Baseball's Best Players, 2024

No DH has ever won MVP.  That stat should actually have an asterisk since Ohtani has won MVP multiple times.  What I should say is that no true DH has ever won MVP.  Either way, that will change once Ohtani is announced as this year's winner.  He won't only become the first DH to win MVP for his exceptional first season with the Dodgers, he'll join Frank Robinson as just the second player in Major League history to win MVP in both leagues.

Maybe it was because he wasn't pitching and could focus exclusively on hitting.  Maybe it was because of ridiculously good the lineup behind him was.  Whatever the reason, this was the greatest offensive season of Ohtani's career.  In addition to leading the league in homers, RBIs and runs (and ranking second in batting average and hits), he also stole 50 bases.  You know how many 50 HR/50 SB seasons there have been in MLB history prior to Ohtani this year?  Zero!

Last season, Ohtani unanimously won AL MVP.  This season, he may win unanimously again, this time in the National League.  Although, I do think it's possible it might not be unanimous.  Because, if not for Ohtani, Francisco Lindor's season would definitely be considered MVP-worthy.

Lindor had the best all-around season of any National League position player.  His 2024 season was so much more than that, though.  The Mets were going nowhere fast in late May when they moved Lindor into the leadoff spot.  After that, they took off, making the playoffs and getting all the way to the NLCS.  Lindor didn't just provide leadership.  He was the author of so many big moments during the incredible second half of the Mets' season.

Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte finished third in the voting.  He took his outstanding 2023 postseason and carried it over into the 2024 campaign.  Marte was great offensively (he ranked among the top 10 in batting average, home runs and RBIs) and he was great defensively.  While I don't have him third on my ballot, he certainly would've been one of my 10 selections.

My third-place vote went to Marcell Ozuna, who was a constant in the Braves lineup (he was one of only four National League players to appear in all 162 games).  He was second in the NL in homers, third in average and fourth in RBIs.  Of course, he was second among DHs in all three categories, trailing only you know who.  If not for Ohtani, Ozuna would be the DH we'd be talking about in the NL MVP conversation.

Who else should be in the conversation?  Mookie Betts.  He played all over the field for the Dodgers while batting between Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.  Luis Arraez.  All that guy does is hit.  Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.  They both stayed healthy, which was a big key to the Phillies' success.  Teoscar Hernandez.  You finally put that guy on a good team and look what happened!  Jackson Merrill.  He wasn't the Rookie of the Year, but he easily could've been.  Pete Alonso for all of his clutch hits.  And Chris Sale's pitching Triple Crown can't be ignored.  Nor can what Paul Skenes did.

So, how does my ballot look behind Ohtani and Lindor?  Something like this: 3. Ozuna, 4. Harper, 5. Marte, 6. Arraez, 7. Betts, 8. Hernandez, 9. Merrill, 10. Schwarber.

Over in the American League, it's the Yankees' 1-2 punch of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto going up against Bobby Witt, Jr.  AL MVP was the exclusive domain of the Angels for so long.  First it was Mike Trout, then it was Ohtani.  Judge, of course, won the award in 2022 after his historic 62-home run season.  And now, in the first season with Ohtani in the National League (thus theoretically opening it up for everybody else), he seems poised to win it again.

You can't talk about Judge or Soto without talking about the other.  The combination proved to be everything the Yankees hoped it would when they traded for Soto.  They don't get to the World Series without them, and I think they made each other better.  Soto had the best year of his career, and Judge's 2024 season might've been even better than his record-setting 2022 campaign.

Judge led the Majors in home runs (58), RBIs (144), on-base percentage (.458), slugging percentage (.701), OPS (1.159) and walks (133).  The Yankees' captain, he played like one.  Judge switched positions (from right field to center) and moved down in the batting order (from second to third) to accommodate Soto.  As he goes, so go the Yankees.  This season was proof of that.

Soto may or may not still be a Yankee in 2025.  But, if 2024 was his only season in pinstripes, it was a glorious one!  Batting in front of Judge, he hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs.  Soto also had a career-high 166 hits and ranked second in the Majors in runs.  The guy was already set to get paid a ton.  He made himself more money by not just showing he can handle New York, but showing he can thrive in it.

In any other year, Bobby Witt, Jr., would be a slam-dunk MVP selection.  As it is, the Royals' franchise  player likely split the Yankees and finished as the runner-up behind Judge.  He led the Majors in batting average (.332) while putting together a 30-30 season.  Witt also played Gold Glove defense at shortstop.  Much like Francisco Lindor, he was arguably the best all-around player in his league.  The only reason he won't win MVP was because somebody else put up otherworldly offensive numbers.

Those three clearly separated themselves.  There are plenty of others who deserve their down-ballot votes, though.  Anthony Santander had his most productive season, hitting 44 homers and driving in 102.  Jose Ramirez continued to do Jose Ramirez things.  Can people please stop saying this guy is underrated?  He's one of the best freakin' players in the American League!  So is Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., who didn't let the Blue Jays' disappointing season prevent him from putting up monster numbers.  The same could be said for Brent Rookier during the A's final season in Oakland.

While Witt is the face of the Royals' future, let's not forget that their present also includes Salvador Perez, who's still raking at age 34.  Jarren Duran had such an unheralded all-around good season for the Red Sox.  So did Yordan Alvarez in Houston.  I can't forget Gunnar Henderson's follow-up to his Rookie of the Year campaign, either.  And Tarik Skubal certainly deserves to be up there.  The Tigers don't even come close to the playoffs without their ace.

Judge wins his second MVP in three years, but it's not a Yankees 1-2 since Witt finishes ahead of Soto.  As for the rest of the AL MVP ballot, my selections look like this: 4. Ramirez, 5. Guerrero, 6. Skubal, 7. Santander, 8. Perez, 9. Duran, 10. Henderson.

Baseball's Best Pitchers, 2024

As it turns out, Manager of the Year voting wasn't actually that close.  Both Stepen Vogt and Pat Murphy got 27 of the 30 votes.  It wasn't unanimous, but it was close.  The unanimous votes are coming over the next two days for both Cy Youngs and both MVPs.  There's no reason to act like there's any suspense heading into the announcement.  Tarik Skubal will win in the AL and Chris Sale will win in the NL.

Which isn't to say the other four finalists aren't deserving.  Quite the opposite, in fact.  I think they nailed it with the top three in both leagues.  I especially love the fact that Emmanuel Clase's lights-out season was recognized with a well-earned top three finish.  Closers don't often get the Cy Young love.  Mariano Rivera finished second one and third three times, but never came close to winning.  No closer has since Eric Gagne for his exceptional 2003 campaign.  Clase didn't either, but he's the first closer in 16 years to even be a finalist.

Paul Skenes, meanwhile, came close to doing something that hasn't been done since the incomparable Fernando Valenzuela in 1981--win Rookie of the Year and Cy Young in the same season.  This guy was the No. 1 overall pick in 2023!  He was in the Majors less than a year later.  And he was one of the best starting pitchers not just in the National League but in the freakin' Majors!  Skenes will win a Cy Young one day, likely fairly soon.

Like Skenes, Zack Wheeler was a workhorse.  He made 32 starts and was one of just four pitchers in the Majors to hit the 200-inning mark.  Wheeler finished 16-7 and was second in the Majors in batting average against (.192), third in WHIP (0.96) and tied for third in strikeouts (224).  In many ways, you could argue that his numbers were better than Sale's.  Plus, the Phillies won the division, with Wheeler pitching like the ace he is.

Seth Lugo is probably the most unlikely of the six names announced as finalists.  That's what happens when you have a career year at age 34.  This is a guy who bounced between the rotation and the bullpen for both the Mets and the Rays.  In Kansas City, he finally got the chance to be a full-time starter, and boy did he deliver!  Lugo went 16-9 and threw more than 200 innings for a playoff team.  He always knew he could be a reliable Major League starter.  And he was right.

Lugo was part of a 1-2 punch for the Royals.  His partner in crime, Cole Ragans, likely appeared on plenty of ballots in the fourth- or fifth-place spots.  Ragans was second in the American League in strikeouts and sixth in batting average against.  He also made the All*Star team and, just as importantly for Kansas City, started 32 games for the Royals.

Last season, the one thing the Orioles knew they needed was an ace.  So, towards the end of Spring Training, they went out and got one.  Corbin Burnes proved to be exactly what they needed.  A front-line starter who'd take his turn every five days and give them effective innings.  He made 32 starts and pitched to a 15-9 record with a 2.92 ERA (fourth in the AL).

There are also three pitchers in the AL West whose names wouldn't shock me if they appeared on some ballots.  Houston's Ronel Blanco threw just 167.1 innings, but he led the AL in batting average against (.190) and was second in ERA (2.80).  His teammate Framber Valdez was third in ERA (2.91) and proved to be one of the only constants in that Astros rotation.  Seattle's Logan Gilbert, meanwhile, went just 9-12, which likely knocked him out of consideration in a lot of voters' minds (I know that I wouldn't vote for somebody whose record is under .500).  If not for that, though, he'd be in the conversation after ranking among the AL leaders in strikeouts, WHIP and batting average against.

In the National League, I wouldn't be surprised if Skenes wasn't the only rookie who got Cy Young votes.  Because Shota Imanaga (who was fourth in Rookie of the Year voting) was sensational in his first season with the Cubs.  He went 15-3 and was third in both ERA (2.91) and WHIP (1.02).  Had the Cubs finished higher in the standings, Imanaga would be a much bigger part of the conversation.

When the Yankees and Padres were first discussing the Juan Soto trade, it almost completely blew up because of Michael King.  San Diego really wanted him as the key piece in return.  The Yankees didn't want to give him up.  They eventually realized that it would be stupid to torpedo the deal because of Michael King, so they relented and included the guy the Padres wanted.  He showed why they wanted him so badly.  In his first full season as a Major League starter, King was 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts.  He, Sale and Wheeler were the only National League pitchers with 200 K's and a sub-3.00 ERA this season.

And, I know Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley was First Team All-MLB, but I don't even think he was the best reliever in the National League.  I think the Braves' Raisel Iglesias was.  Iglesias had an ERA of 1.95, a WHIP of 0.74 and a batting average against of 1.95.  He went 6-2 as a closer and had 34 saves.  He was only Atlanta's second-best pitcher, though.

Chris Sale wasn't just the best pitcher on the Braves, he was the best pitcher in the National League.  He was also the NL Comeback Player of the Year after all those lost seasons in Boston.  Believe it or not, even when he had all those great years with the White Sox, he's never won the Cy Young.  That'll change for the 35-year-old, who won a Gold Glove to go along with his pitching Triple Crown.

Whether Sale wins his Cy Young unanimously is really the only question.  For Tarik Skubal, it's not.  It would be shocking if his victory wasn't unanimous.  Skubal was THAT much better than the other pitchers in the American League this season.  The dude was the Tigers' pitching staff!  He led the Majors in strikeouts, tied for the Major League lead in wins, and trailed Sale in ERA by 0.01.  They seriously both could've won the Major League pitching Triple Crown!

So, it's pretty obvious who I'm giving the nod in each league.  It's positions 2-5 where the jockeying starts.  For what it's worth, behind Sale in the National League, I've got: 2. Wheeler, 3. Skenes, 4. King, 5. Imanaga.  And in the American League, behind Skubal it's: 2. Clase, 3. Lugo, 4.  Burnes, 5. Blanco.

Baseball's Best Managers, 2024

When the Manager of the Year finalists were announced, Dodgers fans flipped out that Dave Roberts wasn't among them.  Despite all the Dodgers' success during his tenure, Roberts has only won the Manager of the Year award once.  And, frankly, that shouldn't be surprising.  It was the same thing during the Yankees' dynastic run in the late 90s.  Joe Torre only won Manager of the Year once, and it took the historic 1998 season for him to do it.

The fact of the matter is that it's as tough for Dave Roberts to win now as it was for Joe Torre then.  The Dodgers are good every year.  The Dodgers are supposed to be good every year.  Thus, when they win 98 games, all they did was meet expectations.  And, frankly, the Dodgers measure success by how they do in the postseason, which doesn't count for Manager of the Year voting.

Yes, the Dodgers had a ridiculous amount of injuries this season and managed to lead the Majors with 98 wins despite using about 15 starting pitchers, moving guys all over the field and using the bullpen like it was nobody's business.  But, when you have the most talent and the most resources, you're expected to win a lot of games.  Which is what they did.  They didn't do it the way they thought they would, but they still did.  So, it makes complete sense that Dave Roberts isn't a finalist for NL Manager of the Year.

Same thing with Aaron Boone, who's never won Manager of the Year during his time with the Yankees (not that he's deserved to).  The Yankees had a great year.  They also had Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Gerrit Cole.  Their success wasn't exactly a surprise.  And that's generally who the Manger of the Year award goes to.  A team that exceeded expectations either by making the playoffs or getting close.  Like each of this year's finalists.

All three AL Manager of the Year finalists came from the playoff teams in the AL Central.  And that's who the three finalists should be!  Nobody had Detroit or Kansas City making the playoffs in July, let alone before the season, so they definitely qualify as "unexpected."  Cleveland, meanwhile, was led by a first-time manager who only retired as a player two years ago...and was in first place all season!  It really could be any of the three.  There isn't a bad choice.

Let's do this in standings order and start with Stephen Vogt.  The Guardians had a disappointing season in 2023 and had their Hall of Fame manager "retire" (only to resurface with the Reds).  They turned to Vogt, who was a player himself not too long ago, and he proved to be the perfect guy for one of the youngest teams in the Majors.  He proved to be a natural at managing, too.  Everything he did worked.  To the tune of 92 wins and a division title.

Matt Quatraro lost 106 games in his first season as Royals manager.  In his second, he led Kansas City to the playoffs.  They became just the third team to reach the postseason a year after a 100-loss season.  It really was one of the most impressive turnarounds from one season to the next in MLB history, and they very well could be like the Orioles where this was just the start.

Then there's A.J. Hinch.  We already knew he was a good manager after all of his success in Houston, so you knew the Tigers were in good hands when they hired him after his suspension ended.  Even Hinch had to be shocked that Detroit made the playoffs, though!  This team was so far out of it at the trade deadline that they sent their second-best starting pitcher to the Dodgers!  They literally had pitching staff made up of Tarik Skubal and a bunch of guys you've never heard of.  And it's not like there were all these brand names in the lineup, either.  Yet the Tigers, who weren't even a thought in mid-August, went on a 31-11 tear to end the regular season and get into the playoffs, then beat Hinch's old team in the Wild Card Series before extending Cleveland to five in the Division Series.

I've gone back and forth between all three choices.  They've all got a valid case, and I'd literally be fine with any of them winning.  Ever so slightly, I'm going Quatraro, Hinch, Vogt.  That turnaround from one season to the next under the same manager is what sealed it for me.

In the National League, it's three managers who were in their first season with their club.  Carlos Mendoza recovered from a terrible start to take the Mets to the NLCS.  Pat Murphy became a first-time Major League manager at age 65 and led the Brewers to a division title.  And Mike Shildt, the 2019 NL Manager of the Year in St. Louis, took over a Padres team that went from a disappointing 2023 to almost knocking the eventual World Series champions out of the playoffs in the Division Series.

San Diego turned over nearly its entire roster.  Trading Juan Soto to the Yankees was the headline event of their 2023-24 offseason, but they also had an almost entirely new pitching staff (that included several of the pieces acquired for Soto).  They still had the star power and bolstered it with the likes of Dylan Cease and Luis Arraez.  Everyone knew the Padres were a dangerous team, and Shildt brought out the best in them.  San Diego did this season what was expected last season...when they still had Soto and Blake Snell.

Craig Counsell's Brewers contract expired after last season, and he left Milwaukee for the division rival Cubs.  And it was longtime Brewers coach Pat Murphy who was tabbed to replace him.  That turned out to be a great decision, since he just kept the good thing in Milwaukee going.  They're a small market team, yet somehow, they make it work.  They had injuries to key players.  They traded their best pitcher.  And yet they posted 93 wins and won the NL Central going away.

To say the Mets' season was a roller coaster would be an understatement.  They were 11 games under .500 at the end of May.  Those first two really bad months were followed by four exceptional months, with plenty of heart-stopping moments thrown in.  They had that ridiculous scenario with the doubleheader in Atlanta on the extra day at the end of the season to make the playoffs.  Once they got in, they continued that roll all the way to the NLCS.  The postseason doesn't count, but what he did to get the Mets there sure does.

As impressive as the Mets' late run was, though, it wasn't as good as San Diego's.  The Padres were the best team in baseball over the second half.  They weren't bad in April, May or June, either, which is why Mike Shildt gets the nod in the NL.  I've got Shildt 1, Murphy 2 and Mendoza 3 on my "ballot."

Baseball's Best Rookies, 2024

MLB awards season gets underway with the Rookies of the Year, and it really is a fascinating way to start.  Because, unlike the MVPs and Cy Youngs, all four of which could be unanimous, there really is a question of who'll win in both leagues.  And who should.  So, we're getting the only two player awards where there'll actually be any sort of debate right off the bat.

In the AL, we've got two Yankees and the Orioles' Colton Cowser.  The last time two Yankees were Rookie of the Year finalists together, Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres canceled each other out and Shohei Ohtani ended up winning by more than he probably should have (I said this then and I'll say it again now, you can't hold the fact that Ohtani's a freak of nature also pitches against guys who don't).  Will the same thing happen again?  Will Colton Cowser benefit from a split vote between Luis Gil and Austin Wells?

Meanwhile, in the NL, it's two guys named Jackson and Paul Skenes, the Pirates sensation who started the All*Star Game, but also wasn't called up until May.  Will that be held against him?  Or was Skenes' body of work so much better than the two Jacksons that it won't matter?

It was a similar situation in 2014, when it was Jacob deGrom vs. Billy Hamilton.  Back then, it was deGrom who had been called up in May while Hamilton was with the Reds on Opening Day.  My choice would've been Hamilton, and my argument was that the fact he was the Opening Day center fielder and on the roster all season wasn't being considered enough.  The voters felt differently and deGrom ended up winning NL Rookie of the Year that season.

So, with that in mind, you'd think my choice would be Jackson Merrill.  And he's actually got a pretty strong argument.  Merrill was an infielder until the end of Spring Training, when the Padres decided that he'd be their Opening Day center fielder.  He ended up making the All*Star team, and he really was a stabilizing force in that San Diego lineup.  Without Merrill in center field, the Padres may not have been a playoff team, let alone one that nearly beat the Dodgers in the Division Series!

However, what Paul Skenes did this season was historic.  He isn't just a finalist for Rookie of the Year.  He's a finalist for the Cy Young and was First Team All-MLB.  Skenes came in with ridiculously high expectations as the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, was called up to the Majors less than a year after being drafted, and lived up to all the hype!  His starts became must-watch events.  He was the guy.  He was the show.  And, as impressive as his numbers were, just imagine how much better they would've been had he played the entire season!

The third National League finalist is the Brewers' Jackson Chourio.  His third-place finish in this race is well-deserved.  Chourio's second half was especially spectacular.  It's also crazy to think that this guy is only 20 years old.  He was the youngest player in the Majors this season.  He sure didn't look like it!  Chourio, in fact, became the youngest player ever with 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season.

This is a two-horse race between Skenes and Merrill, though.  In any other year, it wouldn't be close.  They'd both win going away.  Unfortunately (or fortunately), this year we've got two Rookie of the Year-caliber performances in the National League.  You really couldn't go wrong with either one.  I give the slight edge to Skenes, though.  How can a rookie season that was so talked about not be recognized with the Rookie of the Year award?  So, I'm going: 1. Skenes, 2. Merrill, 3. Chourio.

For a while, it looked like Skenes wouldn't be the only rookie pitcher starting the All*Star Game.  Because Luis Gil's first half was incredible!  And the craziest thing about it is that he was sent down during Spring Training!  He only made the team as the fifth starter because of Gerrit Cole's injury.  Once he was in the rotation, they couldn't take him out!  Gil ended up being the Yankees' most reliable starter behind Cole, and he capped it off with a World Series start.

Let's not forget how important Austin Wells was to the Yankees' success, either.  For most of the second half, he was hitting in the cleanup spot behind Soto and Judge.  They had a rookie catcher batting behind the 1-2 punch who are both MVP finalists.  And they kept him there because he was the guy producing in that spot.  He started the season in a platoon with Jose Trevino.  It didn't take long for Wells to become the primary catcher.  As a rookie.  While also hitting cleanup.  On a team that made the World Series.

We could easily see the Yankees go 1-2 here, but I think it's more likely the Rookie of the Year voting will mirror the MVP voting and the Yankees will finish 1-3.  Because Colton Cowser's rookie season can't be discounted.  He hit 24 home runs and was a Gold Glove finalist in left field.  Just add Cowser's name to that list of talented young Orioles regulars.

And, while he's not a finalist, there's a fourth AL East rookie who very could've been.  Boston's Ceddanne Rafaela was literally everywhere!  He started games at five different positions, playing mainly center field and shortstop.  He also hit in six different lineup spots, although he mostly batted ninth.  Rafaela ended up driving in 75 runs, the most by AL rookies.  I have no issue with the three finalists who finished above him in the voting.  Rafaela had quite a rookie year, though!

Ultimately, though, I think Gil's body of work and consistency give him the edge.  He made 29 starts, finished 15-7, held opponents to a .189 average and struck out 171 hitters in 151.2 innings.  Gil becomes the first Yankee to win Rookie of the Year honors since Aaron Judge in 2017.  I've got Cowser at No. 2 and, while this may be surprising, Rafaela gets my third-place vote over Wells.  (I also gave A's closer Mason Miller some serious consideration.)

A pitcher hasn't won Rookie of the Year since Devin Williams in 2020.  A starter hasn't won it since Detroit's Michael Fulmer in 2016.  Expect both of those stats to change.  We could even see pitchers sweep Rookie of the Year honors for the first time since 2011.  And when's the last time two starting pitchers were the Rookies of the Year in the same season, you ask?  You have to go back to the last time the Dodgers played the Yankees in the World Series.  Dave Righetti and the late Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.

NFL 2024 (Week 11)

You know there's a big game when they make it nationally exclusive and even the pregame show makes a road trip.  That's certainly the case this week with Bills-Chiefs.  CBS actually hit the jackpot this week.  They've also got Ravens-Steelers.  That's quite a doubleheader!  Although, I'm kinda shocked that Baltimore-Pittsburgh didn't get flexed into Sunday night (I'm sure CBS protected Buffalo-Kansas City, so that likely wasn't even a flexing option).

I'm also kinda shocked that Jets-Colts actually got flexed out!  Have they finally realized that America doesn't deserve to be subjected to the New York Jets every week?  (Only those of us in New York get that pleasure.  But, hey, at least the Jets and Giants can't both lose this week!)  In place of Jets-Colts, it's Chargers-Bengals, which still isn't great, but is much better than the original Sunday night choice.

Thursday Night: Philadelphia (Win)

Packers (6-3) at Bears (4-5): Green Bay-Believe it or not, this is the Bears' first division game of the season.  Which means their record is likely about to come back to Earth after that hot start.  I hope you had fun while it lasted, Bears fans.  While I do think they'll likely beat one of their division foes at some point this season, I don't think it'll be this week.  The Packers win and keep up with the Lions and Vikings heading into a big one with San Francisco next week.

Jaguars (2-8) at Lions (8-1): Detroit-Just when it looked like the game was lost, the Lions got two miracle field goals to stunningly knock off the Texans last week.  If this isn't the best team in the NFL, they're sure up there!  This week, they're back at home to face a Jacksonville team that actually gave Minnesota a game last week.  Can they do the same on the road against the Lions?

Vikings (7-2) at Titans (2-7): Minnesota-While I still think the Vikings are only the third-best team in the NFC North, they keep making their case for the playoffs.  They were 5-0.  Then they lost two straight.  Now they've won two straight, and neither one was exactly pretty.  With the NFC North playing the whole AFC South this season, the NFC North teams need to be their three non-Texans AFC South opponents.  Especially with how close the division race is playing out.

Raiders (2-7) at Dolphins (3-6): Miami-The Dolphins going into SoFi and beating the Rams was perhaps the most surprising result last week.  If they can follow it up with a win over the Raiders, a second half run to a wild card spot might not be too crazy a thought after all.  With their remaining schedule, it certainly looks possible.  If they lose to Las Vegas, though, that chance becomes even slimmer.

Rams (4-5) at Patriots (3-7): New England-Last week was, without a doubt, the Patriots' best game of the season.  They went into Chicago and beat the Bears from start to finish.  The Rams, meanwhile, suffered a bad loss to the Dolphins last week, which dropped them to the bottom of the NFC West standings.  I still don't really know what to make of them.  On paper, the Rams should beat the Patriots no problem.  In reality, I think a New England victory is very realistic.

Browns (2-7) at Saints (3-7): New Orleans-Can the Saints do what the Raiders did last season and turn their season around under an interim head coach?  Because they looked like an entirely different team last week!  And they beat Atlanta, who's actually good.  Now they get Cleveland, who isn't.  Look for the Saints to make it two in a row.

Colts (4-6) at Jets (3-7): Indianapolis-Both of these teams are badly in need of a win.  The Colts have dropped three straight.  The Jets are the Jets.  A lot has gone wrong this season that even a coaching change couldn't fix.  Yes, they upset the Texans two weeks ago.  Then they went to Arizona and got slaughtered 31-6.  If the Colts have any chance of getting back into the playoff race, they need to not fall into the same trap as Houston.  You can't lose to the Jets when you have games against the Bills and Lions on either side of them.

Ravens (7-3) at Steelers (7-2): Pittsburgh-Whenever Pittsburgh and Baltimore meet, you know it's gonna be a grind-it-out battle.  That's especially true when first place is on the line.  They're both in good shape to make the playoffs, and they're both coming off a crazy one-point win.  It sure looks like we're gonna get another classic chapter in this epic rivalry.  I can see them splitting the season series, with the home team winning both games.  And, since this one's in Pittsburgh, the Steelers take the first game.

Falcons (6-4) at Broncos (5-5): Denver-Sean Payton deserves a ton of credit for that turnaround in Denver.  All he needed was to get the right personnel in, and now we're seeing the fruits of his labor.  Of course, playing in the same division as the Chiefs means a wild card is probably the best they can hope for.  And we saw them almost beat Kansas City last week!  They're still in wild card position, but need this one to avoid dropping below .500.  More importantly, they need this one to stop a two-game losing streak and prove they can beat a good team.

Seahawks (4-5) at 49ers (5-4): San Francisco-With the first-place Cardinals on their bye week, this game presents an important opportunity for both teams.  Either the 49ers, who haven't played well this season at all, will be tied for first or the Seahawks will be right back in the race.  It's quite a difference from the first meeting between these two, when the 49ers won in Seattle on a Thursday night.  Seattle is 1-4 since starting 3-0.  San Francisco is has won two straight since starting 3-4.  Clearly these two teams are headed in opposite directions.

Chiefs (9-0) at Bills (8-2): Buffalo-Kansas City has found every possible way to win a game this season.  Last week, it was a blocked field goal on the last play of the game.  The Chiefs' luck has to be running out, though.  They've been very public about wanting to go undefeated, but you've gotta think a loss is coming eventually.  And this might be the week.  The Bills are probably the team most equipped to beat them, especially in Buffalo.  And you know they want to avenge last season's playoff defeat!  The winner here will obviously have the head-to-head tiebreaker, too, just in case the importance of this game hasn't already been stressed enough.

Bengals (4-6) at Chargers (6-3): Chargers-Jim Harbaugh's Chargers get the Sunday night treatment for the first time against Joe Burrow and the Bengals.  I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.  Cincinnati's loss to Baltimore was bad.  Not just because of the penalties that weren't called.  Because they were already behind the 8-ball in the playoff race.  They can jump right back in it with a win here, but the Chargers are a good team that's well coached and looks poised to be headed towards a wild card.

Texans (6-4) at Cowboys (3-6): Houston-That loss to the Lions wasn't just devastating emotionally, it really damaged the Texans' playoff standing.  They still have a comfortable lead in the AFC South, but losses in three of their last four have dropped them to the 4-seed.  So, they need to straighten things out if they want to move up.  Speaking of needing to straighten things out, may I present the Dallas Cowboys?  Simply put, they're a mess.  They're 0-4 at home and have been outscored 81-15 in their last two at Jerry's World.

*GREY CUP-Argonauts (10-8) vs Blue Bombers (11-7): Winnipeg-As per usual, I'm making a special bonus pick with the Grey Cup.  Last season, Toronto had the best record in the CFL, but got upset by Montreal in the Eastern Division Final.  This season, it was the reverse.  Montreal had the best record and lost to Toronto.  In the Grey Cup, the Argonauts face a Winnipeg team they beat in both regular season matchups.  It's tough to beat a team three times in a season.  Which is why the Blue Bombers are the pick.

This Week: 1-0
Last Week: 8-6
Overall: 90-63 

Down Under Football: Would It Work?

At his press conference before the NFL concluded its International Series by subjecting the unsuspecting German fans to Giants-Panthers, Roger Goodell teased some of the upcoming international locales the NFL is thinking about.  So far, there's been games in Canada, Mexico and Germany, along with London, where they've set up a semi-permanent presence.  This year marked the first time the NFL played in Brazil, and Munich is already on the docket for next season.

Goodell indicated that Dublin, which has hosted a number of college games already, is a likely addition that will happen pretty soon.  There's also interest in Berlin, which has the 70,000-seat Olympiastadion and was the home of an NFL Europe team.  It would be the third different city in Germany to host an NFL regular season game, along with Munich and Frankfurt (which also both had NFL Europe teams).

Several other European markets will probably be in the mix for future games, as well.  It also seems like a good bet that the NFL will return to Brazil, but this time in Rio de Janeiro.  And I'm sure the NFL would like to further expand its international presence by tapping into other areas of the world.  Places like Australia, which is something they've already been thinking about.

I'll admit that was the most surprising thing to come out of Goodell's press conference.  I get why the NFL is interested in Australia, but was shocked to hear that there have already been preliminary talks, which is an indication that they're serious about it.  Although, there are some big logistical hurdles that would have to be overcome in order to make playing a game in Australia a reality.

One of the things about the European games that works so well is the favorable time zone.  The European games are able to be showcased since they all have that exclusive 9:30 AM Eastern TV window.  And games in Mexico or Brazil are easy since they're in the same time zone as the U.S.  Mexico City games are usually put on Monday night, while that Eagles-Packers game in Sao Paulo was on that special Friday night.

The time difference between the United States and Australia isn't convenient for anybody, though.  Depending on the time of year, Australia is either 14 or 16 hours ahead of the East Coast.  The West Coast is almost an entire day behind Australia!  So, the times that would work best for Americans are either in the middle of the night or early morning in Australia and vice versa.  (The Super Bowl kicks off at 10:30 AM Monday in Australia.)  That's obviously not ideal for either side, especially since the whole point is to expand the NFL's reach and expose the game to new fans.

With those time concerns in mind, that really limits the NFL's options for when it could schedule a game in Australia.  The 9:30 AM kickoff used for the European games is out since that's 1:30 AM in Australia.  Although, playing in one of the primetime slots certainly could work.  Sunday Night Football starts at 12:30 on Monday afternoon in Australia, while the Monday night game is at noon on Tuesday.  (Ditto with the Thursday night game on Friday afternoon.)

Those really seem like the only two options.  Except how convenient would it be for the game to start at noon on Monday or Tuesday?  Would they still go?  Sure!  Is it ideal?  No!  And the far more convenient options (a Friday night/Saturday afternoon or Saturday night/Sunday afternoon game) are really pretty much non-starters.

It was only because of a loophole in the NFL's antitrust exemption that they were able to schedule the Eagles-Packers game in Sao Paulo on a Friday night.  There were five Fridays in September this year and the provision in the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 specifies that the NFL can't broadcast a game starting with the second Friday in September.  That'll also be the case next year (when there won't be a game in Australia), but the next opportunity after that won't be until 2029.  Would the league really want to wait five years before its first Australia game?  (They're obviously not playing on a Saturday night during college football season.)

So, that pretty much leaves playing a Sunday night/Monday afternoon or Monday night/Tuesday afternoon game.  I guess they could theoretically schedule a Thursday night/Friday afternoon game in Australia, but you're not making teams fly that far on a short week.  Which brings me to my next point.  When do you schedule a game in Australia so as not to cause a major disruption for the two teams playing?

There were concerns about the distance leading into the Eagles-Packers game in Sao Paulo, which is one of the reasons why they settled on Week 1.  Australia is nearly twice as far as Brazil!  So, following their own lead and scheduling the game for Week 1 would make sense...until you consider they'd immediately fly 10,000 miles back and play again in Week 2.  You can't do that.  They'd have to have their bye week after.  I'd imagine the NFLPA (and likely both teams) would insist on that.  Which means later in the season.  How late, though?

Later in the season would also work better for whichever stadium in Australia is selected since the Australian Football League and National Rugby League seasons both conclude in October.  So, what I can realistically see is a game in Sydney or Melbourne (or maybe even Brisbane since they're hosting the 2032 Olympics and the NFL would love to see flag football included in those Games) on a Sunday night/Monday afternoon at the end of October/beginning of November.  Realistically, that's the only thing that makes sense.

Although, another option that's been floated and is intriguing would be to hold the Pro Bowl Games Down Under.  That, frankly, I think is the best idea of them all.  Let the players have fun hanging out in Australia for a week (no need to worry about guys opting out with phantom "injuries"), and there's the freedom to schedule it basically whenever the NFL wants.  There's nothing going on in the week between the Conference Championships and Super Bowl, so they could easily do Saturday night/Sunday afternoon.

Regardless, it looks like an NFL game in Australia is a done deal.  It's only a matter of when.  These logistics will be figured out and they'll choose between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane for the location.  Or maybe it'll be two of them.  Maybe all three.  Because once the NFL goes to Australia for the first time, you know there's no way they won't go back again!

My All-MLB Selections

It's almost award season in Major League Baseball.  The Gold Gloves were announced last week, and the finalists for the major awards have all been unveiled.  Those will all be awarded next week, while the All-MLB Team and some of the smaller awards will be presented this week in Las Vegas.

They didn't even have an All-MLB Team until 2019, but it was a long overdue honor.  Every other major league sport had an all-league team, but Baseball only had its individual awards, which left so many players unrecognized despite having a terrific season.  The All-MLB Team rectified that.  And, it's still pretty prestigious to be voted the best player in all of Major League Baseball at your position for that season.  So, even though this is just the fifth season an All-MLB Team has been chosen, it's already one of the biggest honors a player can receive.

Especially since picking the All-MLB Team isn't exactly easy.  At certain positions, it is.  But, there are also plenty of great seasons that can't be recognized simply because they're the second-best at that player's position during the season.  Good thing there's a Second Team All-MLB.  But even that's not enough at some positions.

Only one player at each infield position, catcher and DH is selected.  There's also three outfielders, regardless of position.  Starting rotations include five pitchers, so it makes sense that five starting pitchers get the nod along with two relievers.  There's no spot for a utility player, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's added in the future.  With all that in mind, here are the 16 guys I'd select for the First Team:

Catcher: William Contreras, Brewers-I went back and forth on this one before finally settling on William Contreras over Salvador Perez.  The fact that Salvy Perez played 158 games primarily as a catcher at age 34 and still put up the offensive numbers he did truly is remarkable.  But the numbers Contreras put up for the NL Central-winning Brewers were just a tick better.  Perez had more homers (27-23) and more RBIs (104-92), but Contreras held the edge in everything else.

1st Base: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Blue Jays-Don't tell Vladito that the Blue Jays had a down year.  Because he sure didn't.  He had 199 hits, 44 doubles, 98 runs scored, and a .323 average, all of which led MLB first basemen.  His 103 RBIs were second and his 30 home runs were third.  Most importantly, he stayed healthy, playing 159 games.  Bryce Harper, Josh Naylor, Pete Alonso and Matt Olson all had great years, as well.  But Guerrero gets the nod.

2nd Base: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks-Ketel Marte had a great postseason last year and carried it into 2024.  He only played in 136 games, yet still led all Major League second basemen in both homers and RBIs by a wide margin.  Marte also had the highest slugging percentage and on-base percentage among second basemen while hitting .292.  Without him at the top of the lineup, the Diamondbacks don't come anywhere close to the playoffs.

Shortstop: Bobby Witt, Jr., Royals-This is one of the easy ones.  If not for Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr. would be the runaway AL MVP.  Witt had the most hits (211) and highest average (.332) in the Majors, and he won a Gold Glove.  He also ranked among the top five in doubles, triples, slugging percentage and OPS.  So, yeah, Bobby Witt Jr. had a good season.  This will likely be the first of many All-MLB selections.

3rd Base: Jose Ramirez, Guardians-Can people please stop calling Jose Ramirez underrated?  Because we all know he isn't just really good at baseball, he's one of the best damn players in the American League!  And he has been for a few years!  He led Major League third basemen in everything by a wide margin while leading Cleveland to a division title and ALCS appearance.

Outfield: Aaron Judge, Yankees; Juan Soto, Yankees; Teoscar Hernandez, Dodgers-The 1-2 combo of Judge and Soto carried the Yankees to a pennant in what could be (but hopefully isn't) their only year together.  They're both AL MVP finalists, and rightfully so!  The only question is who'll be the third First Team All-MLB outfielder.  I went with Teoscar Hernandez, who finally had that breakout season that's long been expected of him.  Who knew all it took was putting him on the Dodgers?!  

Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers-We all know Ohtani's great.  That's not a surprise.  Yet he somehow still managed to amaze us with what he did in 2024.  He'll cruise to yet another MVP (his first in the National League) after the first 50 HR/50 SB season in Major League history.  Since he didn't pitch this season, he can only be All-MLB once this year.

Starting Pitcher: Chris Sale, Braves; Tarik Skubal, Tigers; Zack Wheeler, Phillies; Seth Lugo, Royals; Paul Skenes, Pirates-Chris Sale and Tarik Skubal both won the pitching Triple Crown and will probably be unanimous Cy Young winners.  So, two of the five First Team All-MLB starters are easy.  All five are, in fact.  Wheeler, Skenes and Lugo are also finalists for the Cy Young, and they'd all have an argument to win that award had Sale and Skubal not been so dominant this season.  Lugo and Wheeler were two of just four starting pitchers to throw 200 innings this season, and Skenes took baseball by storm after getting called up in May.

Relief Pitcher: Emmanuel Clase, Guardians; Kirby Yates, Rangers-His ALCS meltdown aside, Clase had one of the best seasons by a reliever in recent memory this year.  As a result, he's the first reliever to be a Cy Young finalist in 15 years.  So, he's a no-brainer choice.  The second reliver was a bit tricker, but I'm going with the Rangers' Kirby Yates.  He went 7-2 and was 33-for-34 in save opportunities.  Yates' batting average against (.113) and ERA (1.17) were nearly identical.  When they're both that low, that's too good to ignore.

As for my All-MLB Second Team, here it is: C-Salvador Perez (KC); 1B-Bryce Harper (PHI); 2B-Jose Altuve (HOU); SS-Francisco Lindor (NYM); 3B-Manny Machado (SD); OF-Jarren Duran (BOS), Anthony Santander (BAL), Jackson Merrill (SD); DH-Marcell Ozuna (ATL); SP-Shota Imanaga (CHC), Corbin Burnes (BAL), Ronel Blanco (HOU), Dylan Cease (SD), Framber Valdez (HOU); RP-Raisel Iglesias (ATL), Ryan Helsley (STL).  I could easily name a Third Team, as well, but MLB stops at two, so I'll do the same.

NFL 2024 (Week 10)

It gets dark at 5:00 and it's starting to get cold outside.  Which must mean the NFL season is heating up.  Depending on whether teams have already had their bye or not, they either reach the midway point or begin the second half of their schedule this week.  So, there's no more feeling teams out.  We should know who's good and who isn't by this point.  And this week has plenty of matchups featuring both.  There's good vs. good, bad vs. bad and team that needs a win vs. team that needs a win.  Week 10 has it all!

Thursday Night: Baltimore (Win)

Giants (2-7) vs Panthers (2-7): Carolina-London got Patriots-Jaguars.  Munich gets Giants-Panthers.  The NFL's best on full display for the European fans!  I kid, of course, but the trip to Germany will result in a win for one of the NFL's worst teams.  For Carolina, it would actually be a second straight victory after knocking off New Orleans last week (and getting the Saints' coach fired as a result).  It's been a while since they won back-to-back games, but that's exactly what I think will happen.

Patriots (2-7) at Bears (4-4): Chicago-Chicago has fallen a bit back to earth since the bye week, dropping two straight to fall to 4-4.  Those losses were both on the road to first-place teams Washington and Arizona, though.  And they should've beaten the Commanders.  So, there's no reason for them to panic.  Especially since they're coming home to face a not-very-good Patriots team.  They should get back into the win column heading into a stretch where they play three straight division games (six of the Bears' final eight games are against the NFC North).

Bills (7-2) at Colts (4-5): Buffalo-Buffalo hasn't won in Indianapolis since 1998.  Crazy stat, isn't it?  Of course, a lot of that had to do with Peyton Manning and the Bills not being good for a stretch, but still, that's 26 years!  They've got a very good chance of ending that streak here.  During the Bills' four-game winning streak, they haven't always been at their best, but they've found a way.  When they are at their best, like they were two weeks ago in Seattle, look out!  I think that's the Bills team we see this week.

Broncos (5-4) at Chiefs (8-0): Kansas City-The Chiefs are 8-0, yet their scoring margin for the season is just +56.  That means, obviously, they've been winning a lot of close games.  Their luck's gonna run out sometime, and it sure looked like that would be last week.  But, again, they pulled out the victory.  Can they possibly do it one more time and head into that showdown in Buffalo with a 9-0 record?  The Broncos will give them again.  But why would we expect this one to end any differently than the previous eight?

Falcons (6-3) at Saints (2-7): Atlanta-As hard to believe as it is now, New Orleans started the season 2-0 and scored 91 points in those two games.  That was obviously a long time ago.  Now the Saints are the losers of seven straight and playing with an interim head coach.  We'll see if that makes any difference at all over the remainder of the season.  Getting Atlanta right off the bat isn't the easiest way to start.  The Falcons are playing their fifth division game already (and don't play another until Week 18) and are 4-0 against their NFC South rivals.  A win here doesn't lock up the division, but will really put them in the driver's seat.

49ers (4-4) at Buccaneers (4-5): Tampa Bay-This game has taken on added standings importance.  The 49ers aren't running away with the NFC West like everybody thought they would.  Instead, they're involved in a tight division race.  Tampa Bay, meanwhile, can only think about a wild card after getting swept by Atlanta.  They need a win just to get back to .500, while the 49ers will drop below .500 with a loss.  Certainly not where a team with Super Bowl expectations thought they would be at midseason.

Steelers (6-2) at Commanders (7-2): Washington-Both of the Commanders' losses this season have come on the road against playoff teams from last season (Tampa Bay & Baltimore).  This is the first time they'll take on a 2023 playoff team at home.  It's a big one, too, since they head to Philadelphia on Thursday.  It's an important game for the Steelers, as well, since Baltimore already won this week and will take over the division lead if Pittsburgh loses.  So, there's plenty of intrigue and importance on both sides.

Vikings (6-2) at Jaguars (2-7): Minnesota-Trevor Lawrence will not play for Jacksonville.  That likely eliminates whatever slim possibility existed of the Jaguars winning this game.  We've seen enough of both teams to know that neither of their records is a fluke.  And the Vikings know their situation, too.  The NFC North is the best division in football this season.  They can't lose non-division games, especially to teams they know they should beat like the Jaguars.

Titans (2-6) at Chargers (5-3): Chargers-Jim Harbaugh is a pretty good coach!  That's not exactly breaking news.  I mean, he did take the 49ers to a Super Bowl and win a National Championship at Michigan.  But it's still worth pointing out since he's the biggest difference with the Chargers this season.  They haven't exactly played the hardest schedule, but they're winning the games they're supposed, which something they haven't always done in the past.  This is one of those winnable games.

Eagles (6-2) at Cowboys (3-5): Philadelphia-Last season, these two were in a dogfight for the NFC East title until the very end.  This season has obviously gone much differently.  Things haven't exactly been going well in Dallas, and they've just gotten worse now that Dak Prescott will be out for an extended period.  I'm not sure why they haven't put him on IR yet, but it's not like it makes a difference.  The Cowboys are going nowhere fast, and they're in the midst of a brutal stretch (Philadelphia, Houston, Washington).

Jets (3-6) at Cardinals (5-4): Arizona-Just my luck.  America is finally being given a reprieve on the Jets (they got flexed out of Sunday night next week), so, of course, while most of the country gets Eagles-Cowboys, they're playing the other CBS late game and New York is one of the few places stuck with Jets-Cardinals.  Thankfully, that's what Red Zone is for!  The Cardinals have certainly been a surprise, and they currently lead the NFC West.  While I'm not sure if that can continue, they can head into their bye at 6-4 knowing that at the very least they'll be tied for first after their week off.

Lions (7-1) at Texans (6-3): Houston-Two of the NFL's best, most exciting teams get the well-deserved Sunday night spotlight.  It's Houston's first game in 10 days after the Thursday night loss to the Jets.  Meanwhile, in December, they'll play three games in 10 days.  So, hopefully they enjoyed the break.  Or, at least as much as they could after a bad loss.  I do think they'll bounce back here.  Although, the Lions made a big statement in rainy Green Bay, so it wouldn't shock me to see them win this one.  I'm still going with the Texans, however.

Dolphins (2-6) at Rams (4-4): Rams-A few weeks ago, the Rams were 1-4 and being left for dead.  Now they've won three straight and are sitting just a half-game out of first in the NFC West.  Playing Miami at home gives them a great opportunity to make it four straight.  The Dolphins have dropped their last three by a combined 10 points, so they're in every game.  They just haven't found a way to finish it out.  So, we at least know it'll be close.

This Week: 1-0
Last Week: 10-5
Overall: 82-57

NHL Negotiations

The NHL's CBA doesn't expire until after next season, but the players and owners have already started negotiating the next one.  That in itself is a great sign that a new deal will get done with plenty of time to spare.  Both sides want to get it done, too.  And, while there are issues that they'd both like to address, there isn't anything that will truly be a dealbreaker.

There are things that the players want, all of which seem reasonable.  The things that will be important to the owners are reasonable, too.  Where will they meet in the middle?  Both sides have suggested they don't want to make massive changes.  Just tweaks.  But still, you'd have to figure some things will look different once the new CBA is completed.

Two of those things are related, and they both involve the schedule.  The owners would like to go to 84 games.  When Seattle joined the league, each team lost two division games from their schedule so that they can play the Kraken twice.  As a result, there are two division teams they only play three times instead of four.  Going from 82 games to 84 would give them those two games back.  Makes complete sense.

An easy way to do that would be getting rid of two preseason games.  That seems to be the players' preferred option and would appear to be the likely compromise.  Many veterans feel the preseason is too long anyway, so, even if they're weary of adding two regular season games, you'd think they'd be willing to accept that tradeoff.

Then there's the playoff format.  The owners and the league office seem to be the only ones who like the current NHL playoff system.  The players, like most fans and media, would like it to be a straight 1-8 for each conference instead.  I've been over many times why I think the division-based format is stupid, so I'm obviously with the players on this one.  Do they care enough about it to make it a big deal, though?  I sure hope so!

I can see the players not fighting too hard for the playoff thing if it means they can get something else they want more.  Things like international events.  The league and the owners have finally figured out that the players badly want to represent their countries at tournaments like the Olympics and World Cup.  They'll have the Four Nations Face-Off this season as a prelude to the NHL's return to the Olympics in 2026.  The players would like to once again make that a permanent arrangement. 

Now that Salt Lake City, which is hosting the Winter Olympics for a second time in 2034, is now an NHL city, you know there's absolutely no chance NHL players won't be participating.  And, since 2026 is already locked in, it would just be dumb to not have NHL participation at the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.  But the players would also like a commitment for a regular World Cup (which, frankly, it would be dumb to hold again unless/until Russia is reinstated by the IIHF), as well as having events like the Four Nations Face-Off semi-frequently.

One of the biggest things on the owners'/general managers' wish list is an adjustment to the long-term injured reserve rule.  This is a loophole that the Vegas Golden Knights have repeatedly taken advantage of, where they put players on injured reserve (when their salary doesn't count against the cap), only to activate them for the playoffs (since players don't technically get paid for the playoffs), while using the cap space they "saved" to take on high-priced veterans at the trade deadline.  While it's borderline unethical and 100 percent gamesmanship, there's currently no mechanism to prevent it.  Some teams would definitely like to change that.

While that isn't a top priority for the players (mainly since they benefit from it), they know it's something that'll be brought up during the negotiations.  But, again, there could easily be some give-and-take here, with the players using that as leverage to get something they want.  They don't like how there's a maximum number of years for contracts.  They can thank Ilya Kovalchuk and Lockout 2.0 for that CBA provision, but even still, they'd love to see it eliminated.

Speaking of salaries, that's one of the biggest sticking points for the players.  Even with franchise values and hockey-related revenues (which the players and owners split 50-50) going up, salaries have remained pretty stagnant.  The salary cap is expected to increase significantly now that pandemic-related losses no longer need to be accounted for and a new Canadian TV deal is on the horizon, so this issue will perhaps take care of itself.

Although, the players will also be interested to see what other economic proposals the owners might make.  Some have suggested the idea of a "soft" cap like the NBA or even an MLB-style luxury tax.  There are definitely some owners who'd go over a luxury tax if they could, with that money getting spread around to the smaller-market teams.  There's also the possible expansion fees should the NHL go to 34 teams (which doesn't seem like it's imminent or a priority since it looks like the Coyotes won't be revived), which would be another influx of cash.  And the players would love to get a cut of it!

Another priority for the players that will likely come to the forefront during the CBA negotiations is the "Jack Eichel issue."  In 2021, when Eichel was still a member of the Sabres, he had a herniated disk in his neck that required surgery.  Except he and the team disagreed on what type of surgery he should have, and the team ultimately had the final say.  The standoff wasn't resolved until he was traded to Vegas, with the Golden Knights agreeing to let Eichel get the surgery he wanted.  (Not only did it work, he's arguably the Knights' best player.)

Eichel's situation was certainly unique, and there's definitely merit to the argument that it's not a common enough occurrence to warrant wholesale changes.  But it does bring to light the importance of healthcare-related issues.  Both sides have some legitimate things they want on this front, so it'll be interesting to see where they ultimately fall on health care in the new CBA.

Perhaps the biggest thing, though, is that there's no area where the sides are too far apart.  Which means there's no reason to think they won't come to an agreement with plenty of time to spare.  So, another lockout probably isn't on the horizon.  And that's the most important thing of all.

Setting Up 2025

I hate the break it to the haters, but Gerrit Cole was never going anywhere.  I saw plenty of fantasy scenarios that had all of these hypothetical teams that Cole could sign with after he opted out and became a free agent, as if that was ever actually going to happen.  Cole opting out wasn't a surprise.  It's what the Yankees expected, in fact.  The expectation was always that he would opt out and the Yankees would void the opt out by adding an extra year at the end of his deal.  Cole deciding at the last minute to opt out of the opt out was the only curveball thrown into the equation.

Judging by the comments from both sides, Cole didn't actually want to leave and the Yankees didn't want to run the risk of losing him, but the deadline of five days after the World Series was simply too quick to make a decision.  Cole literally made his last start of the season on Wednesday!  He and the team, fresh off a World Series appearance, then had to immediately decide about the opt out.  Neither side felt comfortable about that, so they punted and opted to give themselves more time rather than meeting an arbitrary deadline.

So, all of those articles listing the options the Yankees should consider if they lost Cole weren't realistic.  Because it was never going to happen!  If push came to shove, they were giving him the extra year.  Now, they have plenty of time to negotiate a new contract (or not, since there are no other opt-outs in the deal, which runs until 2028).

With everything settled regarding their ace, the Yankees are now free to move on to their other offseason priorities, of which there are many.  First and foremost is re-signing Juan Soto.  It's obvious that he's the Yankees' No. 1 priority.  And what happens with Soto will shape their entire offseason.  In fact, it already has.

Soto isn't the only Yankee who became a free agent the day the World Series ended.  So did Gleyber Torres.  And Alex Verdugo.  Anthony Rizzo had a team option.  It was declined, making him a free agent, as well.  None of that was unexpected.  And of the three, I can only see one of them possibly back in Pinstripes next season.

Rizzo's team option was $17 million or a $6 million buyout.  It seemed fairly obvious for most of the season that the $6 million buyout would be the choice.  Rizzo's age and level of production made that all but a certainty.  Is he worth bringing back on a cheaper deal, though?  I wouldn't be opposed to it.  Say, for something like two years, $25 million.

Although, it does appear that the team is ready to move on from Rizzo.  There are younger, cheaper options, both in free agency and in the Yankees' system.  And they know they're gonna have to pony up for Soto, so if they can save money somewhere else, first base seems like a logical place.  (And, don't forget, DJ LeMahieu is still under contract for next season.)

Fans weren't happy that Alex Verdugo got the nod over Jasson Dominguez in the postseason.  Next year, that won't be a problem.  When the Yankees traded for Verdugo, the whole idea was that it would only be for a year.  He was a pending free agent and Dominguez was coming off Tommy John surgery.  The plan was always for Dominguez to take his place alongside Judge and Soto in the Yankees outfield in 2025.  (If Soto leaves, it'll still be Dominguez and Judge, with the third outfielder TBA.)

Then there's Gleyber Torres.  If the circumstances were different, the Yankees would make a much stronger effort to keep him.  I have no doubt they'll make him an offer.  I just don't think that offer will be high enough to compel him to stay in New York.  Torres is well-positioned to cash in as a free agent.  Someone else will pony up with money the Yankees can't or won't be willing to match.  Especially since they know they can just move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second, which is his natural position.  Or leave Chisholm at third and bring in a cheaper free agent to play second.

The bullpen also figures to see a massive makeover with Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle and Jonathan Loaisiga all becoming free agents.  Luke Weaver will be returning after the Yankees picked up his $2.5 million team option.  That's not a surprise.  It's a cheap, team-friendly deal for a guy who was effective for them and figures to play a big role again next season.  As for the others, I don't see any of them coming back.

You know my feelings on Clay Holmes.  The guy's not a closer, despite their insistence that he was, and he's certainly not good enough to be as overused as he was (seriously, why did he pitch in all five games of the World Series?).  Still, somebody's gonna pay him.  That might be the Yankees.  He's the most likely of the three to return.  I think someone else will be willing to give him more, though.  Whether it's dollars or years or both.

Kahnle will almost certainly be throwing his 65 straight changeups for another team next season.  He simply didn't give the Yankees enough to warrant coming back.  Ditto about the oft-injured Loaisiga.  The Yankees won't miss him.  They'd rather have someone who isn't on the injured list!

This is a team that desperately needs an actual closer.  Even if they re-sign Soto, they'll still have enough in the budget to sign one.  And perhaps a starter, too.  That's an area of need that they were able to mask during the regular season and AL playoffs, but was badly exposed during the World Series.  Making another run at Blake Snell wouldn't necessarily be a bad idea.

One thing's for sure.  The Yankees will look much different next season.  Gerrit Cole and Luke Weaver will be back.  Juan Soto hopefully will, as well.  Gleyber Torres, Anthony Rizzo, Alex Verdugo and all those relief pitchers, though.  I doubt any of them will be back.  Especially since they're not the priority.  Soto is.

NFL 2024 (Week 9)

Week 9 of the NFL season started with a surprise.  The New York Jets decided to dress as professional football players for Halloween.  It was their second Thursday-night win of the season.  They're 1-6 on Sundays and Mondays, yet are convinced that they still have a chance at the playoffs "because they have an easy remaining schedule."  Maybe they do.  Mercifully, America won't be subjected to them in prime time every week anymore.

I know I complain about the NFL's obsession with Aaron Rodgers and featuring the Jets all the time even though they aren't good a lot, but the truth is there are plenty of other good teams worthy of being shown in the marquee windows, too.  Which is why I'm glad we got our first Sunday night flex this week with Colts-Vikings replacing Jaguars-Eagles.  More of that, please!  (Or just schedule better, more watchable matchups that are less likely to be flex candidates.)

Thursday Night: Houston (Loss)

Cowboys (3-4) at Falcons (5-3): Atlanta-Jerry Jones is actually starting to feel a sense of urgency.  Or, maybe, the Cowboys just aren't very good.  Whatever the Packers exposed in the playoffs last season has been fully exploited this year, resulting in Dallas having just a 3-4 record at midseason.  Atlanta has moved into the position most people expected of them as the NFC South leaders.  Will they hand the Cowboys a fifth loss?

Dolphins (2-5) at Bills (6-2): Buffalo-With a win, the Bills will have as many victories as the rest of the AFC East combined.  So, they look to be cruising to a division title.  Especially when you consider how collectively bad the Dolphins, Jets and Patriots are.  In other words, Buffalo's journey to the playoffs will be much more comfortable this year than it was last season.  It's midseason, and they can all but lock it up before their schedule gets trickier in the second half.

Raiders (2-6) at Bengals (3-5): Cincinnati-There's still time for the Bengals to get back in the playoff race, but it is running out.  They're benefitting from a down year across the board in the AFC, but still have the Steelers and Ravens in their own division to worry about.  If they have any hope, they need to beat the Raiders at home.  If not, I have a feeling that's a loss that will prove costly as the season progresses.

Chargers (4-3) at Browns (2-6): Chargers-Out of absolutely nowhere, Cleveland shocked Baltimore last week.  Maybe the whole Deshaun Watson situation being resolved (aka, him not being able to play and them playing someone else at quarterback) is exactly what the Browns needed.  We'll find out against the Chargers, who've only allowed 20 points twice all season (and one of those was in Week 1).  I just don't think Cleveland is equipped to win that type of low-scoring game.

Patriots (2-6) at Titans (1-6): New England-Two of the worst teams in the NFL square off in Nashville.  The Patriots snapped their six-game losing streak by doing something they seemingly always do--beat the Jets.  That win gave them momentum heading into one of the few games this season where they'll actually be favored.  And if they beat the Titans, New England will head to Chicago on a two-game winning streak.

Commanders (6-2) at Giants (2-6): Washington-This is weird.  Players evidently WANT to play in Washington now!  What a difference a new culture can make!  Of course, the fact that the team is actually good now doesn't hurt, either.  Last week was their season in a nutshell.  And that was some Hail Mary pass too!  You just get the feeling that something special's happening in Washington this season, and losing to the Giants doesn't seem like something the Commanders will do.

Saints (2-6) at Panthers (1-7): New Orleans-New Orleans scored 91 points in its first two games, both wins.  The Saints have scored 94 combined in their last six games, all losses.  So, those first two weeks were clearly a mirage.  One of those two games was a Week 1 victory over Carolina where they put up 47.  Will they find their offense in the rematch with the Panthers?

Broncos (5-3) at Ravens (5-3): Baltimore-Both of these teams started 0-2.  They're both 5-1 since and sitting in second place in their respective divisions.  Denver has been trending upwards all season on the strength of that tremendous defense.  Let's not get carried away, though.  The Broncos haven't exactly been playing the cream of the NFL crop.  The Ravens, meanwhile, had their five-game winning streak snapped with a shocking loss to the Browns last week.  They're gonna come into this one hungry.

Jaguars (2-6) at Eagles (5-2): Philadelphia-They flexed the Jaguars and Eagles out of Sunday night, mainly because no one wants to watch Jacksonville.  And why would they?  The Jaguars came back from London and gave the Packers all they could handle, but they still lost and fell to 2-6.  The Eagles manhandled Cincinnati and moved to 5-2.  They know Washington isn't going anywhere, so they need to take advantage of a home game against a Jaguars team they should beat.

Bears (4-3) at Cardinals (4-4): Chicago-That loss to the Commanders could really end up hurting the Bears.  Not because of how they lost, as bad as it was, but because of how tight the NFC North race is.  They're gonna need every win they can get, and they gave one away.  The Cardinals, meanwhile, have won three in a row and technically lead the NFC West right now.  So, this is actually a pretty good matchup on paper.  It's a game that they not only both can win, but they both feel like they should.

Lions (6-1) at Packers (6-2): Detroit-If the Packers win, they won't just take over first place in the NFC North, they'll take over the top spot in the entire NFC.  The Lions are still the best team in the NFC, but it's crazy to think of how close the positioning between all four teams in that division is.  It puts a premium on division games so that they don't end up with the 5-seed in the playoffs.  That's the case for both teams here.

Rams (3-4) at Seahawks (4-4): Seattle-And you thought the NFC North was screwed up!  Just check out the NFC West!  A half-game separates all four teams, and the last-place Rams can possibly move into first if they win in Seattle.  Winning in Seattle is something that's become much easier for visiting teams this season.  Suddenly, the 12th Man and the Seahawks' home field advantage is no longer much of a factor.  They need to get that figured out.  And soon.

Colts (4-4) at Vikings (5-2): Minnesota-When they flexed this game into Sunday night, the Vikings were still undefeated.  Now they've lost two straight and suddenly find themselves in third place.  They've had 10 days off since their loss to the Rams, though, which should've been enough time to reset.  The Colts should make it a tight game.  They make every game tight.  But expect Minnesota to win.

Buccaneers (4-4) at Chiefs (7-0): Kansas City-The Chiefs haven't even played their best football yet, and they're still undefeated.  Will they finish 17-0?  Most likely not.  But you've gotta be impressed with what they've been able to do this season despite not playing up to the standard they've set.  They've got two big ones coming up against Denver and in Buffalo, so the first loss very well could come in one of those.  It shouldn't come against Tampa Bay.

This Week: 0-1
Last Week: 11-5
Overall: 71-53