The Yankees have signed yet another outfielder. This time it is former Yankee Marcus Thames who played the last six seasons with the Tigers. The Yankees have signed Thames to a non-roster contract.
Thames is most known for hitting his first career home run against Randy Johnson in 2002. It was also his first career at bat. Thames was traded in 2003 to the Rangers for Ruben Sierra.
Thames will fight for playing time with another Yankees’ recent free agent signing Randy Winn.
Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 3 hours, 10 minutes ago at 4:22 PM. Add a comment
The 2009 NFL season and Super Bowl XLIV have concluded but the topic of having a Super Bowl in a cold weather city will be debated until a decision is made on whether the new Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey, home of the New York Giants and Jets, will hold the 2014 Super Bowl. The billion dollar stadium which resides just yards from the old Giants Stadium will open its doors in 2010.
A Super Bowl has never been held in a cold weather city outdoors. It is either held in a domed stadium or an outdoor warm weather field such as Miami. Putting economic issues aside, what are some football reasons to and not to have a Super Bowl in a cold weather city?
A dome or warm weather city are deemed ”ideal” conditions for football. It has been said that poor weather brings talent closer together. In an ideal climate and setting, talent can shine and the better team should be victors.
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Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 10 hours, 49 minutes ago at 8:43 AM. 2 comments
CBS expects over 100 million people to watch the Super Bowl today. The Super Bowl is one of the biggest parties of the year for some people. Several different types of people watch the Super Bowl and they do it for all different reasons.
First you have the socialites. These people watch one football game annually and it’s the Super Bowl. They know Peyton Manning from one of his many television commercials and Reggie Bush from him dating the Kardashian girl. They won’t watch the game. They’ll be sucking down some mojitos somewhere away from the TV. They’re more into the social aspect and party scene than the football.
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Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 1 day, 6 hours ago at 1:18 PM. Add a comment
The Knicks are making a “trade” or sorts, but it’s taking place right inside their roster. Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni will start Nate Robinson at point guard over Chris Duhon. Duhon has struggled mightily this season and Nate’s spark when on the floor can’t be missed. D’Antoni informed reporters of the switch during the post-game media session after their 107-85 win over the Wizards Wednesday night.
About starting Robinson over Duhon D’Antoni said, “I don’t have a reason not to. I like what we saw. Hopefully it will stay that way.”
Robinson played the entire second half for the Knicks at point guard. He had 23 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds in the game.
The decision is a no-brainer. Robinson adds spunk to the Knicks and Duhon doesn’t add much of anything, at least lately. Duhon’s not getting the job done and D’Antoni has seen his point guard’s struggles become the teams’ struggles.
On a side note, castoff Larry Hughes saw time on the hardwood in the Knicks win Wednesday night. He scored 11 points. He saw the floor two times in all of January.
Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 4 days, 9 hours ago at 9:53 AM. Add a comment
The Boston Celtics are toying with the idea of trading guard Ray Allen before the February 18 trade deadline according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
Wojnarowski says;
“The Celtics have initiated trade proposals on Allen, multiple league sources say, and Boston is searching for a younger, less expensive guard and an expiring contract. This way they can find a replacement for the 34-year-old Allen without losing him and his $20 million expiring contract for nothing in free agency this summer.”
Later in the article Wojnarowski said Allen is “intrigued” with playing for the Heat or Knicks.
Knicks rookie Toney Douglas is younger and less expensive and the Knicks have several expiring contracts they can send to Boston for Allen. Nate Robinson could be dealt as the expiring contract. Boston flirted with the idea of trading for Robinson a few weeks ago. The Knicks have other expiring contracts that could be dealt too if the Celtics don’t want Robinson anymore.
I keep saying that the Knicks should try to acquire a really good player now who will be a free agent after this season in order to make them look better for superstar free agents this summer. If the Knicks could trade for someone and sign them to an extension – even better, because there is no guarantee they sign this summer’s top free agents.
Ray Allen may be aging but he is a pure shooter that would play well in D’Antoni’s system. Unlike trying to trade for Amare Stoudemire, the Knicks have what the Celtics are looking for if the Celtics think Toney Douglas is going to be a good player.
Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 6 days ago at 6:34 PM. 2 comments
The Oakland Tribune is throwing around the idea of Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha being traded to the Jets. The Jets need another cornerback to play alongside Darrelle Revis and Asomugha would give the Jets arguably the best cornerback duo in the NFL. Revis and Asomugha were the AFC’s starting cornerbacks in the Pro Bowl.
“Me and Revis have been talking to Rex to try to do something,” Asomugha told ESPN at the Pro Bowl. ”You may see us in the future. There’s a little bit of talk going on. Either he’s coming to Oakland or something else will happen.”
The Jets aren’t trading Revis so if we do see them together in the future it will be with the Jets. Acquiring Asomugha would plug a major hole and make the Jets a tough team to throw against.
Asomugha just finished the first year of a three-year deal worth $45.3 million that made him the highest paid defensive-back in the history of the NFL. The Raiders would gain a substantial amount of cap relief if they were able to move Asomugha and they would also receive a good amount of assets in return.
The Oakland Tribune thinks the Raiders could be interested in the Jets first round pick (29th overall), receiver Braylon Edwards, their second-string quarterback Kellen Clemens and bust outside linebacker Vernon Gholston.
I think the Jets can make a trade work. They could build a package around their first round pick and Kellen Clemens. Clemens can contend with JaMarcus Russell for the starting quarterback job in Oakland. If the Raiders would take Gholston too, then even better. I’d think twice about including Braylon Edwards though because if they trade their first round pick then they won’t be able to draft a receiver and they won’t have the assets to acquire one. The only problem would be one Revis’ pay day comes. Revis and Asomugha will take up a huge chunk of salary together. In all likelihood the Jets will not be acquiring Asomugha.
Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 6 days, 2 hours ago at 4:34 PM. Add a comment
A poor January has negated the Knicks strong December and they are well back of 8th place in the East. The Knicks went 9-6 in December and followed that up with a 6-9 record in January to put them back at square one. If they could have built around their December success they may have been able to hover within two or three games from the 8th spot.
As of February 1 the Heat (24-23) hold the 8th spot by three games over the Bucks (20-25) and six games over the 10th place Knicks (18-29). With 35 games to play the Knicks will need to go 23-12 to end the season at .500. That means the Knicks, who currently have a winning percentage of .383, would have to have a .657 winning percentage during their last 35 games. That only gets them to 41-41. They may need to win 43 or 44 games to get the 8th seed depending on other teams.
A playoff birth doesn’t seem likely for the Knicks. To go from winning 38% of your games to winning 65% of your games doesn’t happen overnight.
Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 1 week ago at 1:53 PM. Add a comment
Jets head coach Rex Ryan flipped off a Miami crowd at an MMA fight Saturday night. A person with a camera phone caught Ryan giving the bird to the crowd.
Ryan told the Miami faithful,”I’d like to thank everybody here in Miami. I know they love me. I want to just tell everybody in Miami, hey, we’re coming to beat you twice next year.”
An apologetic Ryan called the act “stupid and inappropriate.”
Preseason, postseason, offseason… will there be any time Ryan shuts his mouth? It doesn’t seem so.
Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 1 week ago at 10:38 PM. Add a comment
Jared Jeffries’ defense is hard to ignore and my thinking is the Knicks may be able to trade him to a contending team that is looking to add a defensive presence to their roster. The team would most likely have to be a team that isn’t looking to sign one of the NBA’s top free agents this summer because teams that are going to be in hot pursuit of big names won’t want to take on Jeffries’ contract. They’ll want as much cap flexibility as possible.
Teams that could use Jeffries’ services are the Spurs, Hornets, and there could just as well be others (my assumptions). Maybe even the young Grizzlies could use Jeffries.
Knick fans know that Jeffries plays really well on defense. He works hard and the Knicks use him to guard several different players. Jeffries could help a defensive-minded team or even an offensive team looking to add a little defense down the stretch. They’ll have to act quickly, however, because the NBA trade deadline is less than three weeks away.
If the Knicks receive an offer of an expiring contract for Jeffries, they’ll be inclined to make that trade. Donnie Walsh would be thrilled to receive such an offer. Walsh shouldn’t wait for teams to come to him though. He should be making phone calls to them (which I’m sure he’s doing already). The Knicks are falling out of contention quickly and they need to make up their minds before the February 18 trade deadline whether they want to add a piece to make this team better or diligently try to trade the contracts of Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries in return for expiring contracts.
Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 1 week, 1 day ago at 11:55 AM. 2 comments
Johnny Damon and his agent, Scott Boras, turned down an offer from the Yankees one week and the following week the Yankees added Randy Winn to their roster in a one-year deal worth $2 million. The deal the Yankees offered Damon was one-year for $6 million.
Where does Damon think he’ll get more money than that?
I wonder if Damon was on board with the Yankees offer and Boras talked him into declining the offer in hopes the Yankees would counter with something higher. Then the Yankees signed Randy Winn and Damon’s return flew out the window. Boras has really underestimated the Yankees desire to keep their payroll down.
I’m not sure if anybody will offer Damon a contract worth more than $6 million for one year. If the Yankees are willing to give you $6 million, what team will go higher? We are fastly approaching spring training and team needs are diminishing.
There sits Johnny, all alone, with nobody to talk to.
Teams that have been rumored to have interest in Damon include the A’s, Rays, and Jays.
Post By Rich Santonocito
Posted 1 week, 1 day ago at 11:28 AM. Add a comment
