009-07-24T14:26:00.005-04:00

I went to what turned out to be a great Pirates game this past Wednesday-

5 homers, a Brandon Moss walkoff, the Garrett Jones phenomenon continuing, several lead changes, and burnt knees as always at PNC Park. I was a bit confused as to why Mr. Garrett Jones was playing 1st base, until a fellow gamewatcher back-a-row filled me in on the Adam LaRoche trade that happened earlier that morning.

Finding out that the Pirates found someone to take the old slugger actually made the game even better.

Anyways, I was going to blog about the trade, but Pat at WhyGavs wrote a follow up post that said everything there is to be said about Adam LaRoche, management, salary, patterns, trades, etc.-in eloquent bucco fashion. It's a long post, but it reads smooth, even when you're not. like keystone.

Therefore, i've decided to feature that article, titled "Why might the Pirates be dumping salary?" as the article of the week.

Whygavs is a great blog with updates, follow ups, reactions, game recaps, and just about anything else Pirate-ish. And the fact that a Pirate blog can flourish in these days is more than respectable.

So check out this article, and be sure to bookmark the blog.

Like Myoplex, NOW i'm done.

Blair Force Juan

2009-07-21T13:58:00.003-04:00

The nickname controversy has been, perhaps, the most elaborate topic concerning Dejuan Blair in the past week. His play, of course, usually speaks for itself. In my last post, Dejuan Blair; Space Eater Extraordinaire I made a pretty good case for his space eater self.

Some suggested "The Black Hole"

For others, is was "Grizzly Blair." This was started at Pitt

His nickname growing up was "Big Fella," and will always be his hometown nickname.

However, spur fandom has seeked a new and fresh nickname. Blair Force One has emerged as the favorite, but let me introduce a marvel of the english language. Hidden in the pronounciation of his first name is, in fact, the sound of "one" in "Juan." Dejuan-->de"one"

whoa. meant to be?

Blair Force Juan* utilizes both his first and last name, while maintaining the integrity of the metaphor.

Feel free to spread the nickname like mom does your peanut butter in the morning lunch prep.

Let's not stop until we get an endorsement for him to do "Honey Dejuan Mustard-->A must for all Big Fella Burgers"

*credit to a Mr. Jules Coulson for the nickname ingenuity.

Big Ben-thats a [w]rap(e)

2009-07-21T12:17:00.004-04:00

Here come the rape nicknames

Rape-lessburger
He tried to "force it up the middle"
He "took over in the huddle"
He "rammed it into the endzone"
He wanted his "clock ticked" a little too much.

Whatever you want to call it, Ben is being accused of rape.

This not a kobe-esque circumstance, because there are absolutely no criminal charges against Ben. These are simple accusations, and i'm not saying they're false, but they're definitely not backed.

-And until they are, this is just a desperate girl wanting attention and money. Am I sexist now? yikes. But all things considered, I wouldn't put it past Ben. He's quite the d-bag, a-hole, cocky bastard. And he's been known be a sleezeball when it comes to women. Could be because he's ugly, cocky, has money, has fame or all of the above.

but he's a great quarterback. and she's a gold digger. let's move on.

T(i)rades

2009-07-21T11:38:00.005-04:00

Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson talk is floating around like sex talk in middle school computer labs. The duo is being labeled the only proven core of the Pirate Ballclub by some, and a large expense by others.

As far as media goes,

Gene Collier will lose all hope in the Pirates organization if they leave.

Mark Madden will be disappointed if we pay big bucks for the duo.

Both guys have valid arguments-->

Freddy and Jack are incredible defensively, and Freddy is a hit machine when his mole is healthy. But if we keep them, are the Pirates merely wading in the waters of rebuilding? Do they have one foot in, and not have the balls to jump in the cold water. 'Lord knows there could be success in the deep end-or a drowning victim.

I personally would like to keep the duo intact and inburgh.

The D: These guys turn double plays like it's the seventh inning stretch. Their defensive efforts have kept the Bucs in several ballgames, and their limited errors hold together the infield, and have played big part in this year's pitching improvements.

The Bats: Jack Wilson is not a slugger by any means(he's in a bit of a slump right now), but his bat can be dangerous at the bottom of the rotation. Many-a-time he has the extra spark to drive in runs and get the bases moving. Freddy Sanchez is the best hitter on the team. That would be "nuff said," but he is also a master at ball placement. He can put the ball at the right place at the right time to squeeze runs. Hitting the other way, hustling, bunting-you get it all with Freddy.

The Bucks: There is no reason the Pirates shouldn't negotiate with Jack Wilson. Even if based solely on the fact that he is much more valuable to the Pirates than to any other club-Firstly because we have no replacement for him, and secondly because he isn't seen as an above average player to anyone in the MLB. Teams will only look to acquire him for defensive purposes, and the Pirates will not get a sufficient replacement for him from within the organization or from trading him. Freddy's negotiations are much more tricky, because he is worth a lot of money, and teams do see him as a great player-he has a batting title to prove it.

This duo wants to stay in Pittsburgh. It's great to see that from guys, and if you look at the way they play, it's evident. To boot, isn't it great to see Jack Wilson playing so well late in his career?

In the end, rebuilding has its counterarguments, and "unrefuseable trades" can take their toll; but this duo has me convinced that this is one trade that the Pirates should not make.

7 to the 4: July 20th

2009-07-21T08:45:00.003-04:00

Instead of doing long (somewhat pointless) individual posts about the Mets and Yankee games from the night before I'm going to start doing a short analysis of last nights action and call it 7 to the 4; an ode to the subway trains that run from Citi Field to Yankee Stadium.

Mets 6 Nationals 2

The Mets roughed up Nats starter JD Martin on their way to an easy win. If the Mets want to salvage any type of respect this season they will need to pummel the teams they are supposed to beat; such as the Nationals. Murphy went 2-4 with two RBIs as did Francouer who added a 9th inning homer to seal the deal.

Yankees 2 Baltimore 1

The Yankees uncanny ability to hit walk-off homers continued last night; this time it was Hideki Matsui. Tex also came up with a huge defensive play when he gunned a runner at the plate on a hard hit ground ball in the 8th inning to preserve the 1 run lead. This win keeps the Yankees tied atop the AL East as they continue their series with the struggling Orioles.

The "What-If" Roster; An Alternate Universe

2009-07-20T17:52:00.008-04:00

Baseball is much different than most other sports because college athletes do not make the jump from college star to the professional ranks within a few months. The minor league system develops the players over time and during those years there is bound to be a lot of change. Prospects are dealt all throughout the league and often times they wind up starring for a different club than the one that drafted them.

This is a possible roster for the Mets using players that they either drafted or traded for/away as prospects. It does not take into account whether or not the trade was good or bad for the team but just the fact that the player was once a minor leaguer for the Mets. It also factors in players that the Mets drafted but never signed due to player choice. No free-agent signings are included (aka no Beltran or Delgado).

Depth Chart

Catcher- Jesus Flores

Jesus Flores had a tremendous 2006 season in the Mets Minor League system but was drafted by the Nationals in the Rule 5 Draft. In 2008, his first full season, he hit .256 with 8 homers. He was hitting .311 with 4 homers this year until his year was cut short by an injury just 26 games in. He is considered a young player with a lot of upside.

First Base- Garrett Atkins

Atkins was selected by the Mets in 1997 but elected to go to college. He hit .301 for the Rockies in 2007 with 25 homers.

Second Base- Melvin Mora

Started off in the Astros minor league system but was signed as a free agent to the Mets organization in 1998. He made his major league debut with the Amazin's in 1999. He was traded to the Orioles and has been a two-time all star since (2003, 2005).

Shortstop- Jose Reyes

Signed by the Mets out of the Dominican Republic in 1999 and made his Mets debut in 2003. Hes been a two time All-star for the Mets.

Third Base- David Wright

Drafted by the Mets in 2001 Wright made his much anticipated debut in 2004. He has been a three time all star selection for the Mets. He has also won two gold glove and two silver slugger awards.

RF- Aaron Rowand

Drafted by the Mets in 1995 but elected to go to college instead. Rowand broke out with the white sox in 2001. He is a career .284 hitter but made the all-star game in 2007 with the Phillies.

CF- Carlos Gomez

Signed by the Mets in 2002 he made his debut with in New York in 2006. He was considered the Mets top prospect along with Fernando Martinez. Gomez came up with Reyes and Jose has often said that Gomez is faster than he is. Gomez was traded away to Minnesota in the Santana deal and has since taken over roaming center field for the Twins.

LF- Jason Bay

Bay spent just a few months with the Mets in 2002 before being dealt to the Padres; the team with which he would make his debut. He is a three time all-star with both the Pirates and the Red Sox. He has hit over 20 homeruns in each of the last three seasons.

Starting Rotation

#1 Scott Kazmir

15th overall selection by the Mets in 2002 he was infamously traded away by Jim Duquette in 2004 at the deadline for Victor Zambrano. Kazmir has a career record of 51-41 with the Rays. He is a two time-all star but has struggled this year due to injury.

#2 A.J. Burnett

Drafted in 1995 by the Mets he was traded away to the Marlins in the Al Leiter deal. Has a career record of 95-80 and a 3.81 era. He is 8-4 with the Yanks this year

#3 Jeremy Guthrie

Was selected by the Mets in 1997 but elected to go to BYU. He has a career record of 25-23. His breakout year was in 2007 with the Orioles when he was in the running for rookie of the year when he started 26 games with a record of 7-5 with a 3.7 ERA

#4 Brian Bannister

Drafted in 2003 and made his Mets debut in 2006. He was traded to KC for Ambriox Burgos, who is now a free agent, in 2007. Bannister has gone on to post a 29-33 record with the Royals with a 4.5 career ERA. His breakout season was in 2007 when he went 12-9 and was in the race for the rookie of the year award (finished 3rd)

Bullpen

Scott Proctor

Drafted in 1995 by the Mets and traded to the Yankees in 2003. He made his debut in 2004 but became a very reliable late inning option for the Yanks in 2006. Torre relied on him heavily, often pitching two days in a row. He signed on with the Marlins for 2009 but has opted to undergo Tommy John surgery.

Octavio Dotel
Signed by the Mets in 1993 and made his debut 6 years later for the Mets. He has bounced around as starter, closer, relief pitcher for the Mets, Yankees, Marlins, Astros and A's.

Matt Lindstrom

Drafted by the Mets in 2002 and traded to the Marlins in 2006. He has since emerged as the closer for the Marlins.

Other Notable Players

David Dejesus

Lastings Milledge

Darin Erstad

FAIL... Like only the Mets Can Provide

2009-07-20T14:42:00.002-04:00

I honestly just feel bad for the Mets now. They really just cannot catch any type of break this season. With a four game series against the lack-luster Atlanta Braves the Mets needed to start winning in order to try and salvage this once promising season. They, instead, went the complete other way.

On Thursday Oliver Perez took the mound and actually was not awful. He gave up three runs through six innings in his second start back from the DL. It was very promising outing for Perez, who the battered Mets could use as they push to get back in the race. However, the Mets, still found a way to lose when Mr. Live Arm (aka fastball down the middle) Bobby Parnell and Pedro Feliciano could not hold down the ship.

Friday Night they lost 11-0. Need I say more? Yes I do... Mike Pelfry Sucks. Oh and Shef got banged up on a play in the outfield. He wont be making a DL trip but will be sitting a few games.

Saturday we were saved by the Spanish-superman who goes by the name Johan Santana. He dominated the Braves for seven-innings. The offense even came to life; which is rare behind Santana and the Mets won 5-1.

Sunday night just summed up the Mets season. Fernando Nieve, the Mets starting pitcher, strained his right quad when he raced down the first baseline in the top of the second. Nieve had been a rare bright spot in this injury ravaged season. He had come in and pitched well. Compiling a record of 3-3 but with a 2.95 ERA. He had been a surprise asset that the Mets were counting on to excel in the second half. But as it has gone all year he found his way onto the 15 day DL. Redding came in and held down the fort for a few innings but it was not last as the Braves put up 5 in the 5th on the way to a 7-1 rout of the Mets.

With every game it becomes more and more evident that this team needs to try and unload some players before the deadline. Feliciano is probably the only player any team would want. Minaya should really try and unload Castillo, that won't be an easy task, however. Considering the trend of offensive 2nd basemen in the past few years the Mets could use more production (and a cheaper option) at second.

Mr. Jones, Are You For Real?

2009-07-18T13:09:00.003-04:00

Hype is a funny thing. As is rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates

As Pirate fans, we're forced to do two very contradictory things.

1. Remain hopeful, and therefore sane. If you don't have any hope, then there's really no reason to be a Pirate Fan at the moment. And hope is really the only way to convince yourself that you're simultaneously a pirate fan and sane.

2. Deny large hype-->aka we can't get our hopes up, because that will ultimately lead to drastic disappointment, and therefore a downfall, due to not being able to accomplish the aforementioned task 1.

These two tasks beg the question at the present moment-->what do we do with Garrett Jones?

Our Dear Mr. Jones has only played in 12 games for the Pirates. Yet in these 12 games, he's managed to hit 7 home runs. In the past 4 games, he's hit 4 Home Runs. That includes last night, when he hit 2 HRs, one walkoff, that counted for the Pirates only runs.

But you know this.

What you don't know, is whether beginners luck has teased us Pirate Fans yet again.

Well Pirate Hopefuls, I'm here to announce that I know for a fact that...................

he has potential!

I know, classic answer, but really, there's no way to tell if Jones will be able to develop into a true power hitter in the league. The truth right now, is that pitchers just haven't figured him out yet and/or are underestimating him, and Jonesy is taking full advantage of that.

Andrew McCutchen did the same thing, with much less power but more hits, when he went on his 11 game hit streak. Then he struggled for a while after pitchers picked up a little more on him. I think we're seeing Cutch come out of that cycle unscathed and ready to grow even more, but there's no telling if Garret Jones will do the same.

As of right now, i'm going to enjoy is slugger streak; he's certainly earned his starting job, and will perhaps provide some competition for Brandon Moss. But i'm not going to act like I don't hope he develops into a Nate McLouth type contributor. And i'm not going to assume that as fact either.

Because I'm a pirate fan.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

2009-07-16T17:12:00.004-04:00

People, people, people! It's time for our Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week. This week, i'm going with the Pittsburgh Tribune Review for the very first time. I don't read the trib much, as I have found their sports section not really up to par with the PG in the past; but with the topics that Ron Cook and Gene Collier are choosing for their columns, I found much better writing/subject matter in the Trib.

This week it was Joe Starkey's "Morgan's Lasting Gift; Passion" that stood out for me. Starkey takes an interesting side on the Pirates' Nyjer Morgan trade. He loved Morgan's passion for the game, as did I, but he looked more at the fan reaction to show that the team is headed in the right direction...sort of. He also recognizes that the trade was a good move for the Buccos. He writes:

"So, what's the good news in the wake of dealing Morgan and Sean Burnett to Washington for outfielder Lastings Milledge and reliever Joel Hanrahan?

Two things:

1. It was precisely the type of potentially high-yield trade the Pirates need to make.

2. The outrage proved that people in these parts still have a Morgan-like passion for baseball.

I really like his take-->not because I agree, necessarily, but because its not skewed to one side. It is, perhaps, a farewell to Nyger Morgan, without being negative towards the organization's move.

"Pittsburgh desperately wants to enjoy baseball again. Morgan jostled the zombies."

Good stuff from Joe Starkey. Maybe I'll check up on the Trib a little more nowadays.

@News: Mets Injury Update, Knicks Shopping Robinson, Lee

2009-07-16T16:31:00.003-04:00

Mets and Knicks news from around the Tweetosphere:

Looks like injuries will continue to dog the Mets into the second half. Omar Minaya gave a health rundown today, and there is very little help on the way.

via The Daily News’ Adam Rubin:

- Carlos Beltran: The center fielder’s right knee bone bruise is preventing him from doing anything rehab-wise. Minaya said that he hasn’t even begun jogging yet.

- Jose Reyes and John Maine: Maine threw Rayes batting practice today, and Minaya said that the pitcher could be back by the end of the month. He was optimistic about Reyes too, but popular thought is that he will be out past the end of the month. He’s still unable to make sharp cuts on his recovering hamstring.

- Fernando Martinez: The outfielder underwent surgery on his right knee. He will be out 6-8 weeks while his torn meniscus heals.

- Carlos Delgado: Delgado is swinging a bat now, but his return is still slated for August.

- Also, Angel Berroa worked out at shortstop today after being called up in place of Argenis Reyes.

via ESPN Radio’s Andrew Marchand:

- The Knicks are trying everything to give Nate Robinson away, says one NBA executive.

- New York is also looking into a sign-and-trade with David Lee. The most logical destination is the Utah Jazz, though those plans hinge on whether Utah retains forward Paul Millsap.

Should Halladay Be a Yankee?

2009-07-15T18:29:00.009-04:00

It should not surprise you in the least that the Yankee name is in play for Blue Jays starter Roy Halladay. They have question marks in their starting rotation and well... they are the Yankees... so naturally rumors are flying.

Without a doubt Halladay could have a big time impact for the Yankees; he could have a huge influence on any club really. The Yanks once iron-clad rotation has not quite turned out the way they expected. CC has been solid but spots teams 3-4 runs a game and sure not the pitcher they expected to get when they made him the highest paid in baseball. AJ Burnett is streaky but well he has been his whole career. Wang just flat out sucks, going 1-6 with a 9.64 ERA before going on the DL last week. Joba has been decent but far from the fist pumping wonder boy that used to give Yankee fans wood. And Pettite is unreliable. One good start to go with two bad ones.

So the question becomes what do they give up because Toronto is going to want a significant return and maybe unload an overpaid veteran, Vernon Wells, who somehow fooled baseball into thinking he deserved money to play. You would assume that the Jays would target Jesus Montero and Austin Jackson, the Yankees top two prospects. Montero has all the hitting tools to become an all-star catcher but there are big concerns with his defensive ability and whether or not he can play catcher at the major league level. Jackson is the Yanks top outfield prospect. He is the most athletic player in their system and looks to be shaping up to be an everyday center fielder. The question is where does he fit in? The yanks are high on Gardner and have Swisher signed for a few years. Melkey is also in the mix.

So Jackson and Montero could be on the block but Toronto would probably ask for Phil Hughes to sweeten the deal. Hughes who has been solid out of the bullpen never measured up the front line starter predictions of just a few years ago. Wang's name could get thrown in their. It is hard to ignore the fact that he won 19 games last season.

So while giving up Montero, Jackson and Hughes (assuming the Jays don't ask for more) would not be breaking the bank it doesn't seem like smartest deal for the Yanks. Halladay, who is 32, has one more year left on his contract and will probably be looking for a 5-6 year deal (worth lots of $$$) at the end of next season. The Yankees are an old, expensive, team as is; would they want to add another aging pitcher to their staff for the next few seasons? If they don't sign Halladay and just let him finish out his contract then they will have given up three of their better young players for just a season and a half of work.

Halladay is a rare talent; Jeter said "he's probably the best starter in baseball." He may be aging but he can still pitch (he started the all star game last night) and has a CY Young sitting in his closet. For the Yanks it is a matter of win-now or save for later. We all know where the Steinbrenner family sits on this argument but this deal just does not seem worth it Bronx Bombers. Although as is, their 200 million dollar roster can't beat Boston so it's hard to imagine they do not create some headlines.

Hey Now, You're An Allstar!-but you aren't playing

2009-07-15T12:07:00.003-04:00

Zach Duke and Freddy Sanchez-

Congrats guys, you two are a fraction of Baseball's best this year. You have the stats, you have the character, and you aren't pumping roids (knock on Louiseville Slugger wood). Therefore, we'll be inviting you to participate in the MLB All-Star game, to represent your team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Oh, but you might not leave the dugout, bullpen, etc.

You see, the coach could be drastically concerned about winning a fairly meaningless game, and therefore decide to sit you out in case you're desperately needed in a non-guaranteed extra-innings situation.

And extra innings is a female orgasm; it just doesn't happen unless the sluggers bring their big bats.

So, while the other guys (that didn't get it done) are getting 3 at bats, or giving up earned runs like it's Hanukkah, you two can sit on the bench and sip your all-star gatorade. just keep it away from Carlos Zambrano.

Sorry Buccos, your team doesn't exist according to the MLB.

Honestly, i've never been a fan of the all-star game. I like the home-run derby, I like the recognition of great play-but the meaningless competition really puts a cork in the bat.

But if you're going to have this game, to have the cream of the crop compete against each other, then at least make sure the guys get to play. If the recognition and representation is what the game is all about, then that should be the priority of the game-not a win. And let's not pretend that the game is do-or die.

Although the Pirates arent' the pride of the league right now, it's still important that great players get recognition. shouldn't baseball at least pretend that each team has a chance in such a buy-out league?

So yes Duke and Sanchez-you're all stars.

but keep sipping that gatorade, keep sporting that Pirate P. although we can barely see it outside of the dugout.

Please Mets... DO NOT BUY

2009-07-15T09:52:00.006-04:00

Omar Minaya if somewhere out there you are listening pretty pretty please do not go out there and buy in this weak market. I know you love to make trades but lets take it easy this year. Maybe a vacation? I hear Greece is nice!

Lets be honest. The Mets are not a particularly good team. They can't hit, their pitching is weak and they play defense like a high school softball team. They face plant in center field and miss third base. Fundamentally they are just a pathetic team. Whether you blame Manuel, Minaya or the injuries does not matter. The Mets look to be well on their way to wasting another season; this is becoming a theme.

So now as the trade deadline approaches the Mets name always surface because they have money and they are expected to remain in contention till September. So every year the Mets (and other teams around the league) ship off their best prospects for some major league ready player. Their fans demand to win now and the team responds by sacrificing their future.

This year the Mets just plain should not buy. Hell maybe even sell if the right deal appears. The Mets are 6.5 out of a team that is in the chase for Roy Halladay. I hate to say it but it does not look like they are going to be making a run at the playoffs this year.

I say let them play as is and see if they can make things interesting; Beltran and Reyes should be coming back in the next few weeks and they can have a serious impact. The Mets are not one good bat or arm away from becoming a serious contender so there is no reason to pick over an already weak farm system to try and obtain Aubrey Huff or Nick Johnson. Besides when Delgado comes back where do you stick them?

Seriously the Mets have only two top 100 prospects in their system (Fernando Martinez and Wilmer Flores) and any major deal would without a doubt include one if not both of those names.

It just flat out is not worth it this year. Look I'm not saying to pack in this season. We are within striking distance (somewhat) and have our best players coming back soon (hopefully). There just does not seem to be any good reason why Minaya and the Mets need to sacrifice what little we have left in order to obtain some major league journeyman.

Think of two of the best players on this team now; Wright and Reyes. They are both home grown studs. Show some faith in our farm system and lets see the kind of players they can produce down the road. I would rather see Fernando Martinez tear it up for the Mets in two years then Nick Johnson suck next week. I don't know. Maybe I'm old fashioned.

Yanks Lineup Turns Halladay Against AL

2009-07-14T13:20:00.006-04:00

The biggest name on this years midseason trade market just happens to be one of the best pitcher in baseball; Roy Halladay.

Halladay is 10-3 this season with a 2.35 ERA and will start for the AL in tonight's all-star game.

The former CY Young winner has spent his entire career with the Blue Jays and his name always bounces in and out of rumors. This year it looks as if the Jays will deal him to a contender.

Halladay, who has a no-trade clause in his contract, says he would be interested in going to an NL team or a bigger market.

His exact words were "I'd rather hit than face Jeter, A-Rod, Matsui and Teixeira."

Minaya to Blame?

2009-07-13T19:32:00.006-04:00

Every Met fan knows the infamous Scott Kazmir- Victor Zambrano trade orchastrated by Steve Phillips. Most baseball critics consider it the worst trade of all time; infact Sports Illustrated wrote an article about it a few years ago. Many Met fans, however, consider it one of the best trades becaues it got Phillips fired and then Omar Minaya came to town (that sums up the Mets. It takes the worst trade in baseball history to get somebody fired).

Since then it has been a complete transformation for the Amazins. Minaya brought in Pedro and Beltran. As well as Billy Wagner and completed a trade for John Maine. He became the Mets golden child as his newly constructed team won the NL east by 12 games and came within a game of the World Series.

Lately, however, Minaya's luster has faded away. He traded away Heath Bell and Brian Bannister in '06. Both pitchers thrived with their new teams and could have helped the Mets during their epic collapse to the Phillies two years ago.

He did trade for Santana and sign K-Rod but this season has exposed the real holes in the Mets organization.

The Mets have been plagued by injuries and while that is not his fault, he is to blame for the lack of depth throughout the entire team. The Mets have been mixing and matching players all season looking for a winning combo and they just cannot find it. They lack the utlitly players that can play multiple positions and they have a severe lack of power within the lineup. Not to forget that they field like a little league team. The worst part is there is no help on the horizon.

The Mets farm system has been picked over the last few years and Minaya has failed to restock. Not to mention that their two big prospects, Daniel Murphy and Fernando Martinez, have been flops.

So with the Mets needing the cavalry to charge over the hill Minaya cannot provide the support. The market out there is weak and teams that are selling are few and far between. It will take a lot to acquire any of the quality talent there is out there and the Mets just do not have the pieces to make a move.

Minaya has done a great job in bringing in star-power to compete for the New York headlines against the Yankees but he has failed to build an organization. The Mets lack depth on the field and within their farm system and Minaya is to blame.

D. Blair: Space Eater Extraordinaire

2009-07-13T10:36:00.003-04:00

"I'm a space eater"- Dejuan Blair

What a nickname. It's neither catchy nor quick, but Dejuan Blair is, indeed, a space eater. He's hungry for space. Looking to devour anything in the way of his basketball, he grows hungry when anything resembling opposition enters the painted area that can now be labeled his 'space." Served on a silver platter, space is the distance between Dejuan and deBall; something that he can chew up in a matter of milliseconds.

This begs the question-what truly satisfies him? Getting the ball, or the simple act of denying the treasured pigskin-to follow the space metaphor-"planet"-from other species of bigmen. Much to his tasteful delight, these two actions run in sequence.

I think we've discovered Dejuan's secret to losing 30 pounds in 2-3 weeks. May I introduce the "Dejuan Diet"; Forget burgers and fries when he can eat space. Calorie and sugar free, there's no unsaturated or trans fat in space, but eating it is perhaps the most satisfying treat a bigman can enjoy. All the more satisfying, are the calories burned during space-eating. It could be compared to celery, on a much larger scale-forgive the pun.

Perhaps we should release our assumptions, and ponder the possibility that Dejuan doesn't suffer from enduring pull of gravity during his space eating habits. This might be the only way to explain his unique abilities in his comfort zone-and his suction cup hands to boot. Gravity has been realigned, and the center now exists in the palms of his hands. People-this is a nobel prize worthy discovery.

But seriously, Dejuan thrived in his first summer league game. He had a double-double in 17 minutes of play, and he shot 5-6 from the line, ending with 10 rebounds and 13 points. Number 45 is at it again people.

This may serve as a warning; If you're in his space, don't be surprised if you're in his ever-shrinking stomach before you can blink.

A Landfill of Wasted Opportunity. Take it away Shakespeare

2009-07-12T08:22:00.006-04:00

Waste might be an understatement. And toxic waste may not be politically correct. But the Pirates wasted the night tonight.

This is a waste that only Shakespeare's 129th sonnet can come close to describing. Go for it 'Bill

"The expense of spirit in a waste of shame"

Garret Jones hit his 4th homer of his very young career. 4 out of his 11 hits at that point were homers.

"Mad in pursuit and in possession so"

Delwyn Young came through with a two run homer and Ryan Doumit hit two doubles.

"Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust"

Andrew McCutchen hit a two run homer to push the envelope. of waste.

"Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream."

Ross Ohlendorf gave up only 3 runs on 5 hits. He had five wasted strikeouts and some great pitches.

"Enjoyed no sooner, but despised straight"

Andy LaRoche had a double and triple, and scored a wasted run.

"On purpose laid to make the taker mad"

I believed in them. I thought this win was in the bag. And yet, the Pirates, accompanied by Matt Capps, find a way to blow such an offensive explosion by giving up 4 runs in the ninth.

"All this the world knows, yet none knows well"

I guess I should have seen it coming. But I like rooting for the Pirates, not awaiting their bloody downfall. It's disheartening.

Look, everyone knows Shakespeare is probably talking about masturbation in this sonnet, but for now, it seems perfectly clear that he wrote this following last night's loss. The lines are shuffled but you catch his drift. What a waste.

Fear and Loathing in Las Pittsburgh; So Long Sanchez?

2009-07-10T15:20:00.003-04:00

Well not so much loathing, but there's definitely some fear on the homefront this week.

I swear, every time I check-scratch that-refresh my computer screen, I take a deep breath and prepare to see that the Pirates have arranged some massive trade that will send me into hibernation for the next month-I just won't be able to bear it anymore. ha....ha.....

Rumors are flying in the Steel Mill, and the Pirates' starting roster and bullpen aren't coming out intact. According to several sources, including the PG's Dejan Kovacevic, the Pirates are pushing to trade Freddy Sanchez-coupled with their closer Matt Capps for a side-dish. I'm really not sure about the return, but i'm expecting a couple prospects at a cheap price with a lot of upside. Call me Dr. Obvious.

I'm scared.

I really like Freddy, and he's always been a great guy with a clutch bat. And to boot, I will really miss his facial mole. It added a really nice touch to the clubhouse. There's something about Freddy's stature that calms me, and tells me that it's going to be ok. But, he's expensive and if we can get upside prospects fo' cheap, the Pirates might as well stick to their plan.

Pirates fans are taking a beating right now, but the best we can do is look to the future and be confident, because Huntington is sticking to his plan. And when the time comes, the plan will either succeed or he will have to directly face the consequences. At the moment, however, the Pirates are amazingly still in the run for a playoff spot, given the weakness of their division.

Let's face it, seeing "Pirates trade their only All-Star for Prospects" on the top of the sports section is going to lose a lot of fans. For those of you Bucs fans that are on the cusp of a fallout after McLouth and Morgan were cast away, all I can ask is that you don't just look at the headlines and formulate your opinions. Also, don't look at this from a 17 year timeline. We're rebuilding from 2 years ago, with a new manager. It takes a long time, and we're at a pretty good spot after two years, given how dreadful a spot Littlefield left the team at.

Sanchez is probably going to go, and i'm sure Wilson and Laroche will follow. For all the pirate fans left with me, let's bite down, and be proud to say we stuck through it when everyone else is running to celebrate a 2012 championship.

can someone take me to the psych ward?

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

2009-07-09T10:25:00.005-04:00

This week's Pittsburgh Sports Article is coming, for the first time, from a blog. Although there was some decent writing out there in the Pittsburgh newspaper wires, I found an article I couldn't pass up on [Blitzburgh Blog]. The article, titled "Why Pittsburgh isn't America's Team," is a legit bashing of any desire for the Steelers to become the Dallas Cowboys.

The argument spurs from the back and forth on ESPN Nation Blog regarding which team is the true "America's Team." Although there are Steeler Fans across the nation, Blitzburgh makes a great argument for not wanting to be identified with lazy, flashy, quick fix America. Instead, we should be proud to be Pittsburgh's team. A team playing for a hard-nosed city, with hard working people that are diligent and get the job done.

I love the argument; it's a clever rejection of any competition with the Cowboys or any other team for that matter. The Steelers, and Pittsburgh, are above the Cowboys and the general cultural amalgam that America entails. Pittsburgh's team is good enough for me-in fact, it's much better.

It's a great read, as always, from Blitzburgh-I'd encourage anyone to check out the shtuff they're postin over there.

"Shouldering" the Burden; Max Talbot

2009-07-08T10:56:00.003-04:00

Last year it was Sergei Gonchar's dislocated shoulder surgery that deprived the Penguins of him for 5 months-at that was an early return. Now, Talbot decides to take care of his continuously popping shoulder, and who can blame him. It's also worthy noting that Talbot's surgery will not need as much recovery, only up to two months, and that Talbot is not as crucial to the Penguins' success. He doesn't hold together the powerplay, nor does he play on the first line.

Depending on how the Penguins choose to manage replacing Talbot while he recovers next year, his abscence could be a blessing in disguise for the team. Filling in Talbot's spot for 2 months does several things.

First, it gives Talbot a shorter season-one that he can hopefully take advantage of, to keep his game up in the playoffs. We saw how refreshed Gonchar looked in the playoffs, mostly because he didn't play a whole season, and had the energy to not only last through the games, but turn it up. Talbot is much younger than Gonchar, so if he gets a shorter season, he could really 'max out!' when it counts.

Second, it gives another guy a chance to perform on NHL ice. I said before, that this depends on how the Penguins manage the roster, but if they bring up a guy like Luca Caputi, they could be easing the transition for these guys. They won't have to replace a struggling or traded player, which tends to be more controversial. Instead, they'll just be filling in for the injured Talbot, and hopefully show us a preview of their abilities at the NHL level; maybe even prove to Bylsma that they deserve a roster spot when Talbot returns.

The team could easily move Pascal Dupuis up to the second line to fill in for Talbot, but Dupuis isn't very good on the right wing, and it would not be a very forward looking move for the organization. At some point this season we will see Caputi, so why not start him out in a specific window of time, and give him a chance to prove that he's worth more.

Although Talbot will be missed for the first 2 months of the season, it could very well benefit the Penguins in the long run. If they get Talbot's explosiveness at full force in the playoffs, and get a chance to see some young talent step it up, Talbot's injury will fall very short of a burden.

True Greatness

2009-07-06T17:28:00.003-04:00

This really has nothing to do with New York sports but at some point you have to stop and smell the roses.

Sports are different then everyday life because you are constantly measuring success. Winning and losing is public knowledge and when something truly special comes along the world pretty much knows it.

We are fortunate enough to be seeing absolute greatness right now; two geniuses in their respective sports marching towards immortality. Roger Federer in tennis and Tiger Woods in golf.

Federer has done what many believed to be impossible just a few years ago. 15 grand slam titles and counting. His epic match with Andy Roddick this Sunday at Wimbledon just sealed the deal. After Sampras clinched his 14th no one thought it would take just a few short years for someone to come along and break it. It is really just a race against himself now, how many more can he claim?

Tiger Woods, a close friend of Federer, also took home the trophy this Sunday; although not quite the same stage. Tiger won the AT&T Invitational, aka his tournament, as a tune up for the British Open later this month. Tiger, in pursuit of his 15th major, is nipping at the heels of the immortal Jack Nickalus. Woods, pretty much the greatest golfer of all time, is just waiting till the numbers match up at this point. There is almost no doubt in any golf fans mind that he will surpass the magical number of 18. The question has really become when, not if.

Every generation has had their defining athletes. From Babe Ruth to Montana on to Jordan. Lucky enough for this generation we have been privileged enough to watch two once-in-a-lifetime athletes work their magic. While they may not be baseball or football players, the fact that they dominate the lesser-known sports almost adds to the legend. Tiger has single-handedly made golf an important global sport and Federer has given new life to the legends of Sampras and Borg.

For the rest of your life you will be able to look back and tell people that you watched two of the greatest athletes of all time at the height of their careers. Say what you will about golf and tennis but Woods and Federer’s names will live in infamy. Nike is going to love this.

The Mets' Biggest Problem: Johan Santana

2009-07-06T14:47:00.006-04:00

The New York Mets found themselves on the wrong end of another series sweep on Sunday, but this time it couldn’t have been too surprising; after all, their ace, Johan Santana, was pitching.

And if the Mets have done one thing consistently throughout this up-and-down season, it has been to take a day off when Santana goes to work.

How else to explain the disturbing lack of run support provided every fifth day?

The popular excuse right now is injuries, but the bats were sleeping far before the Mets mishandled the aches and pains of Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran. In Santana’s five April starts, the team scored a high of four runs. That offensive explosion came against Scott Olsen and the Washington Nationals.

Hardly an accomplishment for the healthy and, on paper at least, loaded Mets.

Citi Field is another explanation. To hear David Wright and the rest of the lineup tell it, the stadium is a re-creation of Polo Grounds, its fences nearly unreachable by mere mortals.

But if that’s the case, those impossible dimensions must follow the Mets on the road. As of Sunday, the team had hit 24 home runs at other ballparks, compared to 26 hit over the supposed ocean of outfield in Flushing. Such offensive offense knows no borders.

On days Santana pitches, there are no automatic lineup changes. He faces opponents’ aces as frequently as their Nos. 2-5. Rain and sunshine do not set their schedules to Santana’s watch.

There simply is no tangible reason that the offensive well turns dry when Santana takes the hill.

In 17 starts, Santana is 9-7 with a 3.29 ERA. He dominated April, was similarly stellar in May and worked through blister-related command issues in June to rebound with a much needed ace performance on Sunday.

In those 17 starts, the Mets have scored 2.94 runs per game.

Behind the rest of the starters combined, New York averages 4.76 runs per game.

Hurt, healthy, home, away, it does not seem to matter if Santana is starting.

In his seven losses and one no-decision, the numbers are even more disturbing. New York produced, if it can even be called that, 12 total runs, or 1.7 per game. If provided with just three runs during those starts, Santana could have earned, at least, two more wins and three no-decisions.

All this is not to speculate on the unseen influences that seem to rule these games. There is no way to measure the heart, sense or urgency, or hustle employed when Santana takes his turn.

What it is evidence of, though, is the persistent excellence of Johan Santana. On a team so frequently, and deservedly, ridiculed for their apparent lack of caring, Santana rarely flinches. He routinely turns in in masterful performances, even if to no avail.

Santana has received the least support of everyone, yet still has 107 strikeouts, more than two times more than any other Met.

He has thrown 109.1 innings, a figure nearly identical to the 113.1 he recorded through his first 17 starts in ‘08. This despite receiving almost two runs per game of support less than last year and carrying a three inning, nine-run black mark versus the Yankees.

It is frustrating to watch and, surely, many times more frustrating for the hapless pitcher.

Yet Santana has remained classy through it all, returning to the mound each fifth day and keeping quiet during the other four. Only Sunday, after the Mets were blanked by the mediocre Joe Blanton, did any inkling of frustration leak out.

“I did everything I could, but they were better,” he said. “I was trying to give them a chance to win, but in the end it came down to a couple of pitches.”

Handed another loss, there is nothing for Santana to do but begin preparing for start number 18. Maybe this time the indebted Mets offense will hoist him onto their shoulders.

But don’t count on it.

Adam Cancryn is a guest writer for The Big Apple and the Burgh. He is a freelance journalist currently working for the Philadelphia Business Journal. A compilation of his published articles can be found here

The Sophomore Trump; Steelers in their Second Year

2009-07-05T21:55:00.008-04:00

Dear Rashard Mendenhall, Limas Sweed, and Co-
You hear the term "The Sophomore Slump." Rookies have decent seasons, and they get cocky. They think the league is oatmeal and they've dived into it like sweet brown sugar. We've seen it many a time-In the NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, and, hell, maybe even in Soccer. But when you put on your black and gold sweaters, when you think about steeler football, sophomore slumps just don't come to mind. You know why?

Because Steelers thrive in their second year. It could be the respect they are taught of the league by their veteran teammates. It could be the fear of dissapointing their proven coaches, or even worse, the Rooney family that reigns above. It could be their hunger to live up to the triple hypocycloid-label that scatters their uniform. But when it comes to Steeler football, sophomore slumps are like losing seasons-they just don't come around. In fact, second year Steelers have developed a pattern of dramatically improving in their second year. For the sake of conciseness, let's call this amazingly beneficial pattern "the deuce."

Let's look at some notable Blackngold of past and present that have exploded in year 2.

Lynn Swann went from having 2 touchdowns with 208 yards in his first season, to snagging a career high 11 touchdowns with 781 yards in the deuce.

Terry Bradshaw threw for only 1410 yards and 6 touchdowns as a rook, but chunked up 2259 yards for 13 endzones in the deuce.

Gregg Lloyd started out with a soggy .5 sacks and 33 tackles in his first season, but hardened up to get 7 sacks and 92 tackles in the deuce.

Jerome Bettis, you ask? Although he didn't start out as a rookie, he gained his single season career high 1,665 yards in his unconventional steeler deuce.

Joey Porter started out his steeler career with 13 tackles and 2 sacks, but went on to knock 59 tackles and his steeler high 10.5 sacks in the deuce.

Plaxico Burress caught no touchdowns with 273 yards in year 1, yet exploded for 6 touchdowns with 1,008 yards in the deuce.

As for players still with us,

Willie Parker had 186 yards and no touchdowns in his first year, and 1,202 yards with 4 touchdowns in the deuce.

Troy Polamalu had 38 tackles and no interceptions as a rookie, but thrust 96 tackles and 5 interceptions in the deuce.

Even when Santonio Holmes had an impressive rookie season catching 824 yards and 2 touchdowns, he upped it with 942 yards and 8 touchdowns in three less games in the deuce.

LaMarr Woodley managed only 14 tackles and 4 sacks in year 1, and when on to bake 60 tackles
and grill 11.5 sacks in the deuce.

There are some obvious factors that contribute to this improvement that include being comfortable in the league, knowing the playbook, and of course more playing time. But if you look at these guys, they played an awful lot in their rookie seasons, even if they didn't start every game. Yet they all managed to explode in their second season.

I'm not saying that Mendenhall and Sweed will have amazing seasons, but I am labeling the deuce a trait of a great Steeler player. The second season in the NFL for a Steeler is very telling, and we should be very excited to see how these guys perform when they're clean from their rookie label.

The Pen(s) and Paper; Free Agency

2009-07-03T18:47:00.000-04:00

Some stay, some go. Some cash in, some "cup" in. Some get to live in the city of champions, some get to skate on ever-melting California ice.

The Pens rounded out the majority of their free agency dealings these past two days. Bill Guerin, Craig Adams, and Ruslan Fedentenko took cash cuts to stay in the Burgh, while Rob Scuderi cashed in at the peak of his career, and took a huge raise to play for L.A. at around 3 mil a year.

In the end, you can't really blame Scuderi for cashing in on a great season. He is at his peak at the moment, and if he doesn't take the money now, it's honestly not going to be there next year, and especially not the following year. Scuds did what was best for his family-he seized the opportunity to be overpaid. He had a standout season that can't be replicated. I'm sure he'll contribute a lot to the Kings next season, as they strive to become a consistent contender. And although I am sad to see him take off that pretty penguin sweater, I respect him even more for doing what might be the best thing for his family.

As for Guerin, Adams, and Fedetenko, they weren't going to be severly overpaid by another team, so they decided to take a little cut at a chance to win a cup. These guys have already proven themselves, and they're hungry for more. I, personally, am gushing with happiness that Fedetenko and Malkin will be going at it for another year. Those guys can make magic when they're side-by-side.

But don't close the curtain, Ray Shero still has some cap room to sign a replacement for Scuderi. Although he still needs to sign or promote backup soil for the Flower, look for Shero to sign a solid D-man or trade around for one. Although Scuderi is not easily replaceable, most of his duties can be filled with a solid, stay-at-home defenceman. And there are definitley still guys out there that want a run at the cup in 2010.

How 'bout that hometown discount.

The Pursuit of Latin-ness

2009-07-02T16:30:00.003-04:00

La La La La La La Bamba, scratch that, Pirates!
After all the years of sitting back, watching other teams find incredible talent in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Pirates fans have felt very left out. The Pirates organization has been, in a sense, out of the loop when it comes to international signings-they were underequipt with horrible and out of date facilities, and had no motivation to pursue the talent that many teams have treated as a gold mine in Latin America.

Me oh my, how management can change things.

The pirates are now equipped with a state-of-the-art facility, supposedly capable of luring latin long-ballers to the Pirate ballclub. They've also stepped up their recruiting game in other fashions, going after the top guys and getting the Pirate name out there to kids that may only know the big names and big players-rodriguez, ramirez, the list goes on. Instead, these kids are seeing the Pirates facilities, seeing the Pirates efforts, and it's getting the Bucs closer and closer to landing big talent in Latin Land.

We're already seeing results.

Today, with the start of the International Signing Period, the Pirates have confirmed that they've offered Miguel Angel Sano, the top prospect from Latin America, a contract with the ballclub. Don't take your shirt off, don't down a shot of tequila, but this is surely some promising news. The MLB is still concerned about this young buck's age, so they're doing a super high-profile investigation. While that takes place, hopefull the Bucs can convince this kid to make a tentative agreement, given that his age is approved.

Here is a blurb about Sano from SI.com
"Dominican Republic; Bats: Right; Throws: Right; 6-3, 190
Sano is an unusual talent, as many international scouting directors say they have never seen a 16-year-old player who is built like Sano or who can hit like him. Sano, who is from San Pedro de Macoris, has an athletic, projectable body with broad shoulders and a strong lower half. He stands out at the plate with a right-handed stroke that he's able to repeat in games, showing good bat speed and the ability to hit for power to all fields. Some scouts have said he's better in batting practice than in games, while others say he has dominated against live pitching. He can get caught out front against good breaking balls, but he doesn't have a long swing and scouts have seen him drive off-speed pitches for home runs. Sano's current position is shortstop, but scouts are nearly universal that he'll end up at either third base or in right field. Sano has shown above-average speed in the 60-yard dash for some teams, but his range is already questionable at shortstop and he's expected to slow down as he adds another 20 to 30 pounds to his frame. Though he doesn't have a particularly quick release, Sano's arm is a 65 or a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Scouts expect Sano to sign with a team that doesn't typically sign players for big money in Latin America, with the Pirates believed to be the leaders."

Notice that Sano is the top International signee on SI's list.

He's a young guy, definitley with a lot a room for improvement and growth, but he's a great start for this organization to get their name out there in the international market. He'd also be a great addition to a Pirates team that's looking more, and more ready to compete in the next decade.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

2009-07-01T18:04:00.004-04:00

This week wasn't been a huge week on the field, rink, park, etc. for Pittsburgh Sports, but has definitely been a week of money and trades. With the Pirates active in MLB trading, and the Penguins focusing on a Free Agency as we speak, as well as signing Guerin and Adams earlier this week, I figure it's fitting to feature an article in the realm of the behind the scene fuel for sports-money.

In this week's Pittsburgh Sports Article, "Tough Choice for Scuderi", Ron Cook of the Post-Gazette takes a look at the back and forth for players, in this case in the NHL, for taking the money or taking the chance to win. Focusing on Scuderi in this article, while making references to Ryan Malone and other transactions, Cook tries to highlight the dilemma that a player faces, especially when leaving a very accomplished team-and for Scuderi, a team that raised him.

Scuderi is testing the market as I write.

The article represents both sides of the argument very well, but shows Ryan Malone as a flop. Just when you think Cook is going to strongly support taking a pay cut, he goes to his other hand. The article gives mad, but deserved respect to Brooks Orpike-a guy that took a huge paycut last year to stay with the pens. Hey, look where he is. Bam.

Morgan Doesn't Last(ings); Recent Pirate Trades

2009-07-01T17:00:00.005-04:00

Upside can't come fast enough for the Pirates, who have traded 3 Major League Roster players for 4 futuristic phenoms (ok, that's a stretch, prospects)

Let's look at the trades

The Bucs traded Eric Hinske to the Yankees for: Pitcher Casey Erickson( Playing A Ball currently) and Catcher Eric Fryer (also playing A Ball)
these guys do have to potential to be contributors in the future, and honestly, I hated Eric Hinske.

This is a guy that supposedly had power and was our token lefty bench hitter, but he rarely looked enthused to be on this Pirates team. Along with that, he was incredibly slow, and I have no respect for athletes that get payed in the millions who can't seem to lose some weight, or at least gain some muscle. The Pirates called up Garret Jones, also a lefty, to replace Hinske. Jones has been hitting very well in Indy, and will hopefully become a Josh Phelps type guy; Clutch hits when we need them. (that's a big hope)

The second trade is the headliner, sending Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett to the Nationals for Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan.
First impression: i love the names
Double Take: I loved Morgan-he had great enthusiasm and he really took McCutchen under his wing. Also, he had some great speed and he seemed to be a light personality in the clubhouse.

Triple Take: Morgan didn't get on base enough. He was hitting .277, and didn't have a great eye for strikes. Furthermore, he was caught stealing 10 times in the few times he got on base. Looking at all this, is this a guy we really wanted to take McCutchen under their wing? We will never know.

Last(ings) take: Millidge is said to be a lousy character with intentionally poor hearing, but he has the potential to explode as a hitter. Drafted 11th in the draft, he was supposed to be a boom for the Mets-and traded to the Nationals, he was supposed to be a revived young man, ready to take the Nats to glory.
He might not explode, and he might not shape up, but this has GOT to be his wake up call. If he doesn't perform after all this, the Pirates can honestly say they gave up an average hitter for a flop, taking some risk for a possible big return. But if Milledge turns into half of what he was touted as, the Pirates have made quite the steal. One thing is, indeed, on the Pirates side-karma. After years of horrible drafts and flopped picks, Milledge might be the guy that turns out to be the reward for all the bad luck we pirates fans have endured. Many say that he isn't the bad guy that he's made out to be, and he might be able to perform much better without the expectations, as well as playing aside the spotlight of the Pirates' future in Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez. I've got a good feeling that he could really be a boom.

As for Sean Burnett, he is replaceable at most, and a pitcher that John Grabow seems to think is has some great stuff in Joel Hanrahan, the risk is surely worth it.

Jack Wilson, on the other hand, needed to shut his mouth, and has rightfully apologized for it today. He said some angry, Adam LaRoche-esque stuff yesterday, and although he backs it up with his play much more than Adam, he is disrespecting his owner and his teammates. He's playing with the rising Brandon Moss and a great pitcher in Charlie Morton; both from recent trades. I know he's suffered, and I love him for being consistent, but he needs to know what's best for his ballclub. Plus, crying over Morgan? uh-uh.

I can't wait to see how Milledge turns out-he's set to play in Indianapolis within the week.

Meanwhile, Ross Ohlendorf pitched a beauty against the Cubs to shut them out with 7 innings, 8 Ks, and 4 hits. Also, McCutchen has hit a wall-don't fret, let's see how he handles it, and go from there.

Here's to the future. Here's to still being on-board the Pirate Ship in July.

Billy Guerin's Will to Win; Penguin Signings

2009-06-30T12:26:00.004-04:00

Bill Guerin and Craig Adams have already shown that they will take another run at the cup over money any day. A "sign" of things to come, literally; they both took signficantly less money than they could have received from several other teams, for the chance to get their names on the cup once more. Both of these guys are tough customers with great hockey I.Q. and have won a combination of 4 cups (09 included) in their careers.

I personally love these two players, and their will to win has been proved on and off the ice. Guerin signed a one year, 2 million deal in what could be his last year in the NHL. Why not spend it playing on a line with sid the kid? Adams signed a 2 year, 550,000 per year deal to keep him holding down a solid 4th line for the Pens. The Adams signing means that Mike Zigomanis will probably not return next year, and although his faceoff skills will be missed, Adams' toughness is what defines a reliable 4th line.

Ray Shero has done a great job so far in terms of not overspending, but there are still plenty of moves to be made this offseason. Rob Scuderi is a big question mark, and will test the market before reporting back to the Pens, but he has given every notification that he will take some type of hometown discount to stay.

The way this penguins team struggled and bonded this year, especially coming out of the season victorious, every player is willing to sacrifice some buck to stay in the burgh. July 1st is the start of free agency signing, so i'm looking for Fedetenko to be resigned fairly quickly, especially because of his clutch performance in the postseason. If Shero can sign either Ruslan Fedetenko or Rob Scuderi to smaller deal, the team will be in even better shape than last year.

No Regrets Ese; The Dejuan Blair Departure

2009-06-28T13:05:00.002-04:00

As we Pitt fans watched Dejuan's disastrous draft drop, some couldn't help but pull the "shoulda" card on the big fella. "Thats why he shoulda stayed at Pitt", "He coulda been a lottery pick if he woulda came back!" Stop right there. Put that card right back where it came from. Dejuan's decision to enter the draft was the right decision, and his drop did nothing but prove that.

Blair's drop had nothing to do with his college game, his development, or his age-it had to do with his flagged body. A body that would only get more wear and tear in the Big East Paint, a body that could suffer injuries from taking on the best centers in the league, and a pair of knees that could fall apart on him at any time. That is, after all, a large reason why he entered the draft anyways. If he happened to get banged up bad this year or if his knees began to deteriorate like doctors are confident they could, we wouldn't see the Big Fella in the first 2 rounds of the draft at all.

Blair doesn't have any regrets, and why should he? He saw before his eyes the issues that almost every NBA team had with his knees, and if it caused such a drop this year, then he probably didn't even want to think about if he had stayed next year. I'm not a doctor, but I do know his bad knees would still be, well, bad.

Look, you can call him prideful and stubborn. You can label this a hubris-caused downfall and say that he should've stayed and worked on his jumpshot (teams will surely draft him for that..). But in the end, Blair did the right thing. The draft proved it right before his eyes.

Forget the Recession, The Buc(k)s are Rising

2009-06-28T00:04:00.003-04:00

Just when you'd think the Pirates would descend into the deep, mucky, stanky hole of no return, they go on a 4 game win streak to give you that little tingle of hope. Amidst trade rumors and Latin American free agency talk, our favorite Pittsburgh Ball Club put together a fine ending to their series against Cleveland, and took a step further to clinch a series win against the Royals.

The walkoff is what did it. With a stingy and scrappy steal by Jack Wilson, and a clutch hit by none other than "Cutch the Clutch" McCutchen, the Pirates sealed a win and a series against the Indians; was great to see such an effort by two respectable Buccos. Andrew McCutchen also completed a 13 game hit streak to lead any rookie this year. He also leads all rookies in batting average and is climbing in RBIs. What a player-he is quite the expectation surpasser.

Delwyn Young is impressive yet again, driving in 4 RBI's tonight, while Jack Wilson has climbed to a .291 batting average in very under-the-radar fashion-he's hitting 8th in the lineup. Jason Jaramilo has also shown glimmer in these past two series.

This is directly following a dismal and frustrating 5 game losing streak, which included a sweep from their former coach , Jim Tracy, and his Rockies. The losing streak reminded us that these guys are young and inconsistent. It reminded us that our pitching can fall apart, and Andrew McCutchen can't carry the team by himself (as a rookie at that). It reminded us that shaky lineups don't lead to consistent wins.

But. this team responded. they put on their big boots and drudged up the muddy hole, trying to ignore the remnants of their fall. They're back to breathing room, but there is so much left to go. Seeing the light is only the beginning to this team's awkward strive to a winning season. Still, it is quite the beginning.

Slippery Knees; Dejuan Blair and the NBA Draft

2009-06-27T12:11:00.004-04:00

Wow. I can openly admit that I was completely wrong about the draft status concerning Dejuan Blair, mostly because everyone out there was wrong as well. Draft boards had him anywhere from 10 to 22, but I had a feeling it would be around the mid-teens. Yet, the Big Fella dropped all the way from the first round, only to be drafted 37th by the San Antonio Spurs. There is a consensus that Blair's knees caused the fall, because he aced every part of his pre-draft workout-we're talking interviews, shooting, weightloss, etc.

Teams seemed to collectively have been looking for a player that they can develop in the next few years, with the selections of Earl Clark, Terrence Williams, James Johnson, and Jrue Holiday coming early. These athletes are not impact players nor are they immediate starters. Instead, these guys have the youth and athletic ability to raise their chances of being a contributor in 2 or 3 years. But it's still a big chance. Odds are that one of these ballers-if that, will become a high caliber starter in 3 years-especially given the lack of a specific talent in their college games.

Although Blair's knees do pose fair concern, it's not something to jump over, only to get a guy solely with athletic ability and physical attributes-for example Portland's pick of Spain's Victor Claver-with the 6-11 frame the only thing going for him . Or maybe the Cavs' selection of Christian Eyenga from the Congo, standing at 6-6 with very raw offensive ability and almost nothing to contribute for now.

I can't help but wonder if these teams are going to regret not selecting Blair, especially when their picks are on the bench while he gets starting minutes and quality rebounds for a good 2 years.

The Spurs got incredibly lucky, in that their one basic need for their lineup was a quality rebounder, and the best rebounder in the draft-best college offensive rebounder in the last decade-fell into their championship caliber laps. Last year, the Spurs were one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA, and through this quality pick, they will have addressed that need and more with Blair. Not only do they get his quality rebounds, they also get his strong will to prove the entire NBA wrong, as almost every team passed over him because they doubted him-those doubts based entirely on an X-ray. No injuries in college, no days off and no ice packs-an x-ray.

Look-there is a small possiblity that Blair plays 3 or 4 years and starts to decend into wobbly knee syndrom. However, teams should've taken that small risk, given that the players they drafted instead have the same chance of actually producing as much as he will have in those years. In fact, they could be looking at a guy with a ring or two on his hand. Oh-and one other thing. I can't wait to see Blair face off against Thabeet on a monthly basis-they're in the same division, and we will see how the #2 pick fares against those doubted knees.

I'll end this one with a quote from #45
""I think its the perfect situation for me. All the teams that didnt pick me I’m gonna make you regret it. I’m with the Spurs. I can’t wait to get down there to San Antonio. The Spurs are the one team that believed in me, and since they believed in me, ima give them 1000 percent."

"Who's Laughin Now!"; The Steeler Offensive Line

2009-06-24T17:46:00.004-04:00

In light of the Max Starks deal, it's time to assess the infamous offensive line for the Black 'n Gold.
In the past three years, the O-line has been deemed the worst unit of the team. Although most of the blame for this has been shot towards the release of Alan Faneca, the offensive line wasn't that great when he was the keystone; Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 46 times that season, and Charlie Batch ate turf 3 times.

As a Steeler fan, I cringe when an unblocked pass-rusher is coming at Ben at full speed, and I stomp my foot every time Willie Colon is called for a false start. However, given Roethlisberger's ability to avoid pass rushers, and his amazing talent to actually improve his game on the run, the o-line isn't as big of a liablity as portrayed. Also hidden, is the fact that Ben causes his own "downfall", literally, by not making quick enough decisions; on the recieving end, the wideouts need to also make sure to run quicker routes and come back looking for the ball often. I think this can be easily improved with time and practice; the worry should be much more in the run-blocking game, considering that Willie Parker is fairly easy to bring down if he isn't given large holes, but if he has an opening, he's one of the most dangerous backs in the league. If the offensive line can improve their run-blocking, which is their obvious weakness (run blocking was Faneca's strongpoint and why he is missed, see Willie Parker's Super Bowl XL run), the Steelers will be much harder to defend. It will make Willie Parker and Mendenhall much more dangerous, and consequentially make the play-option and overall passing game a larger threat.

Let's look at the composition of the O-Line at the moment. The probable roster has:

Centers: Justin Hartwig (starting), Greg Warren
Guards: Chris Kemoeatu (starting), Darnell Stapleton (starting), Craig Urbik,
Tackles: Max Starks (starting Left), Willie Colon (starting Right), Jason Capizzi, Tony Hills

Caveat: This may not be the final roster at the end of camp, but at the moment these are the guys that either have the most potential or have proven their on-field ability.

Centers:For the center position, Justin Hartwig has proved his, as Mike Tomlin would say, "mettle." There haven't been up the middle explosions, and the snap transaction happened very smoothly throughout the season-very few instant fumbles or bobbled snaps. Although many would like to see A.Q. Shipley, unless he goes ape-shit at camp and blows the coaches out of the water, Greg Warren will be the backup. Warren was incredibly consistent as a long-snapper, and we all took that for granted until the Giants game when Warren was injured, and chaos ensued.

Guards: Chris Kemoeatu is the only sure starter in this category, simply because Stapleton could easily be outperformed by rookie Craig Urbik. I could see either of these guys getting the second spot, but Stapleton did a decent blocking job last year filling in for Marvel Smith, and I think that will push him past Urbik for one year. However, I think Urbik will get some playing time, and this year will be a learning experience. When he does eventually step in to that position, he will improve the line significantly. He has the tough and gritty mentality that will get him far with Tomlin, and also will make him an effective run-blocker. As far as Kemoeatu goes, I've seen him stick out like a sore thumb and fall on his face at times, but he is very effective against the run, and he's the best we've got in terms of experience and talent at the guard position. Furthermore, he has a lot of room to grow, and has the potential to be a dependable starter.

Tackles: However annoying Willie Colon's false starts and burnt out pug face may be, he is a good player, and can shut down fairly talented defensive ends. Surprisingly, Ziggy Hood mentioned to Jim Wexell that playing against Colon was like a smack to the face; He really opened some eyes when it comes to Colon's game. False starts are tendencies that can be improved with work and experience, and the pug face is something we all have to deal with. Max Starks is the most talented player on the offensive line. He doesn't get the credit, because he was outperformed in camp several times, but he has shut down some of the league's best on the strong side. When has the Steeler' backfield ever been demolished by one player? It's always against several fast players within a smart defensive scheme (see Philadelphia Week 3). Max Starks has done his job against the stars that should be getting to Roethlisberger, and that's why he was rewarded with a new contract yesterday-and a fairly cheap contract at that. Starks also has potential to grow, and I don't see him being outperformed this year. However, I could see Willie Colon outperformed by Capizzi or Hills, given their youth and gaining knowledge of the Steeler system.

Overall, if a guard in Capizzi or Hills steps up, and Craig Urbik performs to his potential, our offensive line will mature into a talented group throughout the next two years. They have the capability and/or potential to shush the doubts as soon as this year.

Pittsburgh Sports Article of the Week

2009-06-24T09:54:00.003-04:00

This week's Pittsburgh Sports Article feature is provided by Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette-
Titled "Nothing ordinary about Penguins' march to the Cup; instead, extraordinary ruled at every turn"

Gene Collier's column provides an emotional ride through the Penguins' season-but also puts into perspective how far this hockey team has come in such short time-mentioning Crosby becoming captain at the young age of 19, and Dan Bylsma starting the season as coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Baby Penguins. Collier's writing does justice to the Penguin's season, but simultaneously ensures that we, as fans, don't take this success for granted. Because of the Penguins' struggles in past years, and even after last year's shortcoming, we're able to appreciate the Cup so much more. There really is nothing ordinary about this sweet victory, so let's live it up; we, of all fans, know how hard a stanley cup is to come by.

Save the lengthy title, I really enjoyed this read, although Collier is not my favorite Pittsburgh columnist. He doesn't really have whit or statistics to back up his opinions, but sometimes, in this article for example, he makes up for it with emotion.

If you dig this article, you can find more of Gene Collier's sportswriting here.

Underdogs is the Way it Should Be

2009-06-24T08:09:00.008-04:00

One of the reasons I feel in love with the Mets all those years ago was because plain and simple, they were not the Yankees. In the 90s all the Yanks did was win and for a young kid that was just no fun. There was no struggle, just assumed victory; pinstripes guaranteed glory. I wanted to suffer with my team. I wanted every win to mean something special. Not just another notch on the ol' belt.

Then I discovered the Mets. I did not know anything about them but they were New York's underdogs so I was curious. I watched as Todd Hundley launched bombs in '96 and as the Mets just missed the playoffs in '97. It stung but I realized I was starting to fall for the lovable losers. Then they brought in Piazza and the tide began to change. The Mets were a force. The playoffs became a regular and soon a World Series appearance.

Then the team started to really change. With their recent success the Mets signed bigger and bigger free agents trying to keep the good times rolling. They began to spend with the best of them and winning was expected. The underdog image was fading. They were becoming a shell of the team I fell in love with. Heck I was changing as a fan. Each win was less and less sweet. Every playoff appearance was less and less a surprise.

Which brings us to 2009. The Mets have one of the highest payrolls in baseball and it is a tragedy if they miss the playoffs. Every year you can legitimately think World Series. They have some of the biggest stars in the game in Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Delgado, K-Rod and Santanna. We watch and expect not watch and hope.

With some help from the injury-bug, however, we have a little different team this go around. Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, Maine. Those big salary stars are not trudging out everyday. Rather it is a cast of misfits that represent New York day in and day out. The Omar Santoses of the league. The roster is a patchwork of journeymen and unproven players. Not multi-million dollar bats and arms. So now the cards are stacked against this Mets team and it feels like it used too.

This team is no longer expected to win which means everytime that they do it is that much sweeter. Every late game victory reminds us more and more of why we becames Met fans in the first place. If this group can come together and play real baseball they can claim a spot in all Mets' fans hearts. Their struggle becomes our passion.

I will not deny for a second that the Mets are a better team with those stars back in the lineup but it just seems right as a Mets fan to have a group of underdogs trotting onto the field again.

Alex Rodriquez Just Does not get it

2009-06-22T18:37:00.001-04:00

This guy absolutely, just flat out, does not understand how it works. Sometimes he really just makes you go wow and recently it seems it is not with his play on the field.

Remember shortly after it was reported that he tested for steroids in 2003, yes that career tarnishing bit of news, you know what he did? He went off on a photo shoot where he kissed himself in a mirror. Ya smart huh? This was after living in the tabloids with his very public divorce. You know at least it did not affect his baseball. It was in the off season and it had nothing to do with his play. You would think though, after spending his winter in the sights of all the New York sports writers and tabloids he would want to take a few plays off...? Maybe just concentrate on baseball? Ya...

A-Rod has outdone himself this time. After coming back from hip-surgery the Yankees have been floating in and out of first place in need of an offensive spark to carry some under producing starters. They needed Alex to be his old self and add a spark to the lineup. It has not quite panned out that way.

In 165 at-bats Rodriquez has hit just .212 including a .145 average in June. He has exactly two multi-hit games so far this year. Not quite the punch in the middle of the line-up the Yankees were hoping for. So the yanks, seeing their superstar hitter struggling decided to take matters into their own hands. Their verdict was that he was suffering from fatigue and maybe had just pushed it too hard after coming back. So from an apparently direct order from GM Brian Cashman the Yanks sat A-Rod for two games to get some needed R&R.

What Alex apparently heard was to go out in Miami till 2:30 am with Kate Hudson. No way? Way!

It is one thing when a superstar is out partying late night when hes tearing it up on the field, you know '86 Mets style. It is completely different when he hasn't even sniffed a 3-4 day at the plate in a month. The yanks sat their 200+ million dollar investment because he was tired. So what he did was go party late into the night.

Look these athletes are free to do whatever it is they want; while it is hard to believe, they are indeed grown ups. But when you are the highest paid player in baseball and your struggling because of apparent fatigue and you continue to party late into the night it just makes you scratch your head. All of A-Rod's actions screams selfish and egotistical and if I was Yankee fan I would really wonder if this is the kind of guy I want in pinstripes. You never would have seen Jeter, O'Neil or Williams pull this one... ya know champions?

Why not snuggle up with a scouting report instead, its not like he can't use the help.

Pirates Trade Talk

2009-06-22T16:20:00.004-04:00

Murderer's Row and Hot Steel join topics today, as Pirate trade rumors are afloat like oil in the Cuyahoga. Although there is not one guy that is the focus of Bucco trade rumors, it is obvious that the Pirates are pushing and possibly already shopping for a trade before the July 31st trade deadline. They're also showing signs of trades by promoting guys rapidly down on the farm.

Although some are saying that the Pirates wont trade a big-time player so soon after the Nate McLouth trade, I think it's exactly what the Huntington needs to do in order to stay on track. If the Pirates don't trade the mediocre/.500 players now for upside prospects or pitching, then they're just going to leave when their contract expires and we won't get anything in return.

Next year, Freddy Sanchez, Adam LaRoche, and Jack Wilson become Free Agents. Seeing that these guys wont likely resign, I think the Pirates will need to trade two of these three guys to get some young talent if they want to compete in the coming years. They need to get support around Andrew McCutchen, Alvarez, Tabata, and possibly Andy LaRoche, and they have a chance at being a playoff team in 2011.

I'm personally hoping that the Pirates can trade Adam LaRoche. He's extremely slumpy and has a bad taste in his mouth from the McLouth trade. He wants his team to compete but isn't doing anything to contribute! He's also the kind of guy that will probably hit better on another team, because he's really a deadbeat in the clubhouse at the moment. In terms of replacements, the Pirates have already called up Steve Pearce to try him out at 1st base.

I don't want to see Sanchez go, but I think the Pirates could get A LOT by trading him. He's a great hitter and I would love to see him take us to the playoffs, but his age and price just don't bode well for those dreams.

I really would like to see the Bucs keep Jack Wilson, because no one can match him defensively in the infield. He's really an asset to the team for double plays, and is a clutch hitter at times. He's a great guy to have on the field and at the bottom of the lineup, not to mention he doesn't come with as much of a price tag as the other two guys in the long run. Also, how great would it be to see Jack Wilson win a championship with the Pirates after all these years as a suffering bucco? I'd be in tears.

In other buccos news, I hate Eric Hinske and I think Delwyn Young is an asset if he learns how to field. Andrew McCutchen is already leading the NL in triples, after 17 games; he also has a 10 game hit streak. whoa.

Where do the Mets Go for Help?

2009-06-22T08:06:00.007-04:00

With the injury bug still tearing its way through the Mets clubhouse the Amazins have somehow managed to hang in the division; which is more a testament to the lousy play around the league than anything special from the Mets.

However, as the Mets move on they will need to start looking into making some early moves if they want to try and weather the storm until their key players come back. Jerry Manuel has said himself, the Mets need more pop in their lineup. Before Delgado went down the team was never considered a deep threat but without him they just don't have anyone to consistently hit the long ball. Sure Citi Field, a pitchers park, does not help, but no Met has yet to reach double digit home run totals. The ideal candidates for mid season moves from the Mets are:

1) Nick Johnson 1B Nats

Johnson, who started his career with the Yanks has finally found his form again after a few seasons plagued by injuries. Hes batting .333 with an on-base-percentage of .432. Hes got some pop in his bat and defensively is the best available. He does, however, have a knack for getting injured; something the Mets do not need any more of.

2) Aubrey Huff 1b Orioles

Aubrey Huff quietly put together a great season last year, dishing out 32 homers on his way to a .302 average. All around he is not quite as good as Johnson and his OBP is significantly lower at .338 but Huff has a little more pop and stays healthy.

3) Mark DeRosa 1b Indians

DeRosa is an interesting option because he is a very versatile player. He can play first now while Delgado is out but if Carlos makes it back DeRosa can play third, second or even in the outfield. It gives the Mets a number of options considering they have injuries all over the place.

4) Carlos Lee OF Astros

This one is a little more out there but rumors are starting to fly that the Mets might be interested in adding a high profile bat in Carlos Lee. The Astros OF has popped 11 big flies so far this year on his way to 40 RBIs and a .305 average. Lee would give the Mets that much needed power boost but is slated to make over 18 mil the next few years and it is unclear whether the Mets are willing to pay that price.

Omar Minaya has his work cut out for him this season. This group has as much talent as almost any team out there. Injuries or not if they do not make the playoffs you have to begin wondering when the Mets might start looking elsewhere for a new GM.

Steeler D

2009-06-21T11:35:00.007-04:00

Pondering on the Steelers' success last year, the league has really shifted in terms what successful teams focus on. Defense has become the focal point for most NFL teams, because the best teams have the best defenses. We can look at the success and failure of teams and see that without a premier defense, you will not win in this league; The Titans and the Saints. How does a team with Drew Brees and Reggie Bush go 8-8, while a team with Kerry Collins and a rookie RB goes 13-3? The Titans' defense makes all the difference.

These aren't the days of the "greatest show on turf" or Peyton Manning's fanclub; Instead, teams like the titans, steelers, ravens, and giants have risen to the top of the NFL, because they have complete defenses that can win games themselves. Look at what made the difference in the superbowl; While Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner showed off their offensive firepower, James Harrison's defensive play created a 10 point swing in the game. Even looking back at last year's superbowl; Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the Patriots seemed unstoppable, but the Giants' linebacking corps got to the duo, and they were shut down when it mattered.

Hell, look at the biggest Free Agent signing this offseason; It's Albert Haynesworth's move to Washington, possibly the most pivotal defensive player when he's on the field. The shift also appears in coach signings and success. Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh, both former defensive coordinators, were the most successful young coaches in the past year, and Mike Singletary is making things bubble in San Franscisco. Meanwhile, Eric Mangini, the so-called offensive genius, was left to drown in New York and New England's offensive wiz Josh McDaniels is already looking shaky in Denver.

All this is getting me excited about this upcoming season for the Steelers. This league has proven that Defense is where you win games, and the Steeler D is going nowhere, possibly getting even better.

Lamarr Woodley is hitting his peak, while James Harrison is still hungry. James Farrior is in the best shape of his life, and Ike Taylor is learning to catch, and becoming an elite corner in the league. William Gay is going to make a splash this year replacing Bryant McFadden, because when he was on the field last year, he played extremely well. Last year during the Super Bowl run, the ESPN Insiders wrote that:
"One other surprising addition has been the impressive play of nickel cornerback William Gay. According to Football Outsiders' game charting project, the two starters, Taylor and McFadden, are performing roughly the same as Taylor and then-starter Townsend in 2005. Gay, however, has been the best nickel corner in the NFL. Opponents are averaging only 3.3 yards per pass when they throw at Gay's man."

3.3 yards per pass?! That's incredible, and I think we're going to see even more from Gay when he finally gets his deserved start. However, the guy i'm most excited about is Lawrence Timmons. Timmons is incredibly fast for his size and strength. This allows him to rush the QB and drop into coverage easily, and makes him a guy that lineman and quarterbacks always need to keep their eyes on. Of course, there are alot of those guys on the Steeler Defense. Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Brett Keisel, Aaron Smith, should I go on?

Sure i'm excited about the offensive developement with our second-year players. But with the league patterns showing defensive prominence, i'm much more excited about the Steeler D; they have the potential to be elite again.

Where, oh Where Will The Big Fella Go?; Dejuan Blair Draft Buzz

2009-06-20T11:00:00.002-04:00

I posted somewhat of a glory rant on the soon-to-be-drafted Dejuan Blair, simply because I am so excited for Pittsburgh to have an NBA connection. He really is the first guy in a LONG while (probably the first that will go so high in the draft) to have true Pittsburgh city roots, playing in the NBA. Well now, 5 days before the draft, it's time to see where Dejuan Blair could go in this little event.

Talk about Dejuan Blair's draft position can get heated, and easily. Experts, scouts, owners, fans all disagree about where this undersized, overheart-ed, big muscled kid with a freak wingspan should go. To his benefit, this draft is weak. Even as a Pitt fan, you must admit that he was very wise to enter the draft this year, especially now with all the talk 'bout his supposed "bad" knees. In terms of big men in the draft, we've got Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet and Jordan Hill that are definitely going ahead of Blair. However, given that Griffin is a sure #1 pick (what a waste, he's got a very small ceiling), that leaves an assortment of teams needing Big Men, with only Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet to supply the first two. So after that, the question is: who else needs a big man, and will they take Blair?

I don't think that any other big men are taken before Blair.

Looking only at skill and possible contribution, guys like James Johnson, Tyler Hansbrough, Gerald Henderson, and Earl Clark don't have as much going for them. For one, these guys don't really have a specialty in their games. All of these players were called on to do a little bit of everything on their college teams, and as a result, didn't develop post moves, rebounding skills, or a decent shot. Sure, these guys have the potential to do all these things, but when you're drafting high, you need an instant contributor. Guys that did it all in college don't translate as well in the NBA, simply because you need to master a specialty to play against the good guys. Furthermore, the fact that no one knows what specialty these guys will develop (if they even do), makes it very hard for teams to address their needs by drafting them.

That being said, we know Dejuan Blair is going to rebound. He has proven his ability to smell the ball playing against the toughest competitors. He is THE best rebounder in the draft, and the best offensive rebounder the college game has seen in years. Scouts, owners, and players can all attest that he has a gift in that respect, simply because when he wants the ball, he gets it. This type of hunger is extremely attractive for teams, because it translates. You can't really teach hunger, especially for such an un-flashy skill in rebounding. Players don't make highlights for rebounding, but they change games-NBA games. Speaking solely on skill and contribution, I don't see any scenario that Blair is passed by these other "big" men. I honestly think he'd go above Jordan Hill if he had a couple more inches, but that's crazy talk.

Let's look at teams that need rebounding. We've got New York, Toronto, Milwaukee, New Jersey, Phoenix, Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland as possible candidates in their respective draft order. I think New York will take a point guard as their bigger need, so Toronto is the first real candidate for Blair. I do think that there could be a move for Chicago to trade up with New Jersey , giving them their two later picks for NJ's higher pick. That way, Chicago could take Dejuan and NJ could get a guy like Hansbrough and address another team need as well. I really do have a feeling this is what will happen. I think we're most likely going to see Dejuan either in Chicago, Milwaukee, or New Jersey.

All the Chad Ford bad knee buzz is frustrating. If you read Chad Ford, just know that he's a high school cheerleader when it comes to draft rumors. He'll promote anything he hears as "owners are worried about" or "scouts are saying." It's very obvious and silly once you realize what he does over and over with rumors. Speaking of Dejuan's knees, everyone already knew that he had knee surgery. THis was common knowledge, that really shouldn't be an issue unless he sat out some games, which he didn't. His knees didn't affect him in the two years that he was a starting center in the big east. Chad really needs to stop gossiping about them like they're some big hookup.

I'm looking at Chicago. And i'm looking for his second season to be great. He's shown his ability to improve in new environments after one go-around. I think a lot of teams are going to regret their Jordan Hills, their Hasheem Thabeets, and their, dare I say it, Blake Griffins.

NBA, meet the hardnosed hungry Dejuan Blair; or should I say, meet Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh's Other "Kid"; The Andrew McCutchen Story

2009-06-18T15:38:00.008-04:00

In my past couple Pirates posts, i've mentioned my excitement for the Pirates' newest addition to their lineup-Andrew McCutchen. Finally, after trading Nate McLouth [cue weeps] the Pirates have called up their top prospect in McCutchen. Some are still growling about the Pirates supposedly throwing away their chances at winning in 2009, but this is the real reason why the Pirates had the {base}balls able to trade their center fielder-an overhyped but likeable guy hitting a mere .256. The Pirates have a center fielder. He happens to be the key to any possible championship in the Pirates near [within 10 years] future. This is the Andrew McCutchen story.

Waiting patiently in AAA Indianapolis, as the star player in the Pirates' top farm team, Cutch has finally gotten his chance to show his talent, speed, and overall ability to contribute to the Bucs. Drafted by the Pirates in 2005 with the 11th overall pick in the MLB draft, McCutchen is perhaps the best pick Littlefield and company have made in their dismal draft history. Already he is surpassing the accomplishments of the Pirates' 2002 #1 OVERALL pick in Bryan Bullington [yuck]. McCutchen has shown several sparkles in his time with the Pirates' various farm teams.

1. Killer speed.

The Cutch and Willie Parker would have quite the competition. In his second MLB game, McCutchen hit a ball that would be considered a sliding double for any other player, but turned the play into a stand up triple. Let me, boldly, say that again. standing triple. The FSN broadcasters were nearly speechless, and appropriately so. They went so far as to create a video for the next game of a side-by-side comparison of McCutchen and Deon Sanders. They were nearly in sync running the bases, with one exception-Sanders hit lefty and had a head start. His stolen bases seem effortless and he breaks up a double play like facebook tagging breaks up relationships.

2. Powah.

Usually a kid with Cutch's speed has a small build and makes a career out of hitting infield singles and 1 base floaters. Not this kid. In his few starts, McCutchen has shown his ability to drive the ball into the gap, and hit his first Major League home run last night with a blast. I'm talking power people. This ability, combined with his speed turns into a double and triple machine for the Bucs. The aforementioned triple was followed by another triple later in the same game. In his second game, McCutchen hit two triples; that's an accomplishment that few Pirates have accomplished in their entire careers. This speed/power leadoff combo is followed by the speed of Nyjer Morgan, creating a tag-team that can score runs quicker than ovaltine. In his 13 starts, he's already touched home plate 10 times.

3. (Mc)Clutch Factor-

Let's face it, this kid is clutch; it's in his blood. When he's up to bat late in the game with RISP, he's already proved his ability to get the big hit to score some runs. He's got 9 RBIs, he's slugging .492, and batting .339. This is a rookie, people. He's got 20 hits, 4 with extra bases.

Saying that this sexy leadoff is a triple threat is an understatement-he is so much more than a threat. I didn't even mention the potential he has to improve his defensive skills to become a top-tier fielder. He can already cover mega-grass with his speed and has given glimmers of his diving ability-he's not afraid of the grass. Furthermore-he's got a decent arm. In Tuesday's game against the Twins, he zapped one to the cutoff, and got a Twin caught at home plate-runsaver extraordinaire! [no, a twin does not count as two outs, although it really should].

In the spirit of Reading Rainbow, "Don't take my word for it," check him aght!

This is Pittsburgh's other kid-the summer kid for a change. "McCutch the Clutch," maybe? It doesn't have the ring like "Sid The Kid", but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Now you tell me why you want Nate McLouth, who, since he's been with the Braves, is hitting .240 with 12 hits in 12 games. And that RBI machine that he's been described as in passing? He's got 2. He's likeable, I guess he's got that going for him. uh.

While i'm waiting for an answer, i'm going to watch the Pirates, and their new player. I've heard he's a boss.

Does it Shock You Anymore?

2009-06-17T15:00:00.004-04:00

News broke earlier this week of another former MLB star who managed to cheat his way into the record books. Sammy Sosa, whose home run hitting prowess helped save baseball, tested positive for steroids in 2003. He was involved in the same drug test as Alex Rodriquez.

One year ago this news would have meant so much more and it would have stung a lot deeper. Now, however, baseball fans are immune to these kind of headlines. Two of the games biggest stars (A-Rod and Manny Ramirez) have gone done within the last six moths with steroids that a name like Sosa just does not shock you to the core anymore. In fact it was more a matter of time for Sosa's name to be officially linked to steroids; he had been caught with a corked bat earlier in his career.

I for one hate the idea of performance-enhancing drugs. One thing that makes baseball so special is the fact that you can compare players across generations of athletes. No sport is soaked in history like America's pass-time. Every time a player takes steroids he spits on that tradition and it makes me cringe. Well it used to...

Now it has gotten to the point where I'm just not surprised anymore. There does not seem to be a star-veteran out there who has not been linked at some point in their career and it has come time that we put this issue to rest. It was a part of the culture. Accept it and move on.

You know who really dropped the ball on this one? Major League Baseball. We should be blaming them for the mess in the game. Steroids were rampant in the 90s and even the early 2000s and everybody knew it. Major League Baseball, however, was not about to step in and take away their biggest attraction; the home run. It is not the players fault. They were competing for their jobs in many aspects. The pressure to succeed was immense and these guys cracked. Their careers should be tarnished, without a doubt. They cheated and they have to accept the consequences but they are not real villain here; it is the MLB.

So when do we escape steroids and officially put this era to rest? In my mind it is over the day some player (clean of course) breaks Barry Bonds home run record. When that day comes baseball will be healed.

The Penguins Offseason Moves

2009-06-17T13:40:00.005-04:00

With the news of the Penguins signing their top defenseman in waiting, Alex Goligoski, to a three year deal, I think it's time to address the Penguins' offseason potential and practical moves.

On his radio show yesterday, Mark Madden did a decent job at evaluating Pittsburgh's needs, and I agree with him on some things.

Goligoski is definitely going to start next year, and that will be in place of either Hal Gill or Rob Scuderi. The way this top line produced this past year, one of them will be getting overpaid by another team, and honestly, we have the talent in Goligoski to fill one of their spots.

As much as I love Scuderi AKA "The Piece", I think he's most likely to go elsewhere because of his performance in the postseason. Even as a stay-at-home defenseman, he found a way to make it on the big screen with big plays almost every game. Other GMs were watching, and there are a lot of teams that would love to see him on their roster. I could see him going to the Capitals, because they recently lost two of their top players in Sergei Federov and Victor Kozlov to the Russians, and have the cap room to afford such a defensive presence that we all observed them in need of this past season. But hey, maybe Scuds is Pittsburgh tried and true, and will take a drastic drop in pay to stay for another chance at the cup. All we can do is wait.

I think Goligoski and Gill will end up playing together, and Letang will move up to play with Mark Eaton. These will still be some great pairings.

Philip Boucher is not worth keeping. Although he helped us this season, especially during our 7-man defensive rotation days, he's not worth the price especially if he isn't starting every day.

On to the offense. Because of their lack of production in the season, Sykora and Satan are not worth keeping. They've proven that they've hit a wall, and unlike Guerin, are not refreshed by playing with top players; Crosby just makes them look worse.

Fedetenko stays. He's been a great help, especially in the postseason, but he also proved that he can be consistent in the regular season. He also makes Malkin even better, and has the speed to keep up with him. Every time Malkin drops a fancy puck between his legs, Fedetenko is there to slap it through the net. Plus his baby-face is just too cute-what? Fedex will continue to deliver,

Guerin is a guy that i'm really shaky on. Will he take a one year deal, will Shero give him two years, or will we let him go? The fact that he hasn't bought a house in Pittsburgh, and has been living away from home this entire half of the season, i'm not sure if he's sold on staying here. He's such a great asset, so I think Shero might be tempted to give him those two years. Who knows, maybe we'll stick the one year out there, and he'll take it. I'm trying not to get attached, but it's oh so hard.

I think Luca Caputi and Janne Pessonen have chances to start this upcoming season. They're both attractive prospects that could have breakout years.

So our top lines are looking like

Crosby-Kunitz-Guerin?
Malkin-Fedetenko-Talbot
Staal-Kennedy-Cooke
Dupuis-Caputi-Pessonen
maybe Zigomanis

with defensive pairings
Gonchar-Orpik
Letang-Eaton
Gill-Goligoski

who else is excited?

champs

Pittsburgh Article(s) of the Week

2009-06-17T13:15:00.003-04:00

This is a new feature that i'm trying out. I read as many Pittsburgh sports blog and news articles as possible and I usually have a couple favorites. I'd like to share these articles with you, because good journalism needs to be celebrated and promoted. We can't turn into a Sportscenter buzznews/drama world where we get instant one liner updates and overdramatic Brett Favre news. The great journalists bring sports, personality, and humanity together in their writing. These are guys like John Buccigross, Bob Ryan, Rick Reilly, and Mike Lupica. In Pittsburgh, Ron Cook is my personal favorite, although he's often controversial and, well, odd.

Considering Pittsburgh had such a great week, there are two great articled i'd like to highlight from the sports journalism world.

The first is Jay Marrioti's "Yinz Should Admit It: Pittsburgh Rules"

In this article, Marrioti pieces together the true magnitude of Pittsburgh's accomplishment this year, as a small city getting two championships in one sports cycle year. I don't really like his writing on the Pirates, but that's taken care of in the next article:

That is Ron Cook's "Pirates' GM rolling the dice for future"

Cook gives a valiant effort at tackling the Nate McLouth trade to praise the GM. He's not completely on board, but I kind of like his 'on the edge' tone. That's the only way he's not going to be completely ostracized by the rest of Pittsburgh's sports community. No journalist in their right mind will completely support the Pirates; it's too soon to take that risk, because a big fall could make one look very, very silly.

In other non-sports related news, check out the new Dave Matthews Band album "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King. It has some of his best work. "Shake Me Like A Monkey," "Seven," and "Why I Am" are amazing jams.

The People's Championship comes back to the People's Course

2009-06-17T07:48:00.004-04:00

As we speak the worlds best golfers are assembling in the shadow of Gotham to prepare for the biggest golf event on the PGA tour calendar.

The U.S. Open is unlike any other golf tournament of the year. It requires accuracy off the tee, precise irons and a magic putter. Above all else it requires patience. The ability to pick your spots and attack at the right times is what makes the difference between winning and losing.

This year's open has the makings to be truly great and what separates this Open from all others is the golf course and the fans who will line the fairways.

Bethpage Black, in Farmingdale New York, is an absolute bear of a golf course. Designed by A.W. Tillinghast, one of the greatest designers of all time, it is one of the most difficult tests of golf on the planet. The Black course is known for its' length, cavernous bunkers and tricky greens. It is a difficult but fair test of golf (although the absurd length becomes a bit of a controversy).

But what makes the Black course so special is that it is truly a course of the people. In 2002 the Black course became the first actual public course to host a major championship and it left nothing to be desired. When we say public were not talking about a Pebble Beach resort course that costs $500 to play but rather a muni where your average-joe can tee it up for $60.

In 2002 only one player broke par at the Black, Tiger. The tournament also set new records for attendance. The New York crowds turned the course into a zoo, practically making it a stadium. They marched around the course as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson squared off in a classic David vs Goliath match. The outcome, atmosphere and most importantly, the setting made it unlike any other golf tournament.

This year's Open has all the necessary plot lines to provide the hair-raising drama that only the open can provide. Tiger Woods is peaking just at the right time, some young guns are rounding into shape and Phil Mickelson is bouncing back from some hard personal times and looking to capture that elusive U.S. Open.

No matter who hoists the trophy at the end, however, will not matter because the true star will be the people and their golf course.

Meet You At PNC Park; We've Got Baseball to Watch

2009-06-16T15:06:00.006-04:00

Pittsburghers-

You have no excuse. The Penguins season has come to a close, the Steelers Latrobe camps haven't started and let's face it-you're watching The Bachelorette to keep you busy at nights. I propose a much more entertaining alternative.

There's a park down the road, next to the river, right off Ft. Duquesne and Veterans Bridges. This park is touted as one of, if not THE best park in Major League Baseball. It has a beautiful skyline of the city of champions, with comfortable seats and great food. They sell your Iron City, your Primanti Bros. cheeseteak, and your "Lemonade here!". They even have all the food your heart could desire if you're willing to chip up a little extra. Not only that, but if you pay 9 bucks at the door, you can look down and see a competition. A match between two professional major league baseball teams, and one of them, I guarantee you, will be the Pittsburgh Pirates.

This team has great pitching, fast runners, and some decent hitting. Hell, you might even catch a souvenir ball hit by your favorite athlete. You can see home runs, stolen bases, and strikeouts. You can yell at umpires, dance around to goofy songs, and collectively stretch with the rest of the audience. And the way the Pirates have been playing recently, there's a good chance you'll leave that ballpark basking in that feeling; that victorious tingle of goodness.

Look Pittsburgh fans, I know I'm patronizing you a bit, but I really think this is the time of year when the Pirates really could use our support. I was happy to see a big crowd these past couple games while the Stanley Cup Buzz was in the air. But I think that the team really plays great when the seats are full, and I know that if the seats start filling up, and the Pirates continue winning, things can change quicker than your milk when you put Nesquik cereal in it. Filling the stands will
1. Motivate the Pirates
2. Give the organization more money to spend on players
3. Give Pittsburghers the summer pastime that we all desperately need.

Don't resist because of this nate mclouth apathy. Instead, how about we rally around the fact that we have one of the MOST EXCITING players in baseball right now in Andrew McCutchen. And Pirate hopefuls, we have him for 6 years. There's a different feel for this year. I know, people say that every year. But when was the last time we had this kind of solid pitching, this kind of young promise, this kind of owner? This year feels great, and we can be a part of the change. Right now is the time to go, the time for support, and the time to have fun at our amazing ballpark.

The next home stand is from the 23rd to the 30th of June, when the Pirates play the Indians, the Royals, and the Cubs respectively. If you go on the 25th, you'll get a free t-shirt!

It's 9 bucks. For a night of family fun or time with the friends. Grab your peanuts, get that glove, put on that Brian Giles jersey [it's also acceptable to wear a penguins or steelers jersey]. I'll see you at PNC, and let's go bucs!

PBurgh and the NBA Finally Meet!; The Big Fella

2009-06-16T10:41:00.005-04:00

I'm not a huge NBA fan. Particularly because the NBA is a players' league, and there was never a player I grew fond of enough to watch their team day in and day out. Of course, I followed the season, respected the stars, and had opinions on the controversies, but never have I passionately experienced an NBA game. Friends, a change is gonna come, and soon. Dejuan Blair is coming, and wherever he goes, I go with.

I've followed Blair since the Schenley High School days-when he was doubted to become a Division I starter, when he almost single-handedly stunned a powerhouse Dematha team with 32 points and 20 rebounds. When he helped bring his team to a #11 ranking in the nation.

They doubted him at Pitt too. How could he start as a 6-7,270 pound guy? How could he compete against the monsters in the Big East. The Luke Harangodys, the Roy Hibberts, the Hasheem Thabeets. He won co-rookie of the year in the Big East. The following year is history. He dominated the frontcourt, wrestling Thabeet to the floor and willing his team to a #1 ranking for the first time ever.

Now he's touted as the draft's best rebounder. He's the guy that does the dirty work, and won't leave the paint until he gets the ball in his "suction cup" hands. He has a 7'2 wingspan and a new slim, yet muscular build. At the start of the draft buzz, he was thought to be drafted in the mid to late first round. Now he's a possible lottery pick. Draft predictions will come soon; but right now, I'm basking in the Blair. I can't wait until this kid gets in the NBA. He's the Pittsburgh connection that I've been waiting for.

Steph Curry a Knick?

2009-06-15T15:01:00.004-04:00

As the NBA draft fast approaches the New York Knicks are sitting in the #8 slot pondering their pick.

Coach Mike D'Antoni favors guards that can shoot, as well as run and pass and the Knicks currently lack such a player. Stephen Curry is one hell of a shooter, he proved that in two years at Davidson where he lead his underdog squad within a missed three-pointer of the final four two years ago.

Curry is also an extremely smart player and has an excellent basketball IQ as coaches like to say. He can pass and run the floor and anticipate on defense. Being the son of a former NBA standout helps. It's these kind of attributes that D'Antoni drools over.

Curry, however, has some key faults in his game. He lacks the elite athleticism that many NBA players have. He is not as quick or as agile as players like Chris Paul. He also is undersized for the NBA and point guards take a beating in the NBA.

The Knicks, who have been the laughing stock of the league for the last few years, need to get this pick right. There are other guard options out there such as Jeff Teague of Wake Forest and Ty Lawson from UNC. Both guards are extremely athletic and can run the floor as good as any player in the draft, Lawson practically flys. They do not have Curry's sweet stroke, however.

So the question becomes do you take the kid who can shoot lights and hope his scoring can translate into the NBA or do you take the freak athletes and hope their shot progresses to hopefully rival Curry's?

Oh and don't forget Curry is close friends with Lebron and we all know how badly the Knicks want Lebron.

Celebrity Golf; that's a kneeslapper

2009-06-15T09:35:00.003-04:00

Between Penguins games this week, the headline story in Pittsburgh was that Ben Roethlisberger hit an 81 stroke at the Bethpage Black US Open Challenge in his celebrity golf debut. Ben beat his fellow golfers Michael Jordan and Justin Timberlake, and also topped the event best 84 set last year by Tony Romo.

Although i'm always in favor of beating Tony Romo, I'm the anti-fan of celebrity golf. I don't understand it, especially when golf is taking these athletes away from workouts and minicamps. Ben skipped a (voluntary) team workout to attend the event, and i'm not saying he should have been at the workout, but usually when players skip team events, it's because they're too busy getting in shape with individual workout plans-See Troy Polamalu.

Also, i'm just not a fan of watching these guys golf, especially with handicaps. If we're going to watch these guys golf, these athletes that we admire for their incredible abilities, at least let us make fun of their lack of skill in other sports. Don't hide their inabilities with handicaps, and praise their 'skills' and tell them they "look more like a US Open Participant." Vomit-how's that for disrespect to the professionals that actually play the sport for a living. Apparently Ben has a "lovely putting stroke," according to his caddy. I might understand if the event was advertised as a charity event, but I couldn't find one article talking about any sort of real benefit from the challenge.

All the media, all the praise, all the handicap; it's all sucking up. Leave the praise for his super bowl championship. Leave the handicap to when Ben is retired with a bad back-when he doesn't have a workout to be doing, when he doesn't have a season to get ready for. Hell, if we're dishing out handicaps in sports, lets throw a bone to the Detroit Lions. What'dya say, should they start the game with a 7 point lead? Nah, it's best we give them at least 14.

Zach Duke and the Run Support get the "W"

2009-06-14T12:18:00.002-04:00

Zach Duke continues to show improvement and promise on the mound for the Buccos. This season, he has been the Pirates' best pitcher in the starting rotation by a long shot. With a record of 8-3, he is 5th in the National League in wins; he also has a decent ERA of 3.10. Not bad after 13 starts. If he had gotten more run support in a couple of his games-such as his effort against the White Sox, giving up 2 runs in 8 innings with the support of a whopping 0 runs from the Pirates offense, or maybe his pitching against the Reds, giving up 1 run in 7 innings only to take the loss 4-0-he might have 9 or 10 wins at this point in the season.

Duke has giving up a maximum of 6 runs, twice, and both against the Atlanta Braves. If Zach is going to have a weakness, better it be the Braves, with whom the Pirates play much less often, than maybe the Brewers or Cardinals. The only reason why he doesn't lead the league in wins right now, is the Pirates run support when he's on the mound. He's even taken it into his own hands, hitting an extraordinary .231 BA (that's only .025 away from the Pirates cleanup hitter, the one and only Adam LaRoche). Duke doesn't show any signs that his stellar start to the season is a fluke. His control is superb and his poise is impressive. After giving up a solo home run in the first, Duke went on to give up only 2 more runs, on only 7 hits.

In his outing against Detroit, the Pirates finally showed some support for their pitcher's effort. After going down 1-0 from the previously mentioned solo HR, they tied and rallied to score 4 runs from great baserunning, clutch hits, and a long ball from Adam LaRoche. Impressive, Pirates, impressive. Freddy Sanchez sealed the deal with an extremely rare home run. Did I mention it was a grand slam? Clutch Freddy, clutch.

The Pirates are continuously showing their ability to battle back after lossses. Even after losing two games here and there, they find a way to stop a losing streak in its track and battle back. Remaining at 4 under .500, they show the potential to rise above very soon. With the return of Ryan Doumit coming in the next few weeks, the Pirates will boost their already impressive team batting average of .261 (yes, that went up after McLouth left the line up), which stands at 5th in the National League right now. Getting clutch line drives from the exciting Andy LaRoche and Jason Jaramillo, the Pirates are playing fast ball and driving in runs easily. With the speed of Andrew McCutchen and Nyjer Morgan at the top of the line up, RBIs are coming easy to the middle of the lineup.

With controlled pitching, smart and fast baserunning, and clutch hits, the Pirates' combo of Zach Duke and Co. is a matchup to watch out for.

When Do We Get to the Exciting Part?; The NBA Finals

2009-06-14T09:49:00.000-04:00

Maybe it's because the last two championships involved Pittsburgh teams winning, but these NBA finals just haven't really lived up to the hype.

After the 7 game Bulls/Celtics series, with 4 games going into at least OT,

After the Rockets/Lakers series, with the emergence of Aaron Brooks and a Rocket team fighting without their top center to game 7,

After Carmelo Anthony's game winner, or was that an uncalled intentional foul?

After the Magic/Celtics series, with the Big Baby shot (soon after pushing a little orlando fan), and the debacle between Stan VaGu and Superman,

After watching Lebron James and the Cavs DESTROY their first two series,

After the Cavs/Magic series, with Lebron fighting for his team's chances with desperation shots, and the absolute EXPLOSION of Dwight Howard in game 6,

It just doesn't look like the climactic finish that this playoffs deserves. First of all, Dwight Howard isn't playing well, and Paul Gasol is not an exciting player in any respect. When there's a boring (and very, very ugly) player smothering the only exciting Magic player, that just doesn't make the series popcorn-worthy.

Furthermore, I think most people are sick of the Kobe drama. "He should pass the ball more," or "No he shouldn't, hes Kobe!"

I'd rather have Lebron. Even with all the commercials, the media, the hype in general. At least the matchup would live up to Finals material.
As much as I love Dwight Howard, this series just doesn't provide a good matchup for him.
Varejao and Gasol would make for an unnatractive matchup that no one would look at, and all the focus would be at the top of the key, where the Kobe/Lebron show would actually do this playoffs justice. But when was the last time the NBA Finals was exciting? With a team like the Spurs dominating the past decade, a team without the superstars or a fanbase, the NBA Finals just aren't the climax. But hey, there's still time, and as we've learned from last year's Finals, "Anything's POSSIBLEEEEE." yikes.

Sanchez Contract Show Flaws in System (again)

2009-06-14T05:39:00.000-04:00

The Jets have a new 50 million dollar man and hes never taken a snap in the NFL.

This past week Mark Sanchez, the former USC star signed his big time contract in rare and timely fashion. You can tell the Jets want Sanchez as their opening day-starter and they did what it took to make sure a long and pointless hold-out did not derail the season. It is good to see the Jets are stepping up to the plate but it shows some very big flaws in the system.

The NFL needs to step in and cap rookie salaries... fast. No wonder drafting, especially QBs, is the most nerve racking process in the NFL. Basically you are staking the future of your organization on a college kid. You are sinking millions of dollars into speculation. Think about the Ryan Leafs and Kyle Bollers. Its not just QBs but really any top-10 draft pick now-a-days (see Charles Rogers). Teams are expected to make a huge financial commitment to a player who nobody really knows how they will turn out. Ryan Leaf set the Chargers back 7 years to the point where they one of the worst franchises in sport. The 49ers aren't doing so hot after drafting Alex Smith.

I'm not saying these guys should not be compensated for their work but it needs to be restricted. The #1 draft pick may be the most overvalued assets in sport. The Jets are staking millions of dollars and the future of their team on the right arm of a kid. The Lions are doing the same. If it works out great. You have an absolute stud and a face of the franchise but if it fails be prepared to wait out the storm.

Now personally I love Mark Sanchez. Coming into the draft I thought he was the best QB in the draft. Sure Stafford had the howitzer arm but Sanchez has the athleticism that is so important for a QB. He can make plays with his feet, not running, but mobility. You don't need to be Michael Vick back there to be effective with your feet. Look at Roethlisberger, he buys time with his legs and it is a huge asset to his team. Sanchez brings that to the Jets, who have never really had this type of athlete at the QB position. Should be interesting; for the sake of the future of our franchise let's hope it all pans out.

Goodbye, My Lover; The Nate Mclouth Trade

2009-06-13T19:14:00.000-04:00

People in Pittsburgh really needed that Stanley Cup win. They've been weeping about the Nate McLouth trade for the past week. Weeping and whining, and finally a glorious victory has enabled them to push their grief away. Dear Pittsburghers of all kinds-if you haven't already, please cease the negative. Yes, McLouth was a decent ballplayer. Yes, he was in his prime. Yes, he was a great guy. And finally yes, I AM sad to see him go. But Neal Huntington knows what he's doing, and it's time to realize that Nate Mclouth is not going to win the Pirates a championship.

The best comparison I can find to a past Nate Mclouth is my favorite Pirate Player, Brian Giles [R.I.P.] Giles made some great catches, hit some clutch homers, and had a mean batters stance. I idolized him throughout the painful late 90's and early 00's, but after the Pirates traded him to San Diego, leaving me sobbing, I came to realize that Brian Giles never got the Pirates a winning season!! Even with the beloved Jason Kendall and Jumpin Jack Wilson, the Bucs were pitiful. The Buccos ended up keeping Giles much too long, staying below .500, and getting not enough return with Jason Bay, Oliver Perez, and Corey Stewart. These three players are also known as our new "let's try to get to .500" guy, an inconsistent pitching bust, and who?, respectively. Maybe if the Bucs had traded Giles a little earlier, accepting that he was just not championship material (he's done a lot with the Padres, huh?)Basically, trading our favorite below .500 guy in his prime is the only way the Pirates organization has a chance to win.

Trading Mclouth in his prime enabled the Pirates to get Charlie Morton (hopefully to eventually replace either the inconsistent Ian Snell, or the bland Jeff Karstens in the Pirates Rotation), Jeff Locke (a pitcher with great outlook), and Gorkys Hernandez (a speedy OF with great upside). Finally, these prospects will make our starting rotation and bullpen significantly better, because they will create competition amongst the pitchers (Ian Snell is already pitching for his life).

If the return from this trade isn't enough, lets look at the Pirates real needs. Lets be honest, the Pirates have several prospects that have much better potential than McLouth. Andrew McCutchen (feature coming soon!) is already proving his prime championship caliber material, and Jose Tabata is another quality OF hitter to add to the line-up next year. Why would the Pirates keep Nate for much longer if they have these quality prospects? Instead, the Pirates need pitching, and need it now. That is why this trade shows that Neal Huntington knows what he's doing.

I gush when I think of a potential core 2 years from now.

Andrew McCutchen OF
Nyjer Morgan OF
Pedro Alvarez 1B
Andy LaRoche 3B
Jose Tabata OF
Neil Walker 2B
Tony Sanchez C
Gorkys Hernandez OF

with a starting rotation looking like
Zach Duke
Paul Maholm
Charlie Morton
Brad Lincoln
Tom Gorzelanny

These are the guys you need Buccos fans. Not Nate McLouth (he was hitting .256, come on). So stop weeping, and start looking towards the future. It's gonna happen Pirates fans. McCutchen is only the beginning.

Injuries Are Biggest Problems For Mets Right Now

2009-06-13T15:55:00.000-04:00

Forget dropped fly balls and late game rallies; the biggest problem for the Mets, what could derail an entire season, is injuries.

Everywhere you look the Mets have a scrub starting. It all began with Delgado earlier in the season who went down with his hip problems. Then came Oliver Perez (although he wasn't pitching so well leading up to the DL-stint). The big blow came when Jose Reyes came down with a hamstring tear and J.J. Putz went in for elbow surgery. Now John Maine has found his way on the DL with shoulder pain. Talk about ripping the nucleous out of a team.

It is not just the key guys who are getting injured but their backups are going down. Alex Cora, Reyes replacement, has gotten banged up. As well as Ramon Castro, who is filling in for the injured Brain Schneider behind the plate.

The Mets have been searching for plugs all over the place. Livan Hernandez, their preseason #5 starter is #3 in the rotation. Alex Cora is their regular starter at short. 20 year old rookie Fernando Martinez is getting time in the outfield. Bobby Parnell is playing set-up man. And the Mets are getting their money's worth out of the 40 year old Gary Sheffield.

Shef, who has been in the majors since 1988 said that this is the worst injury problem he has ever seen on any of his 8 ballclubs. Unfortunetly, help doesn't seem to be arriving anytime soon. Even when these guys comeback it is not like flipping a switch. You can't just all of a sudden start winning ball games. The Mets just have to try and stay afloat... somehow limp their way to when these stars start coming back.

Castillo Costs Mets the Game

2009-06-13T15:07:00.000-04:00

You will learn quickly that I am indeed a Mets fan and not a Yankee fan (although I appreciate good baseball) so when Luis Castillo blows a game like he did last night it makes me want to crawl up in a hole and watch women's basketball or something.

So lets set the stage for this absurd blunder. David Wright, who is absolutely carrying the Mets this year, hits a clutch double in the 7th to give the Mets a one run lead. K-Rod, Mr. Celebration himself, is on in relief in the 9th inning. Things get hairy with two runners on and A-Rod at bat. But with two outs K-Rod gets the juicer to pop up to Luis Castillo. Routine fly... game over... right?

Ya not with Luis Castillo out there limping around the infield. He botches the play and the Jeter and Teixeira come around to score. Give credit to Jeter and Tex for running the ball out and scoring on the play.

It is rare that you can actually put 100% of the blame on one player but in this case Luis Castillo lost this game for the Mets. It was all but over and he couldn't make the routine play. Say whatever you want about lights, wind, pressure... but bottom line is that you are paid to make plays and when it came time to catch a simple fly ball; Castillo couldn't do it.

It is these kind of senseless losses that the Mets have racked up the last few years. Choke artists?

Get in the Fast Lane Grandma; 2nd Time's the Charm

2009-06-13T10:37:00.001-04:00

What a win. What a series. What a playoffs. What a

Team: The Pens finally get to hoist that beautiful, shiny, glorious, magnificent, coveted, this beer tastes like metal, cup. Amidst all the hype blabbing about the Penguins needing Malkin and Crosby to step up, this team proved that they are the quintessential team. Of course everyone worried when Crosby limped off the ice in the second. But the team was already at full speed, blasting pucks, smashing boards, and blocking shots. Not to mention Fleury-good GOD Fleury-was a wall in front of the net. The whole team-guys like Eaton, Orpik, Letang, Kennedy, Staal, and of course the night's star Max-Out Talbot-gave incredible efforts to take this game.

That being said, here are my 3 biceps of the game

Max-Out:
If you aren't a pens fan, you probably don't know much about Talbot (that might be why the Wings had such trouble dealing with him). But if you have watched the Pens in the last 4 seasons, you shoudn't be surpised that Maxime put in those 2 goals, especially in a game 7, where the players that give the most effort amongst the tired and breatheless get rewarded. From puck drop, Max was all out. On the boards, on breakaways, his stickwork, bodybanging, and skating were all outperforming the entire Red Wings team. He pretty much proved that if you want the cup bad enough, you can win it with will. You're jealous that I have a Talbot shirt, and i'm wearing it all summer.

Flower Power: Fleury was quite the puckstopper. From the first Detroit chance, he proved he was focused, and ready to handle the infamous and troublesome Detroit live boards. Don't get me wrong-Osgood played fantastic as well. However, Fleury is THE reason that we won this game. Detroit was attacking like little kids at the chuck-e-cheese prize table in the third, but the flower defended his soil, and erased a possible detroit come back. And the picture to the left, that's Lidstrom saying "Damn, you kind of stole our cup." Lets be honest here, if Detriot scores to tie, they probably take the game, at home, in overtime. After all the media was on his balls about his play in Detroit, he sprayed them off like bug repellent at a picnic. You're jealous that I have a Fleury shirt, and i'll also be wearing be wearing that all summer.

Special Teams: The first shift of the Pens first power play was one of the best Power Play shifts i've seen them execute in the last 2 years. I know, I know, they didn't score. But because they were able to move the puck around so well and so fast, they tired out the Detroit PK, and the Red Wings defense in general. After the penguins power play got moving, the Red Wings seemed to be chasing them for the rest of the game, even when it was scoreless. It provided motivation, and got the Pens thinking that they had the upper hand. I'm convinced that the first power play was a main key to the night, but don't forget the Penguins penalty kill! If Detroit converts their power play chances, they obviously win the game, but the PK-provided by Scuds, Gill, Eaton and company-made the Wings look better off playing 5 on 5 ice. Amazing job clearing the puck and blocking shots by the dirty fellows.

Gotta love it.

We've got the penguins players that played their cabooseys off in this game, but what about the Detroit guys?

Time for our goat of the game. And this one is as easy as apple p-
hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooossa. (you don't even deserve a clear picture)

come on. you leave us to try and win the cup? didn't you just get to the stanley cup finals? If there's anythign these two teams need to remember, it's how truly hard it is to reach the finals. The NHL playoffs are the hardest series of elimination competitions in any of the 4 major US sports. Its not win or go home, its play 7, hope you win the most, pray you aren't injured, and go sacrifice for 7 more. repeat 3 times if you're lucky. I know this has been said, but it just feels so good to write it. Dear Hossa, you're an idiot. Not only do you leave a team with a legit chance to return to the finals, on shaky terms at that, but you don't even perform in the finals against them to prove yourself right! This is a tragedy for the red wings, and as Hossa has shown an bodybuilder's dose of hubris, Hossa is your tragic her-i can't say it- GOAT. I'm glad you left buddy. Not only did we get to sign Malkin to a 5 year deal (thus enabling me to purchase his jersey) and Orpik to a long-termy, but we got to beat you bad. Two years in a row you lose on your home ice. In the words of Bananarama: "It's a cruel summer." That song must've been written about a the NHL offseason for the SCF losers.

I only covered this game, and there is surely more to come about the Pens season. We haven't even gotten to Crosby, Malkin, Guerin, Scuderi, Letang, Staal, the list goes on. Postseaston and season recaps to come.

If you were on Forbes Ave last night, I'm sure that I gave you a high five. Especially if you were in a car. Yeah, that kid waving his 71 Jersey. And most assuredly if you were a police officer. Those nightclub nudges didn't feel so good.

CITY OF CHAMPIONS.

Woes of the Mets

2009-06-12T17:08:00.000-04:00

Last night the Mets found another way to blow it to the Phillies. The Mets led early in the game, 3-1, Chase Utley came up and blasted an RBI double in the 6th and Matt Stairs tied it in the 7th. The game went into extras where Raul Ibanez hit a game winning 3 run jack off of Ken Takahashi. It is ok though because Ibanez is a juicer.

This 3 game series, two wins by the phils, is summed up for the Mets by blown early game leads and losing in dramatic fashion, late.

The Phillies continue to own the late innings against the Mets. It just seems that the Phillies always find ways to win but the Mets don't seem to have that magic. It is what seperates the great teams from good teams.

On a positive note, Tim Redding has had solid outings in his last two games. Last night he went seven innings giving up three runs on six hits. With injury problems the Mets are going to have to lean on Redding more than they would like to.

What Are We Doing Here

2009-06-12T16:10:00.000-04:00

Welcome to The Big Apple and the Burgh!

This site is dedicated to all sports (baseball, football, hockey and whatever else comes our way) in two of the greatest sports towns in the country; New York City and Pittsburgh.

There are two writers on this blog; both of us write sports for our college newspaper. Myself, or Murderers Row (blog name). Named after the 1927 Yankees lineup that tore apart the majors and swept non other than the Pirates in the World Series. I was born in NYC and raised just outside and have lived in the shadow of New York sports ever since.

The other writer is Hot Steel, a Pittsburgh native who literally lives and breathes sports in the Burgh. Its hard to find someone who is more passionate about Pittsburgh than him.

Hope you enjoy the ride.

-Big Apple and the Burgh