 Saturday, November 24, 2007
GM Steve makes some bold moves
Every American boy dreams of being a major league baseball player when they grow up. By the time they reach high school and can’t throw at 80 mph or hit 70 mph pitching most kids give up and then figure out that they can be a General Manager. At this time of year and at the trade deadline, everyone is a GM. Being a General Manager is very hard. Steve is going to play Mets GM today. As opposed to everyone else, Steve is slightly less unqualified than the general population as a GM because he: · Worked for real GMs of two NFL teams · Has an MBA and understands numbers and business · Worked for the Mets for 10 years and is not star struck · Worked on Wall Street for a few years and is not nervous around large deals · Manages overpaid programmers-they remind him of overpaid ball players · Actually read Moneyball So Steve thinks he can be GM. Here goes! Jose Reyes No Steve is not about to move Reyes. But something was wrong with Jose Reyes the second half of the season. He stopped running ground balls. Stopped playing hard. This started exactly the time when Rickey Henderson arrived. He played that way too. Steve’s first action when he occupies the GM office: Fire Rickey Henderson and give Willie free reign over picking his coaches. Starting Pitching Pitching wins pennants. And ask Josh Beckett, it also wins World Series. Everyone blamed the bullpen for the Mets collapse. The bullpen was ok, it was just overworked since the starting pitching was not up to par. If the Mets are going to wipe the smerk off Jimmy Rollins face, they need a major starting pitching upgrade. An ace. A stopper. A Josh Beckett. GM Steve would go not for 1, but two under 30 200 inning a year studs. This will hand the Mets the NL title and make them a force to be reckoned with for years. This is what Steve would do: Talk to Billy Beane and trade Aaron Heilman and Lastings Milledge for Dan Haren. Then turn around and trade for Johan Santana giving up Philip Humber, Mike Pelfrey, Carlos Gomez, and a prospect for. Haren and Santana each had 15 wins this past year. Haren (76) even allowed fewer earned runs than Santana (81) as he posted the third best ERA in the AL at 3.07. These guys pitching in the National League with the Mets lineup will easy be 18-20 game winners. Opening day rotation will be: · Johan Santana · Dan Haren · Pedro Martinez · John Maine · Oliver Perez Wow! Take that Jimmy Rollins! Is Steve GM sacrificing the future to win in 2008? No! This rotation will have 4 pitchers under 30 years old, Santana and Haren are an upgrade from Pelfrey and Humber and only a few years older. With Green gone in the outfield, Endy Chavez becomes an everyday player and there is Fernando Martinez waiting in AAA to platoon with Alou along with Easly. What about the bullpen? GM Steve would trade for one more middle reliever and hope that the new rotation will not tire out the bullpen. Moving el Duque to the pen to replace Heilman will give the pen some depth and composure and the return of Duaner Sanchez will take some pressure off younger kids like Joe Smith. This is the plan to win a World Series in the last game every played in Shea Stadium. Posted by Steve in New York
Friday, November 23, 2007
College Football Week #13 Picks
Last Week's Recap: I was 5-1 last week and 35-12 on the season.
This Week's Fearless Predictions:
#15 Hawaii wins at home against #19 Boise State.
#8 Virginia Tech wins at #16 Virginia.
#3 West Virginia wins at home against #20 Connecticut. Ohio State needs help from the Huskies.
#4 Missouri wins at #2 Kansas. The Curse of being #2 in the BCS continues.
Local Picks:
#24 Cincinnati wins at my beloved Orangemen.
Written by the Tank and posted by Steve.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
NFL Picks
Last Week's Picks: I was 2-1 with the loss coming from the Jets pulling one out against the Steelers. I am 13-8 on the season.
This Week's Fearless Picks:
The Jets lose at Dallas.
The Bills lose at Jacksonville.
The Giants win at home against the Vikings.
Written by a grateful Tank and Posted by Steve. Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Add Insult to Injury
Jimmy Rollins edged out Holliday and earned his first NL MVP award. Enough said for Mets fans. Rollins did deserve the nod. The final tally: - Rollins
- Holliday
- Fielder
- Wright
Posted by Steve in New York
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
The Light of Freedom is Kept Burning as the Leadership Torch Passed from One Generation to the Next (Army Football)
Steve had MBA class on Saturday so Kathleen asked me to accompany her to West Point to watch Army host Tulsa. I was honored as I hadn't been to an Army football game since 1989, around the time that the current Corps of Cadets had been born.
It brought back lots of memories but I was able to hold back the tears. Kathleen was also pretty emotional as her parents had organized the get together in memory of her little brother Jimmy, CPT James Gurbisz, who graduated West Point in 2002 and was killed in Iraq in November 2005.
We got to the game just as the canon went off. I happened to be troubleshooting an IT issue on one of my Crackberries so I advised my colleague back at the office not to fear the background noise from the canons, attack helicopters flying overhead, and bagpipes. I successfully troubleshot the issue in short order, touch wood.
We then entered Michie Stadium, home of the Army Black Knights. The Corps of Cadets was still there in their same section as in my day. It was nice to see the 21st century additions of the "Spirit Saxes" (Saxophones), thunder sticks, and the "Michie Maniacs", cadets in yellow shirts with Devoesque helmets. Who can't love keeping the 1980s alive? I know Jimmy would as he went to a "Whitesnake" concert as a kid. We're kindred musical spirits who have yet to meet.
We settled into our seats and met Kathleen's parents and her childhood friend Kim. Mr. Gurbisz looked bewildered when I told him that I root for the Yankees and Mets. He probably didn't appreciate my anti-smoking sermon but I am about to lose my Dad and my friend Robert in Tampa from cigarette related illnesses in the near future so I don't want to lose him too. (BTW, anti-smoking will be a key plank in my presidential campaign. I plan take all the tobacco in cigarettes, cigars, and other smoking nonsense and convert it into ethanol or some other useful product to stop climate change and save lives at the same time. More on that later.)
The stars of the game weren't the football players on the filed but the 18 underprivileged children in attendance. Kathleen and her parents formed a foundation in Jimmy's memory after his death. They work with kids trying to get their GEDs and/or dealing with discipline issues. Mr. Gurbisz is a no-nonsense Vietnam helicopter pilot who deals with the kids with discipline issues. Mrs. Gurbisz helps the kids returning to school to get their GEDs -- the gentle touch to her husband's discipline and strength. Kathleen's parents prove that you don't have to wear a uniform to serve your fellow man, woman, or child.
Most of the kids were seventh and eighth graders but the most special were the fifth graders who are my nephew's age. The two buddies combined their money to buy an Army mini football. What unselfish teamwork! Where did they buy the football so I can buy one too? Remember, I am 37 years in calendar years but have the emotional maturity of an eight year old.  The Army Mule is a new mascot who put up with little kids hitting him/her in the head like a human/animal piñata.
Back to the game. It was an offensive barn burner as both teams traded the lead. Whenever Army got a first down, the PA announcer would say "First Down Army. Mr. Referee, move those chains." And the crowd would respond, "Go Army!" It's great how some things stay the same.
Army kept it close till late in the game until Tulsa pulled away for a 49-39 victory.
As I left Michie Stadium, it was great seeing the kids light up and talk to Kathleen's parents about the Academy, serving the country, and improving themselves. These kids need our attention and guidance as they will be our next generation of leaders. The light of freedom is kept burning as the leadership torch passed from one generation to the next -- from our parents' generation to us and to today's and future kids.
Posted by a inspired Tank reporting live from Michie Stadium at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Paul LoDuca's Price Just Went Up
Jorge Posada, is back with the Yankees. As the week progressed, the Mets looked like they would sign their second choice, Yorvit Torrealba. But by the weekend, it fell through. Why are the Mets wasting time in this department, they should just resign Paul LoDuca. Sure he is a hot head at times and gets suspended. But he has passion, can catch, can hit, and wants to win. When Willie Randolph said yesterday that he believed in his players' character right to the final game, but was wrong he said: "I definitely gave them too much credit. I was looking for them to reveal to me that they were ready to be champions, but they showed me they weren't ready.'' LoDuca is ready. He has the passion and the fire and the hunger. Resign him and then go after some rock star pitchers who also share his passion. Posted by Steve in New York.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
NFL Week #11 Picks
I was 1-1 in my picks last week and 11-7 on the season. The Giants didn't "get 'er done" against the Cowboys and the Bills thankfully pulled it out against the Dolphins.
This Week's Fearless Picks:
The Bills lose at home to the Patriots.
The Jets lose at home to the Steelers.
The Giants bounce back and win at the Lions.
Posted by the Tank in NY.
Friday, November 16, 2007
My Buddy A-Rod Comes Back Home
Lots of ink has been spilled about my buddy A-Rod. Will he stay or will he go? If you have been a faithful reader (which I thank you for), you will remember that I predicted long ago back in the summer that A-Rod will stay with the Yankees. How did I know this? Yes, I met A-Rod recently. Moreover, I also know how the business of sports works. If I learned one thing for working for different law firms in paralegal, IT, and other capacities for over a decade is that there is lots of anger and shouting but most cases settle at the last minute before going to trial. This wasn't much different in the A-Rod situation in that there was lots of huffing and puffing and bluffing. As Steve correctly noted a couple of days ago, Scott Boras overplayed his hand by opting out during Game 4 of the World Series. When the dust settled, the deal got done because A-Rod wanted to be a Yankee and they were the only team willing to paying him $275 million plus incentives. (It would have been closer to $300 million because of the $21 million Texas Ranger subsidy over the next three years.) For that kind of money, most everyone would "crawl back" to their former employer.
I don't expect other teams to send the Yankees thank you notes but I think the humbling of Scott Boras is good for teams around Major League Baseball.
The most important thing is that A-Rod will help the Yankees get back to Baseball's Promised Land over the next decade and break the all time home run record held by his friend, the newly indicted Barry Bonds (as I discussed long ago). As Thanksgiving approaches, A-Rod breaking the home run record (God Willing) will make me very thankful in the years to come. This year's Thanksgiving will be complete if the Yankees re-sign Mariano Rivera and hope Pettitte comes back. Keep the faith! Go Yankees! Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by a grateful Tank in NY.
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