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I was chatting with a friend last night who can’t stand hockey but is obsessed with baseball. This led to a conversation about which athletes are the toughest, and which sport is the most dangerous. But to clarify, I am not referring to what is the hardest thing to do in all of sports…because the hardest thing about that question is where do you begin? How do you compare hitting a 95-mph fastball to throwing a perfect spiral touchdown while a 300+ pound defensive lineman is in your face to scoring an NHL goal? After all, less than 10% of shots on goal produce scores. Some food for thought: NHL goalies typically stop more than 90% of shots on goal. Top NFL quarterbacks complete more than 60% of passes. Leading three-point NBA shooters hit better than 40%. But in baseball, if you can get a hit in three out of 10 at-bats, you’ll make millions…because remember, only Tiger makes billions.

Speaking of making millions, professional hockey players are the most underpaid athletes given what they do. So which sport is the most dangerous and/or toughest given the conditions under which the athletes play and how much they are compensated? It’s always going to be a debate amongst fans. But in true David Letterman fashion, I give you my TOP 10 reasons why hockey is more dangerous than baseball and hockey players are tougher than most athletes:

10. Baseball players dive into the stands to grab a foul ball where fans greet them with beer and peanuts to cushion their fall. Hockey players dive onto a hard sheet of ice upon which at anytime their heads can be cracked open. Intentional diving – refer to Sean Avery – is also at their own risk.

9. Unlike the designated hitter position in baseball, hockey players don’t sit on their asses for 75% of the game and not play defense. Every player on the team contributes in some way whether or not he specializes in offense or defense.

8. Hockey players start fights and finish them. Baseball players come running out the dugout, pig pile on members of the opposite team (or sometimes their own team) kick up some dirt and run back to the bench. In fact during most of baseball’s brawls, the managers end up kicking more dirt than the players.

7. Hockey players don’t play with balls during their games, but instead they have some of the hottest women in the world play with their balls after the game. (I had to get in one sexual reference).

6. While in the City of Brotherly Love, Terrell Owens often whined he wasn’t getting the ball enough and said upon leaving the Eagles that, “The city wasn’t big enough for two people,” - referring to Donovan McNabb.
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While in the City of Brotherly Love, New York Islanders defenseman Brendan Witt was run down by an SUV while going for a cup of coffee. Witt got up, brushed himself off, and got his coffee. He also played in the game that night.

5. Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Carl Crawford was placed on the 15-day disabled list in August, 2008 with an injured right middle finger tendon and his status for the remainder of the season was unknown. He did not return until late September after which he played in two games but did not get an at-bat.
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While working on his family’s farm in 1985, New Jersey Devils right wing Pat Verbeek had his thumb completely severed off by a corn thresher. While his brother drove him 20 miles to the nearest hospital, his father dug the thumb out of the machine and doctors were able to re-attach it. Pat went on to have a long and successful NHL career and never missed one game because of the injury.

4. In October, 2009 Stephon Marbury was diagnosed as the laziest NBA player by multiple team doctors. Marbury told the New York Post he has “shut everything down” and has no plans to play this season, but expects to return to the NBA in 2010-11. “I’m resting, doing what Michael Jordan did, enjoy life, do things I haven’t done in 16 years, keep building my empire.”
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In January, 2004 New Jersey Devils defenseman Scott Stevens was diagnosed with a concussion by the team doctor and forced to sit out. The concussion actually occurred during Game 3 of the 2003 Playoffs when he took a slapshot to the head. Not only did Stevens score the game-winning goal in Game 4, he went through the whole summer, training camp, and half the next season before realizing there was something wrong.

3. Baseball players carry gloves and may have a collision and fall on the grass (or dirt) once every month during the course of their 162-game season. Hockey players are constantly colliding with each other while wearing razor sharp skates and carrying sticks that are too often wrongly used as weapons all 82 games of their season.

2. Hockey players don’t fake injuries to get a day off, make phone calls or piss in the middle of games or take days off to get their dreadlocks colored. (Manny Ramirez I truly enjoyed all your years in Boston).

1. In hockey, blood dripping down the face is an every day occurrence. In baseball, there’s only been one bloody sock in the history of the game! Thank you Curt Schilling…and to all those Yankees fans, NO IT WASN’T KETCHUP!!!

So the next time your favorite MLB player is sidelined with razor burn or your NFL team’s highest paid wide receiver is on the sidelines crying “That’s my quarterback” or your NBA team’s top center is out 2-3 weeks with hurt feelings, please read this and consider the hockey player.

Amy Lavoie

“An All Out Brawl Should Go Down To The Wire In New England”

Round 1 New England vs Baltimore

VS

 Baltimore Ravens

The Game Changer- For all you casual football fans who don’t take it as serious as some of the diehards meet Ravens DT Haloti Ngata. Ngata is clearly the best player on this new look Ravens defense as his strength and speed over match anyone who lines up to block him. The key to this game for the Patriots will be scheming up a way to stop guys like Ngata up front when they Ravens go to their vaunted “3 technique.” Ngata is to the Ravens what Vince Wilfork is to the Patriots. To put it more simply when Ngata plays teams can’t run on the Ravens.

The Little Engine That Could Is Now A Locomotive- Anyone who participates in Fantasy Football knows who Ray Rice is. For those of you who don’t Rice is the Ravens running back who compiled 2,091 yards from scrimmage this season while splitting time with Willis McGahee. Rice is tough elusive runner who has great hands out of the backfield. Rice managed 7 TD’s but that number would have been higher had the Ravens used him in red zone packages. One thing Bill Belichick does is he takes away his opponents strength and you can bet that Ray Rice is at the top of his list for “guys to take away” in this game.

The Speed Guy- Ravens DE/OLB Terrell Suggs has a ton of speed coming off the edge and both Sebastian Vollmer and Matt Light will need to be on their A game if the Patriots are going to stop him. Suggs had just 44 tackles and 4.5 sacks this year because he missed 3 games due to injury. The Ravens like to use Suggs is a variance of capacities on the defensive side of the ball. They’ll stunt him on the line, use him in a 5 technique as a blitzer when the defense shifts to a 4-3, and they will most likely always use him on third down as a down rusher because of his ability to get to opposing quarterbacks. The Patriots need to be aware of where he is at all times and one good thing about this Ravens defense is that they have trouble with offensive lines that zone block and that is just about all the Patriots do.  

3 Keys For The Ravens Offense-

Do what we do best AKA Get The Ball In Ray Rice’s Hands- Ok I haven’t seen every game the Ravens have played this season but there is one thing I noticed about this offense.Of the Ravens 16 games, in which they won 9 and lost 7 Ray Rice averaged 18 touches in each of them. When Rice touches the ball more than 20 times the Ravens are 6-1 with their only loss coming at the hands of your New EnglandPatriots when he got fewer than 18 they were 3-3. Ray Rice was second in the league in total yards from scrimmage behind only the Titans Chris Johnson. Rice may end up being the key to whether or not the Ravens can give the Patriots their first home playoff loss in the Belichick Era.

2. Let Flacco Be Flacco And Stay Under 30- When  Joe Flacco attempts 30 passes or fewer the Ravens are 6-1. When Flacco throws more than 30 passes the Ravens are 3-6. Look Flacco is a good QB with a big strong arm but his confidence is still lacking at the NFL level. Sometimes he makes bad decisions and turnovers will kill you during this time of the year. John Harbaugh and Cam Cameron must let Flacco manager this game rather than win it and if they can accomplish that this game should be a classic fight to the finish.

3. No Dumb Penalties And When In The Red Zone Find Todd Heap- The Ravens are 3-1 when Todd Heap catches a TD. Heap proposes a tough match up for Patriot linebackers because of his good hands coupled with his ability to get open. The Ravens were ranked 5th in penalties this season andin their first meeting with the Patriots they had 10 for 115 yards. In a week 16 loss to the Steelers the Ravens had two touchdowns taken off the board because of penalties. Last week they had another taken off in a win at Oakland. It is clear that the Ravens are aggressive but they also need to do a better job of cleaning up their act because when you take point off the board because of penalties you are really cutting off your nose to spite your face. The Ravens can’t have another 10 penalties for 115 yards in order to win this game it simply just can not happen.

New England Patriots 

Last Name Ever-First Name Greatest- In my eyes he is the Greatest QB of All Time as Tom Brady a 7th round pick from the University of Michigan has won 3 Super Bowls in his 7 years at quarterback with the New England Patriots. He is the youngest QB to win 3 Super Bowls before turning 27 as well as being the youngest player ever to win two Super Bowl MVP’s. He also holds the single season touchdown pass record with 50 in 2007. Brady has engineered the second most game winning TD drives behind only John Elway. He has second highest winning percentage in the playoffs at 14-3 (.824) trailing only Bart Starr who was 9-1 (.900). Most amazing of all Tom Brady ended this season with a record of 111-33 (.793) which is the highest winning percentage of any quarterback that has at least 100 starts and has played in the Super Bowl Era dating back to 1966. If there is anyone in the history of this league that I want running my offense in a 1 game season its Tom Brady.

The Run Stopper- Vince Wilfork earned his 2nd career Pro Bowl appearance this season as he will start for the AFC Team if the Patriots don’t make the Super Bowl. Wilforkis the key to the New England defense as he anchors the 5th best defense in the league which gives up only 17.8 points per game. The Pats run defense is ranked 13th allowing 110.5 yards per game andthat is also with Wilfork missing the last 3 games to a knee injury. Wilfork had 43 tackles and 1 forced fumble during his injury plagued 09 season. Wilfork is a massive 325 pound force who clogs up the middle andmakes it almost impossible for teams to use just 1 guy to block him. The Ravens like to run at team’s head on with McGahee and Rice but they may have to adjust now that the Fork is back in the middle of the Patriots defense.

The Opportunity Of A Lifetime-  Playing in just his first season as a wide receiver Julien Edelman is facing the biggest opportunity of his life Sunday in Foxborough. Edelman played 12 games in his rookie season catching 37 balls for 357 yards a 1 TD. Those numbers may not seem like much but with the awful injury of Wes Welker last week Edelman saw his production sky rocket as he pulled in a career high 10 catches for 103 yards. Edelman is an elusive receiver who has a ton of speed with a cunning ability to gain yards after the catch. With Welker on the shelf it is Edelman’s time to shine and he could end up being the key to a Patriot Super Bowl run. We need to remember 1 thing though Julien Edelman is not Wes Welker andeven though he may step up he still lacks experience in both the league as well as the position.

3 Keys For The Patriots Defense

1. Stay In Containment While Not Allowing Broken Plays-The Ravens have made a living on check downs and broken plays this season. In their Week 4 meeting up in Foxborough earlier in the season they threw 15 times to their backs out of the flats. McGahee had the only score while Ray Rice had a huge 53 yard catch and run. This element is most crucial in order for the Patriots to have success on defense.They need to stay at home in their assignments andpossibly mix up different combinations on spying both McGahee and Rice which ever personnel calls for. If they keep these guys at bay they should find themselves traveling cross country to San Diego next week.

2. The 2 Down Set- The Ravens offensive line has had trouble all season long at picking up the extra man and a lot of that has to do with youth. When Belichick uses Banta-Cain in the normal 3 technique he is usually up on the line of scrimmage ready to blitz. Since the Patriots have switched over to this new 2 down man set Banta-Cain is primarily used as a down lineman. With Wilfork andWarren returning to action look for the Patriots to use them as down guys with both Burgess and Tully coming off the edge as linebackers. This technique is something a lot of team’s aren’t used to this because it is something that disguises both man and zone coverages all down field. When 2 guys are on the line the other 9 look like they are back in coverage which could disturb a young QB like Flacco because he may not audible out into the right call. The only problem is that this type of defense can’t be used as the primary package all game long like it was against Buffalo and Carolina because the Ravens have 2 running backs that can run hard. Therefore, the Pats need to pick their spots without overloading this set.  

3. Tough Physical Play By The DB’s- In Week 4 the Patriots defensive backs played one of the most physical game’s as they laid andabsolute beating on both Mason and Clayton from start to finish. The Brandon’s (McGowan and Meriweather) both had multiple big sticks and that game and the same must be seen on Sunday. Look for CB Leigh Bodden to take some chances by going for the ball because like any other playoff game turnovers will be key.

Final Prediction - New England 24 Baltimore 17- This is going to be an absolute dogfight to the finish and just like in Week 4 the last possession could end up being the game. Both of these teams have the tools to win and with this being such an even match up I have to go with the home team. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have yet to lose a home playoff game (8-0) while at the same time they have never lost to Baltimore recording a perfect (6-0) record. Even without Welker the Patriots offense still has a ton of match-ups they can take advantage of with the injury ridden secondary of the Ravens. Moss has a huge height advantage over Foxworth and in this match up Randy has certainly gotten the better of the young CB by torching him for 3 touchdowns in 3 games. Look for Ben Watson to have some success down the same especially with Ray Lewis having to match up with him down field. The Patriots baited the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 by staying away from Watson all game long before hitting him for two late TD’s to barely escape with the win. Like I said earlier it won’t be easy but after watching a ton of film on both these teams I like the Patriots to move to San Diego next week.

Matthew Giacoppo- The Brain  

“Two Undefeated BCS Busters Clash In This Year’s Fiesta Bowl”

6. Boise St. Broncos 13-0

Armed and Dangerous- Boise St. QB Kellen Moore threw for 3,325 yards 39 TD’s and just 3 Interceptions. The scary part about that is that Moore is only a sophmore which means his best year’s may be yet to come. The Broncos offense is one of the most balanced in the country as their running game is sometimes overlooked because of the success Moore has in the passing attack. Moore’s favorite target is junior wide receiver Austin Pettis who led the WAC with 14 receiving Touchdowns this season. Titus Young another junior lead the Broncos with 71 receptions for 969 yards. With all 3 of these kids coming back the Broncos should once again compete for the 2011 National Title.  

4.TCU Horned Frogs 12-0

A Name To Get Familiar With- TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes is destined to play in the NFL next season and many scouts compare him to DeMarcus Ware of the Cowboys for his ability to pressure the quarterback. Hughes had 11 1/2 sacks this season as he lead the Horned Frog defense to an impressive charge that rendered only 20 plus points in two games this season. The Horned Frogs offense is certainly no cup of tea either as they come into this game with the nation’s fifth best rushing attack averaging 265.5 yards per game on the ground. The defense of TCU will certainly be tested by the versatility of the Broncos offense because they are great in both phases on offense. The key to this game will be whether or not guys like Jerry Hughes and Daryl Washington of TCU can put enough pressure on Boise St. QB Kellen Moore forcing him to make a few mistakes.

3 Keys For BOISE STATE To Win

1. Win the battle of the trenches- Obviously in any football game the team that dominates the line of scrimmage usually wins, but in this game with these two teams matching up so evenly I believe it is essential for Boise St. to dominate up front in order to win this game. TCU has one of the nation’s most underrated defenses and it will be on full display tomorrow night in Arizona. If Moore has time and Avery and Martin can do their part on the ground you can look for the Broncos to be the third team to score over 20 plus points on offense against TCU this season. Moore was sacked only 5 times this season which was the fewest for any QB in the country.

2. Score First- Against a team like TCU it is important to get out to an early lead mainly because the Horned Frog defense is great at forcing turnovers. Basically, what this means is that if the Broncos struggle early on things could get out of hand in a hurry because TCU is the best team in the country when playing with a lead. They score a lot of points and they rarely give up any especially when they have you on the ropes. Chris Petersen’s offense has to establish their usual balanced attack in order to keep Gary Patterson’s aggressive defense at bay. To put it simply, Boise St. will not win this game by throwing the ball 50 times in the air, because sooner or later the TCU defense will get you.

3. The Will to Win- Look guys obviously the team that wants it more most likely gets it but you need to take a hard look at both of these teams to realize what I am saying here. In each team’s press conference both coaches talked about the disappointment of not playing against a fellow BCS team like Florida. So my reason for saying this is simple the team that wants this game more will win it. Both team’s are disappointed at being in this bowl game especially by not being able to play against a bigger opponent. Therefore, I feel it is essential for the Broncos to show the drive and determination that led them to a perfect 13-0 record. 

3 Keys For TCU To Win

1. Win the Turnover Battle- One thing that Gary Patterson’s team can hang its hat on is that all season long his team has won the turnover battle week in and week out. In tomorrow night’s Fiesta Bowl this element may play a huge role in deciding the outcome of this game. With the aggressive style of defense that the Horned Frogs like to play they will need to come up with a few big plays in order to win this game. This shouldn’t be to difficult for a team that was ranked 3rd in the country in the giveaway/takeaway category this season.

2. Keep QB Andy Dalton Within His Means- TCU likes to play a rugged style of football where they wear you down all game long before going for the big play. This is an offense that is led by its rushing attack which had 5 players rush for more than 500 yards this season. Andy Dalton is junior quarterback who threw for 2,484 yards and 22 TD’s this season. Dalton is a Mark Sanchez type of player who won’t tear up the stat sheet but he will make enough plays in order for your team to win. This is a huge factor that could make or break TCU tomorrow night in Glendale.

3. Pressure Kellen Moore- Guys like Hughes and Washington will need to step up and have huge games in order for the Horned Frogs to complete their first undefeated season since 1938. Moore was only sacked 5 times this entire season and if TCU thinks they can sit back and try to win this game in coverage they are mistaken. TCU must put pressure on Moore which could hopefully lead to some turnovers. The turnover battle is the key to who comes out on top.

BREAKING DOWN THE FIESTA BOWL MATCHUP

These two teams are very similar as they both seem to dominate one side of the ball, TCU on defense and Boise St. on offense. Both teams can score points at will while only one has proved to be able to stop team’s on the other side of the ball. Last year Boise St. lost its perfect season to TCU in the Poinsetta Bowl 17-16. Last year, TCU held Boise St. to just 28 yards on the ground and 250 total in the game. This year the TCU defense is the number 1 ranked defense in the country in total yards allowing just 233.3 yards per game. Boise St. enters this game with the nation’s best scoring attack averaging 44.2 points per game.  

The Line - TCU -8

Prediction- Boise St. +8

This game is so evenly matched that an 8 point spread is just way to high at this point. I like TCU to win the game but not by more than a touchdown as I feel this game will once again come down to the final minutes of play. When picking a winner I always go with the better defense especially in this case with TCU’s offense not being that bad at all. The key to this one will be whether or not TCU can get their usual pressure on Kellen Moore.

Final Prediction - TCU 27  Boise St. 24 - Boise St. covers

Matthew Giacoppo- The Brain 

“Is Adrian Gonzalez Next”

The Bat On The Way- If the Sox can work a trade for Adrian Gonzalez in the coming days they would go from being a solid playoff team to the team to beat entering the 2010 season. By adding Gonzalez the Red Sox would have that big bat they need in the middle of their lineup to help manufacture runs. Gonzo is a younger version of Mark Teixeira and at 27 he may be the biggest bargain in baseball. It may take both Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury in order to make this deal go through but by adding Gonzalez’s big bat any price may be worth it. This is the one player that would catapult the Red Sox over the Yankees for being the best team in baseball. We should know more in the next 10-12 days as Foxsports.com is reporting that the Red Sox should have a deal worked out with the Padres in that time frame.

 Matthew Giacoppo- The Brain

“Red Sox Shock The Baseball World And Ink John Lackey To 5 Year Deal”

The Best Rotation In Baseball- Breaking News the Boston Red Sox have just inked free agent pitcher John Lackey to a 5 year deal. Lackey was sought to be the top free agent pitcher on the market and the Red Sox layed the groundwork for this deal at the Winter Meetings. The deal will pay the 31 year old Lackey slightly more than the 82.5 million dollars that AJ Burnett made last year in his deal with the Yankees. Lackey is now set to join Josh Beckett, John Lester, Clay Buchholz, and Daisuke Matsuzaka in the starting rotation giving them one of baseball’s strongest. By signing Lackey this gives the Red Sox 3 number 1 starters in their rotation which certainly puts them in the upper echelon of major league baseball’s starting rotations. Lackey is a horse and like Beckett he approaches the mound with a certain type of swagger that can’t be taught. With Lackey aboard the Red Sox can now focus the rest of their attention on hitting. By inking Lackey to a long tem deal of 5 years, one now has to wonder if the blockbuster trade with Buchholz going to San Diego for first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is on the way. 

Other News- the Red Sox have offered free agent pitcher Aroldis Chapman 15 million dollars to join their organization. This appears to be the highest bid for Chapman and if the Sox land this left handed phenom it will only bolster the best core of young pitching in major league baseball.

Matthew Giacoppo-The Brain

“December 9th Day 3 The Winter Meetings”

Texas Sends Kevin Millwood To Orioles- The Rangers traded ace Kevin Millwood to the Baltimore Orioles for reliever Chris Ray. Millwood turns 35 later this month was 13-10 with a 3.67 ERA in 198 2/3 innings last season. The reason the Rangers made this trade was because they saved about 8 million dollars by trading Millwood’s contract away to Baltimore. The Rangers will now turn their sights on trying to sign free agent flame thrower Rich Harden who is lookign to bounce back from an injury plagued season. If Texas is able to ink Harden and his health issues are finally under control it could make the Rangers the favorite to win the AL West in 2010. 

Pettitte’s Staying In The Bronx For 1 More Season- Andy Pettitte agreed to a 1 year 11.75 million dollar contract with the World Champion Yankees. Pettitte will once again slot in to be the Yankees 3rd starter behind Sabathia and Burnett. This move was pretty much never in doubt as Pettitte was either going to retire a champion or come back for one more season with the Yankees. Pettitte will once again be the Yankees 3rd starter behind Sabathia and Burnett. This gives the Yankee’s a solid starter who should once again win 13-15 games.

Houston’s New Closer- The Astros’ acquired former Marlins fire baller Matt Lindstrom for two prospects today. Lindstrom throws close to 100 mph on the gun but does struggle with control issues at time. With Jose Valverde declining arbitration this was a move that the Astros had to make. I like the move if Lindstrom can stay healthy as I feel he could be equal to what the Astros’ got from Valverde a year ago.

With Day 3 coming to a close once again we are all left with the same questions we had going into these meetings. The Big Chips still remain unsigned with multiple team’s still in the mix for their services. With just 1 day left in these meetings it is highly unlikely that any of the big names get moved.

Matthew Giacoppo-The Brain 

“December 8th- Day 2 From Winter Meetings”

Yankees Steal The Show- For the 2nd straight year at the Winter Meetings the New York Yankees once again make the first blockbuster move by acquiring center fielder Curtis Granderson from the Tigers. Granderson is a former All Star and he will most likely be penciled in as the new leadoff hitter for the World Champion Yankees. Granderson is 28 years old and he currently has 3 years left on his contract which pays him about 6 million dollars per year.

THE 7 PLAYER 3 TEAM TRADE BREAKS DOWN LIKE THIS :  

New York gets Curtis Granderson from the Tigers

Arizona Diamondbacks get starter Edwin Jackson from the Tigers and minor league pitcher Ian Kennedy from the Yankees.

Detroit Tigers get CF prospect Austin Jackson from the Yankees as well as situational left handed reliever Phil Coke, and young pitchers Max Sherzer and Daniel Schlereth.

Overall Outlook- The Yankees have once again put themselves in a position to become a uch better ball club as they add Curtis Granderson who could very well return to his 30 home run prowess by playing 81 games in the new Yankee Stadium. Granderson’s contract is also very cost friendly as he only makes around 6 million dollars per year. Granderson is a 5 tool player and the Yankees will the day to day approach he brings to the game. The Tigers got younger by adding Granderson’s future replacement in Austin Jackson. They also may have improved their pitching staff by getting both Schlereth and Scherzer from the D-Backs. Both of these pitchers have huge upsides in the mere fact that they throw very hard while having command of all 3 of their pitches. The D-Backs get Edwin Jackson who can be a solid compliment to both Brandon Webb and Dan Haren who are the top 2 pitchers in their starting rotation. By adding Jackson to the starting staff Arizona may possess the best rotation in the NL West, even ahead of the Giants who have Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. As far as getting Ian Kennedy I feel he is just another young pitcher that could possibly replace some depth in the D-Backs losing both Schlereth and Scherzer. The Yankees clearly are the most improved team as a result of this trade.

“The Pacific Northwest Awaits Him”

The New Seattle Speedster- The Mariners have made the biggest signing so far at this year’s Winter Meetings as they inked third baseman Chone Figgins to a 4 year 46 million dollars deal today with an option for a 5th year. Last year Figgins hit .298 with 5 HR’s and 54 RBI’s for the rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Figgins was 2nd in the American League with 114 runs scored trailing only Dustin Pedroia. Figgins also stole 42 bases as he will either bat first or second in the new look Mariner lineup. Figgins will most likely replace former Mariner third baseman Adrian Beltre who declined arbitration last night. This is a great move for the Mariners especially because they were able to take him away from the division rival Angels. The Angels have already declined options on Vlad Guerrero and Juan Rivera. With Figgins now leaving for Seattle and ace John Lackey holding free agent status one has to wonder if the Angels have lost too much in their quest for a 4th straight AL West Division Title.

YOUR LATEST ON THE RUMORS OF DAY 2

Free Agent OF Matt Holliday- The Cardinals met with Scott Boras and the sides appear to be to far apart so it looks like Holliday will most likely be playing elsewhere next season. Possible Destinations- Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers. The Cubs would love to be on this list and if they are able to move Milton Bradley before Holliday signs then they may have a shot. The Yankees just picked up Granderson and they are most likely going to keep World Series MVP Hideki Matsui so they may only be in this to drive up the price. The Mets would love to land Holliday but with all of their bad contracts his price may be way to high. Boston and the Angels may have the best shot at getting Holliday but you have to wonder how negotiations with Scott Boras will go especially after last year’s Mark Teixeira debacle. Texas could be a nice fit as they have a hitter friendly ball park and the Rangers may only be a big bat away from catching the Angels. The Orioles could get into this mix because they do have the money to spend it is just a question of whether or not they want to do it. This deal may not get done for a while as Holliday is just 27 years old seeking a 5 to 6 year deal that most teams may be reluctant to sign. 

Free Agent OF Jason Bay- The latest on Bay is that there appears to be 3 teams in the running to land the free agent slugger. The 3 teams are the Red Sox, Angels, and Mariners. Theo Epstein once again mentioned how much he would love to keep Bay in a Sox uniform as well as how much Jason Bay has indicated to him that he wants to stay but both sides are still a ways apart from making a deal. The Angels have a spot open in left field for Bay and they also may now have the funds to land him because they just lost Figgins, Guerrero, Rivera, and will most likely also lose John Lackey. The Red Sox need to be careful because they may not want to get into a bidding war with the Angels for the mere fact that you never know what the player is really receiving from the other side. The Mariners could be a destination because Bay is from Vancouver and Seattle is very close to his home. In all honesty I think the Red Sox will end up keeping Bay by signing him to a 4 year deal when things are all said and done. I think Theo is letting Bay see what is out there because he has certainly earned that right but when things start to go the Sox will end up being Bay’s biggest suitor.

Free Agent SP Roy Halladay- Halladay has set a deadline of January to get a deal done and honestly I feel that he will be playing for a different team next season. The big rumor right now is that if the Sox will be willing to part with Clay buchholz and Casey Kelly then Halladay is as good as theirs. The question is will the Sox be willing to give up those two young prized arms for Halladay? If they can work out a long term deal with Roy similar to what the Mets did with Johan Santana when they were able to acquire him then I think they would definitely part ways with both players. This is the one player that could put the Red Sox over the top in major league baseball because if they add Halladay to a rotation that already features Josh Beckett and Jon Lester the Red Sox would head into next season as the team to beat. This is a wait and see type of situation as I firmly believe that this deal may not be done until after X-Mas.

With 2 Days down there has not been alot of action so far at the Winter Meetings and as we head into the last 2 days don’t expect there to be much of a change.

Matthew Giacoppo-The Brain

“The Winter Meetings From Indianapolis”

December 7th - Day 1 Recap- Ok so after Day 1 there has not been that much action to report thus far.

Brad Penny has reached a deal with the St.Louis Cardinals-The Cardinals know that SP Joel Piniero will most likely sign some where else so they have decided to go with Penny as his replacement.

Billy Wagner Agrees On A 1 Year Deal With Atlanta Braves- The Braves offered salary arbitration to reliever Rafael Soriano but even still they decided to sign Wagner as a potential candidate to be a closer. Wagner did show some promise in Boston and the Braves are hopefully trying to catch lightning in a bottle. The Red Soxwill receive 2 first round picks for having offered Wagner salary arbitration. The Soxwill get a first round pick as well as a sandwich pick in the middle of the 1st and 2nd round.

Other Notable Deals:

Adam Everett is staying with the Tigers as he signs a 1 year 1.55 million dollar deal with the Detroit Tigers.

Placido Polanco signs a 3 year deal to join the Philadelphia Phillies.

Takashi Saito agrees on a 1 year deal with the Braves.

Yankees traded Brian Bruney to the Washington Nationals for a Player to be Name Later.

False Rumor- The Giants are not close to adding Dan Uggla as there are still some major hurdles they have to get through in order to acquire the power hitting second baseman

 I think that things should pick up as the days go on but I also believe that we may leave the Winter Meetings with alot of the big name free agents still unsigned. Most of the time the Winter Meetings are used as the place where the groundwork is set for future deals. Hopefully in the case of the Red Sox they have their eyes set on adding a big bat and that they can use these meetings to lay some of their ground work.

Some Red Sox News - The Sox have announced that 20 year old phenom Casey Kelly will pitch full time next season. This is big news as the Sox were not sure which way Kelly would go in whether he would play SS or pitch. With the Sox adding Scutaro and also by obtaining 25 year old Jose Iglesias from Cuba the right move for Kelly is to pitch as he will now avoid having to battle for a major league roster spot by being a shortstop.

Check Back Tomorrow For More Information On The 2009 Winter Meetings

Matthew Giacoppo- The Brain

“Celtics Sweep Their 4 Game Road Trip To Move To 16-4″

 The Big Ticket Is Back- Kevin Garnett averaged at least 20 points per game on the Celtics recent 4 game road trip. In their back to back sweep of both the Spurs and Thunder Garnett lead the C’s with 43 points in the 2 games. Since Garnett has been able to return to form and play normal minutes the Celtics have taken off winning 7 games in a row. The one thing Garnett does that can’t be coached is that he brings a high level of energy on the defensive end that the other 4 guys on the floor feed off of. With Garnett fully healthy, the Celtics once again look like the unstoppable force they were in the first 2 weeks of the season.

Sugar Ray’s Struggles Haven’t Even Hurt- It is no secret that Ray Allen is having a tough go of things by only shooting 47 percent on the season from the field. Ray has made just 28 of the 87 3 pointers he has attempted this season which accounts for his abysmal 32 percent. Truthfully if Allen did not have a few games this season where he went off and scored in the mid to high 20’s his season totals would look a lot worse. The key for a guy like Allen is to just keep shooting and sooner or later his woes will go away. 

Coming Into His Own- Kendrick Perkins has been on a roll over the last month as he currently leads the Celtics with 7.7 rebounds per game. Perkins already has 4 double doubles this season and in their recent road trip Perk had a season high 21 points against the Bobcats. In the game before that in Miami Perkins had 14 points and 13 rebounds in his 29 minutes of play.

“The Beast Of The East”

Things have changed for the Boston Celtics over the last 2 weeks as they appear to look like the dominating force they were in the beginning of the season. With Keving Garnett finally proving all the doubters that he is in fact healthy the Celtics look like a team on a mission as they continue to roll through their regular season schedule. At 16-4 the Celtics are tied for the top seed in the Eastern Conference with the Orlando Magic. After closing out their recent 4 game road trip with a 105-87 beat-down of the Oklahoma City Thunder the Celtics appear to be pulling away in the Atlantic Division race. Over that 4 game trip the Celtics went on the road and beat Miami by 10, Charlotte by 18, the Spurs by 7, and the Thunder by 18.

During that span the most impressive win was against the Spurs as the Celtics lead from start to finish in a game in which they were out rebounded 55-32. Kevin Garnett had a game high 20 points and 7 rebounds as the Spurs had no answer for him. This game was treated like a playoff game as the Big 3 all played at least 35 minutes. The other Celtics starters Rondo and Perkins both played at least 32 minutes so you could see that Doc really wanted to make a statement in this one. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker both struggled from the field and part of that was because they were defended by KG and Ray. Allen did a fabulous job on Parker by staying at home and being patient every time he had the ball. Garnett used his height advantage on Duncan and it appeared to give him some problems as he missed 9 shots. In looking at this box score one unique thing popped out to my eyes. The final score was 90-83 and the San Antonio Spurs starting 5 were 1 of 8 from the free throw line for the game. Those 7 free throws were the difference in the final outcome of this game. Rasheed Wallace did a good job off the bench and his ability to make big shots against quality opponents has not gone unnoticed. At times this season Wallace has struggled but he seems to elevate his game against the better teams the NBA has to offer. Wallace had 4 blocks and was also 4 of 9 from the field and 2 of 5 from three ending his night with 13 points.

The Celtics will bring their 7 game winning streak home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night at the TD Garden. The Celtics will then head out on the road again for a 3 game trip that includes stops in Chicago, Washington, and Memphis. Even though they appear to be on cruise control at times during games we have to keep in mind the fact that every game throughout the season is as important as the next because the one thing that could be a huge factor come playoff time is home court advantage. The Celtics, Magic and Cavaliers will most likely be the top 3 seeds in the East come June and in order for the Celtics to have the best shot at winning number 18 they know they must nail down the top seed so they can host their fellow rivals. Remember the Celtics have been without Big Baby all season long so when they get him back it will only make them that much deeper on the bench. Looking at things right now top to bottom the Boston Celtics are the Beast of the East and as long as they continue to take one game at a time they should have no problem getting the top seed.

Matthew Giacoppo-The Brain

Week 13 NFL PICKS 

This Week - 6-7-1 ATS

32-5 in Locks

Overall- 79-50-2 ATS in ‘09

Lock- New England -4.5 at Miami- Loss Dolphins 22-21

Lock- Eagles -4.5 at Falcons- Win Eagles 34-7

Lock-49ers -1.5 at Seattle- Win 49ers 20-17

Green Bay -4 vs Ravens- No Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs , thats enough foir me to change my pick to the Packers.

Saints -9.5 at Redskins- Loss Saints 33-30 OT

Vikings -3 at Cardinals- Loss Cardinals 30-17

Browns +13.5 at Chargers- Win Chargers 30-23

Dallas -1 at Giants- Loss Giants 31-24

Oakland +15.5 at Pittsburgh- Win Raiders 27-24

Indianapolis -7 vs Tennessee- Win Colts 27-17

Texans -1 at Jaguars- Loss Jaguars 23-18

Kansas City +6 vs Denver- Loss Broncos 44-13

Bears -8 vs Rams - Push Bears 17-9

Bengals -13 vs Lions- Loss Bengals 23-13

Panthers -6 vs Buccaneers- Win Panthers 16-6

Matthew Giacoppo-The Brain