Hey New York, Get Your S*** Together!!

April 23, 2018April 23, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

New York.

It’s literally the greatest place on earth. It’s science. A fact.

Ya know, I suddenly understand why the rest of the world hates us….

Over the past decade, New York’s elite status in the sports world has diminished. The championship drought New York is experiencing is unacceptable:

Jets – 1969

Knicks – 1973

Islanders – 1983

Mets – 1986

Rangers – 1994

Yankees – 2009

Giants – 2011

Like you, I’m unimpressed. **Photo Album is for nostalgic purposes only. You don’t need photographs of the 2009 Yankees and 2011 Giants!!

(And no, the Bills, Devils, and Nets don’t count!!)

Now I know Cincinnati (28 years), Minnesota (27 years), and Washington D.C. (27 years) will tell us to cry a river, but this is New York. New York shouldn’t go seven years, and counting, without a championship.

With the Knicks, Islanders, Rangers, Jets, and Giants missing the postseason by wild margins this year, all of New York’s eggs rest in the Yankees’ Easter basket.

With World Series or bust expectations for the Yankees, panic started to reverberate throughout the city when they got off to a 5-6 start. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Panic, in April, is as absurd as thinking the Cleveland Browns will win a Super Bowl in your lifetime. Yes, that goes for newborn babies too.

Fresh off a series win (three of four) against the Toronto Blue Jays, have the Yankees turned a corner??

They closed out their four-game series with a 5-1 victory over former Yankee, Jaime Garcia and now stand at 11-9. Luis Severino was fantastic — again. And Yankees’ top-prospect, Gleyber Torres, made his Major League debut.

They’ll look to carry this momentum into a four-game series (at home) against the Minnesota Twins. Another series win would be optimal, as their next 13 come against the Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox. Yikes.

Speaking of the Red Sox, the only time you’ll find them in the loss column is via a no-hitter.

Warning: Objective Yankee fan moment coming….

The Red Sox got robbed during Sean Manaea’s no-hitter Saturday. Andrew Benintendi avoided a tag while running to first base, but was called out for being out of the base path (despite being originally called safe). Watch the play, courtesy of Baseball Rules Academy, here. Technically, a base runner can’t go three feet or more outside the base path, but technically, you can’t jaywalk….

Anyway, the moral of the story is, baseball is an incredibly long season. The Yankees dug themselves a nice size hole, but they have 142 more games to dig themselves out.

Everyone relax. Except Boston. You people panic. All day. Every day.

Have the Yankees turned a corner?? Or is this fools gold?? Tell me in the comment section below.

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Losing Breeds Champions

April 18, 2018April 18, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Losing is a good thing.

Wait, that didn’t come out right. Losing, can be a good thing, if used for fuel to light a fire under your rear end. When facing adversity, some teams, or individuals, curl up (for some reason it’s always in a corner) into the fetal position while others stand up and fight. The question is: When you’re backed into a corner, who are you??

LeBron James

Adversity in the first round of the playoffs and LeBron James haven’t often collided in the same sentence. LeBron’s loss Sunday was his first in game one, of round one, in his career. THAT’S INSANE!!

LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers will bounce back. There’s no doubt. By how much?? We’ll get there, relax.

The Cavaliers were 8-34 from three-point range in game one. That won’t happen again.

Kevin Love scored just nine points. That won’t happen again.

The Cavaliers scored 15 points or less in two quarters. That won’t happen again.

And LeBron James scored ZERO points in the first quarter (on one FG attempt). That won’t happen again.

Watch LeBron James do ‘Superman’ things tonight @ 7:00 P.M. EST on TNT.

Score Prediction: Cavaliers 110, Pacers 97

New York Yankees

Watching the New York Yankees play baseball Tuesday evening, at 6:35 p.m.?!, was one of the most excruciating experiences of my life. No, I’m not overreacting. And no, I’m not panicking in April. But yes, I’m unbelievably disappointed in a 9-1 loss to the MIAMI MARLINS!!

Giancarlo Stanton finished yet another game 0-4 with 2 strikeouts, bringing his batting average to a stellar .167. Stanton’s been awful. Terrible. Horrid. But, he can’t get worse. Also, in MLB, established players always play to the back of their baseball card.

.240, 27 home runs, and 90 r.b.i. is on the way.

Tuesday’s disaster sent pain waves throughout Yankee Nation for a multitude of reasons:

1.) Heading into Monday, the Miami Marlins were tied with the 3rd worst record in baseball (4-12).

2.) The Yankees pummeled the Marlins 12-1 on Monday.

3.) The Yankees were no-hit through 4 1/3 innings by Jarlin Garcia, and finished with just 1 run on 4 hits (Garcia pitched 10 1/3 innings of consecutive no-hit baseball).

4.) Masahiro Tanaka was painstakingly bad. Tanaka has now given up 6 earned runs in consecutive starts.

Again, panic is not allowed in my house in April. If the Yankees are dealing with this many injuries, and continue playing this way, through June, we’ll panic together.

Until then, let’s hope the Yankees are prepared to fight their way out of a corner.

Yankee fans, are you panicking?? If so, calm down, then pour your heart out in the comment section below.

Raucous Rivalry Renewed!!

April 12, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Greatest Rivalry In Sports

The hate is real. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox don’t like each other. And those feelings resurfaced Wednesday night. After Tyler Wade dropped down a bunt in the 3rd inning, Tyler Austin slid into 2nd base, trying to beat the throw. Austin came into 2nd base hard, intentionally sliding into Red Sox shortstop, Brock Holt’s leg. While Austin did clip the back of Holt’s leg, it wasn’t bench clearing brawl worthy.

As you can see, no punches were thrown, just choice words. But then, in the 7th inning, Joe Kelly retaliated, plunking Austin in the back. Austin wasn’t a happy camper:

Four ejections later, rivalry renewed.

My favorite part of this was Brock Holt’s thought process (referring to Judge and Stanton) during the brawl. “Yeah, I’m not trying to get involved with any of those guys,” Holt said. “I mean, not just those two. They have a pretty big team over there.”

Way to have your team’s back Brock!!

p.s. The Yankees put up 4 runs on David Price in the 1st inning, knocking him out of the game. The Yankees own him. After the dust settled, the Yankees would hang on, for a much needed, 10-7 victory.

Will The Mets Ever Lose Again?!

Miami Marlins’ pitcher, Jarlin Garcia, will have to wait to allow his 1st hit as a starter. He’ll also have to wait for his first win as a starter.

The New York Mets are riding an 8-game winning streak, following their 4-1 victory over the Marlins. The Mets, no offense fans, had no business winning this game. Marlins manager, Don Mattingly, lost this game (intentionally?). Donnie Baseball did something that should be illegal. He pulled his starting pitcher with a NO HITTER THROUGH SIX INNINGS (77 pitches)!!!!

WHAT THE WHAT?!?!

That makes no sense. That’s not baseball. That’s sabotage.

If Garcia was a rookie, making his 1st appearance in a MLB game, I’d almost understand. But this, wasn’t that. Garcia appeared in 68 games in 2017 (as a reliever). His arm could have handled 30-40 more pitches in an attempt at MLB’s 297th no hitter.

Be ashamed Don Mattingly. Be very ashamed.

Could New York sports teams possibly provide us with more news??

Yes. Yes they could.

Check back with DaveTalksSports.com for BREAKING NEWS from the New York Knicks….

With Every Valley, A Peak

April 11, 2018April 11, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

It’s EARLY.

Not just in the morning but in the MLB season.

Teams off to a ‘hot’ start will regress, and teams who can’t buy a win will do just that. It’s baseball. It’s 162 games. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. The instantaneous reaction generation can’t handle these moments.

On Monday, the Yankees could be the best team in MLB history.

And on Tuesday, they could be the biggest disappointment the world has ever seen.

Of course, a 14-1 loss, to a division rival, is never beneficial, but game 1 of 19 between the Red Sox and Yankees doesn’t determine the AL East.

Seriously though, letting the Red Sox drop a 9-spot in the 6th inning is not a recipe for success. Neither is starting Shane Robinson in centerfield, but that’s a different story….

Red Sox

Subjectively, I hate their guts. Objectively, they’re a really solid team. Those who wrote the Red Sox off, and crowned the Yankees AL East champs in March, were sorely mistaken. The Red Sox have been a well run organization since forever. Despite most Yankee fans’ distorted memories, the Red Sox have won the AL East the past 2 years (and 3 out of the last 5). This division will be hard fought all season (especially if David Price’s early season resurrection is real).

Yankees

Yes, I’m a Yankee fan. I want them to win every game. However, I don’t fit in with the typical Yankee fan. While I’ve been spoiled with their success throughout my life (I grew up in the 90s and early 2000s), I understand baseball. I understand reality.

They aren’t going to go 162-0. They may not play November baseball. And they aren’t the best lineup ever constructed. They will, however, level out. They’ll get healthy. They’ll win approximately 90 games. And they’ll make the playoffs.

Everyone calm down.

_________________________________________________________________________________

The folklore of ‘Sister Jean’ continues. After famously assisting Loyola-Chicago’s men’s basketball team to the Final Four, she’s moved on to baseball. Sister Jean was invited to throw out the 1st pitch at Tuesday’s, Chicago Cubs’ home-opener.

Not bad Sister Jean, not bad.

Unfortunately, the Cubs weren’t able to harness Sister Jean’s winning power, as they fell 8-5 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates have gotten off to a red hot start (8-2), while the Cubs have struggled (5-5). The Pirates have scored 66 runs through their 1st 10 games, the most since 1923. The Cubs, however, played their 1st 9 games on the road, and are without all-star, 1st baseman, Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo landed on the 10-day DL Tuesday with back tightness.

Expect the Pirates to cool off and the Cubs to grab hold of the division in the near future.

What are your thoughts on the MLB season so far?? Post your genius in the comment section below.

The Pudgy-Faced Assassin Struck GREEN!!

April 9, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Patrick Reed won the Masters.

WHO the hell is Patrick Reed?!

The pudgy-faced assassin. I think we’ll call him that.

Patrick Reed is 27 years old (despite looking like he’s 12). He’s married with two children and resides in Texas. Entering the Masters, Reed was the 24th ranked golfer in the world. At -14, Reed took a 3-stroke lead into Sunday, fighting off the likes of Rory McIlroy (-11), Rickie Fowler (-9), and Jordan Spieth (-5).

Despite coming up short, Jordan Spieth’s round Sunday was the most impressive performance of the tournament. A final round 64 (-8) is other worldly.

Sunday at the Masters, usually reserved for names tumbling down the leaderboard, saw a record breaking 7 of the top-20 finishers post rounds of 67 or better. With virtually everyone around him charging up the leaderboard, Reed remained steady, posting a safe, conservative -1 (71). Needing a par at the last, Reed showed nerves of steel, hitting his drive right down the middle. He then hit the approach shot of his life, leaving 20-feet, and 2 putts, to win the Masters.

This was Reed’s 1st Major victory. And the Masters has now seen five consecutive 1st time winners. Life after Tiger. No no, I know Tiger is back. And played in this tournament. But he didn’t really play in this tournament….

________________________________________________________________________________

And then, there was baseball.

The New York Yankees lost to the Baltimore Orioles in tragic fashion Sunday afternoon (8-7 F/12). After being spotted a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning, Yankees’ starter, Jordan Montgomery, decided he didn’t want it to be his day either. Montgomery failed to get out of the 5th inning, giving up 4 runs. Fast forward to the 12th inning….

After a walk and 2 consecutive singles, the Orioles grabbed an 8-7 lead in the top of the 12th inning. To the bottom of the 12th we go….

Austin Romine, who had the game of his life, led off the inning with a walk. With Tyler Wade (who’s really fast) and Gary Sanchez (who plays catcher) still on the bench, it’s inexplicable that Aaron Boone didn’t pinch run for Romine. Regardless, the Yankees loaded the bases on another walk and an error by Orioles’ closer, Brad Brach.

Yup, the Yankees had bases loaded, with no one out, and DID NOT SCORE!!!!

Because nothing says clutch like an Aaron Judge, 1-2-5 double-play, ground out. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Giancarlo Stanton followed it up with his 2nd FIVE STRIKEOUT GAME of the season. Stanton was the only Yankee who didn’t record a hit Sunday going an impressive 0-7.

Stanton will be fine, but New York and Miami are two different animals, aren’t they????

What did you watch Sunday?? Tell me about it in the comment section below.

Best. Tuesday. EVER!!

April 4, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Most sports fans get hyped over big events. Championship games. Drafts. Ya know, the important stuff.

But do you know what gets me going??

A random Tuesday in April!!

Yesterday was filled with more breaking news and highlights than I know what to do with. But I’ll try….

Didi Vs. Stanton

Didi Gregorius and Giancarlo Stanton couldn’t have had more polar opposite days:

Didi: 4 for 4 with 2 home runs and 8 rbis (most rbis in a Yankees’ home opener)

Stanton: 0 for 5 with 5 strikeouts

The New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 11-4 in their home opener. Didi singlehandedly won this game for the Yankees and was cheered appropriately (and showered with gifts). Stanton on the other hand, was booed. Yes, booed. The same Yankees’ fans who jumped up and down when Stanton hit 2 home runs in their season opener, and proclaimed Stanton could hit 100 home runs this season, are the same morons who booed him yesterday.

Most people are stupid, reactionary creatures, who can’t think more than 2 seconds ahead of their own face. It’s an embarrassing day to be a Yankees’ fan.

Canelo Withdraws From GGG Rematch

Speaking of embarrassing, Canelo Alvarez has withdrawn from his Cinco de Mayo rematch against GGG. Canelo is in the midst of an investigation by the Nevada Boxing Commission due to not 1, but 2, failed drug tests. The Commission has temporarily suspended Canelo, as they determine the ramifications from Canelo’s positive urine samples (clenbuterol) from February 17th and 20th.

The funny part is Canelo continues to claim his innocence. He says he’s always been a clean fighter. However, he’s also ready to accept whatever punishment comes his way. Yeah, that’s NOT HOW THIS WORKS!! If you’re being punished for something you didn’t do, you don’t just lay down and take it. You stand up and scream from here to kingdom come until your name is cleared.

This is a shame. I liked Canelo.

Ronaldo’s Greatness

If you haven’t seen Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal from his Champion’s League match against Juventus yet, watch it immediately.

After you watch it 17 times, and pick your jaw up from the floor, come back….

Watch until the end of the video. Zinedine Zidane and Gianluigi Buffon’s reactions are priceless!!

There are no words to explain the beauty, and difficulty, of that shot….

Patriots Complete Curious Trade

The New England Patriots have made the Los Angeles Rams really good. At the same time, they did something slightly unprecedented; they stockpiled draft picks:

New England Patriots Receive: 2018 1st round pick (23) and a 6th round pick

Los Angeles Rams Receive: WR Brandin Cooks and a 4th round pick

From the Patriots’ perspective, they got more in return for Cooks than it took to get him. He was originally traded to New England for the 32nd pick in the draft. Plus, Cooks is entering his contract year. It’s still an odd trade by the Patriots, as they don’t generally build through the draft. Now equipped with two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, and two 3rd round picks, it’ll be interesting to see what the Patriots do come April 26th.

Was that the most exciting Tuesday you can remember?? If not, tell me about it in the comment section below.

It’s Championship Time!!

April 2, 2018April 2, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

Then, there were two.

Nearly three weeks ago, 68 teams had their sights set on the ultimate prize; a national championship. Today, only two teams are left standing: Villanova and Michigan.

Monday night, Villanova will look to capture their 2nd national championship in three years. They currently stand as 7-point favorites. That’s a lot of points for a national championship game. And Michigan is playing as well as Villanova right now. No, they can’t light it up from 3-point range like Villanova, but they can still overwhelm opponents on both ends of the floor.

It would be hard for Villanova to repeat their shooting performance from their Final Four victory over Kansas (18-40 on 3-pointers)!! But expect them to come close. This will be a competitive game that comes down to the final two minutes.

Tune into TBS tonight @ the ungodly hour of 9:20 P.M. EST to catch all the action. As much as I want to watch this game, sadly, I will be sound asleep by 10:30 P.M.

Score Prediction: Villanova 74, Michigan 69

Imperferction

On the women’s side of things, UConn did not win the national championship. That doesn’t sound right. Undefeated heading into Friday’s final four matchup with Notre Dame, Uconn would fall, to the eventual champion, 91-89 F/OT.

Notre Dame’s championship victory Sunday night involved yet another buzzer beater by Arike Ogunbowale. Notre Dame’s junior guard hit the shot that took down UConn in overtime. And then she hit the shot that hoisted the trophy. While it wasn’t Kris Jenkins from 2016, it was pretty close.

Snow Baseball

It’s April. Oh, you thought you were done with snow for the year?? HA! So silly you are. While the MLB season is trying to get into full swing, New York (and other less important cities) may have an obstacle to hurdle today. With 4-6 inches of snow expected to accumulate in the Tri-State area, the Yankees’ home-opener is in slight jeopardy. Currently set for 1:05 P.M., my guess is it’ll be postponed allowing time for this snow to melt (it will). If not, the Yankees will have a double-header in their future.

Speaking of Yankees’ fans (I’m a die hard one as well), please RELAX!! The Yankees aren’t going to give up grand slams every day. Their bullpen will be a strength, not a weakness. And they’ll win 90+ games, not miss the playoffs. People are SO reactionary it makes me angry. Stop hanging on every moment of every game. IT’S A 162-GAME SEASON!!!!

Enjoy what should be the final snow of the year!! And enjoy your snow baseball!!

Who will win the Men’s National Championship?? Post your prediction in the comment section below.

I Could Have Sworn I Was Worth More Than That!!

March 13, 2018March 13, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

I don’t care if it’s half of what you wanted, just SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE!!

Said MLB owners everywhere.

With the weirdest, MLB free agency period ever in full swing, no one is receiving the contract they’d expected. But with the start of the season just 16 days away, players’ hands are being forced — literally. As usual, we made a handy dandy list of the latest market misreads (from best to worst):

4.) Lance Lynn

Lance Lynn barely made the list. Lynn has had a solid MLB career. With a career e.r.a. of 3.38 and a winning record in every season he’s been a starting pitcher, Lynn is a nice addition to any starting rotation. After signing a 1-year, $12 million deal with the Minnesota Twins, he’ll get right to work and try to improve a below average pitching staff. The only problem is, Lynn could have stayed in St. Louis, with the Cardinals, for a 1-year, qualifying offer of $17.4 million. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but $5.4 million is $5.4 million.

3.) Jake Arrieta

Rewind your clocks a little more than 2 months. Right around the New Year, Jake Arrieta publicly stated he would be seeking a new contract of approximately 6 years and $160 million. That’s $32 million per year. Yeah, not so much. After holding out as long as he could, Arrieta “settled” on a 3-year, $75 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal became official on Tuesday. $25 million per year isn’t bad for a 32-year old who’s best days are behind him. But by Arrieta’s estimation, he left an imaginary $85 million on the table.

2.) Carlos Gonzalez

Oh Carlos. What were you thinking?? Betting on yourself is a great concept. It exhibits a clear sense of confidence, and it often pays off. But sometimes, it backfires. Carlos Gonzalez was reportedly offered a 3-year, $45 million extension with the Colorado Rockies last Spring. Obviously Gonzalez didn’t foresee one of the worst seasons of his career, but I bet he wishes he had that contract now. Instead, he’ll have to re-prove himself on a 1-year, $8 million deal. Good luck!

1.) Mike Moustakas

Mr. Moustakas takes the cake. He accomplished it all this off-season. Mike Moustakas was reportedly seeking a long-term deal in line with his former teammate, Eric Hosmer (8-years, $144 million). HA! Moustakas and his super-agent, Scott Boras, were slightly off on this one, huh?! The worst part is, Moustakas turned down not one, but two deals significantly more than the 1-year, $6.5 million contract he signed with the Kansas City Royals.

First, he refused to sign the 1-year, $17.4 qualifying offer from the Royals. And then, he turned down a 3-year, $45 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Really solid decision making!! The real problem is, no one has ever had the huevos to tell Moustakas he’s just not that good. Scott Boras is like that parent who’s never had the courage to tell their kid they’re not good at something. And it cost Mike Moustakas $38.5 million.

Eh, it’s just money. Right??

Side Note: Neil Walker signed a 1-year, $5 million deal with the New York Yankees on Tuesday. And Ichiro Suzuki is coming back to the Seattle Mariners on a 1-year, $750,000 deal. Walker provides veteran stability in a young infield and is an absolute bargain. Ichiro can’t seem to hang ’em up, as he’s currently 44 years old. Good for you Ichiro!!

Who’s had the worst off-season so far?? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.

Yankees Continue Methodical Off Season

February 21, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

The New York Yankees are smart.

No revelation here. Just a sound observation.

Tuesday evening, the Yankees solved one of their biggest “problems”. I know, I know. Trying to decide which top prospect to play isn’t exactly a problem. Well, they don’t have to make that decision anymore following this 3-team trade:

Yankees Get

2B/3B Brandon Drury

Tampa Bay Rays Get

2B Nick Solak, P Anthony Banda, and 2 players to be named later

Arizona Diamondbacks Get

OF Steven Souza Jr. and P Taylor Widener

3 teams, 3 different perspectives:

The Rays continue their roster teardown by moving on from Souza Jr. Despite his low batting average, he enjoyed a breakout season in 2017. Souza Jr. was 1 of only 5 players to hit at least 30 home runs and steal at least 16 bases last season (Mike Trout, Wil Myers, Paul Goldschmidt and Brian Dozier). That’s decent company.

The Diamondbacks are a weird fit for Souza Jr. They just signed Jarrod Dyson to a 2-year contract, while also having Yasmany Tomas, A.J. Pollock, and David Peralta in their outfield. Parting ways with Brandon Drury made more sense. With the emergence of Jake Lamb (27) at third base and Chris Owings (26) at second base, Drury became expendable.

As for the Yankees, this move helps immediately, and could pay dividends in the future. Drury (25) is a power hitting, infielder, capable of playing second base and third base. This will afford the Yankees time to remain patient with their talented, infield prospects, Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar. Now rich in minor league talent, the Yankees were able to comfortably part ways with Nick Solak and Taylor Widener. Solak was the Yankees’ 8th ranked prospect and Widener is a starting pitcher who hasn’t pitched above Single-A.

This move will also create healthy competition in the Yankees’ infield. When there’s someone nipping at your heels, trying to take your job, you tend to put forth your best effort.

Oh, and this takes the Yankees’ projected lineup from the edge of the atmosphere to another galaxy:

1.) Brett Gardner

2.) Aaron Judge

3.) Giancarlo Stanton

4.) Gary Sanchez

5.) Greg Bird

6.) Didi Gregorius

7.) Aaron Hicks

8.) Brandon Drury

9.) Gleyber Torres

So, rather than wait until May to potentially acquire Mike Moustakas, the Yankees took initiative. However, seeing this trade go through just two days after the Red Sox signed J.D. Martinez is NOT a coincidence. Brian Cashman, Yankees’ General Manager, can deny this all he wants, but the Yankees and Red Sox define Newton’s Law of Motion; any action causes an equal and opposite reaction.

What do you think of this trade?? Tell me in the comment section below.

Yu Is Worth A Lot More Than You!!

February 12, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

It’s finally here!!

Can you smell it??

No, not what the Rock is cookin’; BASEBALL!! It’s February 12th. It should smell like freshly cut grass and pine tar in your living room by now.

While pitchers and catchers start reporting to spring training today (Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets), some of those lockers may remain empty for the foreseeable future. By my count, 107 free agents remain unsigned. Unprecedented and wild.

****We now take a break from your regularly scheduled program to make fun of the Mets: How is it that the Mets report their pitchers, catchers, and position players (February 17th) EARLIER than the rest of the league, yet still suck so badly????

With this year’s free agent market so unbalanced, the MLBPA (Major League Baseball Player’s Association) has decided to host a spring training camp for free agents. I guess teams should be pleased players will be staying in shape, but I can’t imagine heads around MLB are sleeping soundly on pillows every night….

What caused this problem??

There are many theories floating around in the ether. Union chief, Tony Clark, believes teams are “racing toward the bottom”. MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred, thinks agents have “inaccurately assessed the market”. The bottom line is players want more money than they’re worth.

Worth is a funny thing. A player, like Carlos Santana, is worth $20 million per year in 2018. The same Carlos Santana may have been worth $22 million per year in 2017. Each year’s free agent market dictates a player’s worth. Regardless of the year, or market, one thing remains constant:

You are worth what someone is willing to pay you.

The Chicago Cubs decided Yu Darvish is worth $126 million (6 years). Contract incentives could push the deal as high as $150 million. Darvish’s new contract is the biggest of the offseason — so far. I, probably shouldn’t question Cubs’ president of baseball operations, Theo Esptein, but, ah, what the hell….

What is Theo Epstein thinking?!?! Yes, Yu Darvish is as talented a strikeout machine as anyone in MLB, but Yu can’t strike hitters out from the trainer’s room. Assuming 33 starts is a full season, Darvish has almost pitched 1 full season in his 5-year tenure in MLB (I know he pitched 31 games last year, but that doesn’t help prove my point). Darvish has started just 131 of a possible 165 games. Listen, not everyone’s Cal Ripken Jr., but I’d expect my 126 million dollar man to play more than 79% of the time.

And don’t forget his consecutive ‘blow-ups’ in the 2017 World Series. Both consisted of 4 earned runs in 1 and 2/3 innings, leaving a historically bad taste in ‘Dodger Nation’. Maybe Epstein thinks 1 World Series will override 6 injury plagued, inconsistent seasons.

I wish Yu luck.

Like, Love, or Hate Yu Darvish’s contract?? Tell me in the comment section below.

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