Which L.A. Team is More Likley to Win It All?

For decades the Los Angeles Clippers have been the laughing stock of the NBA, the red-headed step-brother to a Lakers franchise which has dominated the league with a flare that captures the glitz and glamor of Tinseltown.

The Clippers have made the playoffs just twice since moving to L.A. in 1984. Their notoriously stingy owner Donald Sterling routinely allowed his best players to walk, bungled draft picks and failed to attract any star power to the media capital of the world. Meanwhile, the Lakers won eight NBA championships during that period on the backs of superstars so big they only need one name, Kareem, Magic, Shaq and Kobe.

So when the NBA lockout finally concluded last week and two of the league’s top players, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard, were on the trading block and both reportedly interested in playing in L.A., basketball fans and insiders assumed that the Lakers would land one, if not both of them. Given the Clippers reputation as a moribund franchise, nobody believed they were seriously in the running, even though they had several attractive young assets.

Initially, it looked as though the scenario would play out as expected, with the Lakers reaching an apparent agreement on a three-team deal involving the Rockets and Hornets in which they would obtain Paul in exchange for Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Then at the last minute, the league – which currently owns the Hornets – set off a firestorm by nixing the trade for “basketball reasons.”

Still, history dictated that the Lakers would find a way to restructure the deal and get their guy. But that’s not what happened. Instead, a devastated Odom reportedly asked to be traded. Instead of giving their versatile big man time to cool off, in Clipper-esque fashion, the Lakers shipped one of their biggest trade chips to the Mavericks for virtually nothing (the Mavs 2012 first round draft pick.)

The Clippers swooped in amid the chaos and began serious negotiations with the Hornets for Paul, which culminated in a deal Wednesday night in which they sent Eric Gordon, Minnesota’s unprotected 2012 first-round pick, Chris Kaman and Al-Farouq Aminu to New Orleans for the four-time all-star point guard.

The trade gives the Clippers the best guard-big man tandem in the league with Paul and last season’s Rookie of the Year Blake Griffin, a combination reminiscent of Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire during their glory days in Phoenix.

Paul wasn’t the only move the Clippers made this past week. Donald Sterling’s club won the bidding for veteran point guard Chauncy Billups, who can also play some two guard next to Paul, after he was waived by the Knicks under the amnesty provision. The club also signed gritty small forward Caron Butler and matched the four-year $43 million offer Golden State made to their up-and-coming restricted free agent center DeAndre Jordan.

With a formidable starting five and the best one-two punch in the league other than LeBron and D-Wade, for the first time ever, the Clippers have the makings of a legitimate rivalry with the Lakers. In fact, one could argue that they have a better chance than their Staples Center cohabitants to win the championship this season.

The Lakers were swept by Dallas in the playoffs last season, Phil Jackson retired and they completely mishandled the Odom situation, turning their biggest strength, their deep front line, into a weakness. They have numerous question marks heading into the season, including an aging backcourt, the relationship between Bryant and new head coach Mike Brown and as always, whether Bynum can stay healthy.

Yet, the Lakers still have the potential to be an elite team. Don’t forget, they’re just two years removed from back-to-back championships and last I checked, they still have one of the top five players in the world in Kobe Bryant. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum form a devastating power forward/center tandem and both are solid bargaining chips for a potential trade with Orlando for Howard.

The Clippers have weaknesses as well, particularly inexperience and a lack of depth down low, which will be crucial in this compressed season. With several new parts and very little time to gel, the Clippers probably aren’t ready to compete for a championship this season, though they’re legitimate contenders and they’ve certainly closed the gap between themselves and the Lakers.

As Blake Griffin said when asked about the acquisition of CP3, “When you hear the Clippers, it’s not going to be a joke anymore. I can guarantee you that.”

We’re So Sorry, Uncle Albert

Free Agent Albert Pujols is Ready to Field Offers

Albert Pujols has been the best player in baseball for the better part of the past decade and appeared to be hitting the free agent market at the perfect time this fall. The all-star first baseman just led the Cardinals to their second World Series championship during his tenure in St. Louis, becoming just the third player to blast three home runs in a World Series game in the process in Game 3 against the Rangers.

So, why do there appear to be so few teams vying for his services?

The truth is, in many ways, the timing of Pujols’ free agency couldn’t have been worse. There are usually at most 10 to 12 teams that have the resources to match or exceed the nine year, $200 million offer the Dominican slugger turned down from the Cardinals during last spring training. However, due to lack of need or finances, many of those teams simply aren’t interested.

The first rule of baseball free agency is to try and involve the Yankees in the negotiations. The Steinbrenner clan is often willing to pay way over market rate to get their man (See Alex Rodriguez and C.C. Sabathia). Typically, even if a player has no interest in donning the Pinstripes, he can count on the Yankees upping the ante for other teams interested in his services.

The problem is the Yankees have one of the best all around first basemen in baseball, Mark Teixeira, locked up to a long term deal. Teix is too good in the field to move to DH in order to make room for Pujols and even if Pujols were willing to DH for the Yankees, which is unlikely, the Yanks want to keep the DH spot available for the aging left side of their infield, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. The team’s primary concern is beefing up a shallow starting rotation, not adding a big bat.

The team usually vying with the Yankees for elite talent on the market, their arch rival, the Boston Red Sox, are set at first base as well, having locked up Adrian Gonzalez through 2018. They too are focused on adding a couple of arms to a patchwork rotation which fell apart this past September.

Two big market teams that are usually willing to throw around big dollars have fallen on hard times financially. New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon is embroiled in a lawsuit stemming from the Bernie Madoff scandal and is reluctant to spend an exorbitant amount of money before that matter is resolved. He just let the team’s best player Jose Reyes sign with the division rival Miami Marlins. Even if Wilpon were willing to dish out the cash, the Mets are several players away from being serious contenders and appear to be in rebuilding mode, a situation which doesn’t appeal to Pujols.

The Dodgers, another historically high spending team are in complete turmoil. Contentious divorce proceedings caused owner Frank McCourt to file for bankruptcy and led Major League Baseball to compel him to sell the team. Despite the uncertainty of the situation, the team recently re-signed five-tool centerfielder Matt Kemp to an eight year $160 deal, but don’t expect them to extend another contract offer of that magnitude before a new owner is on board and by that time Pujols will have signed elsewhere.

Other big market teams, such as the Phillies and White Sox are set at first base, with Ryan Howard and Paul Konerko. The Angels’ Mark Trumbo led rookies in home runs and RBIs this past season and the team anticipates the return of Kendry Morales from knee surgery. They have more pressing needs to address than first base, specifically, the left side of their infield.

All of these circumstances have left the game’s best player flirting with the Miami Marlins and visiting with the Toronto Blue Jays, in an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with the Cardinals. The Chicago Cubs have long been considered a potential suitor for the three-time MVP winner, though their interest has only been lukewarm to this point.

It’s questionable whether Pujols would even be willing to play for a rebuilding team like the Cubs and Chicago’s new General Manager Theo Epstein will certainly take into consideration another factor which is working against Pujols, his age. Prince Albert turns 32 in January, which may have meant nothing during the steroid era, but with more stringent drug testing in place,  even the best conditioned players are slowing down in their mid to late 30s.

Prospective suitors need look no further than Alex Rodriguez. In 2007, at the age of 31, the Yankees third baseman hit 54 home runs and drove in 156 runs on the way to his third MVP award. After that season the Yankees signed him to an outrageous $270 million, 10 year deal.

Since then he hasn’t played more than 137 games or hit over 30 home runs in any of the past three seasons. The Yankees are stuck paying him $27 million a year (possibly more if he breaks the home run record) through the age of 42. Teams are understandably wary of making the same mistake with Pujols.

The few teams that have an opening and the means to sign a first baseman of or near Pujols stature also have the luxury of a younger and cheaper alternative in Prince Fielder. Cecil’s son is only 27 years-old and his numbers were very similar to Pujols last season. He’d make a nice consolation prize for the Cubs or Cardinals, which places less pressure on them to increase their offers for Pujols. The Orioles, Mariners and his former team, the Brewers, have expressed interest in Fielder.

Baseball’s winter meetings began yesterday in Dallas and as the hot stove heats up, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a couple of other teams like the Rangers or Nationals throw their hat in the ring with a serious offer to Pujols. However, as of now, the greatest player in the game is garnering minimal interest on the free agent market. He may have to settle for the nine year, $200 million deal the Cardinals offered him last spring.

How Will NBA Teams Use the Amnesty Clause?

The final details of the collective bargaining agreement between NBA owners and players are still being ironed out, though one thing we know for certain is that the agreement will include an “amnesty clause.” The clause will allow teams to waive one player and though the team will still be required to pay the player, his salary will not count against the salary cap or for purposes of the luxury tax. The clause can be used at any time, but only on players who were under contract when the new CBA was signed.

Players who are waived under the amnesty clause will then be available on waivers, but initially only teams that are under the salary cap can bid on them. If none of those teams claim an amnestied player then cap-strapped contenders like the Lakers, Heat and Mavericks will be able to stock up on other teams castaways.

Unlike the so-called Allan Houston amnesty clause in the 2005 CBA, the new amnesty clause will not require teams to use it immediately.  They may hold onto the clause until next summer when there’s a stronger free agency class not to use the clause at all as the Knicks inexplicably chose not to use the Allan Houston clause on Allan Houston in ’05.

This is a breakdown of which players each time will likely use the clause on.

Atlanta Hawks

Joe Johnson isn’t a franchise player, though at $107 million over the next five years he’s being paid like one. That being said, the Hawks aren’t going to release their best player. The wiser move is to get out from under the $24.9 million in cap space devoted to Marvin Williams over the next three years and rid themselves of the constant reminder that they selected him over Deron Williams and Chris Paul in the 2005 draft.

Boston Celtics

The only potential candidate for amnesty in Boston is Jermaine O’Neal and the $6.2 million he’s due this season. O’Neal was rarely healthy enough to play last season and had little impact when he did, but with a lack of big men on the market, the Celtics may roll the dice on O’Neal’s gimping knees making it through the season.

Charlotte Bobcats

Michael Jordan would love to shed the $18 million owed to Boris Diaw over the next two seasons, but the overweight Frenchman is a greater contributor than backup center DeSagana Diop, who’s set to make more than $13 million over the next two years, with a player option that could put his three year total over $20 million.

Chicago Bulls

One year into his six year, $90 million deal, Carlos Boozer is looking like a bad investment. The Bulls played equally well when he was hurt last season and his backup Taj Gibson was more effective at times during the playoffs. If they can add a scoring power forward or top notch two guard to share the backcourt with Rose they should let Boozer go. If not, the $15 million owed to Kyle Korver and $13.8 million to Ronnie Brewer over the next three years are other options.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Quite a coup by the Cavaliers! They received a first round pick, which turned into Kyrie Irving, in exchange for taking Baron Davis‘ albatross of a contract off the Clippers hands and now they get to cut Davis and remove the remaining $28.7 million of his contract from the cap. The Clippers must be kicking themselves. Again.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavs decision regarding the amnesty clause will depend on whether they can re-sign Tyson Chandler. If so, there’s no reason to pay Brendan Haywood $35 over the next four years to be a backup center after Ian Mahinmi gave them quality minutes in the NBA Finals. If Chandler gets away then Haywood is their best option at center and the Mavs will stand pat.

Denver Nuggets

It didn’t take long for the Nuggets to regret signing Al Harrington to a deal worth $27 million over the next four years. That being said, with Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith signing with Chinese teams, they may want to hold on to Harrington’s scoring off the bench, at least for the time being.

Detroit Pistons

The Pistons have three prime candidates for amnesty, two of which stem from General Manager Joe Dumars disastrous free agent summer of 2009, Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon, who are due $24.2 and $37.2 million respectively over the next three seasons. However, the Pistons will likely use this opportunity to finally part ways with the disgruntled Richard Hamilton, who has $25 million remaining on his deal.

Golden State Warriors

David Lee is an excellent rebounder, but the third best player on a below .500 team isn’t worth $14 million a year for the next five years. Still, at least Lee is a solid contributor, which is more than can be said for Andris Biedrins, who’s due to make $27 million over the next four seasons. If one of these big men is waived it will likely be Biedrins.

Houston Rockets

Hasheem Thabeet hasn’t been able to get off the bench since the Rockets selected him with the number two pick in the 2009 draft. It’s time for them to sever ties with the former UConn center and the remaining $5.2 million guaranteed to him.

Indiana Pacers

This is an easy one for the Pacers. There’s only one excessive contract on their roster and it’s the $7.5 million owed to James Posey for this season.

Los Angeles Clippers

Center Chris Kaman has been hobbled by injuries the past couple of years. The smart move is re-sign restricted free agent DeAndre Jordan and attempt to trade Kaman to a team starving for a big man. If they sign Jordan and can’t move Kaman then they want to consider eliminating the $12.7 million owed to him from their 2011-12 cap.

Los Angeles Lakers

Will the Lakers cut the cord with Metta World Peace? His game is slipping and they’re indebted to him for $21.8 over the next three seasons. GM Mitch Kupchak is looking to make the roster younger and more athletic, but there aren’t any small forward free agents who fit that bill. Barring a trade for an athletic perimeter player, the Lakers will probably use the provision on little used forward Luke Walton instead. Bill’s son has two years and $11.5 million remaining on his contract.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizz signed swingman Rudy Gay to a five year, $82 million contract last summer and then came within a game of the conference finals without him. They need to clear cap space in order to re-sign Marc Gasol and cutting Gay would be the most logical way to do that, but the Grizzlies aren’t plush with cash like the Lakers or Knicks and management isn’t willing to pay a player of that caliber not to play for them. They could try and trade Gay for cheaper parts and probably won’t use the amnesty clause at all.

Miami Heat

Mike Miller never got into the flow of the Heat’s offense last year and failed to make opponents pay for double teaming one of the “big three.” He’s the only amnesty possibility on a team without many guaranteed contracts. Miller is owed $6 million per year for the next two years with a player option for $6.6 million for a third season, which isn’t excessive for a sharp shooter, but Miami may need to waive him in order to free money to sign a defensive minded big man.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are is in no-man’s land; they don’t have the building blocks for a contender, but aren’t bad enough to look rely on ping pong balls for a franchise player. If they decide to shed some salary, the $27 owed to Drew Gooden over the next four years would be a good start, but I’m guessing the Bucks will pass on the amnesty option.

Minnesota Timberwolves

David Kahn, the much maligned GM of the T-Wolves, shocked NBA insiders when he signed Darko Milicic to a four-year $20 million deal in the summer of 2010. The question is whether Kahn is willing to admit that he made a mistake after just one season and sever ties with the Serbian big man. The Wolves could also use the clause on reserve forward Martell Webster who’s scheduled to make $10 million over the next two years.

New Jersey Nets

Travis Outlaw‘s outrageous contract exemplifies why NBA owners felt they needed to protect themselves from overspending on mediocre players. Outlaw, who signed a five year, $35 million contract with the Nets in the summer of 2010 averaged just nine points per game last season. Don’t expect him to be joining the Nets when they make their move to Brooklyn.

New Orleans Hornets

The owner-less Hornets don’t have an obvious selection for amnesty relief, but in a last ditch effort t0 convince Chris Paul to stay in New Orleans, they could free themselves of the $21.8 million owed to Trevor Ariza over the next three seasons and replace him with two moderately priced contributors.

New York Knicks

Where was the amnesty clause when the Knicks desperately needed it four years ago? With Eddie Curry finally off the books and Jerome James, AKA, “Big Snacks” a distant memory, the Knicks don’t have any atrocious contracts on the books. The only real candidate for amnesty is Renaldo Balkman who’s set to make just $3.3 million over the next two years, but when the Knicks try to land a third superstar next summer, every little bit helps.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Nobody should be more infuriated about the amnesty clause than Sam Presti. The OKC GM masterfully constructed a contending team in a small market, while his contemporaries foolishly overpaid for vastly overrated stiffs. His reward is that he has to sit back and watch as they’re granted a do-over. Presti doesn’t have one excessive contract on his roster.

Orlando Magic

Orlando GM Otis Smith had to be praying for a double amnesty clause because he’s desperate to get rid of Gilbert Arenas and the $62.4 million he’s due over the next three seasons, as well as the $34.5 remaining on Hedo Turkoglu‘s contract. Ultimately, Smith will opt for Arenas, who’s owed more money and is the less productive of the two. Then he’ll try and get a team to take Turkoglu off his hands as part of a deal for Dwight Howard.

Philadelphia 76ers

A year ago, the Sixers would have cut ties with Elton Brand, who still has $35 million remaining on his contract over the next two years, but Brand had a bit of a comeback season and is the only low post threat on this up-and-coming team. The more likely scenario is that’s they’ll create $6.7 million more in cap space by using the clause on Andres Nocioni. The Argentinian forward played just twelve minutes a game last season.

Phoenix Suns

Josh Childress has four years and $27 million remaining on his deal with the Suns, which is way too much for a player who was stuck on the bench behind Grant Hill, Jared Dudley, Channing Frye and Hakim Warrick last season. The former Atlanta Hawk will likely be searching for a new home soon.

Portland Trailblazers

Just two years ago, Brandon Roy was arguably among the top ten players in the league and the Trailblazers rewarded their franchise player with a maximum salary contract. Then his knees gave out, causing him to miss most of the past two seasons and undergo numerous procedures. At just 27, Roy’s days as a franchise player are over and though he may still be able to help a team off the bench, he’s not worth any where near the $68.7 million remaining on his deal. Portland fans won’t like it, but the Blazers need to let their captain go.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings won’t feel compelled to use the amnesty clause on any of their current players, though if they’re looking to free up some cap space in order to be a player in free agency Francisco Garcia is the most likely candidate. Garcia is an athletic swingman, but his limited skill set makes his replaceable and waiving him would free up over $6 million per year for the next three seasons.

San Antonio Spurs

Richard Jefferson is the obvious choice here. The former Nets forward is on the downside of his career and never found his niche in the Spurs offense. Couple that with the the $30 million he’s owed over the next three years and the Spurs dealing George Hill for rookie forward Kawhi Leonard and the writing is on the wall for Jefferson.

Toronto Raptors

Jose Calderon is a mediocre point guard at best, but is being paid like an all-star at the rate of $10 million per year over the next two seasons. The problem is that the only other point guard on the roster, Jerryd Bayless, is incapable of running an offense. The more likely victim of the amnesty clause is Linas Kleiza and the $14 million he’s due over the next four years.

Utah Jazz

Mehmet Okur missed much of last season with a torn Achilles tendon and in the last year of his contract, the Jazz are attempting to move in a younger direction. With a number of talented big men, including the third pick in the 2011 draft, Enes Kanter, the Jazz will shed the $10.9 million owed to Okur this season from their cap.

Washington Wizards

Rashard Lewis has become the poster boy for the owners’ push for an overhaul of the system. The Wizards forward is set to make a staggering $43.8 million over the next two seasons. This for a player who averaged 11.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season on a terrible team.

Melo and Amar’e Take Their Talents to Sesame Street

In the latest edition of “What are They Doing During the Lockout,” Knicks stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire recently made their second appearance on Sesame Street. Here they are hanging out with their homeboy Grover.

The Basketball Junkie’s Lockout Survival Guide

If you love the NBA as I do, then the past month has been absolute torture for you. A little piece of you dies every time the NBA cancels a new block of games.

It doesn’t help that the media routinely builds up hope with reports that “progress was made” or “there’s reason for optimism that a deal will get done soon,” only to inform you the following day that talks have broken off and the two sides are as far apart as ever. As depressing as it is, it’s impossible to turn away because you desperately want to see some basketball.

As the lockout continues to drag on and the threat of more games and potentially even the season being canceled, NBA fans need to find alternative sources of entertainment. So I came up with a lockout survival guide consisting of ten ways NBA junkies can get their fix until the two sides reach an agreement.

10) NBA Gossip

How bad are you jonesing for some NBA action? Athletes and their families have infiltrated the world of reality television and gossip publications. You need look no further than the Kardashian sisters, Khloe and Kim, who  married NBA players Lamar Odom and Kris Humphries. Carmelo Anthony’s wife Lala Vazquez has her own show on VH1 called Lala’s Full Court Press and Basketball Wives is back for a third season. You can also see what many of your favorites ballplayers are up to by following them on twitter.

9) High School Hoops

This may seem like a desperation move, but it could end up being quite rewarding. If you really love the game, you’ll enjoy checking out some of the top teams and potential future stars in your city or simply watching local players or teams progress over the course of the season.  

8)  Basketball Books

You can stay close to the game by brushing up on your basketball history. There are countless great books about the history of the game, players, teams and leagues, as well as informative manuals on Xs and Os. Jerry West’s new book Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon has received rave reviews and you can find other ideas from a previous post counting down the ten best basketball books I’ve read.

7) Join a League

Who needs to watch b-ball on TV when you can play yourself? Rent out a local high school gym once a week with a bunch of your buddies or join a team in a competitive league. There are leagues for all different ability and age levels. Alternatively, you may consider coaching a youth intramural team in your spare time.

6) Street Ball

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to this because if the next street ball season arrives before the NBA returns it will mean that the entire 2011-12 season was canceled (unless you live in a warm climate where the playgrounds are packed year round). Street ball at its best is basketball in its most artistic and improvisational form. Every major city has a park where the best street ballers show off their games, the Mecca being Rucker Park in Harlem, New York City.

5) Occupy the NBA

One of the most frustrating aspects of the lockout is that we the fans feel completely helpless. The players argue that their unique talent drives the league and they should be compensated accordingly. News flash! There would be no NBA without the fans. That $4 billion the players and owners are arguing over comes from our pockets, yet we have no say in these negotiations.

Take the power back! In the spirit of the times, express your displeasure with the current lockout by occupying the NBA. David Zirin discussed this issue at length a few weeks ago in his column Edge of Sports.

4) Hockey

Remember this game? It’s played on ice, six guys on a side, with sticks, a puck and the occasional brawl. Many basketball fans grew up on hockey as well, but lost interest in the game as the NHL’s popularity has declined in the U.S. over the past twenty years. If you prefer professional sports, it may be a good time to give hockey another chance.

3) Old School Hoops

If it’s NBA or bust for you and no other level of basketball will do, there are plenty of great old NBA games available for your viewing pleasure. NBATV is currently airing games from the memorable 1993 playoffs, highlighted by two great conference championship series between the Bulls and Knicks and Rockets and Suns. ESPN Classic is another source for legendary NBA games and your local sports channel may turn to NBA classics as well, with plenty of air time to fill during the lockout.

2) European Leagues

With the NBA on hiatus, the highest quality of basketball is being played in Europe. Many NBA players have signed with European teams either for the entire season or until the lockout ends, including all-stars Deron Williams and Tony Parker. The Euroleague, a tournament consisting of 24 of the best teams in Europe is underway and can be seen live on Euroleague.net and ESPN 3. There are many high quality leagues throughout Europe. Two of the best are Liga ACB in Spain and the Italian league Lega Basket Serie A. Eurobasket.com is a great source for information about the various leagues and news on NBA players playing in Europe.

1) College Basketball

For fans who love the NBA, this is your most accessible and exciting alternative until the lockout ends. Oddly, the NBA labor strife should result in greater competition in the college game this season. Some of the best players in the country, including North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes and Ohio State big man Jared Sullinger, remained in college in order to avoid the possibility of being locked out.

A Champagne Super-Nova?

by Paul Knepper

The Yankees have become as synonymous with October as the leaves changing color and candy corn, but they were no sure bet to make the post-season this year. Coming out of spring training they had major question marks in the rotation. Ace CC Sabathia, unpredictable A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes, an 18-game-winner last season, were penciled into the first three spots in the rotation. It was the fourth and fifth starters that were a concern.

The Bombers suffered two major blows to their hopes for a rotation during the off-season when GM Brain Cashman lost his number one priority, prized free agent Cliff Lee, to Philadelphia and Yankee great Andy Pettitte decided to hang up his pinstripes for good. Those losses were compounded by the rival Red Sox apparent plethora of quality starters.

Cashman attempted to plug up the holes in the rotation by signing over-the-hill veterans Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon to minor league contracts. Colon turned 38 in May, hadn’t pitched 100 innings in a season since he won the Cy Young award with the Angels in 2005 and sat out the entire 2010 season while undergoing controversial stem cell procedure on his shoulder. Garcia was another reclamation project who has lost a great deal of velocity after undergoing shoulder surgery in 2007. Nine years removed from his last all-star game, his E.R.A. hadn’t been below 4.00 since 2005 and he won a total of five games from 2007-2009.

Colon and Garcia’s main competition for the last two rotation sports came from unheralded rookie Ivan Nova. The Yankees signed the Dominican right-hander as an undrafted free agent in 2004, then lost him in the 2008 Rule 5 draft before re-signing him as a free agent a year later. The 24-year-old wasn’t considered one of the team’s top prospects and failed to generate the kind of hype surrounding Hughes and Joba Chamberlain a few years ago. He pitched decently over 42 innings during a cup of coffee with the big club in 2010, but didn’t appear ready to start for a playoff caliber ballclub.

Needless to say, the Yankees didn’t know what they were going to get from Nova, Colon and Garcia and were rested their pre-season hopes on Sabathia, Burnett and Hughes. So if somebody told Cashman in spring training that Burnett and Hughes would both have an E.R.A. over five and win 16 games between them, but the Yankees would easily win the A.L. East, he would have thought they were crazy. That’s exactly what happened.

Hughes’ velocity was down at the start of the season. He got shelled in the month of April and ultimately landed on the DL with inflammation in his shoulder. Burnett has a disaster, failing to bounce back from a putrid 2010 campaign and criticizing manager Joe Girardi in the process. The season could have been lost, but Colon, Garcia and Nova surprisingly picked up the slack.

Colon’s fastball began reaching the mid 90’s for the first time in years. He’s given the Yankees 150 quality innings and his E.R.A. just recently rose to 4.00 as he began to tire. Garcia’s been even more impressive. Relying on guile and changes of speed the one-time 18-game winner has kept hitters off balance all season long. He won 12 games, sporting a 3.62 E.R.A. and will likely be the team’s third starter in the playoffs.

But it’s Nova who’s been the most pleasant surprise among the Yankee starters. The right-hander throws five pitches well, though his two-seam fastball is his out pitch. Reaching the low 90’s on the radar gun, the two-seamer ties up hitters with  its late sinking action. Nova has shown unusual poise on and off the mound, especially following an undeserved mid-season demotion when Hughes returned form the DL.

Nova’s become manager Girardi’s second most dependable starter after Sabathia and a leading candidate for A.L. Rookie of the Year. He’s won 16 games in just 27 starts, including his last twelve decisions, the longest such streak by a rookie starter since Larry Jansen of the Giants did the same in 1947.

Nova seems poised to be a mainstay in the Yankee rotation for years to come, though as with any other Yankee, the true test is how he performs in the post-season. And with Garcia and Colon finallly showing signs of fatigue over the past few weeks, Girardi will be depending on his young right-hander even more so in October.

Nova will be slotted in the number two spot in the rotation, behind Sabathia, where he has big shoes to fill.  Over the past fifteen years, Pettitte set a pretty high standard for the number two starter, winning more post-season games (19) than anyone in Major League history, after often changing the momentum series with his Game 2 starts.

As the old adage goes, pitching wins championships, and history has demonstrated that a team needs at least two hot starters to survive and advance in the playoffs. Sabathia is a pretty safe bet to pitch well in the big games ahead. If the Yankees are going to pop champagne after a 28th World Series championship Nova needs to pitch like a star.

Top 20 Quarterbacks to Start a Team With

by Paul Knepper

Suspend reality with me for a moment and imagine that you are the owner of a new NFL franchise. You can pick any quarterback to head your team. Who would you choose?

Naturally, your first thought is Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but this isn’t a one year deal. You’re building a team and must consider both the short and long term interests of your franchise. Age and durability are important factors. You may also want to consider off-the-field issues for the face of your franchise.

Here’s my list of the top 20 quarterbacks to start a team with.

20) Kevin Kolb

Kolb has finally landed a starting gig in his fifth year in the league. During limited playing time with the Eagles he showed signs of greatness and at other times appeared lost. The Cardinals obviously think he’s the answer to their quarterback problem, trading Dominique Rodgers-Cromarte and a second round pick for him, then signing him to a five-year $63 million contract.

19) Matt Schaub

Michael Vick’s one-time backup in Atlanta has found a home in Texas, where he’s led one of the most productive offenses in the league the past few years.  Of course, throwing to Andre Johnson always helps. Schaub’s not a franchise quarterback, but he’s probably in the top ten to fifteen QBs in the league and should remain so for the next five years.

18) Andrew Luck

The “suck for Luck” sweepstakes are in full swing and the Seahawks are the early favorite. He’s the consensus number one pick in the 2012 draft and the most highly touted pro quarterback prospect in years. His experience in a pro-style offense at Stanford should help him hit the ground running in the NFL.

17) Jay Cutler

For years we waited for this gunslinger to take his game to the next level. It’s not happening. At 28, in his sixth season in the league, the Bears know what they have in Jay Cutler, a good quarterback, with a great arm who still makes poor decisions and demonstrates questionable leadership ability. I’m not sure if I want to rest my Super Bowl hopes on that right arm.

16) Mark Sanchez

The verdict is still out on the Jets third-year signal caller. His completion percentage is cause for concern and he needs to continue to cut down on his mistakes over the middle. Still just 24, there’s room for improvement and it’s noteworthy that he’s played his best football in pressure-packed games, leading the Jets to the AFC Championship in consecutive seasons.

15) Tony Romo

Quarterback of “America’s team” is the most scrutinized position in sports and Romo’s schizophrenic play hasn’t helped matters. Take week one against the Jets for example. He was great for three quarters, then handed the Jets the game with two inexplicable turnovers. The most significant statistic attached to Romo is that the Cowboys have only won one playoff game during his tenure.

14) Eli Manning

Once you get past all the hype that comes with his last name, playing QB in the New York market and his recent statements, Eli is simply a good quarterback, nothing more. He’s in his prime right now and still led the league in interceptions last year. I can hear Giants fans screaming, “But he won a Super Bowl!” Yes, and so did Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson; their busts aren’t lining the walls of Canton any time soon.

13) Joe Flacco

The Ravens signal caller continues to improve in this his fourth season and the team has rewarded him with greater responsibility and a more dynamic group of receivers. He hasn’t missed a game in his career and should continue to be a dependable, if not spectacular player for the next eight to ten years.

12) Cam Newton

It’s way to early to jump to any grand conclusions, but 854 yards passing in his first two games, one of which was against the defending champion Packers, is unbelievable. Last year’s Heisman winner is also capable of rushing for 100 yards on any given Sunday. I’ll take his upside over more established QBs like Eli Manning and Cutler.

11) Michael Vick

It took many seasons, a stint in the big house and some tutoring from Andy Reid and Marty Mornhenwig for Vick to become the quarterback the Falcons envisioned when they selected him with the first pick in the 2001 draft. The Eagles QB played MVP-caliber football during the first half of the season last year, though he’s had trouble staying healthy and his legs will be less of a weapon as he ages.

10) Peyton Manning

A mysterious neck injury may sideline the Colts franchise player for the entire season, meaning he may be 36-years-old the next time he lines up behind center. It’s fair to wonder if he’ll be able to compete at the same level and if so, for how long. Given his condition, I’d take 10-12 years of some of the young guns over two or three possibly diminished years from Peyton.

9) Matthew Stafford

Stafford can really sling it. The third-year quarterback tossed seven touchdowns in the Lions first two games this season. The only question about this former Georgia Bulldog is his durability. His first two seasons in the league were cut short by injuries, including one to his throwing shoulder last year.

8)  Josh Freeman

He doesn’t receive a great deal of press playing in Tampa, though to this point he’s been the most impressive quarterback from the 2009 draft, which included Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez.  Freeman took great strides last year, playing with the savvy of a seasoned veteran on a much-improved Bucs team.

7) Phillip Rivers

The Chargers brought back memories of the “Air Coryell” days last season, with Rivers throwing for a league-high 4,710 yards. And that was without the services of stud wide receiver Vincent Jackson for most of the season. Rivers and the Chargers lack of success in the playoffs prevent him from being ranked higher on this list.

6) Sam Bradford

This Heisman trophy winner and first pick in the 2010 draft has lived up to his billing so far, passing for over 3,ooo yards in his rookie season without the benefit of a number one receiver. He’s fully recovered from the shoulder injury that ended his junior year at Oklahoma and at the age of 23 has plenty of room for growth.

5) Matt Ryan

“Matty Ice” made Falcons fans forget about Michael Vick pretty quickly. The fourth year signal caller really came into his own last season, significantly improving his touchdown to interception ratio (28/9), while leading the Falcons to the number one seed in the NFC.

4) Drew Brees

The Siants QB had an off-year last season and still led the league in completion percentage. He has a Super Bowl MVP on his resume and is rightfully mentioned among the best quaretbacks in the game. At 32, he should have a few elite years left, but you may want to consider a younger option like one of the Matts (Ryan or Stafford).

3) Ben Roethlisberger

His off the field issues are well documented and there have been rumblings that he’snot the best teammate, but  Big Ben has led the Steelers to three Super Bowls, winning two of them. He doesn’t have the accuracy of Manning or Brady, but he has a knack for making plays when his team needs them most. At 29 years of age, he should have several more top notch seasons in him.

2) Tom Brady

Brady brings a championship pedigree and had perhaps his finest season last year, throwing 36 touchdowns, compared to just 4 interceptions. If you were choosing a QB for one season this former Michigan Wolverine would be your guy, but at age 34 he realistically only has two to three elite seasons left. Still, I like my chances of winning a Super Bowl in that short time period.

1) Aaron Rodgers

With his MVP performance in Super Bowl XLV Rodgers secured his place among the elite quarterbacks in the league and at just 27, he’s the youngest of the bunch. He’s the complete package on and off the field. If you were starting a franchise he’d be the number one pick.

Honorable mention:

Colt McCoy, Christian Ponder, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker

Rafa’s Move

A year ago, Rafael Nadal was on top of the tennis world. He’d just polished off Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open final, capping off a spectacular year in which he also won the French Open and Wimbledon and secured the number one ranking.

Fully recovered from the knee injuries which plagued him in 2009, he distanced himself from his arch nemesis, Roger Federer, who at age 29 was clearly on the downside of his career, and reasserted his dominance over Djokovic, the other threat to his throne. Still just 24, the Spaniard seemed poised to reign over men’s tennis for the next few years.

Djokovic always had as much talent as Nadal, but hadn’t been able to break through against two of the game’s all-time greats, Federer and Nadal. His arsenal included a powerful and accurate serve, an excellent return of serve and a dangerous forehand, but his backhand was inconsistent. In his matches against Federer and Nadal the deciding factors were often stamina and confidence. Federer and Nadal had them and Djokovic didn’t.

Tired of finishing second or third, Nole used last offseason to revamp his body and his game. He worked on his backhand and adpoted a gluten-free diet, which improved his stamina. His confidence seemed to follow. The new and improved Djokovic made his debut  at the 2011 Australian Open, where he desposed of Federer in straight sets in the semi-finals, then easily defeated number four seed Andy Murray for the championship.

His victory at the Aussie Open was just the beginning of what will go down as one of the greatest seasons in the open era. The Serbian came within a hiccup in the semi-finals of the French against Federer short of the Grand Slam. He’s lost just two of his 66 matches and in July took over the number one ranking.

The French was Djokivic’s only loss to Federer this year in five meetings between the two. Last week he came back from 2 sets down and fought off two match points to defeat the former world’s number one in the semi-finals at the U.S. Open. This time it was Federer who grew visibly fatigued as the match wore on.

Two days later Nole beat Nadal in the final for his first U.S. Open title. Prior to this year, Nadal had a 16-7 edge over Djokovic and was 5-0 against him in tournament finals and 5-0 in Grand Slams. This year the two have met six times, all in tournament finals and Djokovic has won them all, including the finals of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Two of the matches even took place on clay, Nadal’s best surface.

The Djoker didn’t just win those matches, he beat Nadal decisively. He took out the defending champ in four sets at Wimbledon and Nadal barely eked out a tiebreaker at the Open. Nobody has ever pushed Nadal around the court the way Nole did Monday night. Nadal admitted after Wimbledon that Djokovic is in his head and he appeared uncharacteristically unsettled on the court during their latest match.

The challenge for Djokovic now is to maintain his focus and desire. It’s easier to get to number one than to stay there. The potential distractions multiply, there’s to prove and he’s now being hunted by all the other top players on the tour. John McEnroe, the last male to produce a season comparable to Djokovic’s, when he went 82-3 in 1984, admitted that he became distracted by his celebrity status, and was never nearly the same player again.

History indicates that it will be nearly impossible for Nole to duplicate his sensational season, though assuming he remains healthy and focused, he may continue to rule men’s tennis for the foreseeable future. Federer is in his 30’s now and Murray lacks the firepower and fortitude to knock off the big boys. Nadal is the one man who can challenge him for that number one spot, at least until a new young champion bubbles up.

Nadal is just one year older than Djokovic. He’s a fierce competitor and has at least one weapon, his whip-like forehand, which can hurt the Serbian. But other aspects of his game were exposed in the U.S. Open final, most notably his first serve, which lacked the zip that was so effective during his 2010 U.S. Open run, leaving him vulnerable to Djokovic’s devastating returns. While his backhand is more than adequate against almost everybody else on the tour, he’s not able to match the hummers down-the-line that Djokovic unleashes on him.

Nadal has vastly improved his game before. The “King of Clay” learned to flatten out his strokes on faster surfaces, allowing him to finally beat Federer at Wimbledon, and an additional 10-15 MPH’s on his first serve got him over the hump at the U.S. Open last year. Now he needs to continue you work on his serve, add a little pop to his backhand and learn to take the ball on the rise against Djokovic in order to dictate the tempo of the points and keep his rival on the defensive.

Nadal and Djokovic are two superb champions with the potential to echo the great rivalries of Borg-McEnroe, Sampras-Agassi and Federer-Nadal. Players of their caliber usually bring out the best in each other. Rafa’s stellar 2010 campaign forced Nole to take his game to another level. Djokovic countered with the most dominant season in recent memory. It’s Rafa’s move.

Most Memorable Father-Son Moments in Sports

 by Paul Knepper

Whether it’s having a catch in the backyard or watching a football game together, fathers and sons have bonded over sports for generations. Many professional athletes still call their fathers after a big game and look to them for guidance and approval. Those athletes pass on the love of sports to their own sons. Occasionally, a ballplayer is fortunate enough to have his father or son present or even involved with the greatest moments of his career and those occasions often make for some of the most touching and memorable moments in sports.

These are the ten most memorable father-son moments in sports.

10) Robinson Cano’s father pitching to him at the Home Run Derby

The Yankees second baseman flew his father Jose in from the Dominican Republic to pitch to him in the Home Run Derby last month. Jose, who pitched six games for the Astros in 1989, clearly knew his son’s sweet spot. Robinson jacked 12 bombs in the final round, a derby record, to beat Red Sox first baseman Adrain Gonzalez and win the competition. The younger Cano was beaming as he and his father shared a victory embrace.

9) William Ligue Jr. and his son attacking Tom Gamboa

Not all memorable father-son moments are uplifting. In September 2002, William Ligue Jr. and his teenage son ran onto the field at Chicago’s Comiskey Park and attacked Kansas City Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa for no apparent reason. Fortunately, Gamboa didn’t receive any major injuries.

8)  Mark McGwire lifting his son after breaking the home run record

Ten-year old Mark McGwire was a part-time bat boy for the St. Louis Cardinals in the summer of 1998 when his father Mark was chasing Roger Maris’ home run record. When Big Mac hit number 62 off of Steve Traschel of the Cubs on September 8th at the old Busch Stadium, Matt was the first person to greet him at home plate. Mark hoisted his jubilant son over his head like a baby.

7) Dusty Baker watching his son almost get run over at home


Giants Manager Dusty Baker made his 3 1/2 year old son Darren a bat boy for the 2002 World Series. When Kenny Lofton tripled in the gap in the seventh inning of Game 5 with two men on, Darren went to retrieve the bat and almost got run over at the plate by J.T. Snow, who was scoring from second. Snow grabbed Darren by his jacket and carried him to safety as an embarrassed Dusty shook his lowered head in the dugout.

6) Pat Cash climbing into the stands after winning Wimbledon

In what has since become a tradition at the All England Club, Australian Pat Cash was so elated after knocking off Ivan Lendl in the 1987 Wimbledon final that he felt compelled to climb into the crowd to get to his family. By the time he reached his family’s box the entire crowd was caught up in his exuberance. Cash’s proud father was the first to greet him and gave his son a big hug.

5) The Griffeys hitting back-to-back home runs

When Ken Griffey Jr. broke into the big leagues with the Mariners in 1989, he and his father Ken Sr. became the first father-son combo to play in the Major Leagues at the same time. The two became teammates when the Mariners signed Senior in August 1990, and the highlight of the their tenure together came on September 14th when the duo became the first and only father-son combo to hit back-to-back home runs.

4) Drew Brees holding his son after winning the Super Bowl

Drew Brees capped off an M.V.P. season with a Super Bowl M.V.P. when his Saints beat the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. During the post-game festivities Brees’ wife handed the QB his one year-old son Baylen, who looked adorable in his super-sized headphones. Cameras caught the wonderful scene of Brees holding his son as he soaked up the moment.

3) Favre’s fantastic performance the day after his father died


Brett Favre was heart broken when his father Irv died suddenly of a heart attack in December 2003, but #4 still suited up for the Packers Monday night matchup with the Raiders the following night. He said his father would have wanted him to play. Favre channeled his emotion into one of the most spectacular performances of his career throwing for 311 yards and four touchdowns in the first half in a Packers 41-7 romp.

2) Jim Craig looking for his father after winning gold

When the U.S. Olympic hockey team finished off their miraculous run at the 1980 games by defeating Finland for the Gold medal, the players jumped over the bench and embraced on the ice. Goalie Jim Craig stood alone looking off into the distance with an American flag draped around him. It’s become the enduring image from the most celebrated victory in American sports history. Nobody knew at the time that Craig was scanning the crowd for his father.

1) Derek Redmond finishing the race with his father’s help

When British sprinter Derek Redmond’s hamstring snapped with about 250 meters to go is 400 meter race at the 1992 Olympics in Bareclona, he refused to be carried off on a stretcher. Redmond continued the race, hopping on one leg, with a look of sheer agony on his face. His father Jim barged through security and ran onto the track to assist his son. Derek crossed the finish line with his arm around his father’s shoulders.

Honorable mention:

Manny Ramirez calling his dad with the Red Sox leading during Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS (which the Red Sox went on to lose) to talk about going to World Series.

Antonio Cromartie trying to name all of his kids on HBO’s Hard Knocks. 

Michael Jordan telling his children “I wouldn’t want to be you if I had to” during his Hall of Fame induction speech.