A happy and healthy New Year to everyone in the SU intergalactic subscriber base.  As we get ready to welcome in 2019, SU has a few final observations for 2018:

• After watching my share of NFL and college games over the past week, the NFL, in particular, needs to clean up the past interference penalties.  How many one-handed catches have we seen of late by receivers whose other arm is firmly locked in and held by the defensive back?  No penalties on these plays as the refs aren’t in position to see it but don’t they wonder why the receiver isn’t using their other hand?  Combine that with receivers claiming interference on virtually every play and you have a major problem.  I think teams are daring the officials to call a penalty on every pass play knowing that they won’t do it.  As a result,  you end up with some uneven officiating – especially late in games.
• While watching Clemson vs. Alabama yet again in the BCS championship game may seem boring, you can’t argue with the fact that once again, these are the 2 best teams in the country.  You also wonder what might have happened if Clemson had lost to Syracuse earlier in the season?  Would they have even made the final 4?  SU is not sure that the answer is to expand the playoffs to 8 teams as some of those teams are probably not worthy.  I will also say that the bowl match-ups this year have been pretty bad.  The answer may be a longer playoff schedule and getting rid of the bowls which more and more are just exhibition games with NFL ready players sitting out for fear of injury.
• When it comes to basketball and football in NY, man, these are lean times.  SU suspects that Netflix and Amazon sales must be way up in the metro NY area in the fall and winter.
• So, Jim Leyritz is saying on Twitter that the Manny Machado deal with the Yankees is all done except for the signatures.  Apparently, Leyritz scooped the Stanton trade last winter and has some source for these things.  Ugh.  As stated previously, this is a major mistake by the Yankees and will usher in the 2nd A-Rod-like Era of drama and absence of championships.

Finally, watch for the large number of firings in the NFL for head coaches this week.  Two went down yesterday and many more to come.  The rumors are already starting – did you see Jim Harbaugh to the Jets?  Honestly, why would the Jets want a coach with an offensive mindset right out of the 1980s?  This is the era of the young, mobile NFL quarterback who can sidestep the rush and buy that extra second in the pocket.  They don’t run necessarily but are able to reset and find a receiver down the field.  Patrick Mahomes is the poster child but there are others out there and the days of the tall, slow pocket QB are behind us.  SU will even be surprised if Eli Manning is picked up by some other team for one more season next year after the Giants cut him.

Anyone want to make some predictions for 2019?  Have at it.

It’s here.  The Manny Machado road show has come to New York.  SU continues to be puzzled about the Yankees’ interest here in adding another $300 million contract that will of course, end badly but let’s try and go inside the minds of Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman and read along with them:

• After the initial meet and greet at Yankee Stadium, they will show a picture on the big screen in the outfield of Machado in a Yankee uniform with “New York, New York” blasting.  Smiles all around.
• They will then show a video montage of clips of Robinson Cano hitting ground balls to 2nd base and strolling down to 1st base.  Yankee camera men, secretly positioned around the stadium, will carefully film Machado’s reaction.  They will look for nods of agreement that signal, “Hey, that’s about right – got to save my energy for the long season.”
• They will then show video clips of Machado getting into fights at 2nd base, 3rd base, and then stepping on the first baseman’s foot at 1st base in frustration.  But hey, he’s a good guy and like Roger Clemens, “he may be an a-hole but he’s our a-hole.”
• No doubt while Machado is visiting, Miguel Andujar will be out in 30 degree temperatures fielding ground balls at 3rd base.
• Finally, they will show pictures of Machado in an Orioles’ uniform from a couple of years ago and then last year with the Dodgers to show the 40% weight gain.  I am telling you – he is a much bigger dude now than he used to be.  Project that forward and he will weigh 300 pounds in 2 years.

All the signals point to this happening:

• Yankees sign Machado to a horrible, inflated contract with some opt out that he will never take as no one wants to pay this much (as in all inflated contracts with opt out clauses).
• Yankees trade Andujar and all of his amazing upside for doubles and more home runs and close to a .300 average for some pitcher who will immediately need Tommy John surgery.  This will be the defining moment for Cashman – in a bad way.  It is so clear to SU that Andujar has a lot of upside.  Let him practice fielding ground balls all winter – he will get better.  Plus you put up with Gary Sanchez who averages 1.3 passed balls per game when healthy and never runs hard to 1st base.  Please, please, please keep Andujar.  Why does he come up in every trade rumor?  Why do you not want to build around him and Gleyber Torres?
• The Yankees are going to get that Japanese pitcher this winter.  SU likes that move and the hope is that they use the unused Machado money to do that.  That is the smart move.

SU says pass on Machado and Harper, bring back Didi in the summer and then sign him to a long-term deal.  You need the left-handed bat badly.  Jordan Montgomery who had Tommy John surgery last season will be back at some point and he looked good.  Stay the course with the youngsters.  The pitching still isn’t there but you can always make a July trade deadline move.  If I have to root for a team with both Stanton and Machado, this will be very bad.  Help me here.  I will never abandon the Yankees but stop making it so hard on me.

SU says don’t be misled by Brian Cashman’s statements.  He has historically said one thing but then done the opposite.  The fact that he is saying why would the Yankees ever look to sign Bryce Harper when they already have so many outfielders is a prime example of that.  His statement that they have had multiple chats with Machado’s agent could also be a ruse to drive up the asking price for Machado for some other team.

SU has been clear: neither Harper or Machado are necessary with a high powered offense that they already have in place.  OK, Didi may be out until August but seriously, you can get by with a pedestrian shortstop until then.  SU does not want the Yankees to trade Andujar or Torres.  This has been the plan: grow your youngsters.  For $30 million a year, you can get two players at $15 million who are almost just as good.  The stats for the $30 million+ players do not add up.  Look at Stanton: 40 home runs but not many doubles and hits .260 with 600 strikeouts.

The need is clearly pitching.  SU will be patient and will trust the process.

Random thoughts for a Monday morning:

• SU saw that the Mets hired Chili Davis as their new hitting coach.  SU says good move – he had a good run with the Red Sox and seems to connect well with players.  I like that hiring.
• All quiet in Yankee Land but don’t be fooled by that.  The market is still being “set” for the big free agent names this winter.  The Yankees are being linked to both Harper and Machado on Twitter but who knows?  As a fan, their biggest need is still pitching and while they passed on Corbin, Happ is still out there.  Kuechel says he will cut off his beard for 2019 but SU says he is over the hill – no longer as effective and definitely one to steer clear of in this market.  Eovaldi was not worth the money as he has already had 2 Tommy John surgeries.  The Yankees were right to stay away.  I guess the Sonny Gray trade is going to have to yield someone who can make the rotation.  If the Yankees want to sign either Harper or Machado AND trade Stanton, well then SU is all in.  But to sign one of these guys and still need to find starting pitching, then it makes no sense.
• The Giants are showing signs of life late in the season when only draft pick positioning is on the line.  The Redskins are in free fall and their defense just gave up yesterday – obviously not inspired by having Mark Sanchez as your 3rd string QB.
• Jeremy Lin rumors are swirling.  Only SU cares but he is playing well and can help a contender.  Still one of the players that I tune in to watch.
• Only one more game to have to watch Urban Meyer run his hand through his hair to keep from imploding on the sideline.  He says he will never coach again but there are going to be a lot of NFL slots opening up after this season and we will see if that holds.
• Harold Baines has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  That one is a head scratcher for SU.  Solid player in his career but was he one of the top hitters at his position for an extended period?  I don’t think so.
• Finally, you had to love that Miami Dolphins win on the hook and ladder play that never, ever works over the Patriots.  That one play could cost them home field in the AFC playoffs – not insignificant.

So, what happened to all of those good match-ups for the college bowl games this year?  SU has reviewed the line-up and it’s underwhelming:

• Michigan vs. Florida in the Peach Bowl – SU had thoughts about going to this year’s Michigan bowl game (although there was definite push-back from SU family members after the Ohio State blowout) but I have zero interest in seeing yet another game against Florida – especially at $160 a seat.  They played them last season in the kick-off game in Dallas and they were Harbaugh’s opponent in his first season’s bowl game.  Michigan vs. LSU or Georgia would have been much more entertaining.  They could have paired Florida vs. UCF – interstate rivalry that would have been a first time match up I suspect.
• Texas vs. Georgia in the Sugar Bowl – look, Georgia is a 4A team – came oh so close to knocking off mighty Alabama.  Texas has 3 losses.  Why not Michigan vs. Georgia?  SU suspects there is some contractual arrangement that prevents it from happening but Big Ten vs. SEC would have been interesting and must see tv for the Michigan faithful.
• I won’t go through the other bowl games but Rose (Ohio State vs. Washington is a yawner) and UCF vs. LSU in the Fiesta is another one that can be missed.  SU has always enjoyed the bowls but something is missing this year.

I do think the BCS committee got it right – Oklahoma deserved to be in over Ohio State and Georgia.  Now if they can get their defensive backs not to hold on every pass play, well that is another story.  If it’s Clemson vs. Alabama again, that one is getting old.

Mets pulled the trigger on Cano and Diaz.  Rumors have them going after Kluber next in a trade as Callaway would be reunited with his ace from the Indians.  Looks like the Mets are being aggressive for 2019 in a division that may be winnable (of course, that was their story this year as well).

Ronald Torreyes, traded to the Cubs, got designated for assignment yet again.  I hope he is not taking this all personally.

SU gives props to the Kansas City Chiefs for cutting Kareem Hunt in a bold move.  He is only 23 and SU suspects he will be back either next season or the year after if he can get his head on straight, do a lot of community service and become a solid citizen.  Players have to realize that cameras are everywhere – if you are going to break the law, chances are someone will see you.

Finally, if you want to see basketball played the right way (as Larry Brown likes to say), then you have to check out Michigan’s team this year.  Very balanced, more athletic than past teams and they already have some quality wins.  As SU has said many times, I am in it for the process and the journey.  It’s very hard to win it all and March can bring disappointment when you least expect it.  But I enjoy seeing how the team improves and overcomes adversity.  They are worth the 2 hours of your time.