Show Me the Money!

Hey all, hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Updates on here have been pretty sparse, returning home combined with an increase in schoolwork will do that. Also, I feel like we're stuck in a lull in terms of Boston sports. The Patriots throttled the Jets, but are one week away from potentially wrapping up a playoff spot. In Week 13. The Red Sox are fairly quiet, the Bruins are, well, we won't discuss them, and the Celtics haven't yet got out of "small sample-size don't take much from this" part of the schedule.

So basically, I wanted to blog about throwback Nelly music.

Well, not exactly, although in theory that would probably be one of the more entertaining things you'd read on here.

What I wanted to touch on was the absurdity, the downright ridiculousness, of contracts in professional baseball. While reading twitter, (shocking I know) I came across a report that said Russell Martin is looking for 4 years and $40 million dollars. What seems like a bizarre request from a player who barely cracks most MLB starting lineups, actually isn't all that bizarre at all.

All throughout baseball, the influx of high-priced middle tiered players is widening. Take Jonny Gomes for example. The newest addition to the Boston Red Sox, Gomes somehow managed to secure not only a multi-year contract (2 years) but also $10 million bucks. 5 million bucks a year, not ridiculous in the grand scheme of things, right?

Well, not so much, seeing as the average MLB salary is $3.31 million and climbing. The NFL, the worlds most popular sport, averaged salaries of roughly $1.9 million in 2011. Yet somehow, someway, Jonny Gomes will get $5 million beans each year. Yet a career .244 hitter, who really shouldn't be facing right handers in the first place, is now paid like an above average player.

It makes you think about the way baseball is set up contractually, and the absurdity that comes along with a professional athlete's contract. Just yesterday, Evan Longoria agreed to a $100 million contract extension, and rumor has it David Wright has his own on the way.

Vernon Wells is 33 years old and hasn't hit above .300 since 2008. He's also owed a whopping $48 million dollars through 2014, and is routinely mentioned among the worst contracts ever handed out in the MLB.

Jayson Werth signed a $127 million dollar contract in 2010. He played in exactly half of Washington's games last year, is a career .267 hitter, and was admittedly overpaid for by his own club. And do I need remind Red Sox fans how out of control spending can decimate the future of your organization?

Maybe I sound like a whiny fan, and I know there's really nothing that can be done about this. But the out of control spending in a cap-less league makes it very difficult to support and relate to the MLB. There is talk of parity, yet small market teams can't even get into bidding on Jonny Gomes without being outbid by a bigger fish in the pond.

One of the greatest draws about the NFL and NBA is the ability to study how teams meticulously build their teams through drafting and free agent spending. The MLB simply does not have that. Throw enough money at someone, and you'll get your guy.

Oh, and remember Russell Martin? He wants $40 million dollars. Martin also hasn't hit above .250 since 2008, saw his power numbers drop significantly before playing in the bandbox that is Yankee Stadium, and now sits right around the league average in runners caught stealing. Would you feel comfortable paying for that?

But for now I'll sit back, ruefully watch, and wish I had somehow possessed enough baseball talent to get beyond the 8th grade. Oh, and add in more music. We all love music.

Life Without Gronk

It's every Patriots fan's worst nightmare, seeing the big, lovable goon that is Rob Gronkowski walking off the field with a limp left forearm.

As many of you know, Gronkowski broke his left forearm blocking the Patriots final Point After Attempt. To add salt to the wound, former Patriot Sergio Brown delivered the blow. Now we could play the hindsight game and discuss why Gronkowski is out blocking in a 30 point game, but then we'd have to play that game for every football injury ever known to man.

Instead, Patriots fans will have to eventually learn how to cope without Gronk roaming the middle of the field, acting as Tom Brady's best receiver. With a short week, as the Patriots play the Jets on Thanksgiving, things will change fairly quickly.

What's Being Left Behind

However, you cannot move forward without first assessing what you've left behind. In New England's case, the Patriots will be leaving behind a core concept of their offense. With both Gronkowski and Hernandez out, the Patriots lose the ability to confuse linebackers and safeties by playing a Hi-Lo game.

In common speak, the Patriots send Gronk on a deeper route over the middle, and send Hernandez on a shorter route. You can't cover both, so teams are often forced to choose. In the off chance a defense does manage to blanket both Hernandez and Gronkowski with a two linebackers or safeties, it opens up Wes Welker underneath in one on one coverage, or Brandon Lloyd on the sidelines. This is a staple of the Patriots offense not only because it schematically works, but it forces defenses to choose one player, creating impressive mismatches.

Take a look at next weeks opponents, the Jets. This offseason, they openly proclaimed that the signings of Laron Landry and Yeremiah Bell, two physical safeties, were to offset the Patriots' usage of the two tight ends. They believed that a bigger safety could match up on Gronkowski or Hernandez. Of course, we didn't see much improvement in their first meeting this season.

Without Gronk, the Patriots lose their best all around player, as well as their best blocking tight end. No one will replace Gronk, they will have to work around his absence.

Moving Forward

The Patriots will leave a huge chunk of their offense in Gillette, with Rob Gronkowski. I jokingly tweeted last night that now Josh McDaniels would have to time warp back to 2007, picking up Wes Welker and using Brandon Lloyd as his Randy Moss.

While the Patriots obviously can't change their offense in four days, the theory at least has some merit. Without Gronkowski, and I'm assuming we will not see Hernandez this week, the Patriots now have one kinda-sorta receiving tight end on the roster, Visanthe Shiancoe. Behind him? Daniel Fells and the Hoo-Man, neither of which strike fear into the hearts of opponents.

The Patriots are now just another good offense. They still have Wes Welker, they still have Brandon Lloyd, and Julian Edelman will come to the forefront as another playmaker. McDaniels will have to revert back to many of his three-WR plays, a staple of the offense in 2007. Luckily, the same players are in place, so they will have other ways to gameplan effectively.

What New England did not have in 2007 that McDaniels now has at his disposal is a run game. As the weather gets colder and the calendars turn towards playoff football, it's imperative the Patriots increase their use of the run game if they want to remain successful. Whether that be Stevan Ridley, Shane Vereen, or Danny Woodhead remains to be seen. But the Patriots will need to utilize their running backs in both the traditional run game and the screen game.

Upcoming Schedule

In terms of this week, I think the Patriots will have their hands full with the New York Jets. At home, on Thanksgiving, with their backs against the wall, the Jets normally play these games very tight. No Gronk, no Hernandez, and potentially no Logan Mankins means this game will fall squarely on the shoulders of Tom Brady.

Moving forward, I think the Patriots will survive without Gronkowski. They won't replace him, but as we've seen with this team, when one man falls, someone else steps up in a big way. Team doctors anticipate Gronkowski to return by the playoffs.

So buckle in, Patriots fans. We may not be seeing any thunderous spikes any time soon, but the Patriots offense will not spontaneously combust before our eyes without 87 lining up at tight end. They'll just have to reinvent themselves yet again.

The Rotten Apple

For all the bravado and all the coverage, the New York Jets have made a funny little habit of not living up to their self-imposed expectations.

This year, head coach Rex Ryan graciously refused to predict a Super Bowl win, sparing us the misery of ESPN talking heads analyzing the legitimacy of his claims. However, the confidence still permeated from Jets camp, and expectations were at an all time high following the acquisition of Tim Tebow.

But much like last years 8-8 letdown, the Jets are off to a poor start. Losers of three straight and five of their last six, New York stands at 3-6, helplessly fading from the AFC's playoff picture.

Just a short time ago, the boisterous Rex Ryan took the NFL by storm, leading a ferocious defense which backed up his confident predictions. Now? Ryan continues to say what he's said for the last four years. But the cliche states a picture says a thousand words. Looking at Ryan, the picture paints a man lost, defeated, and losing control of the situation.

Mark Sanchez

With the murmur of cries for Rex Ryan's job growing every day, Ryan may have very well committed career-suicide by staking himself to starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.

The Jets are currently ranked 27th in the league in passing offense. After a bye, the Jets spent two weeks preparing for a strong Seattle defense. The outcome? 7 measly points in a game that was never as close as the score would insinuate.

Is it time for the Jets to move on from Mark Sanchez?

Sanchez is in his fourth year and was drafted to be the franchise quarterback. By year four, the idea is that Sanchez should have made progressions, maturing as a decision maker and shouldering more of the load in the offensive attack.

Instead, Sanchez continues to make first-year mistakes as a fourth-year veteran. He's yet to complete more than 56% of his passes in a year, and has thrown exactly 60 interceptions in roughly 3 1/2 years.

As of now, Sanchez ranks dead last in completion percentage at 52%. He ranks 25th in passing yards, 22nd in touchdowns, and has thrown the 10th most interceptions this year with 9. Last year? Sanchez was 5th highest in INT's with 18, ranked 28th in completion percentage, and ranked 23rd in passer rating.

Jets fans, he's going the wrong way.

If New York is serious about contending for a championship in the coming years, changes will have to be made at quarterback. You cannot seriously contend for a title with a bottom-tier QB. While Rex Ryan and Woody Johnson may believe they can replicate Ryan's Trent Dilfer-led Ravens, it won't happen in today's NFL. Mark Sanchez is best described as a below-average starting quarterback, yet he now can't rely on a top 5 defense to carry him.

Rex Ryan

We touched on Ryan earlier, but questions remain. With rumors that Ryan has lost the locker room and the production regressing every season, it's fair to ask how much longer Ryan has in New York. A defensive wizard, Ryan's defense is 30th in the league at stopping the run. They've allowed 58 points in the last two weeks to rookie quarterbacks, and no longer strike fear into the hearts of opposing offenses.

I personally believe Ryan is an exceptional defensive coordinator. But in his time in New York, he's never cultivated a successful offense or hired the correct coaches to do so. His strengths are now turning to weaknesses, and his shtick runs dry when wins aren't produced.

Mike Tannenbaum 

"Mr. T", as fans affectionately refer to Tannenbaum as, has somehow slipped under national radar. While all of the blame has been placed on Ryan and Sanchez, Tannenbaum has hidden in the shadows.

While the Jets will continue to fail because they've put their eggs into the Mark Sanchez basket, the talent has severely regressed within the last three seasons. Ryan is now asked to direct an NFL leading defense without stalwarts like Kris Jenkins. Talent continues to age without suitable replacements, and the Jets have horrendous depth.

The same could be said offensively. To Sanchez's credit, he isn't exactly working with a Pro Bowl cast. The Jets could use upgrades across the board, as their running back Shonn Greene can't break tackles, their receivers are downright pitiful behind Santonio Holmes, and their one playmaker Dustin Keller fails to remain healthy.

Whereas other teams have talent to replace injuries, the Jets use injuries as an excuse to validate yet another disappointing season. Look at Tannenbaum for reasons why there is little depth behind star players.

Simply put, the way the Jets are built is not successful. The organization will need major overhaul. Now where that starts remains to be seen. If it was me? I'd give this regime one more chance, starting with a new quarterback and a new offensive coordinator. Mark Sanchez is what he is, and the waiting game must end. If the Jets want to compete before serious talent overhauls are needed on both sides of the ball, they will need to find a franchise quarterback either through the draft or via free agency.

While there is still time to salvage the season, don't plan on it. These are not your 2009 Jets, and this is not your 2009 Rex Ryan. The Jets may still bark, but they don't bite.

Evaluating the Red Sox: Infielders

The Boston Red Sox have a myriad of problems to attend too. Top to bottom, this is an organization in need of change, an organization in need of a new direction.

There is perhaps no better place to start the reconstruction of your Beantown 9 than with the starting infield. For evaluation purposes, I've chosen to include catchers as apart of the infield, and David Ortiz goes without saying.

It's bizarre to think that heading into the 2013 season, the Red Sox return only Dustin Pedroia, Will Middlebrooks, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Just a year ago, Adrian Gonzalez was set to bolster the middle of the order and Mike Aviles finally gave Boston a sense of stability at the shortstop position.

Now? Well, there's work to be done.

The Incumbents

As of now, the Red Sox seem fairly set at the catching position. However, is being "set" good enough? Jarrod Saltalamacchia, otherwise known as "The Perm", is one of the more frustrating players on this team. He's possessed with great ability, 25 homers as a catcher and a SLG% of .454. But he's also extremely frustrating, as he hit just .222 last season, struck out an amazing 31% of his at-bats, and graded out as a below-replacement level fielder.

Behind him? Questions. Ryan Lavarnway, for now, is penciled in as the backup. This is a scary thought considering 2012 was 166 at-bats of pure misery for the soon-to-be 26 year old "prospect." Who is Lavarnway? Is he the catcher who hit .157 in the majors last year, striking out 24.7% of the time and accumulating a horrendous .459 OPS? Or is he the ever-improving defensive catcher who happened to hit .295 in each of his last two AAA seasons?

UPDATE: Just getting word that the Sox have signed David Ross to a 2 year, $6.2 million dollar deal. His role will be "more than a backup but not a starter." If you remember, Ross briefly played with the Red Sox in 2008. He's backed up Brian McCann in Atlanta, and is considered one of the better offensive catchers in the league.

First base is nonexistent as of now, with Mauro Gomez potentially providing a backup right handed bat off the bench.

Obviously, Dustin Pedroia returns at second base. Pedroia provided another strong season in 2012, hitting .290 with a .797 OPS. Pedroia finished the second half of the year much stronger than he started, due in part to his recovery from a nagging finger injury. Expect him to produce similar numbers in 2013.

Shortstop provides yet another issue for the Sox. After trading Mike Aviles as compensation for manager John Farrell, the team is left with only Jose Iglesias. Iglesias is a mysterious player. As strong as he is with his glove, (which is really damn strong) Iglesias is weak with his bat.  Can the Red Sox really trust a player to play every day after he hit just .118 in 77 at-bats in 2012?

Will Middlebrooks provided one of the few bright spots for the current roster. Assuming he fully recovers from a nasty wrist injury, Middlebrooks is primed to take the next step as a major league hitter. The talent is there (.288avg, 15 homers) but Middlebrooks must learn to be more patient at the plate and become a more professional hitter.

Improving the Infield

If Ben Cherington truly believes he can improve this team enough in one off-season to contend in 2013, changes will need to be made. The team has no first basemen, essentially gives up an out every time the shortstop steps up to the plate. and creates a black hole due to the lack of contact hitters.

Moving forward, I will provide options and scenarios which I believe will likely happen. I will also provide sleeper, more far-fetched, scenarios. After all, who doesn't like playing GM for a day?

Free Agent First Basemen

I've seen many names linked to the Red Sox, which is natural due to the high-profile nature of the team. Among those names, I first want to focus on first basemen. I've seen everything from Mike Napoli to Lance Berkman, with Adam LaRoche, Nick Swisher, and even Kevin Youkilis in between.

Of that list, I believe the best option is Mike Napoli. Napoli will not command the years/salary of Swisher, isn't 33 years old like LaRoche, and is similar to Cody Ross in the sense that he's a perfect fit for Fenway Park. Frankly, I'm sick of seeing Mike Napoli stroll on into Fenway Park and annihilate Red Sox pitching as well.

Unfortunately, Napoli is not a long-term solution. He's a streaky hitter who will hit his share of homers, strike out a lot, and has the ability to catch fire. He's also capable of catching and playing first base. Ideally, Napoli signs a 2 year deal and bolsters the middle of the order while they search for a long-term fit.

Oh, and by the way, Kevin Youkilis isn't coming back. Stop with that. And unless Nick Swisher changes his attitude and takes a paycut, I don't want him either.

The Iglesias Conundrum 

The other focus area? Shortstop.

Call me a hater, call me a non-believer, but I'm not on team Jose Iglesias. Can he bridge the position until star prospect Xander Bogaerts is ready? Probably. But is a .200 hitter worth the defense? I guess the argument comes down to what Ben Cherington surrounds Iglesias with. If 1-8 in the order can return the Red Sox to a dominant offensive team, I can learn to deal with a AAA bat at the end of the lineup.

But guess what. As of now, the Red Sox are nowhere near in a position to accommodate Iglesias' inability to hit the ball in the air.

Unfortunately, the only viable free agent at shortstop is Stephen Drew, brother of J.D Drew. Unless the Red Sox want to kick the tires on Alex Gonzalez for the 374th time or re-sign Marco Scutaro (who isn't a viable shortstop anymore, despite what talk radio tells you), they're left with Drew,

Drew is a career .265 hitter coming off a down year. When healthy, he has the ability to hit 10-15 homers a year and put up an OPS around .800. This is a superior upgrade over current production. Drew is 30 years old, injury prone, and looking for a multi-year deal. One figure I saw was 3 years 30 million, a tall order for someone who can't stay on the field. Is it worth it with Bogaerts waiting in the wings?

Lets Get Creative

For the sake of argument, lets say the Red Sox can't land a target in free agency. Perhaps the trade market is where they will make their splash.

The Red Sox are not in a position to be handing out prospects left and right for star players. But I also believe there may be second-tier deals to be made, and I think there are a few possible deals to be made.

We've spent time talking about former Angel Mike Napoli. Well, why don't we focus more on current Angel Kendrys Morales. Morales has struggled to stay healthy, but could be serviceable as a 1B/OF option, if Boston is willing to overlook his defensive deficiencies.

Morales, in theory, could offer 20-25 homers and a marginal middle of the order bat without commanding top-level prospects.

Another interesting trade option is Asdrubal Cabrera of the Cleveland Indians. Cabrera is a career .280 hitter, hit 16 homers a year ago, and strikes out roughly 16% of the time. The drawback? He's a subpar fielder. But hey, Jose Iglesias late-inning substitution anybody?

How I see it Playing Out

If I was to jump in a time warp and fast forward to April of 2013, I would expect the infield to look something like this.

C: Jarrod Saltalamacchia, David Ross, Ryan Lavarnway
1B: Mike Napoli, Mauro Gomez
2B: Dustin Pedroia, Pedro Ciriaco
SS: Asdrubal Cabrera, Jose Iglesias.
3B: Will Middlebrooks.
DH: David Ortiz
There's also the options of Ivan DeJesus and Danny Valencia as fillers, and I don't think we've heard the end of Nick Swisher to Boston rumors. Hopefully, for everyones sake, that does not happen.

The Faceless Red Sox

Yes, it is November. Yes, the Celtics season just started and the Patriots are coming off a bye, looking to generate momentum as they push towards another playoff run. And yes, I will spend the next week or so focusing on the Red Sox.

It's always baseball season in Boston.

And despite last years catastrophe of a season and a playoff drought of sorts, (three whole seasons!) the 2013 baseball season brings great hope to Red Sox nation. Well, kind of great hope. Maybe some hope. Hope?

One of the strangest things about the Red Sox is that now more than ever, this a team fans simply have a difficult time identifying with. For the first time in at least 10 years, the majority of this team is a question mark. It does not have a strength to fall back on, a leader to guide them, or an energized fan base.

From a business perspective, the team also does not have as many reasons for fans to come out to the ballpark. Outside of the incumbents, Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, fans have a hard time finding that player to get behind. Jon Lester? Coming off his worst season in the major leagues, Lester not only has to win fans over by his game, but he has to continue to distance himself from the chicken and beer fiasco that was the 2011 season.

Behind Lester, the only other Red Sox pitcher you'd enjoy recognizing on the street (sorry John Lackey) is Clay Buchholz. Unfortunately, I don't think the reserved Clay Buchholz excites people. Fans used to Shipping up to Boston and the quirky bullpen band are now subject to watching Andrew Bailey attempt to close out games and Junichi Tazawa in the 8th inning, hardly a back-end duo fans can relate too.

For as much as the Red Sox lack in the pitching department, they also lack faces on the field. There isn't a Kevin Millar walking through that door to Cowboy up the clubhouse. There's no Nomar Garciappara or Kevin Youkilis to win over the hearts of Red Sox nation. Heck, I'd even take Manny Ramirez taking another inopportune leak behind the Green Monster over the boring bunch in place now.

As of now, if asked,  could you even pick Jose Iglesias out of a crowd? The team doesn't have corner outfielders at the moment, (BRING BACK CODY ROSS. JUST DO IT.) they don't have a first basemen, and their lineup is the weakest it's been in years. Heck, Pedro Ciriaco is the closest thing to a fan favorite on this team as of now. Pedro Ciriaco. Seriously.

Many of you will ask about Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz. Sure, fans love them. They're about the only guys left on this team fans CAN love. For all the minor flaws that have revealed themselves about both players in the last two seasons, you cannot ignore Pedroia's daily effort on the field or Big Papi's endearment to Red Sox Nation through clutch heroics.

But here's the thing. Bostonians love grit, they love the underdog, and most of all, they love winners. This team as a whole is not a winning ballclub, which makes David Ortiz's clutch heroics non-existent and devalues Dustin Pedroia's willingness to play hard for a team destined for 90 wins.

Moving forward, words cannot do this off-season justice. This is an absolutely pivotal off-season for Boston not only because they simply cannot afford to repeat another 90 win season, but this team needs an identity. And you know what, it probably won't be found in 2013. You're asking a lot out of Ben Cherington to turn a 90+ loss team into an 85-90 win team with one off-season and an open payroll.

I actually saw today than an unnamed GM considered the Red Sox contenders in 2013. I think that's surprising, but I wouldn't rule it out. Because of that, over the next few installment of Mark's Thoughts (I need a better name), I'll focus on what I believe the Red Sox should do to improve this team for 2013 and beyond. I'll focus on each position group for each post, and would enjoy any opposing opinions.

After all, who doesn't like pretending they're the GM?

Dear Hockey

Hello, Hockey.

Listen, I know we haven't always had the best relationship. I know I never played hockey as a child, and I know I still can't skate backwards. I know we didn't always get along when the Bruins were a bottom-feeder in the East, and I know that I still don't actually own a Bruins jersey.  (They're expensive, I'm a broke college student, what do you want from me?) I also remember when our relationship briefly went through a rough patch in 2004-2005.

But recently I feel like we've been on better terms. I celebrated a championship you know, even went to a Stanley Cup Finals game. I routinely watched Versus/NBC Sports Network/Whatever channel they decide on for this month last year, as hockey has never been more exciting. But now you've been taken away from me again.

To be honest, hockey, I miss you.

I miss turning on the TV at night and being able to watch both the Celtics and Bruins. I miss having a valid excuse to not start whatever assignment I've procrastinated until roughly 10:00. Heck, I STILL miss Kathryn Tappen, no offense Dale Arnold.

I miss Brad Marchand short-handed goals and shouting Nose Face Killah at no one in particular.

I miss Shawn Thornton angrily skating around looking for his next fight as if a hockey game is a Saturday night bar-crawl in South Boston.

I'm not quite sure if I'm suppose to miss Tim Thomas or not.

I miss ESPN going out of their way to devote as small amount of time as possible to hockey coverage, instead shoving Tim Tebow and fantasy football analysts down our throat.

I miss hearing the Bruins goal horn and being excited. Now I hear it every third-down in Gillette Stadium. WARNING: Disappointment is imminent.

I miss Jack Edwards shamelessly screaming at Canadien's players and his overall bias towards Boston.

I miss laughing at Daniel Paille's inability to finish breakaway goals, watching Johnny Boychuk take slapshots. I miss calling out David Krejci because he's the resident scapegoat, even though he's a damn good player.

I miss Milan Lucic's crooked nose.

I miss hockey rivalries, no matter where the game takes place. I miss having a season to look forward too, and I miss yelling Tuuuuuukkkkaaaa.

I miss, wait a minute, no I definitely do NOT miss the Vancouver Canucks.

I want to experience going into a Bruins game as a college student, seeing as I have such easy accessibility to the Garden.

What saddens me the most is that this is a salvageable situation, hockey. How dare you threaten your fan base with the Winter Classic? This is one of the most loyal fan bases in sports. And despite hockey enthusiasts willingness to stay hibernated, not allowing new fans in and disgracing basketball fans, I miss you guys too.

Listen, I'm not a lawyer. I'm not going to pretend to tell you all about the CBA and what either side should demand. I do know the players felt disrespected, they felt like they gave the owners a good piece of the pie last time, and I know they want some respect for single-handedly growing the game in a way it hasn't grown before.

I also know the players had a deal from the owners which they most likely should have taken. But somewhere along the way, rumors, pride, ego, whatever it may be, got in the way.

So now hockey continues into the month of November permanently on hold. As the temperature drops and the days get shorter, we'll look to hockey even more. Sadly, it's not there, and may not be there for a long time.

Do you see what you've done with this lockout, hockey? I'm writing a love letter to a sport. Thanks for nothing, Gary Bettman.

Love,

 Mark.