Terry Collins issued a guarantee to begin this season. The Mets were going to play baseball the right way. And then everyone laughed. The team got off to a horrible start, mired by shoddy defense, shoddy base running, and horrible give-away at bats. Jason Bay started the year on the DL. Angel Pagan who got off to a horrible start ended up on the DL (with the now becoming designer injury - oblique strain). Ike Davis, one of the lone bright spots on the team, made his way to the DL. David Wright is god knows where. Fred Wilpon told us exactly what he thought about his team, coinciding with the team bringing in David Einhorn as their new minority owner to bring in some much needed cash. Those who predicted the Mets would win 70 were looking generous.
Last night, the Mets entered play a game under .500. With all things considered, that may just be considered an accomplishment. What happened exactly? We can start with Jose Reyes having an MVP start to this season. He's leading the league in average and in hits. He's been stellar at shortstop. And (knock on wood Met fans), he's stayed healthy. Odd that this would happen in his walk year...Carlos Beltran is playing baseball again. And he's played fairly well both offensively and defensively. His announcement that he was willing to slide over to right has done a lot to lessen his load and keep him fresher. Justin Turner and David Murphy have come in and sparked the team. Turner has filled in well at third base while doing a great job driving in runs. Murphy has bat close to .300 and was actually moved into the cleanup slot. He's shown his versatility moving to third for a few games when Turner was resting a sore thumb. Angel Pagan has come off the DL and picked right back up where he left off last season. Playing great defense, hitting over .300 and stealing a few bags. Last but not least, the Mets pitching staff has been great for the most part. Most wondered who would actually line up to pitch following Mike Pelfrey and R.A Dickey with Johan Santana out until god knows when. But Jonathan Niese, Chris Capuano, and Dillon Gee have been the backbones of the Mets rotation, Gee especially with his 7-0 start.
Terry Collin's guarantee may have drawn a lot of laughs early on, but it's been no laughing matter since. Should the Mets keep this up, they may actually contend for the Wild Card this season. That is of course a huge "If". Besides Franky Rodriguez in the pen, the Mets bullpen is wildly inconsistent. They've yet to get anything out of Bay. There's no telling when Ike or Wright will be back. The Mets are also in an era of rebuilding. Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Jose Reyes, and the aforementioned Rodriguez can all be gone by the trade deadline. But one thing is for sure. So far, they have been the team most fun to watch in New York this season thus far.
Daniel Mazler
Twitter- @Dmazzle
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
NHL drops the puck
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks had the highest ratings since 1999. Coincidence that it was on NBC and not Versus? In April the NHL agreed to long term contracts with both NBC and Versus, rejecting ESPN. That means a national game of the week for NBC and one for Versus. NBC and Versus then share the Stanley Cup playoffs. But I noticed early this playoff run that certain weekday playoff games were omitted from television. I don't believe a single Penguins game was televised in New York. National exposure is still lacking. A deal adding a third game of the week, potentially from ESPN, really could help the league and its exposure. At the same time, NBC really should have exclusive coverage of the Finals. This is an event that should be easily accessible to long time fans as well as potential fans who could use these games as a spring board to following a truly great sport.
A new rule involving head shots is close to being instituted. The word blindsided is removed from the language of the ruling. Any hit that targets the head in any way will be punished. What this means is that we can conceivably watch a preseason and potentially a quarter of a season of tentative, reluctant hockey. Or we can see a rash of early season suspensions or fines as players who grew up playing the game full speed will fail to adjust. At the same time, the NHL has failed to come up with an agreement with the KHL to stop unauthorized player movement. Young talent is being picked and paid handsomely to move over seas, or even in some cases back home, and play in a league where if you haven't noticed, we don't hear a lot about head shots. There are some fixes for this, easy ones at that. The easiest way to avoid a headshot is to not get hit. Expand the rink. Use the Olympic sized rinks used in the Olympics and of course the KHL. Bring style, speed, skill into the game. It's a lot harder to size someone up across the rink when it's 20 feet wider. While we're at it, let's stop turning these players away from the NHL. Last season I heard Mike Milbury use the term "Eurotrash" on national television. How does that go unnoticed and unpunished? Can we please put a muzzle on Don Cherry? I know he's a Canadian icon. But the man loves Canadians. He is not good for the future of hockey. They all have an anti European agenda. The more they speak, the more time the NHL fails to develop a transfer agreement, and the more money the KHL throws at young European stars, the bleaker it will get for the NHL. Creative an environment that welcomes these guys. Let them come here, make the same money, display their creativity, and not worry about their careers being shortened because players choose to hit prone players to make up for their lack of skill. Ask Sidney Crosby. I'll bet he agrees.
Daniel Mazler
Twitter - @DMazzle
A new rule involving head shots is close to being instituted. The word blindsided is removed from the language of the ruling. Any hit that targets the head in any way will be punished. What this means is that we can conceivably watch a preseason and potentially a quarter of a season of tentative, reluctant hockey. Or we can see a rash of early season suspensions or fines as players who grew up playing the game full speed will fail to adjust. At the same time, the NHL has failed to come up with an agreement with the KHL to stop unauthorized player movement. Young talent is being picked and paid handsomely to move over seas, or even in some cases back home, and play in a league where if you haven't noticed, we don't hear a lot about head shots. There are some fixes for this, easy ones at that. The easiest way to avoid a headshot is to not get hit. Expand the rink. Use the Olympic sized rinks used in the Olympics and of course the KHL. Bring style, speed, skill into the game. It's a lot harder to size someone up across the rink when it's 20 feet wider. While we're at it, let's stop turning these players away from the NHL. Last season I heard Mike Milbury use the term "Eurotrash" on national television. How does that go unnoticed and unpunished? Can we please put a muzzle on Don Cherry? I know he's a Canadian icon. But the man loves Canadians. He is not good for the future of hockey. They all have an anti European agenda. The more they speak, the more time the NHL fails to develop a transfer agreement, and the more money the KHL throws at young European stars, the bleaker it will get for the NHL. Creative an environment that welcomes these guys. Let them come here, make the same money, display their creativity, and not worry about their careers being shortened because players choose to hit prone players to make up for their lack of skill. Ask Sidney Crosby. I'll bet he agrees.
Daniel Mazler
Twitter - @DMazzle
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Knicks can be good.
Until the Knicks made the deal for Melo this past season, I wasn't a fan of Mike D'antoni's. I didn't think he had the defensive know how to make the Knicks truly successful. But give credit where it's due. He took a bunch of players, add one Amar'e Stoudemire and a Raymond Felton, and he delivered a fun to watch, dangerous ball club. They were dangerous, not only because of Stoudemire's MVP like first half, but because on any given night Wilson Chandler or Danilo Gallinari could step up and be that X-factor. Felton developed a great chemistry with his players and played like an all star point guard. They all fit into Mike D's system. That's all changed.
Add Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups and you should automatically be better, right? That wasn't the case. Donnie Walsh doesn't like to make wholesale changes mid season and disrupt a team's chemistry, and he was right. Billups never meshed with Amar'e. The pick and roll that Felton effortlessly executed was gone. Stoudemire became stagnant. The free and easy looks at the rim were gone. Sure he was a bit run down from the minutes he played early on. But he also just wasn't getting to the spots where he could be dangerous again. Melo's shot selection also left a lot to be desired. It wasn't all his fault. Mike D loves the three. Melo is good enough to hit it, but that isn't his game. The loss of Chandler and Gallo was huge. Speed and the ability to spread the floor was gone. The Knicks acquired the type of player you need to get should they ever become available. But they opened up new holes.
Looking forward, a new CBA and a potential lockout can have a huge effect on the Knicks future. Adding a Chris Paul to form a big three might not be possible. We need to look at the Knick's strengths. In Amar'e they have one of the most dominant low post players in the east, maybe the league. He's strong, quick and agile. He can also shoot the ball very well. Over on the wing you have potentially the most dangerous mid range shooter in the game. Melo's game from 18 feet is scary dangerous. But coming over to the Knicks, on many nights we did not get to see that aspect of his game. In the post he's just as dangerous. He overpowers many of the players that guard him and he's quicker. Forcing him to play beyond the arc is simply stupid. What these two need is a coach and a system that can make them more efficient. Moving without the ball, a system based on ball and player movement (something that Miami sorely lacks with the ball in Lebron's and Wade's hands 90% of the time). A system that puts these two offensive juggernauts into their comfort zones. The blueprint for this exists. It's called the triangle. It started with Michael Jordan coming around curls for open mid range jumpers. Use of footwork and back picks for open looks. And of course operating out of the low post. The blueprint was then molded to work with two offensive stars. Kobe and Shaq, but more appropriately Kobe and Gasol. Mobile, quick players with many weapons. The mid range games, the low post ability, it's all been done before. Surround them with actual shooters to spread the floor. Last year the Knicks took everyone and had them shoot the three. They wont get away with that two years in a row. Role players who have great fundamentals and who know their roles. Phil Jackson wouldn't hurt either. You do not need a long term commitment from him. You didn't sign Amar'e to win seven years from now. The Knicks need to win now. Phil has always been one to live in the moment, a man who loves the journey and would see coming to the Knicks as his career coming full circle. It's not out of the question.
Offense alone will not make the Knicks contenders. They still lack a serviceable big (Marc Gasol?). They need a quality ball handler in the mold of a Lamar Odom or Andre Iguodala. They can also wreak havoc on defense. They can add reliable outside shooters. The Knicks hope that last year's surprise rookie standout Landry Fields casts aside his end of season struggles and develops tremendously over the off season. Chauncey Billups also needs to put aside his game and develop one that fits this team. He is aging, his healthy will always be in question, and his athleticism is fading. A serviceable backup wouldn't hurt either. The Knicks have the potential to be good. The NBA needs them to be good. The front office just needs to be very intelligent with their next few moves.
Daniel Mazler
Twitter- @DMazzle
Add Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups and you should automatically be better, right? That wasn't the case. Donnie Walsh doesn't like to make wholesale changes mid season and disrupt a team's chemistry, and he was right. Billups never meshed with Amar'e. The pick and roll that Felton effortlessly executed was gone. Stoudemire became stagnant. The free and easy looks at the rim were gone. Sure he was a bit run down from the minutes he played early on. But he also just wasn't getting to the spots where he could be dangerous again. Melo's shot selection also left a lot to be desired. It wasn't all his fault. Mike D loves the three. Melo is good enough to hit it, but that isn't his game. The loss of Chandler and Gallo was huge. Speed and the ability to spread the floor was gone. The Knicks acquired the type of player you need to get should they ever become available. But they opened up new holes.
Looking forward, a new CBA and a potential lockout can have a huge effect on the Knicks future. Adding a Chris Paul to form a big three might not be possible. We need to look at the Knick's strengths. In Amar'e they have one of the most dominant low post players in the east, maybe the league. He's strong, quick and agile. He can also shoot the ball very well. Over on the wing you have potentially the most dangerous mid range shooter in the game. Melo's game from 18 feet is scary dangerous. But coming over to the Knicks, on many nights we did not get to see that aspect of his game. In the post he's just as dangerous. He overpowers many of the players that guard him and he's quicker. Forcing him to play beyond the arc is simply stupid. What these two need is a coach and a system that can make them more efficient. Moving without the ball, a system based on ball and player movement (something that Miami sorely lacks with the ball in Lebron's and Wade's hands 90% of the time). A system that puts these two offensive juggernauts into their comfort zones. The blueprint for this exists. It's called the triangle. It started with Michael Jordan coming around curls for open mid range jumpers. Use of footwork and back picks for open looks. And of course operating out of the low post. The blueprint was then molded to work with two offensive stars. Kobe and Shaq, but more appropriately Kobe and Gasol. Mobile, quick players with many weapons. The mid range games, the low post ability, it's all been done before. Surround them with actual shooters to spread the floor. Last year the Knicks took everyone and had them shoot the three. They wont get away with that two years in a row. Role players who have great fundamentals and who know their roles. Phil Jackson wouldn't hurt either. You do not need a long term commitment from him. You didn't sign Amar'e to win seven years from now. The Knicks need to win now. Phil has always been one to live in the moment, a man who loves the journey and would see coming to the Knicks as his career coming full circle. It's not out of the question.
Offense alone will not make the Knicks contenders. They still lack a serviceable big (Marc Gasol?). They need a quality ball handler in the mold of a Lamar Odom or Andre Iguodala. They can also wreak havoc on defense. They can add reliable outside shooters. The Knicks hope that last year's surprise rookie standout Landry Fields casts aside his end of season struggles and develops tremendously over the off season. Chauncey Billups also needs to put aside his game and develop one that fits this team. He is aging, his healthy will always be in question, and his athleticism is fading. A serviceable backup wouldn't hurt either. The Knicks have the potential to be good. The NBA needs them to be good. The front office just needs to be very intelligent with their next few moves.
Daniel Mazler
Twitter- @DMazzle
Monday, June 13, 2011
Yanks Lose Edge Without The Boss
We knew last year when George passed that things would never be the same. It's taken a little while, but that change has set in. And it's not for the good. The Yankees had been playing solid baseball as of late. Then they ran into the Red Sox. The arch nemesis Red Sox. The team that coming into town was in 2nd place. The team that would knock the Yanks on their rear ends and leave in first place. The Yankees dusted themselves off and took their frustrations out on the Indians the next few games. Hardly a statement. But there was a statement. The Yankees are no longer the cream of the East, and they haven't been for a few years. 2009 aside, we're looking at missing the playoffs in 2008, a Wild Card finish in 2010, and most likely a Wild Card finish this season. Certain teams are built to where those results could be called a success. Not in the Bronx. Ten years ago George would have had every one's head. Wild Card? Accepting second place? Not good enough. And that's the mentality that's changed around here. Last year Joe Girardi was ok accepting a Wild Card finish, keeping his players a bit healthier down the stretch. The Wild Card being a fall back option. An "at least we made it to the playoffs" mentality. Allowing your organization to accept that is disaster waiting to happen. As this team continues to age and Girardi attempts to weather father time, expect this team to lose its edge more and more. And unless the team is ready to listen to this new, edgy Brian Cashman and make the wholesale changes from within that he believes in, expect some lean times ahead.
All Talent. No Pulse. Comparisons End.
I’ve heard the stories about the night the Pistons eliminated the Bulls from the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals. After a grueling 7 game series in which Michael Jordan and the Bulls were beaten, physically, emotionally, mentally, Jordan sat on the team bus with his father. He cried. He screamed. What if he never had another shot like this? How were the Bulls going to get over the hump? He was angry. He was hurt. His heart was bruised. His heart took a beating that series. Not because anyone questioned it. He went down swinging, doing any and everything he could to keep the Bulls alive. No, his heart had to endure his team’s greatest shot at a title (thus far) slowly slipping away. Instead of succumbing to defeat, the pain fueled him. We know the rest.
Last night Lebron James sat at the podium and essentially told the “little people” that they could stop hating on him and the Heat. He told them that they could go back to their ordinary lives. Last summer he went on national television and spurned the ordinary fans of Cleveland. He was breaking their ordinary hearts and taking his talents, as well as a fat paycheck, to Miami. The Heat made it to the finals and Lebron showed the world what many of us knew during last year’s playoffs. He has no ticker. He checked out. Physically. Mentally. There was nowhere to hide. On a national level we saw the NBA’s premier “talent” crumble. We were witness to an ordinary heart. And there he sat after the game, telling people, many of whom have extraordinary hearts in living the daily grind on a planet called reality, to go back to their ordinary lives. The people who flock to arenas and pay the ticket prices which make his extraordinary salary possible.
The NBA Finals kicked off amidst a slew of Michael and Lebron comparisons. Writers, analysts, and former players chimed in. Talent, athleticism, shooting, passing, rebounding, clutchness, any stat that could be compared was compared. Most still gave Michael the nod. Others said that Lebron has the potential to one day be the greatest. But we all just bared witness to the single most intangible quality that was beyond comparison. In defeat, Michael bared the blame, the hurt, and the loss. It strengthened his resolve. He showed his heart. Lebron turned the blame outward. I won’t pretend to know what he thinks about this latest failure. But in defeat, Lebron decided to deflect the blame and show us all how small his heart really is. Bill Russell once said the thing that stood out about Jordan the most was this, “He’s determined to be Michael Jordan every night”. What would he say about Lebron?
Daniel Mazler
Twitter - @DMazzle
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