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Bar Chat

12/15/2014

Rushing to Catch Up

Baseball Quiz: Just checking your recall. Giancarlo Stanton is tied with Johnny Bench with 154 home runs through his age 24 season. Who are the three ahead of these two in the expansion era (1961)...again thru age 24? Answer below.

MLB...trades, trades and more trades...and signings, oh my...

--The Red Sox traded outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to Detroit for starter Rick Porcello. Cespedes provides more protection for two-time MVP (and Triple Crown winner) Miguel Cabrera, as he had a combined 22 home runs and 100 RBI for both Oakland and Boston last season.

Porcello had his best year, 15-13 with a 3.42 ERA for Detroit. But he’s slated to become a free agent after the 2015 season.

With the Porcello trade, Boston continued to revamp its starting staff, immediately adding Wade Miley from Arizona for two pitchers I never heard of. Miley was an All-Star in 2012, and is 38-35 with a 3.79 ERA in his career. Then the Red Sox signed Justin Masterson to a one-year, $9.5 million deal.

--In a huge move, the Dodgers traded outfielder Matt Kemp to San Diego for catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitcher Joe Wieland and righty Zach Eflin, while the Padres also pick up catcher Tim Federowicz.

The Dodgers will also send $31 million to the Padres to cover part of Kemp’s remaining $107 million contract.

Love this move by the Padres. Kemp, injury riddled the last few seasons, had a terrific second half in 2014 and finished at .287, 25 and 89.

Earlier, the Dodgers acquired shortstop Jimmy Rollins from the Phillies and second baseman Howie Kendrick from the Angels, while signing pitcher Brandon McCarthy (four years, $48 million), ex of the Yanks.

New president Andrew Friedman has sure been active. L.A. acquired Kendrick, a former All-Star, in exchange for Andrew Heaney, a promising young starter acquired earlier from the Marlins.

The Dodgers had sent second baseman Dee Gordon, starter Dan Haren and infielder Miguel Ramos to Miami for Heaney, reliever Chris Hatcher, and others.

So Heaney is now an Angel and should be in the rotation next year.

Meanwhile, Rollins, 36, takes the spot of departed Hanley Ramirez, who signed with Boston.

Both Rollins and Kendrick are free agents after next season. The Dodgers clearly thought Gordon’s value had peaked, despite making the All-Star team. He drew only four walks in 57 games after the break. [Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times]

As for the Marlins, Dee Gordon gives them major speed, having led baseball with 64 steals last season, as well as 12 triples. They’re certainly hoping he proves to be a major run-generator ahead of Stanton.

Separately, there have been reports the Phillies’ Cole Hamels and Chase Utley could also find their way to the Dodgers.

--The White Sox continued to make noise, signing outfielder Melky Cabrera to a three-year, $42 million contract; right after they picked up Jeff Samardzija and David Robertson, along with Adam LaRoche.

--The Twins gave Ervin Santana $55 million over four years. He was 14-10, 3.95, with the Braves last season.

--Meanwhile, now it’s all about Max Scherzer, who had turned down a six-year, $144 million contract extension from Detroit before last season. Yankees GM Brian Cashman said early Monday morning, “I don’t think Yankee fans will be looking at Max Scherzer.” Too expensive. Supposedly Scherzer, and his agent, Scott Boras, are looking for $200 million guaranteed, which is beyond absurd.

“For years my view on huge contract extensions in baseball has been: Make up your mind early, even if you are sometimes wrong; if you wait, you’ll always pay more and you’ll be wrong just as often.

“ ‘Let’s wait and see how it plays out’ is a decision in itself in the baseball world. Often a big one. Now the Nationals are seeing the consequences of waiting on Ian Desmond and Jordan Zimmermann.

“After Jon Lester’s six-year, $155 million deal with the Cubs, the price of poker for this offseason has been set up. Ante up, fellas. Guess what? Like every year since 1976, the cost to play just went up.

“Now the Nats see the implications – not necessarily bad but certainly significant – of not pushing harder and offering more to sign extensions with Desmond or Zimmermann last winner. Those key homegrown stars just saw their market value go up and their odds to be Nats in 2016 go down....

“The Nats’ strategy, whether intentional or just cautious, is not necessarily a mistake. The money you don’t spend now can always be spent in the future. There’s always another class of free agents. Last winter, the Nats offered Desmond $107 million for seven years. If he leaves D.C. after this coming season, the Nats would get a compensatory draft pick and still have that same $107 million for a free agent. Whatever money they don’t give Zimmermann will presumably be spent on other players.

“But is that really the direction this franchise wants to go? Grabbing free agents, especially of the $50 million (much less $100 million) variety, hasn’t been the Nats’ way....

“The 2015 Nats will be a team constructed almost entirely the way clubs were built in 1915, with homegrown players from the minors and trades. When a team has the most wins in MLB the past three years, does it want to break up the chemistry?”

--Good for Dick Enberg, named to the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award division for broadcasting excellence. Enberg, 79, was lead play-by-play voice of the Padres, plus he did work for the Angels, 1969-78, and 1985.

It was after World War II that Berger sought to revitalize baseball cards and in the late 1950s, “Mr. Berger turned the Brooklyn-based Topps company into a name synonymous with those pieces of cardboard that children could flip (calling out front or back), pitch (nearest to a wall wins), trade or simply admire and store in a shoe box,” as the New York Times’ Richard Goldstein noted.

“Mr. Berger introduced Topps cards in 1951. They came with taffy, rather than chewing gum, since a competitor seemed to have exclusive rights to market baseball cards with gum. But the taffy wound up picking up the flavor of varnish on the cards.”

Berger said in a 2004 interview with the Society for American Baseball Research: “We came out in 1952 with a card in color, beautiful color, and a card that was large. For the first time, we had a team logo. We had the 1951 line statistics and their lifetime statistics. No one else did it.”

In 1956, Topps absorbed its main competitor, Bowman, and the market was all theirs for decades.

--Sunday night the Cowboys got revenge for their Thanksgiving Day loss to the Eagles at home, defeating Philadelphia at their place 38-27. Dallas is now 10-4, while the Eagles fall to 9-5.

For Philly, quarterback Mark Sanchez was just 17/28, 252, 0-2, 60.4. He is now 3-3 as a starter since taking over for Nick Foles, who could be cleared to play this week. Overall, Sanchez has thrown 10 TD passes with 9 INTs, to go along with an 84.5 rating.

--Johnny Manziel had an entirely forgettable NFL debut as the Browns’ playoff hopes are finis in falling to 7-7 after a 30-0 blowout at the hands of rival Cincinnati (9-4-1). Manziel completed just 10 of 18 for a measly 80 yards, with two picks. He was awful.

--Seattle (10-4) continued to roll, 17-7 over San Francisco (7-7) who is also officially dead. Colin Kaepernick has had a crappy season for the 49ers, just 16 TDs and 10 INTs. Seattle’s defense has now yielded only 27 points in its last four games.

--Peyton Manning did enough to get the job done in the Broncos (11-3) 22-10 win over the Chargers (8-6).

--Jets fans were hoping the team would lose so that we’d still have a shot at Marcus Mariota, but noooo...they went out and beat the equally dreadful Titans (2-12) 16-11 as New York upped its mark to 3-11. Eric Decker had seven catches for 100 yards.

Afterwards, coach Rex Ryan was miffed at talk Jets fans, such as moi, wanted them to lose out for a shot at Mariota.

“A real fan, a Jet fan, wants to win. It doesn’t matter what pick you get or whatever. If it’s Peyton Manning out there, I’d understand it, but I don’t think Peyton Manning is out there.”

As it now stands...

Tampa Bay 2-12, Jacksonville 2-12, Oakland 2-12, and Tennessee 2-12, are ahead of the Jets and Redskins at 3-11.

Oakland already has a QB in Derek Carr. Jacksonville seems happy with Blake Bortles. Tennessee and Zach Mettenberger? Not so sure. Tampa Bay should want Mariota. Washington, too, if they can dump RG3.

Of course the Jets could still get Jameis Winston, though you’d need a steamer ship to get his baggage up the coast.

Separately, Jets owner Woody Johnson insists he has not made up his mind regarding the fate of Rex Ryan and GM John Idzik.

--Aaron Rodgers had his worst game as a pro as the Packers (10-4) were upset by Buffalo (8-6) 21-13. Rodgers was just 17/42, 185, 0-2, 34.3! It didn’t help Green Bay receivers dropped seven of his throws.

--The Colts moved to 10-4 with a 17-10 win over the Texans (7-7).

--New England is 11-3 after a 41-13 win over Miami (7-7).

--The Giants (5-9) may have saved Tom Coughlin’s job with a 24-13 win over the hapless Redskins. Odell Beckham Jr. continued to take the NFL by storm as the rookie receiver has flat-out been the best in the NFL since Nov. 1st in all statistical categories and now has 61 receptions his last seven games, plus a new rookie Giants receiving yardage record. Sunday he had 12 receptions for 143 yards and three touchdowns. Terrific stuff considering he missed the first four games of the season.

For Washington, Colt McCoy was knocked out and Robert Griffin III came off the bench to play decently, but it was too much Beckham and Eli Manning.

--The Steelers are up to 9-5 after defeating the Falcons (5-9) 27-20.

--Carolina (5-8-1), playing without Cam Newton, stayed alive in the pathetic NFC South, defeating Tampa Bay 19-17 behind backup Derek Anderson, 25/40, 277, 1-0, 91.4.

--Thursday night, Arizona continued its resurgence, moving to 11-3 with a scintillating 12-6 field-goal fest against St. Louis (6-8). But the Cardinals lost quarterback Drew Stanton to a knee injury. With Carson Palmer already out for the season, no telling what Arizona does from here.

--Pretty lousy for Houston that overall first-round draft pick Jadaveon Clowney’s future is very much in doubt as he underwent microfracture surgery on his knee, which hardly ever works out well for athletes. The Texans are saying he’ll possibly be back by September. For the sake of their franchise and Clowney I hope they’re right.

“(Commissioner Roger) Goodell, after months of criticism, unveiled a tougher personal-conduct policy that was unanimously approved Wednesday by NFL team owners. A player accused of a violent crime, for example, would be put on leave following formal charges or an independent investigation under the policy change that would also apply to all NFL personnel, including owners.

“ ‘I blew it,’ Mr. Goodell told the Wall Street Journal in a series of interviews over a period of weeks this fall as the commissioner was caught flat-footed in the unfolding controversy. ‘Our penalties didn’t fit the crimes.’...

“Mr. Goodell has so far maintained the support of his bosses – the 32 NFL team owners, who pay him around $45 million a year. NFL revenue has grown to $10 billion this year and games have broken audience records under Mr. Goodell. NFL games made up 31 of the 33 top-rated TV shows this fall.”

--Adrian Peterson’s appeal of his suspension was denied. Appeals officer Harold Henderson called the case, “one of the most egregious cases of domestic violence in [Commissioner Roger Goodell’s] tenure – the severe beating of a four-year-old child,” and said he was swayed in part by public statements by Peterson that he “did not intend to stop disciplining his children in this way.”

--As for the playoffs...current standings...

1. Arizona 11-3
2. Detroit 10-4
3. Dallas 10-4
4. Carolina 5-8-1
5. Seattle 10-4
6. Green Bay 10-4...that loss kills ‘em
7. Philadelphia 9-5...ditto

1. New England 11-3
2. Denver 11-3
3. Indianapolis 10-4
4. Cincinnati 9-4-1
5. Pittsburgh 9-5
6. Baltimore 9-5
7. Kansas City 8-6
8. San Diego 8-6
9. Buffalo 8-6

Of course when your team doesn’t have a shot (like my Jets), you hope for cold weather teams to win...excellent potential in the AFC for some bitter, snowy games to watch from the comfort of your warm home.

But the NFC is looking mighty bleak, thanks, again, to the Packers’ loss. Or we could force Detroit to play outdoors, like in Ann Arbor.

And so as King for a Day, I decree that the Lions will play any playoff home games outdoors!

College Football

--Well I told you from week one that Oregon’s Marcus Mariota would be the Heisman Trophy winner and for once I got one right. Mariota became not only the first Heisman winner from Oregon, but also from the state of Hawaii.

Mariota’s vote percentage, 90.92%, is the second-highest in Heisman history, behind Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, who had 91.63 in 2006. Reggie Bush received 91.77 in 2005, but his victory was later vacated for violating NCAA rules...which is another one of those stupid decisions because everyone knows he was the best player in the country that year.

Wisconsin back Melvin Gordon was second, with Alabama receiver Amari Cooper third.

So for Mariota, now it’s about winning the national title, and while he would never say it, staying healthy so he can reap the financial rewards of being the #1 pick in the NFL draft.

[Oregon State, in a class act, placed an ad in Sunday’s The Oregonian newspaper congratulating Mariota. It was back in 1962 that Oregon State’s Terry Baker won the Heisman and no one from either school had done so since.]

--Auburn freshman football player Jakell Mithcell was shot to death Saturday night. Markale Deandra Hart was arrested hours later, approximately 25 miles from the Auburn campus, and charged with felony murder.

Mitchell was shot and killed at an apartment complex at approximately 12:25 a.m. Sunday. He had redshirted this season in order to gain weight and was expected to play a big role next year as a tight end/H-back.

Mitchell was murdered at the same apartment complex where two former football players and another man were shot and killed in 2012.

--In another surprise, Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen decided to leave the Badgers after two seasons to take the head coaching job at Oregon State; this after the Beavers’ Mike Riley up and left, in a shocker, to take the job at Nebraska. 

It seems Andersen has family back in the Pac Northwest region. He was 19-7 with Wisconsin after a successful tenure at Utah State.

--Will Muschamp, fired from the Florida head coaching position after going 28-21 in four seasons, was hired by Auburn to be defensive coordinator under Gus Malzahn. Muschamp is reportedly inked a three-year, $1.6 million per contract. As Ronald Reagan would have said, “Not bad...not bad at all.”

--The semifinal matchups for the NCAA Div. I-AA (FCS) playoffs are set for next Saturday.

New Hampshire vs. Illinois State; Sam Houston State vs. North Dakota State

--In the Division III final next Friday night, once again it’s Wisconsin-Whitewater vs. Mount Union; just as it has been nine of the last 10 years. Incredible.

College Basketball

--One day after mentioning the school, Incarnate Word, they shocked Nebraska 74-73 on Wednesday night. This isn’t as big as NJIT’s win over ranked Michigan, but it’s close. Incarnate Word has barely been playing Division I ball, just about one year.

--Columbia almost pulled off a biggie, but lost to No. 1 Kentucky 56-46, Wednesday. Kentucky shot just 36.7% from the field, but pulled away late.

--Then Saturday, Kentucky bounced back with a solid 84-70 win over No. 21 North Carolina (not for long), the Wildcats playing without key forward Alex Poythress, who will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL suffered during practice.

NBA Bits

--Kobe Bryant passed Michael Jordan for third place on the NBA’s all-time career scoring list during Sunday’s game against the Timberwolves, Kobe exceeding Jordan’s 32.292. He now trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) and Karl Malone (36,928).

Bryant is scoring at a 25.4 clip this season, equal to his career average (25.5), but he’s shooting just .386 from the floor....not to rain on his parade. Plus the team is 8-16 after beating Minnesota 100-94.

--The Golden State Warriors won a franchise record 15th straight against the Mavs on Saturday, 105-98, and then on Sunday defeated the Pelicans in OT to make it 16 straight...21-2 overall.

--Remember those stories saying the Oklahoma City Thunder should tank when Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant were out? Well both came back sooner than initially projected and they have now won six straight to get to 11-13.

--Remember those stories saying the Knicks should tank? Well they still should. I caught the end of the Knicks loss to the Raptors in OT on Sunday at the Garden and New York is now 5-21. [Once again Carmelo Anthony, despite 34 points, choked in crunch time.]

The only team worse than the Knicks in the NBA is the 2-21 76ers.

--Knicks shooting guard/forward Tim Hardaway, Jr. has the lowest rebound rate in the history of the NBA in the past 25 years for any player 6’6” or taller. [Chris Herring/ Wall Street Journal]

--Back to Melo, there are rumors he may waive his no-trade clause, just five months after signing a 5-year, $124 million contract. But the guy is so beaten up, with probable knee surgery in the future, that you’ve got to wonder just how badly someone like the Bulls really wants him, given the mammoth contract.

MSG ratings for the Knicks, by the way, are down 20% in terms of total viewers over last season. My personal viewing is now up to 20 minutes of total game action this season.

--The Cinderella run of UMBC ended in the semis of the College Cup, the Retrievers losing 1-0 to Virginia while UCLA bested Providence in the other semi, 3-2.

Then on Sunday, Virginia beat UCLA 4-2 on penalty kicks after a scoreless tie to win the NCAA men’s soccer title. For the Cavaliers, it was their seventh national title, but first since 2009.

No word on what Rolling Stone will write about it all.

--Manchester United is on a roll...six Premier League wins in a row to move into third in the standings after 16 games.

1. Chelsea 12(W) - 3(D) -1(L)...39 points
2. Manchester City 11-3-2...36
3. Manchester United 9-4-3...31

--The long-hoped for bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is inching closer to fruition. In an interview with Showtime Sports Friday night, Mayweather said he wants to fight Pacquiao on May 2nd.

Mayweather said Pacquiao needs him because “he’s desperate.” Just freakin’ do it!

--Mikaela Shiffrin failed for a third time in three World Cup slalom races to reach the podium, Saturday in Are, Sweden. Maria Pietila-Holmner of Sweden won the event. Shiffrin was fourth.

--One of two cypress trees in the landing area on the 18th fairway at Pebble Beach Golf Links toppled over during Thursday’s severe storm. According to Golf Digest, Pebble doesn’t plan to replace the tree before February’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

--Humpback whales have been approaching the waters of New York City in record numbers. In 2012, there were 15 sighting. This year there have been 87 totaling 106 humpbacks. Granted, many have been spotted more than once, but experts have identified 19 different ones thus far in 2014.

So why are they back? [Having been abundant before they were destroyed by whaling.]

Cleaner water and an abundance of menhaden, their staple.

Of course more humpbacks means a higher chance of coming in contact with boats in the busy shipping lanes out of New York. [Crain’s New York Business]

--As reported by the Associated Press, game rangers in South Africa have killed three poachers in the past week “in an escalation of armed incursions into South Africa’s flagship wildlife reserve, where hundreds of rhinos have been killed for their horns this year.”

I had the best suggestion of anyone...ten years ago. Form a mercenary army comprised of Iraq and Afghanistan war vets who still have a hankering for combat but could do so in defense of the world’s most previous creatures. You just know thousands would sign up.

Tragically, “More than 1,000 rhinos have been killed this year in South Africa, two-thirds of them in the Kruger (National) Park,” according to government figures.

164 people suspected of being poachers in Kruger have been arrested in 2014, 30 more than last year. Kill ‘em all.

--On a lighter note, but related to South Africa, Miss South Africa, 22-year-old Rolene Strauss, was crowned Miss World in London. Miss Hungary was second, while Miss United States (hey, that’s us!), Elizabeth Safrit, was third.

--Finally, I have enjoyed my half-marathons on Kiawah Island for years now but I have to blast the organizers for a first time. The beer line after the race was outrageously long, and the results, as of Sunday night, weren’t posted where they should be. Terrible job, guys.

Johnny Mac did somehow find my result on an obscure link and I came in at 2:12:19 chip time after saying I’d be around 2:11.

So my last four half-marathons at Kiawah are like this:

2011...2:11:30
2012...2:09:48
2013...2:11:45
2014...2:12:19

Oh well...I’m pretty consistent. But I was only 50 of 78 in the men’s age 55-59 group, though almost anyone else running the race at this age is taking it far more seriously in terms of training than I do.

I’d say more about the event but non-runners hate runners. In fact it was around the 10-mile mark when I overheard one girl say to her friend, “My husband always goes to parties and starts talking about running and now we never get invited.” I burst out laughing.

Top 3 songs for the week 12/13/75: #1 Fly, Robin, Fly” (Silver Convention) #2 “Let’s Do It Again” (The Staple Singers) #3 “Sky High” (Jigsaw)...and...#4 “That’s The Way (I Like It)” (KC & The Sunshine Band) #5 “Saturday Night” (Bay City Rollers) #6 “Love Rollercoaster” (Ohio Players...say what...) #7 “Nights On Broadway” (Bee Gees) #8 “Theme From Mahogany” (Diana ross) #9 “My Little Town” (Simon & Garfunkel) #10 “Fox On The Run” (Sweet...dreadful week...and it gets worse from here...)

Baseball Quiz Answer: The three ahead of Stanton and Bench for homers through age 24 season in the expansion era (1961).

Alex Rodriguez (1994-00)...189
Ken Griffey Jr. (1989-94)...172
Albert Pujols (2001-04)...160

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