Trading Scott Gomez to Montreal was a move Glen Sather had to make. Gomer makes too much money for what he brings to the ice. Many Rangers' fans would have you believe Scotty is not a first line center. That is incorrect; Gomez would be in the middle of just about any team's top line. However, Scott's ability was severely diminished when the Rangers expected him to be the top player on the club.
The trade of Gomez freed up cap space to get Marian Gaborik, whose only issue is a big one. His health. In the past five years he has only played more than 65 games once. Of course, when healthy he is a top ten forward. Sather and Gaborik both insist he is healthy. For the amount of money given to Gaborik, Sather better be right.
There is still lingering talk of the Rangers being interested in Dany Heatley. If the reports are accurate and Ottawa is asking for Marc Staal and either Ryan Callahan or Brandon Dubinsky, Sather is better off keeping the youngsters to build with. If Slats feels the itch to make another move, how about a solid D-man to pair with Staal.
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The Yankees have been playing terrific baseball. Solid starting pitching, clutch hitting, even A-Rod has been good when it counts this year, and a bullpen that is flawed but more often than not getting the job done.
Wang going back on the DL is something to worry about. He was expected to be the third starter in the rotation, and if he's out for any length of time it's going to hurt the bullpen. It's important to get Brian Bruney going, long term he is still the best eight inning option.
Alfredo Aceves should be giving pitching classes. Sometimes it is as simple as throwing strikes and trusting your stuff.
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Scoring three runs in three games against the Phillies shaky pitching staff, in hitter friendly Citizens Bank Park no less, will not make anyone happy. But what is even more disturbing is the shaky Mets' defense. Giving away outs to a lineup like the Phills is going to cost you dearly.
Johan Santana and Mike Pelfey each pitched great in their last start. If Oliver Perez can somehow get his act together, the Mets will at least have their rotation in order.
The lineup needs a bat, but does it make sense to give up on a top prospect to get a mediocre bat. Omar ought to find out about Shelley Duncan, who the Yanks have no need for, and is currently in the minors.
In 250 plus at bats Duncan has 21 home runs, that's more than double any Met. And among non-DL Mets, Shelley has four times as many round trippers as anyone in Jerry Manuel's regular squad -- part-timer Gary Sheffield has ten. In case you were wondering, Duncan is batting .290.
True, Duncan was awful when he was with the big club early last season. However, in 2007 he hit seven homers on 74 A.B.s and almost as importantly brought energy and enthusiasm to the field and dugout, something this club is desperately lacking.
Showing posts with label Rangers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rangers. Show all posts
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
My Two Cents Worth III
As far as I'm concerned this year's NBA playoffs are very similar to College Football's Bowl games. While an individual series may have some excitement and drama, there are only two teams who have a chance at winning a championship. If the Lakers and Cavaliers are not there when the conferences are decided it will be a major upset.
Give the Jets and Mike Tannenbaum credit for getting Mark Sanchez. They wanted Sanchez from the start, and had the conviction to do whatever it takes to bring him in. Now, they have to hope they turn out to be right about the Q.B. or Tannenbaum will be looking for a job.
I'm a bit disappointed that the Giants didn't end up with Anquan Boldin. I hope the reason they didn't pull the trigger has to do with the salary cap and not the Draft picks. Receiver is the only glaring weakness on the team, a third round pick wouldn't mean a whole lot for a team with that much talent.
With that said the first pick of WR Hakeem Nicks is a good one. Eli Manning is not exactly the most accurate thrower, and needs someone who can catch the ball even if it's not between the numbers. Hicks has huge hands - glove size of 4XL - so he can reach out and catch anything in the vicinity.
Apparently the Mets' issues from last year had nothing to do with the Manager or Stadium. As a club they still can't hit with runners-in-scoring position, and the starting rotation has one reliable pitcher in Johan Santana.
There have been an unusual amount of home runs hit to right field in the new Yankees stadium, and many people have been screaming and yelling "how could the Yankees let this happen." Will everyone please calm down. Number one we only have a week to judge by. Two if it is a long term issue don't you think the team will do something to cut down on the wind in that direction. What does need to be fixed is the fact that the fans sit right up on the wall and can easily interfere with a ball still in play.
As far as the Yankees on the field are concerned, the team will go as far as the pitching carries them - A-Rod or no A-Rod. Both the starting and relief pitching have been terribly inconsistent. Brian Bruney going on the DL is going to hurt. And no, there is still no reason to be worried about Mariano.
The Devils and Hurricanes are going to Game 7 which is exactly where the series belongs. It has been such an even match-up and both goalies have been so good, it would have been a shame had this series not gone the distance.
However, Game 7 is not where the Rangers should be. With a 3 games to 1 lead, the team has been flat for games five and six. This has been a one man team all year, if Henrik Lundqvist is on top of his game there is a chance otherwise it is all but an automatic L.
Is John Tortorella the epitome of do what I say not what I do? Torts benches Sean Avery for Friday night's game for being undisciplined, sure enough in the third period of that game the coach squirts a fan with water and then throws a bottle into the stands. The NHL suspended him for game 6 and rightly so, no league can afford its players, coaches etc. to interact with fans that way. We have all seen what happens when it gets out of hand.
Give the Jets and Mike Tannenbaum credit for getting Mark Sanchez. They wanted Sanchez from the start, and had the conviction to do whatever it takes to bring him in. Now, they have to hope they turn out to be right about the Q.B. or Tannenbaum will be looking for a job.
I'm a bit disappointed that the Giants didn't end up with Anquan Boldin. I hope the reason they didn't pull the trigger has to do with the salary cap and not the Draft picks. Receiver is the only glaring weakness on the team, a third round pick wouldn't mean a whole lot for a team with that much talent.
With that said the first pick of WR Hakeem Nicks is a good one. Eli Manning is not exactly the most accurate thrower, and needs someone who can catch the ball even if it's not between the numbers. Hicks has huge hands - glove size of 4XL - so he can reach out and catch anything in the vicinity.
Apparently the Mets' issues from last year had nothing to do with the Manager or Stadium. As a club they still can't hit with runners-in-scoring position, and the starting rotation has one reliable pitcher in Johan Santana.
There have been an unusual amount of home runs hit to right field in the new Yankees stadium, and many people have been screaming and yelling "how could the Yankees let this happen." Will everyone please calm down. Number one we only have a week to judge by. Two if it is a long term issue don't you think the team will do something to cut down on the wind in that direction. What does need to be fixed is the fact that the fans sit right up on the wall and can easily interfere with a ball still in play.
As far as the Yankees on the field are concerned, the team will go as far as the pitching carries them - A-Rod or no A-Rod. Both the starting and relief pitching have been terribly inconsistent. Brian Bruney going on the DL is going to hurt. And no, there is still no reason to be worried about Mariano.
The Devils and Hurricanes are going to Game 7 which is exactly where the series belongs. It has been such an even match-up and both goalies have been so good, it would have been a shame had this series not gone the distance.
However, Game 7 is not where the Rangers should be. With a 3 games to 1 lead, the team has been flat for games five and six. This has been a one man team all year, if Henrik Lundqvist is on top of his game there is a chance otherwise it is all but an automatic L.
Is John Tortorella the epitome of do what I say not what I do? Torts benches Sean Avery for Friday night's game for being undisciplined, sure enough in the third period of that game the coach squirts a fan with water and then throws a bottle into the stands. The NHL suspended him for game 6 and rightly so, no league can afford its players, coaches etc. to interact with fans that way. We have all seen what happens when it gets out of hand.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Renney Fired, That's Step One!
Just under a week ago, I said that if the Rangers lost their next game to Islanders that would be Tom Renney's last. Well they beat the Islanders to buy some time, but they lost the two games since and now Renney is out. The new head coach for the Blue shirts is John Tortorella.
The Rangers got off to a tremendous start, and as it turns out, is what eventually led to the downfall of Renney. They have played just about .500 hockey since then, but have really come apart over the last 12 games where they have won just two of those contests. Getting off to a good start gave us expectations that we didn't have before the season started.
This off season the Rangers lost goal scores Jaromir Jagr (25 goals 71 points, in 2007-08) and Brendan Shanahan (23, 46 last season) and have not been able to replace them, they are in the bottom 3 in the NHL in goals-per-game and power play percentage. To sure up what was a struggling defense last year, G.M. Glen Sather signed Wade Redden, who has been so bad, that the "boos" rain down from the blue seats every time he touches the puck.
The Rangers have the goalie they would need to go all the way, in Henrik Lundqvist. And players like Chris Drury and Scott Gomez have been key pieces on winning teams before, but without the superstar player, they are carrying too much of the load for players who are not goal scores, they are both far better players when their responsibility involves setting up the goal rather than scoring it. And the lack of scoring has put way too much pressure on Lundqvist, who has to go into every game thinking shutout.
Renney may very well have been better off had they played .500 hockey all season, and been in a battle for a playoff spot, but early season success had us all dreaming bigger. The slide in the standings put Renney on the hot seat, and the recent lackluster play has sealed his fate, the players have tuned him out and the message was not getting through. It was time for a change, fair or not. You can't get rid of 15 players, so it's the coach who takes the fall when he can't motivate them.
New coach John Tortorella comes in with both a reputation, and a bark that need to be respected. He won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning and has been known to speak his mind. But can he turn around a team slumping this bad, and with so many parts missing. He will no doubt light a fire under these guys, and the energy level should be high at the Garden. It will be interesting to see if that translates to points both on the ice and in the standings.
There is just a bit over week left before the trade deadline, and Glen Sather needs to bring in a sniper, which will be very difficult. With parity throughout the NHL, very few teams will be looking to dump scorers, and the Rangers don't have a lot to trade that other teams would be interested in, outside the core. Sean Avery is a possibility, but with the two strong personality's, it may not be worth the distractions for a good - not great- offensive player. If no deal is pulled off, it won't really matter what Tortotella does, this team will not beat any of the big three in the Eastern Conference with the offense constituted the way it is at the moment.
Glen Sather took a step in the right direction today by making a change, but that's just the start of this teams problems. If he can't work out a trade, at best it's first round and out for this team, at that point it will be time to make another major change, Mr. Sather need only look in a mirror to see who the next firing should be.
The Rangers got off to a tremendous start, and as it turns out, is what eventually led to the downfall of Renney. They have played just about .500 hockey since then, but have really come apart over the last 12 games where they have won just two of those contests. Getting off to a good start gave us expectations that we didn't have before the season started.
This off season the Rangers lost goal scores Jaromir Jagr (25 goals 71 points, in 2007-08) and Brendan Shanahan (23, 46 last season) and have not been able to replace them, they are in the bottom 3 in the NHL in goals-per-game and power play percentage. To sure up what was a struggling defense last year, G.M. Glen Sather signed Wade Redden, who has been so bad, that the "boos" rain down from the blue seats every time he touches the puck.
The Rangers have the goalie they would need to go all the way, in Henrik Lundqvist. And players like Chris Drury and Scott Gomez have been key pieces on winning teams before, but without the superstar player, they are carrying too much of the load for players who are not goal scores, they are both far better players when their responsibility involves setting up the goal rather than scoring it. And the lack of scoring has put way too much pressure on Lundqvist, who has to go into every game thinking shutout.
Renney may very well have been better off had they played .500 hockey all season, and been in a battle for a playoff spot, but early season success had us all dreaming bigger. The slide in the standings put Renney on the hot seat, and the recent lackluster play has sealed his fate, the players have tuned him out and the message was not getting through. It was time for a change, fair or not. You can't get rid of 15 players, so it's the coach who takes the fall when he can't motivate them.
New coach John Tortorella comes in with both a reputation, and a bark that need to be respected. He won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning and has been known to speak his mind. But can he turn around a team slumping this bad, and with so many parts missing. He will no doubt light a fire under these guys, and the energy level should be high at the Garden. It will be interesting to see if that translates to points both on the ice and in the standings.
There is just a bit over week left before the trade deadline, and Glen Sather needs to bring in a sniper, which will be very difficult. With parity throughout the NHL, very few teams will be looking to dump scorers, and the Rangers don't have a lot to trade that other teams would be interested in, outside the core. Sean Avery is a possibility, but with the two strong personality's, it may not be worth the distractions for a good - not great- offensive player. If no deal is pulled off, it won't really matter what Tortotella does, this team will not beat any of the big three in the Eastern Conference with the offense constituted the way it is at the moment.
Glen Sather took a step in the right direction today by making a change, but that's just the start of this teams problems. If he can't work out a trade, at best it's first round and out for this team, at that point it will be time to make another major change, Mr. Sather need only look in a mirror to see who the next firing should be.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
My two cents worth
I hope you got a kick out of the A-Rod press conference, just like I did. Some of the comments were just laughable, he says he had the stuff brought in from the Dominican, was afraid to ask anyone about them, yet he wasn't sure if what he was doing was wrong. Here's a clue Alex, if they don't sell it in this country, and you have to inject it, you might want to ask.
The way the Knicks are celebrating Nate Robinson winning the Slam Dunk Contest, is against everything New York sports is supposed to be about.
With the NBA trade deadline up coming, there has been a lot of trade talk surrounding Vince Carter. Carter is having his best season in some time, both in terms of production on the court, and in his leadership of the young players on the team. The Spurs have been mentioned as a possible destination, as well as several other teams who are thought to be a player away. Although it would probably end the Nets playoff hopes for this year, for the right package of expiring contracts, young talent or draft picks, it would be worth it, being that they are probably a year or two and a big free agent signing away from contending for a championship anyways.
Within the next 24 hours Tom Renney's future as Rangers head coach will be decided, a loss to the lowly Islanders will seal his fate. To be fair it's not all his fault, the team is missing a legitimate scorer, but with the guys they do have there is no excuse for being last in the NHL in goals-per-game. Their power play had gotten so bad, that as one caller on WFAN said "you wish they could decline the penalty".
The Devils are just unbelievable, they lose their first ballot Hall of Fame goalie, Marty Brodeur, early in the season and everyone thinks the season is over for them. Well, Marty is back at practice and far from the season being over, New Jersey is solidly atop the Atlantic Division and tied for second in the Eastern Conference. Goalie Scott Clemmensen has played like an all-star since he got the starting job, while Zach Parise and Patrik Elias have provided the scoring, they are 5th and 6th in the NHL in points and Parise is tied for second in the league in goals. The Devils just get it right.
The Mets ought to make an offer to Orlando Hudson and see what happens, I understand they believe Luis Castillo is their resurrection project, but let's be honest, with his knee's, even the Mets know that's unlikely, and Hudson batted 60 points higher than Castillo last year. And if Castillo shows there is still something left in the tank, how bad can it be to have a 3 time Gold Glove winner as a defensive replacement, and a .305 hitter, just this past year, coming off the bench. With the bottom of the line-up shaping to be as awful as it gets, they could use someone who can get on base as a pinch hitter.
With our economy in need of help so urgently, why would you pass a bill for Government spending. Both Liberals and Conservatives regularly complain about the inefficiency and red tape of Government agency's, so how is this bill going to help the economy now. On the other hand, a couple of immediate tax cuts, take very little time to spend. How many people who were struggling to pay the mortgage would all of a sudden start making the payments, and those who were doing okay before, now with some extra cash at hand, might go out to dinner and help the restaurant owner pay his bills. Foreclosures would go down, Banks would stabilize and the small business owner would pay down his debt, all instantly, with no red tape necessary.
The way the Knicks are celebrating Nate Robinson winning the Slam Dunk Contest, is against everything New York sports is supposed to be about.
With the NBA trade deadline up coming, there has been a lot of trade talk surrounding Vince Carter. Carter is having his best season in some time, both in terms of production on the court, and in his leadership of the young players on the team. The Spurs have been mentioned as a possible destination, as well as several other teams who are thought to be a player away. Although it would probably end the Nets playoff hopes for this year, for the right package of expiring contracts, young talent or draft picks, it would be worth it, being that they are probably a year or two and a big free agent signing away from contending for a championship anyways.
Within the next 24 hours Tom Renney's future as Rangers head coach will be decided, a loss to the lowly Islanders will seal his fate. To be fair it's not all his fault, the team is missing a legitimate scorer, but with the guys they do have there is no excuse for being last in the NHL in goals-per-game. Their power play had gotten so bad, that as one caller on WFAN said "you wish they could decline the penalty".
The Devils are just unbelievable, they lose their first ballot Hall of Fame goalie, Marty Brodeur, early in the season and everyone thinks the season is over for them. Well, Marty is back at practice and far from the season being over, New Jersey is solidly atop the Atlantic Division and tied for second in the Eastern Conference. Goalie Scott Clemmensen has played like an all-star since he got the starting job, while Zach Parise and Patrik Elias have provided the scoring, they are 5th and 6th in the NHL in points and Parise is tied for second in the league in goals. The Devils just get it right.
The Mets ought to make an offer to Orlando Hudson and see what happens, I understand they believe Luis Castillo is their resurrection project, but let's be honest, with his knee's, even the Mets know that's unlikely, and Hudson batted 60 points higher than Castillo last year. And if Castillo shows there is still something left in the tank, how bad can it be to have a 3 time Gold Glove winner as a defensive replacement, and a .305 hitter, just this past year, coming off the bench. With the bottom of the line-up shaping to be as awful as it gets, they could use someone who can get on base as a pinch hitter.
With our economy in need of help so urgently, why would you pass a bill for Government spending. Both Liberals and Conservatives regularly complain about the inefficiency and red tape of Government agency's, so how is this bill going to help the economy now. On the other hand, a couple of immediate tax cuts, take very little time to spend. How many people who were struggling to pay the mortgage would all of a sudden start making the payments, and those who were doing okay before, now with some extra cash at hand, might go out to dinner and help the restaurant owner pay his bills. Foreclosures would go down, Banks would stabilize and the small business owner would pay down his debt, all instantly, with no red tape necessary.
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