Santana, Hughes wonder what's up

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:03 am

http://www.twincities.com/twins/ci_7947980?nclick_check=1

From news services
Article Last Updated: 01/12/2008 12:42:50 AM CST

Johan Santana and Phil Hughes already have begun working out in Florida to prepare for the 2008 baseball season. The two pitchers' only question: Whose jersey will they be wearing?

Santana has been in Venezuela since the regular season ended, but he recently arrived in Fort Myers, Fla., to start his workouts. In his first published comments this winter, Santana told the local newspaper that he didn't know what to think about the situation.

"I'm a Minnesota Twin. That's all I know. It's up to them. Whatever they have to do is going to happen. It has nothing to do with me at all," Santana told the Fort Myers News-Press. "I said it from the beginning during the season last year, whatever will be the best for this team and this organization, I'll agree with that."

Hughes, a 21-year-old right-hander who was 5-3 with a 4.46 earned-run average with the Yankees in 2007, keeps hearing trade rumors that say if the Yankees acquire Santana, he wound wind up with the Twins,

"I try to avoid the rumors best I can, but you eventually hear it from friends, family and the whole deal," Hughes said after working out Friday at the Yankees' minor league complex in Tampa, Fla. "You never want to hear your name out there, but on the other side, at least it's good to know that other teams think highly of you."

Santana, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, rejected the Twins' offer to extend his contract by four years and $80 million.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:04 am

First off this isn't a Red Sox thing of saying, well look how calm we are... it's more of a rolling your eyes thing. Seriously though, is anyone completely sick of Hank Steinbrenner yet? Seriously, I've seen him quoted in more articles than I've seen the names of all other front office guys of all other teams put together. Come on, even yankee fans probably want to tell this guy to shut up and let Cashman do the talking or rather lack of talking.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:05 am

Sources say Mirabelli to return to Red Sox with one year deal

http://bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1065794

Tony Massarotti By Tony Massarotti
Thursday, January 10, 2008 - Updated 1d 14h ago
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The Red Sox [team stats] have done relatively little to address their bench so far this offseason, but the team is on the verge of addressing its catching situation by bringing back Doug Mirabelli [stats].

According to sources, Mirabelli has agreed in principle a one-year deal from the team that will pay him in the range of a guaranteed $550,000 to serve as backup to Jason Varitek [stats]. The guaranteed portion of the deal is down from the $750,000 Mirabelli earned last season, but incentives allow the catcher to reach an approximate $1 million ceiling that he had last year.

The Sox were hoping to bring back Mirabelli on a non-guaranteed contract, something the player and his agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, were unwilling to do. As is often the case, there decidedly few options at catcher in the free agent market.

With Varitek entering the final year of his contract, the Sox have serious long-term catching concerns beyond this season. It is likely that the club will revisit Varitek’s contract with him during spring training in hopes of securing the player to an extension that could cost between $10-$13 million a year, the latter of which is the sum being pair to both Pudge Rodriguez and Jorge Posada.

While Rodriguez had a $13 million option picked up by the Detroit Tigers earlier this offseason, the New York Yankees signed Posada to a four-year contract worth an estimated $13 million per.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:05 am

For the Love of GOD couldn't they have found anybody else to catch that wiffle ball? How bout ME!

#112965 - Jan 10, 2008 4:15 PM EST
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Joe Bascopolis
Since I have to pay big bucks to see the Bosox, I've come to like Doug...he comes at a reasonable salary and does fine...glad you're backing up the pitching staff, Doug...good luck this year.

#113102 - Jan 10, 2008 5:23 PM EST
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Doug Mirabelli
I have to admit, I am awful. I tried to hook on with the Rutgers Softball Team but their Ace had a curve I just couldn't catch, thank for the the Bosox!

#113173 - Jan 10, 2008 6:21 PM EST
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Terry Francona
What!!! I threatened Theo I would sign Bob Montgomery if he even thought of bringing back that fat Belli!

#113180 - Jan 10, 2008 6:26 PM EST
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Grady Little
LOL...LOL...LOL...LOL...LOL

#113282 - Jan 10, 2008 7:34 PM EST
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chris
you have got to be kidding me im disabled and blind in one eye and would be a better option than someone who cant hit there own weight

#113328 - Jan 10, 2008 8:06 PM EST
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paul
A no-brainer at that low price, but you gotta wonder whether Mirabelli exhibits the "Scott Zolak syndrome" whereby an athlete who at one time seemed pretty good, loses his skills after several years of doing nothing. A fact which is not discovered until the starter goes down and he's put into an important game.

#113384 - Jan 10, 2008 8:43 PM EST
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Holeinone
Find it hard to believe that this isn't a back up plan and that a better catcher isn't out there. Wonder if getting the Red Sox and Mets together wouldn't solve many issues. Both have some interesting players that could be converted from the Santana conversations to a real deal.

#114423 - Jan 11, 2008 10:58 AM EST
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RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:09 am

The NL is going to be strong this year, if we want a legit shot to compete for the pennant....yeah we need him.

The Diamondbacks had the NL's best record and added Dan Haren.
The Dodgers added Andruw Jones, Jason Schmidt will be healthy, they have young pitchers starting to enter the big leagues
The Rockies are defending NL Champions.

you know the Cubs and Brewers will be competitive this year.

and so will the Phillies and Braves

Thats 7 other serious teams to worry about in the NL, BESIDES the Mets. We have no edge on anyone as it stands right now.

So I think the answer is actually yeah, if we weant a real shot at "serious October baseball" Santana is a must.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:12 am

It's hard to see a team with A. 200 Million dollar payroll and B. Such big names not make the playoffs, but I think, even the Yankees can see themselves missing October. Right now we have way too many holes.. Im not basing it on Names...

The Yankees right now are struggling in the Pitching department.

Opening day starter could be Wang. He was getting the ball up last year, though he pitched well. We have Pettite who might get distracted with all this Steroid nonsense. Lord knows the NY media doesn't let up. Mussina is all but finished. He needs to go to the NL and pitch a couple of years there so he can flirth with the HOF. Then we have Kennedy, Hughes and who? Hughes should be #3 or #4, but is yet to pitch an entire Major League season. By July he'll be sick and tired of answering "Hey, how did you feel knowing the Yankees were willing to part with you". Kennedy is also young. Joba should go to the pen. Igawa? C'mon. Then we get to the bullpen...

The bridge to Mariano is a bunch of kids, has beens and never will be's. Farnsworth, again, Igawa? Hakwins, Veras, Ramirez, Joba (Limited innings). The bullpen is, AT BEST....below average to decent. Mariano himself doesn't have that dominance.

Offensively...

There's a log jam at 1B. The Yankees just signed Jason Lane to a minor league contract. At 1B we are looking at Giambi, Duncan, Betemit and Lane. Giambi is horrible defensively, and hasn't been a shell of himself offensively. Duncan is a hit or miss guy, Betemit is good and Lane is a joke. Cano is solid at 2B. Jeter is Jeter and A Rod is A Rod. Posada is coming off a career year, and now with the contract under his belt, he should return to form...A good hitting, good game calling catcher. He should be back to hitting .290. The OF is another question mark. Matsui, the "Babe Ruth of Japan" was dangled as trade bait for relief pitching. A Johnny Damon throw will bounce 9 times before it gets to 2B and Abreu is good. Ironically, the youngest guy out there is probably the one most people care to see and is the one the Yankees have dangled the most.

Boston has a solid rotation and a solid bullpen, as do the Indians. IF Dontrelle gets back to form, which I believe he would under Leyland and run support, the Verlander Willis 1-2 punch is very formidable... though you will miss Zumaya.

The Rays always play the Yankees well, Boston should win the season series, the Jays are getting better, just a bit much for that young iffy squad to handle. The Yankees COULD make the Playoffs, but Im not so sure. It'll be good for them, though. A Wake up call... They'll drop 80 million in payroll and should wrap up about 4 Prominent Free Agents come November next year....atleast 3

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:34 am

Confident Eli puzzles Dallas
Cowboys see a different Manning
Saturday, January 12, 2008

http://www.nj.com/giants/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1200116143183390.xml&coll=1&thispage=1

BY KEVIN MANAHAN
Star-Ledger Staff

IRVING, Texas -- There are some things around here that just don't make sense.

Take the tolls on the President George Bush Turnpike, for instance. A few miles from the Dallas Cowboys' training facility, drivers without the Texas equivalent of E-ZPass must pull up to a booth and pay a buck. The attendant takes the bill, then tosses four quarters into the toll basket.
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To us Jerseyans, who know tolls, the last part makes no sense.

And then there's the thing that has been puzzling Terence Newman, the Cowboys cornerback, for the last week or so: Why all of the criticism and all of the hits haven't taken a toll on Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

After watching Manning's poised performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the playoffs, Newman was scratching his head, like an out-of-towner trying to understand the toll ritual.

The Bucs' defensive backs tried to jump pass routes for easy turnovers, but Manning fooled them with pump fakes and didn't throw an interception. The blitzers kept coming, but Manning found the open receiver. He didn't panic.

To the Cowboys, who know Manning, the last part makes no sense.

"Earlier in the season, you saw him turn around and run and try to get out of the pocket," Newman said. "He definitely is stepping up in the postseason. It's going to be fun to face him."

Newman and the Cowboys -- the Giants' opponents in tomorrow's NFC Division Playoff Game -- have faced Manning twice this season. Even though Manning completed 51 of 75 passes for 548 yards and five TDs, the Cowboys hadn't been all that impressed. Sacked six times in the two losses, Manning also has thrown three interceptions -- and two of those hurt the Giants in the 31-20 loss in November.

After getting just one sack in the season-opener, when Manning threw for a season-high 312 yards, the Cowboys schemed to rough him up. And in the second meeting, they sacked him five times from different five angles with five different players, and all that pounding brought his alter-ego -- The Old Eli -- to the surface.

But then the Cowboys watched the video of the Bucs slapping him in the head, shoving him around and trying everything but sawing the floor beneath him. Manning didn't even flinch.

"He didn't let anything rattle him in that game," Newman said. "Guys were running around at his feet and he was still looking downfield. The old Eli probably would have just fallen down and taken a sack.

"But now this guy is making smart decisions -- he's dumping the ball off, he's throwing the ball out of bounds, he's keeping the drives alive."

The Cowboys, while concerned Manning might have elevated his game just in time for them, aren't changing their game plan: They're coming after him again.

"That's exactly what we plan to do," cornerback Anthony Henry said.

Manning, with his highest passer ratings of the season coming in the past two games, has been helped by balanced and effective play-calling. The Giants' running game -- with bruising Brandon Jacobs, slashing Ahmad Bradshaw and some deceptive play-action -- could slow the pass rush. Jacobs rushed for only 66 yards against the Bucs, but he scored twice -- on a catch and a run.

"They're rolling," Henry said. "They came together better as a team after the loss to Washington, when they didn't play that well. It looks like some of the leaders, like Eli, have stepped up. He looks more confident in the pocket, and they're doing a better job of protecting him. He has the confidence to make big plays now."

Still, on obvious passing downs, the offensive line will have to contain the Cowboys' pass-rushers -- particularly linebackers DeMarcus Ware (14 sacks) and Greg Ellis (12 1/2 sacks). Both had sacks in the November victory over the Giants.

Henry, signed by the Cowboys to handle tall and physical receivers, will be given the assignment of covering Manning's favorite target, taller-than-a-flagpole Plaxico Burress.

"He likes to throw the ball up high to Burress," Henry said. "He likes to throw those jump-balls. So I've got to get into Plaxico's face and keep him from making plays. It's positioning."

Newman, who has four interceptions, was the first Cowboys player to mention The New Eli, but he isn't sure exactly when the change occurred -- maybe in the loss to the Patriots.

"I don't know exactly when it happened," he said. "I just know that's he's playing pretty good right now."

Kevin Manahan can be reached at

kmanahan@starledger.com

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:36 am

Omar, Johan Santana & Other Notes
Posted by Jeremy Cothran January 11, 2008 5:28PM
Categories: Offseason

http://blog.nj.com/ledgermets/2008/01/omar_johan_santana_other_notes.html

Omar Minaya's soaking in the scene in Israel, where he's on a Goodwill Tour with noted agent Arn Tellem. By the looks of things in a profile from the Jerusalem Post, it's been a worthwhile trip.

And while he says he's more interested in being a "mensch before a general manager," the self-professed good guy, however, is undergoing a lot of behind the scenes work to finagle Johan Santana out of Minnesota. As the Star-Ledger reported yesterday, the Mets and Twins are discussing packages that would bring the two-time Cy Young winner to Queens. It's now in Bill Smith's hands to determine if the Twins GM wants a deal laden with prospects (like the one the Mets are dangling), or does he go with a smaller package of major-league ready players (a la Phil Hughes from the Yankees)?

What do you think? Is a package of OF Carlos Gomez, OF Fernando Martinez, RHP Kevin Mulvey, RHP Philip Humber and RHP Deolis Guerra too expensive? I'm inclined to say you should always make a deal to acquire elite starters, so if I'm Omar I'm working the Treo pretty hard to get this done.

David Wright to receive Thurman Munson award

Here's the release:

An outstanding lineup of five sports stars - New York Mets All-Star third base man David Wright, New York Yankees starting centerfielder Melky Cabrera, Houston Astros all-time great and Long Island native Craig Biggio, New York Knicks sharpshooter Jamal Crawford, and Olympic gold medal-winning figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi - will be honored on Tuesday night, February 5, at the 28th annual Thurman Munson Awards Dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. The AHRC New York City Foundation benefits from the gala which remembers the late, great Yankee catcher and captain Thurman Munson, who died tragically in a 1979 plane crash.

For tickets and information on the Munson Awards Dinner contact 212-249-6188.

The quality quintet will all receive "Thurmans" for their success on the field of play and their work within the community.

Diana Munson, Thurman's widow, has been involved in the benefit since its inception, raising nearly $8 million to assist children and adults with developmental disabilities. Those honorees will be receiving Munson Awards for their excellence in competition and their philanthropic work within the community.

Len Berman of NBC Sports will once again serve as the master of ceremonies.

The Munson Awards Dinner has previously honored such notables as Willie Randolph, Mariano Rivera, Muhammad Ali, Yogi Berra, Goose Gossage, Don Mattingly, Jorge Posada, Joe Torre, Patrick Ewing, Bernie Williams, Arthur Ashe, Willis Reed, Earl Monroe, Willie Mays, Mark Messier, Mike Richter, Tom Seaver and John Franco, just to name a few.

Chesapeake, Virginia native Wright is a two time All Star and mainstay on the left side of the Mets infield. the Mets first round selection in the amateur draft is known for his work ethic and community service; Cabrera, a native of the Dominican Republic, hit .320 since taking over as a starter in 2007; Smithtown, Long Island native Biggio is a seven time All Star wgi played his entire 20-year career with the Astros, amassing 3,000 hits; California native Yamaguchi brought home the gold for America in the 1992 Winter Olympics; and Seattle native Crawford, out of the University of Michigan, is averaging 19 ppg as the Knicks shooting guard.

The AHRC New York City Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports programs enabling children and adults with developmental disabilities to lead richer, more productive lives, including programs of AHRC New York City. AHRC New York City is one of the largest organizations of its kind, serving 11,000 children and adults who have mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and other developmental disabilities

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:39 am

This really suks. It looks soooo like a negotiating ploy. Hopefully, the Mets will see this for what it is. I think that if they want Santana, all they need to do is wait. Time will be their ally, especially if they are Santana's first choice, as had been rumored. The Twinks know this. That's why they are trying to lure the Stankees back in, playing both sides against the middle. In reality, they don't want to see the Skanks march into Minnesota and have to look at Santana in pinstripes for the next 5-7 years.
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Posted by OregonMetFan on 01/11/08 at 12:11PM

Does anyone else have any concern about the amount of money the Mets will have to commit in order to keep Santana in Queens for 2009 - 2014? I cannot name a single monster contract for a pitcher that has ever gone well for the signing team. But I can name plenty that have been busts: Kevin Brown, Pavano, Hampton, Zito.

Some team is going to give Santana $20m per season for six seasons. That's ridiculous. In this day and age, a pitcher in his early to mid 30's will break down a few times in a six-year period. Each time he comes back, he'll be a little more fragile.

This is not the day of Seaver and Koosman, where pitchers piched 230 innings per year and didn't constantly break down with elbow and shoulder problems. I probably sound like an old fogey, but it pains me to see teams get swindled by these guys over and over.
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RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:41 am

Facing the Red Sox Offense Is A Tiresme Affair

The Red Sox have long had a reputation for wearing down opposing pitchers. Their game plan is to drive up the opposing pitcher's pitch count early. That way the Red Sox can face the soft underbelly of pitching staffs - the middle relief. And this strategy is often effective, especially when facing the top members of a team's rotation.

But just how effective are the Red Sox at this strategy? Well, with the exception of Dustin Pedroia, every member of 2007's Opening Day Red Sox lineup was among the top 50 American League hitters in pitches per plate appearance. The nine members of 2008's starting lineup averaged 3.94 pitches per plate appearance last year. Here's how that breaks down.

Ellsbury - 3.67 PPA
Pedroia - 3.80 PPA
Ortiz - 4.10 PPA
Ramirez - 3.86 PPA (career average of 4.03)
Lowell - 3.80 PPA
Drew - 3.93 PPA
Youkilis - 4.27 PPA (career average of 4.40)
Varitek - 4.12 PPA
Lugo - 3.88 PPA

So how does that patience affect pitchers? At that rate, it would take about 25 plate appearances to drive up the opponent's pitch count to 100. And how long did it take the Red Sox to get 25 plate appearances in a typical game? Well, I'm pretty sure there isn't a figure available for that, so I'll attempt to get an estimate.

Red Sox hitters had 6,426 plate appearances last year. Opponent pitchers logged 1,422.2 innings against the Red Sox. So that means the average offensive Red Sox inning had about 4.52 plate appearances. And so it took about 5.53 innings for the Red Sox to drive up a starter's pitch count to the magic mark of 100.

And unlike other teams that drive up the pitch counts of bad pitching, the Red Sox wore out some of the American League's biggest workhorses. Royal Halladay, who averaged 7.27 innings per start, averaged just 6.66 innings against the Red Sox. Chien-Ming Wang, who averaged 6.64 innings a start, averaged just 6.14 against the Red Sox. And Andy Pettitte, who averaged 6.27 innings per start, averaged just 5.55 innings against the Red Sox.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:02 am

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000212.htm

Medical Encyclopedia
Other encyclopedia topics: A-Ag Ah-Ap Aq-Az B-Bk Bl-Bz C-Cg Ch-Co Cp-Cz D-Di Dj-Dz E-Ep Eq-Ez F G H-Hf Hg-Hz I-In Io-Iz J K L-Ln Lo-Lz M-Mf Mg-Mz N O P-Pl Pm-Pz Q R S-Sh Si-Sp Sq-Sz T-Tn To-Tz U V W X Y Z 0-9
Intra-abdominal abscess
Printer-friendly versionEmail this page to a friend
Contents of this page:

* Illustrations
* Alternative Names
* Definition
* Causes
* Symptoms

* Exams and Tests
* Treatment
* Outlook (Prognosis)
* Possible Complications
* When to Contact a Medical Professional

Illustrations
Intra-abdominal abscess, CT scan
Intra-abdominal abscess, CT scan

Meckels diverticulum
Meckels diverticulum

Alternative Names Return to top
Abscess - intra-abdominal

Definition Return to top

An intra-abdominal abscess is an infected pocket of fluid and pus located inside the belly area (abdominal cavity). There may be more than one abscess.

Causes Return to top

An intra-abdominal abscess can be caused by a ruptured appendix, ruptured diverticula, intestinal parasitism (Entamoeba histolytica), or other condition.

Risk factors for intra-abdominal abscess include a history of appendicitis, diverticulitis, perforated ulcer disease, or any surgery that may have infected the abdominal cavity.

Symptoms Return to top

Depending on the location, symptoms may include:

* Fever
* Chills
* Abdominal pain and distention
* Weakness
* Lack of appetite
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Rectal tenderness and fullness
* Diarrhea

Exams and Tests Return to top

The white blood cell count may be elevated on a complete blood count test. A CT scan of the abdomen will usually reveal an intra-abdominal abscess. In addition, after a CT scan, a needle may be placed through the skin into the abscess cavity to confirm diagnosis and treat the abscess. Liver function tests, abdominal x-ray, and sonogram may also be helpful in diagnosing abscess.

Sometimes laparotomy (opening of the abdomen, which is done under general anesthesia) may be necessary for diagnosis.

Treatment Return to top

Treatment of an intra-abdominal abscess requires antibiotics (given by an IV) and drainage. Drainage involves placing a needle through the skin in the abscess, usually under x-ray guidance. The drain is then left in place for days or weeks until the abscess goes away.

Occasionally, abscesses cannot be safely drained this way. In such cases, surgery must be done while the patient is under general anesthesia (unconscious and pain-free). A cut is made in the belly area (abdomen), and the abscess is drained and cleaned. A drain is left in the abscess cavity, and remains in place until the infection goes away.

It is always important to identify and treated the cause of the abscess.

Outlook (Prognosis) Return to top

The outlook depends on the original cause of the abscess and how bad the infection is. Generally, drainage is successful in treating intra-abdominal abscesses that have not spread.

Possible Complications Return to top

Complications include:

* Abscess returns (recurs)
* Rupture of an abscess
* Spread of the infection to the bloodstream
* Widespread infection

When to Contact a Medical Professional Return to top

Call your doctor if you have severe abdominal pain, fevers, nausea, vomiting, or changes in bowel habits.

Update Date: 7/14/2006

Updated by: J.A. Lee, M.D., Division of Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:03 am

Rice production and OPS+

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=olney_buster

posted: Saturday, January 12, 2008 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: MLB

A lot of e-mail landed here about Friday's Jim Rice column, most of which suggests: First, that I cherry-picked statistics to make Rice look good; second, MVP voting is irrelevant; and third, I'm an idiot. There's no point in trying to defend my own idiocy, but the cherry-picking and MVP observations are interesting.

So if I understand the argument from some e-mailers: If you criticize Rice's candidacy by relying on Adjusted OPS+, through which Rice fares badly, that's analysis. But if you support Rice's candidacy citing home runs and RBI, then it's cherry-picking.

Hmmmm …

Adjusted OPS+ is a useful number. And if this your be-all, end-all statistic, keep in mind that:

* Mark McGwire and Frank Thomas rank higher than Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Joe DiMaggio.

* Jim Thome ranks higher than A-Rod and Gary Sheffield.

* Lance Berkman ranks higher than Ken Griffey Jr.

* Brian Giles ranks higher than George Brett, Al Kaline, Orlando Cepeda, Tony Gwynn, Rod Carew and Roberto Clemente.

* Adam Dunn ranks higher than Eddie Murray.

And if you think that Adjusted OPS+ is a set of numbers that generally creates a level statistical playing field for all of the eras of baseball, then you'd have to ignore the following. Of the top 63 players all time in OPS+, there are:

* Nineteen players who performed the bulk of their careers in the years leading up to 1920.

* Eight players who performed the bulk of their careers in the years from 1920-1939.

* Seventeen players who have performed the bulk of their careers from 1990-2007.

* And a total of 17 players from the 50-year period of 1940-89.

To repeat: According to Adjusted OPS+, there are an equal number of players, among the top 63 of all time in the statistic, in the 50-year period of 1940 to 1989 as there have been in the 18-year period from 1990 through 2007.

Part of the reason, of course, is there are more teams now. But part of the reason is that in years in which there is less offense, generally, it is more difficult to create a plus/minus disparity in this statistic. From 1940-1989, there were a total of 11 league leaders with Adjusted OPS+ numbers of 200 or higher; there wasn't a single Adjusted OPS+ leader of 200 or higher from 1981-1991. Since 1992, there have been eight leaders of Adjusted OPS+ of 200 or more in the NL alone, and nine overall.

Let's go one step further. In the 16 seasons since the start of the 1992 season, there have been only three instances in which an Adjusted OPS+ league leader registered less than 171. But in the 50 years prior to that, there were 42 instances in which a league leader was at 170 or lower. If you don't think that Adjusted OPS+ is a statistic that skews toward the elite players of the Steroid Era, well, then that's your story and you're sticking to it.

It's not a perfect statistic. There aren't any perfect statistics.

A lot of the Rice critics say the focus on his best years -- 1975-1986 -- is arbitrary. Well, not really. Those are the years in which he was at his best, when he built his Hall of Fame candidacy, and considering that a player must have 10 years in the big leagues to qualify for HOF consideration, focusing on a 12-year span is hardly a cherry-pick. And in that time, in some power statistics -- maybe not Adjusted OPS+ -- Rice was the best in his league.

While I'd generally agree that to focus on building a Hall of Famer's credentials around a single year of MVP voting might be dubious, the numbers cited in Friday's column accounts for hundreds of votes from every AL city over more than a decade. A lot of writers who watched Rice play daily, at the time he was on the field -- rather than through the time-machine prism of Adjusted OPS+ -- thought he was pretty damn good. (Keep in mind, most writers will talk to players, managers and coaches throughout the season as they formulate their ballots.)

If you want to quibble with the fact that he won the award in 1978, or with his placement in some particular year, OK, I get that. But to ignore the MVP voting entirely, as if it isn't at least some kind of barometer of his play over the course of his career, is embarrassing. This is like saying, "Hey, forget the Oscar voting of the 1950s. Marlon Brando was clearly overrated."

Look, I've never met Jim Rice, didn't grow up a Red Sox fan, don't think he is one of the very elite players of all time. I understand why someone wouldn't vote for him (but don't agree). But to portray his career as entirely unworthy of Hall of Fame consideration is silly.

• The potential upside to the Mike Cameron deal for the Brewers: He is a much better defensive center fielder than any one they have; he's a proven veteran who should hit for power in their park; and he allows Milwaukee to shift Ryan Braun from third base to left field, a change that will presumably be permanent, with Billy Hall moving from center to third.

The potential downside: Cameron will miss the first month of the season because of the 25-game stimulant suspension; he is another right-handed batter added to a lineup already very right-handed; he is a free swinger who racked up 160 strikeouts in 571 at-bats -- and Milwaukee already tended to strike out a lot last year. I wonder, too, how Hall will embrace the idea of making this change in Milwaukee, after being told his shift to the outfield was permanent, or if the Brewers will revisit the trade talks they had with the Dodgers regarding Hall last month.

• The Braves are closing in on a deal for Mark Kotsay, as David O'Brien writes. Oakland signed an outfielder, as it prepared to deal Kotsay, writes Susan Slusser.

• The Yankees were never seriously engaged in talks to sign Cameron.

• The Phillies are exploring the possibility of signing free-agent pitcher Kris Benson, and may dispatch evaluators to see him throw next week.

• Chad Cordero avoided arbitration with the Nationals and got a lot of money, as Barry Svrluga writes.

• Zach Duke has dropped weight, in his effort to bounce back, as Rob Biertempfel writes. The Pirates' bullpen has a lot of holes, writes Dejan Kovacevic.

• The Mets' offer for Johan Santana remains the same, writes Jeremy Cothran. Phil Hughes has been saturated with trade rumors.

• The Reds hired Walt Jocketty as an advisor. And no matter how well he and current GM Wayne Krivsky work together, there will be an assumption within the industry that Jocketty is poised to take over if the Reds decide to make a change. The alliance could bring dividends, writes Paul Daugherty.

The heat is on Krivsky, writes Hal McCoy.

• The White Sox have invited 10 players to spring training.

• The Cubs agreed to terms with Chad Fox.

• Josh Fogg is being courted by Cincinnati and Seattle, as Troy Renck writes within this piece.

• The Rays are going to play a three-game series at Disney this year, again, writes Marc Lancaster.

• Signing Miguel Cabrera to a long-term deal could cost the Tigers, writes Jon Paul Morosi. If Cabrera gets in better shape and stays that way, and continues to hit over the next two seasons, he has a chance to become baseball's second $200 million player. The Tigers completed their pursuit of Matt Mantei.

• The Rangers signed Eddie Guardado.

• Jacobs Field is no more; it's all about Progressive Field now, as Sheldon Ocker writes. It's the end of an era, writes Bill Lubinger. I know it's business, I know it was inevitable, but … I loved The Jake. Patrick McManamon wonders if this is really progress.

• This is even more sad: Dodgertown is poised for its last hurrah, as Joe Capozzi writes.

PED ZONE

• With the Roger Clemens's situation now promising to hang thickly over baseball for months to come, there is an extraordinary amount of retrospective griping going on these days amongst baseball executives -- from the lowest to the highest levels -- about Bud Selig's decision to launch the Mitchell investigation. But it's unclear whether any of these complaints will be aired at the upcoming owners' meetings, and in any event: It's too late to do anything about it now.

• If you're wondering about the direction in which the Clemens-McNamee case is headed, read this and draw your own conclusions. This was inevitable.

McNamee told federal authorities that Clemens developed an abscess on his posterior, something that could serve as a form of corroboration from McNamee's perspective, as Michael Schmidt writes. Within the same story, three members of the Blue Jays say they don't remember Clemens having an abscess.

• The Astros aren't sure if they want Clemens to participate in their mini-camp.

• Clemens has hit the point of no return, writes Martin Fennelly.

• Baseball is opening a drug investigation unit, as Duff Wilson writes.

• Goose Gossage waited to get into the Hall of Fame, Bob Verdi writes, and the players connected with the steroid mess can wait.

AND OTHER STUFF

• Vanderbilt is something of a favorite going into today's game in Lexington. Who would've imagined …?

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:05 am

• Signing Miguel Cabrera to a long-term deal could cost the Tigers, writes Jon Paul Morosi. If Cabrera gets in better shape and stays that way, and continues to hit over the next two seasons, he has a chance to become baseball's second $200 million player. The Tigers completed their pursuit of Matt Mantei.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:13 am

* Yankees
*
o –
o Hank to announce Santana deal not happening ?

* Text Size
* Action
* Interest

* To: All

* 9:05 AM

* 35281.1

* CaptainJeter
* From: CaptainJeter
* Posts: 2271

From MLB Trade Rumors :

UPDATE, 1-11-08 at 6:45pm: Santana's agent says he has not demanded that the Twins trade Johan prior to pitchers and catchers reporting.

UPDATE, 1-11-08 at 5:30pm: One source told Ken Rosenthal that the Yanks "are no longer talking to the Twins about Santana." If that's true, perhaps Hank will just announce it soon

Well, Hank stop keeping everyone in suspense. Are you doing the deal or not ? Just come clean.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:17 am

Carlin Blog: Now Or Next Year

http://www.wfan.com/pages/1466804.php

Chris Carlin

Finally, somebody opened their mouth. But it wasn’t a Giant.

Patrick Crayton’s comments regarding Terrell Owens, Sam Madison, and Brandon Jacobs were introduced into the Giants’ locker room today. Jacobs wasn’t biting, and Madison wasn’t anywhere to be seen. (He didn’t practice again, so he doesn’t figure to go on Sunday.) Jacobs seemed annoyed by the words, but since he’s gotten himself in some hot water a few times with his words, he did his best to lay off. Kawika Mitchell, Kareem McKenzie, and R.W. McQuarters all spoke today, and they gave nothing up.

Officially, this is known as the “high road.”

Madison and Kevin Dockery are the only two who won’t play at the moment. Shaun O’Hara practiced fully, and Kareem McKenzie did as well – TC said he expectes both to go. Kevin Boss seems to have recovered from the flu and practiced.

To the game, and you’re not going to like me very much:

The Giants Offense vs. the Cowboys Defense

I don’t think the Giants will have any trouble moving the ball up and down the field and scoring points. Eli Manning’s quarterback rating in Dallas is 91.3 in his career, and I think they’ll be able to run the football. The question will be: when they score points, how many will be 3’s and how many will be 7’s? If Dallas can limit the Giants to field goals on say, 2 of 4 trips to the red zone, that’ll be a win for the Cowboys. The best bet? Run the football, and find a way to play keep-away. Win the time of possession by a 34:00-26:00 margin.

The Giants Defense vs. the Dallas Offense

Get your popcorn ready. I’m assuming that Tony Romo’s thumb is fine, and Terrell Owens will be more than serviceable. If so, more struggles on defense for the Giants against a team that has scored 76 points in 2 games against them. I’ve heard the Giants say this week that 4 of Romo’s 8 touchdowns against them have been because of blown coverage, and that’s easily correctable. Well fellas, you better correct it, and fast.

Special Teams

Nick Folk is the NFC’s Pro Bowl kicker. He’s been terrific all year, and weather is not expected to play any role, especially in Texas Stadium. People haven’t talked about it much, but the Giants need Jeff Feagles to be very sharp this week. Dallas cannot have a short field to work with. They have to make the Cowboys work for every single point.

In Short

This will be an entertaining game, and it will be in doubt in the fourth quarter. I’ve been trying to build a case for the Giants all week, and I came up short. In the end, Romo has time to throw, and the undermanned Giants’ secondary will pay. Dallas 30, Giants 24.

Enjoy the game. I hope I’m wrong

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:29 am

January 12th, 2008 at 9:18 am

jeff goldberg
hartford courant:

Larry Lucchino is all Boston nowadays, but he’s still a Yale man. His alma mater was one of several stops Lucchino made Friday in Connecticut, his two Red Sox World Series trophies in tow.

“We know Connecticut is an area of divided loyalties and we want to plant our flag more deeply here and propagate the faith.”

The 2007 and 2004 World Series trophies were on display to the public, starting at the mayor’s office in New Haven Friday morning, stopping briefly in Waterbury, then at the state Capitol rotunda in mid-afternoon.

“I thought it would be a little bit different,” Lucchino said. “But the trophy itself brings out the same degree of reverence that the first one has. When you put the two together, it’s quite a visual reminder of the new century.”

the above happened on cashman’s watch.
it’s nice to have a philosophy.
it’s better to get the job done.
i grew up in northern ct. you can imagine where i’d like to plant that flag in the carpetbagger lucchino.
i’m not real happy with cashman either

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:32 am

BTW....in case you werent aware
SchillsSock Post #1: Jan 11, 7:01 pm Quote | Report Violation
Total Posts: 1332

I always see people on this board talk about keeping Johan for the year and just recieving the two #1 drafts picks

you do realize that is not neccesarily true?

If the team that signs him is in the top 15 in the draft you do NOT get their first rounder....you get the sandwich pick and their second rounder.

to take it another step further and paint a worse situation.....lets say Johan has an average year....lets say he is 17-10 with a 3.5 era and is maybe the third or fourth rated free agent. A team like Baltimore has a real bad year and decides to make a HUGE splash and signs both him and an offensive player that is higher rated. You at that point get the sandwich pick and Baltimores THIRD round pick

not saying that that is likely but it could happpen and I am simply making the point that you dont automatically recieve two first rounders depending on where the signing team is in the draft

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:44 am

Report: McNamee told feds Clemens had abscess in '98

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3193081

Brian McNamee told federal law enforcement officials that Roger Clemens developed an abscess on his buttocks around the time that McNamee said he was giving him steroid injections in 1998, a lawyer with knowledge of details of the case told The New York Times.

But three members of the Toronto Blue Jays organization that season, including two trainers, said they did not recall Clemens having an abcess in 1998, the newspaper reported. And Rusty Hardin, the attorney for Clemens, said McNamee made the same assertion to federal investigators -- and that the two trainers also told them they did not recall Clemens having an abscess.

Clemens, who was named in former Sen. George Mitchell’s report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball as having been injected with steroids by McNamee, has said he did not take any performance enhancing drugs. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner has said that he received injections from McNamee, who was his strength trainer with the Blue Jays and New York Yankees but that they were vitamin B-12 or the pain killer lidocaine.

While any injection can lead to an abcess, an anti-doping expert said steroid injections are more likely to trigger abscesses, according to the Times.

"It is far less likely that any injection of vitamin B12 or lidocaine, which is usually not injected deep into the body, would have created an abscess," said Dr. Gary I. Wadler, a member of the World Anti-Doping Agency, according to the Times. "Steroid users tend to repetitively inject the drug deep into the muscle and this has been associated with the development of sterile abscess."

McNamee’s lead counsel, Earl Ward, told the Times that McNamee believes the treatment of the abscess was noted in Clemens’s medical or training records. He said that McNamee would be willing to testify under oath about the abscess when he is scheduled to appear before a congressional committee on Feb. 13.

Clemens and fellow Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte have also been asked to testify on that day before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Pettitte, who also used McNamee as a strength trainer, was named in the Mitchell report and has admitted using human growth hormone to recover from an injury.

The Times reported that in interviews, former Blue Jays trainer Tom Craig, former team general manager Gord Ash and team physician Dr. Ron Taylor all said they did not remember Clemens being treated for an abscess. Taylor said he believed if Clemens had been treated, it would have been noted in Clemens' medical records.

Hardin said Craig and Scott Shannon, the other team trainer in 1998, told his investigators that they did not recall Clemens being treated for an abscess, according to the Times.

The abscess is not mentioned in the Mitchell report.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

too much information. first we get roger and his third ear. then we get roger pulling a truck with his teeth. now we get rogers' butt oozing yuck. way too much information.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:46 am

Cowboys Are Just Better

http://dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?editorialAuthor=2&id=6B531FE0-9626-7903-3E3017C44066E71F
IRVING, Texas - Forget the facts. That would be too easy.

Let's go with trends. Let's go with things that sound fun to say, but in reality, don't always add up.

That seems to be the basis of this national perception regarding Sunday's playoff game.

I didn't realize Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks were playing with the Giants again. I wasn't aware that Mark Bavaro had replaced an injured Jeremy Shockey in the lineup. And somewhere I must have missed that Peyton Manning would be playing this game for his younger brother, Eli.

See, I didn't hear about all of those things. If so, then I would be on board with these perceptions that the big bad Giants will just come in here and steamroll the Cowboys, a team that accomplished everything it was supposed to in the regular season and has since geared up for the playoffs.

But I guess that doesn't matter anymore.

Apparently, what matters is the Giants are smoking hot now because they beat an overrated Tampa Bay team last week. And let's not forget they morally whipped the Patriots two weeks ago. Who cares if they lost the game, moral victories are all that count, right?

Don't give me all this stuff about the Giants and Cowboys headed in the wrong direction.

The Giants are peaking because they've won two of their last three? And the Cowboys are struggling because they've lost two of their last three?

Seriously?

Sure, everyone spits out all kinds of facts to support why the Giants will beat the Cowboys. Or why the Cowboys will choke in the playoffs.

But why are forgetting this fact:

The Cowboys are better than the Giants.

They were better in the first game, winning by 10. They were better the second time around, beating the Giants by 11.

I'm going steal a phrase that Tony Romo always uses.

Either you're the better team or you're not.

The Cowboys are the better team. They have been all year and that hasn't changed now.

Why is everyone so enamored with streaks and trends?

So the Giants haven't lost a road in eight games. OK, so why is that number not nine? Well that's because they got beat down by the Cowboys at Texas Stadium, which just so happens to be the site for Sunday's game.

Oh, and remember back in November? The Giants had won six straight games and rolled into the rematch with the Cowboys with first place in the division on the line. Well, the Cowboys stopped that streak, too, beating New York in the Meadowlands, 31-20. Six-game streak over!

And it's not like the Giants are just rolling through once again.

Since that loss to the Cowboys on Nov. 11, the Giants are 5-3. They beat the Lions on the road, got crushed by the Vikings at home and then rebounded with two close road wins against the Bears and Eagles. They were then trounced at home by the Redskins before rallying in the second half to win in Buffalo.

Then came the season finale against New England, where the Giants played well - certainly will give them that - but came up short. I know, no one has beaten the Pats all year and few teams have come close. The Cowboys couldn't even do that.

But they still LOST THE GAME.

It bugs me to hear people say the Giants have played great the last two weeks when they're only 1-1. If a win is a win - if that's the cliché line we always hear, then a loss is a loss, too.

Now, I'm not suggesting the Giants aren't a solid football team. They did win road games against the Bears and Eagles and even the Bills. You have to give them credit for being able to win on the road.

And by winning the last eight road games, including a playoff win last week in Tampa, the Giants certainly won't be intimidated by facing the Cowboys on the road.

We all know this is the NFL, where crazy things can happen. If the Cowboys don't play well, they won't win. We all know that. But that's no different if they're playing the Giants, the Patriots, or even the Rams or Dolphins. OK, maybe not the Dolphins, because they didn't play well in Miami back in Week 2 and still won by 17. But you get the point.

The Cowboys must play well to beat this

Giants team. But let's not discredit what they have done all year. And that is what head coach Wade Phillips was saying last week when he kept reiterating the team's 13-3 record - over and over.

In his mind, this team hasn't changed. This is still the same team that has taken care of business for the most part. When it's time to turn it on, they have done that.

Guess what, it's the playoffs. It's time to turn it on.

The question has been asked often: Can the Cowboys simply turn it on like a switch?

Well, they turned it off rather quickly, didn't they? They were told the Washington game didn't matter and all of a sudden, they played like a team that didn't need to win. And that happened rather quickly. I would imagine they can turn it on pretty fast, too.

But for some reason, it has become trendy to pick the Giants now.

And why not? Nobody wants to pick all four home teams to win this weekend and the Cowboys are the easiest one to go against.

Winning a playoff game at Lambeau seems too hard for Seattle, so that's out. The Chargers without Antonio Gates probably don't have enough firepower to beat the Colts on the road. And the Patriots, well, they're the Patriots, and even if Jacksonville might be a tough matchup, who wants to go against New England in January?

So Dallas is the prime upset pick. I get it. And if you look at the last few weeks, it's not too hard to make a case.

But just don't forget all of the facts. And don't forget the part that the Cowboys are better. They've been better and they still are. And as long as they do their thing and take care of themselves, then they'll beat the Giants once again.

Usually don't put a score, but it's hard not to say all of this without some kind of finality. The better team wins again. First time by 10, second time by 11, so let's go with Cowboys 35, Giants 23.

How's that for a trend?

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:47 am

#

*

What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
Reply Contact

The Cowboys' first home playoff game since 1998 is here.

To advance to their first NFC Championship game since 1995, the Cowboys will have to beat their division rivals, the New York Giants, a third consecutive time this season. Since 1970, teams are 11-6 trying to complete a three-game season sweep.

What are the keys to beating the Giants yet again?

*

#
01-11-2008 12:18 PM In reply to

* denairPete
*
* Not Ranked
* Joined on 11-15-2007
* 1st Round Pick

Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
Reply Contact

rphillips:

The Cowboys' first home playoff game since 1998 is here.

To advance to their first NFC Championship game since 1995, the Cowboys will have to beat their division rivals, the New York Giants, a third consecutive time this season. Since 1970, teams are 11-6 trying to complete a three-game season sweep.

What are the keys to beating the Giants yet again?

Simple. Our offense needs to be efficient and our defense not give up the big play. Romo cannot be rusty in this game.

*

#
01-11-2008 12:19 PM In reply to

* Weapon_X
*
* Top 10 Contributor
Male
* Joined on 08-06-2006
* The Mod Formerly Known as Wolverine
* Ring Of Honor

Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
Reply Contact

Consistency on offense, pressure on Eli Manning and good tackling of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs.
Cowboys>Eagles
Does anyone else hear Yoda saying this? "Fear leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. Suffering leads to rolling your own..." - Dirk Gently

*

#
01-11-2008 12:31 PM In reply to

* nycboysfan
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
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rphillips:

The Cowboys' first home playoff game since 1998 is here.

To advance to their first NFC Championship game since 1995, the Cowboys will have to beat their division rivals, the New York Giants, a third consecutive time this season. Since 1970, teams are 11-6 trying to complete a three-game season sweep.

What are the keys to beating the Giants yet again?

Now that the Cowboys will be in full force on both offense and defense for the first time this season, the team is even better than they were during the regular season (at least on paper).

Romo needs to play like himself and move his feet. T-New and A. Henry need to contain the WRs. Don't let the Giants' TE beat you. Provide R. Williams some help. Ellis and Ware need to unload some serious punishment on Eli. Garrett needs to unleash the Barbarian and give him the ball at least 20 times.

Despite how they've played lately, I still see the Cowboys winning. Since T.O. is hobbled and I don't expect too much from Glenn, I don't see a very high-scoring affair. Final score: Dallas 24 - Giants 17.

If T.O. plays like he normally does, and we get something from Glenn, then it will be a rout.
Love 'dem Cowboys!

*

#
01-11-2008 12:32 PM In reply to

* Dockins
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
Reply Contact

Glenn
Is the door locked

*

#
01-11-2008 12:36 PM In reply to

* nycboysfan
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
Reply Contact

Dockins:

Glenn

100% agree. He's the X-factor. If he's able to contribute anything, then it's over for the Giants.
Love 'dem Cowboys!

*

#
01-11-2008 12:45 PM In reply to

* HalfPint
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* Top 500 Contributor
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
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See first two games we played them this season
AND ELI IS SACKED AGAIN, BOY THIS COWBOY PASS RUSH IS RELENTLESS;......EEELLLIIIIIII, WE'RE BAAAAAAAACK.

*

#
01-11-2008 2:07 PM In reply to

* TNTTyree
*
* Top 150 Contributor
* Joined on 07-26-2006
* NFL Legend

Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
Reply Contact

I have been watching the replay of the 2 games this year and we really need to pressure Eli up the middle...He is a pocket passer and when we pressure him there will will get turnovers!

JJ was averaging 8 yards a carry in the 1st half vs them so oif anything JJ needs more carries where he can do the most damage...Lead draws & screens!

We need to beat on the Gmen, they should wear down if we can committ to the running game as they have been playing hard & are somewhat beat up...Then throw the knockout punch off of playaction!

We win the turnover battle and get 1 score from ST or the D & we win!
Fan since we lost to the Colts in our 1st Super Bowl.
Indy man ready to move to sunny Florida

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01-11-2008 2:09 PM In reply to

* steve6f8eh
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
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Even if the Giants keep it close, they will be exhausted at half time, and we will still be fresh. The second half will be a slaughter.....I can't wait. New York fans will then look back at all the effort they made to try and beat a team from another division the last game of the season and realize any slim chance they had of beating the Cowboys was squandered that day.

Cowboys 42- Giants 13

Oh, that's gotta hurt!
Leadership is getting someone to do what they do not want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve.
Tom Landry

*

#
01-11-2008 2:17 PM In reply to

* nycboysfan
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
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steve6f8eh:

Even if the Giants keep it close, they will be exhausted at half time, and we will still be fresh. The second half will be a slaughter.....I can't wait. New York fans will then look back at all the effort they made to try and beat a team from another division the last game of the season and realize any slim chance they had of beating the Cowboys was squandered that day.

Cowboys 42- Giants 13

Oh, that's gotta hurt!

I think you're dreaming! Yes, the Cowboys will win but not by that much, unless Terry Glenn is a factor. A more realistic final score is 24-17 or 24-21. This is the playoffs and team's don't want to go home. There is no way the Giants are going to let the Cowboys walk over them like that.

Love 'dem Cowboys!

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01-11-2008 2:34 PM In reply to

* cowboys46
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
Reply Contact

nycboysfan:

steve6f8eh:

Even if the Giants keep it close, they will be exhausted at half time, and we will still be fresh. The second half will be a slaughter.....I can't wait. New York fans will then look back at all the effort they made to try and beat a team from another division the last game of the season and realize any slim chance they had of beating the Cowboys was squandered that day.

Cowboys 42- Giants 13

Oh, that's gotta hurt!

I think you're dreaming! Yes, the Cowboys will win but not by that much, unless Terry Glenn is a factor. A more realistic final score is 24-17 or 24-21. This is the playoffs and team's don't want to go home. There is no way the Giants are going to let the Cowboys walk over them like that.

I dont know about that....remember the 1996 playoff game against the Vikings....we have a really good team and if we come out with great intensity and give the ball to our playmakers then we have a chance to win...or even dominate...all im saying is that you never know
"Texas Stadium has a
hole in its roof so God can watch his favorite team play." - D. D. Lewis

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01-11-2008 2:40 PM In reply to

* billbates
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
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PRESSURE MANNING. HE WILL THROW SOME GIFTS OUR WAY.
my heros have always been cowboys

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01-11-2008 2:50 PM In reply to

* Cowboysfan1966
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
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Romo and limiting his turnovers!

Go Cowboys!

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01-11-2008 2:53 PM In reply to

* netjunkie9
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Re: What are the keys to beating the Giants three straight times?
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Stick with the same gameplan. The Giants will be without their star tight end so I'm not sure where they will get the extra offense needed to outscore the Cowboys. I'm changing my prediction - I started the week saying 27-17 Cowboys. I'm gonna say 31-10 Cowboys. I'm just not buying into this "momentum" thing. Ask the Redskins about momentum - I'll take the talent.
Laziness inspires improvisation

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:51 am

Giants BTN: Eli, defense could be keys

http://web.sny.tv/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080109&content_id=1447342&oid=36121&vkey=11

Defending Romo, Owens could determine game
By Michael Salfino / SNY.tv analyst
The Giants need to get Romo on the ground if they're going to have any success on Sunday. (AP)
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Another week, another mea culpa to Eli Manning and the Giants.

What's going on here? Has Manning flipped the switch and suddenly become the player that he was drafted to be? Or is this merely a more or less random sample of the very good play that even the average NFL quarterback can exhibit for weeks at a time?

I've never maintained that Manning was bad, though he's played poorly for most of this year (admit it). I've written that Eli is "mediocre" or "average" (same thing). If you think this is insulting, consider it stipulates he's one of the 20 or so best QBs on the planet.

The thing about those labels that frustrates me as a writer is that they're not meant to be insulting. Even below-average NFL players, if you were to see them on a Saturday afternoon playing touch football at your local park, they would knock your eyes out. These are the best athletes in the world.

So I never meant that Manning can't play. I didn't believe he can consistently play the position at a championship level; I still don't. That makes him a disappointment because, when he was drafted No. 1 overall, Giants (then) general manager Ernie Accorsi said he was "a once in a generation player."

That he is not, but he sure was good enough Sunday to wax the Bucs. And he was good enough to beat the undefeated Patriots the week before, too, if his defense didn't collapse in the fourth quarter. So let's examine the odds that he maintains this level of play versus a Cowboys team that has already beaten the Giants twice this season.

My father the Giants fan called me Sunday night from West Palm Beach to wipe my nose in my miserable prediction of a Bucs win. Good for him. But then he said he just heard that it's almost impossible for an NFL team to beat another team three times in one season.

This kind of stuff drives me nuts. I immediately contacted my friends at the Elias Sports Bureau, who were kind enough to inform me that since division play started in 1970 (at which point it became possible to play a team three times in one year), there have been 53 playoff meetings between division rivals. The two teams split the first two games 36 times. On 17 of those occasions, one team swept.

The team that swept the regular season games has gone 11-6 in the playoff games. So it's not unusual at all for a team in the Cowboys position to win the third game. In fact, it's expected.

There's an impression that Manning has played well against the Cowboys this year because of the 555 passing yards he's compiled in the two games. But he required 78 attempts to gain those yards and lost another 47 yards off the gross via sacks. So his Yards Per Attempt (YPA) against Dallas is just 6.51, about average (6.44 was the average sack-adjusted YPA in the NFL this year).

He also tossed five touch downs againts Dallas, four in the opening night game. But TD pass proficiency is always more meaningful when it's built on the foundation of well-above-average YPA.

For example, Tony Romo has eight TD passes against New York this year and has averaged (hold on to your hats) 11.13 YPA (subtracting sack yards).

That brings us to the crux of this game. Can the Giants' defense hold up well enough against Romo to give Manning a chance? If Romo averages even eight yards per attempt, the Giants have almost no chance to win the game. I've followed this stat for years and teams win 90 or even 95 percent of games when they average over 8.0 per attempt. In fact, the only way you lose under those circumstances is if either your opponent passes about as well or if you throw multiple picks.

Injuries will play a big part in this calculation. First, from the Giants side, will Sam Madison be back from his abdominal strain?

Giants fans should hope he's not. Corey Webster had a better game on Sunday than Madison had all year. Who says that starters are better than backups, especially when the starters are veterans? Webster was benched in the second half of the early season win at Washington. But he's a good athlete, a former second-round pick from LSU, with a better chance of matching up with the Cowboys' receivers than the declining Madison.

Will Terrell Owens (questionable, high ankle sprain) be one of them?

Almost certainly. Heck, the guy played at an MVP-level in the Super Bowl on a broken leg that should have been multiple weeks away from being medically cleared. Say what you want about Owens off the field. Between the white lines, he's the ultimate warrior.

Playing and playing effectively are two different things, however. High ankle sprains are very tough injuries. Plaxico Burress has fought -- and mostly lost -- the battle the entire second half of the season. And Owens is an older player now, which may adversely affect his recovery. We're not going to know anything until he runs a couple of patterns on Sunday.

The status of Terry Glenn is also up in the air, meaning the bulk of the Dallas passing game could fall to tight end Jason Witten and wide receiver Patrick Crayton.

The Dallas passing offense hit the skids even before Owens was hurt. Throughout December, they ranged from below to well-below average.

Romo has been sacked with more frequency and has been more turnover prone, too. Their last effort, against the Redskins in the regular season finale, was so inept that head coach Wade Phillips kept the first string out there longer than expected in a futile attempt to generate something, anything positive.

Prediction time: The Giants should try to win this game with their run game and their defense, while being prepared to turn on a dime should Owens prove to be near 100 percent. I think that's unlikely and that 24 points wins this game. Without the threat of Owens, Witten is a player easily contained with a man over him on every snap and some safety support behind it. The Cowboys' running game can be fierce, but I like the Giants' running game just as much now that Ahmad Bradshaw is there to provide some lightning to complement Brandon Jacobs thunder. Manning must again avoid mistakes and take what the Cowboys give. And in addition to not giving the Cowboys cheap points, he can't leave any easy ones on the field with those terribly inaccurate throws that even were a problem at Tampa Bay. If Owens was 100 percent, the Giants would almost certainly get blasted again. If he can't go, they'll likely win. I'll assume he's at 80 percent or so, just enough for Dallas to squeak by. Cowboys 24, Giants 21.
Michael Salfino is a nationally syndicated football and baseball newspaper columnist and regular contributor to SNY.tv.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:57 am

Originally Posted by philleotardo
I may vomit before I finish typing this- my understanding of Beckett's transition of '06 gopher issues to '07 lack of same was attributable to being told "Stop shaking off Varitek."
Improved mechanics.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:59 am

A finesse pitcher with a power pitcher's velocity, Wang throws a sinker and four-seam fastball combination, along with a slider and changeup. His four-seam fastball usually rests between 94-96 with some lateral movement and tops out at around 98mph. His sinker, which is responsible for his elevation to ace status, has very impressive late, downward, and lateral movement through the zone and is also faster than most, sitting in the 91-94 mph range. His strikeout pitch is a sharp developing slider that closely resembles the fastball coming out of his hand, thus getting batters to swing ahead of the pitch. Wang also throws a decent forkball, though he only uses the pitch sparsely when in need of a strike out or double play. Wang's pitching style is characterized by efficiency, command of the strike zone, few walks, few home runs allowed and very few strikeouts. Wang works quickly and uses his ground-ball inducing sinker to produce many double plays. This efficiency often allows Wang to maintain a low pitch count deep into games.

In Taiwan and the minor leagues, Wang threw a more conventional assortment of pitches, including a four-seam fastball, a changeup, and far more splitters. The sinker, which has become Wang's signature pitch, was developed during his minor league career with advice from Neil Allen, his AAA pitching coach, and his AAA catcher, Sal Fasano.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:02 am

New York Giants at
Dallas Cowboys

http://sports.espn.go.com/videogames/simulation/nfl?id=3190418

Tony Romo broke out of his mini-slump in a big way, throwing for 247 yards and three touchdowns to lead Dallas to a convincing 31-10 win over the New York Giants in a Divisional Playoff matchup of NFC East rivals at Texas Stadium.

Romo wasted little time getting on track, putting the game away early with a 33-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terrell Owens in the first quarter and a 16-yard scoring connection to tight end Jason Witten in the second quarter. Witten added a second touchdown catch in the third quarter on a 30-yard strike from Romo, and managed to notch game-highs in receptions with 10 and receiving yards with 101. Dallas running back Marion Barber added a late touchdown run of his own from 25 yards out to cap the Cowboys' scoring.

The Giants fell behind 14-3 at halftime, managing only a 22-yard field goal by kicker Lawrence Tynes. Trailing 24-3 at the end of three quarters, New York running back Brandon Jacobs bullied his way into the end zone with a 6-yard run in the fourth quarter for the Giants only touchdown of the game. Eli Manning struggled his way to only 168 yards passing and tossed a pair of interceptions.

RedMagma Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:05 am

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Romo leads Cowboys to win over Giants
Thursday, January 10, 2008

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* Comments (1-20)
o
Rangers827
Rangers827 (1 hour ago)
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If Jacobs is averaging 4 yards per carry the Giants will probably not lose by 21 points. Also, I would anticipate him getting more than 18 touches if he's moving the ball that well.
o
comonoyeaha1984
comonoyeaha1984 (8 hours ago)
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I'm not guaranteeing a Cowboys win, but need we remember week 10? I remember ESPN being all over the Giants nuts about how good they were playing, how good their pass rush was, how great their running game was, and what happened? A beat down. Sure, you can say all these reasons why the Giants have a better chance of winning now, but they are the same reasons as last time. 13-3 means something. As a Cowboys fan, I love Eli on the road in the playoffs against the Cowboys.
o
ILLoU08
ILLoU08 (9 hours ago)
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It's going to be a great game, the Giants have been playing some great football lately and the Cowboys had a great season, but if T.O. is not 100% and if Jessica Simpson is in the stands (lol) it's going to be a nail bitter but it should be a great game overall. If either team wins by a large margin it would be dissapointing! let the best team win.
o
RZRPack
RZRPack (10 hours ago)
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Romo: 19 ints
Favre: 15
o
Angel_of_Lucifer
Angel_of_Lucifer (14 hours ago)
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packersfouru (7 hours ago) Report Violation | Ignore User Romo 3 TDs? more like 3 INTs, cowboys still lose!

tony's not getting 3 INT's....he's not brett favre
o
Untamed_Chaos
Untamed_Chaos (16 hours ago)
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the only realistic score of all the simulations is the jack-ne game... dallas by this much over NY, i dont think so. damn, dont go by madden games....
o
cracolici
cracolici (20 hours ago)
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Well at least this week they do not have people injured playing like they did for Shockey on NYG and Parker on the Steelers. Either way, they showed Tampa blowing out the NYG also, so I take no stock in this regardless of how superior the Boys are. As my old football coach useto say when we went up against an unbeatable foe... "SHOCK THE WORLD".
o
teb120882
teb120882 (21 hours ago)
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Packer fans are so very sad.
o
packersfouru
packersfouru (21 hours ago)
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Romo 3 TDs? more like 3 INTs, cowboys still lose!
o
austin_earl
austin_earl (23 hours ago)
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Sounds good to me! But where's Barber's touchdown on the box score? Sloppy.
o
Prime_Time_12
Prime_Time_12 (23 hours ago)
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Im a Cowboys fan...and I learned the hard way about mocking madden predictions....A few weeks back madden predicted the eagles to beat the cowboys 13-10. I mocked and was like....ya right theres no way the cowboys lose...much less only score 10. The finally outcome...Philly 13 Cowboys 6. I like this most recent prediction.
o
the unknown comic
the unknown comic (23 hours ago)
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Only 5 carries and 12 yards for Bradshaw? How 'bout 12 yards on his FIRST carry. 7 carries for Hedgecock - what is he Gilbride's new one yard and a cloud of dust secret weapon? Hedgecock BLOCKS. Giants get less than 100 yards rushing for a team total? In the first half, maybe.

Giants 38, Cowboys 28
o
Dazfx2
Dazfx2 (1 day ago)
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Damn this is not good everytime these sims picks the cowboys to lose they win, well now they've picked them to win and win big, i am kind of skeptical, the giants are a lot better than they use to be. But that saying if the boys hit eli in the mouth early in the game this game is over and cowboys win easily and oh yeah they might want to try to cover Plaxico other than Santana Moss and Randy Moss he is the other receiver that absolutely kills the cowboys.
o
dacoog58
dacoog58 (2 days ago)
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well well you giant fans don't like the sims results all i gotta say is HAHAHAHAHAHAHA us cowbay fans been dealing with the madden junk all year long
o
adamwesv
adamwesv (2 days ago)
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Yeah, that's definitely the Eli we are accustomed to seeing. And why do people keep calling the sim's a "joke"?

Learn a new word, sheep.
o
izim1980
izim1980 (2 days ago)
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31-10 cowboys? yup that sounds about right.

after this sim predicted the cowboys would lose 13-6 to eagles even though dallas hadnt been held to less than 24 all year, i refuse to laugh at it anymore......
o
chilibest2
chilibest2 (2 days ago)
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what a joke, madison hedgecock with 7 carries ? i think he has 1 all year
o
TheDanPatrick411
TheDanPatrick411 (2 days ago)
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The Cowboys are going to get smashed.
o
andyhdz
andyhdz (2 days ago)
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yes very realistic sim. It has the Cowboys playing in their road blues at home. EA sports is a complete joke
o
truth_2_be_told
truth_2_be_told (2 days ago)
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This sounds like the normal Eli we'll all see on Sunday. Only in New York could be some be a bust then turn to a future Hall of Famer in a matter of two weeks. Remember he's only 4-4 in the last 8 Games. Remembering what a former coach of both teams once said, "Put away the anointing oil."

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