Baseball is about as quiet as it can get, but possibly the calm before the storm. European football is mired in the post christmas cup/league fixture congestion. NFL is hyping the Super Bowl until the end of time ("Would you believe that Eli's season would still be going on when Peyton was playing golf, etc..."). Despite how much I'd rather it wouldn't happen, the Pats will win on Sunday and become the first 19-0 team in history. :(
As for the Boston team I actually like, the Santana trade is still going through the many permutations possible, but it seems as the Twins might have overestimated the market.
With the Yankees and Red Sox unwilling to hand over the future of the respective teams in Phil Hughes for the Yanks and Lester and Ellsbury of the Red Sox (in the Red Sox case one, but not both as the Twins wanted), the Twins seem to have painted themselves in a corner.
The Mets, with a lot less talent in the minors than the
Also, for the Red Sox, there are some debate as to the possible efficiency of Santana at Fenway. Lefthanded flyball pitchers have rarely had success at Fenway, Santana included, although he's only played in two games there:
IP 15.2
ERA: 6.82
BA: .328
SLG: .469
OPS: .856
(And to put that in perspective, his stats against Boston overall:)
IP: 55.2
ERA: 3.40
BA: .250
SLG: .373
OPS: .673
Now, does that mean I would rather not have Santana at Fenway? Of course I would, but Lester and Ellsbury would be too much for my stomach. Lester has the enormous feel-good story of the return from cancer, and Ellsbury was simply a machine in 2007 call-ups. A rookie batting .458 in the second spot in the World Series? Ice in veins, people!
I personally think that another year of Beckett (20), Dice-K (18), Schill (15),
As for the fielding side, the only (and fundamentally obvious) change from last years starting line-up will be the Red Sox CF for the next 5-10 years in own product Ellsbury. The other seven, Varitek, Youkilis, Pedroia, Lugo, Lowell, Ramirez and Drew will be the same, and hopefully Lugo and Drew can build on a nice 2007 finish as opposed to the torrid time they had offensively for the major part of the season. Of course we might get a look in from top prospect SS Jed Lowrie, possible heir apparent to
Karma Bus? Sadly, no....
As for other sports news, there is no getting away from the Patriots quest for perfection. Sadly, it couldn’t have happened to a worse guy than Belichick. Whilst he’s clearly a superb coach, he’s clearly a below average human being. Whilst I agree with many of Gene’s conclusions, the one I cannot get past is how the Patriots is a .500 team at best without Brady. As much as I loathe the Pats (thanks to Belichick and another
Finally, although there apparently is now a truce in effect between Benitez and the American owners of
Play Reina, Finnan, Hyypia (Agger when healthy), Carra, Arbeloa/Riise, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kewell, Torres and Kuyt/Crouch and ride that puppy as long as it will hold.
Subs are just that – subs. Bring them on from the bench, but for god’s sake – we’re 12 points behind after 22 games!!!
N
