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Get ready for "The New Era Pinstripe Bowl". Leave it to the entreprenurial prowess of the Steinbrenner clan for finding new innovative ways to strengthen their Yankees brand.

Football tradition starts a new chapter of sports in the Bronx. Yankee Stadium will host the Big East's third ranked team vs Big 12's sixth ranked team (after excluding the conferences' respective BCS teams from consideration). The four year agreement to host games gives the New Era Cap Co. "exclusive headwear licensing rights and non-exclusive apparel licensing rights on Bowl-Game-related merchandise." ESPN owns broadcasting rights for both tv and radio.

Another financial home run for the Steinbrenner's and Yankees. Yankee Stadium has a rich tradition in holding spectacular non-baseball related events from heavyweight boxing championships to visits from the Pope. This will be the first time college football returned to the Bronx since 1962. Is this just the beginning of Yanks brass trying to secure future higher ranked games? Or, will the Steinbrenner's be satisfied with the new status quo? Time will tell.

The Yankees empire continues to grow. New Yorkers love it. Yankee haters despise anything Yankee related. There's been a recent trend developing in sports arenas. Bold owners are reaching beyond their respective sports to find new avenues of entertainment. Cowboys Stadium (NFL) recently hosted the NBA All Star Game. Boston's Fenway Park hosts NHL regular season games. Let's not forget the countless music venues held across the country in arena's large and small.

This is a home run deal for all involved. New York is the media capital of the world. NCAA, New Era, ESPN and the Yankees will all capitalize on this deal even in the midst of our economic downturn. Yankee fans can celebrate a new revenue stream which will undoubtably secure what this team has always tried doing... chasing after the best baseball talent the game has to offer.

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NFL salary caps are out in 2010. Negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement between players and owners is making no headway whatsoever. Owners have stated cash strapped ways will lead to massive changes down the road. Not yet though. NFL teams haven't wasted any time throwing big dollar contracts at top free agents. Some teams have been clear winners. A few, big losers. Here's my short list of best and worst moves...

Winners

Atlanta Falcons Improving defense is key if Atlanta wants to become a true NFL power. They took a step in the right direction by signing CB Dunta Robinson to help slow down opposing passing attacks. Atlanta has more work to do before becoming off season winners but at least they're addressing pressing issues for future success.

Baltimore Ravens Welcome addition to a terrible WR group... Anquan Boldin was obtain via trade and quickly rewarded with a handsome new contract. Coupled with Dante Stallworth, these two finally give Baltimore much needed solid targets for QB Joe Flacco.

Chicago Bears Heading into last year Chicago wanted us to believe all they needed was a QB change. They traded Orton for Jay Cutler. Cutler was a bust but is a talented QB who will get another shot in 2010. Now he has help. Chicago's secured three impact players: DE Julius Peppers ($42M), RB Chester Taylor & TE Brandon Manumaleuna. Is it enough for the Bears to catch division rivals Green Bay & Minnesota? Probably not but they'll be much better. Don't forget, new Offensive Coordinator is Mike Martz. Bears fans can be optimistic once again.

Miami Dolphins A team in need of star calibur players got a boost by signing impact LB Karlos Dansby (5 years, $43M). Hard hitting Steelers safety Ryan Clark is expected to be signed within moments. Chad Pennington is coming back as insurance for young QB Henne. More work to be done in Miami but they're off to a flying start addressing off season needs.

Losers

Buffalo Bills Chan Gailey as new head coach. Are you kidding me? With all of the available talented coaches available Buffalo goes with Gailey??? The Bills were rejected by Super Bowl winning coaches Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher. At least their new head coach matches up well with current players. Buffalo will have to be very lucky if they plan on winning any games in 2010. They need help everywhere from front office all the way down. Current ecomonics begs me to ask one question... who would spend a $1.00 to sit in frigid conditions to watch the NFL's worst team content on losing ugly?

Dallas Cowboys Cowboy fans must love owner Jerry Jones devotion to everything Cowboys. However, he's prone to making moves which work against progress. Jones has vowed to make "many" moves this off season. Nothing substantial yet. Dallas needs to be careful. They have a great team. No need to shake it up. WR help is a must. Special teams tacklers could help too. Dallas hosts 2011 Super Bowl. Jerry wants Cowboys playing in the big game. The best move for this franchise is to scrap their offensive coordinator and head coach.

New York Jets Father's hide your daughters! Jets, a team on the rise, signed a problem child. CB Antonio Cromartie was once a very promising pass defender has been labeled uncoachable and locker room distraction. Poor practice habits, poor tackling and various off field personal issues including fathering seven children with six women in 5 different states (also named in 5 paternity suits in past 2 years). Is this really the type of athlete you want to throw away future talent (2 draft picks) to bring into your home?

Undecided

New York Giants I've always been a fan of Antrell Rolle's talents. As a matter of fact, I was pleased to learn the Giants picked him up... until hearing NY made him the highest paid safetry in NFL history (5 years/$37M). Giants were desparate for secondary help especially after losing so many starters to injury in '09. On its' surface, Rolle's contract is way over priced. All will be forgotten and big money contract will be a bargain if Giants reach NFC Championship. There's more work to be done if this franchise has Super dreams (pass rusher, linebackers, WR's and special teams).

More to follow as NFL teams get ready for draft day.

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-Digger's Daily-

Spring Training baseball games kicked off this week. Less than one month remains before regular season opening day! NFL teams getting busy adjusting rosters and bickering with the players union over a new collective bargaining agreement. NBA & NHL teams thinking playoffs as regular season inches closer to completion. There's a new #1 in college basketball. How long can Syracuse hold on to the top seed? Get ready for March Madness!

Here's my quick power rankings for our major sports:

MLB
1- Yankees
2- Phillies
3- Red Sox
4- Dodgers
5- Angels
6- White Sox
7- Angels
8- Cardinals
9- Rays
10-Giants

NBA
1- Lakers
2- Cleveland
3- Dallas
4- Orlando
5- Boston
6- Denver
7- Utah
8- Phoenix
9- San Antonio
10-Oklahoma

NCAA
1- Syracuse
2- Kansas
3- Kentucky
4- Duke
5- Kansas St
6- Purdue
7- New Mexico
8- Villanova
9- Butler
10- Brigham Young

NFL
1- New Orleans
2- Indianpolis
3- Minnesota
4- Green Bay
5- Dallas
6- Jets
7- Philadelphia
8- Baltimore
9- Pittsburgh
10-Giants

NHL
1- Washington
2- Chicago
3- San Jose
4- Pittsburgh
5- New Jersey
6- Vancouver
7- Buffalo
8- Los Angeles
9- Phoenix
10-Colorado

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Joe McCarthy. John McGraw. Connie Mack. Casey Stengel. Sparky Anderson. Earl Weaver. Whitey Herzog. Those are just a few of the many legendary managers in baseball history. America's greatest game has championed many era's. One thing remains the same. Great managers motivate their players to win. They overcome distractions, injuries, meddlesome owners and bigger than life stars.

So, which manager in today's era is the best? Personally, I don't believe there's one single manager who stands head and shoulders above others. There's five who I consider tops in the game right now (with 2 honorable mentions). Here's my short list of baseball's best managers.

Ron Gardenhire (708-588, .546) Gardenhire's Twins have won 5 division titles in his 8 years as skipper. What makes RG's success very significant has been winning with one of baseball's lowest budgets and young talent. He manages every inning of every game. A great motivator. Players believe and they win when most expect them to lose.

Joe Torre (2246-1915, .540) Ok, Ok simmer down Yankees haters. Joe gets the job done no matter what. Since 1996 no Torre team finished below 2nd (12 first place, 2 2nd). 15 playoff appearances is tied with Bobby Cox for most all time. Nobody deals with head cases better than Joe. His teams believe in him, he believes in players, teams win. Period.

Bobby Cox (2413-1930, .556) 2010 will be Bobby's last as a MLB manager. One of the most fiery skipper's baseball has ever produced. Braves won 14 consecutive NL East titles. Excellent motivator. Kept Atlanta competitive during recent rebuilding years. 15 playoff appearances tied with Joe Torre for most ever.

Mike Scioscia (900-720, .556) One of the games most respected managers could be a cornerstone in Anaheim for years to come. During his 10 years... 6 playoffs and 1 World Series title. Key losses and division rivals reloading will keep Scioscia on his toes this season. Excellent student of the game. Former catcher gets the most out of his players and seems to always make the right moves.

Terry Francona (850-771, .524) An instant hit in Boston. Francona's first season at the helm ended "The Curse". Boston rallied from down 3 games to 0 to beat arch rival Yanks 4 games to 3 in 2004 ALCS en route to Red Sox 1st World Series title since 1918. Captured 2nd title in '07. Sox qualified for playoffs in 5 of 6 seasons winning no less then 95 (in playoff years). Sluggers are gone for '10... but, pitchers are plentiful.

Honorable mention: Tony LaRussa, Lou Piniella.

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2010 Winter Olympic medal competitions concluded Sunday night in Vancouver. USA won the most total medals (37). Host Canada won the most golds (14) and finished third overall behind Germany (30). We were treated to spectacular competitions from beginning to end. The final event was a thrilling overtime victory by Team Canada's men's hockey over Team USA, 3-2. Are the games over? Officially, yes. Recreationally.... ?

I ran across a funny story in Sunday's National Post. Apparently, local health officials distributing 100,000 condoms for athletes wasn't nearly enough. Considering approximately 7000 gathered within the Olympic Village confines in Vancouver... this means an average of 14 condoms/athlete were used. As of mid-week, supplies were running on empty. An additional 20,000 were rushed in by Australian Olympic supplier Ansell.

Gold, silver or bronze. An entirely new competition is rumored to be taking place as Olympians celebrate before returning home. Olympic sponsor Nike's slogan "Just Do It" has a whole new meaning.

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2010 Winter Olympic unsportmanlike medal belongs to Evgeni Plushenko of Russia for continuing to whimper of finishing 2nd in the men's figure skating championship. Plushenko's actions have landed him on thin ice in newspapers from around the globe.

Plushenko ungraciously started attacking American gold medal winner Evan Lysacek's performance.

"You can't be considered a true men's champion without a quad," Plushenko told Russian state television RTR.
"If [the] Olympic champion doesn't know how to jump a quad, it isn't men's figure skating, it's men's ice dancing," Plushenko said.

Plushenko and the Russian team had unsuccessfully sought to make quadruple jumps a permanent part of Olympic competition. By all accounts, Plushenko's performance was flawed even though he did complete a quad while Lysacek did not (wasn't required). Lysacek apparently took a safer route by sticking to a less challenging but strategically correct routine which netted gold.

Plushenko even went so far as to post a false picture on his personal website wearing a platinum medal. Get a grip man, you lost. Be a true champion by acting like one. Enough officials thought Lysacek made fewer gaffe's and skated a cleaner routine. Whether or not it was harder isn't the main issue. To win gold a skater must show a near perfect skate. Plushenko was far from perfect. Lysacek was the best on ice that night.

Get over it Plushenko. Is wasn't the quad, or lack of one, which cost you gold. It was your performance. Deal with it!

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Who says EA Sports Madden Football is just for kids? It's one of the all time best selling video games in history. It all began back in 1989 as John Madden Football for Apple computers. The game quickly caught on and has undergone major upgrades from functionability to enhance video interfaces. On line play began by way of Madden NFL 2003. Unfortunately, Madden NFL 2008 was the final version (my current) for PC play. Game consoles are very advanced affording online gaming via platforms other than personal computers. Anyone familiar with Madden games has heard of "The Madden Curse" attributed to players appearing on game box covers suddenly getting injured or reduced productivity in NFL careers.

One of my closest friends and I have been playing online against each other for years (2008 pc version). As a rule of thumb, we only act as coaches calling plays and making substitutions. We do not control individual players when online (only when playing in person). After completing our regular season we decided to do something different. Madden NFL 2008 offers "All Time" teams. However, unlike current rosters, no names are given to All Time players (only false uniform numbers). Our task was to draft teams (12 each) and enter one by one, team by team, position by position, player names instead of false numbers. So, instead of #3 as QB of the All Time 49ers, it now reads Joe Montana. This was done for all of our teams. It was a painstaking drill which hit many snags before completing.

Our schedule runs 24 games/team with all teams playing against each other twice (home/away). Our schedule has reached week 6. It's been a blast bringing back and using players like Dan Marino, Larry Csonka, Jim Brown, Jerry Rice, Dick Butkus, Lawrence Taylor, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton, Lance Alworth, Joe Namath etc. On the surface, All Time teams of intense calibur are separated by few tendencies. Specifically, offensive and defensive lineman. I did my homework and based most of my draft picks on whichever team would control the line of scrimmage. So far, my plan has worked perfectly. My top teams based on W/L records are as follows: Bears (6-0) featuring the games best defense hands down, Raiders (6-0), Colts (5-0), NY Jets (5-0). Takeaways have been by biggest advantage and is a direct result of superior lineman or defensive specialists. My buddy has a few teams still struggling for their first victory.

There have been many intense battles. Sometimes the game is fairly true to life. Often times, it is not. Nonetheless, it's been great recreating players of old and watching them do their thing on the field. I'll post periodic updates and stats when they become available. Stay tuned....

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Has anyone been watching the Winter Olympics? Athletes from around the world have been giving it their all in Vancouver. I can't help notice one glaring omission. Patriotism. Is it just me? Has any American metioned the country he or she represents while being interviewed? How about when accepting medals on behalf of their/our nation?

Politics need not get involved. Patriotism is not politics. Being proud representing your country as one of its' greatest sporting competitors is patriotism.

One can't help but think we're witnessing too much individualism. It's fair to say I haven't watched every minute or event being held in Vanouver. From what I have seen, not a single American has even mentioned our nation. Not even in passing. Smacks of a selfish entitlement idiology. Patriotism isn't in their hearts which is quite surprising considering diverse backgrounds make up USA's Winter Olympics rosters. Has anyone made an statement "... on behalf of my teammates.." or any sort of gratitude for anything? Not even paying tribute to their coaches or trainers.

American viewers have been treated to tremendous games. Witnessing Olympic glory and a few devastating defeats. Compeition at highest attainable levels. "Earning" the opportunity of wearing your country's flag had always been a dream of most Olympians. Nearly all of prior Team USA participants have expressed this in countless interviews and public appearances. Even our President hasn't spoken in support of our greatest athletes as they represent the United States of America.

Perhaps individualism or lack of patriotic acknowledgement is the "in" thing these days. Maybe my observations above shouldn't be directed with broad key strokes. But, something is clearly been missing. An abundance of sportsmanship has shined for all to see. Patriotism remains in the dark.

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Baseball 2010 is warming up. Team camps are open and players are getting ready to chase their World Series dreams. Fans have been signing up in record numbers to play fantasy baseball on various sites from online forums to in-person gatherings.

There's no better fantasy sports game than baseball. It's a true test of managers ability to keep teams going over the course of 162 games. Early or late season injuries can destroy an entire season if managers fail to plan ahead. I thoroughly enjoy fantasy baseball player debates when managers attempt explaining away why they chose a particular player to build their teams around.

Fantasy baseball comes in many forms. AL only, NL only, All Universe. Then we have to choose which style of play... head to head, rotisserie. Do you play in leagues which assign dollar values? Caps? No salary? Money leagues? Leagues for fun? Should I join an ESPN league? Baseball Manager? Plenty of games are out there. Do your homework before signing up.

I've decided to rank my top ten players by position for fantasy baseball impact. These rankings are without dollar considerations. It's strictly a list of best players offering biggest value (stat) returns by position. Obviously, rankings would change depending on league scoring types. Here we go...

Catchers:
1- Joe Mauer
2- Victor Martinez
3- Jorge Posada
4- Brian McCann
5- Geovany Soto
6- Russell Martin
7- Benji Molina
8- Matt Wieters (rookie, sleeper)
9- Mike Napoli
10-Ryan Doumit

There's a serious dropoff in production after the top 3. Buyer beware.

1B:
1- Albert Pujols
2- Ryan Howard
3- Mark Teixeira
4- Prince Fielder
5- Justin Morneau
6- Miguel Cabrera
7- Adrian Gonzalez
8- Kendry Morales
9- Adam Dunn
10-Derek Lee

Top 5 guaranteed to produce BIG stats.

2B:
1- Chase Utley
2- Dustin Pedroia
3- Robinson Cano
4- Ian Kinsler
5- Brian Roberts
6- Aaron Hill
7- Brandon Phillips
8- Howie Kendrick
9- Dan Uggla
10-Ben Zobrist

3B:
1- Alex Rodriguez
2- Evan Longoria
3- Pablo Sandoval
4- Ryan Zimmerman
5- Aramis Ramirez
6- Kevin Youkilis
7- Mark Reynolds
8- David Wright
9- Chone Figgins
10-Michael Young

SS:
1- Hanley Ramirez
2- Jimmy Rollins
3- Troy Tulowitzki
4- Derek Jeter
5- Jose Reyes (beware)
6- Jason Bartlett
7- Alcides Escobar
8- Yuniel Escobar
9- Stephen Drew
10-Orlando Cabrera

If you don't land a top 4 SS then go after other positions offering better production. SS isn't going to give you big stats w/o top 4. Draft according to league type. Not worth ruining an entire season by taking a chance here.

OF:
1- Ryan Braun
2- Manny Ramirez
3- Matt Holliday
4- Andre Ethier
5- Adam Lind
6- Carl Crawford
7- Grady Sizemore
8- Curtis Granderson
9- Jason Werth
10-Ichiro Suzuki

Clearly debates will rage here. OF rankings depend on the type of league you've joined. In head to head matchups, go for power. Rotisserie leagues might need speed or high batting average types if you already have enough power or RBI producers. Know your team and understand scoring rules.

DH:
1- David Ortiz
2- Hideki Matsui
3- Vlad Guerrero
4- Jason Kubel

Only four listed. Just go for the best hitter as DH slots are universal (anyone can hit here). No pure DH is worth drafting before later round in live drafts.

Starting Pitchers:
1- Tim Lincecum
2- Felix Hernandez
3- Justin Verlander
4- Zack Grienke
5- CC Sabathia
6- Roy Halladay
7- Chris Carpenter
8- Johan Santana
9- Jon Lester
10-Cliff Lee

Understand your league type and scoring when drafting starting pitchers. Some leagues place greater emphasis on certain statistics or may not include points for catagories such as shutouts, complete games, quality starts.

Closers:
1- Mariano Rivera
2- Jonathan Papelbon
3- Jonathan Broxton
4- Joe Nathan
5- Francisco Rodriguez
6- Trevor Hoffman
7- Hudson Street
8- Ryan Franklin
9- David Aardsma
10-Bobby Jenks

Understand your league type and scoring when drafting closers.

Let the raging debates begin. Keep in mind these rankings, as listed, are somewhat generic. Know your leagues and pre-rank players according to maximum contribution potentials. Always use your top 5 picks for maximum statistical returns. Pujols, Howard, ARod, Hanley Ramirez, Lincecum are all great and highly sought 1st round selections. Never over bid for one particular player if it detracts from completing a balanced attack. Have I mentioned... "know your league" in preparation for draft day?

Happy drafting.

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-Digger's Daily-

NL West baseball was spectacular in '09. Joe Torre's LA Dodgers managed to hang on and win the division in the final week. Colorado pulled off another fantastic finish by getting hot at just the right time. San Francisco's younth movement surprisingly kept pressure on all foes thanks to Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. Arizona was busy shoring up their roster. San Diego has seen better days.

Here's my final brief installment of 2010 previews... NL West.

Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67):
Key additions: 22 players signed to minor league contracts including Eric Gagne & Brian Giles trying to rejuvenate careers.
Key losses: John Garland, Orlando Hudson, Guillermo Mota, Juan Pierre, Jim Thome, Randy Wolf.
Dodger baseball is alive and well with Joe Torre at the helm. Back to back NL West titles for the first time since the days of Tommy Lasorda (1994-95). Great nucleus of young pitching & hitting assures this team will remain in West race for years to come.
Projected rotation: Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, Vincente Padilla, ???
Bullpen: Fireballer Jonathan Broxton returns. Eric Gagne making another comeback attempt. Very deep, talented bullpen. Perhaps they have too many arms? Ideal for end of spring trading bait.
Forecast: Starting pitching might not go deep enough into games. Torre will have his hands full trying to keep relievers arms sound when the clock turns to September. Lineup comes through with clutch hit after clutch hit... until NLCS rolls around. Torre will try getting his team past recent playoff failures... assuming they can hold off rising Rockies.

Colorado Rockies (92-70):
Key additions: Melvin Mora, Miguel Olivo
Key losses: Garrett Atkins, Jose Contreras, Josh Fogg, Matt Herges, Jason Marquis, Yorvit Torrealba.
Once again, Colorado put together a strong late season push to make the playoffs. Strong performances by young rotation surprised everyone outside of Denver. All starters had winning records. Cutting down on strikeouts will go a long way towards winning the West. Rocks hope young talent matures enough to win it all. Dangerous club when all cylinder's are firing.
Projected rotation: Ubaldo Jiminez, Aaron Cook, Jorge De La Rosa, Jeff Francis, Jason Hamel, Franklin Morales.
Bullpen: Hudson Street is loving life away from Oakland. Plenty of arms competing for roles on the big league club. Minors will be filled with pitching talent when camp breaks.
Forecast: Is this the year Colorado goes wire to wire? There's plenty of talent here to make a legit World Series run if starting pitchers continue improving.

San Francisco Giants (88-74):
Key additions: Mark DeRosa, Aubrey Huff, Guillermo Mota.
Key losses: Ryan Garko, Bob Howry, Randy Johnson, Brad Penny, Randy Winn.
Heading into '09 everyone knew SF wasn't going to win. In fact, most thought this club might not advance from the cellar. By the end of August, the Giants grabbed hold of 2nd place. Offense was their weak point most of the year outside of Sandoval (only regular to hit over .270). Giants front office has brought in DeRosa and Huff to add offensive potency in 2010. SF is a team on the rise but might still be a year or two away from passing LA/Colorado. But, don't be surprised if they're sitting alone in 1st when this season ends.
Projected rotation: Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Barry Zito, Jonathan Sanchez, ???
Bullpen: Brian Wilson returns to close. I'm not sold on his ability to shut down opponents in big games. Bullpen choirs will be spring time decisions.
Forecast: SF is putting together a fine club. I don't see them winning the West (yet). They'll be very competitive behind solid 1-2 punch of Lincecum & Cain.

San Diego Padres (75-87):
Key additions: John Garland, Jerry Hairston Jr., Yorvit Torrealba, Matt Stairs.
Key losses: Jake Peavy, Brian Giles, Josh Banks, Henry Blanco, Cliff Floyd, Kevin Kouzmanoff.
Padres have yet to recover since blowing their wild card lead to Colorado back in '07. As a matter of fact, they've gone backwards. 2010 will be a very long season and remaining talent could be jettisoned by MLB trading deadline. There isn't anything positive to say about the Padres. Lack of attention towards attempting to build a winning ballclub should have all San Diego fans miffed.
Projected rotation: John Garland, Chris Young, Kevin Correia, ???
Bullpen: Heath Bell returns as closer. Bullpen has talent. Unfortunately, they could easily be burnt out by the All Star break.
Forecast: Doom and gloom with no help on the horizon. Reproducing 75 wins seems like a longshot in tough NL West.

Arizona Diamondbacks (70-92):
Key additions: Edwin Jackson, Adam LaRoche, Aaron Heilman, Ian Kennedy, Bob Howry, Kelly Johnson.
Key losses: Eric Byrnes, Doug Davis, Yusmeiro Petit, Max Scherzer, Chad Tracy, Daniel Schlereth.
Arizona deserves credit for attempting to quickly return to winning ways. Injuries hurt them in recent years. They're now ready to compete. Only question is if new players can produce and if younger home grown talent matures.
Projected rotation: Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, Edwin Jackson, ???
Bullpen: Chad Quails appears to be the closer. Deep bullpen, assignments to be won or lost this spring.
Forecast: Arizona is dangerous for one reason... everyone's eyes are on LA, Colorado & SF. Many pieces need to fall into place beginning with keeping players healthy. Don't be surprised if D-Backs challenge for division honors.

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Get ready for 2010 AL West style baseball. It's going to be a shoot out in the West. Los Angeles has captured division title honors in 5 of 6 seasons. They'll be tested this year. Seattle was busy transforming their roster. Texas seemed ready to dethrone the Angels after beginning 30-19 only to falter during 100 degree sweltering Arlington temperatures. Oakland continues on the low payroll road which has led to dead ends of late.

Let's take a look at how these teams shape up. Only two weeks before Cactus League games begin.

Los Angeles Angels (97-65):
Key additions: Scott Kazmir, Hideki Matsui, Joel Piniero, Fernando Rodney, Brian Stokes.
Key losses: Chone Figgins, Kelvin Escobar, Vlad Guerrero, John Lackey, Gary Mathews Jr., Darren Oliver.
It's been a long time since the Angels dropped so many key players at once. Bad timing? Nope, not with Mike Scioscia calling the shots. LA did well replacing big salaried players. Angels have a young nucleus of talent in place. If they can play up to potential then LA will be the team to beat for quite some time.
Projected rotation: Jared Weaver, Scott Kazmir, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, Joel Piniero.
Bullpen: Rumors swirling wondering who will win the closers job this spring? Fuentes saved 48 but was often shaky. He may be challenged by Shields and newcomer Rodney. Plenty of solid arms. Bullpen should be just fine.
Forecast: Scioscia managed his butt off last season when multiple injuries nearly left this team for dead. Solid young lineup of rising stars. They do it all... speed, power, aggressiveness, defense & pitching. Repeating will not be an easy task but they have the talent and leadership to keep it going.

Texas Rangers (87-75):
Key additions: Vlad Guerrero, Rich Harden, Darren Oliver.
Key losses: Marlon Byrd, Eddie Guardado, Hank Blalock, Andruw Jones, Kevin Millwood, Ivan Rodriguez.
Rangers had a short lived great half of '09 when the led the West. Young pitchers came thru early and often before wilting in summer months. Lineup looked great at times. This team has always been able to hit. Pitching has usually been lacking. Rich Harden, if finally over arm woes, needs to become the staff leader on and off the diamond. Maybe last years' taste of winning can energize this team out of the gates? They'll only go as far as pitchers take them. Easier said than done.
Projected rotation: Rich Harden, Scott Feldman, Tommy Hunter, ???
Bullpen: Francisco Francisco will get plenty of save opp's. The rest of the pen needs to become consistent and probably won't be determined until the end of spring training.
Forecast: They'll score plenty of runs. Trick is getting pitchers to protect leads. Front office still hasn't gone hard after big time starting pitchers.

Seattle Mariners (85-77):
Key additions: Cliff Lee, Chone Figgins, Milton Bradley, Eric Byrnes, Ryan Garko and plenty of role players to compete for bench spots.
Key losses: Adrian Beltre, Kenji Johjima, Carlos Silva, Miguel Bastita.
The Mariners were one of baseball's busiest franchises this winter. They're ready for a serious run at dethroning LA. Lineup will have to manufacture runs without a bonified slugger. Pitching staff will keep them in games all year. Timely hits will be key to their success.
Projected rotation: Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee, Eric Bedard, ???
Bullpen: David Aardsma returns and needs to prove '09 was no fluke. Wide open race for middle relief and setup.
Forecast: Will they become a team to beat? Or, did they overdue it once again? Time will tell. Looking good on paper. A quick start in April is key.

Oakland Athletics (75-87):
Key additions: Ben Sheets, Coco Crisp.
Key losses: Bobby Crosby, Adam Kennedy, Scott Hairston.
Oakland is in a downward spiral. Lack of attendance hurts payroll. Lack of star power hurts attendance. GM Billy Beane had looked like a front office guru not too long ago by his ability to create playoff calibur teams on low budgets. However, back in the day he had Harden, Zito & Mulder (all long gone). Injuries to one time future star pitchers took its' toll. This is a team in transition with no immediate help in sight. AL West foes are too deep. A's lack firepower or pitching to compete anytime soon.
Projected rotation: Ben Sheets, Brett Anderson, Dallas Braden, Justin Duchscherer, ??
Bullpen: Andrew Bailey was terrific in '09 and will be again in '10. Bullpen is lone team brightspot. Giving them a lead with a weak lineup is no easy task.
Forecast: Division rivals upgraded in a big way. A's stuck with what they have. Starting rotation trying to recover from arm woes and weakest West lineup spells trouble.

NL West up next.....

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St. Louis ran away with the Central division title last year. Chicago fans suffered another disappointing season after their Cubs couldn't live up to division favorite status. Milwaukee's pitching staff didn't survive the loss of CC Sabathia & Sheets. Excitement filled the air in Cincinnati. Too bad it didn't translate into wins. Houston's demise may take years to correct. Pittsburgh's future is finally looking bright with excellent young talent.

2010 will be a very competitive season for NL Central teams. Time for a brief look into how these teams shape up heading into spring training (in order of '09 standings).

St. Louis Cardinals (91-71):
Key additions: Brad Penny.
Key losses: Rick Ankiel, Mark DeRosa, Troy Glaus, Khalil Green, Joel Piniero, Todd Wellmeyer, John Smoltz.
I have to admit when I'm wrong. I didn't give the Cards any shot heading into 2009. Thanks to a very strong pitching staff, St. Louis ran away with the division. Pitching remains strong. I'm not sure about their lineup beyond Pujols & Holliday. Plus, no solid left handed bats are to be found. Left side of infield defense doesn't scare anyone on paper offensively or defensively. Not retaining DeRosa was a monumental mistake. LaRussa's managing skills will be put to the test again this year. No reason to think this proven manager will fold. However, there's a circus-like atmosphere already swirling as the Cards hired steroid junkie Mark McGwire as batting instructor. This guy should be banned from major league ballparks nationwide.
Projected rotation: Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Kyle Lohse, Brad Penny, ???
Bullpen: Ryan Franklin was outstanding in his first full season as Cards closer. Middle relievers must be sharp again to secure wins or it could be a long year.
Forecast: Cards or Cubs in '10? Cards do not impress me on paper but this won't stop them from proving me wrong again. One more move might be in store to solidify infield defense.

Chicago Cubs (83-78):
Key additions: Marlon Byrd, Kevin Millar, Xavier Nady, Carlos Silva, Chad Tracy.
Key losses: Milton Bradley, Neal Cotts, Kevin Gregg, Rich Harden, Aaron Heilman, Reed Johnson, Aaron Miles.
Cubs were high on most lists heading into '09. They never got in gear. Mark DeRosa was sorely missed. Internal squabbles, nagging injuries, porous pitching and horrible team chemistry doomed Chicago. The bad actors are gone. Cubs are ready to contend. Lineup is very strong. Rotation remains competitive. Late inning pitching remains a major question mark. Cubs will rise or fall on how well (or not) they protect late inning leads.
Projected rotation: Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, Randy Wells, ???
Bullpen: Marmol is Chicago's new closer. Competition for bullpen roles is wide open.
Forecast: Tough to call right now. A few are returning from injuries. Bullpen slots yet to be determined. Cubs will challenge but fans shouldn't be thinking World Series. Especially after 100+ years of near futility.

Milwaukee Brewers (80-82):
Key additions: Doug Davis, LaTroy Hawkins, Randy Wolf, Greg Zaun.
Key losses: Mike Cameron, Frank Catalanotto, JJ Hardy, Jason Kendall.
Milwaukee never had any chance of success last year in my book. Not after getting rid of their best pitchers. Not when their lineup continues to make bad outs (strikeouts do not advance base runners). Defense was suspect. So, what's changed for this season? A better rotation. Overrated JJ Hardy is finally gone. Coaching staff hasn't been effectively teaching young Brewers hitters to be patient, to put the ball in play, to keep pressure on opponents. Milwaukee lives and dies by the long ball. It's not enough to count on raw power for 162 games when so many other areas are lacking. Interesting side note. Why did Milwaukee go after lefty starting pitchers when most Central teams have heavy right handed hitting lineups?
Projected rotation: Yovani Gallardo, Randy Wolf, Doug Davis, Jeff Suppan, David Bush.
Bullpen: Trevor Hoffman returns after a stellar '09 campaign. Bullpen is looking strong in all areas. A nice strength to have heading into '10.
Forecast: 2010 should be a better year for Milwaukee. Dangerous and powerful lineup has hopefully matured if these guys are to legitimately challenge for Central crown.

Cincinnati Reds (78-84):
Key additions: Orlando Cabrera.
Key losses: Willy Taveras.
Cincinnati's biggest achilles heel is Great American Ballpark. It offers no home field advantage. I believe it's a disadvantage for home team pitching staff. It will also be very hard convincing any #1 starter to become a Red. Hitters love playing here. But, managers will go crazy unless ground ball pitchers are finally brought into town. Don't hold your breathe. On the plus side. Reds are young energetic club. They should produce plenty of runs in 2010. Question is... how many will they surrender?
Projected rotation: Aaron Harang, Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo, Homer Bailey, ???
Bullpen: Francisco Cordero returns to close. All other bullpen jobs up for grabs this spring.
Forecast: Reds are probably a .500 team at best right now. Outfielders are one of NL's weakest groups on paper. Reds not ready to challenge.

Houston Astros (74-88):
Key additions: Pedro Feliz, Brandon Lyon, Gary Majewski, Brett Myers.
Key losses: Miguel Tejada, LaTroy Hawkins, Jose Valverde.
Astros stuggled all year long in '09. They never got their game on track. Starting rotation was horrible. It doesn't look much better right now either. Lineup is above average but it's hard to win when trailing game after game. Looks like another year of playing from behind.
Projected rotation: Roy Oswalt, Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers, ???
Bullpen: Matt Lindstrom, closer? Really? All bullpen roles to be settled before game 162. Not looking good.
Forecast: Doom and gloom.

Pittsburgh Pirates (62-99):
Key additions: Ryan Church, Neal Cotts, Brendan Donnelly, Octavio Dotel, Akinori Iwamura,
Key losses: Mike Capps.
Pirates last winning season was 1992. The streak continues but their future is looking brighter. A few good young starting pitchers. Good young OF. Infielders are big question mark. So is finding someone with a winning attitude to lead this team. It's doubtful this squad will reach .500 but I expect them to play spoilers.
Projected rotation: Zack Duke, Paul Maholm, Ross Ohlendorf, ???
Bullpen: Dotel's arrival is welcomed with open arms for a team unable to get key late inning outs.
Forecast: Pitchers hold the key. Pirates are a long way from challenging. 2010 could be the year Pittsburgh begins earning respect. If not, then it's time for management to step aside.

Stay tuned... AL West on deck...

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-Digger's Daily-

After a series of trades and free agent signings, Detroit entered the 2009 season as the team to beat. They held a season high 7 game lead on September 6th and remained in first place right up until the very last pitch of the season. Minnesota beat Detroit in special one game playoff to decide AL Central. The Twins won in the bottom of 12, 6-5. Minnesota advanced, Tigers went home with tails between their legs.

2010 will be another tight race in baseball's anything can happen division. All teams not named Cleveland have either improved or matured. It's going to be a great race. Time to take a look at winter winners and losers (in order of '09 standings).

Minnesota Twins (87-76):
Key additions: Orlando Hudson, Jacque Jones, Jim Thome.
Key losses: Orlando Cabrera, Carlos Gomez.
Ron Gardenhire's Twins are good. They play solid defense, offense provides key hits in clutch situations. Rotation began slowly but solidified by years' end. Closer Nathan is lights out. Hardy & Hudson form Twins newest dp combo. I've never been high on Hardy. Limited defensive range and very high strikeout total. He will hit homers from time to time between unproductive bad outs. Mauer & Morneau are a deadly combo and lead this offense. On paper, they often don't match up well vs foes. But, when games are played, their scrappy style wins more than they lose.
Projected rotation: Baker, Slowey, Blackburn, Pavano, Liriano.
Bullpen: Lights out with Nathan anchoring talent group of relievers.
Forecast: Is there one more big season left in DH Jim Thome's bat? Twins hope so but he may not see much action unless powerful numbers are produced this spring. Which Liriano will show up this season? He went 12-3, 2.16 in '07 before posting miserable performances last year (5-13, 5.80). Pitching holds the key in '10. Twins should be right in the Central race to the final week.

Detroit Tigers (86-77):
Key additions: Austin Jackson, Jose Valverde, Max Scherzer, Phil Coke and young pitchers who should add depth when called up from minors.
Key losses: Placido Polanco, Curtis Granderson, Brandon Lyon, Edwin Jackson, Aubrey Huff, Fernando Rodney, Marcus Thames.
Tigers gained good inexperienced talent. Gave up great proven talent. Last year, I thought Detroit might challenge for World Series glory. They never lived up to expectations. Pitching doomed hopes last year. Not keeping Edwin Jackson won't help their '10 changes. New look batting lineup will scare many opposing rotations. It could be a very long year for the Tigers.
Projected rotation: Verlander, Scherzer, Porcello, Galaragga, ???
Bullpen: Valverde is their new closer. He many not see too many save opportunties. Middle relievers and setup jobs to be won in spring training.
Forecast: As of now, it doesn't look good for the Tigers heading into spring training. Too many question marks from batting lineup decisions to defense and bullpen.

Chicago White Sox (79-83):
Key additions: Jake Peavy, Juan Pierre, JJ Putz, Omar Vizquel, Andrew Jones, Mark Teahen.
Key losses: Jermaine Dye, Octavio Dotel, DJ Carrasco, Scott Posednik.
Chicago hopes woes of '09 have been left far behind. These guys struggled all season long to score runs and still found themselves within contention into mid-September. 2010 lineup will generate plenty of excitement. Starting pitchers will have new found run support. Bullpen needs to protect leads. Skies the limit. Sox looking like front runners to me.
Projected rotation: Peavy, Buehrle, Danks, Floyd, ???
Bullpen: Jenks returns as Sox closer. Plenty of solid arms will duke it out this spring.
Forecast: Deep team. Lineup will create runs. Peavy & Buehrle will win 20+ each. Back half of rotation must put up solid efforts. Chicago looks like a major challenger to winning the AL crown.

Cleveland Indians (65-97):
Key additions: Not many impact players (aging vets or castoffs from other teams).
Key losses: Kelly Shoppach.
Cleveland has given away so much talent in recent years. Not too long ago this franchise seemed destined for greatness. Not anymore. This is going to be a very long rebuilding process. Avoiding 100 wins will not be easy. Too many question marks in all phases of their game.
Projected rotation: Carmona, Huff, Westbrook, ???
Bullpen: Kerry Wood (closer) is always one pitch away from arm troubles. He's their go to guy. Middle relief was a disaster last year.
Forecast: This team will rise or fall on their pitching arms. Starters need to keep games close and reliever need to thwart rallies. 2007 ALCS appearance seems like a distant memory.

Kansas City Royals (67-95):
Key additions: Rick Ankiel, Josh Fields, Chris Getz, Jason Kendall, Scott Posednik,
Key losses: John Buck, Coco Crisp, Miguel Olivo, Mark Teahen,
I had hoped KC was going to surprise the baseball world last year. Only one player did, Cy Young Award winner Zack Grienke (16-8, 2.16). He was masterful for a dismal team. They couldn't hit or pitch in clutch moments. Guess what? 2010 Royals will turn heads. Don't be surprised at all when these guys climb the standings. Many question marks on offense. However, new players could set the stage for a memorable season.
Projected rotation: Grienke, Meche, Davies, ???
Bullpen: Soria anchors a deep bullpen. Relievers have been a sore spot for KC in recent years. Looks good on paper right now.
Forecast: Outfield defense much improved. Veteran backstop Kendall knows how to handle young pitchers which is an instant bonus. If these guys learn to cut down on strike outs and put the ball in play then 2010 will be considered a success by seasons' end.

Stay tuned... NL Central on deck.

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-Digger's Daily-

Philadelphia was the NL's first team playing in back to back World Series since Atlanta in 1995 (won) & 1996 (lost). They're front runners to make it three straight in 2010. Atlanta tries to regain NL glory. The Braves finished first 14 of 15 seasons between 1991-2005 including 11 consecutive East titles. Florida's youth finds ways to win. New York's club invented new ways to lose day after day in '09. Washington re-tooled for '10.

Who will be the beast of the east this year? Time to check out off season winners and losers (in order of 2009 standings).

Philadelphia Phillies (93-69, Lost World Series):
Key additions: Roy Halladay, Placido Polanco, Danys Baez, Jose Contreras, Brian Schneider.
Key losses: Cliff Lee, Kyle Drabek, Pedro Feliz, Brett Myers.
Toronto dangled Halladay and the Phillies got him by way of a three team blockbuster. Time to celebrate? Maybe, maybe not. How did Philly brass cut loose post-season hero Cliff Lee? They could have had Halladay, Lee & Hamels dominating foes for years to come. Phils will not miss a beat without Lee this year. BUT.. one can only wonder what could have been only if the front office was shrewd enough to think "dynasty" instead of instant gratification. Monster batting lineup is much improved with the addition of Polanco.
Projected rotation: Halladay, Hamels, Blanton, Happ, Contreras
Bullpen: Disasterous for much of '09 before finally settling down in September. Lidge rebounded just in time for post season play after nearly being demoted (0-8, 7.21). Relievers will battle for jobs during spring training and should be fine heading into regular season play.
Forecast: Barring injuries, NL East is the Phils to win or lose. Very strong, very deep team.

Florida Marlins (87-75):
Key additions: no standouts
Key losses: Nick Johnson, Russ Gload, Jeremy Hermida, Matt Lindstrom, Scott Proctor, Brendan Donnelly.
How does this team keep threatening to win the East year after year? Simple. Great scouting. Great development system. Florida plays fundamental baseball. This franchise keeps churing out strong pitchers for future champions. Great team chemistry & attitude. Don't be surprised if they're knocking on the door once again.
Projected rotation: Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, ???
Bullpen: All jobs are open. Leo Nunez will be given first crack at nailing down the closer role. Spring training battles will be fun to watch.
Forecast: Never count these guys out. They play with heart and guts. Dangerous club. Signing a veteran slugger or flame thrower would instantly turn the Marlins into playoff contenders.

Atlanta Braves (86-76):
Key additions: Troy Glaus, Takashi Saito, Billy Wagner, Scott Proctor, Erik Hinske.
Key losses: Mike Gonzalez, Adam LaRoche, Kelly Johnson, Rafael Soriano.
2010 will be manager Bobby Cox final season. He's one of the all time greatest in baseball's history. The Braves got stronger gearing up for another pennant push. Atlanta hasn't finished higher than 3rd four years running since winning 11 consecutive division titles. Finger pointing begins with poor bullpen performances. It's been revamped for '10 so look out East. Now there's a new question... can this team score runs? Chipper and Glaus are nearing retirement and the rest of this lineup is very young. Defense could be troublesome too.
Projected rotation: Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrgens, Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson, ???
Bullpen: Revamped and suddenly lights out group highlighted by newcomers Wagner & Saito.
Forecast: If Atlanta can create runs then they'll be back in the thick of things once again.

New York Mets (70-92):
Key additions: Jason Bay, Gary Mathews Jr, Kelvim Escobar, Mike Jacobs, Ryota Igarashi,
Key losses: JJ Putz, Brian Schneider.
Mets completely fell apart last year. Not many teams played sloppier baseball than these guys. Even their new ballpark was severly critiqued. Injuries plagued most star players in '09. Reyes, Beltran, Delgado, Santana, Maine, Wagner, Pagan, Putz and a host of others all missed significant time. I'm not a fan of their current front office and baseball related decision making. They should be considered big losers this winter. Heading into 2010... no bonified starting 1B, C and weak starting rotation. Plenty of bargain salaried free agents are still available from role players to potential starters and the Mets aren't making any moves. NY needs to get every break in '10 to win more than they lose. Health is key #1. Defense #2. Solid pitching #3.
Projected rotation: Santana, Maine, Pelfrey, Perez, ???
Bullpen: Francisco Rodriguez was often victimized by shoddy defense. Setup men blew it all year long. Japanese import Ryota Igarashi is being counted on heavily. Escobar is slated as a reliever. What are the Mets thinking? Obviously, not clearly.
Forecast: If healthy, they might challenge. Far from dominating rotation. Bullpen still in trouble. Lack of batting power and defense still a question mark especially on infield's right side. Looks like another long season for Mets fans.

Washington Nationals (59-103):
Key additions: Chien-Ming Wang, Ivan Rodriguez, Jason Marquis, Eddie Guardado, Adam Kennedy, Brian Bruney and many potential contributors to minor league contracts.
Key losses: No one who will be missed.
I like what Washington has done this winter. Don't get me wrong as I believe it would take a baseball miracle for the Nationals to contend any time soon. On the other hand, respectability and a winning attitude probably got a boost with the addition of a few soon to be instrumental conttibutors. Signing Pudge will help young pitchers. Rotation and bullpen positions up for grabs (as always). Pitching has always been a very big problem for Washington. These guys never seem to throw strikes. Batting lineup will put up runs led by Zimmerman & Dunn.
Projected rotation: Up for grabs. Lannan & Marquis are the only locks as of now. Wang will be a welcomed addition if he bounces back from injury woes.
Bullpen: Spring training to determines who makes big league squad. Personally, I'd like to see Bruney win the job.
Forecast: Playoffs are way off in the distant future. 2010 should be better than recent seasons.

NL East race will be great. Philadelphia remains obvious front runners followed by Atlanta & Florida giving it their all. New York & Washington have a long way to go. As for predictions, lets wait and see how I feel when rosters are finalized. Stay tuned.

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-Digger's Daily-

NBA owners vs players.
$400M league-wide losses.
Current CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) expires 2011.

Trouble brewing? Apparently so after a contentious meetings between owners and player association reps turned sour. We're in the early stages of what promises to become very public and cantankerous negotiations. The realities of this situation are very clear. NBA teams are bleeding. $400M projected losses this season after years of losing millions as a result of the current CBA.

"The right adjectives were thrown around, and our proposal appropriately denounced. Our response is, 'You can denounce it, tear it up, you can burn it, you can jump up and down on it, as long as you understand that it reflects the financial realities of where we are," Stern said during his annual All-Star press conference.

"And if you would like to have your own proposal, as long as it comes back and deals with our financial realities, that's OK with us. That's fine with us. In fact, that's what we would like to do."

It's time professional athletes take notice of economic conditions. Many remaining baseball free agents have learned the hard way that owners wallets are no longer free flowing with outrageous contract offers. NBA players have luxurious contracts which can no longer be supported.

Stern criticized the union's behavior at the session, saying it earned "high marks on the list of theatrical negotiations." He revealed that the players' side brought in a lawyer who threatened that the union would be decertified, making negotiating more difficult.

Unions rarely seem willing to negotiate for lower revenues. Doesn't seem to matter what industry is losing money, unions rarely give up anything without a fight even when their position flies in the face of sound economic practices. Take a look at airline and automotive industries. Professional sports players are making unsustainable salaries in our current environment. Something has to give.

Stay tuned... this is only the beginning of what promises to be salary restructuring within most major sports. NFL & MLB will be next.

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-Digger's Daily-

Olympic creed: "The most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the fight ; the essential thing is not to have won, but to have fought well."

Olympic motto: Citius-Altius-Fortius (faster, higher, stronger)

What currently drives athletes to find new ways to cheat in their sports profession? Present day anti-doping testing continuously advances to new levels attempting to weed out stupid fools trying for artificial personal gaming advantages. Professional and amateur athletic associations have made ridding dopers priority number one.

2010 Winter Olympics are set to commence in Vancouver. The World Anti-Doping Agency, responsible for testing Olympians, released a statement claiming 30 athletes failed their drug tests and are banned from competition. It's a sad day when individual athletes disrespect their sport. It's border line criminal when Olympians embarrass an entire nation when caught red handed.

Too bad Olympians names & countries aren't made public. I'm certain, in some instances, doping is state sponsored. Quite an indictment. When individual countries can't control their own competitors then it rightfully makes one wonder if they're culpable.

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-Digger's Daily-

Football season is over. As I sit here today waiting on a winter blizzard to hit New York... baseball season comes to mind. Spring training begins in a few days. New York Yankees will soon attempt defending their World Series crown. Can they do it?

MLB's off season was relatively quite. There were a few blockbuster style trades. However, many quality free agents remain. No doubt our economy has something to due with owners not ponying up major bucks for players holding out for more and more. Or, are they using it as an excuse to collectively drawn down excessive contracts? Take your pick. Either way, remaining players will probably settle for less than they ever imagined (if they're even offered contracts).

Time to break down winter winners and losers division by division. Leading off... American League East (in order of 2009 standings).

New York Yankees (103-59, World Series Champions)
Key additions: Curtis Granderson, Nick Johnson, Javier Vasquez, Randy Winn, Marcus Thames.
Key losses: Johnny Damon, Brian Bruney, Melky Cabrera, Phil Coke, Jerry Hairston Jr, Austin Jackson, Hideki Matsui, Xavier Nady.
Simply put, if the Yankees starting rotation doesn't post a phenominal 2010 then it could be a long year in New York. Yankees lineup took a tremendous hit this off-season. Lost are clutch performers Damon and World Series MVP Matsui. A young Granderson is a welcomed addition & will be taught better plate discipline by veteran teammates. But, why bring back injury prone Nick Johnson as DH? It's a big unnecessary gamble. Johnson has a great eye at the dish. But, he's spent more time on the disabled list than playing field. Most concerning is the what seems to be the weakest Yankees bench in 20 years. Bench lacks big guns, defensive wizzards & clutch performers. NY has always been famous for depth and power. Where is it heading into '10? Yanks treading thin. One or two key early injuries can sink 2010 hopes.
Projected rotation: Sabathia, Burnett, Vasquez, Pettitte, Chamberlain.
Bullpen: Questions return heading into camp. Depth was lost here too. Starting pitchers must go at least 7 innings consistently or games will be lost in middle innings.
Forecast: It's a 3 team race between NY, Boston & Tampa Bay. NY's hopes rest on starting rotation.

Boston Red Sox (95-67, Wild Card)
Key additions: Adrian Beltre, Mike Cameron, John Lackey, Marco Scutaro, Bill Hall,
Key losses: Jason Bay, Nick Green, Takashi Saito.
I like the pieces GM Theo Epstein put in place heading into camp. Heavy depth at all positions. Solid batting lineup. Solid defense. Many think lineup will hit for less power. I'm not one of the many. Sox lineup will spread extra base hitting potential 1 thru 9. Plus, it's a lineup of smart players all capable of blasting double digit dingers. Francona is one of baseball's best field general's and his arsenol has been restocked 3 deep at nearly every position. Dangerous team if pitching rotation can stay healthy.
Projected rotation: Josh Beckett, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield.
Bullpen: Plenty of arms competing for jobs. Papelbon is as good as they come.
Forecast: This is a very solid, perhaps great, team if pitchers stay off DL.

Tampa Bay Rays (84-78)
Key additions: Dan Johnson, Kelly Shoppach, Rafael Soriano.
Key losses: Akinori Iwamura.
2008 AL champs stumbled in April and May last year (23-27). Lost was clutch performances all around from pitchers to hitters. Solid young starting staff is in place for years to come. Bullpen remains iffy. Lineup can put up runs in bunches. BJ Upton had a miserable '09 both in the field and at the plate. Mental lapses piled up on one of baseball's best young talents. He's key if Rays are to be successful. A complete team effort needed by all players if Rays are to challenge in one of baseball's strongest divisions.
Projected rotation: James Shields, Matt Garza, David Price, Jeff Niemann, ???
Bullpen: Rafael Soriano is the new closer (27 of 31 saves in '09). Relievers ruined a promising '09 after Tampa's World Series run of '08. Many new faces competing for jobs this spring.
Forecast: All depends on pitching and regaining '08 timely hitting. Tough division but Rays will give New York and Boston a run for their money. I'll reserve opinions until TB's final roster is in place. As of now, another 3rd place finish is on the way.

Toronto Blue Jays (75-87)
Key additions: John Buck, Alex Gonzalez, Kyle Drabek, Kevin Gregg.
Key losses: Roy Halladay, Marco Scutaro, Kevin Millar, Brandon League.
One has to feel for Cito Gaston. Toronto's future is in limbo. Plenty of question marks surround this team beginning with health issues. Gaston's club might be competitive but nobody is counting on the Jays contending. Their lineup has potential to put up runs. Defense doesn't appear to be an issue right now. On the other hand, pitchers might get battered all year long. Kyle Drabek was their biggest acquisition. Everyone is high on this kids future. It might take a year or two? Or, will he be a rookie phenom? It'll be too hard keeping up with the Jones' this year and expect bigger contracts to be dealt early due to lackluster home gate receipts.
Projected rotation: It's anyone's guess.
Bullpen: Jason Frasor appears set to lead the relievers. Bullpen injuries have destroyed Toronto in recent campaigns. It's not looking much better right not either.
Forecast: Sometimes it's easier to perform well when everyone expects the worst. 100 losses on the way.

Baltimore Orioles (64-98)
Key additions: Miguel Tejada, Kevin Millwood, Mike Gonzalez, Garrett Atkins.
Key losses: Danys Baez, Melvin Mora, Chris Ray.
Look out baseball world. Can it be the Baltimore Orioles future is looking brighter than it has in recent memory? Yes! They're not ready to contend just yet unless they pull a Rays or Rockies season out of a hat. But, they're getting closer. Defense will improve. Batting lineup looking solid. Tejada is back and projected to start at 3B even though I personally think he should start at SS with Wigginton holding down the fort at 3B. O's eyes will be on developing future catching star Matt Wieters who must master handling a young pitching staff. O's rotation leaves much to be desired. Team officials seem high on their young hurlers with a new look defense backing them up.
Starting rotation: Kevin Millwood, Jeremy Guthrie, Brian Matusz, ???
Bullpen: Mike Gonzalez gets first crack at closing games. He struggled to save 10 of 17 last year but is only a few seasons removed for 24 of 24. He needs to get the job done or it's going to be another long year in Baltimore. It'll be a wide open field trying to secure pitching slots before spring training ends.
Forecast: The future is bright. O's will show brief flashes and shouldn't be taken for granted. Playing .500 baseball will be a major accomplishment for a franchise seeking their first winning season since 1997.

Plenty of headlines will come from AL East action. Obvious off season winners restocking quality players was Boston. Can their rotation go stride for stride with Yanks big guns? Can Tampa rekindle '08 magic? It's a three team race to the finish. As of this moment, my gut tells me Boston, New York, Tampa, Baltimore, Toronto. We'll see how I feel when rosters are finalized. Stay tuned.

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-Digger's Daily-

New Orleans Saints are NFL Champions! Baseball spring training begins this month. NBA, NHL, NCAA races are heating up. Danica Patrick splashed into the NASCAR scene. She'll rev up again this weekend in Daytona. PGA Tour not missing a beat.

Power ranking time. Here's how they look in my book.

NBA
1- LA Lakers (40-13)
2- Cleveland (41-11)
3- Orlando (35-17)
4- Boston (32-17)
5- Utah (31-18)
6- Denver (34-17)
7- Dallas (32-10)
8- Atlanta (32-17)
9- Phoenix (31-21)
10-San Antonio (29-21)

NCAA Men's
1- Kansas (22-1)
2- Syracuse (23-1)
3- Kentucky (22-1)
4- Villanova (20-2)
5- Purdue (19-3)
6- West Virginia (19-3)
7- Duke (19-4)
8- Kansas State (19-4)
9- Tennesee (19-4)
10-Brigham Young (22-3)

NHL
1- Washington (41-12-6)
2- San Jose (39-11-9)
3- Chicago (38-15-5)
4- New Jersey (36-20-2)
5- Vancouver (35-20-2)
6- Phoenix (36-19-5)
7- LA Kings (36-20-3)
8- Pittsburgh (35-22-2)
9- Colorado (33-17-6)
10-Ottawa (33-22-4)

MLB
1- Boston Red Sox
2- Philadelphia Phillies
3- New York Yankees
4- Tampa Bay Rays
5- Los Angeles Dodgers
6- Minnesota Twins
7- Seattle Mariners
8- LA Angels
9- St Louis Cardinals
10-Texas Rangers

NFL (final)
1- New Orleans
2- Indianapolis
3- Minnesota
4- San Diego
5- NY Jets
6- Dallas
7- Green Bay
8- Philadelphia
9- Cincinnati
10-Arizona

Coming soon. Winners & losers during baseball's off-season.

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-Digger's Daily-

Super Bowl XLIV promises to be a fast paced shootout featuring two of NFL's top offenses. Peyton Manning vs Drew Brees. Each team might score 30+ points. On paper, I'd say these two teams will set a new Super Bowl record for points scored. Big scoring plays should be plentiful.

Peyton Manning, Colts - 4 NFL MVP's, 1 Super Bowl Championship, 50,000+ career passing yards, 366 TD's, lifetime 95.2 passer rating. Colts win or lose on his golden right arm. He calls most Colts offensive plays. He'll need 400 yards of precision passing to win.

Drew Brees, Saints - 2009 NFL best 109.6 passer rating, 4 consecutive 4300+ yard seasons, 15-2 as starter in '09 (includes 2 playoff wins), threw TD's to 10 different players.

Prediction: Weather will cooperate. Clear skies, 60 degrees predicted. Both teams come out firing. Ball control is key. Interrupting passing patterns key for both defenses. Protecting the ball extremely important for offenses. Saints take first half lead into locker room, 28-24. Saints lead at end of 3rd quarter, 38-31. Manning dominates 4th quarter.... Colts win, 45-41.

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-Digger's Daily-

Rookie head coach Jim Caldwell and his Colts have played clutch all season long. Indianapolis is one win from their second Super Bowl victory in four years (2006). Ironically, their opponent Sunday was one win from becoming the Colts opponent in the '06 game.

Indy rises and falls on the right arm of future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning. He's the Commander in Chief. His ever changing signals at the line keep defenses guessing. Even when they guess right Manning finds a way to get the job done. Fourth quarter comebacks are his specialty. Indy had plenty of close calls but usually found a way to victory (14-2). Playoff football has been near perfect with convincing wins over stingy Baltimore and New York.

How can the Colts slow down New Orleans? It won't be easy. Sentiment from fans seems to be on the Saints side. Hardly anyone I know seems to be rooting for the Colts. We should be treated to a great Super Bowl this weekend. Here's what the Colts must do to bring home another Lombardy Trophy....

Keys to Victory - Offense: Patience. Patience not to abandon running attack. Patience by Manning when passing lanes are jammed. If the Colts line can open up running lanes then Manning will have plenty of opportunities to lead long time consuming drives. Offense must protect the ball at all costs.

Keys to Victory - Defense: Dwight Freeney, Dwight Freeney, Dwight Freeney. Everyone has left Indy for dead without defensive star Dwight Freeney. All inquiring minds want to know if the Colts can step up? Rumors now speculating he'll play but there's no way he'll be effective in a fast paced game with a bum ankle. Colts only chance slowing down Brees is to keep plays in front of them... don't allow speedy Saints WR's to roam downfield. Saints run best from spread formations. Colts D doesn't match up well vs NFL's #1 offense. They only faced one, maybe two, high powered attacks all season. Saints fast pace could overwhelm these guys. Winning the turnover battle is the biggest key to slowing down Brees & Co. Lack of turnovers will most likely spell defeat.

Keys to Victory - Special Teams: Nothing exciting to write home about when it comes to Colts special teams play. They're not great at covering kicks. Not so hot returning punts and kickoffs. I'm expecting Saints returners to create great field position if given chances. Punter Pat McAfee really needs to angle kicks and keep New Orleans pinned deep. Advantage Saints.

Stay tuned for Super Bowl predictions.

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-Digger's Daily-

Who Dat? New Orleans Saints (13-3) players are having the football season of their lives. A franchise best 13 wins, first NFC title, energized their rebuilding city, and now, a chance to win their very first Super Bowl. New Orleans football history is filled with highs and bag-headed lows since the Saints began play in 1967. They're riding a high now. Is it their time to win it all?

Head coach Sean Payton has all systems firing. A prolific offense led by Drew Brees and an opportunistic defense capable of making game changing plays. His biggest challenge on Sunday will be keeping his young team focused. Which way will he go with game planning? Will it be a big play day of stretching wide receivers deep down field vs an Indianapolis defense deficient in pass coverage? Or, will he choose a more patient time consuming strategy aimed at keeping Peyton Manning off the field of play?

Keys to Victory - Offense: Line needs to play huge. If Brees has time to find streaking receivers then they can score 45+ with quick strike plays. Who will be the go to guy at running back? Reggie Bush is getting all the press this week. His speed will open up great matchups out of the backfield on passing plays. Saints wide receivers are fast. They must avoid drops as every missed opportunity could soon become a game changer. Brees - one never knows how a QB will handle "The Big Game" pressures? He needs to stay calm and not force throws. Protect the ball at all times.

Keys to Victory - Defense: Is there really any way to contain Peyton Manning? There's only one way I see New Orleans being able to slow down the Colts offense. The defensive line has to disrupt Manning's timing. Stunts, bull rushes, zone blitzes, all of the above. Every once in a while he'll force one and New Orleans defensive backs will have to come up big. Keeping the defense fresh (stamina) is huge for both teams. This game could turn into a shoot out. Whichever teams D gets burnt first will spell doom and gloom.

Keys to Victory - Special Teams: Reggie Bush always seems one play away from breaking off a long touchdown. Last season he returned 3 punts all the way. None in 2009 with a low 4.8 average/return. Kickoff returns will be handled by Courtney Roby who boasts as 27.5 average. Thomas Morstead hopes not to be used but will be ready to boom a few punts when his number is called. Place kicking is a potential hazard. Garrett Hartley is unproven. Get ready for pressure kicks kiddo.

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Does Terrell Owens ever sit still long enough to realize how many dumb statements come flying out of his mouth? I've never understood how many professional analysts continue to call T.O. one of the games greatest. On paper, Owens statistics generally look very good. That is, until one scratches the surface. He's always among league leaders in passes dropped. Fans in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas and Buffalo had to be sick to their stomachs watching T.O. drop passes then gleefully prance back toward the huddle (or sidelines). He's sideline rants, continuous bad mouthing teammates, poor practice routine, disrespect for coaches etc keeps his status far from one of the games best in my book.

Now here we are. It's Pro Bowl weekend in Miami. Super Bowl XLIV next Sunday. Maybe Owens was feeling lonely or far from the spotlight. His latest out of left field comments were reported Jan 28th....

"I know hands-down I'd be close to Jerry Rice's records if I had been with quality quarterbacks like he had. He had Joe Montana and he finished with Steve Young. That wasn't a dropoff.

"Say I had been with a guy like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Drew Brees all of my career. Are you kidding me?"

Hey T.O.... are you kidding us? You've played with Steve Young, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo. Young is Hall of Fame material. Garcia an All Pro. McNabb All Pro. Romo All Pro. All loved throwing the ball. Perhaps Terrell dropping so many passes, especially in key 3rd & 4th down situations, soured the confidence of QB's? Yet, year after year, he talks down to teammates. Has sideline temper tantrums. Disrespects teammates.

T.O. has always come across as a 'why me?', 'why not me?', attention seeker. Complaining all the time is probably his most well known attribute. Once again, his selfish style of play on and off the field stands out above all else. It reeks of insecurity. Grow up T.O.

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NFL All Pro game begins in a few moments. Are this years reps really a "All Pro's". Players who will actually participate in on field action are hardly all stars. Not by a long shot.

14 starters will not be playing as Super Bowl players are not allowed to take the field. However, it's mandatory they show up and watch from the sidelines. First, they're penalized by not being allowed to play. Then, financially penalized by NFL if they opt to skip mandatory sideline pacing.

Next, 17 players will miss the contest due to injury. So who's left? David Garrard and Vince Young will be AFC backup QB's. Maybe next year NFL should go after high school QB's. Not many NFL starting QB's had worse stats than Garrard. Yet, here he is ready to suit up and play.

Needless to say I'm not a fan of the new version of this years All Pro game hosted in Super Bowl city Miami vs usual Hawaii format. All Star games in all sports are a tribute to leagues best players honored by fans and peers. Yes, some of the NFL greats will be playing. Unfortunately, at least for me, not enough and barring players from participating is a personal foul of the highest degree. This is exactly why I firmly believe future games should be played after the Super Bowl.

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Super Bowl XLIV sparks memories of past championship games. As I started searching internet archives for little known Super Bowl stories, as told by players, I came across a very fresh interview given by former Dallas Cowboys star defender Darren Woodson on "ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning."

One of the questions to Woodson touched on the Buffalo Bills experience advantage over the Cowboys. Remember, Buffalo represented the AFC playing four straight Super Bowls from 1990-93.... losing them all. 1990 was an instant classic as the New York Giants held on for a 20-19 victory after the Bills last second field goal attempt sailed wide right. The following three championship games weren't nearly as kind. Buffalo was blown away in all of them as if they were hung over (1991 vs Washington, 37-24; 1992 vs Dallas 52-17; 1993 vs Dallas 30-13). Guess what? Maybe hung over is the perfect phrase. According to Woodson....

“As much as everyone talked about how much experience the Bills had back then, they partied harder than any other team. That’s all we heard about the entire week in L.A., the (Cowboys) first Super Bowl.

“They (Bills players) were out Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Couple guys got into altercations in the clubs, older, veteran guys with the Bills.

“Experience doesn’t mean that much, it’s all about leadership. There’s a reason they (Bills) lost four Super Bowls. They partied harder than any other team.”

I've yet to find any Bills players refuting this story. I'll bet quite a few will in coming days. It did seem odd how easily the Bills lost their final three appearances. Then again, they ran into buzz saws. Washington was very strong but many thought Buffalo should have performed better (especially defensively). They were slow, gave up uncharacteristic big plays and seemed off. Against Dallas, Bills RB Thurman Thomas seemed afraid to play. During one strange moment he claims to have lost (or forgot) his helmet. Nonetheless, Dallas was far better prepared and hungrier for victory.

Buffalo players weren't the only team partying hard Super Bowl week. Atlanta Falcons Eugene Robinson was arrested on the eve before the big game vs Denver for soliciting a prostitute. San Diego players were spotted in nightclubs throughout Miami. Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders had players fail to show up.. and the list goes on....

Was Woodson's statement truth or fairytale? Funny how Buffalo's saga never was reported earlier. Funnier yet is a Dallas Cowboys player from that era claiming another team partied harder than they did! Anyone out there remember "The White House" in Dallas? Or, the multiple incidents from DWI, drugs, prostitutes, fights etc which used to surround the Cowboys during their heyday?

Where was Bills team leadership in the days approaching Super Bowl Sunday? Four consecutive Super Bowl appearances. Four consecutive Super Bowl losses. Don't tell me losses were due to partying fools. I'd rather go on believing they were simply outclassed on the gridiron.

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What is up with the lack of publicity for Super Bowl XLIV? Two great teams (Indianapolis vs New Orleans), two great QB's (Manning vs Brees) and, two great coaches leading their conferences best teams. So, what gives?

Ever since the final gun sounded ending the NFC Championship most talk quickly shifted to whether or not Brett Favre will call it a career (again) or, should he come back for another try? Toss in Arizona's QB Warner should I stay or go attitide (expected to retire momentarily).

Ah yes, there has been some Super Bowl chatter. It mostly involves University of Florida QB Tim Tebow. He's filmed a pro-life commercial set to air during the Super Bowl on CBS. CBS has been under heavy, heavy criticism for accepting to run the ad during the game. Tremendous political and activist pressure has been screaming to "kill" the commercial. Abortion supporters have taken issue with Tebow's story. In short, when his mom was pregnant she was advised to end her pregnancy due to complications. She refused. Result: Tim Tebow. Now he wants to tell his story. It's an American dream trying to be sabotaged by activist radicals.

Super Bowl silence... can you hear it?

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Another one bites the dust. Make it two. NBA Commissioner Stern suspended two Washington Wizards players for their roles in a lockerroom gun incident. Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton can now duel it out at home without pay. Sometimes it makes one wonder how a select few professional athletes can be so dumb.

The backstory is a bit muted. Rumors claimed both players had guns in the lockerroom when Arenas pulled his out over a gambling debt. Crittenton responded in kind. Two teammates pulling guns on each other. Plus, throw gambling into the mix and it's a wonder how it took Commish Stern so long to hand down an official league punishment. Arenas made his troubles worse by trying to turn this into a joke immediately following the incident by making finger pointing gun motions at teammates during pre-game. Joking it up on Twitter didn't make Stern all that happy either.

Local law enforcement has been all over this episode. Yahoo! Sports and the New York Post, both citing unidentified sources, reported the investigation takes aim at Crittenton too. The Post printed Crittenton became angry at Arenas for refusing to make good on a gambling related debt prompting Arenas to draw on Crittenton, who then reached for his own gun. D.C. gun laws are strict. Expect this story to resurface in a few weeks.

Arenas & Crittenton might help revive old slang. "Dumb jock" seems to be a virus rapidly spreading to unsuspecting athletes. Is there no cure?

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AFC
New York Jets (9-7) @ Indianapolis Colts (14-2)
There's plenty of new and old history surrounding this game. It was Broadway Joe Namath who led his Jets to Super Bowl III victory over Don Shula's heavily favored NFL best Baltimore Colts. It was the AFC's 1st SB win and put the league on the map.
In my book, the Jets would be sitting home right now having missed the playoffs if it wasn't for Colts head coach pulling all of his key starting players in week 15 instead of letting his team play for a perfect 16-0 season. Indy will now play the team they let into the playoffs. Will AFC's top team lose again to the Jets?

Keys to victory:
Colts Offense: It's all about MVP Peyton Manning's ability to read the Jets swarming defense. Pre-snap reads have never been more important as Colts square off vs NFL's top defense.
Offensive line must pick up multiple looks coming from Jets oft blitzing D.

Colts Defense: If the Colts want to win this game they must shut down the Jets running game. Jets will try playing keep-a-way from Manning which means they will try running early and often. Putting pressure on rookie QB Sanchez in passing situations is vital. They'll need to force Sanchez to make hurried throws.

Jets Offense: All talk surrounding Jets seems to revolve around their killer defense. However, if the Jets are to have any shot at knocking off Indy their offensive line must dominate. Everything else goes out the window if New York cannot control the clock and keep the ball out of Manning's hands. Running attack, if successful, will then open up plenty of play action pass situations.

Jets Defense: CB Revis has shut down every top wide receiver he lines up against. Coach Rex Ryan will need to cleverly disguise blitz packages to keep Manning off balance. If they can force three and outs and/or turnovers then expect a very close contest.

Prediction: Indy never should have given up on chasing a perfect season. It was theirs for the taking. Because of a bad coaching decision, the Jets are in the AFC Championship Game. And, they'll win.... 24-20.

NFC
Minnesota Vikings (12-4) @ New Orleans Saints (13-3)
Brett Favre vs Drew Brees. NFC's top two QB's go head to head. It's about more than these two super QB's even if headlines and news stories haven't gone deep enough evaluating this matchup.

Keys to victory:
Saints Offense: Brees throws to everyone and anyone who can get open. Big test Sunday vs very aggressive purple defense. Running game is key to opening up passing lanes. Passing game is key to opening up running lanes. Brees will test Vikes defense deep early and often.

Saints Defense: They'll have to disrupt Favre and get him to force throws. Then, there's the Adrian Peterson factor. Saints can get into his head by forcing the fumble prone star to cough up the pigskin.

Vikings Offense: Favre needs to stay calm, cool and collected. His past playoff failures are largely due to his attempting to force passes into tight coverage instead of throwing it away for another play. Peterson must protect the ball. Offensive line needs to play their best game of the year for the ground game to take hold.

Vikings Defense: Minnesota will have their hands full. How do they prepare to stiffle Brees and Co? For most of the year Saints WR's have been creating havoc against opposing secondaries by streaking downfield.

Prediction: It'll be a shootout which might come down to whoever has the ball last wins. Both teams confidence is riding high after blowout playoff wins last weekend. Favre has been here before. Vikings are hungry.... Minnesota 34 Saints 30.

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There's been plenty of action lately in all major sports. Baseball players and teams finalizing contracts/rosters prepping for spring training. NBA's top teams jockey for position while bottom half plays spoilers. NHL's Islanders getting hot for 1st time this decade. #1 Texas was stunned in college hoops. Jets advance to AFC title game. Favre vs Brees to decide NFC champ. Time to list my top ten power rankings...

MLB
Yankees
Phillies
Red Sox
Dodgers
Rockies
Mariners
Angels
Giants
Cardinals
Twins

NBA
LA Lakers
Boston
Cleveland
Dallas
San Antonio
Atlanta
Orlando
Denver
Portland
(no team qualifies for #10)

NCAA
Kentucky
Texas
Kansas
Villanova
Syracuse
Pittsburgh
BYU
Duke
Michigan State
Tennessee

NFL
Indianapolis
New Orleans
Minnesota
San Diego
Green Bay
Dallas
Philadelphia
Jets
Baltimore
Arizona

NHL
New Jersey
Chicago
Washington
Buffalo
San Jose
Pittsburgh
Colorado
Vancouver
Phoenix
Nashville

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NFL Pro Bowl style has a new look for 2010. This years game will be played one week before the Super Bowl in Miami instead of one week after in Hawaii. It's something new as the NFL attempts to attract more viewers.

Personally, I couldn't be more against this new setup for one simple reason. NFL players voted to All Pro squads who will also be playing in the Super Bowl are not allowed to participate. This is the main reason why I do not believe the Pro Bowl should be played before the Super Bowl. What's the point voting in players who cannot play by rule? Mind you there's no way in the world I would want one of my players risking injury before the Super Bowl which is precisely why the Pro Bowl must be played one week later, as always. It's current set up for this year (January 31) penalizes players who earned the right to represent their teams and fans who voted to see their favorite players suit up.

We're down to NFL's final four teams loaded with potential players not allowed to play if their teams reach the Super Bowl. What's wrong with this picture? A replacement cast of characters in the Pro Bowl? Super Bowl stars standing around on the sidelines? What's the point of playing? Money. Simply put, this is all about money. NFL will generate much more by scheduling both Pro and Super Bowl games in Miami. More hands on fans (coupled with Super Bowl week), NFL gambling on larger tv viewing audience, double revenues for Miami. If the NFL really wanted to bulk up their tv viewing audience then they should consider ditching special game rules. Since this is a showcase game the NFL has been very careful attempting to protect players from injuries by implimenting special rules barring blitzes and certain formations (probably a good idea). To make this game truly great then let the best of the best square off in straight up battle to bring meaning to these games. It won't happen. So since this will always be an exhibition game then return it to one week after the Super Bowl. Let all healthy starters play and drop Hawaii for stateside games in domed stadiums different from Super Bowl hosts.

Ok, enough critiquing. Here's my selections for AFC & NFC starters based on best players/position (reserves, replacement players excluded).

AFC
QB - Peyton Manning (Indy)
RB - Chris Johnson (Ten)
FB - Le'Ron McClain (Balt)
WR - Wes Welker (NE), Andre Johnson (Hou)
TE - Dallas Clark (Indy)
C - Nick Mangold (NYJ)
G - Alan Faneca (NYJ), Kris Dielman (SD)
T - D'Brickshaw Ferguson (NYJ), Jake Long (Mia)

DE - Dwight Freeney (Indy), Robert Mathis (Indy)
DT - Halati Ngata (Balt), Vince Wolfork (NE)
LB - Ray Lewis (Balt), James Harrison (Pit), Elvis Dumervil (Den)
CB - Darrelle Revis (NYJ), Nnamdi Asomugha (Oak)
FS - Ed Reed (Balt)
SS - Brian Dawkins (Den)

P - Shane Lechler (Oak)
K - Nate Kaedling (SD) ... almost dropped him after watching 0-3 choke vs Jets yesterday.
PR - Josh Cribbs (Cle)
KR - Josh Cribbs (Cle)

Coach - Jim Caldwell (Indy)

NFC
QB - Drew Brees (NO), Brett Favre (Min) (tie)
RB - Steven Jackson (StL)
FB - Leonard Weaver (Phi)
WR - Larry Fitzgerald (AZ), Steve Smith (NYG)
TE - Vernon Davis (SF)
C - Andre Gurode (Dal)
G - Steve Huchinson (Min), Jahri Evans (NO)
T - Bryant McKinney (Min), Jason Peters (Phi)

DE - Jared Allen (Min), Trent Cole (Phi)
DT - Kevin Williams (Min), Jay Ratliff (Dal)
LB - Jonathan Vilma (NO), DeMarcus Ware (Dal), Patrick Willis (SF)
CB - Asante Samuel (Phi), Charles Woodson (GB)
FS - Darren Sharper (NO)
SS - Adrian Wilson (AZ)

P - Ben Graham (AZ)
K - Ryan Longwell (Min)
PR - DeSean Jackson (Phi)
KR - Percy Harvin (Min)

Coach - Sean Payton (NO)

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Baseball's steroids issues aren't going away anytime soon. Mark McGwire's recent admission re-ignited the swirling controversy of one of baseball's biggest black eyes. Many steroid era players are now eligible for Hall of Fame consideration. They're going to have a tough time gaining admittance, rightfully so.

Who were some of the good guys during this deviant time? One by one, guilt by association seems to rule the day. Here's my Non-Roids All Stars based on players not mentioned in the nasty controversy. It wasn't an easy task since most are now under a cloud of suspicion. Here's what I came up with...

1B- Fred McGriff
2B- Roberto Alomar
3B- Cal Ripken, Jr.
SS- Derek Jeter
OF- Tony Gwynn
OF- Ken Griffey, Jr.
OF- Paul O'Neill
DH- Bernie Williams
C- Charles Johnson
SP- Greg Maddux
RP- Mariano Rivera

Let's hope this select group of baseball good guys names remain free and clear of PED suspicions.

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Here come the Chiefs. Kansas City is wasting no time by quickly rebuilding for future success. New general manager, new offensive coordinator, new defensive coordinator. What do these three (GM Pioli, OC Charlie Weiss, DC Roman Crennel) all have in common? They're the New England connnection who contributed heavily to the Patriots monster years from 2002-05 (3 Super Bowl Titles).

Everything about Kansas City football is about to improve on and off the field of play. Draft day planning suddenly gets exciting for these guys. On offense, Charlie Weiss is one of the best. The defense better perform if they want to play for new defensive coordinator Crennel.

The Chiefs have been one of NFL's best franchises until recent struggles. They've been a fun team to watch over the years but it's been rough going ever since Dick Vermeil retired. My favorite years for KC was during Marty Schottenheimer's tenure.

Let's see what the Chiefs can do with their new staff.

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Green Bay vs Arizona was quite the show last Sunday. Cards won 51-45 on a defensive play in OT! So how will Arizona vs New Orleans shape up Saturday afternoon? Will Favre & Co. be too much for red hot Dallas to handle? Jets D vs a Chargers team on a mission? Is Peyton ready for more 4th quarter heroics vs a stingy Ravens D? Time to toss my two cents into predicting this weekends games.

(Saturday)
Cardinals @ Saints: Arizona's coming off a thrilling OT win vs Green Bay, 51-45. Was it a preview for what's next? At times, the Saints can score at will. Both teams have top notch QB's and WR's. Defensive edge is probably says advantage Saints. Take your pick in this one. New Orleans should win but we're talking about the still not respected Cards who surprised everyone last year by coming within one play of winning the Super Bowl. Not many gave them a shot last week. Not many are giving them a shot this week. Guess what? They'll put up points again.
Arizona 38 New Orleans 34

Ravens @ Colts: MVP Manning's 4th quarter performances have been nothing short of spectacular. He'll have his hands full against a very aggressive Ravens defense. These teams squared off back on November 22nd. Indy won on a late 4th qtr field goal, 17-15. I'm thinking it'll be another very tight game.
Indianapolis 24 Baltimore 20

(Sunday)
Cowboys @ Vikings: Here's my favorite matchup in this round. Dallas is red hot. Romo's looking great and Dallas defense has played especially well in three consecutive contests. Minnesota has weapons at every offensive position with plenty of depth to boot. Vikings defense is equally tough. Favre had been struggling down the stretch until unleashing hell vs Giants. Minnesota is too tough at home. Adrian Peterson will have a huge statistical game leading the Vikes to victory.
Minnesota 33 Dallas 27

Jets @ Chargers: Jets defense is NFL's best. They can shut down anyone. On Sunday, New York's D needs to score points too. San Diego's offense is too good. Jets offense not good enough to keep up. Turnovers is the key. Chargers win but never bet against the Jets. They're not here by accident.
San Diego 23 New York 10

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Is anyone surprised to hear Mark McGwire finally admit what most already knew? Big Mac came clean to speak of the past by confirming he was another baseball playing steroid junkie. So why now? Why should anyone care after years of denials? There are a few reasons some should care, especially Hall of Fame voters. So, I'm going to shake a stick at McGwire's confession.

First off, McGwire missed the mark. For me he comes across as a former drunk telling people he used to drink while wondering why he went to bars. No kidding. Somehow, this dillusional guy is trying to tell people steroid use didn't help his ability to hit homeruns two seconds after telling us all how he needed steroids to recover from various injuries. Really? What about the most obvious fact hardly anyone isn't telling you? Mac was only able to suit up because steroids sped up, or helped get over, injuries when most other players might have been forced into retirement or perform below expected capabilities. Of course steroid's helped hit home runs. Just from the simple fact he was able to play.

Next up, he claims not wanting to get bulked up like Governor Arnold or The Hulk. Give us all a break. Has anyone viewed pictures of Big Mac as a rookie? And, then as Bigger than Big Mac during the Roger Maris chase? What made me sick most of all after hitting number 62* was the press conference when he nearly came to tears hoping the record breaking bat would be placed next to Maris' bat in Cooperstown. Mac and Sosa, two overly inflated muscle heads, were media darlings while chasing Maris. Baseball honored them as men who saved the game from ruin after then recent set backs and strikes. It was a complete sham. I suspect, and previously blogged, the Commissioner of Baseball knew full well there was a dire steroid abuse problem rapidly spreading across MLB. Selig has denied it all the way even after former players came forward and even when BALCO first came to light. His bat should be forever banned from the Hall as a symbol to followers so history never repeats in this instance.

No one can ever know for sure how Mark McGwire's career would have turned out had steroid abuse never become an issue. He was a home run hitter before PED's came into play. His 49 as a rookie rewrote history books. He never did come close to 49 again until coming in contact with steroids. He was oft injured. Using was soon becoming the norm with players. Not only for those in need of body repairs but, also for those looking to further careers, better statiscal production, and yes, for the money!

One thing is clearly evident. No way would Mac have hit 583 career home runs. Denying steroid's helped hit homeruns isn't believable and nobody should fall for it. Check this: 1988-1991 he averaged 152 games/played and 31.5 home runs/season. 1993 he played only 27 games, 1994 only 47. This is the time frame when he was recovering and juicing. Well, well, well... guess what happened upon Mark's return to live action? 39 round trippers in only 109 games followed up by 52 & 58 in consecutive seasons (96/97). Is he trying to fool the public into thinking it wasn't about home runs. He had come within 3 home runs of tying baseball's once golden home run record. Is he really telling us he wasn't using more often, trying to get stronger, bigger, quicker swing in an attempt to break an ever elusive 61? It's a joke. Stats prove it too. 1996-99 averaged 149 games/season adn an unreal 61.25 home runs/season including 70 and 65 in 98 & 99. During the record breaking 1998 season a bottle of androstenedione was found in his locker (an over-the-counter muscle enhancement product that had already been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the NFL and the IOC). No it wasn't banned at the time but alarm bells should've been ringing. It wasn't only Mac. Plenty of others were suspect. Now we know, again. Baseball from top to bottom and bottom to top knew all along and were complicite as an entity of covering up. Nobody cared when paying customers filled ballparks and baseball owners pockets.

Back to my earlier question. Why is Mac trying to come clean now? Two reasons. The Cardinals recently re-signed Mac as their hitting instructor so it makes perfect sense from an organizational side to get it over with now before spring camp opens. Plus, manager LaRussa has openly wondered aloud of activating McGwire August 31 for late season and playoff eligibility. Might as well have the distraction out of the way now. Second, in my eye's it's really all about one thing and one thing only.... I offer no proof other than Mac's former actions are repeating once again. It's only about the Hall of Fame, period. Here's my analysis. 58 home runs came so very close to breaking baseball's home run record. Mac did anything he could to get past a record which had stood since 1961. A coveted number only a few had even remotely approached. So, Mac did what he had to... "cheat"... artificially pump up his body and his ability. In 1998, 70 home runs shattered the record. Soon to be broken again by another body swelling Barry Bonds. History repeats, and it's doing so now. Mac now wants into the Hall badly. His rep forever tarnished by Congressional testimony and questions. Legacy tarnished badly enough only 20% of votes. Just as he had done chasing after Maris & 61... he's now coming clean to do everything possible get in. Just wait and see. Here was a guy who tried avoiding interviews and the spotlight since retiring. Now, he's going to transparently suck up to sportswriters nationwide. Suddenly, Mac will be doing interview after interview as the Cards travel from city to city. Just to cozy up to the voting sportswriters hoping and praying for enough votes to a Hall of Fame nod.

McGwire and Pete Rose denied when 99% knew they were covering up past actions. Why? To make the Hall of Fame. If sportswriters ever vote this guy in they're rewarding and creating new outside the lines type of players. Steroids era players should have a very difficult time getting HOF votes and rightfully so. Guilty by association for some? Yes, sobeit. Steroids era represents many things. Perhaps most of all the game is guilty of not protecting itself from outside influences. Non-using players guilty of not protecting the game and deserve harder scrutiny as enablers of this tarnished period of baseball history.

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-Digger's Daily-

Spring Training is one month away. Major League Baseball owners have been very slow to sign free agents leaving players wondering (or worrying) where, or if, they'll play in 2010. The state of our economy and how it's effected teams/owners bottom lines may be factoring into why so many talented players remain without jobs. Or, is it? America's favorite pasttime has never been a stranger to controversy. Owners colluding has been famously proven in years past. Is it resurfacing again? To contradict many blogs I've been reading my answer is no.

Owners are concerned as economic trends remain worrisome. Some MLB teams have clamped down. Tightening their purse strings at any cost. Big market teams in New York, Boston and LA continue to spend as they see fit. Smaller market, less competitive teams continue to struggle with dwindling gate receipts and escalating costs. There's one team with perennial lackluster attendance cellar dwellers spending more than most anticipated. Ironicly, they're based in Washington! The Washington Nationals have opened their piggy banks by signing veteran All Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez (2 years, $6M hoping he can settle down one of baseball's most pathetic and oft injured pitching staffs. Throw in Jason Marquis (2 years, $12M) plus Mike Capps (1 year, $3M) and it may appear as though the Nationals are finally trying to build a competitive team. Seattle Mariners have been busy too making blockbuster trades and key additions as they see a clear opportunity to challenge in the AL West.

I remain completely surprised so many talented players remain unsigned when a majority of teams need help. Taking a look at some of these remaing free agent notables: Jermaine Dye, Vlad Guerrero, Aubry Huff, Miguel Tejada, Jon Garland, Johnny Damon, Rick Ankiel, Orlando Hudson, Rod Barajas, Russell Branyan, Orlando Cabrera, Felipe Lopez. These names represent a few of what I call potential impact players ready to contribute. Perhaps their asking prices are too high. A few haven't even been offered deals. Most surprising to me isn't the lack of bigger named signings outside of Dye & Tejada. Not by a longshot. It's the lack of activity surrounding more versatile guys and starting pitchers. Here's the complete list of available free agents listed on ESPN.com

Time is ticking. Pre-season games begin in March. I expect there to be a flurry of activity as spring training is only weeks away. Time will tell.

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-Digger's Daily-

Just a few thoughts off the top of my head with one week of the new year barely completed.

Hats off the College Football's new National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide. What happened to Colt McCoy? This kids draft stock is on serious hold in my eyes. The biggest game of his young football career and he didn't have the guts to come back out onto the field. You have to feel for his Texas Longhorns teammates who played a great game to just stay close until Alabama pulled away late. For those who missed it, QB McCoy was hit during Texas' 2nd series. He immediately went to the sidelines never to return. Apparently, all the hubbub is over a pinched nerve. It didn't seem too severe when McCoy was jumping around the sidelines after halftime. Buck up kid. Be a man. At the very least, he should have tried playing at least a few snaps. He did not look hurt. Flashbacks of Thurman Thomas Super Bowl chicken out move vs Dallas.

What in the world gets into the heads of pro athletes. Now, it's NBA star Gilbert Arenas who gets brandished a gun. IN THE LOCKERROOM! I give a ton of credit to Commissioner Stern for immediately suspending this nut who was crazy enough to then finger point gun motions at his teammates moments later. A law enforcement investigation is currently underway. Throw the book at him. Maybe Gil's cell will read "Plaxico was here!"

Theo Epstein is quietly rebuilding another tough Red Sox ballclub. 2010 theme is big time defense. Beltre's arrival to man 3B is a nice addition and I'm betting his bat reawakens within Fenway's cozy confines. They may not have enough guns to win the East, but Wild Card is always well within their grasp.

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Get ready for serious football action. Thursday night is college football's BCS Championship Game, #1 Alabama Crimson Tide vs #2 Texas Longhorns. Two of the nations perrenial top football programs will go head to head in a winner take all game. Following closely behind, NFL Playoffs kick off with the Wild Card round beginning Saturday. Here's my two cents version of how the games will play out...

BCS

Texas Longhorns (13-0) - Barely challenged by opponents in '09 until beating Nebraska by 1 in the regular season finale 13-12. Nation's 3rd ranked offense led by senior QB Colt McCoy and WR Jordan Shipley will have their hands full vs nation's 2nd ranked Alabama Crimson Tide defense. Texas plays a high powered game featuring speed on both sides of the line. Alabama's offensive line might be the difference maker in this one. If they're able to pound Longhorn defensive line into the ground (no easy task) then Heisman Trophy winner Ingram will have a huge night. Texas LB's will need to play big and they will.

Prediction: Texas 23 Alabama 19

NFL
(Saturday)
Jets (9-7) @ Bengals (10-6): Jets trifecta - rookie coach, rookie qb, NFL #1 defense. Jets defense is NFL's best and will be needed to set up great field position for suspect offense. Chad Ochocinco lost his own challenge and was supposed to change his name back to Chad Johnson (hasn't happened) after being shut out by Jets CB Revis. Chad whoever may get shut out again.
Jets 20 Bengals 9

Eagles (11-5) @ Cowboys (11-5): Cowboys snapped a December dry spell to win NFC East in final game vs Philadelphia. Dallas defense has posted back to back shutouts. I've always been a firm believer in momentum heading into playoff football and Cowboys are hot, hot, hot. Did Eagles defense play possum last weekend? They're a blitz first defense and hardly blitzed Romo last weekend. Expect a very aggressive D this go around. If so, watch out for Romo to Witten as Philly is weak defending TE's running wide open vs blitz schemes.
Cowboys 31 Eagles 20

(Sunday)
Ravens (9-7) @ Patriots (10-6): Ravens are dangerous. Problem is their game is inconsistent on both offense and defense. When they're good, they're good. When bad, they play like crud. I'm expecting Baltimore's D to be very motivated and agressive. Same goes for offense vs Pats weak and exposed secondary. This isn't the same Patriots team which not too long ago dominated games. They won't on Sunday either. Brady lost a key weapon last weekend (Welker). Defense is banged up. Running game has no chance vs Ravens D line. Moss will be double teamed. Belichick needs one heck of a game plan run to perfection if New England is to have any chance on Sundaay afternoon.
Ravens 27 Patriots 17

Packers (11-5) @ Cardinals (10-6): No one gave Arizona any chance heading into last years' opening round playoff game. Guess what? They ended up one play from winning the Super Bowl! I doubt many are giving them much of a shot in this game either. Green Bay is hot and playing great football lately. Their defense has been making big play after big play. On offense, Rodgers is in the zone leading the NFL's 3rd highest scoring offense. Warner won't go easily and is usually money in big games. Young RB Wells will need to play the game of his life and not fumble. Protecting the pigskin is key for turnover happy Cards.
Packers 34 Cardinals 23

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It's official. After 8 years of wondering and waiting the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) voted Andre Dawson into the Hall of Fame. Dawson, named on 77.9% of ballots (75% needed for election), was one of the NL's most feared hitters during his 21 year career.

21 year MLB career stats include: 1977 NL Rookie of the Year, 1987 NL MVP, 438 HR, 1591 RBI, .279 BA, 314 SB, 8 time All Star, 8 Gold Gloves.

Debates often rage when it comes to discussing future HOF candidates. Dawson's name was often debated as are many of this years nominee's who failed to garner enough votes (Blyleven, McGwire, Dale Murphy, Edgar Martinez, Alan Trammell, Tim Raines). For me, Dawson's selection was never about why or why not. It was only a question of when? The question has now been answered... 2010.

I was lucky enough to watch Dawson play live many times when his Expos and Cubs played at Shea Stadium. He was a gifted 5 tool player that did it all offensively and defensively playing hurt throughout most of his career. The only knock of his career was a relatively low on base percentage meaning he didn't walk enough (or made too many outs) for the naysayers. However, when he hit, he hit everything hard and was a big time clutch hitter when games were on the line. Defensively, his shot gun right arm not only cut runners down on the base path's but, they would often reconsider attempting to go for an extra base.

Andre Dawson was a man who simply loved to play the game. It wasn't about money as evidenced by his once signing a "blank contract" with the Chicago Cubs. He told Chicago to fill in any amount... he just wanted to play. Dallas Green filled in $500,000 (2nd lowest salary on Cubs) during a period when owners colluded against free agents. Dawson went onto win NL MVP honors posting a career season (49 HR, 137 RBI).

Today's headlines of Andre Dawson... the "Hawk"... finally landing where he belongs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame is great news. Perhaps, next year will finally be Bert Blyleven's turn.

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-Digger's Daily-

Happy New Year!

What a great few days of football from college to pro games. It's only gets better from here. Soon a new National Champion will be crowned. Next weekend NFL Playoffs begin.

Here's a little side note from Sunday night's pre-game interview with Chad Ochocinco. Remember, Chad's real last name used to be Johnson before he legally changed to Ochocinco. This week, Ocho has been engaged in lighthearted trash talking of how he was going to beat New York Jets defensive back Revis. One of his twitter posts read as follows:

"I'm coming to the big apple to give NY what they've never seen, an escape inmate gone wild on Revis island. Try and cover me."

Today he took it to a new level. And, if he's a man of his word, Chad Ochocinco will soon be legally re-named Chad Johnson. During the Bengals/Jets pre-game interview Chad stated how Revis couldn't cover him. I guess playing top notch defense vs Randy Moss & Terrell Owens two games each didn't mean much to Chad. Not to mention shutting down nearly every opposing wideout.

Ochocinco's trash talking was all stated in good fun and without malice. He's a colorful character always looking to say or do something on the shocking side to garner attention on and off the field. But, did he go too far tonight? Will Revis call him out? Here's the pregame challenge quote during the Costas interview:

"If Revis were to shut me down, I will change my name back to Johnson. That’s how confident I am. It’s not happening.”

Guess how many catches Mr. Ochocinco recorded Sunday night? ZERO. New York's defense laid it all on the line. A win guaranteed them a playoff birth. They did more than win. It was total domination 37-0. Chad didn't catch a single pass. Revis was all over him from the very first snap.

The question remains.... will Chad honor his word even if spoken in jest and revert back to Johnson?