Double G Sports

Yankees Position Battles Update (3/11/10)

Fri, 12 Mar, 2010 02:27:01 GMT

Today's Yankees game against the Braves has been rained out, so this is a perfect time to take an updated look at the position battles this spring. The pitching continues to be a big focus as Joba Chamberlain has struggled in his two appearances so far. Nick Johnson has come back from a brief injury and is performing well. As is Curtis Granderson. See their battle and the others.

Stats as of 3/11/10, 8:00 pm

5th Starter

	W	L	ERA	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	HBP	K
Joba Chamberlain	0	0	27.00	3.2	8	11	1	6	0	2
Phil Hughes	0	1	3.86	4.2	4	2	2	1	0	2
Chad Gaudin	0	1	6.75	4	4	3	2	1	0	3
Sergio Mitre	0	0	0.00	5	2	0	0	1	0	4
Alfredo Aceves	1	0	0.00	6	0	0	0	0	0	4

Bullpen

	W	L	ERA	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	HBP	K
Chad Gaudin	0	1	6.75	0	4	4	3	2	1	0	3
Sergio Mitre	0	0	0.00	0	5	2	0	0	1	0	4
Alfredo Aceves	1	0	0.00	0	6	0	0	0	0	0	4
Chan Ho Park
Jonathan Albaladejo	0	0	47.25	0	1.1	12	7	1	1	1	0
Boone Logan	0	1	3.86	0	4.2	2	2	0	1	0	3
Mark Melancon	0	0	0.00	0	2.2	2	0	0	0	0	3
David Robertson	0	0	10.80	0	1.2	3	2	0	2	0	1

Backup Infielder

	AB	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
Juan Miranda	16	1	0	2	0	4	0	.250	.375	.250
Ramiro Pena	13	2	1	2	1	3	1	.286	.462	.231
Kevin Russo	11	3	0	1	3	1	0	.500	.545	.364
Eduardo Nunez	14	4	0	2	0	3	2	.357	.500	.357
Brandon Laird	12	1	0	0	0	1	0	.417	.500	.417

Outfielder

	AB	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
Brett Gardner	14	2	0	1	2	0	0	.250	.143	.143
Randy Winn	9	2	0	0	1	4	0	.200	.111	.111
Jamie Hoffmann	16	1	0	0	0	1	0	.125	.188	.125
Marcus Thames	12	0	0	0	0	4	0	.154	.083	.083

#2 Hitter in Lineup

	AB	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
Curtis Granderson	15	1	0	1	3	3	0	.333	.333	.200
Nick Johnson	8	3	2	3	2	1	0	.500	1.250	.375

New Era to sponsor Pinstripe Bowl

Wed, 10 Mar, 2010 06:17:27 GMT

The Yankees have announced the official name for the college football bowl game that will be played at Yankee Stadium this year. New Era Cap Company, Inc has signed a four year deal to be the title sponsor for the game that will be known as the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. A combination of the company and the famous pinstripes the Yankees wear on their home uniforms.

The game has been scheduled for December 30, 2010 at Yankee Stadium. ESPN will televise the contest between the Big East #3 team and the Big 12 # 6 team. ESPN Radio has also secured rights to the game.

While the game is being played on December 30th, both teams will arrive in New York City on December 27th and stay in Manhattan. The Big East team will stay at the Grand Hyatt while the Big 12 participant will stay at the Sheraton New York.

New Era Cap Company will have exclusive headwear licensing rights and non-exclusive apparel licensing rights on merchandise relating to the game.

A variety of events, promotions, and special offers will take place throughout New York City in hopes of making the bowl game experience unforgettable for fans and families of the participating teams.

What better place for a bowl game party then New York City during the Holiday season.

New York Mets Position Battles Update (3/9/10)

Tue, 9 Mar, 2010 01:47:52 GMT

The New York Mets as a team are off to a good start in spring training, with a 6-2 record. While many players like David Wright, Johan Santana, and Jason Bay know their roles are are simply preparing for the season, there are others in position battles. Some trying to make the roster as bench players and others fitting for a spot in the starting lineup. Let's take a look at the latest update on how these players are performing.

Stats updated as of 3/9/2010, 8am ET

1st Base

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
Daniel Murphy	12	2	1	0	1	2	1	0	.200	.083	.083
Fernando Tatis	8	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	.125	.250	.125
Mike Jacobs	6	2	1	1	1	3	1	0	.444	.667	.167
Ike Davis	17	5	10	1	8	2	3	0	.632	.941	.588

Centerfield (While Beltran is rehabbing)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
Angel Pagan	12	3	4	0	1	2	1	2	.429	.417	.333
Gary Matthews Jr	10	5	3	1	1	3	3	0	.462	.700	.300
Fernando Martinez	17	6	10	2	5	0	1	0	.556	1.176	.588

5th Starter

	W	L	ERA	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	HBP	K
Jon Niese	0	0	3.38	2.2	3	1	0	2	0	5
Fernando Nieve	0	0	3.00	3	3	1	0	2	0	2

Bullpen

	W	L	ERA	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	HBP	K
Nelson Figueroa	1	0	0.00	0	6	3	0	0	3	0	8
Fernando Nieve	0	0	3.00	0	3	3	1	0	2	0	2
Pat Misch	0	0	0.00	1	6	4	0	0	2	0	3
Eddie Kunz	0	0	27.00	0	1.1	2	4	0	3	0	0
Ken Takahashi	1	0	0.00	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	6
Tobi Stoner	1	0	3.86	0	2.1	1	1	1	0	1	1
R.A. Dickey	0	0	9.00	0	5	9	5	0	3	0	2

Bench Players

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
Frank Catalanotto	5	2	1	0	2	1	0	0	.333	.600	.200
Fernando Martinez	17	6	10	2	5	0	1	0	.556	1.176	.588
Nick Evans	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.500	.000	.000
Jason Pridie	12	3	3	0	4	1	5	0	.308	.417	.250
Chris Carter	5	2	3	2	4	0	0	0	.600	1.800	.600
Mike Jacobs	6	2	1	1	1	3	1	0	.444	.667	.167
Jolbert Cabrera	5	1	0	0	0	1	2	0	.286	.000	.000

So, Mets fan, what do you think so far? Who should get roster spots? Do you think I left a player out, let me know and I will look into them.

Rutgers Men's Basketball Players Win Awards. No, Seriously

Mon, 8 Mar, 2010 05:52:19 GMT

Another losing season for the Rutgers University Men's Basketball team. Fans have been calling for coach Fred Hill Jr. to be fired.

However, it's not all bad news for the Scarlet Knights. A pair of players have received end of year awards this year. Freshman Dane Miller was one of two unanimous selections to this years Big East All-Rookie Team. This is the second year in a row a Rutgers player has been named to the All-Rookie team.

Miller, a forward for Rutgers, averaged 11.9 points per game this season. He also averaged 6.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks in league games.

The lone senior on Rutgers roster also received an honor this weekend. Hamady Ndiaye was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year. The 7 foot tall center who came to Rutgers from Senegal is currently third in the country in total blocks and blocks per game.

Ndiaye needs just five more blocks to become Rutgers all-time leader in that category. He has the ability to change games on the defensive side of the ball. The senior has become so good defensively that the potential for him to play professional basketball has grown immensely of late.

Congratulations to these two Rutgers Scarlet Knight men's basketball players on their recent honors.

Guest Bloggers debate Joba vs Hughes

Sun, 7 Mar, 2010 06:26:51 GMT

The battle for the 5th starting spot on the Yankees is up for grabs this spring. While in all reality there are about five players in contention, many believe it will come down to either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, with the "loser" moving to the bullpen.

I asked a couple friends of Double G Sports to guest blog and give their side of the battle. Daniel Moroz is the blog host at Camden Crazies. Being an Oriole fan, Daniel knows the Yankees well as they are a division rival of his favorite team. He has taken the pro-Joba role for this blog. Jason Wuerfel from Five Tool Prospects is the pro-Hughes role. Jason has obviously followed both Joba Chamberalin and Phil Hughes as they have developed. His blog covers many of the top prospects in the game of baseball.

Both of these bloggers have great baseball minds and their blogs are a fun place to visit and read. Joba vs Hughes, Camden Crazies vs Five Tool Prospects.

Daniel Moroz, Camden Crazies - Joba Chamberlain

With the majority of the Yankees' 2010 rotation set - CC Sabathia, Javier Vazquez, AJ Burnett, and Andy Pettitte - there remains one spot open and two good young pitchers in the mix for it; Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Both Yanks have seen time both as starters and as relievers, whether that be due to team need, effectiveness, or an effort to limit innings. To begin this upcoming season, I think that Joba should take the 5th starter spot, with Hughes working out of the pen (though preferably still getting a fair amount of innings) - and here's why:

(1) Joba was used almost exclusively as a starter last season - totaling 31 starts and pitching 157.1 innings - and so he would be in a much better position to handle the workload of being a full-time starter, compared to Hughes (7 starts out of 51 games, and 86 IP).

(2) Joba's role has been jerked around more, and so leaving him in the rotation would provide him some extra stability and allow him to focus more on his pitching.

(3) Small sample sizes, but Hughes has excelled out of the pen more - relatively speaking - than Joba has. Phil has a 5.22 career ERA as a starter, with a 1.9 strike-out to walk ratio and about a 4.43 FIP, compared to a 1.40 ERA as a reliever, with 5.0 strike-out to walk ratio and about a 1.93 FIP. Joba, meanwhile, has a slightly better record as a starter (4.18 ERA, 2.0 K/BB, 4.17 FIP), and a slightly worse one as a reliever (1.50 ERA, 4.0 K/BB, 2.00 FIP). Therefore if we were to assume that these rates would persist, then it would make sense to use the resources most efficiently (Joba as a starter, Hughes as a reliever).

All that said, I think that there is very little chance that the Yankees can get through 2010 with only five starters, and so Hughes should be making an appearance in the rotation at some point. Long-term, the best thing for New York is to have both guys starting, since they should both be above average there - and an above average starter is more valuable than even a shutdown reliever.

Jason Wuerfel, Five Tool Prospects - Phil Hughes

Hughes the Man - Joba Should go to the Pen in 2010

The New York Yankees have more money than they know what to do with - if you walked into their locker room, closed your eyes, spun around and pointed your finger, you'd have a 40% chance of landing on a $9+ million dollar salary.

However, in 2010, the Steinbrenner family via GM Brian Cashman pulled some money back from the large pile usually set aside for free agents, opting to fill their holes with "bargin" players in trades for 4th starter Javier Vasquez and center fielder Curtis Granderson, and downgrading at DH from Hideki Matsui ($13mm) to Nick Johnson ($5.5mm) and in left field from Johnny Damon ($13mm) to Randy Winn ($2mm).

In order to fills the holes left by the Yankees recent (relative) stinginess, they face the decision of continuing to run with either Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain as their 5th starter, both of whom have been effective relievers with spotty records as big league starters. Hughes, who was hampered by injuries in his first two Major League seasons, finally looks ready to be a productive starter for the Yanks and return Joba to where he belongs - the bullpen.

The New York Yankees drafted starting pitcher Joba Chamberlain in the 1st round out of the University of Nebraska in 2006, where he had a rather average junior year as a starting pitcher relative to his high draft status - 6-5, 3.98 ERA, 89 innings in 14 starts, with 102 K and 34 BB. He signed late that summer and didn't appear in a game in the Yankees farm system until the beginning of 2007. He was in the express lane in the minors from the first time he toed the rubber, finding himself in triple-A by the end of July.

Then, with the big club having a need for a set-up guy to Mariano Rivera, the Yanks wanted to get a look at Joba out of the pen. Chamberlain threw one inning on July 30th, striking out all three batters he faced, hopped back to double-A for one more inning on August 1st, striking out two of three, then back to triple-A for a two-inning stretch on August 4th, striking out five of six. His minor league bullpen totals - three appearances, four innings, one hit, 12 batters faced, 10 strikeouts. His fastball was touching 100 mph and his slider was off the charts. He got his big league call-up and continued his dominance out of the pen, going 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA in 19 appearances and 24 innings, allowing just 12 hits and six walks while striking out 34.

Hughes, on the other hand, was a 1st round draft pick in 2004 out of Foothill High School in Santa Ana, California , and had been groomed professionally for 3+ seasons before getting the call in 2007. Hughes has career minor league totals of 330 innings in 65 appearances, 62 starts, racking up a 31-8 record, 2.37 ERA, and 367 strikeouts against 80 walks. In 2007, at just 21 years old, Hughes had a respectable 5-3 record in 13 big leagues starts, throwing 72.2 innings with a 4.46 ERA. He struck out 58 versus 29 walks and allowed just 64 hits.

In 2008, with Hughes injured, Ian Kennedy getting torched, and Chien-Ming Wang going down for the season, the Yankees were having difficulty getting the ball to Joba and Mariano at the end of games. That was when the decision was handed down the Joba would gradually be stretched out from starter to reliever, often throwing additional game-speed bullpen sessions after getting removed form the game. If Yankees had a time machine, there is no doubt he'd go back to 2008 and stop themselves from making the mid-season decision to stretch out Joba Chamberlain from a reliever to a starter. The result of his decision is clear - they took one of the most dominant set-up men in the game, who appeared just few years of grooming away for seamlessly taking over for Mariano Rivera, to a slightly above average 4th or 5th starter without the minor league innings to be able to handle the full-season workload at the Major League level. Consequently, Chamberlain spent time on the disabled list in 2008 and came back back with reduced zip on his fastball and explosiveness on his slider, both of which continued to flatted out in 2009. The evidence is in Joba's K/9, which has sunk from 12.8 in his relief-exclusive late-season call-up in 2007, to 10.6 in 2008 where he had 12 starts amongst 42 appearances, and all the way down to a suburban 7.6 in 2009. With his stuff waning, Joba has picked at the corners more as a starter, too, watching his BB/9 rise from 2.3, 3.5, to 4.3 over the same time period.

Like Chamberlain, Hughes benefited from a move to the bullpen in 2009 after getting fully healthy from previous injuries and developing his slider into a more effective cutter to go with his curveball. Hughes' cutter is his biggest advantage over Chamberlain for the 5th spot in the 2010 Yankees rotation, because he gives him a pitch to get lefties out, which is vitally important at the new Yankee Stadium (.253 against lefties in 2009 vs. .336 against lefties in 2008). Word out of Yankees camp is that Hughes is continuing to develop his change-up, but he has barely used it his entire career, only throwing 6.3% and 5.3% as a starter in 2007 and 2008 and reduced that number to 0.6% as a reliever.

Chamberlain, on the other hand, continues to be primarily a two-pitch pitcher despite his move to the starting rotation. In 2009, when he worked exclusively as a starter, he only threw his change-up 4.7% of the time and his curveball 9.2% of the time, leaving the bulk of his work up to the fastball/slider combo that made him so effective out of the pen in 2007. Comparatively, teammate CC Sabathia, who has arguably a better fastball than Chamberlain as a starter, throws his change-up 18.2% of the time. The change-up and/or cutter, as Hughes has adapted, is vital in the arsenal of a starting pitcher because it helps get opposite-handed hitters out. Starting pitchers who throw two pitches 85-90% of the time just don't last very long in the big leagues.

My guess is that Cashman and manager Joe Girardi are gun shy to flip-flop the roles of Hughes and Chamberlain again and risk messing with what came of their success in 2009. However, Chamberlain clearly lacks the durability and conditioning to continue as a starting pitcher. He is a power pitcher with a power slider and the type of presence and mental mindset necessary for a set-up man and/or closer. Let's not forget that Mariano will eventually need to be replaced and Phil Hughes doesn't have the same kind of fire that we saw out of Joba in 2007.

The answer is clear - Hughes has a more fitting arsenal of pitches for the starting rotation and Joba has a better physical and mental make-up as the current set-up man and future closer of the Yankees. There shouldn't even be an argument that despite Hughes' young age at the time of his MLB debut and his recent injuries, he has more experience and better success as a professional starting pitcher than Chamberlain, who was rushed through the minors in just 18 appearances, 15 of which were starts. The only reason, and I mean only reason, that Hughes won't end up in the rotation in 2010 is because the Yankees don't want to draw the media scrutiny of reversing their previous decisions.

Overview

I would like to thank both Jason and Daniel for their contributions to this blog. I encourage everyone to visit them and see just know knowledgeable they are of the sport. So, the question is, who do you think should be the Yankees 5th starter?

Giants add to secondary by signing Antrel Rolle

Sat, 6 Mar, 2010 02:45:56 GMT

The New York Giants secondary was a major problem last season due to injuries. The safety position was a spot of need this offseason and the team got their man. Antrel Rolle visited yesterday and left with a new deal, a big one.

Rolle signed a five year deal worth $37 million with $15 million guaranteed. It's one of the top deals ever for a safety. The $15 million in guaranteed money is behind only Bob Sanders, Adrian Wilson, and Troy Polamalu. Those are some big names.

The Cardinals drafted Rolle eight overall in the 2005 draft as a cornerback and had been on the team since then. He was converted to safety before the 2008 season. Last season Rolle had four interceptions and was named as an alternate on the NFC Pro Bowl roster.

The Giants had also been in talks with other free agent safeties but they were all back up plans in case the Rolle deal did not work out. Darren Sharper was the main back up plan, with Antoine Bethea and Oshiomogho also on their radar. In the end, they got the guy they wanted, Antrel Rolle.

The addition of Rolle gives the Giants a pair of athletic safeties to roam the field. Kenny Phillips is currently rehabbing from microfracture surgery but is expected to be back next season. Giants fans will be happy if they do not have to hear the names Michael Johnson and C.C. Brown as starting safeties.

Jets Develop No Fly Zone, acquire Antonio Cromartie

Fri, 5 Mar, 2010 01:39:45 GMT

Any NFL fan can tell you that Jets had one of the best shut down corners in the league last year in Darrelle Revis. Now, by adding another top corner, the New York Jets may just have the best cornerback duo in the NFL.

Free Agency begins today but the Jets made a trade to improve their already top defense. New York is sending a third round pick in 2011 to the San Diego Chargers for Antonio Cromartie.

Cromartie gives the Jets a pair of corners that have elite speed and coverage ability. Plus, they are both just 25 years old.

He does come with some baggage however. Cromartie brings off-field issues with him. Maybe a change of scenery will help this freakishly athletic star mature and become a solid all around player. He has the abilities to be as good as Revis, its just a mature of maturing and focusing on football. Rex Ryan's tough guy attitude may help this.

Cromartie only had three interceptions last season, but three years ago he had 10.

It was tough to throw against the Jets top defense last season but their one weakness was cornerback Lito Sheppard. After releasing Sheppard, the Jets knew they needed an upgrade at corner. The combination of Ryan's defense ideas and Cromartie's ball hawking skills and athleticism could make it nearly impossible to attack the Jets through the air.

These Jets will rule the airways. There will be no flying against the 2010 New York Jets.

Yankees Position Battles (Updated 3/4/10)

Fri, 5 Mar, 2010 01:49:44 GMT

As most of you know by now, the defending World Series champions have some roster questions to sort out this spring. Every couple days I will provide updates on those battles and see who has the edge at the given time.

I may throw a few extra names into the battles for comparison sake.

Stats as of 3/4/10, 8:45PM

5th Starter

	W	L	ERA	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	HBP	K
Joba Chamberlain
Phil Hughes
Chad Gaudin	0	0	0.00	2	1	0	0	0	0	1
Sergio Mitre	0	0	0.00	2	0	0	0	0	0	1
Alfredo Aceves	0	0	0.00	2	0	0	0	0	0	1

Bullpen

	W	L	ERA	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	HBP	K
Chad Gaudin	0	0	0.00	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	1
Sergio Mitre	0	0	0.00	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1
Alfredo Aceves	0	0	0.00	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1
Chan Ho Park
Jonathan Albaladejo	0	0	---	0	0.0	2	2	0	0	1	0
Boone Logan	0	0	0.00	0	1.1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Mark Melancon	0	0	0.00	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	2
David Robertson

Backup Infielder

	AB	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
Juan Miranda	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Ramiro Pena	4	1	1	1	0	2	0	.250	1.000	.250
Kevin Russo
Eduardo Nunez	4	1	0	0	0	1	2	.500	.500	.500
Brandon Laird	4	1	0	0	0	1	0	.500	.500	.500

Outfielder

	AB	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
Brett Gardner	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Randy Winn	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	.000	.000	.000
Jamie Hoffmann	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	.200	.200	.200
Marcus Thames	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500	.000	.000

#2 Hitter in Lineup

	AB	R	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	OBP	SLG	AVG
Curtis Granderson	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000
Nick Johnson	2	1	0	1	0	1	0	.500	1.000	.500

Obviously it's very early in the spring as we are only two games in. I will update these position battles every few days so you can see how the players are performing.

Mets future 1st Baseman shows potential in spring opener

Wed, 3 Mar, 2010 01:03:01 GMT

The Mets organization may not think Ike Davis is Major League ready just yet, but the young first baseman will see plenty of action in spring training. With the Mets resting most of their regulars in yesterdays spring opener, Davis got the start at first base against the Atlanta Braves.

There were some first day jitters as Davis misjudged a foul territory pop up. The first baseman did admit to feeling a bit uncomfortable in the field yesterday. Let's not pass any judgements just yet, it was afterall the first spring game of the season and he wasn't expecting to start. Not that it's an excuse though.

He did however show what he can do at the plate. Davis went 2 for 3 including a double in the right center field gap yesterday against the Braves.

The Mets may not think he is quite ready yet, but he certainly is not far away. Davis was the organizations first round pick in 2008 and has excellend in the minors. Just 22 years old, Davis spent last season in Double-A with the Binghamton Mets. He hit .309 with 13 home runs in just 55 games. He also played in the Arizona Fall League and hit .341.

The team knows Davis is likely their first baseman of the future, its just a matter of how soon the future arrives.

"There's a lot of excitement around when we mention his name, and I'd like to see him as much as possible just to get a feel for him," Manuel said. "I understand he's a tremendous, tremendous first baseman. He's a guy that, it's impactful when he puts a good swing on it."

Daniel Murphy is expected to see most of the innings at first base this year and possibly platoon with Fernando Tatis. Mike Jacobs is also in the mix for time at first base. I could easily see all three of this players being disappointments. If that happens, the Mets will be hard pressed not to bring Davis up and see what he can do.

Mets fans, you have a player on your hands.

Yankees Game Day. Well, Sort Of.

Tue, 2 Mar, 2010 09:32:08 GMT

Tomorrow the Yankees will take the field for their first spring training game of the year. Today however, they begin playing some games. It has become a tradition for the Yankees under Manager Joe Girardi.

Last season during spring training, Girardi gathered his team together at a local pool hall for a friendly tournament. Turns out the outing became a great bonding experience for the team and set the tone for the season that eventually ended with the team being crowned World Champions.

"I just saw the value in getting them together off the field the more I thought about it," said Girardi

This year, the manager is bringing the team to an arcade. They will compete against each other in a variety of games including, an Indycar simulation, Pop-A-Shot, and my personal favorite, Skee-Ball.

I will do my best to update you on the results of this years games as soon as I find out.

Everyone on the team is expected to participate in this outing except pitcher Joba Chamberlain. The big righty who is competing for the 5th spot on the starting rotation is experiencing flu-like symptoms. His scheduled bullpen session was cancelled and he was sent home for the day.

Update 4:30pm

Once again the pitchers controlled the games. Last year it was Mariano Rivera who won the billiards tournament.

A.J. Burnett dominated the Indycar simulation game, Andrew Brackman won the Skee-Ball contest and Royce Ring won the Pop-A-Shot contest. Where are all the position players?? It's time they step up a bit.

Regardless of who won, this outing was once again a success. Everyone seems to enjoy the time way from the field and the ability to hang out with their teammates. Its a great opportunity for the young players to bond with the veterans. If nothing else, it will give them confidence if and when they are called up to the majors.

Team USA: New York & New Jersey Olympic Results

Tue, 2 Mar, 2010 12:45:33 GMT

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics were full of excitement, drama, and tragedy. Team USA had a terrific overall performance and came home with the most medals. 37 total medals as Team USA essentially won these games. That total is the most ever for Team USA in the Winter Olympics. Alpine Skiing was the big winner this year, bringing home a total of 8 medals.

There were some significant New York and New Jersey representatives in Vancouver. Below you will find the members of Team USA that were either born, raised, or currently reside in New York or New Jersey.

Alpine Skiing

Nolan Kasper - Nolan was born in Morristown, NJ. He finished 24th in the men's slalom event with a time of 1:43.17.

Andrew Weibrecht - Weibrecht was born and still resides in Lake Placid, NY. He competed in three events in Vancouver. A 21st finish in men's downhill and 11th in Super Combined. His best event was the Super G in which he brought home the Bronze Medal with a time of 1:30.65.

Biathlon

Lowell Bailey - This biathlete grew up and still resides in Lake Placid, NY. Bailey finished 36th in both the 10km Sprint and 12.5km Pursuit. He was 57th in the 20km Individual competition as well as a member of the 13th place 4x7.5km Relay Team.

Tim Burke - Born and raised in Paul Smiths, New York and now residing in Lake Placid. Burke was a busy athlete in these games, competing in five events. His best result was a 13th place finish as a member of the 4x7.5km Team Relay. He also finished 18th in the 15km Mass Start, 45th in the 20km Individual, 46th in the 12.5km Pursuit, and 47th in the 10km Sprint.

Haley Johnson - Haley is from Lake Placid, New York as well. She finished in 80th place in the 7.5km Sprint and 66th in the 15km Individual. Johnson was also a member of the 17th place Team USA 4x6 Relay.

Sara Studebaker - Another Lake Placid, New York resident. Sara was also a member of the 17th place Team USA 4x6km Relay. Other then that, her best finish was 34th place in the 15km Individual. She also finished 45th in the 7.5km Sprint and 46th in the 10km Pursuit.

Bobsled

Steve Mesler - Born in Buffalo, New York. Mesler was a member of the Gold Medal winning four-man bobsled team. The teams second run was a track record with a time of 50.86. The gold medal is the first Four-Man Gold Medal in US history.

John Napier - Born and raised in Schenectady, New York and currently resides in Lake Placid. Napier finished 17th after two runs in the four-man sled and did not run the final two runs. He did however finish 10th in the two-man bobsled competition.

Cross-Country

Caitlin Compton - Born in New York, NY. Compton was a busy woman in these games, competiting in four events. She finished 43rd in the 15km Pursuit, 30th in the 10km Individual and 12th in the 4x5km Relay. Her best finish was 6th in the Team Sprint.

Figure Skating

Amanda Evora - Born in New York, NY. Competing in the pair's competition with partner Mark Ludwig, the pair finished in 10th place with a score of 171.92.

Johnny Weir - The flamboyant figure skater from Lyndhurst, New Jersey. Weir finished in 6th place in the Men's Single's Competition with a score of 238.87.

Hockey

Dustin Brown - Born and raised in Ithaca, NY. Played Forward for Team USA.

Ryan Callahan - Born and raised in Rochester, NY while currently living in New York, NY. Callahan is a member of the New York Rangers and a fan favorite there. He tallied one assist in the Olympic games.

Chris Drury - Captain of the New York Rangers and scored two goals during the Olympics.

Patrick Kane - Born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Kane scored three goals and assisted on two others.

Jamie Langenbrunner - Resides in North Caldwell, New Jersey and is the captain of the New Jersey Devils. Langenbrunner scored 1 goal and assisted on three others.

Ryan Miller - Possibly the one guy that played is absolute heart out in these games. The Buffalo, NY resident was the goaltender for the silver medal Team USA squad. He was named MVP of the Vancouver Olympics Hockey Tournament after recording 139 assists and just 8 goals against. He also recorded one assist.

Zach Parise - (Pictured above) Member of New Jersey Devils resides in West Orange, New Jersey. Parise was a big part of Team USA. He constantly played all out and never slowing down. Parise scored four goals and assisted on four others in Vancouver.

Bobby Ryan - Ryan was born and raised in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He scored the first goal in these games for Team USA. He would finish with one goal and one assist.

Luge

Julia Clukey - Resides in Lake Placid, New York. Finished in 17th place with a time of 2:49.360.

Mark Grimmette - Resident of Lake Placid, New York. Grimmette finished in 13th place in Men's Doubles with teammate Brian Martin.

Erin Hamlin - Born in New Hartford, New York, raised in Remsen and now resides in Lake Placid. She finished in 16th place with a time of 2:49.108.

Dan Joye - Hometown and resides in Carmel, New York. Joye finished a respectable 6th place in Men's Doubles with teammate Christian Niccum.

Chris Mazdzer - The Saranac Lake, New York resident finished in 13th place with a time of 3:15.813.

Bengt Walden - The Lake Placid, New York resident finished in 15th place with a time of 3:15.984.

Nordic Combined

Bill Demong - Demong was born in Saranac Lake, grew up in Vermontville, and now resides in Lake Placid, New York. He had arguably the most memorable Olympic games. He became the first U.S. Nordic Combined Olympic Champion by winning the Gold Medal on the Individual Large Hill. He finished 6th on the Individual Normal Hill. His second medal of these games was a silver in the Team Large Hill competition. Demong was chosen as the U.S. closing ceremony flag bearer. He also proposed to his girlfriend after competing in his events. She said yes!

Skeleton

John Daly - Born in Long Island and currently resides in Smithtown, New York. Daly finished in 17th place with a combined time of 3:34.01.

Ski Jumping

Anders Johnson - Born in Lake Placid, New York. Johnson did not qualify on the Individual Large Hill but finished in 49th place on the Individual Normal Hill. He was also part of the 11th place Team USA Large Hill Team.

Speed Skating

Trevor Marsicano - Born and raised in Ballston Spa, New York. Marsicano participated in the Team Pursuit Quarterfinals when Team USA had the top time. In the individual events, Marsicano finished in 10th place in the 1000m, 15th in the 1500m, and 14th in the 5000m.

Overall, Team USA had an excellent showing and New York and New Jersey was definitely part of the success. We will now have to wait two years for the summer olympics and another four years for these winter games to return.

New York Baseball Rankings: Position Players

Wed, 24 Feb, 2010 10:44:42 GMT

Earlier this week, the Double G Sports "Experts" Panel released their top 10 rankings of pitchers in New York. CC Sabathia got the #1 nod just ahead of Johan Santana in a tied race. Who is the best position player currently on a New York baseball teams roster? Find out below. The six "experts" each provided a top 10 ranking and with those, an overall ranking was formed.

1	Alex Rodriguez	60 points
2	Mark Teixeira	50 points
3	Derek Jeter	46 points
4	David Wright	42 points
5	Jose Reyes	36 points
6	Carlos Beltran	24 points
7	Jason Bay	23 points
8	Robinson Cano	20 points
9	Curtis Granderson	19 points
10	Jorge Posada	6 points

Others receiving votes: Jeff Francoeur (4 pts)

"Expert" Panel Individual Rankings

Gregg
Pat
John
1
Rodriguez
Rodriguez
Rodriguez
2
Teixeira
Teixeira
Jeter
3
Jeter
Reyes
Reyes
4
Reyes
Wright
Teixeira
5
Wright
Beltran
Wright
6
Beltran
Jeter
Bay
7
Granderson
Cano
Beltran
8
Cano
Bay
Cano
9
Posada
Francoeur
Granderson
10
Bay
Granderson
Posada

Rob
Mark
Jon
1
Rodriguez
Rodriguez
Rodriguez
2
Teixeira
Teixeira
Jeter
3
Jeter
Wright
Wright
4
Wright
Jeter
Teixeira
5
Bay
Beltran
Reyes
6
Reyes
Cano
Granderson
7
Granderson
Bay
Bay
8
Beltran
Granderson
Cano
9
Cano
Reyes
Francoeur
10
Posada
Posada
Posada

Mets and Yankees Spring Training TV Schedule

Wed, 24 Feb, 2010 05:56:11 GMT

Spring Training games are about a week away right now. Have that baseball fever but can't make it down to Florida? Tired of watching old classic games? Well, the Mets and Yankees have released their spring training TV schedule and I have it for you right here.

Mets

Date	Opponent	Time	TV
March 2	Atlanta Braves	1:10pm	SNY
March 4	St. Louis Cardinals	1:10pm	SNY
March 5	Florida Marlins	1:10pm	SNY
March 7	Washington Nationals	1:10pm	PIX11
March 9	Houston Astros	1:10pm	SNY
March 11	Boston Red Sox	1:10pm	SNY
March 13	Detroit Tigers	1:10pm	PIX11
March 15	St. Louis Cardinals	1:10pm	SNY
March 19	Minnesota Twins	1:10pm	SNY
March 23	Atlanta Braves	1:10pm	SNY
March 24	Houston Astros	1:10pm	SNY
March 27	Washington Nationals	1:10pm	PIX11
March 28	St. Louis Cardinals	1:10pm	PIX11
March 30	St. Louis Cardinals	1:10pm	SNY
March 31	Florida Marlins	1:10pm	SNY
April 1	Washington Nationals	1:10pm	SNY

Yankees

Date	Opponent	Time	TV
March 3	Pittsburgh Pirates	1:00pm	YES
March 5	Tampa Bay Rays	1:00pm	YES
March 6	Toronto Blue Jays	1:00pm	MY9
March 8	Philadelphia Phillies	1:00pm	YES
March 9	Pittsburgh Pirates	1:00pm	YES
March 11	Atlanta Braves	7:00pm	YES
March 13	Baltimore Orioles	1:00pm	MY9
March 18	Tampa Bay Rays	7:00pm	YES
March 19	Detroit Tigers	1:00pm	YES
March 21	Detroit Tigers	1:00pm	YES
March 22	@ Philadelphia Phillies	1:00pm	YES
March 28	Detroit Tigers	1:00pm	YES
March 30	Toronto Blue Jays	7:00pm	YES
March 31	Minnesota Twins	1:00pm	YES
April 2	Baltimore Orioles	1:00pm	YES
April 3	Yankees Future Stars	1:00pm	YES

All times are ET.

Save The Yankee Gate 2

Tue, 23 Feb, 2010 10:59:53 GMT

As most of you know by now, the Yankees moved into a brand new stadium last season. The old Yankee Stadium is being torn down to make way for a large park that is expected to include baseball fields, a track, tennis courts, and more. Only one gate remains from the original 1923 Yankee Stadium.

That gate is Gate 2.

Yankee Stadium is currently being torn down and Gate 2 is expected to go with it. The people behind the Save The Yankee Gate 2 cause are making a last ditch effort to keep it standing. This group believes the gate should remain standing and be used as a gateway to the new park that will be built.

Save the Yankee Gate 2 recently released the video below in hopes of drawing more interest and support to their cause. Take a look, its a very good video showing the history of this famous Gate 2 at Yankee Stadium.

To support this cause and let your voice be heard visit their site and you will find ways to contact New York City officials. It can't hurt!

New York Baseball Pitcher Rankings

Wed, 24 Feb, 2010 03:31:02 GMT

As spring training has started with pitchers and catchers going through official work outs, I got the Double G Sports "Expert" Panel to put together a top 10 ranking of New York pitchers. These rankings combine pitchers from both the Yankees and Mets. Each member was asked for their top 10 and with that I put together an overall ranking. Below you will find the overall rankings, plus each individual members rankings.

1	CC Sabathia	56 points
2	Johan Santana	55 points
3	Mariano Rivera	46 points
4	A.J. Burnett	38 points
5	Francisco Rodriguez	35 points
6	Javier Vasquez	23 points
7	John Maine	22 points
8	Joba Chamberlain	18 points
9	Andy Pettitte	16 points
10	Phil Hughes	10 points

Others receiving votes: Mike Pelfrey (6 pts), Alfredo Aceves (3 pts), Bobby Parnell (1 pt), Oliver Perez (1 pt)

Individual "Expert" Rankings

	Gregg	Pat	John
1	Santana	Santana	Rivera
2	Sabathia	Sabathia	Santana
3	Rivera	Rivera	Sabathia
4	Burnett	Maine	Rodriguez
5	Vasquez	Rodriguez	Burnett
6	Rodriguez	Burnett	Pettitte
7	Maine	Chamberlain	Vazquez
8	Pettitte	Pelfrey	Hughes
9	Chamberlain	Pettitte	Chamberlain
10	Hughes	Parnell	Pelfrey

	Rob	Mark	Jon
1	Sabathia	Sabathia	Sabathia
2	Rivera	Santana	Santana
3	Santana	Rivera	Burnett
4	Burnett	Rodriguez	Vazquez
5	Vazquez	Chamberlain	Maine
6	Rodriguez	Burnett	Rodriguez
7	Chamberlain	Hughes	Pettitte
8	Maine	Aceves	Rivera
9	Hughes	Maine	Pelfrey
10	Pettitte	Pettitte	Perez

Mets to sign Rod Barajas

Sat, 20 Feb, 2010 09:23:00 GMT

MLBTradRumors.com is reporting the New York Mets have come to a contract agreement with free agent catcher Rod Barajas. Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com was the first to tweet about this deal.

The agreement is reportedly a one year deal with a base of $1 million. It will also include up to $1 million in incentives, which apparently seem easy to attain.

The Mets had been among a number of teams to offer Barajas a minor league deal but recently decided to upgrade it to this major league deal. Barajas was apparently offered a major league deal from the Rangers worth $1.5 million, but he is taking the smaller deal from the Mets.

The Mets finished last season with the leagues worst offensive output from the catching position. Is Barajas an upgrade? His numbers last season with the Blue Jays are actually worse then the Mets output from last year. Mets catchers combined to finish the year with a stat line of .256/.305/.380. Barajas hit .226/.258/.403 last season. He hit 19 home runs for Toronto.

Barajas joins a group of catchers all battling for the starting job. His main competition will likely be Omir Santos.

Barajas is a career .238 hitter. His best season was in 2005 when he hit .254 and 21 home runs.

Knicks roster turnover, Nets arena flip

Fri, 19 Feb, 2010 03:32:40 GMT

The New York Knicks gained more salary cap room by acquiring Tracy McGrady in a three team deal earlier today. The Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings were the other two teams involved in the deal.

When Knicks President Donnie Walsh took over the team, he made it a point to open up cap space in order to make a splash in the free agent market after this season. That is when stars such as Lebron James, Joe Johnson, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh become free agents.

Today's deal will save the Knicks $9.4 million in cap room. The Knicks acquire the veteran McGrady from Houston and guard Sergio Rodriguez from the Kings. The Knicks gave up Jared Jeffries, Larry Hughes, rookie Jordan Hill and two conditional first round picks. Jeffries, Hill, and the draft picks go to Houston while Hughes ends up in Sacramento.

Giving up Jeffries saves the Knicks $6.9 million while trading Hill saves them an additional $2.5 million. Hill was a highly thought of rookie that never paned out in Mike D'Antoni's system.

The Knicks also sent Nate Robinson to the Boston Celtics for Eddie House. While a fan favorite, Robinson was constantly in D'Antoni's dog house.

These moves are not about this year. The Knicks are to far out of the playoff picture to really consider these moves affective this season. It's all about this coming offseason. By giving up Hill and two future first round draft picks, the pressure is on Walsh to add two big named free agents. If he can not do that, he will have put the Knicks franchise even further in a hole. And here we didn't think that was possible.

Speaking of next year, the New Jersey Nets have a new home. Starting next season the Nets will play their home games at Prudential Center in Newark. The plan is for the New Jersey team to play in Newark for two years until their new arena in Brooklyn, New York is built.

The deal struck today allows the Nets to get out of their lease with the Izod Center for $4 million. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority voted to approve the deal this morning.

The agreement also prohibits all sides from talking negative about either the Izod Center or Prudential Center or encouraging the closure of any facility. This is in hopes of ending the arena wars between the two buildings.

The Nets also agreed that they would not stand in the way of another NBA team coming to New Jersey in the future. The Prudential Center would likely love to have a permanent NBA team play there. I still believe its a perfect place for an NBA team.

Apparently the only thing left to be finalized is the actual terms of lease payments between the Nets and New Jersey Devils.

Professional basketball in the New York, New Jersey area will have a very different look next season.

They're Back!! Pitchers and Catchers Report to Tampa for the Yankees

Thu, 18 Feb, 2010 02:17:30 GMT

The Yankees pitchers and catchers officially reported to Tampa, Florida today to begin spring training. The Mets will begin camp tomorrow with pitchers and catchers reporting.

The Yankees come in as the defending World Series Champions and looking to repeat. Some changes have been made this offseason. Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, and Melky Cabrera are out, Curtis Granderson is in, and Nick Johnson and Javier Vasquez are returning.

This years team fully expects to repeat as World Champions once again. Isn't that the goal every year for our Yankees?

The team is built to do it, but a few questions remain. They may seem like minor questions for many, but they are questions none the less.

- Who wins the battle for the 5th spot in the starting rotation? Is it Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain? Everyone expects it to be one of those two, but could a long shot earn the spot? Possibly Chad Guadin, Alfredo Aceves, or Sergio Mitre?

- Who bats in the two spot in the loaded lineup? Yes, the Yankees once again have a star studded lineup that is up with the best in the league. Does they go with on-base machine Nick Johnson in the two spot? Or do they use the power and speed combo of Curtis Granderson?

- Who's in left? Newcomer Granderson can play either centerfield or move to left. Speedster Brett Gardner can also play either position although if he starts, he likely plays center. Does Gardner join Granderson in the starting lineup or will Randy Winn earn the starting left field job, forcing Gardner to the bench?

Most teams would love to have these questions. They are very minor compared to most teams. The Yankees will enjoy this spring as they prepare to defend their title.

Spring Training has arrived. Baseball has arrived!! And I must say, its perfect timing considering all the snow still laying on my front lawn with more threatening to come early next week!

Battle of the Blogs, Fantasy Baseball Style

Sun, 14 Feb, 2010 09:49:26 GMT

I've been getting ready for fantasy baseball and came up with this idea for a Battle of the Blogs league. I have set up the league on ESPN.com and would like to invite any bloggers interested in joining. This will be a great way to compete with other bloggers for bragging rights as well as promotes everyone's blog.

I am hoping to get bloggers from all over the country. Below are the details of the league.

Battle of the Blogs Fantasy Baseball League is open to anyone with a blog. Your blog name will be used as your team name.

It will be a 20 team league consisting of four divisions (North, South, East, West). I will attempt to place your team in the most logical division possible. The league will be a head-to-head each category league.

Starting roster spots will be: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, RF, UTIL, 5 SP's (max of six allowed on roster), 5 RP's. You will also have five bench spots and two disabled list spots. There will be a 13 games started limit for pitchers per matchup.

The scoring categories are as follows.

Batting: AVG., R, SB, K, 2B, HR, RBI, TB, H, BB
Pitching: ERA, WHIP, QS, BAA, K/P, K, W, L, BB, SVHD

All MLB Players are eligible to be drafted. Rosters will lock daily at inividual game times. Free agents will be handled using an auction. Each each team will have a 500 point player acquisition budget for the season. There is no acquisition limit. Waiver process days will be Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. Waiver order will be reset each week to Inverse order of standings.

A trade deadline will be Fri. August 13th at 12pm. Trade will be reviewed in one day and will need 10 votes to veto.

Each matchup will be a week long and the regular season will last 22 weeks.

8 teams will make the playoffs. Seeding will be determined by regular season record. Tiebreaker will be head-to-head record.

If you are interested in proving you have the knowledge to beat your fellow bloggers, email me or comment below to let me know you would like to be included in this league.

You need to give me your full name, blog name, and link to your blog so I can set you up in the league.

Our draft will be a live online draft scheduled for March 24th at 8pm EST. Draft order is randomized during league creation. Draft pick trading is allowed.

Email me at doublegsports@gmail.com if you are interested in being included in this free fantasy baseball league for bragging rights!!

This will be friendly, fun, and competitive. You won't want to miss this!

It's the Battle of the Blogs!

2010 Winter Olympics Preview: Speed Skating, Luge, Nordic Combined

Sat, 13 Feb, 2010 01:51:14 GMT

Day five, the final day of our Olympic Preview. The opening ceremonies are schedule to take place tonight. All week on Double G Sports we have previewed the Olympic events. Today we discuss the final three. Speed Skating, Luge, and Nordic Combined.

Speed Skating

Over the years, speed skating has been a wide open competition. Norway is the all time medal leader with 79. The United States stands in third with 63 all time medals.

The United States has a few athletes that will certainly battle for the gold medal. Shani Davis, Chad Hedrick, and Trevor Marsicano. Davis is the world record holder in both the 1000m ad 1500m events. In 2009, Marsicano beat both Davis and Denny Morrison to win his first world title at the Single Distance Worlds. Hedrick took home three medals in the Torino games. Sprinter Tucker Fredricks is a medal contender in the 500m event.

Catherine Raney and Jennifer Rodriguez lead the women's side for the US. Both skaters could be part of the United States pursuit team. The pursuit team finished fifth in Torino and hopes to improve on that this year.

Luge

This event will be a focus of the Olympics this year as just today they suffered a tragic death. Nodar Kumaritashvili, a luger from Georgia Republice died today after a crash during a training run. Just hours before opening ceremonies, everyone involved in the Olympics is shocked.

Erin Hamlin of New York is the United States best hope for a medal here. She has a chance to become the first United States single luger (male or female) to win an Olympic medal. She is the reigning world champion.

Germany has been the dominant force in the women's luge and are favored once again.

Doubles pair Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin are the most successful luge athletes in United States history. This pair has been together for 14 years. Despite their history of success, Grimmette and Martin are still thought to be long shots to medal in these games.

Tony Benshoof will be appearing in his third winter Olympics for the United States.

Nordic Combined

The United States is feeling confident they can gain their first Olympic medal in the Nordic Combined. Many people believe its not a matter of if, but when. This could be the year.

New Yorker Bill Demong is the leading candidate to medal for the United States. Todd Lodwick is another athlete that has the potential to medal. He had two wins at the 2009 World Championships. He is very tough on the cross-country course.

Norway leads the all time medal count in this event as well. They have one 26 all time medals. including 11 golds. Germany has also been very good lately.

This concludes the Double G Sports Olympic Preview. You can see our preview of every event from the site home page, Double G Sports. Follow all Olympic coverage on NBC.

Go USA!

2010 Winter Olympics Preview: Figure Skating, Curling, Cross-Country

Fri, 12 Feb, 2010 03:13:13 GMT

Day four of the Double G Sports Vancouver Olympics Preview will cover Figure Skating, Curling and Cross-Country Skiing. Check out the site home page for our previous previews.

Figure Skating

The Unites States leads the all time medal count with 44, including 13 golds. Lately the USA has dropped off their past dominance. In the 2006 Torino games, they won just two silver medals. This year they hope to get back to the success of the past.

One of the ice dancing teams for the Unites States is Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto. The pair won a silver medal in the 2006 Torino games.

The other pair to watch for the United States is 2008 Junior Worlds Champions Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates. This pair is among the youngest teams in ice dancing, coming in at ages 19 and 21.

In the pairs competition, U.S. Champions Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett are long shots. They are a consistent pair however and usually give entertaining performances. They are fun to watch.

The skaters in the Men's Singles competition for the Unites States are a varied blend. Johnny Weir is a media guru, staring in his own reality show. He is a three time U.S. Champion. Jeremy Abbott finished 11th in 2009 Worlds competition. His performance in the 2010 U.S. Nationals showed that he could be a contender for the podium, if not gold. The third US member is Evan Lysacek. He is the reigning world champion and a two time U.S. champion.

The United States only qualified two women for the singles competition this year and they have not won a medal in this event in three years. The comeback of Sasha Cohen fell short. Rachael Flatt is a young up an coming star, however she may not have the experience to succeed at these games. Mirai Nagasu won the U.S. title in 2008 at just 14 years old. She struggled in 2009 but now has a new coach and has returned to form entering these Olympics.

Curling

Curling is sometimes very funny to watch. Many people think it looks silly, but there is indeed strategy involved. The object is to get your stones inside the target set on the other side of the playing surface. It's similar to darts, but on ice. Stones are controlled by sweeping the ice as it slides.

The Men's team won the first Olympic medal in this event in 2006, winning a bronze. Neither team is expected to compete for a medal this year. Both the men and women have not had very good season's.

The men are captained by John Shuster while Debbie McCormick leads the women's team.

Cross-Country

Cross-Country skiing has a variety of events. The United States has just one all time medal in this event, a silver. They did not claim a medal in the 2006 games.

The top Unites States competitors are; Kikkan Randall, Kris Freeman and Andy Newell.

Norway is the all time leader in medals with 87 but in the 2006 games, Russian Federation took home the most medals in this competition (7).

You're Invited! Yankees announce spring invites.

Wed, 10 Feb, 2010 11:29:27 GMT

The Yankees announced their Spring Training Invitees.

Marcus Thames

He recently signed a minor league deal with the Yankees and will be at Spring Training fighting for a job on the big league roster. Thames could make the team as a backup outfielder against left-handed pitching. Thames is a low average, high power type player. He was originally drafted by the Yankees.

Jesus Montero

The biggest Yankee prospect will get a taste of the bigs. He will likely see a lot of time from the catcher position in the spring. Not only is Montero the Yankees top prospect, but many see him in the top 20 in all of baseball. Big time power from this guy. Likely starts the season at Triple-A but could get a call up at some point this season.

Kei Igawa

The fourth season of his five year contract. Igawa has been one of the biggest busts for the Yankees. Was terrible in his time with the big league club and did not throw a single pitch for them last season. He was 10-8 with a 4.15 ERA for Triple-A Scranton last season. Possible long relief option? Doubt it. Sounds like a career minor-leaguer to me, unless they can some how trade him.

Zach McAllister

Zach is one of the Yankees' top pitching prospects. Thought to have the best control in the Yankees farm system. Not likely to make the club, but the righty could get a call up at some point when injuries hit.

Other players that will be in Tampa for training: left-handed pitchers Wilkins Arias, Jeremy Bleich, and Royce Ring. Right-handers Grant Duff, Jason Hirsh, Amaury Sanit, Zack Segovia, and Kevin Whelan. Outfielders Colin Curtis, Reid Gorecki, Jon Weber, and David Winfree will also be there, as will catchers Austin Romine, P. J. Pilittere, and Mike Rivera.

2010 Winter Olympic Preview: Ice Hockey, Freestyle Skiing, Skeleton

Wed, 10 Feb, 2010 11:30:10 GMT

Its Day 3 of our Vancouver Olympic Preview. Monday I covered Biathlon, Ski Jumping and Alpine Skiing. Yesterday we talked about Snowboarding, Short Track and Bobsleigh events. Today we are previewing Ice Hockey, Freestyle Skiing and Skeleton. The games are just a few days away!

Ice Hockey

Canada is crazy about their hockey and since they are hosting this years games, you know the country is thinking gold or nothing in the men's competition. The Canadian team holds the all time medal lead with 15. The United States is second with 12 all time medals.

The top players on the Team USA are Zach Parise, Patrick Kane, Ryan Miller and Ryan Suter. Parise joins New Jersey Devils teammate Jamie Langenbrunner on the team. The New York Rangers are represented by Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan.

The men's tournament consists of 12 teams that compete in round robin tournaments. The top teams from round robin play then advance to the playoff rounds.

The women's tournament is run the same way but starts with eight teams in the round robin tournament. A few of the names to look for on Team USA are Molly Engstrom, Angela Ruggiero, Jenny Potter and Julie Chu.

Freestyle Skiing

There are three events that make up the freestyle skiing competition. They are aerials, moguls and ski cross.

Aerials is an exciting event to watch. Skiiers are judged on take off, height, form, body position, and landing. Moguls is a very physically demanding event in which competitors travel down a course dealing with bumps and jumps. Ski Cross is making its Olympic debut this year. This event consists of skiers skiing a course filled with obstacles. The object is to have the fastest time to the finish line.

The United States generally has a strong ski team. They hold the all time medal lead with 10, including four golds. Some of the top competitors for the United States are: Ryan St. Onge, Jeret Peterson, Nate Roberts, Bryon Wilson, Daron Rahlves, Hannah Kearney, Shannon Bahrke, and Emily Cook.

Skeleton

The Skeleton event is similar to the luge except in the skeleton, participants lay on the sled stomach down. The athletes start by running and pushing the sled as fast as they can for 50 meters. Then they dive head first onto the sled and steer by very slightly shifting their body. The competition consists of four heats held over two days. The lowest combined times are the winners. There is a men's event and a women's event.

The United States holds the all time medal lead in the skeleton with six in total, three golds and three silvers.

The names to watch for on the United States teams are; Noelle Pikus-Pace, Katie Uhlaender and Zach Lund.

Tomorrow's preview will cover Figure Skating, Curling and Cross-Country.

2010 Winter Olympics Preview: Snowboarding, Bobsleigh, Short Track

Tue, 9 Feb, 2010 07:41:41 GMT

Day 2 of our Vancouver Olympics Preview. Yesterday I covered Ski Jumping, Alpine Skiing and Biathlon. Today we will discuss Snowboarding, Bobsleigh and Short Track.

Snowboarding

Snowboarding continues to be one of the fastest growing sports in the world. It first became an Olympic competition in 1981 with its newest event being introduced as recently as the 2006 Torino games. The snowboard competition consists of three events for both the men and women. Parallel Giant Slalom, Halfpipe and Snowboard Cross. Overall this is one of the more exciting events in the Winter Olympics.

The halfpipe is an event in which each snowboarder takes a turn inside a half cylinder shaped ramp. They perform a routine filled with many twists and tricks while moving from one side of the ramp to the other.

In the Parallel Giant Slalom, two snowboarders race against each other down a course. Throughout the course, the riders must turn through a series of gates. The fastest racer moves on to the next round. The top racers will compete in a total of nine runs.

Snowboard Cross is a race between four snowboarders. The four racers travel through a course that includes a series of ramps and jumps. The fastest two racers from each race move on to the next round until one winner is found.

This years snowboarding events will take place at Cypress Mountain.
In 2006, the United States had the highest medal count, winning 7 total. They were tied with Switzerland for the most gold with each country receiving 3 of those. The United States holds the all-time record with 14 total medals earned, including five golds.

Some of the names you should look for on the United States side are, Mason Aguirre, Nick Baumgartner, Gretchen Bleiler (pictured above), Lindsey Jacobellis, Hannah Teter and the always entertaining Shaun White.

Bobsleigh

Three events make up the Bobsleigh competition. Two-man, Four-man, and the Women’s events. Bobsleigh became an Olympic event in 1924, however the Women did not compete until 2002.

The Bobsleigh is a fun event to watch. Each event starts with the competitors pushing off and run while pushing the sled as fast as they can for about 50 meters. They then jump into the bobsleigh and take their seat. A driver controls the bobsleigh as it makes its way down the track. At the end of the track, the brakeman stops the sled.

In each of these events, four heats are held over two days. The times are combined and the team with the lowest time wins the gold medal.

The Whistler Sliding Center will host this years Bobsleigh competition.

In 2006, Germany took home three gold medals and help the overall medal lead. The United States earned one medal in those games, a silver. Switzerland is the all-time leader in medals with 30. United States is next with 18.

Short Track

Short Track is a version of Speed Skating but on a smaller scale. Short Track takes place on a 111.12 meter oval inside a hockey rink. It’s possible to see many spills or accidents in these events as there are some sharp turns do to the short track. Participants in the short track events compete against each other, not the clock. Each event starts with a series of heats involving four to six athletes. The first two finishers in each heat advance to the next round. The final consists of the final four remaining competitors.

There are three different distances. 500 m, 1,000 m, and 1,500 m. There will be a Men’s and Women’s competition for each distance.

There is also a Men’s and Women’s Relay. The relay events take place over two days with semi-final and final competitions. Eight teams of four skaters take part in the relays. Each team can determine how many laps each skater will skate, but the final two laps must be run by the same skater. Each skater must tag his or her teammate after each run. The Men’s Relay is 5,000 m, while the Women’s competition is 3,000 m.

In the 2006 games, Korea was the easy leader in total medals with 10, including six of the eight possible golds. The United States earn one gold medal and two bronze medals in those games. Korea is the all-time leader with 29 medals. The Unites States is currently fourth with 12.

Some names to watch for on the US team are: Allison Baver, Alyson Dudek, Travis Jayner and Apolo Anton Ohno. Ohno needs just two medals to surpass Bonnie Blair as the Unites States most decorated Winter Olympian in history. The United States should have a very strong short track team this year.

Tomorrow’s preview will include, Ice Hockey, Freestyle Skiing and Skeleton.

2010 Winter Olympics Preview - Ski Jumping, Alpine Skiing, Biathlon

Mon, 8 Feb, 2010 07:54:39 GMT

This Friday is the start of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Each day this week, Double G Sports will give a quick preview of three events in this years olympics. There are 15 events in total, so by Friday all the events will be covered.

The first three events I will preview are Ski Jumping, Alpine Skiing, and Biathlon.

Ski Jumping

Ski Jumping will be the first event in this years olympic games. This event has been part of the Olympics since the original Olympic games in 1924. There are three seperate competitions in Ski Jumping. The Normal Hill Individual, Large Hill Individual, and Team competitions.

Normal Hill qualifying takes place the day before competition. The top 10 ranked ski jumpers during the World Cup Circuit are selected into the competition without having to go through qualifying. The remaining jumpers go through the qualification round with the top 40 advancing. After the first round of 50 participants, only 30 advance to the final round.

The Large Hill event is done the same way as the Normal Hill except the competition takes place on a larger hill.

In the team event, each team has four athletes. In the first round, each member gets one jump. The top eight teams advance to the second round. When its all said and done, the team with the highest score after all eight jumps wins.

This years ski jumping events will take place at Whistler Olympic Park.

In the 2006 Torino games, Norway ended up with the most medals (4) while Austria had the most golds (2). Norway is the All-Time leader in medals for this event with 28. The United States has just one medal in Ski Jumping, that was a bronze won by Anders Haugen in 1924.

Alpine Skiing

Alpine Skiing consists of 10 events. Men's & Ladies Downhill, Men's & Ladies Super-G, Men's & Ladies Giant Slalom, Men's & Ladies Slalom, and Men's & Ladies Super Combined. Alpine skiing has been a part of the Olympic games since 1936. Alpine Skiing events are downhill skiing events in which athletes must pass through gates. The distance of the course depends on the event.

Downhill has the longest course. It's also the event which skiers reach the fastest speeds. Each skier makes one run down the course and the fastest time wins.

The Giant Slalom is also a timed event in which skiers travel on a course with more turns. This event consists of two runs down two different courses on the same ski slope. The times of each run are combined.

The Slalom is basically done the same way as the Giant Slalom but on a much shorter course with quicker turns. It is the shortest course of all Alpine Skiing events.

The Super-G is an event that combines the speed of downhill with the turning precision of the Giant Slalom. The course is shorter then downhill but longer then the Giant Slalmo. Each skier takes one run on the course and the fastest time wins.

The Super Combined event is one downhill run followed by one slalom run. The times are added together with the fastest total time being named the winner.

This years competitions in Alpine Skiing take place at Whistler Creekside. In 2006, Austria was the easy leader with 14 total medals in Alpine Skiing. United States received two gold medals that year. Austria holds the all time lead with 101 medals. The United States is fourth with 31.

Biathlon

The Biathlon is a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. The Men's competition became an Olympic event in 1960 while the Women's event started as an Olympic event in 1992. There are five different events on each side, Men's and Women's. Individual start, Sprint, Pursuit, Relay, and Mass Start. Men's races are generally longer distances then Women.

In the Individual Start, athletes start one at a time in 30 second intervals. They ski a loop five times. Each competitor stops four times at the shooting area and takes five shots at a target. If an athlete misses a shot, one minutes is added to his or her race time. The athlete with the lowest time is the winner.

In the Sprint race, athletes once again start one at a time every 30 seconds. During the Sprint, each competitor stops twice to take five shots at a target. If they miss a shot in this event, they must take a lap around a 150 meter penalty loop. The athlete with the lowest time wins.

The top 60 finishers in the Sprint event qualify for the Pursuit competition. Each person in this event is chasing the Sprint race winner. Participants start in intervals according to their Spring race finish. Skiers must stop four times and take five shots at a target. For each missed shot, they must take a penalty lap around the 150 meter penalty loop. The first athlete to cross the finish line wins.

The relay is a team event. Each team member skis a leg and tags their teammate at the end. Each person skis three legs and must stop twice at the shooting range. Each athlete takes the normal five shots but also has three extra bullets. If an athlete still misses a target, they must ski the 150 meter penalty lap. First team to finish wins.

The Mass Start consists of the 30 highest ranked skiers. Everyone starts together in this event, similar to a marathon. They must each stop at the shooting range four times and take five shots at a target. If they miss, they must take a lap around the 150 meter penalty lap. During the competition, if a participant is lapped, they must withdraw from the event immediately. The winner is the first athlete to cross the finish line.

This event will take place at the Whistler Olympic Park. Germany led the medal count for this event in the 2006 Olympics while the USA did not qualify for a medal. In fact, the United States has never won a medal in the Biathlon. Germany is the all time leader with 38.

Double G Sports "Expert" Super Bowl Predictions & Links

Sat, 6 Feb, 2010 04:09:05 GMT

The "expert" panel for Double G Sports brings you their Super Bowl Predictions for tomorrow. Feel free to leave a comment with your prediction and vote on the Super Bowl Poll on the right side of this site.

John

We've been lucky. The last two years we've experienced classic Super Bowl's. Let's make it three in a row. Defense wins championships. In this one, which ever defense can stop the other offense four times, will win the game. Look for the Saints to use the "Us against the world" battle cry to shock the Colts. After a fine NFC championship game, although he threw the ball with less conviction, Brees will be named MVP by posting Super Bowl numbers even Phil Simms would be proud of. Manning will be his usual dominant self, but will hit the ball-hawking Darren Sharper once, and that could the difference. New Orleans 41 and Indianapolis 35. See you next season. XLV prediction: Giants 31 Colts 28.

Rob

Now this is obviously the hardest game to pick a winner. The Colts, according to my sources are favorite by 4 1/2 points. The Over/Under is 56 1/2. I think the over would be something to take, but I can also see this supposedly high scoring game be a defensive game. It tends to happen that way. Now I love both Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. Followed both their careers since college. In my opinion the defense that can create turnovers will be the winner. It's a tough call, but I think the Colts will be able to get more pressure on Brees than the Saints will get on Manning. Going with Peyton....Colts by 7.

Spenser

The Saints. From early in the season my brother and I have had them penciled to win it all. I know it's against Manning but I have to stick it out.

Mark

This is a legitimate match-up of the 2 best teams in football. With or without Dwight Freeney playing for Indy, Drew Brees is a stud. With that being said, Peyton Manning will have a decent game. He will square off against a defense that has knocked one QB and possibly two into retirement. Much like the way he figured out the Jets, he will the Saints.

Honestly, this game is a toss-up. I'll take the Colts, who win it 34-27.

Gregg

This game features the top two offenses and quarterbacks, as you can see on Ryan Sayler's Real Fantasy blog. Each team has a somewhat underrated defense. However, the Colts do not give up big plays and thats what the Saints offense is all about. If Dwight Freeney does not play, it's a blow to the Colts but I refuse to count out Peyton Manning and his many weapons. I would not be surprised to see this game end up a little lower scoring then many believe. Colts win, 27 - 16

Other Super Bowl Related Links:

The commercials are always fun to watch during the Super Bowl. Take a look at one that was released a little early on Steve Swearengin's Chief's House.

If you are looking for something a little different, check out the Double G Sports All-Female Celebrity Football Team for 2010.

Enjoy the game! The best part might just be the National Anthem as my celebrity crush is singing it!

All-Female Celebrity Football Team

Sat, 6 Feb, 2010 12:46:48 GMT

I seem to be having a hard time getting into this years Super Bowl. Sure I could do write ups about the game like everyone else around the world. I decided to try something fun, so I tried to put together a female celebrity football team. I think I did a pretty good job of combining good looks with skills. Think you can put together a team to compete with mine? Let's here it. Here is the Double G Sports All-Female Celebrity Football Team:

QB - Jennie Finch. Because she is a softball pitcher, Finch has the arm strength. She is also one of the most athletic players on the team. A versatile QB, think Vick with better accuracy. She even looks the part of a star QB. At 6'1 she will not have any problems seeing over the offensive line.

RB - Alicia Sacramone. The gymnast is perfect for this spot due to her extremely strong legs and athleticism. She is a very flexible and shift back.

WR1 - Erin Andrews - Very tall and knows the game. Good with her hands from holding a microphone for a living. Her height is a big advantage.

WR2 - Heidi Klum - Another tall receiver. Due to modeling experience she will be a great route runner. Good body control and hip action.

WR3 - Carrie Underwood - With her small size, she is perfect for the slot receiver position. Has dated football and hockey players so they can teach her to take a hit over the middle.

TE - Jennifer Lopez - Has the size and athleticism to be a dominant force from the tight end spot. Big, tall safety target for Finch in the passing game.

DE - Jessica Simpson and Mariah Carey - Both ends have the size to battle in the trenches. Carey is likely the better athlete and she seems to shine in any situation. Simpson needs to stay in shape and find motivation to work hard.

DT - Missy Elliot - Size and strength to play DT in the 3-4 defense. She will be the run stuffer. Tough lady that will not take crap from anyone.

OLB - Beyonce and Laura Vandervoort - Beyonce is the defensive captain and just dominant. She brings the game consistently. Power and speed is her game. Dominant pass rusher. Vandervoort on the other side is a very athletic linebacker that can run sideline to sideline. Has the ability to cover if needed. Very tough as she is a 2nd degree black belt.

MLB - Britney Spears and Meghan Fox - Spears needs to stay motivated but is an athletic linebacker and can turn on a dime. Fox is a take no prisoners type. The duo is dangerous because they can play the run as well as drop back when needed.

CB - Eva Longoria and Alicia Keys - Both corners have the skills to really cling on receivers. They bring style and flare to the defense. Keys loves the New York lifestyle, so playing here won't be an issue. Longoria loves to be in the spotlight.

S - Heather Mitts and Gina Carano - Mitts is terrific in the open field due to her years as a soccer star. She has a knack for getting to the ball and the power to provide a hit. Carano is a beast and will punish the opposition if they try to come across the field. Opposing offenses will likely try to stay away from her. They are a terrific pair of safeties.

K/P - Handling the kicking and punting duties is Hope Solo. The soccer star is a natural here and has the ability to control games with her legs.

So, that is my team. Think you can beat us? Let's hear what team you can put together, but remember..its a combination of looks and skill that make us so dominant.

All in the football spirit. Double G Sports Super Bowl predictions coming tomorrow.

The 2010 Rutgers football recruiting class

Fri, 5 Feb, 2010 01:02:34 GMT

The 2010 recruiting class for Rutgers and head coach Greg Schiano was rather slow to develop. The wait was worth it as some late commits made this class respectable. This year Schiano seems to have re-affirmed his ground in Florida while still bringing in some home grown talent. New Jersey had some what of a down year as far as high school seniors go. Let's take a look at the new Scarlet Knights. Recruits are in order by positions.

QB

Chas Dodd - Dodd is from South Carolina and chose Rutgers early on and kept his word. He is a natural leader on the field and brings a big accurate arm along with his high football IQ. The knock on Dodd is his size. At just 6' and 190 lbs, he may have trouble seeing the field behind the big Rutgers offensive lineman. Dodd may be the backup to Tom Savage this season.

RB

Jawan Jamison - This three star recruit from the Bolles School in Florida does not have great top end speed but he does break tackles. He is a shifty back that runs very low to the ground. Reminds people of former Rutgers star, Ray Rice. Jamison chose Rutgers over offers from Clemson and Northern Illinois.

Casey Turner - Turner is a durable and balanced runner. He was a workhorse for his high school in Florida where he ran for 2,232 yards and 31 TD's his senior year. This workhorse had offers from North Carolina, Arkansas, Illinois, and South Florida among others.

Jordan Thomas - The #5 rated back in New York brings a 4.45 40 yard dash time along with his good football IQ and instincts. He also has good hands out of the backfield. One of those players that has a knack for making plays when the ball is in his hand. Thomas could play RB, WR, or defensive back for Rutgers. Thomas was rated as a three star prospect by both Rivals.com and Scout.com. Other offers were, North Carolina, Syracuse, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and Oregon State.

WR

Brandon Coleman - On paper this is a huge pick up for Rutgers. A four star receiver that played in the Under Armor All-American game, Coleman was highly regarded nationally. He is a big target that stands at 6'6" as well as having a 32 inch vertical leap. Coleman is not overly fast but his long strides allow him to beat defenders off the line. While he needs to improve his route running, he does have good body control. With his size, Coleman could be moved to tight end. Other offers were from Notre Dame, Maryland, Syracuse, Boston College, Virginia Tech and more.

Jawaun Wynn - One of the home grown talents in this class, a three star prospect. Wynn is from Piscataway and is staying there for college. Like Coleman, Wynn has a big time vertical leap. He is a physical specimen with an NFL body. This sometimes keeps him to stiff however. While a project, Wynn could be a dangerous athlete for Rutgers. Other offers were Boston College, Connecticut and Temple.

Offensive Line

Betim Bujari - Enrolled at Rutgers early and will be able to participate in spring practices. Bujari is a very well built and strong lineman but does need to work on his technique. Most likely a guard on this level. He is from Secaucus, NJ.

Chris Fonti - Maybe the most upside of this offensive line unit. Fonti is a monster, 6'7" 310 lbs. He is very physical and loves to pound people. Was the #8 overall prospect in New Jersey. Could be a big time player. Had other offers from East Carolina, Louisville, Delaware, and Florida International.

Rob Forst - Brother of current Rutgers starting lineman Art Forst. The young Forst has good feet. He adds depth at the position and could play either guard or center. De-commit from Delaware once Rutgers offered.

Frank Quartucci - A big, strong lineman that gave Greg Schiano chills with his story about dreaming of playing for Rutgers as a kid. He is quick and has good technique, however he played low competition on the high school level.

Jorge Vicioso - One of the top wrestlers in the state, Vicioso is a raw athletic lineman. He is very strong behind his 6'5" 290 lbs body. He has the best feet of all the offensive lineman in this class. Rutgers is hoping he will qualify academically. Had an offer from Louisville.

Defensive Line

Djwany Mera - Mera needs to add about 20 pounds to play defensive end on this level but he is productive. He had 22 sacks as a high school senior out of Florida. Mera was somewhat of an under the radar type prospect that came on late.

Taj Alexander - Pittsburgh tried to steal this big lineman from Pennsylvania but he stayed committed to Rutgers. Alexander will likely be moved to the offensive line. He brings tons of potential.

Kenneth Kirksey - Kirksey was one of the guys that saved this class. He took it to the wire as Rutgers was still unsure if they would land this kid on signing day. He brings speed and strength to the defensive tackle position. Could be the player Rutgers has been missing since Eric Foster graduated to the NFL. Somewhat of an unknown as Scout.com has him as only a one star prospect but Rivals.com rated him at three stars. Had offers from Florida International, Iowa State, and Michigan State.

Linebacker

Fred Overstreet - One of the top 20 prospects in the Tampa area, Overstreet also played tight end in high school. He is an athletic and fast linebacker that plays active. He brings good size at 6'2" 210 lbs. Had offers from Minnesota, Purdue and Syracuse.

Sam Bergen - Torn ACL's in both his junior and senior years kept his recruiting down. He otherwise would have been one of the top linebackers out of Pennsylvania. He is a very hard hitter that could be moved to fullback.

David Milewski - Another linebacker that played tight end in high school. Milewski is from Sayreville, NJ and could play middle linebacker, tight end, or defensive end for Rutgers depending on how he develops. He is a solid linebacker that has a nose for the ball. Very athletic. Strong football IQ. Other offer was from Monmouth.

Marcus Thompson - This guy is a beast. Thompson also played running back in high school. At 6'2" 225 lbs, Thompson runs like a deer and hits like a mack truck. He is a very active and big time hitter from the linebacker position. Could have an immediate impact.

Defensive Backs

Rashad Knight - A four star safety from Jacksonville, Florida. Knight is a strong, big time player. He will punish the opposition with big time hits. He was the #19 ranked defensive back. Very physical and has good cover skills as well. Could play safety or corner for Rutgers. He chose Rutgers over Michigan.

Gareef Glashen - This Miami product needs to improve his tackling and physical play but he is a speedy corner with good cover skills. He ran a 4.42 40 yard dash. Other offers were Syracuse, Memphis, Colorado State and more.

Jeremy Deering - This Tampa product chose Rutgers over Florida State on live television in Tampa the night before signing day. He is another extremely athletic player that could play multiple positions for Rutgers. Deering is a three star player that has been ranked as high as four stars in some rankings. He could play safety, corner, wide receiver or quarterback out of the wildcat package.

Lorenzo Waters - Yet another can't miss prospect in the defensive backfield. Waters is from DeMatha Catholic High School in Maryland. One of the most physical safeties in the country. He is very tough and plays the safety position like a linebacker. He is a big time hitter. Plays similar to his cousin, current Rutgers safety Joe Lefeged. Other offers were from California, Iowa, Wake Forest and Vanderbilt.

Athletes

Tejay Johnson - Egg Harbor native brings game braking speed. He was the New Jersey 100-meter track champion. His is raw but very athletic and could play defensive back, wide receiver or running back for Rutgers. Had offers from Nebraska, Cincinnati, Syracuse and Michigan State.

J.T. Tartacoff - Set school records at Montgomery high school in New Jersey. Another player that brings serious speed. Has a 4.34 40 yard dash time. Tartacoff could be a dangerous slot receiver and kick returner for Rutgers. He has great hands and very good football IQ. Needs to put some time in the weight room to bulk up a little bit.

Overview

Many people are not to high on this class. I think its a very good class as Rutgers was able to bring big time speed and athleticism while filling some needs. Some of these players may contribute immediately. A few players seem like projects but they appear to have some big time upside. If a few of these recruits work hard and develop, Rutgers could have some big steals in this class. Nine players from New Jersey and nine from Florida. It's not often you see players choosing Rutgers offer offers from schools like Michigan, Florida State, Iowa, etc.. Overall if I had to grade the class, I would give it a B. Definitely no lower then a B-

Joba Chamberlain wants to start...bad idea?

Sun, 31 Jan, 2010 06:09:56 GMT

Here we go again. This debate never seems to end. I was one of those people that was unsure, until last season. The New York Post has a story in today's paper in which Joba Chamberlain states he wants to be in the Yankees starting rotation.

Chamberlain is planning to report to Tampa this week, ahead of many others. The team has told him to prepare as if he is a starting pitcher, so that's what he is going to do. Joba will be competing with Phil Hughes, Sergio Mitre, Alfredo Aceves and Chad Gaudin for the one available spot in the rotation.

Last season Chamberlain started 31 games for the Yankees and struggled at times. Toward the end of the year, the Yankees put an innings limit on the youngster. He finished the year with a 9-6 record while posting a 4.78 ERA. Chamberlain only struck out 132 hitters in the 156.1 innings he pitched. That well below the rate at which he struck out batter when pitching in relief.

Phil Hughes is the other young pitcher that will get a long look this spring. Hughes has shown flashes of greatness while struggling at other times. Last season he started seven games and posted a 3-2 record with a 5.45 ERA in those games. Hughes eventually joined the bullpen and was dominant for most of the season. He seemed comfortable in that role. Until the postseason. Hughes struggled in the playoffs when coming out of the bullpen. Chamberlain was also part of the bullpen in the playoffs and pitched well.

In his career, Joba has been as dominant as any pitcher when entering a game in relief. Many believe he could be the best setup man in the game and eventual successor to Mariano Rivera as Yankees closer.

I do truly believe the 5th spot in the rotation will come down to Hughes or Chamberlain. Gaudin will get a look as well if the Yankees decide Hughes and Chamberlain would both be better suited for the bullpen.

There is something special about Joba Chamberlain when he pitches in relief. The crowd goes crazy when he enters the game, he is pumped up and throwing hard, blowing away hitters with nasty stuff. He gives you a feel that the game is over when the bullpen doors open and Joba enters. One other pitcher comes to mind when you bring up those attributes. Mariano Rivera.

Hughes has the stuff to be a very good starting pitcher. I could see him turning into a #2 starter at some point in his career. I'm not saying I don't think Chamberlain could be a good starting pitcher, I just think he has a better chance of being the next big thing as far as Major League closers go.

It's not often you come across a Papelbon, Hoffman, or Rivera. Chamberlain could be the next guy.

Hughes should be the Yankees #5 starter this season, not Joba Chamberlain. If Chamberlain has a dominant spring as a starter, I may have to change my mind. I just don't see that happening. TO many times last season, I witnessed a pitcher completely change his form and become soft as a starting pitcher. That can't happen. The Yankees need Joba to be Joba, and in order to do that, he needs to end games in the 8th inning while setting up for Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer to ever play the game.

Some Yankees and Mets news

Sat, 30 Jan, 2010 06:57:32 GMT

The Yankees and Mets have both been in the news lately.

The Yankees and Johnny Damon's camp has been going back and forth about why the two sides were unable to come to a contract agreement. Damon was on WFAN this past week to talk about it. The free agent left fielder did say the Yankees made a few offers that he declined. Despite declining those offers, Damon was hoping for more discussions in hopes of coming to an agreement.

Damon is still having thoughts of eventually returning to the Yankees. He realizes the team currently has a full roster but he maintains he will always have New York on his mind. The thought of the Yankees trading for him before the trading deadline was brought up. How interesting would that be?

The Mets General Manager Omar Minaya has gone out of his way to make it known that he has the control to sign free agents. I'm not sure I would be making that known. The Mets have made some very strange moves this offseason. First they signed Jason Bay which everyone thought was a good signing. Soon after that, the Red Sox announced the reason they did not sign him. They were concerned with some of his injury issues.

The Mets traded for Gary Matthews Jr. to be a part of their outfield. I get that the Mets needed another outfielder while Carlos Beltran recovers from surgery, but Mattews Jr.?? The guy is terrible.

The Mets lost out on pitchers John Lackey and then Ben Sheets. They didn't appear to have much interest in Jon Garland. Its clear the Mets need to add to their starting rotation, but who is left?? John Smoltz seems to be the leading candidate with Braden Looper and Chien-Ming Wang as potential backups. You really have some issues if your leading candidate is John Smoltz.

The team did make a few signings of late. Fernando Tatis was re-signed this week. Tatis will likely platoon at first base with Daniel Murphy. Also signed was Frank Catalanotto. The veteran utility guy signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. He could be a good left handed pinch hitter off the bench for the Mets.

Yankees have potential gem in Jesus Montero

Fri, 29 Jan, 2010 03:32:32 GMT

When any team calls to propose a big trade with the Yankees, the first name they likely ask about is Jesus Montero. The 20 year old catcher is thought to be a can't miss prospect. His name constantly appears on many lists of top prospects in baseball.

From everything I have heard and read about this kid, Yankee fans should be extremely happy the team has not dealt him in any deal. That includes proposals for stars like Roy Halladay.

Montero was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Venezuela in 2006. In his first full season of professional baseball, Montero hit .326 with 17 home runs and 87 RBI's for Class-A Charleston. He has not stopped hitting since. Last season Montero began the year at Class-A Tampa. The Florida State League that Tampa plays in is known as a pitcher friendly league. That did not stop the youngster. Montero hit .356 with eight home runs and 37 RBI's in the 48 games he played for Tampa. Those numbers earn him a promotion to Double-A Trenton. In Trenton, Montero hit .317 with nine home runs and 33 RBI's before suffering a season ending broken finger in on his glove hand.

With his size, some scouts are skeptic on whether or not Montero can play the catcher position at the Major League level. He is 6'4 and 225 pounds. The Yankees are pretty much set at the three spots Montero could play, catcher, first base, and designated hitter. If Montero continues to rake the way he has, it will be tough for the Yankees to keep him down. Unless of course an injury opens a spot.

There are some very high hopes for Montero and the hype is obvious. Just about every scout or baseball guy will tell you the Yankees have a big time hitter. Some are comparing him to some pretty big names.

"He can mash," said Patrick Teale, who covers the Yankees for Pinstripes Plus magazine. "This guy could be [Albert] Pujols-like, he could be [Mike] Piazza-like. He's got that kind of bat. He can hit for average, he can hit for power, he can hit any pitch and he's got a good approach at the plate."

Although he still has some work to do, his skills behind the plate have been improving. While his offensive skills will certainly be what carries him to the Majors, if he can continue to improve defensively he could see time with the big club even sooner.

Most people you talk to say Montero is the guy that will eventually replace current Yankee Jorge Posada behind the plate. We will likely get a good look of Montero in spring training this year and then at Triple-A Scranton. I know he is one guy that may urge me to take the short trip to Scranton.

Yankees find outfielder: reach agreement with Randy Winn

Wed, 27 Jan, 2010 09:25:36 GMT

The door has officially closed on Johnny Damon returning to the Bronx. The Yankees today came to an agreement with outfielder Randy Winn. The deal is a one year deal worth $2 million.

Winn batted .262 last season with the Giants in 597 plate appearances. He will likely compete with Brett Gardner for the starting left field spot, with the other being the fourth outfielder. The 35 yr old veteran does still provide some speed. He stole 16 bases last season, in 18 attempts.

Winn is still thought of as being an above average defensive outfielder. That is likely a main reason the Yankees were interested in him. He is a career .286 hitter despite his drop last season. If he can approach his career average again, this is a decent pick up for just $2 million.

The addition of Winn closes the door on Damon. Johnny Damon and his agent Scott Boras over priced themselves this offseason and the result has been a lack of options for the former Yankee.

Mets and Yankees lose out on potential free agent additions

Wed, 27 Jan, 2010 02:38:12 GMT

Both New York baseball teams lost out of adding a pair of free agents they had been pursuing. Each one could have devastating effects to their rosters.

The New York Mets need to add a starting pitcher. They know it. The fans know it. The organization has been public about there attempts to add to their starting rotation. John Lackey seemed to be their top target, but he quickly signed with the Boston Red Sox. Lately, they had been very interested in signing Ben Sheets. Many fans, including myself felt it was basically a must that the Mets sign him. Unfortunately, for Mets fans, Sheets signed a one year deal with the A's today. The deal will pay Sheets $10 million plus performance bonuses. That is quite a deal for a guy that missed all of last season while recovering from arm surgery. It's unlikely the Mets offered anywhere near $10 million.

Another option on the free agent market was Jon Garland. He is now off the market as well. Garland signed a deal with the San Diego Padres today that is for one year with an option for a second.

It appears the Mets are not focused on John Smoltz. The veteran appears to also be interested in joining the Mets. Hard to believe that Smoltz may be the best option remaining for the Mets. I guess that just shows how bad of an offseason it has been for the Mets.

Across town, the Yankees also lost out of a player they had been interested in. The Yankees are in the market for an outfielder and Xavier Nady was thought to be their top target. Nady signed a deal with the Chicago Cubs today. MLBTradeRumors.com reports the final offer Nady's agent, Scott Boras, presented to the Yankees was worth $5 million. The Yankees apparently turned that down, however Joel Sherman of the NY Post tweeted the Yankees would have considered signing Nady for the price he signed for today.

Where do the Yankees turn now? It's obvious they could stay with Brett Gardner as their left fielder, but they still need an adequate backup. I think Gardner is better suited to be the fourth outfielder where he can be used as a pinch runner and defense replacement at all three outfield spots. Apparently the Yankees were in talks with Rick Ankiel and remained in it until he finally signed with the Royals. Joel Sherman said the Yankees would only consider Rocco Baldelli on a minor league deal. I do not want them to sign Baldelli at all. Johnny Damon is still out there as well and his suitors seem to be dwindling. Damon may eventually need to decide whether or not to take a small deal or retire. I can't imagine him calling it a career. If the Yankees truly would have considered Nady at $3.3 million, I don't see why they wouldn't consider Damon around the $4 million mark if it came down to that. Damon needs to realize he is likely not getting a big deal this offseason. I think his best spot is still in the Bronx. The only other options on the free agent market might be Reed Johnson and Randy Winn. I don't think either of them are good fits for this club. The Yankees have said they do not have interest in Jermaine Dye or Jim Edmonds. They may look into trade options but I am not sure what is really available on that front.

Regardless, we can talk about what-if's for a long time. The bottom line is, both New York clubs still have holes to fill and the options are getting slim. Spring Training is right quickly approaching. These roster spots very well may not be determined before then. Stay tuned!

Should the New Jersey Nets trade for Amare Stoudemire?

Wed, 27 Jan, 2010 04:03:38 GMT

There are some rumors and reports floating around that the NJ Nets may make some moves before the trade deadline, February 18^th. One potential trade involves the Nets acquiring Amare Stoudemire from the Phoenix Suns. This is an interesting idea.

Stoudemire is a scorer, averaging 21.1 points per game for his career. We all know by now the Nets need people that can score. The Suns are probably thinking they will not resign Stoudemire once his contract runs out, so why not see what they can get for him now. The Nets just might have the pieces to pull off a trade like this.

The Nets have ten draft picks over the next three years. They can give up one of those picks in this deal. New Jersey also has some young talent the Suns may be interested in.

Many players around the league have made it known they would not play for the New Jersey Nets. The Nets have been terrible this year, to put it nicely. Stoudemire however said he sees the potential in the team and thinks they have the pieces to be successful in the very near future.

"Potential. Absolutely. I think that's a team with potential," Stoudemire said. "They can definitely contend in the near future with the right pieces."

The Nets have a young and talented center in Brook Lopez. They have an All-Star point guard in Devin Harris as well as some other youngsters. New Jersey would love to win the draft lottery this year and take Kentucky freshman point guard John Wall. If they could find ways to make all of this happen, four of the team’s five starters next season could be: Lopez, Stoudemire, Harris and Wall. That is a team that can succeed in this league.

Adding Stoudemire may help the Nets win a few more games this season, which in return would slightly hurt their chances of winning the draft lottery. I think it’s worth it. The potential reward might just be worth this risk.

The Nets should put a package together and offer it to Phoenix. Something like, Dallas’s first round draft pick and their choice of Chris Douglas-Roberts or Courtney Lee. If the Suns require a second player, I would even consider giving them Yi Jianlian.

Evan Roberts of WFAN in New York brought up an interesting point. Amare Stoudemire might be enticed to join the Nets for reasons outside of basketball as well. The power forward apparently is in the music business. If he is seriously interested in getting bigger and better in music, Jay-Z is a great guy to get close to and get help from. The rapper is part of the Nets ownership group.
I think this would be a good deal for the New Jersey Nets.

Recapping the AFC and NFC championship games

Mon, 25 Jan, 2010 02:33:34 GMT

Yesterdays conference championship games were a little different. One game had a team take over in the second half and pull away, the other went into overtime. Two top quarterbacks moved on to the Super Bowl, one may have been sent into retirement, again, and a rookie quarterback may have come into his own and shown his team that the future is bright. Let's take a look:

New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts

The New York area can now turn its full time attention to baseball season as Spring Training is just around the corner. The Jets surprising postseason run came to an end. The #1 rushing attack was not able to take over the game as it had in its previous playoff contests. The Colts used their very fast defense to slow them down. Jets rookie quarterback played a very good game. He got away with a few bone headed decisions, but overall, Jets fans should be very excited to have this guy running the offense for years to come. A few injuries gave the Jets some matchup problems. If you give Peyton Manning those chances, he WILL beat you. Manning and the Colts completely dominated the second half on their way to the 30-17 victory. The young Colts receivers stepped up in a big way. Hey Jets fans, be proud of your team, it took one of the best quarterbacks ever to beat you. Plus, you don't have to watch Favre in the Super Bowl either!

Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints

As good as Brett Favre is, he just seems to make idiotic decisions that cost his teams. It happened again yesterday as the Vikings were driving the ball in Saints territory with the clock running down. All they needed to do was keep control of the ball and let their field goal kicker kick the winning score. Favre however was forced to leave the pocket and attempted an across the body throw that ended up as an easy interception, forcing the game into overtime. The Saints would win the coin toss and eventually the game. The interception overshadowed a very good game by both quarterbacks, Brett Favre and Drew Brees. The Vikings however dominated the game for the most part. Turnovers proved to be the difference. The Vikings turned the ball over five times. Adrian Peterson fumbled a few times. The Saints took advantage. This game was a classic hard fought battle. It was nice for the city of New Orleans to witness a champsionship.

Super Bowl

Colts vs Saints

Peyton Manning vs Drew Brees. Manning will be taking on his home town team. Taking on the team his father used to play for. Another battle of offenses. Another battle of great quarterbacks. Many people wanted a Manning/Favre Super Bowl. I think I like Manning/Brees just as much.

Double G Sports Expert Predictions: AFC & NFC Championships

Sun, 24 Jan, 2010 03:17:35 GMT

The Expert Panel for Double G Sports once again giving you their predictions for the Championship games this Sunday in the NFL. Each "expert" gives their picks. Their playoff picks record is in parenthesis.

Gregg (3-5)

Jets @ Colts - The Colts offensive line will keep the Jets off Manning for the most part. That spells danger for the Jets big defense. I think Dallas Clark has a huge day. Colts can play some defense. Colts win!

Vikings @ Saints - This has the potential to be a classic. I don't have a reason why, I just hope the Saints win, so I will take the Saints!

Jon (3-1)

I think both games are really a toss up.

Jets @ Colts - Jets

Vikings @ Saints - Vikings

Mark (4-4)

Jets @ Colts - Last week my gut told me to go with the Jets. I didn't. So, I'll take the Colts. Too much offense and a better defense than San Diego.

Vikings @ Saints - The Saints defense shut down Kurt Warner and the Cards. I see no reason why they don't do the same to Favre and the Vikings. Saints win.

John (4-4)

Well, I am in trouble this week as I am undefeated in the playoffs of Saturday, but have yet to make a Sunday prediction accurately. Here's hoping my luck changes:

Jets @ Colts - I love the Jets physicality. I love Shonn Greene. I must admit, I even like Rex. Everyone is drawing comparisons with the '07 Giants. I admit they are interesting, but unfortunately for the J-E-T-S the Giants won the Super Bowl and the Jets will lose in the AFC Championship game in a very close game. Manning continues his amazing season and the Colts will face...

Vikings @ Saints - the Saints. Thank God we will not have to listen to two more weeks of the love affair between Brett Favre and the media. Favre will throw two picks, but the Vikings will have a strong offensive showing with Peterson/Taylor running wild. However, Brees and co. put up 35+ and win by 10.

Spenser (2-2)

Jets @ Colts - Jets. Colts receiving core is too young for this dynamic defense.

Vikings @ Saints - Saints. Again it boils down to D. Saints have a bit more to offer in the secondary. They also have more offensive weapons.

Rob (4-4)

Jets @ Colts - Jets are playing with confidence and they rightfully should, but I've been a fan of Peyton Manning since his days at Tennessee. Colts win by 10.

Vikings @ Saints - I am a fan of high scoring spread 'em out offenses, but I just think the Vikings are tougher all around. Vikings by 5.

AFC Championship: Jets @ Colts, Preview & Prediction

Sat, 23 Jan, 2010 05:23:37 GMT

The AFC Championship game this Sunday between the New York Jets and Indianpolis Colts is a battle of contrasting styles. The Jets rely heavily on their hard nose defense and dominant running game. The Colts rely on their air attack behind their star quarterback and their speed defense. It is a very intriguing battle. Lets take a look at the matchups:

When the Jets have the ball:

The Jets will once again attempt to pound the Colts with their rushing attack. The duo of Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene have been unable to stop this postseason. Controlling the game with the running game means the Jets will not need rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez to do to much. That would be a good thing for New York as Sanchez has had a tendency to throw into traffic and make mistakes.

The Colts defense is generally on the smaller side and they rely on speed. Defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will attempt to consistently put pressure on Sanchez. They are both very quick off the line of scrimmage and the Jets offensive line will have their hands full. The Jets line has been very good this year and have mostly kept Sanchez standing. Freeney and Mathis have combined for 23 sacks this season and in Week 16 when these two teams played, Freeney sacked Sanchez twice and he only played 2^1/2quarters.

The Colts secondary is nothing to be scared of but they shouldn't have to do to much work as the Jets will run, run, and run some more. The Colts linebackers may be a big key to this game. Its a strong unit as Clint Session and Gary Brackett lead the Colts in tackles. The two linebackers have been very solid against the run.

The key will likely be how long the smaller sized Colts defensive line can hold up against the pounding Jets running game.

When the Colts have the ball:

The Colts have the leagues best quarterback and one of the greatest at the position all-time. Peyton Manning won his 4th MVP award this season. You can see why the Colts like to air it out. Their running game behind Joseph Addai has been nonexistent this season. Actually, they were the worst in the league. The Jets defense has been very good against the run, so I don't expect the Colts to even attempt the run game very much.

Manning's top target will have his biggest test of the season. Reggie Wayne will have to deal with the Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Revis is arguably the best cover corner in the league. He has constantly shut down top receivers all season. If Revis can shut down Wayne, the Colts younger receivers will need to step up to keep the offense balanced. Austin Collier and Pierre Garcon will need to step up and get open for Manning to have a big day.

Jets safety Kerry Rhodes may have the biggest assignment of the game, defending Colts tight end Dallas Clark. The tight end is the second leading receiver for the Colts and a favorite of Manning. The Jets can not afford to let Clark roam the field.

The linebackers, David Harris and Bart Scott should keep an eye on Addai out of the backfield. He has done some damage catching passes.

The Colts offensive line has only allowed 12 sacks this season on Manning. The veteran group will need to recognize the various blitzes the Jets throw at them.

Special Teams

Neither team has dominant special teams. The Jets probably have a better group as kick returner Brad Smith can be explosive. Jerricho Cotchery has done well returning punts for New York. In the kicking game, Jay Feely is having a great season for the Jets, while Matt Stover has been very solid for the Colts.

Intangibles

The Jets are the hottest and most confident team in the NFL right now. They are convinced they can and will beat anyone. New York has gotten excited about this team and they are enjoying playing the underdog role.

The Colts are out to prove their loss to the Jets in Week 16 was a result of resting players. That game ended the Colts chances at an undefeated season. The Colts have the home field advantage of the dome.

Prediction

I think the Colts defense is underrated. They don't rank very high and they won't have the gaudy numbers, but they get the job done. They are a solid group that uses its speed well. The Jets defense will be put to their toughest test of the season. If they can get to Manning, they will keep the game close. If they can't, it could get out of hand. I dont expect the Jets to score much in this one.

Colts 30, Jets 13

Now what for the Mets? Pineiro and Molina sign elsewhere

Thu, 21 Jan, 2010 03:56:15 GMT

The New York Mets keep losing out on free agents. This week they lost out on catcher Bengie Molina and starting pitcher Joel Pineiro. The Mets had been pursuing both players and given offers.

It was clear Molina did not want to play in New York. If he did, he would have accepted the Mets offer instead of taking significantly less money to return to the Giants. In Molina, the Mets would have gotten a catcher with a decent glove and one that could provide some pop in the lineup. I don't think its as big a loss as some people think however. It's only a loss because the Mets just can't seem to fill many of their holes this offseason. The only spot they have been able to fill was left field where newly signed Jason Bay will play.

Currently, the catchers on the Mets roster are Omir Santos and Henry Blanco. If the season started today, Santos would likely be the starter with Blanco backing him up. Last season with the Mets Santos played in 96 games, batting .260 with seven home runs. He had an on base percentage of .296. Blanco was with the San Diego Padres last season where he batted just .235 with six home runs in 67 games.

If the organization still wants to go outside to fill the catcher spot, the only two free agents that are starter quality are Yorvit Torrealba and Rod Barajas. Neither player stands out. Barajas played 125 games for the Toronto Blue Jays last season and batted just .226. He hit 19 home runs but his on base percentage was just .258. Torrealba played in 64 games for the Colorado Rockies where he batted .291 with two home runs.

I think right now, the Mets might be better off sticking with Santos and Blanco and see what you can get out of them. Who knows, Santos may be a reliable player at the catcher position. Torrealba and Barajas don't seem to be worth the extra money. Especially when the Mets could spend that money elsewhere.

One position the Mets may spend a little more is starting pitching. The starting rotation needs some help and the Mets were hoping to land Joel Pineiro. Pineiro however came to a contract agreement with the Angels this week. Earlier this week the Mets sent some staff to watch free agent Ben Sheets throw. Sheets is coming off surgery and missed all of last season. The key here is, how much of a risk are you willing to take on a guy coming off surgery.

According to reports by many scouts and people that saw Sheets throw, he looked like the old Ben Sheets. Thats a good thing. The guy was one of the better pitchers in the National League before getting injured. His curveball looked very good and he was throwing about 92 MPH during the session.

It's thought that Sheets is asking for at least $10 million a year. That might be a little to high for many teams considering the surgery. Is $10 million worth the risk? I'm not sure. It's a tough call. Sheets would easily make that kind of money if he had stayed healthy. I think a more realistic number would be around $7.5 million a year. If the Mets can sign Sheets for that, they better do it! The starting pitching market is pretty thin now and the Mets definitely need some help in that department. They already lost out on John Lackey, Jason Marquis, and Joel Pineiro, they can't afford to miss out on Sheets as well, especially if they can get him for the $7.5 million range.

John Smoltz was another name that has apparently interested the Mets. I don't understand this one. I would stay away, but he is a veteran that knows how to pitch.

Some rumors have surfaced that they may try and trade for Braves starter Tim Hudson. I can't see this happening. Hudson signed a contract extension back in November and has a 10-and-5 no trade clause. The Braves also traded one veteran starter already this offseason, Javier Vazquez to the Yankees.

Some other possibilities are, Jon Garland, Jarrod Washburn, Erik Bedard, Josh Fogg, Pedro Martinez, Mark Mulder, Chien-Ming Wang, and Kip Wells. Garland and Washburn would eat up innings for you. I see them as decent starters. Wang is a guy I would take a chance on. He is also coming off surgery but will likely not get a big contract. If you can sign Wang to a small deal with incentives, it might be worth the risk.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. I am expecting the Mets to stick with the catchers they currently have on their roster and add at least one starting pitcher, maybe two.

Super Bowl XLIV: Potential storylines for each matchup

Fri, 22 Jan, 2010 05:04:06 GMT

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We don't yet know who is playing in Super Bowl XLIV. We find that out this Sunday. Which matchup is the most intriguing? Lets take a look ahead and see some of the potential storylines for each possible matchup.

Saints vs Colts

- Two of this decades better quarterbacks, Drew Brees vs Peyton Manning.

- Peyton Manning vs his father's old team.

- Peyton was born in New Orleans but is now a Colts legend. His father Archie is a Saints' legend. Both men are very active in the New Orleans community.

- Passing, Passing, and more Passing.

- In 1984, Baltimore Colts owner Robert Irsay was looking to move his team, while an Indianapolis businessman named Robert Welch was trying to get an NFL expansion team in the city. Before Irsay moved his team to Indianapolis, Welch was in talks with Saints owner John Mecom about buying the Saints and moving them to Indianpolis.

- Only two players in NFL history have had the first name Pierre. Both would be in this game. Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon and Saints running back Pierre Thomas.

Vikings vs Colts

- Brett Favre vs Peyton Manning. Enough said. Two of the best QB's of all time.

- Only two players since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 have won at least 3 MVP awards. The quarterback who won 3 MVP's in the 90's (Favre) vs the quarterback who won four in the 00's (Manning).

- The QB that holds most NFL passing records (Favre) vs the QB who will threaten and/or break many of those records (Manning).

- Jared Allen and Dwight Freeney. Each team has a dominant defensive end.

- Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier was the Colts defensive backs coach in 2006 and 2007. Current Colts head coach Jim Caldwell was an assistant head coach with Indy during those years.

Saints vs Jets

- Drew Brees and his offense was #1 in the NFL this season in points per game and yards per game. Jets defense was #1 in NFL this year in points per game allowed and yards per game allowed.

- Saints Reggie Bush and Jets Mark Sanchez were both big name star players at USC and were drafted as Top-10 picks.

- Two fan bases that have been tortured. Jets have been to one Super Bowl, but that was a loooong time ago. Saints have never been to the Super Bowl. The two teams had just four combined playoff victories this decade.

- Jonathan Vilma vs his old team

Vikings vs Jets

- Brett Favre vs the team he played for last season.

- The old guy (Favre) vs the rookie (Sanchez)

- Two teams that play dominant defense and have solid rushing attacks. (The keys to winning a championship)

Best / Worst

Best Matchup: I would love to see the Saints vs Colts in the Super Bowl, but by media standards, I guess a Vikings vs Colts matchup would be best. Favre vs Manning is a classic.

Worst Matchup: Media wise, Saints vs Jets would be the worst matchup. Not to much going on as far as story lines other then both teams' fan bases are desperate for a championship.

Mets to induct four new members to its franchise Hall of Fame

Tue, 19 Jan, 2010 08:05:29 GMT

The New York Mets will open a new Hall of Fame and Museum inside Citi Field this season and it will include four new members. The team announced Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Davey Johnson and Frank Cashen would be inducted into the franchise Hall of Fame.

The induction will take place August 1, 2010 before the Mets play the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. These four men are the first inductees into the teams' Hall of Fame since 2002 when Tommie Agee received the honor.

Gooden, Strawberry, Johnson and Cashen represent the dominant teams of the 1980's.

The General Manager from 1980 to 1990, Frank Cashen is the man responsible for builing the 1986 World Championship team. Cashen was hired by the team in 1980 after Nelson Doubleday Jr. purchased the team. The previous season, the Mets finished in last place for the third consecutive season. One of Cashen's first big pick up's was when he took a chance on drafting an immature high school kid named Darryl Strawberry. More on Strawberry later. Cashen was also responsible for promoting minor leaguers Hubie Brooks and Mookie Wilson, while making trades for Ron Darling, Dave Kingman and Howard Johnson. He also drafted Dwight Gooden in the 1982 player draft.

The teams under Cashen did not immediately rise to the top, but he never gave up. He continued making deals to improve the team, specifically acquiring Keith Hernandez in one of the frachise's most lopsided trades ever. Hernandez would become a team leader and key part of the future championship squad.

In 1984 Cashen hired Davey Johnson to manage the Mets. That year the Mets had their first winning season since 1976. Cashen traded Hubie Brooks and a few other players to the Montreal Expos for catcher Gary Carter. The Mets felt Carter was the missing piece to the championship puzzle. In 1985, the Mets just missed the playoffs but in 1986 they would win the World Series Title. That year they had the best record of any team in the 1980's.

It didn't take long for Dwight Gooden to become the team's ace. In his rookie year, Gooden went 17-9 with a 2.60 ERA and 276 strikeouts (career high). He is second on the franchise's all-time win list with 157 and in strikeouts with 1,875. He trails Tom Seaver in both catergories. Gooden's best season was probably 1985 when he went 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA. In his 16 year career, Gooden had a 194-112 record and an ERA of 3.51.

Darryl Strawberry came up with the Mets in 1983. The 21 year old kid was a major power threat immediately. In his rookie season, "Straw" hit 26 home runs and drove in 74 runs. He had it all, all the tools to do whatever he wanted on the baseball field. His career high for home runs in a season was 39. He did that twice, 1987 and 1988. Strawberry was Rookie of the Year, and a nine time All-Star. He is the franchise record holder in home runs (252), runs batted in (733) and extra base hits (469). Strawberry finished his career with 335 home runs and a career average of .259.

Davey Johnson was the manager of the Mets from 1984 to 1990. He was fired after the 1990 season. Johnson's Mets teams won an average of 95 games and never finished the regular season worse then 2nd place. His .588 winning percentage is the highest of any manager in team history.

By being inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame, these four men join the following:

Joan Payson
Casey Stengel
Gil Hodges
George M. Weiss
William A. Shea
Johnny Murphy
Ralph Kiner
Bob Murphy
Lindsey Nelson
Bud Harrelson
Rusty Staub
Tom Seaver
Jerry Koosman
Ed Kranepool
Cleon Jones
Jerry Grote
Tug McGraw
Mookie Wilson
Keith Hernandez
Gary Carter
Tommie Agee

AFC Divisional Round Preview: Jets @ Chargers

Mon, 18 Jan, 2010 01:52:12 GMT

The New York Jets travel to San Diego on Sunday to battle the Chargers in one of the AFC's Divisional Round games. The Chargers are the AFC #2 seed and had a bye last week. The Jets got here by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals last week in Cincinnati. It looked easy for the Jets last week, don't expect it to be the same this week.

The Jets bring their #1 ranked rushing attack and #1 ranked defense to California this weekend to try and upset a Chargers team that has been red hot to end the regular season. The Jets are a red hot team as well, coming in with complete confidence and expecting to win.

Lets take a look at the battles:

When the Jets have the ball:

Run, Run, Run. That is what the Jets will try to do once again. It worked extremely well against Cincinnati as they continued to show why they have the best rushing attack in the NFL. The combination of Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene is very dangerous. They can grind out yards while running the clock and keeping the opposing offense off the field, and they still have the ability and speed to break a long run at times. Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez has gained a lot of confidence lately while learning that he just needs to manage the game. If Sanchez has to throw 25-30 times, the Jets will most likely will not win.

Defensively, the Chargers do not have overly impressive numbers. However, they are a unit that gets the job done. The defensive backs are the strongest unit on the defense for San Diego. Cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Quentin Jammer are very talented and should not have any problems defending Jets receivers Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery. Eric Weddle and rookie Kevin Ellison are the safeties. Ellison was a teammate of Sanchez in college. I don't see the Jets receivers or tight end Dustin Keller having big days.

The rushing defense of the Chargers is a question mark. The defensive line is not going to scare anyone. Their best run stopper, Jamal Williams suffered a season ending injury back in Week 1. Luis Castillo is the Chargers best defensive lineman. The Jets offensive line should be able to do a good job against the front three or four of San Diego. Three of the Jets offensive lineman are headed to the Pro Bowl.

The Chargers linebackers are strong, Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman are always solid and Stephen Cooper led the team in tackles this season.

The Jets will be able to handle the front line of the Chargers but the second and third levels of the San Diego defense are very strong and could give the Jets trouble.

When the Chargers have the ball:

This should be fun to watch. The Jets have the leagues best cornerback and top overall defense. The Chargers bring tons of weapons to the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Philip Rivers loves to spread the ball around. Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis will try to lock up top receiver Vincent Jackson. Revis has shut down everyone big name receiver he has faced this season. Jackson however could give Revis problems with his size advantage. Both San Diego receivers stand 6'5". While Revis is the best corner in the league, Lito Sheppard on the other side is not what he once was. Chargers #2 receiver Malcolm Floyd could have a big day against Sheppard.

The safeties, Jim Leonhard and Kerry Rhodes will have their hands full with Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. Gates is the leagues best tight end and the Chargers use him all over the field. He will line up close to the line as well as split out wide. Either way, Gates causes matchup problems. Rivers will look for Gates often. Jets linebackers will likely have to cover Gates a lot as well so the safeties can help against the Chargers deep passing attack. San Diego is known to try and take big chunks of yardage at a time.

Another big weapon the Chargers will use is speedster Darren Sproles. The Chargers are one of the best teams in the league at throwing the screen pass. Both running backs, Sproles and LaDainian Tomlinson are exceptional at pass catching out of the backfield. Jets star linebackers David Harris and Bart Scott will need to know where those two are at all times.

Special Teams

Both of these teams have very good special teams play. Brad Smith is a very dangerous kick returner for the Jets. He is explosive. Cotchery is New Yorks punt returner after taking over for Leonhard earlier in the season. Cotchery may not be as explosive but he is a very reliable returner. Jay Feely has been solid all year for the Jets and has plenty of experience. Steve Weatherford should return to his punting duties for the Jets this week after a heart rate scare kept him out of the first round game.

As good as the Jets special teams are, the Chargers are even better. Nate Keading is as automatic as they come in the kicking game this season. He is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. The only part of his game that might be lacking a little is on kickoffs. Mike Scifres handles the punting duties for San Diego and is one of the best in the league. He finished the regular season with an average of 45 yards per punt while putting 23 of his 52 punts inside the 20 yard line. If he can pin the Jets deep in their own territory consistently, its going to be hard for the Jets to stay around.

Sproles is the guy that the Jets need to worry about. He can make a break for the end zone any time he touches the ball. He has four career returns for touchdowns. He is the key to giving the Chargers good field position. Between Sproles and Scifres, the Chargers can win the field position battle. The Chargers also have a guy named Kassim Osgood who was selected to his third Pro Bowl as a special teams coverage player. He is capable of making big special teams plays on a consistant basis.

Coaching

Jets head coach Rex Ryan and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer are a very good combination. Schottenheimer keeps his rookie quarterback in the best position to win while wearing down the opponents defense. Ryan has brought a new attitude to the Jets in his first season in New York. This team believes in him and believes they can win each and every game. Ryan is also thought of as a defensive genius.

Norv Turner simply makes the playoffs. What he does once he is there however is another story. He has been unable to reach the Super Bowl in his career and has seen his teams get upset in the playoffs often. You can't knock him to much though, he gets his teams to the playoffs. The guy can coach, and eventually his teams will win in the playoffs, right?

Intangibles

The Jets are one of the hottest teams in the league and come to California thinking they can win. They have it in their minds that they are the team to beat and are playing with incredible confidence.

The Chargers get the home crowd behind them and have playoff experience. They are healthy and rested. They have a cocky quarterback that does not get rattled easily.

Prediction

This game stays close for a while but the San Diego weapons come out to play. Special teams likely plays a factor and I think San Diego can force the Jets to play from deep in their own territory. I still don't think Sanchez can continually drive the team down the field. He wont get away with mistakes against the Chargers like he did last week against the Bengals.

San Diego 23, Jets 13

NFL Predictions: Divisional Round

Sat, 16 Jan, 2010 03:33:47 GMT

The Double G Sports Expert Panel has their predictions for this weekends NFL Divisional Round Playoff Games:

Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints:

Mark - Drew Brees has a huge day..so does Kurt Warner, but the Saints pull this one off at home in a shoot-out.

John - Expect more of the same spectacular play from Warner and company, but Brees and his offense can't be stopped either. Give the home team the advantage, Saints in a great shoot-out.

Spenser - Saints

Rob - If the Cardinals and Packers put up 96 points, how many points will be scored this week? Pick - Saints

Jon - Saints, to much offense.

Gregg - I am on the Kurt Warner bandwagon, the guy gets it done in the playoffs. Should be another shoot-out. I'm taking the upset..Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts

Mark - This is a tough game to pick. I think the Colts have taken their foot off the gas too quickly..and the Ravens are hot. I'll take Indy ONLY because Peyton Manning is behind center.

John - I slept on the Ravens last week, and I can see them winning by running the ball with Rice and playing tight D, but I am going with the 4 time MVP. Colts in a close one.

Spenser - Colts

Rob - Ravens looked like a team that was not the 6th seed in the playoffs. This week they have 1st seed in the Colts. Pick - Colts, but very close.

Jon - Colts. Ravens one dimensional offense wont be enough.

Gregg - The Ray's (Lewis and Rice) have the Ravens playing well. Have the Colts put on the brakes to soon? Manning not a great postseason QB. The thing people are missing is, the Colts can play a little D as well. Pick - Colts

Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings

Mark - Brett Favre will turn into the Brett Favre Giants fans have come to love. Turnovers Galore. The Vikings secondary has been suspect against good QB's all season. The loss of E.J. Henderson does not bode well for the defense either. I hate this pick and this team but here it is, Cowboys win big.

John - Minnesota has had a great year, but it ends with Romo out dueling Favre and the Cowboys defense finally making a huge stop when they need it. Jay Ratliff will help neutralize the Vikings running game. Cowboys win by a touchdown.

Spenser - Cowboys

Rob - Cowboys are probably the hottest team in the NFL right now, but I'm going with what worked for the two AFC winners last week. Strong defense and running game. Pick - Vikings

Jon - Cowboys. Cowboys solid front will contain AP and put Brett in a wheelchair.

Gregg - Part of me wishes the Vikings win the Super Bowl just so Favre will retire for good and go away. However, not this year. Cowboys will take advantage of the Vikings playing without E.J. Henderson. Cowboys balanced attack takes over. Defense has been playing well. Cowboys in a close one.

New York Jets @ San Diego Chargers

Mark - Rex Ryan has his guys playing with some swagger. The Chargers are a one-dimensional team. The Jets gave up only 8 TD passes all season and LT will be a non-factor. If Mark Sanchez doesn't turn the ball over the Jets have a chance. If they are forced to play from behind they will be blown out. I'll take the Chargers at home only because I don't trust Sanchez.

John - I love the way Rex Ryan has his guys playing and believing. Too bad for them Rivers is going to torch their vaunted D. Chargers win by 10.

Spenser - Chargers

Rob - For all those who don't like the Jets and their talkative coach, you will no longer have to watch them after this weekend. Pick - Chargers

Jon - Jets. Jets defense keeps them in every game

Gregg - San Diego's tall receivers could give Jets big problems. Philip Rivers uses all of his weapons, Gates, Jackson, Floyd, Tomlinson, and Sproles. Who have the Jets beaten this season? Pick - San Diego, and the game won't be as close as many people think.

New York Giants got their man: Perry Fewell. The great unknown.

Fri, 15 Jan, 2010 03:36:41 GMT

The New York Giants hired their new defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell. The former Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator chose the Giants over potential jobs with the Bills and Bears. This is the man Giants coach Tom Coughlin wanted.

Fewell was a defensive backs coach in Jacksonville, working under Coughlin for five years. The two coaches obviously known each other well.

The task at hand for Fewell is to rebuild the Giants defense into the dominant force it had been under Steve Spagnuolo. When Spags left to become the St. Louis Rams head coach, Bill Sheridan took over the defensive responsibilities for the Giants. Sheridan was not successful at all as the Giants allowed 427 points this season, including 40 or more points in five games.

Perry Fewell is some what of an unknown for many NFL fans. Coaching on a Buffalo team that struggled to win games, many people do not know just how well Fewell has done. Coaching a Buffalo team that has generally had marginal talent, Fewell has his defenses ranking 10th, 18th, 14th and 16th the past four seasons.

When Fewell became interim head coach after Buffalo fired Dick Jauron, there was a noticeable increase in the teams defensive intensity. He has an aggressive coaching style, something the Giants need. I think Sheridan was to laid back. Sheridan was also unable to develop a close relationship with his players. That was clearly displayed by the Osi Umenyiora saga. Fewell has show the ability to develop those relationships with players. He is known around the league as an in your face guy that does not shy away from calling a player out and making them take responsibility.

Last year, the Giants gave up 31 touchdown passes. Fewell's defense in Buffalo gave up just 14. Tom Coughlin noted how well Fewell's defenses have been at forcing turnovers. Last season Buffalo had 33 takeaways, good for fifth in the league.

"His defenses have consistently done a good job taking the ball away" Coughlin said.

I think this is a very solid addition to the Giants staff. His enthusiasm should help re-motivate these players and return the Giants defense into a dominant force. The talent is there. They just needed someone to push them and find the best way to utilize the talent.

Sometimes a new face and new idea is the best way to go. Fewell provides that. Now its up to the players to get focused and bring back the type of defense the Giants franchise has been known for.

Never to early to start planning next season's Fantasy Football Draft Party!

Fri, 15 Jan, 2010 04:09:47 GMT

Fellas! Ladies! This past fantasy football season was a fun one for many. Some great surprises as well as many disappointments. Thats what makes fantasy sports so exciting and fun, right?

Take a look back at your fantasy season for a minute. How did your fantasy draft party go? Or did you just sit back at your computer and do an online draft? That's really not as much fun. I know sometimes it's not possible to have a live draft party, but if it is, you really should have one.

Bring your friends together, talk sports all night and put together a fantasy football draft. The 2009-2010 NFL season is still going on, but it's never to early to plan for next season. Before you know it, the NFL Draft will be taking place and teams will be gearing up for practices.

So, next season I want you all to step your draft up and make it a real party. Prepare some yummy food, or order out if your not the best cook. Get that kegready, or just buy a few cases. And get yourself a brand new custom draft board. Custom draft board, you ask? Yes, the amazing people at fantasysportstrophies.com provide you with draft boards for just about any size league. These great boards can be customized to include your leagues name, messages, colors, and logo. Fantasysportstrophies.com also includes a complete set of pre-printed player cards that can be placed on the board after each player is drafted. They even color code those cards by position for you.

How awesome will it be to see your draft up on a board in the living room!

It doesn't get much easier then this folks! Your friends and fellow league members will love it! You will be the best league commissioner around. Want a league trophy? Fantasysportstrophies.com has those as well. It's your one stop shop for all your fantasy league needs.

Check them out! Fantasysportstrophies.com.

Your fantasy football league will never be the same!

Knicks need to find a way to keep David Lee

Fri, 15 Jan, 2010 05:36:27 GMT

Last offseason, the New York Knicks would not give David Lee a long term contract. Instead, the two sides agreed on a one year contract for 2009. The thinking of the Knicks was that they wanted to save salary cap room to make a splash in the coming offseason. I hope the team is realizing the type of player David Lee is and why they should find a way to sign this guy once again. They can not let Lee walk after this year like they always did last year.

The 6' 9" big guy in his 5th NBA season is averaging a double double for the Knicks. His 19 points per game average is good for 23rd in the league and 10.9 rebounds per game which is 7th in the league. Lee has a field goal percentage of .567, 5th in the entire NBA this season.

Not only is he producing but Lee is constantly on the floor for the Knicks. He is averaging 36.3 minutes per game this season. Lee has started all 38 games for the Knicks this year, showing is ability to stay healthy and compete at a high level.

At a time when all you hear in the news is NBA players being caught with guns and things, Lee has been nothing but a class act since joining the league. When he and the Knicks were in the contract dispute, Lee kept working out in the gym to keep himself prepared for the season. Last night, David Lee played for the Knicks depsite the loss of his grandfather. What did he do? Well, he scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds on the night. He also scored the game winning basket on a lay up with 4.3 seconds remaining as the Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 93-92. After the game, Lee chartered a plane to St. Louis for his grandfathers funeral and will return to New York for the Knicks game Friday night against the Toronto Raptors. How many players do you think would do all that? Not many in my opinion.

David Lee deserves a spot on the All-Star team this year. The Knicks are a much improved team and David Lee is a major part of that. Think the Knicks would be contending for a playoff spot if Lee was not a member of this team? If you do, think again!

I know the Knicks want to save money so they can bring in a big name super star this coming offseason. I get it. Its New York, lets bring the flashy player with the bright lights. Thats all fine and good, but that big name player will need other good players to play with. David Lee is a good player. David Lee is better than a good player. David Lee needs to stay with the Knicks! Its up to the front office to make that happen. Bring in a big time player, but find a way to partner that player with David Lee and New York basketball will be back!

Is money affecting youth baseball?

Thu, 14 Jan, 2010 01:38:55 GMT

This is a follow up to my article earlier this week about Little League baseball. It made me start thinking about why kids are dropping out of baseball or just simply not joining at all. Baseball was once a game that anyone could play. It was a kids game, America's pastime. So what happened? Why are the number of participants dropping?

I am sure there are many kids like the previous article mentions that feel overwhelmed when they need to advance to the next level because of their age. The new program Little League has developed should help those kids out greatly, I firmly believe in that.

However, I think that will only help the children that are already participating in baseball programs. What about the other children? The children that can't afford to join leagues and teams. In many areas, signing up your child for sports is very expensive. Now, having your child outside and a part of a team should be thought of as priceless, but I can see why some people just simply can not afford it.

Gone are the days of simple aluminum bats or simple cleats and gloves. Prices of everything have gone up. Its not cheap getting your son or daughter the equipment needed to participate in the sport of baseball. Thats not to mention the league fees that most towns and cities charge. Those league fees are so high because now a days umpires get paid pretty well, insurance costs are rising, and field maintenance in many areas is difficult. Add in travel teams and training spots, thats even more money. Baseball has become a money game and it's starting at an early age.

Many children are choosing to play soccer as an alternative to baseball. Many parents are fine with that. Soccer is most likely a lot less expensive. There are still league sign up fees, but there is less equipment. Get your child some cleats and shin guards and they are all set to run around kicking a ball. What child doesnt think that is fun?

Major League Baseball is spending a lot of money developing players in countries outside the United States. Why not make sure American baseball stays on top? Yes there is a ton of talent in other countries such as Dominican Republic, Japan, and Mexico. There is also a lot of talent in the United States. Why cant Major League Baseball spend some money in the US to promote the sport? Granted, most areas of the US have more money than many foreign countries but MLB should still help them promote thier sport. After all, it is called America's Pastime.

Little League baseball needs to figure something out. The new program they are starting certainly will help some kinds, but what about the others? It is a shame to see so many children staying away from the game of baseball. This sport is so amazing that every child should at least experience the game.

Little League making efforts to keep kids in baseball

Wed, 13 Jan, 2010 08:03:15 GMT

All over the country, Little League baseball programs have been losing kids. Some kids are choosing to play other sports like soccer, others are choosing to play video games instead. Some children really love the game of baseball but feel they can not play when they get to a certain age because the field becomes to big for them.

Little League Baseball has come up with a plan they think will help these children and keep them more involved in the sport. Currently the Little League division for 11 and 12 year olds is played on a field with 60 foot base paths and a 46 foot pitching distance. The next level up, 13 and 14 year olds, uses professional regulation fields, meaning 90 foot base paths and a pitching distance of 60 feet, 6 inches. Thats quite a jump and I can see why some children may be overwhelmed.

Local programs have been losing young ball players for two reason other then to other sports. Some kids are moving to teams that travel more and use an intermediate size field because they feel the smaller field is not enough of a challenge. Other children are dropping out of baseball completely because the big field is to much for them to handle at their age.

The new program Little League is starting for 12 and 13 year olds will use an intermediate size field. This will hopefully ease the transition between the smaller field and the larger professional size field. This new division will use a pitching distance of 50 feet and 70 foot base paths.

This is the first new division in Little League baseball since 1989. Little League has been in decline in the United States despite its growth in international countries. Little League baseball is hoping this new division will keep children interested in the game.

If this new program gains enough interest, it could have its own tournament similar to the Little League World Series, by 2011.

New York Jets will find things much tougher when they take on the San Diego Chargers

Wed, 13 Jan, 2010 04:55:36 GMT

The New York Jets travel to San Diego this weekend to take on the Chargers in the AFC Divisional Round. When they hit the field against the Chargers, the Jets will find things to be much tougher than they were when they were in Cincinnati last week. The Bengals ultimately put up no true fight against the Jets. You better believe the Chargers will!

The Jets were able to run the ball at will against Cincinnati. When rookie QB Mark Sanchez had to throw the ball (which wasn't often) and make a play, the Bengals were unable to provide any pressure. It was to easy for Sanchez and company. The Jets defense was able to completely neutralize the Bengals offensive attack by eliminating their passing game. Once the Jets made the Bengals one dimensional, the game was essentially over.

It will be a lot tougher to accomplish those things against the 11-3 Chargers team. The cold weather helped the Jets last week. It wont be cold in San Diego. Offensively, the Chargers have many matchup problems the Jets will need to deal with. While the Jets have the best cornerback in football, he will need to try and contain the 6'5" Vincent Jackson. Jackson is the Chargers leading receiver and big play threat. Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis has shut down some of the best receivers in the game this season but Jackson's size adds another challenge. This matchup is one of the keys to success for both teams.

Another big matchup to watch is Chargers tight end Antonio Gates against the Jets linebackers and safeties. Gates is arguably the best tight end in the NFL and his 1,157 receiving yards this season prove that. This season, the Jets have done a very good job against opposing tight ends, but Gates is on a while different level. The Chargers will line Gates up all over the field, tight on the line, or out wide like a wide receiver. They will do everything they can to get matchup advantages against the Jets top ranked defense.

Quarterback Philip Rivers is very good at finding the open receiver. The Jets defense will not have an easy time defending this Chargers team. New York will need to put pressure on Rivers and attempt to get him off his game. The young, cocky quarterback is hard to rattle though. LaDainian Tomlinson is the Chargers running back still. While he was once thought to be the best in the league, his numbers have dropped significantly and the Chargers rushing attack has been non-existent this season. However, if you continue to bring pressure and concentrate on the passing game, the rushing attack can do some damage with Tomlinson and speedy Darren Sproles.

Another area of concern for the Jets is the Chargers ability to throw screen passes. Tomlinson and Sproles are both good receivers out of the backfield. This will keep the Jets defense honest and not allow them to constantly bring blits after blitz.

Offensively, the Jets will once again try to pound it out with their top ranked rushing attack. Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene have destroyed many teams this season and kept pressure off the rookie quarterback. The Chargers are a very physical defense and will not be as easy to carve through as the Cincinnati Bengals were.

The Chargers are not tops in any specific area of defense, but they get the job done. Overall, they are a very good defensive unit. Sanchez will likely need to make a few plays in the passing game to keep the Jets in this one.

I am not saying the Jets have no shot at winning this game. I am simply saying life is not as easy as it was a week ago. The Jets very well could upset the Chargers and advance to the AFC Championship game, its going to tough however.

Yankees news: Damon, Hairston, Wang, Jeter getting married

Mon, 11 Jan, 2010 05:14:29 GMT

Ladies, I hate to ruin your week when its only Monday but apparently Derek Jeter is getting married. Jeter and girlfriend Minka Kelly have set a date to be married November 5th at the Oheka Castle in Huntington, Long Island. The Oheka Castle has hosted many high end parties for royalty and other weddings. It is the second largest private residence in the country. The Yankees shortstop was apparently engaged in August but kept things quiet because he did not want anything to overshadow the Yankees playoff and eventual World Series Championship.

Jeter has an impressive list of former girlfriends. Mariah Carey, Jessica Alba, Vanessa Minnillo, Lara Dutton, Adriana Lima, and Jordana Brewster are just a few of the names the Yankees captain has been linked to over the years.

His bride to be is a 29 yeard old actress from California. Kelly is most known for her role in the TV series, Friday Night Lights. The actress has been seen many times watching Jeter and his teammates from his private seats at Yankee Stadium. She was in attendance when the Yankees won the World Series last season.

Congrats to Jeter and Minka!

Other Yankees news:

- The Yankees seem to be in serious talks with Jerry Hairston Jr. Hairston was a part of the Yankees championship team last season. The Yankees likely view Hairston as a possible platoon option in left field as well as someone that can backup Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. Including the Yankees, five teams seem to have serious interest in the utility players.

- Chien-Ming Wang has told some friends that he is prepared to move on from the Yankees. Earlier this offseason, the Yankees declined to offer Wang a contract.

- Some league executives "are absolutely convinced" Johnny Damon will end up back with the Yankees in 2010. However for that to happen, Damon will likely need to significantly lower his asking price. If Damon does not get any long term offers, I could see him returning to the Yankees on a one year deal.

- Many people believe the Yankees are not willing to bring in a long term left fielder because they plan to pursue Carl Crawford when he becomes a free agent after next season.

Latest honors show Rutgers football has bright future...

Mon, 11 Jan, 2010 01:45:40 GMT

The near future for Rutgers football appears to be bright. The latest indication of this came out last week when the Football Writers of America released their freshman All-American team.

Two Rutgers players were named to the team, one on each side of the ball. Rutgers joined Oregon as the only two schools to have two players on the All-American team.

QB Tom Savage beat out all other freshman quarterbacks in the country for the honor. Savage threw for 2,211 yards and 14 touchdowns while throwing 7 interceptions this season.

Rutgers finished the season 9-4. Of those 13 games, Savage started 11 of them and had a record of 8-3 in those 11 starts.

Savage joins some pretty big names that have previously been honored by the Football Writers of America. Texas QB Colt McCoy, Nebraska QB Sam Bradford, and former Miami (Ohio) and current Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger were named to this team when they were college freshman.

Savage was a true freshman last season.

On the defensive side of the ball, Scott Vallone was honored. The redshirt freshman defensive tackle developed into a major force for the Scarlet Knights last season. Vallone was consistantly in the opposing backfield throughout the season.

Rutgers also had a third player deserving of being named a freshman All-American. True freshman wide receiver Mohamed Sanu was arguable the teams most explosive player last year. Sanu was not named to this team however.

With Savage, Sanu, and Vallone the Scarlet Knights have a very good core to lean on for the next few years. These three players only begin to explain why the future is bright for Rutgers football. Many other freshman contributed this past season and got experience. The freshman group, both true and redshirts, are very talented.

It's a great time to be a Rutgers football fan. Keep believing. The talent is here!

Predictions: NFL Wild Card Round

Sat, 9 Jan, 2010 04:23:00 GMT

The NFL Playoffs start this weekend with the Wild Card Round. The Double G Sports Expert Panel has predicted the results of this weekends games, take a look:

New York Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals

Rob: Strong running game and strong defense are what wins football games. The Jets are #1 in both categories. Pick - Jets.

John: Jets. If Sanchez doesn't turn the ball over more then once, they win; if he does, they lose.

Mark: Jets. The cold weather this weekend will make throwing the ball difficult. The reeling Bengals showed last week they cannot stop the top ranked rushing attack of the Jets

Gregg: Bengals. Cincy will give Rex Ryan a case of foot in mouth. Jets QB Sanchez will make a few key mistakes.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys

Rob: Beating a team 3 times in one season is very difficult, especially when they are conference rivals. Still like Dallas anyway. Pick-Cowboys.

John: Cowboys. Romo gets a small amount of playoff redemption; last playoff pass was picked by R.W. McQuarters..good memory.

Mark: Close to 100,000 screaming fans supporting the Cowboys? Tony Romo exercises his playoff demons with a big win at home. As a Giants fan I hope both teams destroy each other. Pick - Cowboys

Gregg: Last week was not a fluke. It wont be as much of a blow out, but Dallas wins this one in front of a raucous crowd. Pick - Cowboys.

Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots

Rob: A banged up Brady and no Welker, still like experience of the Pats. Pick - Patriots, but in a very close game.

John: Patriots. Ravens are hot; got a hunch that Brady and his O, even without Welker, will put up 30+ against the vaunted Ravens D.

Mark: Belichick and Tom Brady at home in January? Nothing else needs to be said. Lock it up. Pick - Patriots.

Gregg: With Welker out, Brady is missing his go to safety plug. The Ravens are hot and have a balanced attack. Should be a very good game. Pick - Ravens.

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

Rob: Some are saying it was the Cardinals laying down to the Packers last week. I think it's the Packers that are a better team. Pick - Packers.

John: The Pack's D is for real once they got accustomed to Capers and will shut down one dimensional Cards; Rogers erases GB's last playoff memory of #4 being picked by C. Web..another good memory. Pick - Packers.

Mark: If Anquan Boldin cannot play, the Cards lose a big piece of their offense. The Packers need a healthy Charles Woodson to match up with Larry Fitzgerald. Aaron Rodgers is ready to show everyone that he can win as well as Favre. The Packers win. Pick - Packers.

Gregg: Green Bay is my pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. The defense is very solid and Rogers will make some big plays. Pick - Packers.

Each week, the Double G Sports Expert Panel will provide their predictions. Check back weekly!

Hey Rex Ryan: Shut Up!

Thu, 7 Jan, 2010 06:02:14 GMT

Mike Francesa of WFAN in New York called Jets coach Rex Ryan a "clown." Francesa has taken a lot of heat for that comment. I have to say however, I agree with him. I've had enough of Rex Ryan and his mouth. Hey Rex..just shut up!

I can't stand hearing the comments this guy comes up with. Just a few weeks ago, after a Jets lose, the coach pretty much said his team was completely out of the playoff race. Now he thinks they should be the favorite to win the Super Bowl?? Come on man! Give me a break and just zip it!

He said he team was out of it when they still had two remaining games and a chance to make it. What kind of coach doesn't know the opportunities his team has? One that is more into his hardass image then anything else.

Yes the Colts and Bengals both pretty much let you into the playoffs. At least the Colts definitely did. The Bengals game was a well played game by the Jets. The Bengals did rest some of their players however and were not at full strength. The results, a 37-0 playoff clinching victory by the Jets and coach Rex Ryan.

The Jets are the 5th seed going into this years playoffs and will travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in the Wild Card Playoff Round. So what does Rex Ryan say about his team? He thinks his team, the 5th seed that is traveling to Cincinnati this week, should be the favorite to win the Lombardi Trophy. Seriously?!

Yes, the Jets have the leagues top defense. Yes, the Jets have the leagues top running game. Yes, the Jets are a playoff team. Maybe by default, but they are. I think a coach should have confidence in his team and expect them to win, BUT you have to be realistic. You have to tone it down a notch.

Your rookie quarterback looks like a pretty boy. He still cant figure out how to slid and help him team by doing so. Lets see your little boy toy step up and make a big play or two when it counts. Can he do it Rex?? Maybe you should find that out before declaring your team the favorites. Maybe you know something the rest of us don't. I guess those 7 losses you had this season were just hicups on your championship journey?

Like I said, its nice to be confident, but you are telling me a team that is 9-7 with a rookie quarterback is the "favorite" to win it all?? I guess thats how things role in the world of Rex Ryan.

Hey Rex...do me a favor...shut it!

Midseason Look: New Jersey Devils

Thu, 7 Jan, 2010 02:35:50 GMT

I dont talk much about hockey and I will never pretend to be a hockey expert or even fan, however I feel the need to talk a bit about the New Jersey Devils.

Its the mid point in the NHL season and Jersey's hockey team is off to a great start. With a 30-10-1 record, its the best start in franchise history. With 61 points, the Devils are currently the first place team in the Eastern Conference, six points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Despite the franchise best start, this Devils team is a veteran group that knows this means nothing. The Devils have been mostly a playoff regular and the regular season is just a warm up for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

General Manager Lou Lamoriello made some tough decisions in the offseason and those decisions have proved to be successful ones. The signing of veteran center Rob Niedermayer has helped the Devils. Niedermayer has quietly been a leader and set up man in many key situations. He has also helped the team defensively. He has fit in perfectly with the other centers, Dean McAmmond, Dainius Zubrus, and Travis Zajac. Zubrus suffered a knee injury on mid November. The team will need him down the stretch.

Goaltender Martin Brodeur is having another terrific season. He has broken records this season, his first after returning from a major injury last year. Brodeur has started 38 of the first 41 games. In 26 of those games, the veteran goalie has allowed two goals or less. He has five shutouts.

Defenseman Andy Greene has probably been the biggest surprise so far this season for the Devils. Many people thought Lamoriello would need to acquire a defensemen after Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya got hurt, but Greene stepped in and has played very well.

Patrik Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner continue to be very solida contributors for this club. Elias has battled some injuries but seems to be getting back into form. If he has a hot second half, the Devils can be something very special. David Clarkson is another player that has suffered some injuries this season. He is extremely important as well.

Other key contributors have been, Zach Parise, Brian Rolston, Jay Pandolfo, Niclas Bergfors, and Mike Monttau.

At this point in the season, Jacques Lemaire definitely is the top candidate for NHL Coach of the Year. Lemaire has kept this team together through some injuries and have them off to the best start in franchise history.

Things look good in New Jersey. The Prudential Center in Newark should be a rockin' place in the second half of the season.

2009 Double G Sports Awards

Mon, 4 Jan, 2010 04:08:16 GMT

Now that 2010 is here, the Double G Sports Panel has taken a look back at the past year. 2009 was a great year for some area sports, a good year for some others, and a bad year for some as well. Lets take a look at what the expert panel had to say:

*Remember, Double G Sports is about NY and NJ sports only*

Team of the Year: New York Yankees

Gregg: Yankees. Never really any doubt they were the best team in 2009.

John: Yankees, only team to win 100 games and the World Series in the same year this decade. Honorable Mention: Don Bosco Prep HS Football Team (#1 in the country).

Mark: Yankees. They won their 27th championship. Pretty much the only team that lived up to the expectations this past year.

Jon: New York Yankees

Rob: Yankees. The only Tri-State area team to win a championship. The Yankees won their 27th World Championship against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Spenser: NY Yankees

Player of the Year: CC Sabathia

Gregg: Derek Jeter had an all around great season and continued to lead the Yankees as captain.

John: Derek Jeter. Excellent campaign, did it all, including defensive brilliance. Honorable Mention: Darrelle Revis.

Mark: CC Sabathia. 19-8 3.37 ERA. The workhorse with a rubber arm threw 230 innings. Saved a lot of strain on the bullpen during his outings.

Jon: CC Sabathia

Rob: CC Sabathia. The ace of the Yankee pitching staff, CC showed his toughness during the playoffs to pitch the Yankees to their 27th World Championship.

Spenser: Alex Rodriguez

Disappointing Team of the Year: New York Giants

Gregg: New York Giants. Big expectations entering the year. Started the season 5-0 and just completely fell apart. The big time defense left the building completely many times.

John: Giants/Mets. Both Teams had lofty expectations only to fail to reach the postseason. Honorable Mention: Knicks

Mark: Giants. They missed the playoffs in 2009 and at best finished with a .500 record. Hopefully the poor defensive play was due to all the injuries in the secondary. Maybe Brandon Jacobs will return to form in 2010.

Jon: New York Giants

Rob: Tie, New York Giants and New York Mets. Both teams didn't live up to the hype of their respective preseasons. Both teams were to talented to end up where they have.

Spenser: New Jersey Nets

Rookie of the Year: Mohamed Sanu

Gregg: Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers. The next big thing in college football. Sanu did it all for Rutgers during his freshman campaign.

John: Hakeem Nicks, Giants. Big play ability was one of the few bright spots besides Eli's play in a bleak Giants season. Honorable Mention: Tom Savage, Rutgers.

Mark: Brett Gardner, Yankees. The speedster hit .270 and stole 26 bases. He gave the Yankees a much needed threat of speed on the bases and was also a reliable defensive player.

Jon: Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers.

Rob: Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers. The most explosive player on the Scarlet Knights roster. Used his unique blend of athleticism to lead the Rutgers offense.

Spenser: Hakeem Nicks, Giants

Coach of the Year: Joe Girardi

Gregg: Greg Toal. Don Bosco Prep's high school football coach led his team to a state championship, undefeated season, and #1 overall ranking in the country.

John: Joe Girardi. Most people would ridicule this pick, but I defend it by saying he managed his way and didn't care what the critics said..and WON #27..with a three man playoff rotation. Honorable Mention: Rex Ryan.

Mark: Lawrence Frank of the Nets. Hahaha I'm just kidding. Sorry Nets fans out there. In all seriousness, Joe Girardi, he helped the Bombers bring home the title to the Bronx.

Jon: Joe Girardi

Rob: Joe Girardi. Although at times I did not agree with some of the moves he made, the Yankee skipper kept all the talent together to bring The Boss his 27th.

Spenser: Joe Girardi

Team on the Rise: New York Jets

Gregg: As much as I hate to say it, the Jets. I cant stand the coach and QB but they are both young, enthusiastic individuals that can ride the teams dominant defense for years to come.

John: Jets. Young, flamboyant coach, strong defense, and a very good young offensive line, they look to be strong in the future, young QB (not sold on him at all). Giants who still have an excellent young nucleus and the Jets should provide us with a good decade of NFL football in this area. Honorable Mention: Knicks (after free agency in 2010.)

Mark: With a quarterback that looks like the real deal, the Jets have a promising future.

Jon: New York Jets

Rob: Rutgers football. With both Sanu and QB Tom Savage, the Scarlet Knights seem to have a weapon for the next three seasons.

Spenser: New York Knicks

Team on the Decline: New Jersey Nets

Gregg: New Jersey Nets. Just a bad team. No defensive play, lacky an offensive go to guy. Still planning to leave the state. GO TO NEWARK!

John: Nets. Where do I begin. Honorable Mention: Mets

Mark: As much as this pains me to say, the Giants. I can only hope that with a healthy secondary, next year will be much more promising.

Jon: New York Giants

Rob: New Jersey Nets, I think they need to move to Brooklyn.

Spenser: Buffalo Bills

Most Improved Team: New York Yankees

Gregg: Jets. Rex Ryan brought a brand new attitude to this team. Great defense and a very good hard nosed rushing attack.

John: Yankees, From missing the playoffs for the first time since 1993 to winning it all. Great spending spree in offseason was key but also lesser acquisitions like Swisher and Hairston. Honorable Mention: Jets.

Mark: The Yankees. After a disappointing year in 2008 when they failed to make the playoffs, the Yanks won it all in 2009.

Jon: New York Yankees

Rob: Rutgers football. After an early season blow-out loss to Cincinnati, the Scarlet Knights kept things together in their Big East games and won their bowl game.

Spenser: New York Yankees

Most disappointing Player: Brandon Jacobs

Gregg: Brandon Jacobs. Stopped running with the power he used to have. Giants running game disappeared this season, mostly because Jacobs couldn't be found.

John: Giants defense/David Wright, Mets. Giants defense was atrocious and Wright had a tough year with no one around him, but still needed to hit more then 10 home runs, although he hit over .300. He will bounce back. Honorable Mention: Brandon Jacobs

Mark: Brandon Jacobs. At the time these awards were given by me, Jacobs has rushed for only 835 yards and 5 touchdowns. This after a year when he rushed for over 1,000 yards and 15 TD's.

Jon: Osi Umenyiora

Rob: Robinson Cano, Yankees. Needs to understand that he can't just turn on the switch and have great games. Have watched him look clueless at the plate to many times.

Spenser: Terrell Owens, Buffalo Bills

Who Should Not Be Around in 2010: Bill Sheridan

Gregg: Bill Sheridan and Kevin Gilbride. Both Giants coordinators should be fired. The team lacked in both areas, due to play calling.

John: Bill Sheridan, Kevin Gilbride, Antonio Pierce, Jerry Manuel, Omar Minaya, Nate Robinson

Mark: At first I thought Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan, but I figured I'd give him one more year with the return of his healthy defense who will hopefully be acclimated to his coaching style. So, I'll go with Omar Minaya. I don't claim to be an expert on the Mets, but in my opinion they will not win with him behind the scenes.

Jon: Bill Sheridan

Rob: Omar Minaya, Jerry Manual. Both need to prove their value in the Mets organization

Spenser: New York Liberty

Double G Sports NFL Power Rankings - Week 17

Sun, 3 Jan, 2010 01:45:17 GMT

The Double G Sports Expert Panel has put together their Week 17 NFL Power Rankings:

1 - Indianapolis Colts (189 pts)
     San Diego Chargers (189 pts)
3 - New Orleans Saints (177 pts)
4 - Philadelphia Eagles (174 pts)
5 - New England Patriots (160 pts)
     Minnesota Vikings (160 pts)
7 - Green Bay Packers (154 pts)
8 - Cincinnati Bengals (152 pts)
9 - Arizona Cardinals (150 pts)
10 - Dallas Cowboys (145 pts)
11 - Denver Broncos (124 pts)
12 - Pittsburgh Steelers (119 pts)
       Baltimore Ravens (119 pts)
14 - Houston Texans (116 pts)
15 - New York Jets (111 pts)
16 - Tennessee Titans (98 pts)
17 - Atlanta Falcons (97 pts)
18 - New York Giants (96 pts)
19 - Carolina Panthers (85 pts)
20 - Miami Dolphins (80 pts)
21 - San Francisco 49ers (73 pts)
22 - Jacksonville Jaguars (68 pts)
23 - Chicago Bears (62 pts)
24 - Oakland Raiders (48 pts)
25 - Buffalo Bills (46 pts)
26 - Cleveland Browns (44 pts)
27 - Seattle Seahawks (37 pts)
28 - Washington Redskins (30 pts)
29 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (26 pts)
30 - Kansas City Chiefs (20 pts)
31 - Detroit Lions (13 pts)
32 - St. Louis Rams (6 pts)

Who picked who #1:

Colts (Gregg, John, Mark); Chargers (Jon, Rob, Spenser)

Is Bill Sheridan being replaced as Giants defensive coordinator? Dick Jauron next?

Wed, 30 Dec, 2009 03:00:33 GMT

We all know the New York Giants have been a major disappointment this season. To say their defense has been a disappointment would be an understatement. The Giants had one of the leagues best defensive units last season under then defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. The defense returned most of its key players and the Giants front office went out and spent some money to add a few more talented players. Bill Sheridan took over as defensive coordinator and many expected the positive results would carry over. After all, Sheridan was working as Giants linebacker coach under Spagnuolo.

The carry over did not happen. This Giants defense did suffer some injuries this year, but thats not a good enough excuse. There is enough top notch talent in this group to be successful despite a couple injuries. The defensive line had been one of the top groups in the league and should have provided one of the most dangerous pass rushes. Every quarterback used to have nightmares about Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, not to mention Mathius Kiwanuka, Antonio Pierce, and others.

The defense this season has lost something. The defensive line has not been able to consistantly rush the passer. The secondary has been beaten badly on many occassions, and the linebackers have been caught in bad reads and coverage. While the defense has lost something, Bill Sheridan has lost his defense. Osi Umenyiora seems to be annoyed at his demotion to pass rushing specialist. I understand he was not having a great season, but Umenyiora is one of the most talented defensive ends in the league. Why is he only on the field in passing situations?

Many believe Sheridan will be fired after this season, his first as Giants defensive coordinator. The defense needs a new spark. It needs to get that toughness back, the fight that made them such a scary unit. Sheridan has lost that part from this team. The defense has not played with any pride or heart of late. While it may not stricly be his fault, its always the coach that gets the blame and takes the fall.

According to FootballCoachScoop.com, the Giants do plan to fire Bill Sheridan at the end of the season and replace him with Dick Jauron. Jauron has coached in the NFL since 1985 when he was hired as the defensive backs coach for the Buffalo Bills. From 1986 to 1994, Jauron worked that same position for the Green Bay Packers. In 1995, Tom Coughlin hired Jauron has his defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He remained in that role through 1998. He then became the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Since leaving the Bears in 2003, Jauron has served as defensive coordinator and interim head coach of the Detroit Lions, and most recently head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Jauron was fired earlier this season after the Bills started the year 3-6.

This report could make sense as Jauron and Coughlin clearly know each other well from their time together in Jacksonville. The Jaguars made the playoffs three of the four years the two were together.

Giants fan, what do you think? Is Jauron the man for the job? Should they keep Sheridan? Who else would you like to see take over the defense?

Jason Bay agrees to sign with Mets

Wed, 30 Dec, 2009 03:01:09 GMT

The New York Mets got their man. Well, one of them anyway. Free agent left fielder Jason Bay has agreed to sign a four year contract with the Mets. The contract would be worth about $66 million and has a vesting option for a fifth year. WFAN's Mike Francesa was the first to report this deal.

The left fielder came up to the majors with the Padres in 2003 before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and spending parts of six seasons with them. In 2008 he was traded to the Boston Red Sox and was with them last season. Now he brings his right handed power bat to Queens.

The Mets made it known they were going to pursue Bay at the start of free agency. The team felt they needed a power bat to plug in the middle of the lineup. The 36 home runs and 119 RBI's Bay hit last season for the Red Sox were career highs.

Bay will likely hit somewhere in the 3-5 spots for the Mets. He should provide some of the power this team was lacking last season when they moved to Citi Field. Bay is also a guy that generally stays healthy and comes to play. He has played in at least 145 games the past five seasons.

One knack against Bay is that he is not a very good outfielder and he strikes out a lot. He did strick out 162 times last year and bat just .267. Power hitters do that however, and thats what the Mets brought him in here to do. They will expect him to hit for power and play an adequate outfield.

All in all, I think this is a good signing for the Mets. They still have a few more holes to fill but this is a good start.

Rutgers men take Tar Heels to the wire

Tue, 29 Dec, 2009 03:48:50 GMT

The Rutgers men's basketball team traveled to Tobacco Road last night to take on the #9 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. On paper, many would believe Rutgers had no business playing the Tar Heels and would end up getting blown out. As we all know, in sports, whats on paper doesnt always match up.

The Scarlet Knights did fall to the Tar Heels by a score of 81-67 but the game was much closer then the score. Rutgers played hard the entire game, never letting North Carolina put them away. Fred Hill's squad looked confident and showed the country they may not be the pushover many believed them to be.

Rutgers came out before a crowd of 21, 023 at the Dean Dome and fought hard, making the Tar Heels play until the final buzzer. I am not one for moral victories, but this game should give the Rutgers Scarlet Knights a lot of confidence as they begin Big East play this weekend.

Mike Rosario led Rutgers with 22 points on 10 of 21 shooting. Rutgers finished with a 42.9 field goal percentage. Jonathan Mitchell and freshman Dane Miller were also in double digit scoring for Rutgers. The difference in this game was size. Rutgers had no match for the size that North Carolina brings around the basket. Center Hamady Ndiaye was limited to 21 minutes due to foul trouble. North Carolina took advantage when the nation's leading shot blocker was on the bench. The size advantage also allowed the Tar Heels to have a major free throw advantage. North Carolina shot 35 free throws while Rutgers only had nine.

Another difference in the game was shooting behind the arc. Rutgers was just 3 of 23 from three points range while North Carolina was 3 of 7 from the same distance.

The Scarlet Knights defense was working hard, flying around and mixing man to man with some zone. Rutgers forced North Carolina to turn the ball over 16 times in the game.

At one point in the second half, Rutgers was in a 17 point deficit. They continued to fight, rallying to pull within four. That was however as close as they would get. The clock ran low and Rutgers had to foul. The Tar Heels hit their foul shots and pulled away a little bit toward the eventual 81-67 North Carolina victory.

Rutgers may not be ready to compete for any titles, but they at least showed they can play with some of the top teams in the country. The Big East conference will now know Rutgers is at least going to show up to play. They will not roll over against top competition.

New York football teams moving in opposite directions

Mon, 28 Dec, 2009 04:18:00 GMT

The two "New York" football teams took very different routes yesterday. The New York Giants headed into Week 16 needing to win its game against the Carolina Panthers and the Packers or Cowboys to lose their game. Simple enough right? Well, Yes, especially when you consider what the New York Jets needed to happen. The Jets needed to win, but they also needed four teams to lose on Sunday.

The Jaguars needed to lose to the Patriots, the Dolphins needed to lose to the Texans, the Ravens needed to lose to the Steelers, and the Broncos needed to lose to the Eagles. Add those with the Jets needing to beat the undefeated Indianapolis Colts and you have a unlikely 5 step scenario. As unlikely as it was, it happened.

The Indianapolis Colts decided to remove many of their starters from the game in the third quarter and the Jets took advantage. New York won the game 29-15 and are now just one win away from the AFC playoffs. If the Jets beat the Cincinnati Bengals next week, they are in.

The Jets were down 15-10 when Indianapolis coach Jim Caldwell decided to take QB Peyton Manning out of the game. Also going to the bench were stars, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. Manning was replaced by a rookie QB, Curtis Painter. The Jets took advantage, blitzing more often and completely overwhelming the rookie, forcing two turnovers.

The Jets used a solid running game all day and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez controlled the game without turning the ball over.

So the New York Jets are on the verge of the playoffs. They need to beat the Bengals next week. Cincinnati is another team that may not play its regulars the entire game. The Bengals have already clinched the AFC North. This game has been moved to NBC's Sunday Night Football. Its also the final game at Giants Stadium.

The Giants played their final game at the stadium this past week, also needing a win. With a win, the Giants would have needed the Packers or Cowboys to lose one of their final two games. It didnt matter. The Giants came out with absolutely nothing. It looked like a team that was out of playoff contention for a couple months. The St. Louis Rams could have put up a better showing then the Giants did this week. The Giants defense was pathetic, showing no heart, and frankly no game either. They allowed Carolina Panthers back up running back Jonathan Stewart to rush for 206 yards, the most ever against the Giants at Giants Stadium. Giants running back Brandon Jacobs rushed six times for one yard..ONE YARD! Quarterback Eli Manning had a decent game but threw two interceptions. The entire team showed nothing in this game.

Missed tackles, dropped passes, just all around poor play.

I think some major changes could come down as a result of this game. Defensive coordinator Brian Sheridan's job should be looked at very very closely. His unit played poorly for most of the season and has not shown any fight or heart lately.

Sunday's loss was embarrassing. Disgusting might be the only other way to describe the effort, or lack of.

Merry Christmas!

Fri, 25 Dec, 2009 02:54:58 GMT

Double G Sports would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy your day today!

Double G Sports NFL Power Rankings: Week 16

Thu, 24 Dec, 2009 08:33:06 GMT

Rk.	Team	Move
1	Indianapolis Colts (192 pts)	1
2	New Orleans Saints (183 pts)	¯1
	San Diego Chargers (183 pts)	2
4	Minnesota Vikings (174 pts)	¯1
5	Philadelphia Eagles (170 pts)	1
6	Green Bay Packers (152 pts)	¯1
7	New England Patriots (151 pts)	1
8	Cincinnati Bengals (150 pts)	¯1
	Arizona Cardinals (150 pts)	2
10	Dallas Cowboys (146 pts)	1
11	New York Giants (131 pts)	1
12	Baltimore Ravens (127 pts)	1
13	Denver Broncos (116 pts)	¯4
14	Tennessee Titans (113 pts)	1
15	Pittsburgh Steelers (111 pts)	1
16	Jacksonville Jaguars (96 pts)	3
17	Miami Dolphins (95 pts)	¯3
18	Atlanta Falcons (92 pts)	¯1
19	Houston Texans (90 pts)	2
20	New York Jets (80 pts)	¯2
21	Carolina Panthers (71 pts)	2
22	San Francisco 49ers (66 pts)	¯2
23	Oakland Raiders (59 pts)	4
24	Buffalo Bills (49 pts)	¯2
25	Chicago Bears (48 pts)	¯1
26	Seattle Seahawks (45 pts)	----
27	Washington Redskins (34 pts)	¯3
28	Cleveland Browns (32 pts)	2
29	Kansas City Chiefs (21 pts)	¯1
	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21 pts)	2
31	Detroit Lions (15 pts)	¯2
32	St. Louis Rams (7 pts)	¯1

All six of the experts picked the Indianapolis Colts as the #1 team heading into Week 16.

A look back: recapping the 2009 Rutgers football season.

Wed, 23 Dec, 2009 02:57:46 GMT

It started with all the hype. This was the season Rutgers was going to compete for a Big East title. The defense was expected to be solid, the offensive line was expected to be the best in the conference, and the schedule was definitely in Rutgers favor. The main question marks heading into the season were who would be Rutgers starting quarterback and could any wide receivers step up and play alongside Senior Tim Brown.

All the hype died after the season opening loss to eventual Big East champ and undefeated Cincinnati. Rutgers simply came out flat and got manhandled 47-15. Despite the embarrassing defeat, some questions were answered in this game. Dom Natale got the start at QB for Rutgers but he only lasted one half. When Rutgers came back out at halftime, highly touted true freshman Tom Savage was the quarterback and would remain the quarterback for the rest of the season, except when he sat out with a concussion. Rutgers also found its second wide receiver. Another true freshman sensation, Mohamed Sanu had a great game and seemed to develop a connection with Savage.

Following the loss to Cincinnati, Rutgers cruised through four victories. Howard, Florida International, Maryland, and Texas Southern were no match for the Scarlet Knights. With a record of 4-1, Rutgers still had many questions that needed to be answered as Big East play was about to resume.

Rutgers played host to Pittsburgh in an ESPN Friday Night Football matchup. It’s always a tough game when these two teams match up and this one was no different. Rutgers dropped this contest by a score of 24-17. Fans began to get restless as their team still was unable to find any offensive rhythm. Tom Savage was showing glimpses of promise but it was evident that growing pains would also be a part of this season. You have to expect that from a true freshman quarterback.

After a win at Army, Rutgers stood at 5-2 but 0-2 in the Big East. Next up was a trip to Connecticut to take on the Huskies. This was a very emotional contest as it was Connecticut’s first home game after the murder of cornerback Jasper Howard. Devin McCourty returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown to set the tone. This was a game that came down to the wire and Rutgers was able to come away with its first Big East victory of the season, a 28-24 win.

Rutgers would then host South Florida on a Thursday night ESPN game. At the time, South Florida was a ranked football team that had been playing well. Something about Thursday night games in Piscataway that brings out the best of Rutgers football. The stadium was loud, the crowd was into it, and the Rutgers football team dominated the Bulls of South Florida. Rutgers used offense, special teams, and dominating defense to defeat South Florida 31-0. Rutgers record was now 7-2, 2-2 in conference play.

At this point, the team and its fans still had high hopes. With Syracuse, Louisville, and West Virginia left to play, just about everyone believed Rutgers would finish the regular season no worse then 9-3. That may have been the problem actually. Rutgers traveled to the Carrier Dome to take on a Syracuse team that was falling apart. Rutgers however, came out flat and was embarrassed by the Orange, losing 31-13. This lose would prove devastating to the Scarlet Knights. It likely cost them any chance of making a “higher profile” bowl game.

The team was able to rebound and take care of a Louisville team that was also struggling. Rutgers looked impressive the way they defeated the Cardinals. It would also be Louisville head coach Steve Kragthorpe’s final game as he would be fired during the days that followed.

So now the Scarlet Knights were at 8-3, 3-3 in the Big East, with just one game remaining, a home game against a tough West Virginia squad. Rutgers offense was still a day by day process but it was finding its own identity. Savage remained very confident and was improving each game. The wildcat formation was used much more often and with success behind Mohamed Sanu. The defense was still its strong point however. A win over West Virginia would put Rutgers at 9-3 overall and many believed they would have a shot at the Gator Bowl or Meineke Car Care Bowl. That became a mute point however after losing the game, 24-21 as they were unable to put together a game winning drive.

Rutgers finished the regular season 8-4, 3-4 in the Big East. They would get an invitation to the St. Petersburg Bowl in St. Petersburg, Florida. It was not the ideal situation. Final exams had been going on the week of the game, so the team had to juggle that with practices and preparation for its matchup with Central Florida. They seemed to handle it in stride. Central Florida looked like it could be a tough matchup for the Knights. Rutgers running game basically disappeared except for the wildcat stuff. Central Florida had the 4^th ranked rushing defense in the country, so Rutgers would have to throw the ball to win. Nobody knew if Senior star wide out Tim Brown would be able to play as he was nursing a couple injuries. Brown did play and Rutgers had no problems handling Central Florida. It was actually a surprisingly easy win for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights used a balanced all around game in defeating UCF by a score of 45-24.

Tim Brown was certainly one of the stars of this season. Devin McCourty was Mr. Do Everything for Rutgers this year. McCourty played the role of shut down corner as well as the special teams star. Ryan D’Imperio and Damaso Munoz, both seniors, led the defense from their linebacker positions. George Johnson had a very nice year at defensive end as well. Some promising freshman really stepped up and made the future the present this season, particularly QB Tom Savage, WR Mohamed Sanu, and LB Steve Beauharnais.

So, looking back on the 2009 season may be a bit disappointing considering the expectations coming into the year, but the season was also a success. Rutgers went to its 5^th straight bowl game and recorded its 4^th straight bowl game victory. The 2009 senior class will be missed, but the future does look bright in New Jersey.

2009 Team MVP: Devin McCourty

2009 Offensive Player of the Year: Tim Brown

2009 Defensive Player of the Year: Devin McCourty

2009 Freshman of the Year: Mohamed Sanu

A look ahead to 2010 will be written in the coming days…..

Congratulations to Greg Schiano and Rutgers, 2009 St. Petersburg Bowl Champs.

Yankee Trade: Melky to Atlanta, Vazquez Returns

Tue, 22 Dec, 2009 04:14:16 GMT

The New York Yankees continue to make moves this offseason. The most recent one is sending outfielder Melky Cabrera to Atlanta for starting pitcher Javier Vazquez.

Vazquez pitched for the Yankees in 2004 before being traded to the Diamonbacks in the Randy Johnson deal. Last season for the Braves, Vazquez went 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA in 32 starts. He has thrown at least 198 innings in each of the past 10 seasons. Vazquez should provide the Yankees with more pitching depth and be a nice 3rd or 4th starter. He joins CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, and either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes in the rotation.

This move allows the Yankees to keep Chamberlain or Hughes in the bullpen where they have each been successful.

Melky Cabrera was a likeable guy. A talented player that excelled defensively. The Yankees however may feel he has already reached his potential. I think he will fit in nicely in Atlanta and get a chance to play every day.

This move may also re-open negotiations between the Yankees and Johnny Damon. Damon is still a free agent the the Yankees will need another outfielder after trading Cabrera. Talks between the Yankees and Damon had stalled after the Yankees balked at his contract demands. The Yankees went out and signed Nick Johnson to be their primary DH and many believed that was the end of Damon in the Bronx. Other possibilities are Mark De Rosa, although I dont think that would be a good move unless it was as a bench player. Jason Bay and Matt Holliday are the big names still out there, but I can't see the Yankees making a run at them. Brett Gardner could start in the outfield but that will still leave the bench thin.

The Yankees are also sending minor league pitching prospects Michael Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino to Atlanta. In addition to Vazquez, the Yankees will also receive left handed reliever Boone Logan. Logan should compete for a spot in the Yankees bullpen next season.

New Jersey school has the #1 High School Football team in nation

Tue, 22 Dec, 2009 03:27:23 GMT

Rivals.com and MaxPreps.com came out with there high school football rankings and just one New Jersey team was included. That team however had the #1 ranking in both polls. Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey can proudly say they are the #1 high school football team in the country.

The Ironmen finished the season 12-0 and won their fourth straight Non-Public 4 state championship by beating St. Peter's Prep of Jersey City 35-15. Don Bosco Prep opened the 2009 season by defeating one of California's better teams, De La Salle 30-6. In that game, the Don Bosco defense held De La Salle under 100 yards of offense. The team from Concord, California eventually won the CIF Open Bowl Championship and finished the year ranked #39 in the nation.

De La Salle was one of two out of state teams Don Bosco played this year. They also travelled to Alabama to take on Prattville High School. This came just two weeks after the big win over De La Salle. Don Bosco Prep defeated Prattville by a score of 35-24. Prattville finished the year by advancing to the final of the Alabama Class 6A and ranked #96.

Aside from the out of state competition, Don Bosco Prep rolled over their in-state competition this season. Teams like St. Joe's of Montvale, Bergen Catholic, St. Peter's of Jersey City, and Seton Hall Prep usually challenge the Ironmen. Not this year however, they were no match.

Don Bosco Prep used a complete team effort but they did have some stand out players perform well this season. Senior running back Tony Jones was voted the New Jersey Offensive Player of the Year this season. Jones is rated as a 3-star back by Rivals.com and ranked 14th at his position. In the state title game, Jones rushed for 215 yards and five touchdowns. He has offers from schools such as: Boston College, Connecticut, Miami, Michigan, Rutgers, and UCLA.

Three players stood out on the dominating Don Bosco Prep defense. Defensive end Bryan Murphy is a 4-star recruit headed to Pittsburgh. He gave his verbal to Pitt over offers from Boston College, Colorado, East Carolina, Louisville, Maryland, and others. Murphy is rated as the #3 recruit in New Jersey by Rivals.com. He is also rated as the 16th weakside defensive end in the country.

Don Bosco's other defensive end, James Kittredge also had a good season and is headed to Vanderbilt next year. Kittredge chose Vanderbilt over North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, West Virginia, Michigan State, and more.

Playing behind them was linebacker Steele Divitto. He has given his verbal commitment to Boston College. Divitto also received offers from Colorado, Akron, Louisville, Central Florida among others.

Don Bosco Prep continues to develop top level talent. Many of these athletes leave New Jersey when they go off to college. For some reason, Rutgers has not been able to keep these kids home. Some rumors are going around that the relationship between Rutgers and Don Bosco Prep never developed. Rutgers would be wise to fix whatever issues there are and keep these kids in New Jersey.

Congratulations to the Don Bosco Prep Ironmen on their perfect season, state title, and #1 national ranking.

Steelers create 'Giant' hopes.

Mon, 21 Dec, 2009 06:01:46 GMT

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Green Bay Packers yesterday on a thrilling, last second touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to rookie wide out Mike Wallace. The win halted the Steelers five game losing streak, but it also helped the New York Giants by improving their chances of making the playoffs.

By losing to the Steelers, the Packers are now 9-5 and hold the 5th playoff spot. The Cowboys are also 9-5 and are currently in the 6th and final playoff spot. The Giants enter their Monday Night Football game in Washington tonight with a 7-6 record. A win tonight would put them at 8-6 and just one game behind the Cowboys and Packers with two to play.

The Giants clearly need help from other teams in order to make the playoffs. The good news is the Giants hold the tiebreaker over both the Packers and Cowboys. The Giants swept the Cowboys this season so that tiebreaker is easily figured out. The Giants and Packers tiebreaker would be a little more involved.

The first tiebreaker is head-to-head. That does not apply here because the Giants did not play the Packers this year. The second tiebreaker if conference record. If the two teams end in a tie, they will also have the same conference record, so this tiebreaker will not decide it either. The third and deciding tiebreaker is record in games against common opponents. The common opponents would be Minnesota, Dallas, Arizona, and Tampa Bay. The Packers are currently 1-3 against those teams, while the Giants are 3-1.

If the Giants can win their remaining three games: @ Washington, home against Carolina, and @ Minnesota, they only need the Packers OR Cowboys to lose one game. If the Giants win two of their last three, they need the Cowboys or Packers to lose two games.

The Packers final two games are: home against Seattle and @ Arizona. The Cowboys face two NFC East teams by traveling to Washington and then hosting the Eagles in Dallas.

It looks like the NFC Wild Card race is going to come down to the final week. Three teams, two spots. Don't you love this time of year!?!

It all starts tonight for the Giants. A win on the road against a tough division rival would be a very good step in the right direction. The Redskins have been playing much better of late and games between these two teams are generally very tough. The Giants defense needs to step up. Lets go G-Men!

Double G Sports NFL Power Rankings: Week 15

Thu, 17 Dec, 2009 11:49:34 GMT

The Double G Sports "Expert" Panel has put together their NFL Power Rankings for Week 15.

1 - New Orleans Saints (158 pts)
2 - Indianapolis Colts (157 pts)
3 - Minnesota Vikings (148 pts)
4 - San Diego Chargers (146 pts)
5 - Green Bay Packers (138 pts)
6 - Philadelphia Eagles (136 pts)
7 - Cincinnati Bengals (131 pts)
8 - New England Patriots (125 pts)
9 - Denver Broncos (118 pts)
10 - Arizona Cardinals (115 pts)
11 - Dallas Cowboys (109 pts)
12 - New York Giants (106 pts)
13 - Baltimore Ravens (100 pts)
14 - Miami Dolphins (97 pts)
15 - Tennessee Titans (83 pts)
16 - Pittsburgh Steelers (79 pts)
17 - Atlanta Falcons (77 pts)
18 - New York Jets (76 pts)
19 - Jacksonville Jaguars (74 pts)
20 - San Fran 49ers (70 pts)
21 - Houston Texans (67 pts)
22 - Buffalo Bills (51 pts)
23 - Carolina Panthers (47 pts)
24 - Chicago Bears (43 pts)
Washington Redskins (43 pts)
26 - Seattle Seahawks (40 pts)
27 - Oakland Raiders (32 pts)
28 - Kansas City Chiefs (22 pts)
29 - Detroit Lions (21 pts)
30 - Cleveland Browns (17 pts)
31 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8 pts)
St. Louis Rams (8 pts)

Who Picked Who First:
Colts: Gregg, Spenser
Saints: Jon, Rob, John

Best Division: NFC East (394 pts)
Worst Division: NFC West (233 pts)

Who should DH for the Yankees in 2010?

Thu, 17 Dec, 2009 11:33:05 GMT

Last season, the Yankees DH role was handled mostly by Hideki Matsui. Some other players like Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez, and Jorge Posada used the spot as an opportunity to get a half day or rest but still be in the lineup. Rodriguez is fully healthy and should be able to handle full time third base duty, Posada will likely DH a little bit but he is still the main catcher, Damon remains an unsigned free agent, and Matsui is now a member of the Angels. So who will DH for the Yankees this season? Lets take a look at some of the most probable choices.

Johnny Damon

The Yankees view Damon as a part time DH, while still seeing time in left field. He is definitely one of the best top of the lineup hitters in the game. Damon used Yankee stadium to his advantage last season while hitting from the #2 spot in the Yankees lineup. He hit .282 last season including 24 home runs and driving in 82. He also stole 12 bases without being thrown out. Another key stat is Damon struck out just 98 times in 550 at bats. I think the Yankees would love to re-sign Damon, but on their terms. Damon and his agent, Scott Boras dont seem to agree. The Yankees dont want him for more then two years and $20 million. Damon is still seeking three years at $13 million a year. If the Yankees can get their way, I would sign Damon in a heartbeat, but I have to agree that Damon's asking price is a little to steep right now.

Juan Miranda

Miranda would be an in house answer for the DH spot. Like Damon, Miranda is a left handed hitter that would benefit from Yankee Stadium's short right field fence. Last season in Triple-A, Miranda hit .290 with 19 home runs and 82 RBI's. As a September call up to the big leagues, he had 3 hits in 9 at bats including his first career home run. The problem with Miranda is that he is still prone to striking out. In those 9 major league at bats, Miranda struck out 4 times. He also struck out 101 times in 122 Triple-A games. Miranda is currently playing Winter Ball and batting .425 with 2 home runs and 11 RBI's in 11 games, totaling 40 at bats.

Nick Johnson

The former Yankee first baseman has been injury prone throughout his career. Being more of a full time DH may help him in that department. When he was in New York, he was a fan favorite. Johnson is a career .273 hitter including .292 against left handed pitching. He is known around the league as an on base machine. Last season he had the highest OBP of all of this years free agents (.426) and his career OBP is .402. The Yankees and Johnson have been discussing a one year deal lately. The Yankees 1996 third round draft pick made $5.5 million last season. I like this idea, especially if the Yankees can sign him to an incentive based one year contract. I think he would be very productive as a DH in Yankee Stadium.

Jermaine Dye

Dye is still a free agent. Last season with the White Sox, Dye hit .250 with 27 home runs and 81 RBI's. The 27 home runs was his lowest total since 2004. Dye hits right handed, which may keep the Yankees away since they already have a right handed power guy in Alex Rodriguez. Dye struggled in the second half of last season. He hit .302 with 20 home runs before the all star break, but just .179 with 7 home runs after. He did crush left handed pitching last season however. Against south paws in 2009, Dye hit .292 with 7 home runs. His power comes against righties however, as he hit .236 with 20 home runs against them.

My guess is Damon would be the Yankees top choice at DH, but like I said, it would have to be on their terms. Damon does not seem to be ok with that. The Yankees may be moving away from Damon and toward Nick Johnson at this time. Miranda is probably their third choice if Damon and Johnson dont work out. One thing is certain, they will miss Hideki Matsui's clutch bat.

This date in Yankees / Mets history - December 16th

Wed, 16 Dec, 2009 08:08:25 GMT

Take a look at some historic moments in Yankees and Mets franchise history that happened on this date, December 16th.

Mets

1982 - Tom Seaver's trade back to the New York from the Reds is completed when 'Tom Terrific' comes to contract terms with the Mets. Cincinnati obtains pitcher Charlie Puleo and two minor leaguers, Lloyd McClendon and Jason Felice, in exchange for the 'Franchise'.

Yankees

1983 - Replacing Billy Martin, Yogi Berra is hired for the second time to manage the Yankees.

Yankees & Mets

2002 - After declining the $4.6 million two-year December 7 contract offer by the Yankees, which he only had 15 minutes to consider, Mike Stanton (7-1, 3.00, 6 saves) still decides to stay in town by, agreeing to a $9 million, three-year, no trade contract with the cross-town rival Mets. The All-Star reliever wasn't offered salary arbitration by the Bronx Bombers after he failed to respond to their ultimatum.

Meet the Double G Sports "Expert" Panel

Thu, 17 Dec, 2009 03:06:56 GMT

Ladies and Gents, I would like to introduce you to the individuals that will be a part of the Double G Sports "Expert" Panel. This panel has been put together by me, in hopes of bringing you some great entertainment. Its a great group of guys that are all very passionate about sports. We will be providing you with things such as: rankings, polls, opinions and predictions. Occassionally you may see a blog post by one of our "experts" as well.

In the mean time, give a wonderful greeting to the new members of the "expert" team.

Lets take a look:

Rob

Rob is a NJ high school football coach who is a die-hard Yankees, 49ers, Penn State(football), & Duke(basketball) fan. He spends most of his time critiquing games now that he is coaching. Rob loves watching college football and prefers it to the professional ranks. He has followed his favorite teams for many years, but has enjoyed watching the local NJ teams. Rob can provide insight to what he sees, as well as what he feels needs to be said about the play and coaching of professional and collegiate teams. He looks forward to sharing his thoughts with sports fans.

John

John is 28 years old and a passionate fan of the Yankees, Giants, Knicks, Michigan Wolverines (college football), and Saint Peter's College (college basketball). He is a former defensive lineman/fan of the Saint Peter's College Peacocks, before they dropped their football program a few years back. That's right, our mascot name is the Peacocks!

John's all time favorite, retired players include Don Mattingly, Lou Gehrig, Scott Brosius, Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, Jesse Armstead, Mark Bavaro, John Starks, and Desmond Howard. His favorite current players are Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Joba Chamberlain, Eli Manning, Justin Tuck, Antonio Pierce-I know he needs to go, Hakeem Nicks, and Tim Tebow. My least favorite teams are the Red Sox, Mets, Bulls, and the Cowboys. My least favorite franchise is the Philadelphia Eagles. I cannot stand anything about them! I cannot stand Pedro Martinez, Donovan McNabb, Michael Jordan, and Jerry Jones.

He is an assistant varsity football coach at Immaculata High School where he is responsible for the defensive line and special teams. He graduated from Immaculata in 2000 where he played football and basketball. In football, he was the team co-captain with Matt Hrutkay, and was named third team all-state honors his senior year by the AP. Hack now serves as the Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Immaculata as well as the school's moderator for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He also is a financial advisor. John was married to Katie in 2007 and they reside in Somerville.

Jon

Jon is an avid sports fan, who is a fan of the Giants(football), Mariners, and Ohio State(football). He absolutely hates the Cowboys and Eagles. He claims he hates the Yankees, but he did root for them in this year's World Series due to his hatred of Philadelphia sports teams. Jon will bring his insight about sports to Double G Sports.

Mark

Mark is 26 years old and grew up in Manville NJ and currently resides in Ewing. Mark spent most of his youth playing football, baseball and roller hockey. His favorite teams are the New York Giants, the New York Yankees and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. During the games of his beloved teams, you can find mark screaming obscenities at the television, trying to both motivate his players or being sure to let the umpires or officials know the calls they missed or that he disagrees with. He has been accused by some to he overly critical of his sports teams. Here is what Mark says about his attitude "I live and die with my teams, my mood for the evening, or even the week is often dictated by the performance of my boys on the field. I will not refrain from saying exactly what is on my mind or exactly how I feel about their play that game or recently."

Spenser

Spenser is a west coast homer for every thing, except his love of Yankees baseball (which he will most often refers to as 'The Dyansty'). He loves college football and being from Boise means one thing, BOISE STATE BRONCO FAN. Spenser is an advocate for an NCAA football playoff, however adopts the Boise State mentality of 'play with what we've got'. He feels the BCS, at least, provides a very interesting season. Spenser would also love to root for the Oakland Raiders but refuses to do so until Al Davis dies and/or sells. To bad for him, the 'Crypt Keeper' may never die and will most likely never sell.

So, these 5 knowledgeable sports fan and myself will do our best to keep you informed and entertained. This should be fun! Just keep in mind, its an "expert" panel.

If you have any questions for our panel or any topic you would like us to talk about, please email us at doublegsports@gmail.com

Where do Yankees turn now that Lackey and Halladay are off the market?

Wed, 16 Dec, 2009 02:48:37 GMT

Although the deals have not been finalized or officially announced, it appears John Lackey will indeed sign with the Boston Red Sox and Roy Halladay will be traded to the Philadelphia Philles. Those two men were the top starting pitchers available this offseason.

The Yankees have said all offseason that adding at least one starting pitcher was a priority. They did re-sign Andy Pettitte, but they would still like to add another starter to the rotation. This would allow them to keep either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes in the bullpen.

Where do you think the Yankees will look? There are rumors floating around that they are very interested in free agent Ben Sheets. Sheets is coming off an injury and did not pitch last season. However, before being injured, Sheets was one of the best pitchers in the National League. Yes, he is another guy that has spent his entire career in the pitchers league. Do you think he will be as good if he came to the American League?

Justin Duchscherer is another name floating around. He too is coming off an injury that kept him from pitching in '09. While with the A's, Duchscherer excelled both in the bullpen and as a starter. If his arm is strong enough, teams will certainly be looking at him as a starter once again.

The question is, how much money are you will to spend on a "risk" pick up like this. Both players are coming off injuries and have not pitched in at least a year.

I think its worth the risk. The Yankees have other pitchers capable of starting if needed: Chamberlain, Hughes, Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre. So, take a chance on a guy like Sheets or Duchscherer. Maybe you will get lucky and they can regain the dominant form they had pre-injury. They would only have to be back end starters since the Yankees already have Sabathia, Burnett and Pettitte.

Do you take the risk, or do you take a chance on someone that is not coming off injury, like Jason Marquis or Joel Piniero? What would you do?

online casino Web Poll

Rutgers in the NFL - Week 14

Mon, 14 Dec, 2009 08:24:11 GMT

Ray Rice is the Knight of the Week in the NFL after rushing for 166 yards in just over a half of play against the Detroit Lions. Gary Brackett and Eric Foster help the Indianapolis Colts stay undefeated. Chech out more of their stats and the rest of former Rutgers stars now competing in the NFL. My Knights in the NFL segment is up on StateofRutgers.com. Read it here.

Weekend TV Hot Spots

Fri, 11 Dec, 2009 11:08:26 GMT

Here is the local TV action as well as some national TV suggestions for you sports fans:

Friday (12/11)

NBA - Nets @ Pacers - 7pm YES -The Nets travel to Indiana looking for just their third win of the season. They have shown improvement of late.

NBA - Knicks @ Hornets - 8pm MSG - The surging Knicks have found some team balance and hope to continue their success tonight when they take on the New Orleans Hornets.

NHL - Florida @ New Jersey - 7pm MSG Plus - The red hot Devils host Florida tonight at The Rock in Newark

Saturday (12/12)

NCAA FBall - Army @ Navy - 2:30pm CBS - This game is always a must see. With a win Army will go to its first bowl game in 13 years. Navy continues to successfully fun that triple option attack that is always fun to watch.

NHL - Flyers @ Devils - 7pm MSG Plus 2 - Not quite Devils vs Rangers but its the next best thing.

Sunday (12/13)

NFL - Jets @ Buccaneers - 1pm CBS - Not exactly a great QB matchup as Jets backup Kellen Clemens opposes Bucs rookie Josh Freeman but its football!

NFL - Chargers @ Cowboys - 4:15pm CBS - This has the potential to be a good one. Can the Cowboys "D" hang tough against Rivers and the talented Chargers attack.

NFL - Eagles @ Giants - 8:15pm NBC - Can the Giants carry over momentum from their victory over the Cowboys? This matchup always brings out the best and worst in the teams and their fans.

Interesting tidbit about Yanks Rule 5 pick-up. Could Brett Gardner be leaving?

Fri, 11 Dec, 2009 01:12:27 GMT

The Yankees currently have some what of a logjam in the outfield. Going into the winter meetings the outfielders on the Yankees roster were Melky Cabrera, Nick Swisher, and Brett Gardner. Then they acquired Curtis Granderson via trade and Jaime Hoffman in the Rule 5 Draft.

The Yankees are still determining if Johnny Damon is going to re-sign. By rule, because he was a Rule 5 pick, Hoffman must remain on the 25-man roster next season or he will be offered back to the LA Dodgers for just $25,000.

Hoffman is a right handed hitter that some people believe can eventually turn into an every day type player. He spent most of last season on the Dodgers Triple-A squad. In 97 minor league games last season, Hoffman hit .291 with 10 home runs and 64 RBI's.

Judging by GM Brian Cashman's comments, the Yankees are planning on Hoffman remaining with the team. “He’s a guy we’re hoping can be No. 25 on this roster and give Joe some choices as he matches up on a daily basis,” Cashman said. Hoffman did make his big league debut last season and played in 14 games for the Dodgers, going 4-22 with a home run.

The Yankees may feel they need to get rid of an outfielder. Obviously its possible that Hoffman does not stay with the team, however its also possible that he does. In that case, I would expect the Yankees will part ways with Brett Gardner. Gardner has great speed and range in centerfield, but he bats left handed. New centerfielder, Granderson, struggles against left handed pitching so the extra right handed bat on the bench might be better.

If Johnny Damon does re-sign, the logjam gets even bigger. How many outfielders do the Yankees want to carry?

I would not be surprised if none of this is decided until some time during spring training. The Yankees may let all of these players in and compete for the roster spots. We shall see. It is however being reported that the White Sox and Royals are interested in Gardner.

Analyzing the Curtis Granderson blockbuster deal

Thu, 10 Dec, 2009 05:23:45 GMT

The three team blockbuster deal became finalized. We found out the reason it was being held up is the Yankees wanted Granderson to have his eyes checked. All reports are now reviewed and Curtis Granderson is a member of the New York Yankees.

Here is how the trade went down:

Yankees receive: Curtis Granderson

Diamondbacks receive: Edwin Jackson, Ian Kennedy

Tigers receive: Austin Jackson, Max Scherzer, Phil Coke, Daniel Schlereth

I am a big fan of this trade for the Yankees. It was a very good move that greatly improved their lineup. Granderson will be 29 years old when the season starts and he has a very good contract. His current contract is 3 years, $23.75 million. Granderson is a guy that can and will use his speed and power to do a lot of damage. Being a lefty that likes to pull the ball, Granderson will fit perfectly into Yankee Stadium. He certainly has the ability to consistently hit 25-30 home runs each year.

By making this deal, the Yankees improved their team without having to give up pitchers Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Instead, they parted ways with top prospect Austin Jackson and pitchers Ian Kennedy and Phil Coke. Those two pitchers can be replaced. I think Kennedy will get a better chance to make it back to the big leagues with the Diamondbacks and may even turn into a nice back of the rotation guy. Coke goes to Detroit. He will likely stay in the bullpen where he succeeded for the most part.

The guy a lot of people didn't want to give up was Austin Jackson. Jackson was the Yankees top prospect and future centerfielder. I dont normally like giving up top prospects but to me this made sense. If Jackson develops like everyone thinks, he will probably turn into a Granderson type player. Well, now we have Granderson. Jackson will likely get a chance to be the Tigers centerfielder as early as this year.

Granderson will likely be moved around the Yankees lineup. Obviously a lot depends on whether or not Johnny Damon re-signs with the team. If Damon does not return, Granderson will likely bat in the two spot against right handed pitchers and lower in the lineup against lefties. Granderson struggles against lefties. If Damon does return, he will bat #2 while Granderson will be lower in the lineup, likely around the sixth spot.

Granderson is also thought to be an above average defender. As well as his bat and glove, he also brings a lot of speed to the lineup. Speed is something the Yankees have lacked for a while. Jeter and A-Rod run well but even they dont have that natural speed. Brett Gardner has that speed but he has not been able to crack the every day lineup. Granderson will be there every day and be able to threaten the opposition with his three tools: bat, glove, and legs.

Great move by the Yankees!

The 2009 Rutgers defense was a team effort

Thu, 10 Dec, 2009 02:23:34 GMT

The Rutgers football team this season had the #1 defense in the Big East. Thats #1 in both scoring defense and total defense. They had given up the fewest number of touchdowns of all the Big East schools, the least amount of yards, and the least amount of first downs.

Rutgers opponents converted just 30% of third downs against them, and 33% of fourth down tries. The third down defense was 1st in the conference and fourth down defense was 2nd.

Rutgers defense gave up an average of just 17.4 points per game this season. Included in the #1 overall ranked defense, they were 3rd against the run behind Syracuse and Pittsburgh, and 2nd against the pass behind South Florida.

Rutgers easily was tops in forcing turnovers as well. They gained 32 turnovers this season, 19 fumble recoveries and 13 interceptions. When in the red zone, Rutgers defense wasnt as good, but they were still ranked 3rd in the Big East in those situations.

The Big East announced their All-Conference teams yesterday, and only one Rutgers defender could be found on the 1st or 2nd teams. How does the #1 ranked defense have just one lone player on the All-Conference 1st team, not to mention the 2nd team as well? It's simple. This unit was not flashy and certainly not about individuals. This unit worked together and got the job done.

The Big East may not have awarded these players with All-Conference selections but I would like to take a look at some individual highlights of this Rutgers Scarlet Knights defense.

Senior cornerback Devin McCourty was the only player to be honored. McCourty was selected as a first team cornerback. McCourty led the team in tackles with 78. That number places him 14th in the Big East. That alone shows how much of a group effort this was. Your leading tackler was just 14th in the conference. McCourty was also tied for third in pass deflections with 11 on the season.

Jonathan Freeny and George Johnson showed their ability to get to the opponents quarterback. Freeny ranked 4th in the Big East in sacks with 8.5 while Johnson was 7th with 6.5 sacks. Johnson was also 7th in the conference in tackles for a loss. He had 13 of those this year. Freeny and Alex Silvestro were tied for 11th in that category with 11 tackles for loss.

David Rowe finished the season ranked 5th in pass deflections with 9.

Linebacker Damaso Munoz and Silvestro were tied for the league lead in fumble recoveries. They each had 4 recoveries.

Those are just a few names. Some other big contributors were senior linebacker Ryan D'Imperio, safety Joe Lefeged, Zaire Kitchen, Steve Beauharnais, and Scott Vallone, among others.

All season long, this defense worked together and performed as a group. It was never about individual efforts or statistics. They just kept choppin' and got the job done, successfully.

Rutgers Needs Tim Brown Healthy For St. Pete's Bowl

Wed, 9 Dec, 2009 07:39:08 GMT

Rutgers is headed to the St. Petersburg Bowl on December 19th against Central Florida. Rutgers needs to do one thing in order to beat UCF. Pass, Pass, Pass.

This Central Florida teams is not a bad football team. These guys can play. After all, it is a bunch of Florida athletes. Rutgers has some of its own Florida athletes and one of them could drastically change this game if healthy.

Senior wide receiver Tim Brown is a Florida boy. The Central Florida defense is very good up front. They can and most likely will stuff the Rutgers rushing attack. Rutgers will need to throw the ball if they plan to sustain drives. The main deep threat for the Scarlet Knights is Brown. The man can flat out fly when healthy. Brown has the speed to get by defenders very quickly. Freshman quarterback Tom Savage could have a huge day if he can continuously look to Brown deep.

The problem with all of this is, Tim Brown may not be able to play in the final game of his college career. Brown has a pretty bad ankle injury. He toughed it out and played hurt the last two regular season games Rutgers played. In the Louisville game, he was able to fight through the pain and make some big plays. However, in the regular season finale against West Virginia, Brown was a non factor and apparently re-injured the ankle.

Of course Tim Brown would love to play. Who would want to miss the final game of their college career. Brown is one of the toughest players I have seen. He has the speed. He may not have the size of some of the big boys, but this kid is a football player. Flat out toughness! You can bet he will do everything he can to get on that field and contribute.

Like I said, Central Florida has a good run defense. Rutgers rushing attack has not been very good this season. In fact, in recent weeks, their most effective rushing attack has been the wildcat plays run by freshman receiver Mohamed Sanu. So, Savage may need to take this game into his freshman hands and find some receivers.

Brown has been the only consistent deep threat Rutgers has. Sanu has played very well, especially for a freshman, but he is more of a short to middle range receiver. Rutgers can and should win this game with or without Brown, but having the speedster healthy will make it that much more exciting!

Timmy..get healthy man!

Hot Stove: Pettitte back, Granderson coming to Bronx. Molina to Queens?

Wed, 9 Dec, 2009 09:25:01 GMT

Things are heating up in baseball's winter meetings. Lets take a look at some of the latest:

- The three way blockbuster deal bringing Curtis Granderson to the Yankees that was announced yesterday is not yet finalized. Apparently Ian Kennedy's medical report is holding it up. Still looks like it should be finalized soon.

- Andy Pettitte is back with the Yankees. The two sides have come to a contract agreement. The Yankees will pay the veteran lefty starter $11.75 million in this one year contract.

- The Yankees and Mets have both checked in on outfielders Mike Cameron and Marlon Byrd.

- The Mets seem to be feeling a deal of Luis Castillo is unlikely.

- It is being reported the Mets are close to offering catcher Bengie Molina a two year contract worth about $12 million.

- The Mets are interested in 5 starting pitchers: John Lackey, Joel Pineiro, Jason Marquis, Jon Garland, and Doug Davis.

- Darren Oliver, former Angels reliever, is receiving interest from the Mets.

Yankees acquire Curtis Granderson in blockbuster deal

Tue, 8 Dec, 2009 09:01:56 GMT

It is being reported that the three team blockbuster deal involving the Yankees, Tigers, and Diamondbacks has been agreed upon. The teams are reviewing medical reports and if all goes well, the deal with be done.

In the deal, the Yankees would acquire center fielder Curtis Granderson from the Tigers. The Tigers would also send starting pitcher Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks. Arizona would also get Ian Kennedy from the Yankees. The Yankees would send centerfield prospect Austin Jackson to the Tigers as well as relief pitcher Phil Coke. The Tigers also get starter Max Scherzer and a reliever from the Diamondbacks.

I think this is a very good deal for the Yankees. Granderson would provide them with both power and speed in centerfield. Granderson had an all-star caliber year a few years ago but his production took a dive in 2008. He hit just .249 last season, but did hit a career high 30 home runs. 28 of those homers came against right handed pitchers.

At 29 years old, Granderson could potentially patrol centerfield in the Bronx for years to come. His defense dropped a little bit last season as well. That could be due to him taking his offensive struggles with him.

Despite the low average, you can not argue with Granderson's production. Along with the 30 home runs, Granderson drove in 71 runs while batting at the top of the Tigers lineup.

In getting Granderson, the Yankees had to give up prized prospect Austin Jackson. He was thought to be the future centerfielder. He hit right around .300 this past season at Triple-A. At best, I think the Yankees would have loved to see Jackson become a Granderson type player, now they have Granderson. To get a player like Granderson without giving up the likes of Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain or Michael Dunn is a good deal.

Phil Coke was a productive lefty out of the Yankees bullpen. He struggled toward the end of last season. Many others have emerged in the bullpen for the Yanks, so losing Coke is not a big deal.

I think Ian Kennedy will get a good chance in Arizona.

The addition of Granderson also gives the Yankees some options in their decision of whether or not to re-sign Johnny Damon. The Yankees can choose to move Melky Cabrera to left if they want. Damon no longer will have the advantage. The Yankees no longer have a big outfield hole. Of course re-signing Damon would still interest the Yankees, but now it will be even more on their own terms. If I were the Yankees, I would give Damon a take it or leave it offer. If he does not accept, I would move on. I would take another chance at Xavier Nady, or maybe Jermaine Dye. Another option is for the Yankees to now trade Melky. The Cubs have reportedly been interested.

Overall, I like this deal as a Yankee fan. I can see Granderson using his power and speed and becoming some what of a Bernie Williams type player for the Yankees!

Rutgers in the NFL - Week 13

Tue, 8 Dec, 2009 03:37:38 GMT

Gary Brackett and Eric Foster helped the Indianapolis Colts stay undefeated...Kenny Britt scored another touchdown...check out the rest of the former Scarlet Knights playing in the NFL by reading my Knights in the NFL segment on StateofRutgers.com

Hot Stove: Yanks talking three team blockbuster, Mets to trade Maine?

Tue, 8 Dec, 2009 03:32:51 GMT

Ohhh, things are certainly heating up in the Stove!

- The Yankees are part of a big three team blockbuster that is being discussed. In this deal, the Yankees would receive center fielder Curtis Granderson from the Tigers and two prospects from the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks would get starting pitcher Edwin Jackson from the Tigers and Ian Kennedy from the Yankees. The Tigers would get Max Scherzer from the Diamondbacks and Austin Jackson, Phil Coke, and Michael Dunn from the Yankees.

Yanks fans, would you do it?

- Yanks still have not given Damon an offer.

- The Mets are stepping up their pursuit of catcher Bengie Molina. They apparently have Rod Barajas as their alternative.

- The Mets and Brewers are discussing a swap of John Maine and Corey Hart.

Mets fans, do you like this move?

- Mets also talking to Rangers about Kevin Millwood, but it appears the Orioles may be close to getting him.

- Mets are hesitant to go more then four years for Lackey.

- Mets and Yankees still both in on Nick Johnson.

- Mets and Yankees both inquired about pitcher Kelvim Escobar.

- Yankees are expected to meet with the agent of Mark De Rosa this week.

- Brian Cashman discussed Jason Marquis. But that could just be because he hitched a ride to Indy with Marquis's agents.

Update: 10:30am Tuesday, Dec. 8th

The three way blockbuster involving the Yankees, Diamondbacks, and Tigers appears unlikely. The Yankees have said no due to the fact they would have to give up 4 prospects: Austin Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Phil Coke, and Michael Dunn.

Hot Stove: Bruney traded, Pettitte, Meche, Damon, Delgado, Castillo

Mon, 7 Dec, 2009 09:11:21 GMT

The winter meetings are going on this week so we can expect the rumors and news to come out consistantly. Here are some of the stuff flying around lately:

Yankees

- Relief pitcher Brian Bruney had been rumored going to the Braves, has actually been traded to the Washington Nationals for a player to be named later.

- Initial reports stated that Andy Pettitte had rejected a contract offer from the Yankees. Recent reports however say no formal offer has been made but the two sides are beginning to talk. Pettitte does want to pitch again next season.

- The Cubs like Melky Cabrera

- John Heyman of Sports Illustrated expects the Yankees to offer Johnny Damon a two year contract worth $20 million. If Damon doesn't accept, the Yankees may move on to Mike Cameron, Jermaine Dye, Curtis Granderson, or even Marlon Byrd.

Mets

- Elmer Dessens has talked with a few teams but is expected to re-sign with the Mets.

- A Philadelphia news report is saying the Mets have acquired Pat Burrell but from what I have heard, the Mets have no interest in Burrell. So, stay tuned on this topic.

- The Mets are looking at Gil Meche as a possible trade target.

- Also keeping an eye on Carlos Delgado but have no interest in Nick Johnson.

- Still looking to trade Luis Castillo. One rumor had Castillo going to the Cubs in a three team trade that would send Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay to the Mets.

- Another potential trade is rumored. The Dodgers and Mets may be discussing a swap of bad contracts. Castillo would go to LA while the Mets would receive Juan Pierre.

Rutgers only has themselves to blame for bowl location

Mon, 7 Dec, 2009 04:41:02 GMT

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team found out their bowl destination yesterday. Head Coach Greg Schiano was very disappointed in the outcome. Rutgers is headed to a December 19th matchup with Central Florida in the St. Petersburg Bowl.

Rutgers was hoping they could sneak into the Meineke Car Care Bowl, which is played Dec. 26th in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, Pittsburgh was the Big East representative in that game.

Pittsburgh was the better team this year, they deserve that bowl. The issue came about when Pittsburgh came out and said they were not interested in going to Charlotte. The Big East conference got involved and basically told the Meineke Bowl that they wanted Pittsburgh in that game since they had the better regular season.

So, Rutgers was left with the St. Pete's bowl. At least they aren't going back to the International Bowl in Canada.

Rutgers can whine and complain all they want. The bottom line is, if you expect you make a "better" bowl game, you can not have a season like this Rutgers team had this year. The season started with a ton of hype. This was the year Rutgers could contend for the conference title. All that hype was immediately thrown away when they came out opening day and got blown out by the eventual Big East Champions, Cincinnati Bearcats.

Another thing you can not do if you expect to make a "better" bowl, you can not lose to Syracuse! Yes, this Rutgers team went up to the Carrier Dome and laid an egg against a terrible (although improving) Syracuse team. This came a week after Rutgers totally manhandled a South Florida team that was currently ranked in the top 25.

Despite those results, Rutgers was still thought to have a very good chance of being chosen for the Meineke Car Care Bowl. They needed to beat West Virginia in the final regular season game last weekend. They couldn't do it. For the 15th straight time, Rutgers lost to the Mountaineers.

Up and Down, Up and Down. That was the way this season went. Obviously you always want to play in a bigger and better bowl game with better competition, however the regular season determines that (most of the time). The St. Petersburg bowl is right where Rutgers belongs this season.

For the next two weeks, Rutgers needs to focus on their opponent, Central Florida. This is another chance for Rutgers to go into Florida and come away with a victory. Lets hope this team stays focused instead of feeling sorry for themselves. Rutgers fans need to stop saying they got screwed. Its where the season led us!

Double G Sports is looking for "experts"

Mon, 7 Dec, 2009 02:05:52 GMT

Double G Sports is looking for anyone that is interested in possibly becoming part of our "Experts" Panel. We are hoping to have somewhere between 5-10 members to our panel. This panel will provide readers with rankings, voting, polls, predictions, etc..

I have a few potential candidates already. If you are interested, please leave me a comment on this posting with your email address, or email me directly at doublegsports@gmail.com

Thank you!

November Review, December Preview

Fri, 4 Dec, 2009 01:17:21 GMT

This past month Double G Sports continued to grow and become more successful. If you remember, our total page views for October was 919. This month, those numbers improved. The number of page views for November was 1,168.

Sports Page Network and Double G Sports is now a part of Google News.

November brought Double G Sports 765 new visitors. I hope many of you continue to come back and read my writings.

What to look forward to in December:

December has the potential to be a busy month. Yes there are all the holidays that come with this time of year, but there are also many sports happenings going on.

College Bowl season is just about here. Where will Rutgers end up?

The NFL season has a few more weeks remaining before playoff time. Can either local team find a spot in the playoffs?

Double G Sports is also in the process of trying to put together an "Expert" Panel. This panel will bring you polls, picks, and opinions on various sports topics and games.

Once again, thank you to everyone that has continued to visit this site. Thank you to everyone that was a first time visitor and I hope you will return. Without all of you, Double G Sports, would not be.

Double G Sports NFL Power Rankings: Week 13

Thu, 3 Dec, 2009 10:56:37 GMT

The NFL season is headed in to week 13 this week. Many big matchups that will have playoff implications. Lets take a look at how Double G Sports ranks all 32 of the NFL teams going in to this week.

1 - Saints (11-0): Impressive domination of Patriots last week.

2 - Colts (11-0): Continue to win close games and come from behind

3 - Vikings (10-1): I cant stand Favre but the man can play

4 - Chargers (8-3): Seem to be hitting their stride at the right time. Have probably the most underrated QB in the game.

5 - Bengals (8-3): Struggling offensively of late but still winning

6 - Patriots (7-4): A tough team to figure out. Brady having up and down year.

7 - Cowboys (8-3): Looking to put knock out blow on Giants this week.

8 - Broncos (7-4): Defense showed up on Thanksgiving

9 - Packers (7-4): Monday night battle with Ravens this week.

10 - Eagles (7-4): Travel to Atlanta this week.

11 - Cardinals (7-4): Host Favre and the Vikings this week. If Warner plays, we could see a shootout.

12 - Steelers (6-5): Big Ben should return against Raiders

13 - Ravens (6-5): Big test Monday night at Lambeau

14 - Giants (6-5): Might not be able to survive their next stretch of games.

15 - Falcons (6-5): Can they win the battle of the birds?

16 - Jets (5-6): Most likely need to win out to make playoffs in AFC

17 - 49ers (5-6): Travels to Seattle this week

18 - Titans (5-6): Finally finding its groove, can they upset the Colts?

19 - Dolphins (5-6): Where did the defense go?

20 - Texans (5-6): One of the most frustrating teams in the league

21 - Jaguars (5-6): Host the Texans

22 - Bears (4-7): Whats the over/under on picks thrown by Cutler this week?

23 - Bills (4-7): Did they finally find an offense or was last week a fluke?

24 - Seahawks (4-7): Still tough at home, host the niners.

25 - Panthers (4-7): Will John Fox survive the season?

26 - Chiefs (3-8): Playing better of late

27 - Redskins (3-8): Can still play D, trying to pull off seasons biggest upset this week, hosting the Saints

28 - Raiders (3-8): Still the Raiders

29 - Lions (2-9): No chance this week against the Bengals

30 - Bucs (1-10): Should be in game against Panthers

31 - Rams (1-10): Steven Jackson is a great player. He needs help.

32 - Browns (1-10): Absolutely no chance against the Chargers this week.

Hot Stove rumors continue for Yanks and Mets

Wed, 2 Dec, 2009 04:25:25 GMT

Mets

A pair of former Mets have signed with division rivals. Catcher Brian Schneider signed on to be a backup for the Phillies and closer Billy Wagner signed with the Braves.

The Mets decided not to offer salary arbitration to any of their remaining free agents. That means they will not receive any draft picks if those players sign elsewhere.

The Mets are rumored to be a possible suitor for utility player Mark DeRosa.

The catching position continues to be a point of focus for the Mets. They signed Chris Coste and gauranteed him a spot on the 40 man roster but not the 25 man roster. They also are continuing to discuss a deal with Henry Blanco. Neither of these players would be considered starting catchers. The Mets top catching target is still Bengie Molina. They have also expressed interest in Rod Barajas.

They have re-signed backup infielder Alex Cora to a one year, $2 million contract.

The Mets are one of the teams interested in signing reliever Takashi Saito.

Yankees

Like the Mets, the Yankees declined to offer salary arbitration to their remaining free agents.

Shelley Duncan, who was taken off the 40 man roster, declined a minor league assignment and therefore has become a free agent.

The Yankees are one of the teams still thought to be in the running for Roy Halladay. Starting pitcher A.J. Burnett has been making his pitch for the Yankees to get him. The two pitchers were good friends when they were both on the Blue Jays.

Derek Jeter, Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, has said his phone line is open to any free agents that have questions about joining the Yankees.

The team has expressed interest in reliever Brandon Lyon. They are also expected to have interest in other top available relievers such as: Mike Gonzalez, Fernando Rodney, Jose Valverde and Rafael Soriano.

If the Yankees decide not to trade for Halladay, they are keeping their options open. Apparently they have been in talks with Detroit about Edwin Jackson. They are also considering a couple pitchers coming off injuries: Ben Sheets and Justin Duchscherer.

The Yankees have had internal discussions about Jermaine Dye. Dye would likely be an option in a corner outfield and DH role.

Nobody knows sliding better then baseball players, just ask Rex Ryan

Tue, 1 Dec, 2009 08:50:53 GMT

The New York Jets have been concerned about rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and his reluctance to slide. Well on Monday night, head coach Rex Ryan thought up a plan.

This morning Rex Ryan called New York Yankees team president Randy Levine and asked him if he could send someone to Jets practice to help teach his prized quarterback how to slide on his right leg. Joe Girardi, the manager of the World Series Champion New York Yankees was available and willing to help.

Sanchez had been reluctant to slide despite constant talks from the organization. During last weeks game against the Carolina Panthers, Sanchez suffered an injury to his left knee after taking a hit from a defender. The QB already wears a brace on his left knee due to an injury he suffered in college.

Ryan said that Girardi was a big help and Sanchez has already become much more comfortable sliding on his right leg. Sanchez will be the starting quarterback when the Jets take on the Buffalo Bills Thursday night in Toronto, Canada.

Kiki has help as he takes over the New Jersey Nets

Tue, 1 Dec, 2009 10:18:21 GMT

After interviewing six candidates, Nets team president Rod Thorn announced general manager Kiki Vandeweghe as the team's interim head coach. Vandeweghe played 13 years in the NBA and was a director of player development in Dallas but has no head coaching experience. Prior to coming to New Jersey, he was the GM for the Denver Nuggets.

Joining Vandeweghe on the coaching staff will be Del Harris. Harris is a veteran coach in the league and has a career record of 556-457. He served as head coach in the league for 14 seasons, with the Rockets, Lakers, and Mavs.

This has the potential to be a very good combination for the Nets. Vandeweghe is often credited with his development of young players, such as Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki. Harris is thought of as a very strong teaching coach. He also knows some of the players on the current Nets roster pretty well. He knows Yi Jianlian from the Chinese National Team. Harris coached that team in the 2004 Olympics. Eduardo Najera, Trenton Hassell and Devin Harris were all in Dallas when Harris was there.

Vandeweghe was hesitant to take the coaching job at first but he finally agreed to it as long as he had a veteran assistant. Harris is that guy. This move also has the potential to be more long term then many people may thing. If Vandeweghe is successful and enjoys coaching, he may stick around past this season. The more likely scenario would be Vandeweghe returning to the front office position he loves and allowing Del Harris to become the full time coach. Of course this all depends on the thinking of the incoming ownership group.

I wouldn't expect many roster changes because of the new coaches. Its thought however that Vandeweghe will try to play an up-tempo style. Dallas and Denver both used that type of system when he was part of their staff. The key to that will be how quickly the injured players can return. Former coach Lawrence Frank had planned to play an up-tempo style before he was forced to change his plans due to the onslaught of injuries. Del Harris will likely be the voice on the defensive end of the floor.

I think the Nets finally made a good decision. This duo will take over at practice on Thursday and coach their first game Friday night against Charlotte. Assistant coach Tom Barrise will continue coaching tonight against the Dallas Mavs. A Nets lose tomorrow night will set a new NBA record as the team would fall to 0-18 on the year. Vandeweghe and Harris will do their best to start over beginning with Thursdays practice.

Who will be the next coach of the New Jersey Nets?

Mon, 30 Nov, 2009 07:08:29 GMT

Lawrence Frank was canned after the New Jersey Nets started the season 0-16. Frank's assistant, Tom Barrise took over the team for its game against the Los Angeles Lakers. That resulted in the NBA record tying 17th straight defeat. Barrise is not expected to remain the interim coach of the Nets. Team President, Rod Thorn and other top officials are apparently having meetings today to discuss the position. Thorn has said he has a long list of candidates. Really???

Are there really that many people out there that would want this job? Its more likely the list is people that Thorn would consider contacting. I personally believe the decision will come down to three candidates.

The obvious and easiest choice would be Kiki Vandeweghe. He is currently the Nets general manager. According to reports however, Vandeweghe has mixed feelings on taking the coaching position. Could it be that he knows the organization is a mess right now and its basically a lose/lose job?

Assitant coach, John Loyer will likely be considered as well. I've read that Loyer is one of the more respected assistants in the league. He, like Vandeweghe, knows the team well. Although, maybe Thorn and the rest of the front office would rather have an entire new voice and idea in the locker room.

Former New York Knicks star Patrick Ewing has expressed interest in the job. Ewing was hurt when his former team did not give him and consideration for their opening. He is now still an assistant with the Orlando Magic. Many people have credited Ewing with turning Dwight Howard into one of the top centers in the NBA. Being a local guy who still lives in New Jersey, signing Ewing would be a good public relations move.

The problem here is, no matter who is signed, there is no gaurantee it will last past this season. With Nets ownership getting ready to change hands, nobody seems to really know what is going on. Other names that have surfaced are: Avery Johnson, Dwane Casey, Eric Musselman, Sam Mitchell, P.J. Carlesimo, Reggie Theus, Terry Porter, and Del Harris.

It will be interesting to see which way Rod Thorn and the Nets go in regards to this coaching job. If the team can't get healthy, it won't matter much. Lawrence Frank may have lost the team during this record losing streak, but the team was lost to injury long before that happened.

I can tell you one thing, whoever gets this job, it may just be the hardest job they have ever taken.

Rutgers in the NFL - Week 12

Mon, 30 Nov, 2009 05:47:41 GMT

Kenny Britt is once again the Knight of the week in the NFL. Britt caught a career high 7 passes for 128 yards, including his game winning 10 yd TD catch as time expired as the Titans defeated the Arizona Cardinals.

Check out the rest of your former Rutgers Scarlet Knights...

Knights in the NFL - Week 12 Edition

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Thu, 26 Nov, 2009 04:28:46 GMT

I just wanted to give thanks to everyone that has helped Double G Sports blog get started in the blogging world. Its been great and we look forward to continuing the fun!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Rutgers in the NFL

Tue, 24 Nov, 2009 06:32:26 GMT

Ray Rice continued his great season, Kenny Britt scored his first career touchdown and much more...read my Knights in the NFL story on State of Rutgers.

A ride through the Rumor Mill - New York Mets

Tue, 24 Nov, 2009 07:40:09 GMT

Plenty of names are surfacing on the Mets rumor mill over the past week or so. Follow along with me as I give my opinions on those names I have heard:

- The A's are looking to trade outfielder/DH Jack Cust and the Mets have expressed some interest. Cust is a Jersey guy and would probably enjoy playing closer to home. He would provide some left handed pop in the lineup. However, he is a guy that will strike out a ton. Cust is also not known as a very good fielding outfielder. He is better off in the American League.

- Jason Bay & Matt Holliday. The Mets have said they will at least make an attempt to sign some of the top free agents this off season. Bay and Holliday are the top two position players available. To be honest, I am not overly impressed with either of these outfielders. They are both talented players but I think they will be very over payed due to the lack of stars in this years free agent class. The Mets certainly need outfield help so I would have to say they should pursue one of these guys, but dont expect to much.

- The Mets have expressed interest in trading for Royals veteran outfielder Jose Guillen. I dont get it. I know they need outfield help as I mentioned before, but seriously, Jose Guillen?? Guillen is 33 years old and played just 81 games last season due to injuries. In those 81 games, he hit just .242 with 9 home runs. The Royals apparently are interested in Angel Pagan. Losing Pagan would not hurt, I'm just not sure Guillen would help at all.

- Jermaine Dye. Many teams have apparently called about Dye. They have been asking if he would be willing to play first base. Many people believe Dye's defense in the outfield has fallen a bit. He can still knock the ball around with the bat however and he hit .289 agaisnt lefties the past three seasons. That would be a clear upgrade over Daniel Murphy who hit just .223 against lefties last year. If Dye can play first base, he would be a nice pick up for the Mets. He could play 1st as well as the outfield if needed.

- Some other names that have come up recently for 1st base is Nick Johnson and Russell Branyan. The Mets called about Branyan. I would stay away from him though. He is 33 years old and had a career year last year. He did however have a bad second half. That could have been a result of a back injury. Nick Johnson is a very good defensive first baseman. The Mets would welcome that as it would help out the other infielders, especially David Wright. Johnson is also a on base machine. The knock against Johnson is that he seems to be a big injury risk.

- John Lackey is someone that Mets are certainly going to go after. It appears he may be their top target currently. At least he should be. Lackey would provide the Mets with a very good #2 starter behind Johan Santana. It would also take pressure off some of the other potential starting pitchers. If I were the Mets, I would go hard after Lackey.

- Jason Marquis has made it clear he would like to pitch for the Mets. He seems to think him and the Mets are a perfect fit. Marquis is a Staten Island native. While he should not be considered a top of the rotation guy, Marquis is someone that will eat up innings and give the team a chance to win more often then not. He would be a very good back end of the rotation starter. The only question is, how much will you need to pay for that.

- Somer other pitchers mentioned in rumors are: Ben Sheets (pictured above), Joel Pineiro, and Randy Wolf. I have always liked Sheets. He has not pitched in the majors in over a year but before he had surgery on his elbow, Sheets was one of the top pitchers in the National League. Reports have said he should be ready by spring training. I dont like Pineiro or Wolf. I dont think they are much better then what the Mets currently have.

When I hear more, I will let you know.

Rutgers struggles start on the lines

Mon, 23 Nov, 2009 06:13:18 GMT

The Rutgers University football team is having an up and down season. The highest point of the season so far was a 31-0 domination over a South Florida team that was ranked at the time. The low point came this past weekend in the Carrier Dome. Rutgers went into the dome as the #25 team in the country and still had a shot at making a nice bowl game. The Syracuse team they were about to face went into the game with an overall record of 3-7, including 0-5 in Big East play. Considering Syracuse had lost 12 players in the past two weeks and only had 58 total players available, Rutgers should have been able to win this game in blow out fashion.

It may have been a long shot, but Rutgers did still have a shot at making the Gator Bowl. They would have have to win out and also likely get some help from other teams losing, but it was still a shot. None of that matters anymore.

Rutgers was completely out played and out coached. Syracuse dominanted the Scarlet Knights and sent them to an embarrasing defeat. The coaching staff, particularly head coach Greg Schiano has taken the blame for the lose. The blame however, should be thrown directly on the lines. Rutgers offensive and defensive lines were manhandled throughout the contest.

Syracuse, the bottom dweller of the Big East had the Rutgers defense on its heels the entire game. The Orange used two quarterbacks that went a combined 17-22 for 211 yards. Rutgers rarely got any type of pressure on the Syracuse quarterback duo. Syracuse also rushed for 213 yards in the game. That's 424 yards for a team that had the 106th ranked offense in the country going into the game.

Rutgers meanwhile managed just 130 total yards of offense. Quarterback Tom Savage must have had some type of bullseye on his jersey. Syracuse constantly brought blitz after blitz and Rutgers could not handle it. Savage was sacked nine times. Entering the game, Syracuse had just 26 total sacks in its previous 10 games. Some of those sacks were a result of Savage holding onto the ball to long, but to his credit he really did not have much time to throw. The offense line was unable to provide a consistant push in the running game. The total rushing yards for Rutgers was 26. That number does however include the minus 72 rushing yards from all the sacks. Joe Martinek was the leading rusher with 55 yards on 10 carries. Tom Savage finished the game just 7 of 17 for 66 yards passing. Wide Receiver Mohamed Sanu had 33 yards passing after completing his only pass attempt, a touchdown to fellow wide out Tim Brown.

The Rutgers offensive line came into this season with a lot of hype. They were supposed to be the top line in the Big East. They have all the pieces in place to be a successful dominant group, it just hasn't been put together for some reason. Maybe its the fact that offensive line coach Kyle Flood has added responsibilities as co-offensive coordinator? Nobody can say Flood is not a good coach. He is one of the better offensive line coaches around. Maybe he has shifted to much of his focus with the new position.

Every member of the offensive and defensive lines should look in the mirror this week. Take a long look at themselves and figure out what is keeping this unit from being successful and consistant. Its time to man up. The season may be a disappointment, but it can still be a productive one if Rutgers can win their last two games. It all starts on the line!

Giants gain one, lose one on defense.

Sun, 22 Nov, 2009 03:30:42 GMT

The New York Giants defense has suffered some big time injuries this season. They lost starting cornerback Aaron Ross and starting safety Kenny Phillips earlier in the year. Ross has been practicing and is ready to return tomorrow when the Giants host the Atlanta Falcons. As Ross returns, the Giants got some more bad news. Middle linebacker and team leader Antonio Pierce is out indefinitely with a bulging disk in his neck. Pierce suffered the injury during back on October 25th but hadn't felt any pain until this week. The bulging disk appeared in an MRI that Pierce underwent on Friday.

The loss of Pierce could be a major blow to a Giants defense that has already been struggling. Many believe Pierce had lost a step this season, but he was still the leader of the defense. Chase Blackburn will likely be the player to start in Pierce's spot. Jonathan Goff will probably see more action as well.

While Ross is returning, he will likely see limited action. He may also see some time at the safety position. Terrell Thomas took over when Ross was injured and has played well. Since the injury to Kenny Phillips, the Giants have not been able to find a good replacement at the safety position. CC Brown got the first chance and he was terrible. He had lots of trouble covering receivers. Aaron Rouse was picked up after the Green Bay Packers released him and he started the game against San Diego. If the Giants feel Ross is healthy enough and can help them as a safety, I expect him to be in that spot often.

The Giants defense may get a little bit of a break this week as Falcons running back Michael Turner is doubtful for Sundays game. Turner has not practiced all week. A big key to the game will be if the Giants can cover Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez. If the Giants are going to win this game, they will need to shut down Atlanta's running game and cover Gonzalez. Linebacker Micheal Boley may be key to doing that. Ross will certainly help if he is healthy.

Yanks have many options as journey to repeat begins with free agency

Fri, 20 Nov, 2009 04:01:18 GMT

As we all know by now, the Yankees expect to win it all every season and will do what they need to do in order to at least have a chance. The 2010 season will be no different. After winning their 27th World Series Championship earlier this month, they will begin to build the 2010 roster today as free agency begins.

Nobody seems to really know which way the Yankees will turn. Do they re-sign Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui? Will Andy Pettitte return? Do they keep Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes in the bullpen or return them to the starting rotation? Who comes off the bench? When will Wang be ready to return?

Many of those questions will be answered in the next few months. I think Pettitte will return for another season. He had a healthy and successful 2009 season and seemed happy once again. So, if he does return, the Yankees will have CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Pettitte in the starting rotation just like they did this past postseason. That leaves two openings. Chamberlain and Hughes could be the two to fill those spots. I think the Yankees will put one of them in the starting rotation with the other staying in the bullpen. If they do this, they will shop for one more starter. John Lackey is the best free agent starting pitcher. I personally am not a fan of Lackey becoming a Yankee. Trading for Blue Jay's ace Roy Halladay remains a possibility, however that would certainly require the Yankees to give up Hughes or Chamberlain. They have been reluctant to do that in the past. The Atlanta Braves have made it known they will try to trade Derek Lowe. Lowe had an up and down season for the Braves last year. He struggled in the final few months.

The Yankees will probably look to also add to the bullpen. Some of the bigger names rumored to be getting interest from the Yankees are Braves pitchers Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano. Gonzalez is a lefty while Soriano is right handed. I could see the Yankees going either way.

Many people think the Yankees can not bring back both Damon and Matsui. I am unsure on my opinion on this right now. I like Damon but his agent Scott Boras has already said he expects his client to receive a Derek Jeter type contract. I think thats a little high. Matsui handcuffs the Yankees a bit. He can only be a DH as his knees prevent him from playing the outfield at all. He can however still knock the ball all over the field. Matsui is the type of money player the Yankees love and need. I am not overly impressed with the pool of free agent outfielders. Jason Bay and Matt Holliday do not excite me. I don't want the Yankees to sign either of those players. I would like to see them sign someone that can compete with Nick Swisher for time in right field. Maybe Jermaine Dye?

As for the bench. This will likely be the last thing the Yankees decide on. It will depend on which players return and if they can get someone to start in right field over Swisher. Free agent utility player Mark DeRosa has been rumored as a good fit for the team. I agree. DeRosa is a player that can play all infield positions as well as the corner outfield spots. Chone Figgins has been rumored as a free agent signing. Figgins would likely replace Damon if they Yankees do sign him. Tigers centerfielder Curtis Granderson has also been mentioned in trade rumors. If the Yankees traded for him, they would likely try to trade Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner.

The Yankees will not be as aggressive as they were last winter but don't expect them to sit completely quiet. They will do what they need to do to fill the holes and once again make sure they have one of the top teams in the league.

Rutgers ready for another prime time show

Thu, 12 Nov, 2009 06:39:57 GMT

The cameras are back in Piscataway for another Thursday night showdown. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights host the South Florida Bulls in a key Big East matchup tonight. Both teams are already out of contention for the Big East title, but coming in at 6-2 each time can become bowl eligible with a win tonight. A win will also keep alive their hopes for a Gator Bowl berth. South Florida enters the game ranked #23 in the AP Poll.

The game will be nationally televised on ESPN. Chris Fowler, Craig James, and Jesse Palmer will work the game from the booth and Erin Andrews will be doing the sideline reporting.

Rutgers tends to really show up in these games. Since 2005, they are 6-3 in night games broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2. Tonight marks the fourth consecutive year that Rutgers has been part of a ESPN Thursday night matchup. The Knights have a 3-1 matchup lead against the Bulls. During the last three years, Rutgers has outscored South Florida 101-63. Last season Rutgers went into Tampa and blew out the Bulls by a score of 49-16.

The stadium is expected to be loud tonight. The November football atmosphere should return on The Banks. Rutgers has won six consecutive November home games. The student section will also be introducting the "Chop Squad" in the south end zone. Students will be seated in specific seats and will spell out "R" "U". Should be a nice sight for the television cameras.

Rutgers enters the game leading the entire country in turnover differential. The Knights have gained 25 turnovers so far this season and given up just 7. Three of those seven were in the season opening loss to Cincinnati. Rutgers has forced at least one turnover in every game this year. Their defense will try to continue that trend.

South Florida has a very dangerous QB once again. This time its not Matt Grothe. Redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels took over for Grothe after he suffered a season ending injury. The two quarterbacks are similar in style of play. Daniels can hurt you using his arm as well as his feet. He is very fast and does his best when he gets outside the pocket. Don't be surprised if Rutgers uses a spy against Daniels, possibly one of the safeties. If Rutgers can get pressure on him, Daniels will turn the ball over.

Luckily for Rutgers, it appears the Bulls biggest threat in the passing game is injured and will not play. Wide out Carlton Mitchell is South Florida's answer to Rutgers Tim Brown. Mitchell has an ankle injury. The Bulls do however have other athletes that can certainly take over. The South Florida running game has been their weak spot this season. They did have a good game last week against West Virginia but have struggled as a whole this year. Rutgers will need to stop the run and pressure B.J. Daniels all night. If Daniels is able to run all over the field, Rutgers could be in for a long night.

Rutgers offense can help the defense if they can find a running game and control the clock. So far in Big East play this season, that has not happened. Joe Martinek will need to use his power running style to wear down the South Florida defense.

The big matchup when Rutgers has the ball is on the line. The feature matchup will be between two NFL prospects. Anthony Davis will anchor the Rutgers offensive line and try to keep South Florida defensive end George Selvie away from freshman QB Tom Savage. Selvie is a two-time first team All-American. Selvie is just one of the Bulls defensive stars. Jason Paul-Pierre is the other defensive end and has been doing damage as well. Selvie and Paul-Pierre have combined for five sacks, 17 tackles for loss, and 10 QB hurries this sesaon. Linebacker Kion Wilson has been playing extremely well also. He has led his team in tackles in three straight games.

Rutgers needs to establish a running game that will help set up the passing attack. Savage has been very good at taking care of the ball so far this year. He has thrown just one interception in his young career. If Rutgers can protect Savage and give him some time to throw, he should be able to hook up with wide receivers Tim Brown and Mohamed Sanu. Brown is the obvious big play threat. Third wide out Mark Harrison has also begun to emerge in the offense lately. Again, it all comes down to the running game. South Florida's rushing defense has not been great. Rutgers needs to take advantage of that as much as possible.

Expect yet another hard fought close game between these two schools. Rutgers Stadium should be ready to rock, despite the current weather in the area.

Prediction

Thursday nights in Piscataway are usually when Rutgers shines. I think tonight will be another example. The defense will ride the energy from the crowd and put together a very good game. I expect to see Alex Silvestro have a good good. Devin McCourty should be able to shut down whoever South Florida's replacement for Mitchell is. Ryan D'Imperio and company will stuff South Florida's run game. Offensively, Rutgers however must find a way to run the ball. Cold, rainy, windy weather may limit the passing attack. I do think Rutgers finds a way to mix up the offense despite the weather. Savage will have a good game if Rutgers first establishes the run.

Rutgers 27, South Florida 21

Baseball Hot Stove Update

Thu, 12 Nov, 2009 10:02:15 GMT

The GM meetings this week have provided some very interesting possibilities, both on the trade front and the free agent market. Its obviously very early in the offseason so a lot of these rumors will fly away but some may just happen. Lets take a look....

- The Yankees know the value that Johnny Damon brings to the top of their batting order. However, the Yankees could turn to free agent Chone Figgins. They could play him in left field. Figgins is a speadster and a little more then four years younger then Damon. One big reason the Yankees might decide to bring Damon back is that he has had success playing in New York, something that should not be overlooked.

- Money remains an issue as the Cubs try to trade outfielder Milton Bradley. The Tampa Bay Rays are the latest team to show interest in Bradley. They are discussing a swap of Bradley and Pat Burrell. However, the Rays want the Cubs to pay the majority of Bradley's contract. The Cubs have made it clear they want to trade Bradley. They would then like to move Kosuke Fukudome back to right field and sign a centerfielder. Marlon Byrd is a possibility.

- The Tigers budget is tight and therefore they are willing to listen to offers for some of their star players. Centerfielder Curtis Granderson is one possibility. They will likely want a lot in return for him however. Another star apparently on the trade block is starting pitcher Edwin Jackson. He is available and the Dodgers are interested. I've seen rumors of a Jackson for reliever George Sherill deal. That certainly makes sense for both clubs.

- John Lackey is the top starting pitcher on the market this year. Expect many teams to at least inquire about him. The Yankees may be one of those teams. However, don't count out the Angels just yet. They remain interested in re-signing their ace.

- Catcher Jason Varitek has decided to use his option and stay with the Red Sox. The team had declined their option on him just a few days before. His time will likely be limited however since the Red Sox have brought back Victor Martinez.

- Free agent reliever, J.J. Putz would prefer to be a closer again but will consider a set-up role in the right situation.

- The Brewers have said they are not listening to offers for first baseman Prince Fielder, while the Rockies are listening to offers for outfielder Brad Hawpe.

- Ken Griffey Jr. has agreed to a one year deal with the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners seem very active early on. They are hoping to add some veteran talent this offseason. Lately they have been talking with the Blue Jays about acquiring first baseman Lyle Overbay. Its still up in the air if they will try to re-sign Russell Branyan.

- The New York Mets are planning to pursue just about every big name on the trade and free agent market. Expect them to show interest in pitchers like John Lackey and Roy Halladay, as well as position players Jason Bay and Matt Holliday. Some other rumors have been that they will show interest in catcher Bengie Molina and possibly even outfielder Rick Ankiel. The Mets need help in many area's if they want to contend next season. Starting pitching is a concern. They need to add at least one pitcher for the rotation. They also need bullpen help. If will be interesting to see how the Mets handle this offseason after missing out on some key players last offseason.

Luis Castillo on the Mets trade block?

Tue, 10 Nov, 2009 04:32:59 GMT

Its early in the offseason but we have already seen a few trades take place. The rumor around baseball is there may be a lot of trades this season. There have also been some rumors that many mid to lower level teams will make some of their big time players available.

One rumor circulating lately is a three way deal that would send Mets second baseman Luis Castillo to the Cubs, Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay to the Mets and the Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley to the Blue Jays. This rumor has however been called a long shot. It appears the Blue Jays dont have much interest in Bradley at this point.

The move would make sense for the Mets. Castillo's value is higher then the previous offseason after he had a productive 2009 season. Trading him would open a spot at second base where they could sign free agent Orlando Hudson. Hudson wanted to join the Mets last season but they did not have any room for him and he eventually signed with the Dodgers. He was also a Mets fan growing up.

Overbay is not really that much of an upgrade over Daniel Murphy at first base, however Overbay does hit right handed pitchers very well. You would like to think he would be an upgrade defensively as well.

Can't really fault the Blue Jays for being hesitant to acquire Bradley. The guy has been a train wreck everywhere he goes. He can flat out hit, its his attitude that gets him in hot water.

Stay tuned - Hot Stove season has just begun!

October Review, November Preview

Mon, 9 Nov, 2009 03:32:32 GMT

The month of October was a productive one for Double G Sports. We got started on this site on October 2nd. I just wanted to share some of the things that Double G Sports has started so you can stay up to date with us.

October stats:

432 visits to our blog
242 first time visitors
919 page views

While I think those are very good numbers for our first month, we will continue to try and improve on those. I hope to continue developing a following and improve those numbers each month.

Free Newsletter!!!

Double G Sports has designed an email newsletter for anyone that is interested. The newsletter will be sent out a few times a month to your email and it is totally free! Links, photos, quotes and more! Subscribe by clicking where it says "Subscribe via email, Grab Your Free Newsletter," on the right side of this blog site. Its free! Why not?! You can always unsubscribe if you dont like it.

Facebook

Double G Sports is on facebook. Search for Double G Sports and you will find our page. On there, you will find links to the blogs as well as discussions on various sports topics.

Twitter

To follow us on Twitter, search for DoubleGSports. We will "tweet" the latest news, rumors and opinions. Its just another way to stay in contact wtih Double G Sports.

A look into November

The baseball season has ended. There will still be a few baseball stories to report however. Double G Sports will also try to focus a little more on football for the next few months. We will especially be covering the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. If there are any topics you would like me to discuss on thsi blog, please feel free to contact me and let me know: doublegsports@gmail.com

Special Thanks!

A special thank you to all of my readers so far. Without you, this site would not have had the early success. I hope you all continue to read this blog and provide input. If you enjoy any particular story, I encourage you all to share them with anyone you know. It will give them something to read as well as help Double G Sports continue to grow.

I also need to thank Jessica Kalieta for generously providing us with the site's logo.

My once in a lifetime experience at the World Series

Sat, 7 Nov, 2009 05:09:35 GMT

Now that I have relaxed (some what) and let the entire experience sink in a little bit, I'd like to share with you a once in a lifetime dream come true that happened to me last night, November 4, 2009.

Around 3pm I get a phone call that includes an invite to Game 6 of the World Series. Not only was this an invite to a World Series game, but an invite to sit in a luxury suite for this potential World Series clinching game. How do you turn that down??? You dont!

Being the huge Yankees fan I am, I immediately left work and headed home so I could get ready for the game. Knowing it will take a while to get to the stadium, I am rushing around a bit. Making sure the dogs are taken care of before I leave, finding my Yankees mock turtleneck and Joba Chamberlain jersey, and finding a pair of pants.

Since I was going to be watching the game from a luxury suite, I did not want to wear shorts or even jeans. The person that was driving me to the train station had arrived at my house in the mean time. Rushing so I wouldn't make this person wait, I left the house without my belt. Lets just say the pants I was wearing did not fit exactly how I would have liked, and not having a belt could develop into a problem at some point. I think to myself, no problem I will just find a belt shop in New York.

I get dropped off at the train station that I was to leave from. After walking up and purchasing my one way ticket to NY Penn Station, I just missed the train. No problem, I waited about a half hour and got on the next train toward NY Penn Station. Thankfully this one was some what of an express train, skipping a few stops on its route. I am estimating that the train ride took about 45 minutes.

Once I arrived at Penn Station in New York, I looked around for a tiny shop that I thought might sell belts. Luckily one of the first places I noticed was a tie shop. They also had belts. I went in and quickly picked out a belt. $35 later, problem solved. Once I was comfortable, I left Penn Station and walked a few blocks to Herald Square where I was to get on the subway. I took the D train from Herald Square to 161st, Yankee Stadium. It was a crowded train, as expected considering the event that was taking place in the Bronx.

Ok, I have arrived. I walked to the stadium, taking a deep breathe. The hustle was over. Game time was approaching. As per my instructions, I waited outside the Suite Entrance to Yankee Stadium until the gentleman that had invited me arrived with my ticket. While waiting, I had the pleasure of watching an individual who was selling Yankees apparel get arrested by a couple NYPD officers. Not sure if he definitely had gotten arrested or not, but he was handcuffed as the police officers searched his bags.

Once my ticket arrived, I entered the stadium and immediately took an elevator to the Suite Level since game time was quickly nearing. The suite was a beautiful room with plenty of seating for many guests. I did not know many of the others in the suite, but on this night, we were all Yankees fans. The suite was filled with tons of food and drinks and the wait staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The outside seating area of the suite was very cozy and offered a great view of the playing field.

As I looked around like anyone would do when they enter a ballpark, I took in the atmosphere. I looked to one side, then to the other. Then right back to that side as I recognized a woman in the suite right next to the one I was occupying. That woman was Dorothy Jeter, Derek Jeter's mother. Looking further, I also saw Dr. Jeter, Derek's father and Derek's sister as well. Then to the front row of that suite was Minka Kelly, Derek Jeter's girlfriend and rumored fiance. No ring though, so they either continue to keep it a secret, or its simply a rumor. Wow, I am sitting in a suite right next to the suite that Derek Jeter's family is located. How could this get any better you might say? Oh, it does.

Yankee stadium was packed and energetic from the get go. Mary J. Blige performed an excellent version of the National Anthem. She got the crowd going immediately. Former World Series hero, Scott Brosius threw out the ceremonial first pitch to a loud ovation. Another former star Tino Martinez then walked to the mound with a young boy to deliver the game ball. The "Let's Go Yankees" chant was being sung throughout the stadium at this point as the Yankees took the field. You would hear that chant many times during the night.

The next loud chant would be when Pedro Martinez took the mound for the Phillies in the bottom of the 1st inning. New York fans love to hate this guy. "Who's Your Daddy?" could be heard loud and clear. The crowd knew that our Yankees had a chance to become World Series Champions and to do it against the hated Pedro Martinez would make it even sweeter. As I said, the Game 6 crowd was into this game. Minka Kelly and the Jeter family even got into the chanting a little bit. And by the way, they are a very nice family. I was able to say hello to some of them. Mostly just passing hi, how are you's or a smile, but that's all that was needed. Just in case you were wondering, Minka Kelly loves gummy bears and sunflower seeds. Enough about them for a while though, lets go back to the game...

Hideki Matsui got this magical night started with a 2-run home run off Martinez. That was just the start of Matsui's historic night. In each at bat after that first one, Matsui was serenaded with chants of "MVP." An honor that he truly would eventually earn.

Another of the louder cheers was for Andy Pettitte. The veteran lefty did not have his best stuff this night, but he pitched well enough to keep the Phillies down and help the Yankees to their 27th World Series Championship. Pettitte would pitch 5 2/3 innings. When manager Joe Girardi went to the mound to relieve Pettitte, the Yankee Stadium crowd stood up and gave him a very loud ovation. Just before entering the dugout, Pettitte raised his cap to the crowd.

Former Yankees, Tino Martinez and Paul O'Neill stopped in the Jeter family suite for a little while. They obviously have known the family for years. They said their 'hello's' and talked with the family for a few minutes before leaving. Tino would be back in the 9th inning to finish watching the game with them.

There are certain times when you get that chilling feeling. One of those times was during the seventh inning stretch. I can't remember the name of the person singing but she was so good, the entire stadium joined her. What a great sound.

The experience of this game as I have been describing it was enhanced by such an awesome crowd. Another example of this is in the top of the 8th inning when yet another pitching change was made. The bullpen doors swung open and 'Enter Sandman' started playing. The Yankees stadium crowd went nuts. Mariano Rivera was making his way to the mound to close out the World Series.

We were 5 outs away at this point. Chants of "Mariano" took over the stadium. You could feel this World Series Championship inching closer and closer. Rivera came back out for the 9th. The stadium crowd was ready to explode.

When the ground ball was hit to second base and Robinson Cano threw the ball to first baseman Mark Teixiera for the final out, the crowd and Yankees players finally celebrated. Everyone in the stadium was screaming, jumping and pumping their hands in the air.

Everyone in the suite I was in gave high fives or fist pumps. Then I got a high five from Tino Martinez who was still in the Jeter family suite at the time of the last out.

The Yankees are World Champions again! The team was jumping all around the infield, hugging, clapping, high fiving each other like little kids. Derek Jeter met Alex Rodriguez with a big hug. Then another hug between the two.

The Yankees walked around the field so fans in all areas could get a look at their World Series Champions. Joba Chamberlain who had been scrutinized so much this season was clearly excited. He was at home plate waving a World Series Champions flag.

Once the celebrating calmed down a bit, though not much, the onfield ceremonies took place. Many people spoke to the crowd, including Hank and Hal Steinbrenner, Joe Girardi, and Derek Jeter.

Hideki Matsui was named World Series MVP. This celebration seemed like it would last forever. Everyone that was in the suite with me shared a champagne toast. A champagne toast as "New York, New York" is played over and over again. Start spreading the news...the Yankees are World Series Champions!

The night had to end at some point. Eventually I had to catch the car that was booked to drive me home. I said my 'goodbyes' to the people that made this experience possible and then made my way out of the stadium.

Outside the stadium, mobs of happy Yankee fans were celebrating. The NYPD had streets blocked off, traffic was locked up everywhere you turned. Nobody seemed to mind however because their New York Yankees were finally champions once again.

I walked a few blocks and found the car that was waiting for me. A very friendly driver knew his way around the city and got us out in a decent time considering the circumstances.

Driving through the Bronx toward the G.W. Bridge, people were in the streets celebrating. It was after midnight but people were in the streets banging on metal pans and honking car horns, dancing and chanting. What a city! What a night!

I eventually got home. By the time I got home, settled down, showered and got in bed, it was about 3am. Yes, I had to wake up for work this morning but it was all totally worth it.

This night is still very surreal to me. I'm not sure its completely sunk in yet. I know one thing is for sure...I will never ever forget the 2009 World Series Champions! Thank you to everyone that made this magical night possible. You all know who you are. You each had a part in making the once in a lifetime dream come true!

GO YANKEES!!!!

2009 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!

Devin McCourty is Mr. Everything for Rutgers

Wed, 4 Nov, 2009 01:30:44 GMT

If you have watched any Rutgers football game this season, you have seen #21 running all over the field. The player behind that number is senior Devin McCourty. McCourty is the starting cornerback for Rutgers football team but he is also so much more. McCourty is Mr. Everything for the Scarlet Knights.

Aside from his role as starting cornerback, McCourty also takes part in four other areas. He is one of the teams main kick returners as well as being part of the kickoff team. He is also a part of the punt coverage and punt return teams.

McCourty took over the role as Rutgers #1 cornerback after his brother Jason was drafted into the NFL. I am sure Devin would love to follow in his brothers footsteps, but first he has business to take care of for Rutgers. And taking care of business is certainly what he has been doing so far.

Last weekend in Rutgers game against the Connecticut Huskies, Devin McCourty was on the field for 111 total plays. The five units McCourty is a part of were on the field for 112 plays. That means the senior only took one play off the entire game. That play was UCONN's second kick return. Rutgers defensive unit was on the field for 86 plays, McCourty never left the field. Rutgers special teams units were on the field for 26 plays, McCourty was part of 25 of them.

He doesn't just participate in all of these plays, he makes an impact. In that game, McCourty recorded 6 total tackles and deflected to pass attempts on defense. On special teams, he ran the games opening kickoff back for a 98 yard touchdown to give Rutgers the very early lead. McCourty was also the guy almost running down UCONN's returner Robbie Frey during his kickoff return for a touchdown as well. Oh, one more thing..Devin McCourty ran down a Rutgers punt to down it at the UCONN two yard line. This guy just does not stop! For his superman like effort, Devin McCourty was named the Big East Special Teams Player of the Week. A well deserved honor.

On the season, McCourty leads the team in total tackles with 47. He is 17th in the entire Big East conference with a 5.9 tackles per game average. He is also ranked 8th in the Big East with 5 pass deflections. McCourty has returned one punt this season for 4 yards and returned 9 kickoffs for 238 yards. He is 5th on this Rutgers team in all purpose yards, and he doesnt even play offense. He has one interception so far this season and 2.5 tackles for lose. McCourty has also blocked a kick this season.

If anyone deserves a bye week this week, its Devin McCourty. Anyone who watches a Rutgers football game will see just how much this senior leader means to this team.

#21 - Devin McCourty - Mr. Everything for Rutgers football!

Hey Philly! We dont quit either!

Mon, 2 Nov, 2009 04:15:36 GMT

Before this series started I heard all the talk about how this Philadelphia Phillies team was so tough because they never quit. Jimmy Rollins was so confident that he pretty much gauranteed the Phillies would win in 5 games. Guess what Jimmy boy...tonight is Game 5 and its the Yankees that can win it, not your Philies. Maybe you should have brought your bat with you to the games if you thought you would win it in five.

This series is far from over. The Phillies are very capable of winning two straight games and forcing a Game 7. The Yankees are not going to get comfortable. Not this club. This Yankees team is focused and playing hard. The bats have been waking up a bit the last few games, and they dont quit when the game gets tight.

All year long the Yankees have gotten come from behind wins and game winning hits in tie games. Last night was no different. CC Sabathia pitched another gutty game, going 6 2/3 innings giving up 3 runs on 7 hits and striking out 6. It wasn't Sabathia's best game, but it was enough to keep the Yankees in it. It seems like thats all a pitcher needs to do. Give this lineup a chance to win it in the end. Damaso Marte finished the 7th inning by getting Phillies slugger Ryan Howard to fly out. Marte has been a key part of the Yankees bullpen this postseason. In the 8th, manager Joe Girardi turned to Joba Chamberlain with a 4-3 lead. Phil Hughes has struggled lately and Mariano Rivera had thrown two innings the night before. Chamberlain came in the game throwing heat. He struck out Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez on fastballs in the high 90's to start the inning. Chamberlain then loaded the count to Phillies third baseman Pedro Feliz. Feliz hit a 3-2 fastball over the fence for a game tying home run. Joba kept his cool and got the final out of the 8th.

The Phillies were back in the game. The crowd was going crazy. The Phillies were glad they wouldnt have to face Mariano Rivera. There was a feeling the Phillies would get this one. Brad Lidge came on in the top of the 9th. Lidge had a rough regular season but had been pitching very well in the postseason. He got pinch hitter Hideki Matsui out to start the 9th, then retired Jeter. Two outs. The Phillies fans were loud and ready for their team to bat in the bottom half of the 9th with the game tied. Not so fast!

With two outs, Johnny Damon singled. With Mark Teixeira at the plate, the Phillies decided to use a defensive shift. That means Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins was playing on the right side of the infield and third baseman Pedro Feliz was shifted over to the shortstop area. Damon promptly stole second base. Realizing that Feliz had taken the throw at second base and nobody was covering third, Damon took off for third and made it easily. Heads up play by Damon! The Yankees still needed a hit however. With two outs, a sac fly was not an option. The play by Damon may have caused Lidge to lose focus. He hit Teixeira with a pitch to put runners on first and third. Alex Rodriguez stepped to the plate. Rodriguez hit a rocket RBI double to put the Yankees ahead 5-4. Jorge Posada then hit a single that scored Teixeira and Rodriguez to give the Yankees some extra cushion. It wasnt needed.

Mariano Rivera needed just 8 pitches to close out the game as the Yankees beat the Phillies 7-4. The Yankees are now one win away from being World Series Champions.

A.J. Burnett takes the mound on short rest for the Yankees. The Philadelphia Phillies are hanging their season on ace starter Cliff Lee.

Who's in right field??

Sat, 31 Oct, 2009 05:10:29 GMT

As the World Series has shifted to Philadelphia for next three games, the Yankees have a dilemma. Who do you start in right field?

Nick Swisher had been the starting right fielder for the most part of the regular season and that role continued into the postseason. Swisher however has been in a terrible slump since the playoffs started. Looking to make a switch, manager Joe Girardi started Jerry Hairston Jr. in right field for Game 2 in place of Swisher. The move was mostly because Hairston had very good career numbers against Phillies starter Pedro Martinez.

Will Swisher be back in the lineup tonight against Game 3 starter Cole Hamels? Girardi has a few options. He can put switch hitting Nick Swisher back in the lineup, he can let Hairston stay in after his single in the seventh inning started a Game 2 Yankees rally, or he can give lefty Eric Hinske the start. Since Hamels is a lefty pitcher, that most likely rules out Hinske.

You could put Brett Gardner in center field and move Melky Cabrera over to right. This would greatly improve the defense but since Hamels is left handed, I doubt Girardi would put the lefty hitting Gardner in the lineup against him. I personally like Gardner using his speed off the bench and as a late inning defensive replacement.

Another option the Yankees have is to put regular designated hitter, Hideki Matsui in right field. Since the next three games are Philadelphia, which is a National League park, there will be no DH. Matsui has not played the outfield at all the past year and a half. He has not played right field in three years. The dilemma with Matsui is that if he does not play the outfield, you lose his bat. He is consistently a money player, and this time of year is when money players show up big. Game 2 in New York was a perfect example. Matsui hit a solo home run against Pedro Martinez that gave the Yankees the lead for good. If Matsui plays the outfield, the defense will suffer. Matsui's knees are bad and he can not run and cut well at all. If Matsui is left on the bench, he is a very dangerous option as a pinch hitter in a big situation.

So, basically I see this dilemma coming down to Nick Swisher or Jerry Hairston Jr. This is one time when Girardi really cant go to the books for an answer. Neither player has much experience against Cole Hamels. Joe Girardi and the Yankees are going to have to go with their gut feeling.

I was all for Swisher sitting in Game 2, however I think now is the time you put him back in there and see he if can find a way to get some hits. Or at least start taking walks again. One player really shouldn't make that much of a difference in a lineup like the Yankees have, but since they have been struggling offensively for the most part, one move could mean a lot.

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Rutgers finds itself in emotional game @ Connecticut

Fri, 30 Oct, 2009 06:16:36 GMT

Saturday will be the first home game for the Connecticut Huskies since the murder of teammate Jasper Howard. The defensive back was outside a university sanctioned dance when he was stabbed to death. Connecticut has many things planned in honor of Howard. This is sure to be a very emotional day, especially during pre-game festivities.

Once the ball is kicked off however, this battle between Big East rivals should be a very hard nosed contest. Connecticut is 4-3 including 1-2 in the Big East. Rutgers comes in at 5-2 overall but winless in the Big East at 0-2. The non conference schedule for the Knights is over after their win last week over Army.

When Rutgers has the ball

The Rutgers offense is still a bit of an unknown. Or is it just that they really are not that good? This game may help us find out. Freshman QB Tom Savage goes on the road for the first time in Big East play. Savage has had some ups and downs so far in his young career. When he is on though, he is a dangerous quarterback. Rutgers still has not found a true third receiver for Savage. Tim Brown leads the team in receiving yards and remains the go-to guy. Fellow freshman Mohamed Sanu is the other receiver that Savage likes to throw to. For this offense to really get it going, a third option needs to emerge. Mark Harrison might be that guy. Harrison finally appears to be fully healthy and did catch two passes last week against Army. The Connecticut defense is lead by pass rushing defensive end Lindsey Witten. He is tied for second nationally in sacks this season. Rutgers should look to establish a running game this week. The UCONN defense has not been great against the run so far. Joe Martinek continues to be the #1 tailback for Rutgers. Martinek is a powerful back that can help wear down the UCONN defense. If Rutgers offensive line, which has been suspect at times, can win the battle up front, Rutgers should be able to control the game, especially in the fourth quarter.

When Connecticut has the ball

Despite losing star running back Donald Brown to the NFL, the Connecticut Huskies still rely on their running game. They use the run to set up the pass. New Jersey's Andre Dixon is UCONN's leading rusher this season. Dixon however is not the only threat out of the backfield for the Huskies. Jordan Todman already has two 100 yard games this season and is very dangerous if the defense is not careful. While not terrible, the Huskies passing attack will not hurt you on its own. It needs the running game to be effective. Connecticut is playing with their backup QB in the lineup after the starter was injured earlier this season. Cody Endres has been effective at times but turnover prone as well. Rutgers defensively needs to keep the Huskies rushing attack to a minimum. If they can do that and apply some pressure on Endres, Rutgers should be able to force some turnovers. So far this season, Connecticut has turned the ball over 15 times while Rutgers defense has forced 21 turnovers already.

Quick Summary

Both Rutgers and Connecticut play hard nosed football. This has become a rivalry in the Big East lately. Most games between these schools have resulted in close outcomes. SNY Big East blogger, Aditi Kinkhabwala mentioned earlier this week that UCONN may have a 13th man advantage. Normally you would call it a 12th man advantage, but given the circumstances and what this game means for the players, and fans of Connecticut, its fitting to think it will be a 13th man advantage. This game will come down to which team can keep their emotions in check and play disciplined football. Regardless of the outcome, everyone will once again be a University of Connecticut supporter this week.

Yankees tie series as Burnett dominates

Fri, 30 Oct, 2009 01:58:09 GMT

A.J. Burnett was signed in the offseason for these types of games. With the Yankees down a game in the World Series, they needed Burnett to give them a lift. I am sure many Yankee fans where very nervous going into the game, including me. Throughout the season, we never knew which A.J. Burnett would show up.

Last night we got the pitcher with ace stuff. You can usually tell how well Burnett is pitching after the first inning. He has the stuff to dominate a game. Last night, he did just that. You could see from the start that Burnett's pitches had good movement, especially his curveball. The command was there all game long. Burnett often gets himself in trouble by walking batters. Last night, he walked just two Philadelphia hitters in his 7 innings of work. His command and movement of pitches kept the Phillies off balance and unable to really put any good swings together. Burnett gave up just one run on four hits while striking out 9 batters. The only run the Phillies scored came in the second inning. With two outs, Raul Ibanez hit a double that landed on the foul line and went into the stands. The next batter, Matt Stairs, hit a hard ground ball to third base that Alex Rodriguez should have caught. The ball got past Rodriguez for a run scoring single as left fielder Johnny Damon could not throw out Ibanez at the plate. That was all the Phillies could do against Burnett.

The Yankees would tie the game in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by the slumping Mark Teixeira. Two innings later, Hideki Matsui would give the Yankees the lead for good with a solo home run of his own. Matsui was 2 for 3 and a walk on the night.

With the Yankees up 3-1 after 7 innings, manager Joe Girardi turned the game over to closer Mariano Rivera for a two inning save. All the talk about the struggling setup guys was mute last night. Rivera was his own setup man. In his two innings of work, Rivera gave up two hits, walked one and struck out two Phillies batters.

The series is tied one game a piece as it moves to Philadelphia starting Saturday night. The Game 3 starters are a pair of lefties. Andy Pettitte takes the mound for the Yankees opposite Cole Hamels for the Phillies.

Other Game 2 Notes

Phillies slugger Ryan Howard was 0 for 4, striking out all four times.
Former Yankee, Paul O'Neill threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Backup catcher, Jose Molina got the start as Burnett pitched and made a beautiful play by picking Jeyson Werth off of first base.
Jerry Hairston Jr. started in right field in place of the struggling Nick Swisher. Hairston was a .370 career hitter against Phillies starter Pedro Martinez.
Speaking of Pedro, Yankees fans had the "Who's Your Daddy?" chant going many times throughout the game and serenaded his with boo's as he left the game in the 7th inning. We just love to hate this guy!
Joe Girardi said the Yankees will not announce their Game 4 starter until Game 3 is over.

Cliff Lee makes Yanks look foolish

Thu, 29 Oct, 2009 01:48:54 GMT

The fans showed up, the celebrities all showed up as they usually do for big events. Most of the seats in the stadium were full, except of course the ones behind home plate. The Boss showed up. Everyone showed up except the Yankees bats!

Batter after batter last night looked confused and down right foolish for the Yankees last night. Phillies starter Cliff Lee completely shut down the Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series last night. Lee pitched a complete game, giving up 6 hits, 1 run and striking out 10. Of those six hits, Derek Jeter had 3.

Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, and Johnny Damon each added singles in the game. That was the extent of the Yankees offensive performance last night. Where was Alex Rodriguez? Where was Mark Teixeira? They were out there, trust me, I saw them. They looked like little leaguers trying to hit a curve ball for the first time. It wasn't just them though. The entire Yankee lineup outside of Jeter looked horrible. They were unable to make adjustments against Lee.

To top it all off, Lee had a cocky attitude about it as well. He basically shoved it right in the Yankees faces. Yankees ace CC Sabathia pitched a good game. He struggled in the first inning but got out of a bases loaded jam without giving up a run. Unfortunately he threw two meatballs to Chase Utley which were both sent flying over the fence. Those were the only two runs the Phillies scored until the Yankees turned the game over to their bullpen. Phil Hughes entered the game and once again looked scared. Hughes has looked that way just about the entire postseason.

Now they enter Game 2 down a game and giving the ball to A.J. Burnett. Does anyone really have confidence in Burnett tonight?? I dont. I really wish I did. I've tried. At least Burnett is consistant. He has been a headcase all season. Now we need this guy to pitch us to a series tying victory. I am confident that the Yankees will score some runs against Phillies starter and former Boston ace, Pedro Martinez. The question is, how many will Burnett give up?

Oh, and for crying out loud...please put Nick Swisher on the bench! I am usually not a guy that thinks sitting your starters is a good idea. Especially when someone has basically been your starting outfielder all season. However, Swisher has been awful this postseason. He continues to look overmatched. He is an automatic out. I dont know that putting Gardner in is the answer either. I'd like to see Hinske start in right field tonight.

As much as the Yankee players will say otherwise, the pressure is squarely on A.J. Burnett and the Yankees tonight. They can not go down two games against the Phillies and expect to win this thing.

	Gregg	Pat	John
1	Rodriguez	Rodriguez	Rodriguez
2	Teixeira	Teixeira	Jeter
3	Jeter	Reyes	Reyes
4	Reyes	Wright	Teixeira
5	Wright	Beltran	Wright
6	Beltran	Jeter	Bay
7	Granderson	Cano	Beltran
8	Cano	Bay	Cano
9	Posada	Francoeur	Granderson
10	Bay	Granderson	Posada

	Rob	Mark	Jon
1	Rodriguez	Rodriguez	Rodriguez
2	Teixeira	Teixeira	Jeter
3	Jeter	Wright	Wright
4	Wright	Jeter	Teixeira
5	Bay	Beltran	Reyes
6	Reyes	Cano	Granderson
7	Granderson	Bay	Bay
8	Beltran	Granderson	Cano
9	Cano	Reyes	Francoeur
10	Posada	Posada	Posada

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