A Change To The System?

 

Spring Training has gotten underway. With that going, Rob Manfred took to the Mic to talk about a few things going on around the league. One thing being talked about is the payroll disparity among teams, this coming with CBA talks coming up. A lot of the concerns over this were sparked because of the Los Angeles Dodgers spending over the winter months.

Combined over the last two offseason, the Dodgers have signed Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Will Smith and Tyler Glasnow to nine figure contracts. Couple that with Juan Soto's big contract this winter, it leads to a lot of discussions about the system in the game. It came to light on Tuesday. Speaking during a spring training media event, Manfred reiterated prior comments while saying the Dodgers have "gone out and done everything possible, always within the rules that currently exist, to put the best possible team on the field, and I think that's great for the game."

Oh, the numbers get even more eye popping. According to ESPN, offseason spending has reached roughly $3.3 billion. Out of that, the Dodgers and Mets have accounted for more than 40% of that total. Nine teams, meanwhile, spent less than $20 million on free agents this winter.

That right there is a huge problem. Now, within the rules and parameters of free agency in Major League Baseball, the Mets and Dodgers have done nothing wrong this winter. They wanted players and went out and spent the money to go and get said players. I cant fault them for that, they want to go out and win. The Dodgers are the defending World Champions, while the Mets came within two wins of beating said Dodgers. And what the dodgers are doing now remind a lot of people of what the Yankees did at the turn of the century.

This finally got people talking about the disparity around MLB. You look at teams like the Rays, who can't go out and pull off getting guys like Soto or Othani. Part of that has to do with ownership issues, but that's another debate for another time. Teams like the Rays, White Sox, Natioanls ect. can't pony up the money like the Mets, Yankees or Dodgers can.

Maybe baseball should follow the leads of the other sports and actually have a salary cap. Have a floor that teams have to spend that much to start and can't exceed a limit. Sure there are going to be other issues at hand when the MLBPA and owners get together to talk, but competitive balance should be a bigger talking point when the two get to the table for CBA talks. There needs to be something done to get the balance back in order for baseball. It's starting to get out of hand. Will it actually change finally? Only time will tell.

4 Nations Set For Battle

The best of the best are gathered for battle. The 4 Nations tournament is finally here. For the next two weeks, the NHL is taking a pause so that the best players from the top four hockey nations can hook up. USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland are gathering over the next two weeks in Montreal and Boston for the first international best on best tournament since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. And its sure to be one hell of a tournament.

This is really simple. Four teams play a round robin style opener. Three games each. Two teams with the best point total face off in a final game. NHL rules will be used. OT during round robin is ten minutes. If still tied, we go to a shootout. Final game is played under the same overtime rules as the Stanley Cup Playoffs, we go till we have a winner. Simple as that.

Rosters are fully loaded with the best talent the four nations have to offer.

Goaltending is going to be a bigtime factor over the next two weeks , and the advantage has to go to the Americans in that department. The other three nations have fine goalies, all of them, but the US is top heavy in that department. On the blueline, Sweden and Canada have the best mix of stay at home and offensive threats. They can find the back of the net and shut down the opposition just as well. 

A small part of me feels bad for Finland going into this tournament. While yes, the do posses a good roster and a solid hockey team, on paper, they're the weakest of the four teams. Sweden has some punching upside up front, but its the defense and in net that's going to keep them hanging around. But really, its going to come down to the US and Canada, the two most balanced and loaded teams in this whole thing. When you have Crosby and McDavid leading your team, you always have a great chance in any tournament. I only hold some level of hesitation putting Canada over the top here because of what's in net. Nothing against Aiden Hill, Jordan Binnington or Sam Montembeault, but nobody knows how well these three guys can really hold up well on an international stage such as this one.

All four teams are good, not taking anything away from anybody. Having said that, based on the talent that's assembled, edge has to go to the Americans here.

Standings: 1) USA 2) Sweden 3) Canada 4) Finland

Final: USA 5 Sweden 3

Fly, Eagles, Fly

Two trips to the Super Bowl in three years for the Eagles. Last time didn't go as they had planned. This time, there was no mistake. Philadelphia dominated Kansas City to one of the biggest blowouts in Super Bowl history, a 40-22 win.

The stats tell only cold facts. The eye test reveals a lot more. And boy did that reveal a lot on Sunday.

We talked about how big the running game was going to play a factor in this game going in.  As a team, the Eagles rushed for 135 yards, only 57 of which we're gained by Saquan Barkley. Jalen Hurts had more rushing yards than Barkley did. Hurts managed to be able to spread the ball around to his other weapons in a balanced offensive attack. It was a master class on both sides of the football. The offense spread the ball around evenly and did a nice job between run and pass.

The big story to come out of the game was from the other side. Kansas City looked nothing like themselves. Mahomes hadn't been pressured like this since the 202 loss to the Buccaneers. The Eagles defense, lead by coordinator Vic Fangio, put more pressure  Mahomes had no amasser for the Eagles defense all day long. He didn't look like himself for all but three plays on the day. Mahomes threw a couple of picks on the day, one of which Cooper DeJean for a touchdown. Sure, Xaviery Worthy had a monster day with 157 receiving yards, but by the time he got the bulk of those yards, the game was already out of reach for KC. For most of the day, Mahomes looked really uncomfortable, which is something that wasn't seen most of the last couple of seasons.

This should be something that other teams around the league need to take notice of. If teams want to stop Kansas Coty, take note of what the Eagles defense was able to do to slow down this team.

Of course, what happened lead to the talk of Mahomes and his level of greatness and where Kansas City falls as a dynasty. Mahomes would have come a lot closer to GOAT status if he had been able to pull off the three peat. It would have been huge for his status as a legend. Now, as for the Chiefs being a dynasty, that would have been locked up with a win. They have made three straight Super Bowls and five of the last six games. IF they can make it again next year and possibly win again, then it would propel them right into the mix. There's no denying that they have been a very good football team the last half decade. If they build off it next season, then a year from now those talks of dynasty could be ramped up even further.

All in All, it was a solid Super Bowl. Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles on their vicotyr!

Super Bowl 59 Preview

The time has finally arrived. The big day is here. Super Bowl 59 is upon us. We started this journey back in September with 32 teams all having a chance to play on this final Sunday. Now we are down to two left. The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kansas City got here by going 15-2 during the regular season, winning the AFC west and getting a first round bye. They got by the Houston Texas in the division round and the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Title game to reach the Super Bowl. Kansas City is playing in its seventh Super Bowl, going 4-2 in its previous appearances. They are the two time defending Super Bowl Champions.

The Eagles got here by going 14-3 during the regular season, winning the NFC East. They marched through the playoffs by beating the Packers in the wild card round, then the Rams in the divisional round, and finally the Commanders in the NFC title game. This marks the Eagles 5th ever Super Bowl appearance, going 1-3 in previous four games.

This marks a rematch of the game two years ago.

So how are things going to play out on Sunday?

Well, from a Kansas City point of view, there's quite a bit more pressure on the Chiefs. They are looking to become the first team in NFL history to ever three-peat as champions. Only thing causing slight hesitation in this prediction is the KC offense. Yes, Kansas City has a solid offense. By its own standards it's having a down year this year. Sill, there's enough firepower on this offense to be able to put points on the board.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia has weapons across the board on offense. The biggest one being Saquan Barkley, who's coming off an out of this world rushing year. Philadelphia also brings in a hard hitting defense that will bring a ton of pressure onto the Chiefs offensive line.

Philadelphia well put KC to the test more than the Bills did last week. hell Philly will be a tougher test even that the 49ers were in last years game. Kansas City is going to be able to overcome the running of Barkely and, by the skin of their teeth, be able to pull out a victory.

Prediction: Kansas City 34 Philadelphia 31

NFL Honors

Earlier this week, the NFL honored the best of the best from the 2024 regular season with NFL Honors. This year, we saw four names get announced for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, taking place in August. Along with that, the guys who stood head and shoulders above the rest during the regular season were honored for their achievements. Here's a look at who walked away with what for this season.

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025
-Sterling Sharpe
-Antonio Gates
-Eric Allen
-Jared Allen

Now for the big awards. Here's who walked away with hardware from NFL Honors

Assistant Coach of the Year: Ben Johnson (Lions Offensive Coordinator)

Coach of the Year: Kevin O'Connell (Minnesota Vikings)

Comeback Player of The Year: Joe Burrow (Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals)

Defensive Rookie of The Year: Jared Verse (Outside Linebacker, Los Angeles Rams)

Offensive Rookie of The Year: Jayden Daniels (Quarterback, Washington Commanders)

Defensive Player of The Year: Patrick Surtain II (Cornerback Denver Broncos)

Offensive Player of The Year: Saquan Barkley (Running Back Philadelphia Eagles)

Most Valuable Player: Josh Allen (Quarterback Buffalo Bills)

Solid work done by the writers in handing out the hardware for this year. The only award, or voting for an award I should say, is MVP. The fact that Saquan Barkley got NO first places votes at all for MVP is surprising. Nothing against the two guys who did get the first place votes in Lamar Jackson and winner Josh Allen. But it shows how hard it is to win MVP if your aren't a QB. Last non QB to win was Adrian Peterson in 2012. Saquan had a HUGE impact on the Eagles and what they were able to do this season. Rushing for over 2,000 yards should have meant more in my mind. I know its Most Valuable and the Eagles had quite a few stars. But you can't deny the performance of what Barkley did and how important to the Eagles he was.

So what do you think? did the NFL get it right with the awards this season?

Championship Weekend Preview

And then there were four. Championship weekend in the NFL has finally arrived. We got one team on the verge of a three peat. One team that's looking to get its first title in eight years and second overall. We got one team looking to win a title for the first time in thirty years. And the last team is looking to win it's first ever Super Bowl.

But in order to do that, they have to win this weekend. Championship weekend is here and here's how we see it going down.

Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles 3PM
We got ourselves an NFC East battle for the right to go to the big one. Safe to say that Washington is heading into this game playing with house money. With a rookie QB under center in what was considered a rebuild year, nobody expected Washington to be still standing here at this point in the season. Its going to be a tight game. Daniels has been playing like a man possessed and has played solid football during the playoffs. Daniels play is going to be a factor here, because his counterpart in Jalen Hurts got his knee banged up against the Rams last week. When you have a dual threat under center, and somebody who's been so key for that potent run game, along with Barkley, it going to be a real test for the Philadelphia offense.

Somehow, the Philadelphia experience is going to win out at the end of the game. no doubt in my mind Washington has made a believer out of a lot people with this playoff run they've been on. At the end of the day, the clock is going to strike midnight on the season for the Commanders. It going to be a pretty close day, but at the end of it all the Eagles find a way.

Eagles 27, Commanders 17

Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs 6:30PM
The big one on the weekend, the one everybody is going to want to watch. Mahomes and Allen again. For Josh Allen, he got a lot riding on this game. Buffalo hasn't been to a Superbowl in 30 years, let alone win one. He's got an entire city believing in him and he has the skills to be able to change that fortune around for Buffalo. And what gives Buffalo the advantage in this game is the ability to be able to limit and create turnovers. They had 35 takeaways this season, as compared to just 8 total turnovers. They control the ball very very well.

At the same time, you going against one of the very best to ever do it in Patrick Mahomes. He can pretty much find a way, in some ways nobody even imagined, to pull a game off. What worries me is how well this defense is going to be able to contain Allen. Not just on Allen's skillset, but lets be real here. This isn't as good a defense we've seen in Kansas City as we have seen the last two years. Don't get it twisted, they're good. But the quality level isn't quite the same. This is going to be a physical game and a nail biter. Its going to come down to whoever gets the ball last.

Chiefs 30, Bills 27

Baseball Hall Makes Call

This July, the Baseball Hall of Fame will grow by three. The 2025 hall of fame was announced its three newest members in Ichiro Suzuki, C.C Sabathia and Billy Wagner. They join Classic Baseball Era Committee electees Dave Parker and the late Dick Allen in enshrinement.

Ichiro got 99.7%  C.C got 86.8%. Wagner got 82.5%.

Ichiro had a great second career after a solid career to start in Japan. He played 19 years in the Majors, 14 years in Seattle, three with the Yankees and three in Miami. He played 2,653 games, collecting  3,089 hits, 117 home runs, 780 RBI, scored 1,420 runs and stole 509 bases, finishing as a .311 hitter. He won AL Rookie of the year and AL MVP in the same season in 2001. He was a ten time all star, won ten gold gloves and a pair of batting titles. Ichiro could do it all. He had a little bit of power, but lets face it, the guy was one of the best pure hitters that the game has ever seen. Oh yeah and lets not forget his defense in right. Outstanding glove and just as good of a throwing arm.

Then we have CC Sabathia, who also spent 19 years in the big leagues, 11 with the Yankees, 8 in Cleveland and a half a season in Milwaukee. In 560 career starts, CC picked up 251 wins, 38 complete games and 12 shutouts. He had 3,093 strikeouts in 3,577 innings pitched and a 3.74 lifetime ERA. He got a 2009 World Series title with the Yankees, won the Cy Young in 2007 with Cleveland and a six time all star. If you needed a big pitching performance, Sabathia could come up when he needed to. Look what he did in half a season in Milwaukee.

Then there was Billy Wagner. Wagner spent 16 years in the majors, nine years in Houston, four with the Mets, two in Philadelphia, one in Boston and one in Atlanta. He appeared in 853 games, earned a 47-40 record and 422 saves. He had a career ERA  of 2.31 and 1,196 strike outs. Nine times he had 30 or more saves in a season, two of which were 40 or more save seasons. His 225 saves in Houston are the most in the history of that franchise. He won Rolaids relief man of the year in 1999 and was a seven time all star. What makes Wagner induction more impressive is that he did all of this with 903 innings pitched are the fewest innings pitched among any of the relief pitchers in the hall of fame. Which speaks to how solid of a relief pitcher Wagner really was.

What do you think? Did the hall snub anybody for getting in this year?