Buster Olney of espn.com weighs in on the Yankees’ signing of Chris Carter:

“The first conversations that the New York Yankees had about Chris Carter took place in the fall, as the Milwaukee Brewers sorted through their options with a slugger who was tied for the National League lead with 41 homers in 2016. The two sides didn’t work out a deal, the Brewers released Carter, and the Yankees signed Matt Holliday, presumably to take a lot of plate appearances at designated hitter.

Carter remained unsigned into December, into January, the price tag seemingly dropping. Carter’s agent, Dave Stewart, mentioned in a radio interview the possibility that his client would have to think about signing in Japan. This was something that Carter had no interest in: He wanted to play in the major leagues in 2017, and was resigned to the reality that he would get far less than he expected after a season in which he posted an .821 OPS.

Carter’s context had changed, and so had that of the Yankees. Late in the 2015 season, it appeared that Greg Bird might be the team’s first baseman of the future, but he missed all of the 2016 with a shoulder injury. When he returned to action in the Arizona Fall League, Bird really struggled, batting .215 with one homer and 17 strikeouts in 65 at-bats. As the Cleveland Indians learned with Michael Brantley, no injury bears so much uncertainty for a position player — for a hitter — as a shoulder problem. For the Yankees, Bird is something of a mystery with spring training looming. Tyler Austin is a candidate to play first base after a nice showing late last season, but he’s young, he has options, and he can be sent back to the minors.”

SU gets the logic but surely there were better options.  Apparently, they are very nervous about Greg Bird and how he will respond from shoulder surgery.  But it will be unbearable watching Carter strike out 200 times against ridiculous shifts.  I would much rather see Judge and Tyler Austin get those at bats, and I have faith in Bird coming around.  We were down to Ellsbury and Headley in the unwatchable category.  Wrong move, wrong time.

Tanaka has an out clause this year if he wants to forego $23 million for the next 3 years.  Given his elbow situation, why would any team take that chance?  SU says this will be a non-issue and he will stay a Yankee through 2020.

Did you see what Porzingis had to say the other day?  This from a quiet 2nd year player who is not looking to make waves.  But if you watched any of the Laker game the other night, you saw how no-one was helping on defense and how the seas parted every time a Laker drove down the lane past Derrick Rose (who may be the worst defender in the NBA at this point in his career).  The quote from KP:

“It’s kind of everybody for (themselves) a lot of times. Both ends of the floor.”

His game is suffering and he is regressing.  For Phil Jackson, the issue isn’t making a good deal for Carmelo.  It’s just moving him off the roster and starting over.  That should be the priority at this point.  Kevin Love is younger and he just scored 39 points the other night.  Not happening.

Pitchers and catchers still haven’t reported as of yet but it’s not too early to be irritated by the Yankees for 2017.  Chris Carter?  He of 41 home runs and 206 strikeouts last year to go with his lifetime .216 batting average.  What????!!!!

SU says that Andruw Jones obviously could not be lured out of retirement so Cashman felt Carter would be the next best thing.  They already have Aaron Judge who may put up these types of numbers.  I suppose Carter is insurance at 1st base in case Greg Bird doesn’t regain his form from 2015.

But let’s face it.  This is not inspiring.  SU would rather have Carmelo Anthony at first base.  At least he would be off the Knicks’ roster.

Thoughts?

This was an odd Super Bowl.  Basically, another boring, blowout type game for the first 2 and a half quarters, and then it turned into a college football game.  In the NFL, no one comes back from being down 21-0 and then 28 – 3 in the 3rd quarter.  It just doesn’t happen much less in a playoff game or Super Bowl.  Sure, there was that wild Buffalo comeback against the Houston Oilers in the playoffs but those are few and far between.  We have become used to these types of games at the college level where the offenses run no huddle and the clock stops on 1st downs.

New England is not even a quick strike team.  Most of their drives took up some clock.  SU believes it was really just a case that Atlanta’s defense was on the field for so many plays, so many passing plays, and they wore down in the 4th quarter.  There was one turnover by Ryan on the sack and they could have played the clock better with some runs.  But SU believes they were gassed in the 4th quarter.  The killer was giving up 2 2-point conversions – that never happens.  It’s like recovering 2 onside kicks.

SU also believes that the Falcons will miss the playoffs next season.  In the NFL, there is the carryover effect when you come up just short or implode like yesterday.  The experts will say that they’ll be back and will play in this game again.  Could be – but not next season.  One step forward, 2 steps back.

Many thanks to the NFL faithful for their Super Bowl predictions.  In case you weren’t following along, here they were:

• S. Goldman: 31 – 23 Pats
• Trigs: 31 – 23 Pats
• A. Grossman: 35-32 Falcons
• P. Bok: 27 – 23 Pats with the Falcons losing in heart-breaking fashion (I think Pete may have come closest to predicting just how this would play out and he is a Falcons fan)
• Mark N: 35 – 31 Falcons
• Jeff: 31-17 Pats (but not happy about it as he is a Jets fan)
• Bob D: 35-21 Falcons
• Steve G: 34-21 Pats (as a big-time, long-time Pats fan)

Some pretty close picks there by highly educated SU subscribers, and SU applauds everyone for weighing in and putting their reputations on the line!

The time has come for SU’s fearless Super Bowl predictions.  I have proudly not read or watched anything related to the upcoming game.  There is just too much hype and tell the truth: what could be more fun than reading about the potential 4-team trades for Carmelo Anthony?

Here are the SU keys to the game:

• Neutral field: that hurts Atlanta which is exceptional at home and much less so on the road.  While Houston is technically “neutral”, it’s still not Atlanta.
• Indoor like conditions: that helps the Falcons which SU says play better not out in the elements.  A guy like Tom Brady adapts to any conditions and weather as long as the ball pressure also adapts (ha ha).
• Julio Jones: SU had him on our fantasy team this year.  He has battled a foot injury all year and his performance was up and down.  Belichick is famous for taking away a team’s best player but my sense is that the Falcons have scored plenty of points in games when Jones did nothing.  Matt Ryan has enough weapons to get it done.
• I think both teams have great offenses and will move up and down the field fairly easily.  The Pats have a better defense which might lead to more field goals for Atlanta while the Patriots score touchdowns.

We have run the various computer scenarios and have the Falcons winning 37 – 31 in a competitive game throughout.  Given that both teams can score quickly, you get the feeling that we won’t have a blowout this year and that would be good given how boring most of the playoff games have been.

Feel free to post your predictions for scores and any other notable events that may happen, e.g., Tom Brady not shaking Roger Goodell’s hand?  As always, SU will give kudos and props to whoever comes closest to the final score and surely you want to be recognized by the hundreds of thousands of SU intergalactic subscribers (this excludes the 3-5 million people who voted illegally which means the total is actually much higher).

Both Roger Federer and Tiger Woods were out of action for months.  Federer came back for the Australian Open and played a couple of matches to tune up right before then.  He proceeds to go out and dominate the field including an epic win over Rafa Nadal in the finals.  The win over Nadal was especially gratifying to Federer as no one will catch him now for the career Grand Slam record.

Tiger Woods returned to play Torrey Pines, a course he knows well and has won at many times, and he missed the cut.  SU just thought the contrast was interesting.  It’s true that Tiger was coming back from a year and a half absence but you can also say that Federer who will turn 36 this year is at a much older age tennis-wise than is Woods in golf.  Fed also beat a number of top 10 players along the way.  It was no cheapie.  Thoughts?

SU caught the 4th quarter and the 4 overtimes of the Knick game yesterday.  First of all, Mike Crispino is just not a good announcer at MSG.  These are the types of games where announcers have so much fun but he is no Mike Breen.  Porzingis fouled out yet again and with Derrick Rose injured (which Crispino just didn’t mention at all), Melo felt compelled to take every shot down the stretch and in OT.  He definitely made his share of them but SU says that basketball is a team game and there are 4 other players out there who might be open while you are double teamed going 1 on 1.  This is not to take away from Melo’s shot making – he single-handedly kept them in the game.  But it’s on Hornacek to design plays to get others involved for open looks.  He seems to be a Mike Woodson disciple and is content, like other NBA coaches, to take the easy way out and allow your top player to go 1 on 1 over and over and over again.  At this point, I have no emotional connection to the team.

SU caught the UConn women in action up in Hartford with long-time subscriber M. Levine on Saturday.  While they won by 50 or so, what’s most interesting to see is how they push the ball up the court on every possession whether the opponent scored or not.  They never walk the ball up the court.  On defense, the intensity is there from start to finish.  There is no looking to the bench on calling offensive plays and the ball moves side to side on every possession.  They missed a lot of shots for them but they were getting good looks by pushing the ball and making hard cuts.  SU is still baffled why other teams – both men’s and women’s teams – don’t play this way either at the college level or in the pros.  Kansas and Kentucky do as we saw on Saturday but most do not.

Super Bowl prediction coming tomorrow.  Be sure to weigh in with your picks during the week to show off your particular skills in calling games of this magnitude.

Check out the article below from espn.com:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/18553325/new-york-knicks-pitch-carmelo-anthony-kevin-love-rebuffed-cleveland-cavaliers

SU had proposed this deal back in the winter.  It’s a natural and would allow LeBron to play with yet another friend.  Clearly, the Cavs are only interested in dealing with the Knicks when they can totally take advantage of them (see the trade for Shumpert and JR Smith).

But SU says the Knicks are on the right track.  Next stop: LA Clippers and Blake Griffin.  You need to trade your superstar for another team’s superstar.  The Hawks’ Millsap is also supposedly on the block although unlikely Carmelo wants to go to Atlanta.

Time to think outside of the box!

SU says we are due for a competitive Super Bowl after a lackluster few weeks of playoff football.  Sure, Packers – Dallas was an instant classic but that was pretty much it.  I must say that home field was certainly important this post-season and being the home team on Conference Championship Sunday was worth a lot per usual.  SU’s predictions went down in flames but hey, nothing ventured nothing gained.  Actually, would my original Super Bowl prediction of winner of the Packers/Giants game vs. the Steelers qualify as an “alternative fact?”

You have to admire the Pats who win easily without Gronk and don’t miss a beat offensively.  They are truly a plug and play team – just slide in the next guy.  Tom Brady is clearly a superstar and possibly GOAT at his position but the sustained track record of this team is well beyond anyone else.  No doubt Brady is hoping to win the Super Bowl and accept the trophy from Commissioner Roger Goodell.  Now that would be must see TV.  SU’s research department is already running various scenarios but I am feeling an over/under of 79 points.  Let’s hope an Alabama – Clemson game breaks out in 2 weeks.

Jeremy Lin out another 3 – 5 weeks as he re-aggravated his hamstring in rehab.  Unreal.  Dude will end up missing almost the entire season.  This has put a major damper on SU’s NBA viewing.  I did catch the end of the San Antonio – Cleveland game where the Spurs won in OT.  The Spurs are like the Patriots: well coached; well run and they slide in new players into the system every year.  And so many assists!  SU kept looking for the jab step, isolation offensive sets but I guess Coach Popovich has not read the Mike Woodson Offensive Playbook (er pamphlet).

The Carmelo – Phil Jackson soap opera plays on and on as the Knicks continue to find ways to lose in the last minute.  SU is convinced that Derrick Rose has a maximum number of passes per game built into his contract (no more than 9) which means at the end of the game, there is just no way he is passing on those drives.  He will get his contract for next season (mission accomplished this year) but it won’t be in NY.

Tennis fans, check out the men’s draw at the Australian Open.  Roger Federer has a path to the finals as does Rafa Nadal.  Now that would be a throwback.  Given Fed’s record against Nadal, no doubt he is hoping for a loss on that side of the draw.  Men’s tennis shaping up to have a great year.  Still plenty of room on Tennis Channel for you to join me.

So, Ivan Rodriguez has made the Hall of Fame.  While he never failed a PED test, there were always rumors and his body size shrank about 30% late in his career.  He was clearly deserving based on the stats, as I-Rod was considered the best at his position for a number of years.

It’s clear that the voters are going to now drop their resistance to suspected PED users like Bonds, Sosa, and Clemens.  Although he’s not mentioned very often, Mark McGwire should also be included in the conversation.  All of these players were at the top of the game for many years and have the stats to back it up.  And if that’s the case, then SU says there is no reason to not allow A-Rod in as well.  They all used to varying degrees and it’s impossible to start playing some fine line of who did, who didn’t and who maybe did.  We won’t know for a few years for A-Rod but SU believes once the others get the votes, it will be difficult to keep him out despite the suspension and all the rest.

Nice Knicks win last night.  SU turned it on in the 2nd half and while there was one 3rd quarter stretch where Melo shot every time, it was great to see a balanced attack.  The Knicks are now 5-0 when Noah doesn’t play.  Rose had a great offensive game but it’s becoming very clear that he has no interest in passing.  Some of his passes on his drives are literally to no-one on the perimeter.  But he is a great finisher around the basket.  I know, it’s only one game but if KP moves to the 5-position and maybe, just maybe, Carmelo starts to pass a little more, this team can score a lot of points and be a tough out come playoff time in a weak Eastern Conference.

SU fave, Novak Djokovic, was ousted last night in the 2nd round of the Australian Open in 5 sets to a journeyman player.  Since winning last year’s French Open, he has not been the same player.  As he nears 3o, Djokovic is much more philosophical and you can see he has lost the edge.  SU believes that for the top, top players, winning and losing against the best comes down to a few points and being bold on those few points.  Federer lost that about 5 years ago and while his game looks the same, he tends to lose matches because he has lost the nerve.  SU would now put Djokovic in that category – he’s just not going for shots at those times anymore and is playing for his opponent to miss.  This is a great time for Andy Murray to dominate but SU says keep an eye on Milos Raonic who I think is ready to take the next step.  I am still hopeful Djokovic will find his way back but I am not feeling it at the moment.

SU says enough of the Knicks drama with Carmelo and Phil Jackson.  It’s not interesting.  Flashback: he took the money to stay in New York.  Jackson had the opportunity to move the team in a different direction but decided to give him the new max contract.  End of story.  He is not going anywhere, he has kids in school here and his wife likes it here.  Stop the rumors and stop the conversation.

More importantly, Jeff Hornacek has indicated that he will likely move Porzingis to center now.  Now, this is interesting and will make the team better.  You lose Noah’s passing ability but he is a bad fit for this team and this style offense.  Why?  Because the point guard, Derrick Rose, is really a short 2-guard.  This dude has no interest in passing the ball.  SU has watched enough games now.  He is an excellent driver and can create his own shot.  But he is a shoot first player and when paired with Melo who is also shoot first, well you have a boring team.  SU watched the Golden State Warriors the other night.  Wow.  They all make the extra pass and they all benefit from that style of play.  That is what the best teams do.  They pass the ball and then cut and move.  What a concept.  But let’s move Porzingis to the 5 position and see what happens.  They are still just a few games out of the playoffs and SU still likes the young guys on the roster.

SU’s crack research department dug up this career stats comparison:

• Adrian Dantley: 24.3 points per game
• Carmelo Anthony: 24.8 points per game

Dantley was a prolific scorer who finally won a championship late in his career.  A shoot first, isolation style player. Anthony is just like him.  And he will not win a championship in NY and will need to be traded to get there.

SU lost some respect for Antonio Brown on the Steelers.  He embarrassed his coach, his team and himself.  For the fans, it’s great to have the behind-the-scenes look but it needs to be done in the open as they do with the HBO series each season, not in secret.  This is an unneeded distraction going into the championship round.  Btw, SU’s Super Bowl prediction of the winner of the Green Bay/Giants game vs. Pittsburgh is still in play.

SU caught the 2nd half of the Wisconsin – Michigan game last night.  Michigan, which never fouls, had 9 fouls in the first 6 minutes of the 2nd half.  I am not going to whine about the refs but when you talk about Wisconsin’s great home court record, one might think that the refs could be a factor.  If Wisconsin is the best team in the Big Ten this year, you have to conclude that this is a down year for the conference.  SU says watch out for Northwestern – could be their year to make the NCAAs.  Michigan is NIT bound.

And with that, we need to start getting excited about pitchers and catchers reporting next month.  There are still a lot of free agents out there unsigned and waiting for the call.  SU continues to monitor Cashman and the Yankees which are going into 2017 with a lot of youngsters in the rotation and bullpen.  I am guessing the plan is go all in for 2018 but if they commit to the youngsters this year, could be a fun season.  For SU, baseball cannot come soon enough.

Odell Beckham Jr. is a really good player.  And some day, he may even be great.  And some day, he may even grow up.  SU says there is a stronger probability that he becomes great than if he grows up.  He came up small yesterday in the biggest game of the year and he had his chances.

Sure, it was cold but the same conditions existed for everyone out there.  Of the 3 dropped passes, one was an easy catch and would have kept the opening drive going.  Big play.  The 2nd one was difficult but hey, that’s why you are paid the big bucks.  SU says catch the ball.  The 3rd one was also difficult but Eli put it right there and it would have been a long gain to keep things going.  You give Shepherd a pass as he is a rookie and has played well all year.  He dropped a TD pass but you can’t rely on rookies.  OBJ likes the spotlight and this was his moment.

In terms of growing up, we don’t need to see you punch a hole in the wall or bang your head against a steel door to know that you care.  Everyone in the locker room cares; they just don’t take it out on the room’s structure.  SU says it reminds me of Cam Newton who also knows the camera is always on him and plays to it.  Both a are great physical talents, and both still need to grow up.

For the record, Aaron Rodgers is great – plain and simple.  The Giants did well blitzing him in the 1st half but in the 2nd, either they adjusted or the Giants stopped coming.  The net result was no pass rush and allowing Rodgers way too much time to scan the field in the pocket.  Combine that with the Giants’ punter unable to kick the ball with any height or distance in the cold and you had the Packers starting every drive in Giants’ territory from the late 2nd quarter on.

The Giants need an offensive lineman or two and a pass rusher this off season.  They are not far away and there is a sense of urgency as Eli is not getting any younger.  He was decent yesterday – especially in the 1st half.  But you need at least some semblance of a running game to compete in the playoffs and they just didn’t have one this year.

Four blowouts in week 1 and all home team wins.  SU had high hopes until late 2nd quarter but the Hail Mary was a back breaker.  And if the Packers’ tight end had held on to the pass at the 10 yard line with 6 seconds left and no timeouts, the clock would have just run out.  So it goes.