How to Fix the MLB All Star Game

By Scott

Truthfully, I don't think there's a whole lot wrong with baseball's All Star Game, but every major outlet that has criticized it appear to disagree. The pre-game festivities are a bit too much, but still it's great to see the best pitchers in the game duel against the best hitters. And, the last 5 All Star Games have been decided by 2 runs or less. But, there are still a few things that MLB could do to really spice up the mid-summer classic:

1. Forget American League vs National League, give us North America vs. The World. The NHL did this a few times for their All Star Game (they really need to go back to it), and it saw pretty solid success. There's nothing Americans love more than rooting for America. On July 4th Americans morph into hot dog eating fans, not because they give the slightest bit of concern over hot dogs, but because an American is competing against a foreign power. So, when Joey Chestnut beats Kobayashi, Americans love it. Of course they forget about it the next day, but as long as their attention is grabbed for the few hours, the MLB can call success.

2. Most importantly: Do not allow the game to decide anything important. Giving World Series home field advantage to the league that wins the game is a travesty. Especially considering that a Royals' pitcher / Pirates' hitter matchup could decide the fate of World Series home field advantage. The World Series team with the best record should have home field advantage. If you want to give the game a competitive edge, give the winning team bonus money. It's a true wonder why players don't earn extra money to play in the game, and if they were given a nice bonus for winning, the game would be competitive.

3. Start the pre-game festivities earlier, or get rid of them. The All Star Game now features so much stuff, that the game itself ends up running past 11:30, sometimes later. All of the first pitch, America the Beautiful, and hometown legends stuff is great, but start it a half hour before the All Star Game broadcast begins. This allows the game to end around 11, or possibly earlier.

MLB Midseason Awards: Take 2

By Scott

Our long lost writer, Stanley, gave his thoughts on the 1st-half of the 2009 MLB Season, but now that I've established a tyrannical rule over the blog, I'll give mine as well. Let's get to it...

National League 1st-Half M.V.P.

This is by far the easiest award to give out. Pujols has been absolutely dominating, and essentially in a league of his own this year: 32 Home Runs, 85 R.B.I., 71 Runs Scored, .739 Slugging Percentage, and a .463 On Base Percentage, incredible. Not only is Albert in position to win the first Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967, but he could plausibly lead the MLB in almost every category listed above by year's end. Pujols is on pace to set some records which could possibly become the first valid numbers in the somewhat Steroid-Era fallout. Of course, we've heard this story before. Lovable character puts up amazing numbers, grabs America's heart, no one suspects a thing. (See: Sosa, Sammy) But, until then, Pujols will become the face of league and will undoubtedly capture his 3rd MVP award, and 2nd straight.

Other candidates: Chase Utley, Hanley Ramirez, Prince Fielder

National League 1st-Half Cy Young

The N.L. Cy Young isn't quite as obvious as the N.L. M.V.P. The competition really comes down to two pitchers: Diamondbacks' Dan Haren and Giants' Tim Lincecum. Let's compare the stats:

Dan Haren: 9 wins, 2.01 ERA, 129 strikeouts, 0.81 WHIP

Tim Lincecum: 10 wins, 2.33 ERA, 149 strikeouts, 1.05 WHIP

Haren's WHIP is unbelievable, but it's not enough to eclipse Lincecum's mind-blowing strikeout rate and his 10-2 record. So, the nod has to go to last year's winner, Tim Lincecum. Honestly, Haren could easily win the award considering his poor run support, but Lincecum's isn't exactly great either, which also undermines looking at their wins as a valid comparison. But, in the end, Lincecum has simply been more dominating than Haren, and his dominance is what gives him the award.

Other candidates: Dan Haren, Matt Cain

American League 1st-Half M.V.P.

My A.L. M.V.P. vote comes down to two teammates: Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer. Mauer was sidelined with an injury until he made his debut on May 1st which both hurts and helps his case. The big draw for Mauer's MVP candidacy is his .381 batting average, but if he played all of April, there's no way that it remains that high. It would still likely be higher than Morneau's .310 batting average, but not by a landslide. However, Mauer has put together impressive numbers considering he missed an entire month, but let's compare the numbers:

Joe Mauer: .381 Batting Average, 15 Home Runs, 49 RBI, 49 Runs, 90 Hits

Justin Morneau: .310 Batting Average, 21 Home Runs, 70 RBI, 58 Runs, 102 Hits

Considering Morneau has only 3 more at-bats than Mauer, he has to get the edge. Obviously, Mauer's batting average is astounding, and he leads the league in OPS and SLG, but again, Morneau has kept his consistency for an extra month, which is rather significant. If Mauer can keep up his pace at any capacity, there's no doubt he'll win the award at the end of the year, but for now Morneau gets a slight edge.

Other Candidates: Joe Mauer, Kevin Youkilis, Miguel Cabrera, Ichiro

American League 1st-Half Cy Young

The American League Cy Young comes down to a few players: Royals' pitcher Zack Greinke, Mariners' youngster Felix Hernandez, and Blue Jays' ace Roy Halladay. However, this decision is an easy one, and the clear cut winner is Greinke. He leads the A.L. in ERA and Innings pitched, tied for 1st in wins, and 3rd in strikeouts. Halladay and King Felix's numbers are impressive, but also considering Greinke doesn't exactly pitch with the most potent run support in the league, he definitely gets the edge. And finally, Greinke is the MLB's sweetheart of the year, which also gives him a boost that he doesn't necessarily need, but in a race this close, every advantage counts.

Other Candidates: Roy Halladay, Felix Hernandez, Edwin Jackson, Justin Verlander

MLB Assembles Least Intriguing Home Run Derby Ever

You no Big Papi

By Scott

The Home Run Derby is as American as apple pie. It's a change of pace from the constant stream of baseball games that fill Sportscenter every night. It gives fans of all intensities a chance to see their favorite players show off their sheer power, and more importantly, a taste of their true, off the field character. And this year, Major League Baseball's fans will be treated to some of the most notorious power hitters in baseball in the likes of Brandon Inge and Nelson Cruz...?

Really, it's just the American League roster that actually had me at a loss of words. Even if Cruz and Inge were smacking 5 home runs-a-game out of the park, I have no interest in seeing either of them. Why? Because they're not stars. I know Big Papi is struggling, but is there anyone in the country who can honestly say they'd rather watch Brandon Inge than Ortiz? Not to mention, Brandon Inge is 19th in the MLB in home runs. 19th!!! There's only 8 players in the derby, and there is still a solid handful of players with less home runs than Inge that are twice as appealing. See: Curtis Granderson, Miguel Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez (no way he'd enter, but still), Torii Hunter, Kevin Youkilis, and the list goes on.

Donde esta, Carlos?

But, where's Mark Texeira, Carlos Pena, Justin Morneau, or Jason Bay? It's understandable why many of the players don't want to mess up their swings and tire themselves out, but there's no excuse for the MLB and their inability to lure even 8 entertaining guys into the competition. Joe Mauer and Evan Longoria are great, young guys to put out there, but you couldn't find two more big names to put out there, MLB? Seriously?

On the contrary, the National League roster is awesome: Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder, and Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez will definitely enter as the underdog, especially because of his underrated play in a small market in San Diego. If I had to put money down, I think Pujols has to be the favorite because of his "machine-like" numbers.

It still should be a semi-entertaining watch for the casual baseball fan, but there's no doubt ratings will take a solid drop on Monday night.

Video Clip of the Day: July 9th

Ron Artest is off to a hot start in L.A. Not only is his music career taking off with his Michael Jackson track, but he also told the L.A. media that he plans to "hoodalize" ESPN. Oh yeah, and Artest once met Kobe while Kobe was showering. Enjoy, Lakers fans.

Where's the Outrage?

By Scott

I hate the Jets. So, when I heard that New York Jet's linebacker Calvin Pace violated the League's Substance Abuse Policy and will be watching from home for the first 4 weeks of the 2009 season, I was rather pleased. My boundless anticipation of the media circus that would certainly surround the Jets and disrupt their locker room was high. After all, Pace signed a mega-deal last summer worth $42 million with $22 million guaranteed. It was perfect. So, I kicked back, turned on ESPN, and waited for the magic to happen... and I waited, and waited, and waited. Nothing more than a mere mention of the suspension. No screaming Mark Schlereth, nothing.

Obviously, the NFL has gotten somewhat of a free pass on steroids. In fact, steroids in the NFL have infected the league long before it was a problem for baseball. Members of the Steel Curtain admitted to using HGH, and really, just watching old highlight tapes is the only proof you need. It appears as though it's almost safe to assume that over 50-60% of the NFL was juiced in the 80's and 90's, if not more. Even today when some of the league's bigger stars test positive, there's no outrage. Shawn Merriman, Rodney Harrison, Deuce McCallister, Kevin and Pat Williams, and the list goes on. How many people remember, or even knew that they tested positive for that matter. When a baseball player tests positive, his career is forever marked with an invisible asterik. So why is the NFL getting such a free pass?

Roger Goodell needs to take two courses of action: Turn a blind eye like the NFL has done years, or seriously crack down on the substance violators. The NFL is probably the sport that would benefit most from enhanced players, but the ramifications of these guys enduring thousands of violent collisions plus the serious side effects of steroids, the long term health of the players is very, very grim.

But while I waited to hear the outrage over Pace's suspension, I did hear an obnoxious amount of news about Manny Ramirez's return tour. And for the life of me, I just can't grasp why he is getting a free pass and ultimately a celebration for using steroids. Manny cheated the game the exact same way McGwire, Sosa, A-Rod, Clemens, Canseco, and the rest of users did. Just because Manny can put on a show with his childish antics and dreadlocks shouldn't excuse him from the same scrutiny others who have tested positive endured. I'm all for forgiveness, but giving Manny special treatment is ridiculous on every level.

Chad Ochocinco Wants to Tweet During Games

Then stop being a dumbass...

Chad Ochocinco informed the media earlier today that he plans to tweet during games. My inconsequential advice to the NFL: DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN.

Okay, I hate some of what General Goodell has done to the league, and I agreed with Johnson (I can't really call him Ochocinco) when he pointed out that N.F.L. now stands for No Fun League. Taking away touchdown dances and celebrations is like not telling your friends you just hooked up with Carmen Electra. It's a world-class feat, but getting fined for rubbing it in you friends' faces? Not cool. Anyway, I appreciate Johnson's rebellious ways to the league, putting on excessive celebrations and absorbing the fines, changing his name to Ochocinco, racing a horse, and his crazy antics are endless. However, allowing Johnson to tweet during games could lead to a future that the NFL does NOT want.

Picture this: The Bear and Packers are clashing in a bitter, freezing December game that will decide the playoff fate of both storied franchises. It's 3rd & 6 and Jay Cutler calls in a play-action pass designed to get TE Greg Olsen in the seam for the first down. Cutler takes the snap, looks off the safety and fires a bullet into Olsen who drops the pass and forces da Bears to punt. In a fit of rage, Cutler walks over to the sideline, picks up his Blackberry, and sends out a Tweet: "Knew the play call was bogus. Shouldve hit Hester deep, Olsen has got bricks for hands." Before the nation can react to Cutler's tweet-attack, Fox's cameras pan out on Chicago's bench to display countless Chicago players on their cell phones. Many aren't even paying attention to the game, but are texting, tweeting, and fixing their fantasy football lineups. And, even worse, this is not an isolated incident. Roy Williams called out Wade Phillips during the 3rd quarter of a game, Adrian Peterson called out his offensive line after he was unable to convert on a 4th & 1, and Mark Sanchez accidentally tipped off the opposing defense, and this all happened during the 4 o'clock games.

Of course that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but not by a landslide. Just imagine seeing a player pull out a cell phone during a game. Disgraceful. And, Chad's twitter history isn't so clean, considering he compared the death of Michael Jackson to 9/11.

I hope the NFL puts a $1 million fine down for anyone who even brings a cell phone onto the field, because there are some things that really aren't worth the possible repercussions.

UFL Will Consider Vick

By Scott

The UFL has stated that they'll "consider" allowing Michael Vick to play when their inaugural season kicks off in October. My response: Duh. The United Football League already goofed when they failed to promote their draft which was held on June 19th, a time when virtually no noteworthy news comes out of the NFL.

Getting Vick to play would be monumental for the league which has been set up rather nicely. The league's four teams will be coached by some pretty notable names: Jim Fassel will coach the Las Vegas franchise, Dennis Green (San Francisco), Ted Cottrell (New York), and Jim Haslett will coach the Orlando franchise who also drafted the rights to Vick should he be suspended by the NFL. Set aside the Vick situation, the NFL really should consider instituting the UFL as a farm system. NFL Europe obviously did not pan out, but giving teams an opportunity to develop players would boost the quality of play in the NFL.

Some notable names that will play in the UFL this season:

Adam Archuleta

Wendell Bryant

Brian Johnson

LaBrandon Toefield

Cecil Sapp

Brooks Bollinger

Mike Doss

Chris Perry

BJ Sams

Video Clip of the Day: July 6th

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Awesome to see Nomah finally make his return to Boston tonight. It's hard to believe he hasn't managed to make it back there since 2004, but I guess that made the night all the more special. Even 5 years after he last wore a Sox uniform it still doesn't feel right to see him wearing anything but red and grey.

Steve McNair (1973-2009)

By Scott

Former Alcorn State, Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans, and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair was found shot to death in a Nashville condominium on Saturday morning. McNair's death has been ruled a homicide, but it remains unknown as to whether the woman who was also found dead in the apartment committed a murder-suicide, or if both were murdered. Regardless, the loss of the 36-year-old father of four sent shock waves across the nation.

McNair's storied career began in high school where McNair excelled in four sports. Playing both ways, McNair led the Mount Olive High football team to the Mississippi State Championship, all while tying the state record for interceptions as the team's safety. As if that wasn't enough, McNair was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 1991, but the quarterback chose his passion and committed to I-AA school, Alcorn State to play football.

At Alcorn State, McNair continued where he left off in high school. Tearing apart defenses with 3,541 passing yards and 39 total touchdowns in 1992, a season that included a game in which McNair came back from a leg injury against Grambling and ran in the winning touchdown. Something that McNair would do many times throughout his career. His success continued throughout his college career, and in his senior season, McNair totaled over 6,000 yards passing and rushing and found the endzone 53 times. His senior year success earned him national attention, as McNair won the Walter Payton Award for best I-AA player and finished third in Heisman voting.

With the third pick in the 1995 NFL Draft, the Houston Oilers selected Steve McNair. McNair rode the bench for most of his first two seasons, but took the helm as the starting quarterback in 1997. He immediately let his presence be felt around the league as the Oilers finished 8-8 and McNair totaled 2,665 yards passing, 674 yards rushing, and 22 total touchdowns. However, McNair really came into his own in 1999 when the Oilers became the Tennessee Titans. After leading the Titans to a win over the Bengals in week 1, McNair was sidelined by an inflamed disk and replaced by Neil O'Donnell. O'Donnell went 4-1 with the Titans, but McNair took the job back once he was healthy and led Tennessee to an 8-2 record and a wild-card playoff birth. That year, McNair led the team to Super Bowl 34 where the Titans came just 1 yard short of sending the game into overtime. It was McNair's first and last Super Bowl appearance.

After years of success with Tennessee which included an MVP award in 2003 and multiple playoff appearances which were ultimately unsuccessful, the Titans traded the man who had become the face of their franchise due to constant injury and age issues. McNair became the leading man in Baltimore, a team that desperately needed an offensive boost. After starting every game and leading the Ravens to a 13-3 record in 2006, McNair couldn't get the Ravens over the hump, and the team was defeated by the eventual champions, the Indianapolis Colts, in the first round. In 2007, McNair missed 9 games due to injury, and after 13 seasons, McNair called it quits, and retired.

McNair's career can be summed up in one word: Toughness. He played through injuries on virtually every part of his body from his toes, ankles, sternum, back, ribs, fingers, groin, and you get the picture. He was never the sexiest player and didn't make many highlight reels, but McNair did the small things right, and his legacy will be one of a gutsy player and a true class act.

Artest and Ariza Swap Teams

By Scott

Free-agent forwards Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza have agreed in principle with the Lakers and Rockets respectively. Artest will choose from two deals: $18.7 million over 3 years or $33.5 million over 5 years, while Ariza's deal is expected to give him around $5.8 million per year, and could total up to equal Artest's contract which is insane for a guy who averaged under 9 points-per-game, but we'll get that.

First, the Lakers' signing of Artest could end up being the most significant move of the offseason. Artest adds not only a suffocating defender and offensive threat, but a great presence in a Lakers locker room that totally lacks character. Although Artest's zaniness and unpredictable behavior is a concern, he has been a popular figure in locker rooms throughout his career. Remember the Melee at Auburn Hills? Artest ran into the stands and his teammates followed him. A sign of loyalty and trust. Would Kobe's teammates follow him into the stands? Probably not. And Artest could be a key component in brining this Lakers' team closer. On the court, Artest is one of the best defenders in the game and averages a solid 17-points-a-game. He is undoubtedly an upgrade from both Ariza and Lamar Odom, and the Lakers will likely make another visit to the NBA Finals with Artest as as a key difference maker that could also force teams to divert their attention away from Kobe.

Trevor Ariza's contract is everything that is wrong with the NBA. Ariza averaged under 9-points-a-game, and not much else. His game relies on hitting open 3's that became available because of double teams on Kobe. Much of the hype surrounding Ariza also resulted from the two inbound steals he made against Denver in the Western Conference Finals. ESPN replayed

those plays so many times it was drilled into the minds of viewers and Ariza was hailed as a defensive mastermind. Granted, Ariza is young and his upside is tremendous especially considering how much his game has grown since he came out of UCLA, but giving such a massive contract to a guy who has ultimately done nothing in this league is not worth the risk. However, Rockets GM Daryl Maury has proven himself one of the best in the business in evaluating talent, so Ariza's development will be worth watching.

The most interesting part of these deals is the fallout. There were reports swirling around the internet that Ron Artest was close to signing with the Cavs. Now that Artest has chosen L.A., it'll be interesting to see if Cleveland pursues another piece to the Lebron/Shaq show. With Lamar Odom now on the market, he could be a decent replacement for Artest especially because of his experience playing with star-driven teams with Kobe in L.A. and Dwayne Wade in Miami. Another possible landing spot for Odom is Orlando. With Hedo Turkoglu on the way out, Odom would be solid fit for the Magic who are still on the verge of establishing themselves as a true power in the East.

NHL Free Agency Recap

By Scott

The NHL free-agency period is just three days in, but most of the big-impact moves have already been made. And, of course, we've got all of them covered.

Marian Hossa to Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago made the biggest splash of the week by signing former Red Wing embarrassment Marian Hossa. By embarrassment, I mean, of course, Hossa's disappearance in the Stanley Cup against the team he turned down a contract extension from last summer. However, Hossa was extremely productive during the regular season, racking up 40 goals and 31 assists. The Blackhawks locked Hossa up to a 12-year deal which, if Hossa plays it out, should allow him to play out the rest of his career in Chicago. And, don't forget that the 'Hawks signed former Devils Center John Madden, who is regarded as one of the best defensive forwards in the league. These moves put the Blackhawks right next to the Flames as the favorites in the West. The only question now for Chicago is goaltending. Nikolai Khabibulin bolted for Edmonton leaving free-agent bust Cristobal Huet to protect the net. If Huet can live up to his contract, the Blackhawks will represent the West in the finals.

Marian Gaborik to New York Rangers

The New York Rangers made an expensive gamble by signing Minnesota Wild forward Marian Gaborik. Gaborik's career has been one marked by durability issues and instability. He has never played a full season throughout his 9 year career, and is coming off of hip surgery that forced him to miss 65 games last season. Gaborik has also been subject to countless trade rumors over the years, but the Wild were never able to pull the trigger on a deal. Add up the injury concerns and the fact that Gaborik wasn't that successful at the height of his healthy days, and he could very easily be joining the likes of other New York Ranger free-agent busts, Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Wade Redden, Bobby Holik, Darius Kasparaitis, Valeri Kamensky, Stephane Quintal, and Scott Fraser.

Dany Heatley rejects trade to Edmonton Oilers

Disgruntled Ottawa Senators' forward Dany Heatley has been itching to get out of Ottawa so badly that he requested a trade at the beginning of the offseason. So, Senators GM Bryan Murphy granted his wish and constructed a deal that would send Heatley to Edmonton in exchange for forwards Dustin Penner and Andrew Cogliano, as well as defenseman Ladislav Smid. Everything was great, except Heatley never waived his no-trade clause, and the deal fell

through. Why? Because it's Edmonton. No one wants to play in Edmonton. The Hockey News did a players' poll last year that asked the players where they would least liked to be traded to. Edmonton finished second to last with 11% of the polled players voting against the snow-drowned city. Even Jay Bouwmeester voted against playing in his hometown to play in Calgary where living conditions are considerably more desirable, and Edmonton is within driving distance. You really can't blame Heatley for hoping that a better team in a more livable location will put a sufficient deal on the table. But, as is the result of most trade demands, Heatley will probably be a Senator come October.

Jay Bouwmeester signs with the Calgary Flames

Unlike Canadian National Team teammate Dany Heatley, Jay Bouwmeester's wish of relocation was granted. Bouwmeester escaped from Florida with his negotiating rights shipped to Calgary. The Flames had 4 days to convince JayBo to sign with them before he could hit the open market and get showered with lucrative deals by every team imaginable. Where did the Flames muster up an extra $6.6 million-a-year to give the defenseman with such a star-studded roster? Who knows, but pair Bouwmeester with Dion Phaneuf or Robyn Regehr and it's hard to believe anyone will beat Calgary, and it's very possible nobody does. The Flames have certainly surpassed the Red Wings in terms of overall skill, but the biggest question will be putting all of their skill together, something they failed to do this season after acquiring goal-scorer Olli Jokinen.

Southeast Divison Gets Stronger

Often the most criticized division in the NHL, if not sports, the Panthers, Thrashers, Lightning, and Hurricanes were all some of the most efficient players in the free-agency market this week. The Hurricanes brought back 3 wingers, including shootout specialist Jussi Jokinen, and Chad LaRose and Erik Cole who both decided to test the market only to come crawling back to Carolina. The Lighting added some seriously needed depth and talent to their defense by

adding former Vancouver defenseman Matthias Ohlund and former Chicago defenseman Matt Walker. The Panthers also added some defensive depth by signing Jordan Leopold, Clay Wilson, and Ville Koistinen. Florida then picked up former Devils goaltender Scott Clemmensen to replace Craig Anderson. Clemmensen ably filled in for Martin Brodeur last season, going 25-13-1 in his absence. Finally, the Thrashers added a playmaker in forward Nik Antropov and a top-4 blueliner in Pavel Kubina. The Antropov signing could be a ploy to keep Ilya Kovalchuck in town for the long run with his contract expiring after this season.