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Tom Verducci at SI.com has an article about an idea to realign the divisions in MLB.  Basically, teams would be able to opt to pick which division they wish to compete in to based on geography and payroll.  The idea seems to be a way for a team like Tampa to escape the Boston-New York AL East and have a legitimate shot at competing for a division title. 

It's a compelling idea, but I want to hear more about it before commenting.  For example, can any team opt to switch divisions?  If so, I assume the Yankees or Red Sox would gladly jump at the chance to escape the AL East.  Move one of them to the AL Central, and you probably have both teams winning 100+ games this year.  Obviously, that defeats the point of the plan, so how would that work?  Also, how long would each move last?  Could a team flop divisions year after year?

I hope that if MLB does something like this, they also change the playoff format.  I would like to see winning the division mean more than it does.  Right now the wild card team doesn't really pay much of a penalty for finishing second.  How about adding another wild card team and having the two wild card teams play each other to advance to face a division winner?  Also, change the format of the LCS to match the World Series.  Why do you have extra days off in the semis that you don't have in the finals?  And, most of all, get rid of the stupid All-Star Game winner getting homefield advantage, it should go to the team with the best overall record, just like in hockey and basketball. 

If you could take Bud Selig's place, what changes would you make in the playoffs and divisions?

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

If you are in the Northeast, chances are you woke up to some snow this morning.  And, the forecast sounds like we could get some real snow this weekend.

But, as the countdown clock to the left of this post shows us, it's only two weeks to pitchers and catchers!  

And we are exactly one month away from the first spring training game.

Finally, we are 61 days away from Opening Day (or night in the case of the Yankees and Red Sox)  

Hope that warms you up a bit.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Reports coming out of Minnesota say that Joe Mauer has reached an agreement in principal with the Twins on a ten-year contract extension. 

I felt all along that Mauer wouldn't leave Minnesota.  He is from there and with the new ballpark, the Twins have to show the fans they are willing to invest.  Obviously, he would have set off a huge bidding was between the Yankees and Red Sox if he had reached free agency, but it appears that won't happen now.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 03:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Was there anyone left who thought that Mark McGwire was clean?  I really don't have much to say about his "admission" today, but I did find this quote from baseball's commissioner to be interesting:

"I am pleased that Mark McGwire has confronted his use of performance-enhancing substances as a player. Being truthful is always the correct course of action, which is why I had commissioned Senator George Mitchell to conduct his investigation. This statement of contrition, I believe, will make Mark's re-entry into the game much smoother and easier."

So let's get this straight.  McGwire cheated the game for years.  He avoided telling the truth for years.  He wouldn't even admit to using steroids when asked by Congress and Selig feels fit to be "pleased" by him?  Now, let's look at a statement Selig issued 11 months ago when A-Rod admitted he used steroids:

"What Alex did was wrong and he will have to live with the damage he has done to his name and reputation.  While Alex deserves credit for publicly confronting the issue, there is no valid excuse for using such substances, and those who use them have shamed the game."

There seem to be some inconsistencies in these two approaches and I would LOVE to hear the commissioner explain why the two different statements.  A-Rod "shamed the game", but McGwire will have a "smoother and easier" re-entry into baseball because he told the truth.

From my view in the cheap seats we have two athletes who committed the same crime.  Neither one of them would have ever admitted it unless they had to.  I give A-Rod a little more credit for not dragging things out for years over this, but if one of them shamed the game, the other one certainly did as well.  So, why the two completely different statements?  Anyone have any ideas?

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 05:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Today was the annual day for the BBWAA to look foolish and they didn't disappoint.  Exhibit A is Roberto Alomar, if you don't think he was a Hall of Famer, you really weren't paying attention.  I suspect it was about the spitting incident more than anything, a chance for the voters to "punish" him, which makes me even angrier. You can make plenty of other cases for players like Raines, Blyleven, Morris, Larkin, etc..

I have argued for a change in the voting process, but I think the biggest change should be public ballots.  Strip away the secrecy and you might find some interesting things.

For instance, did the one voter who cast a ballot for David Segui, mentioned in the Mitchell Report, not vote for Mark McGwire?  I have no idea, but wouldn't it be fascinating to find out?

How about if we knew if the guy who voted for Kevin Appier didn't vote for Jack Morris or Bert Blyleven?  

Two people deemed Eric Karros worthy of induction, who else did they vote for?

But, the writers get to bask in their anonymity which seems grossly unfair.  The better ones, guys like Heyman, Sherman, Gammons, etc., tell you who they voted for, but most just keep quiet.

It's a sad process and one unworthy of baseball's ultimate honor.

And to the five people who sent in blank ballots, I hope you come forward and explain them.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 06:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

The Hall Of Fame announces the Class of 2010 today at 2pm.  Who makes your cut?

For me, the only real lock is Roberto Alomar.  The spitting incident was horrible, but the Hall Of Fame isn't about behavior, it's about baseball.

Other than Alomar, I could make a case for Raines, Larkin, Dawson, Blyleven and Morris, but I also don't feel like any of them are clear choices.  

What does everyone think?

UPDATE: Congrats to Andre Dawson who got the call.  The only player elected this year!  I am kind of shocked Alomar didn't make it.  I hope it wasn't over the spitting, but the BBWAA is all about personal agendas. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Jon Heyman is reporting that Holliday has reached a seven-year/$120 million deal with the Cardinals. 

With Bay, Lackey and now Holliday gone the "gems" of the free agent market have all been placed.  Now, we will probably see the logjam break on the lower-tier players as the game of musical chairs moves along. 

UPDATE: And Randy Johnson announced his retirement so we can now look ahead five years to that glorious day when he goes into Cooperstown as a Yankee....

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Brad Penny racked up a 5.61 ERA in the AL this year and a 2.59 ERA in the NL.  Now the Cardinals have apparently given him $7.5 million to come pitch in the NL.  Are the Cardinals insane or do they know something about Penny and the NL?

Looking at the stats, one would think they are insane.  Penny suffered from a bit of bad luck in Boston, racking up a .327 BABIP, but that was completely reversed in San Francisco where it dropped to an amazingly low .206.  When you combine that with his strikeout rate actually decreasing from the AL to the NL, this is not a very good signing for the Cards.   It's also another important warning to AL GM's- beware pitchers from the NL. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

TBS has decided to "part ways" with Chip Caray, bringing an end to our suffering. 

I generally don't root for people to be fired, but I am also not a big fan of nepotism. I hope TBS thinks about adding a good play-by-play guy like Gary Cohen or I would take Jon Miller if Joe Morgan didn't come with him. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

To all our readers, thank you for making this a great experience.  Andy and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

And, to my fellow Yankee fans it seems appropriate to say...ENJOY THE PIE!

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)