Jets Looking into Receiver Options

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.

QB Battle Brewing

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?

Please Do Not Say You Are Surprised

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.

7 to the 4: July 28th

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

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

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?

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.

7 to the 4: July 20th

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

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

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.

Should Halladay Be a Yankee?

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.

Please Mets... DO NOT BUY

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

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?

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.

True Greatness

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.

Underdogs is the Way it Should Be

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

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.

Where do the Mets Go for Help?

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.

Does it Shock You Anymore?

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

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.