Links here! Get your links here! Check out these nice hot links (while we ponder
how much one should bid for Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman on the right).
- Joe Posnanski gives him 2010 Hall of Fame thoughts for his blog and then for Sports Illustrated. I have to say that I'm underwhelmed by all the candidates. I just can't see how Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, or Fred McGriff are Hall of Famers (nor do I see Tim Raines as one as Rob Neyer does). I could see Roberto Alomar on that list because he truly was one of the greatest 2nd basemen in history (which, yes, is different than being one of the best DHs in history). If I had a vote, I may just vote for Alomar (and maybe Mark McGwire) or no one at all. Then again, since Jim Rice is in the Hall now, I think the standards have been lowered quite a bit. The Seattle Times goes through the Veteran's Committee candidates and they are pretty slim picking also. Hall of Fame voters, you don't have to elect someone just because someone hands you a ballot. As Jon Heyman's list shows, there will be plenty of Yankees to elect in the future.
- Chad Jennings has some great stuff over on the LoHud blog on the Yankees Rule 5 draft prospects: the first part here, second part here, and final thoughts here. River Avenue Blues also gives their thoughts. My feelings? Some fans get way to into it since it very, very rarely produces a guy like Johan Santana. I think it's a good way to fill out a team cheaply, but I'm not sure you're going to find a franchise player there very often. If you want more information about the Yankees prospects, Fangraphs does a quick minor league review.
- What teams should be more concerned about is Type A and B free agents. As Buster Olney points out, that affects a lot of the things that teams will do in regards to offering arbitration and signing certain players. Think that is insignificant? Look back at the players that the Red Sox got for the Mets signing Pedro Martinez or the Yankees got for the Phillies signing Tom Gordon because of the extra draft picks and tell me that's not significant.
- Joel Sherman says that the Yankees are plotting to keep Damon, Matsui and Pettitte (echoed by Jon Heyman). I think this is a mistake; although it's a formula that works, you need to go out there and get younger and continue to get better to compete with the Rays, Red Sox and the rest of the American League. One reason, as Ken Rosenthal points out, that the Yankees won the World Series is that they got smart. No reason to get dumb now. That includes not trading for Derek Lowe or singing Johnny Damon for 3 or 4 more years as Jon Heyman mentions both. How about one more World Series wrap or some more information on John Wetteland's persona?
- Joe Cada got extremely lucky on his way to become the youngest-ever World Series of Poker main event winner (pocket 3s and 2s against much better hands is luck). His luck netted him $8.5 million, but The Detroit News writes that just the beginning of the party and the perks and the money. It's amazing to see how much will be thrown Cada's way. Nice life.
- ESPN must love the World Series of Poker, but as Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal writes, not many are making a challenge to the love that ESPN is getting on all their sports. The Sports Business Journal does go deeper into the league-owned networks and lists them among the possible competition for ESPN--though also listing FX and Versus sort of makes me think that ESPN can rest easy.
- Lastly: SportsbyBrooks has an incredible story of a 22-year-old who tried to relive his high school glory days by going back to high school and posing as a younger person. FanGraphs has a fun game to play in the offseason with a friend or two (H/T Rob Neyer). USA Today says LeBron may change numbers. A back-to-the-future look at Mike Tyson from Sports Illustrated. A funny take on that female soccer player from New Mexico that went beserk. And Mike Francesca and Jay-Z from Tirico Suave.
We have a new poll question up on the right, go vote (H/T Doug)!
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