First, Let me state unequivically, the BCS system is a sham and must be done away with. The NCAA must reclaim it's rightful position controlling post season Division I football. The bowl games don't have to go away, they simply should never have been allowed to control the process of determining a National Champion. It also needs to be said that there is no good reason for the bowl games not to participate in the NCAA playoff.

There must be more than four teams. Why?  Well, you know, you're not just dealing with a couple of conferences here, and in all actuality, an eight team tournament would be good, but a 16 team tournament would be the ultimate. Face it, naysayers, there are now 120 Division I football programs out there among the nation's universities. The talent pool continues to grow while the Division I membership and football scholarship availability is remaining basically static. Like it or not, the Utah Utes and Boise State Broncos of this world are recruiting excellent talent and can give any of the illustrious "powerhouse" teams all they want (why else do they dodge them when it comes to scheduling?). This system must be fair to all involved. Keeping a lid on anything less than at least an eight team tournament is just not right, period.

How an NCAA Division I football national championship  tournament would be seeded presents yet another bone of contention. We've been through one playoff scenario after another. Each says you can't do this or you can't do that, but in the final analysis it appears maintaining an exclusive little club is foremost in the minds of many. This is professed so that the riches the bowl games promise won't have to be shared. Yes, money has trumped fairness over the years. Don't you think it's time for people to be reasonable and put an end to the preferential treatment?

Personally, I'd like to see the human element completely removed from the seeding process. This could easily be accomplished using a computerized ranking. This process must place a high value on strength of schedule and whether games are played and won on the road or not. This would go a long way toward reinforcing the scheduling of quality non-conference opposition. There is a genuine need to get these "powerhouse" teams to schedule quality opponents and actually hit the road for non-conference tilts. In other words, if you want to be considered for the season ending National Championship tournament, justify your consideration by playing out of conference contenders and every once in a while do it on the road. (Along these lines, I've got to express huge KUDOS to the Tennessee Volunteers, the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Southern California Trojans for venturing out over the past few seasons to play quality competition across the nation).

The key here is to force the schools, who under the current system schedule their non-conference foes themselves, to loosen up and do away with the cream puffs. I would gear the rankings to also knock a school way down for scheduling non Division I opposition...

Okay, back to the tournament. Since all we can do while the bowls continue to have a stranglehold on this process is use conjecture, I'm going to meld a 2008 Strength of Schedule ranking (from Phil Steele's College Football Preview) and the current BcS poll standings. This resulted in the following eight team tournament seeding:

1. Florida vs. 8. Ohio State

2. Texas vs. 7. Cincinnati

3. USC vs. 6. Georgia

4. Oklahoma vs. 5. Alabama

Not a bad field... But for curiousity's sake, let's expand it out to a sixteen team field:

1. Florida vs. 16. Boise State

2. Texas vs. 15. BYU

3. USC vs. 14. Utah

4. Oklahoma vs. 13. TCU

5. Alabama vs. 12. Oklahoma State

6. Georgia vs. 11. Georgia Tech

7. Cincinnati vs. 10. Penn State

8. Ohio State vs. 9. Texas Tech

Wouldn't it be grand?

The first round of games would be held in mid December at the homes of the top seeded schools. The next round would be held on New Year's Day when four of the traditional bowl game venues (Cotton, Sugar, Rose and Gator) would host these important games (in an eight team tournament, this would represent the first round). The following weekend the Fiesta and Orange Bowls would host the semi-finals. The National Championship game would be held in mid January in a venue that shifts from one site to another, year after year. This site should include domed stadiums in northern cities.

The crowning of a true National Champion as determined on the field of play... And everyone lived happily everafter!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Holiday Season!

Just a few questions that have come to mind recently...

BcS Race -

It's become commonplace. We can count on the BcS consistently screwing up what is supposed to be their mandate (matching the number one and number two teams in the nation for the National Championship game). Looks like another train wreck and who is gonna be left as a bridesmaid?

 Vs.

What about

 ???

 ???

All indications are that Oklahoma will bypass Texas to play in the Big 12 Championship game against Missouri with a big win against rival No. 12 Oklahoma State while Texas tries to impress against unranked Texas A&M. The BcS standings dictate which teams play in the Big 12 Championship game... Does that make sense? Texas beat Oklahoma didn't they??? They did it on a nuetral field didn't they? The Longhorns got beat on the road didn't they? Oklahoma defeated Texas Tech while playing in Norman didn't they? And don't forget the undefeated Utah Utes or Boise State Broncos... Did I hear someone say beauty contest?

P.S. - The team's highlighted by their logos up above would be quite an eight team NC playoff field don't you think? Let's see...

Round 1 - Alabama vs. Boise State, Oklahoma vs. Utah, Texas vs. USC, and Florida vs. Texas Tech...

Round 2 (why not!) - Alabama vs. Florida and Oklahoma vs. Texas...

NC Game? Florida vs. Texas? And the winner is???

NFC South -                          

 I wouldn't have believed it at the start of the 2008 NFL season, but the Atlanta Falcons have a genuine shot at winning their division as it stands right now. That would make the fifth straight season that a different team has won this race and if I'm not mistaken, each of these winners rose from worst to first! Do you think Atlanta can pull it off?

NBA verses College Hoops -

Last night I sat down and watched number 1 ranked North Carolina dismantle a pretty good University of Oregon basketball team. It got me wondering what the Tar Heels might do against the likes of the New York Knicks or one of the other lower echelon NBA teams. Do you agree with me that they would be tough for the pros to handle?

MLB Free Agency -

C.C. say it ain't so! You won't take the big bucks and sign with the New York Steinbrenners? I think that is a smooth move, man!

Hockey anyone?

 

I've got to vent a little bit. The members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, at the end of each MLB season, get to select the winners in several of the game's categories. You know... Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP and so on. I think you know where I'm going with this based on the title.

I simply could not believe that the winner of the American League Manager of the Year Award, Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays, was NOT a unanimous selection. This man took a last place team that for all but one season during it's whole existence, had been mired in last place, to several admirable accomplishments. While playing in the same division as the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Orioles and Yankees, he not only led the Rays to their first winning season, but also to their first "title" of any sort that has positive connotations, the AL East Division Championship. Since the writers aren't supposed to consider post season play in this process, I'll leave out the fact that the team under Maddon's guidance also took down the AL Central Champion Chicago White Sox as well as the reigning World Series Champion Boston Red Sox to become the AL Champions, a title that allowed them to go on and play for the World Series Championship...

So how could this happen? The BBWAA select two writers from each league city to vote, so on the American League side there are 28 voters. One of these 28 selected someone else? I did a little research and found that one of the Cleveland, Ohio writers, an evidently really well informed baseball man named Terry Pluto, who writes for the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, cast his vote for Minnesota's Ron Gardenhire. It seems he thought Ron did a knock up job after losing a star pitcher... And here I thought one of these brilliant baseball minds might have voted for Joe Girardi for not getting fired in his first season at the helm of the New York Yankees, silly me...

 

The rest of the story... There has never been a recipient of the Manager of the Year Award unanimously chosen. In this tradition steeped sport, do you think the good old boys might have got together and made damn sure Joe Maddon wasn't going to be the one to break that string? Way to go boys. You'll wait another lifetime to see a more deserving candidate.

Texas, Where Football is KING!

Big Game... Big 12... Big Consequences... Big Audience...    VS

University of Texas Longhorns and Texas Tech University Red Raiders

Two Gunslinger Quarterbacks...

 

Texas' Colt McCoy and Texas Tech's Graham Harrell

Two Big Time Coaches...

 

Texas' Mack Brown and Texas Tech's Mike Leach

Two Questionable Defenses...

 

Big 12 Referees...

Controversy, count on it...

Texas Bragging Rights... Big 12 Championship Contender... Shot at the National Championship Game...

And the Winner of the BIG game is???

Big Shock? Could be!

Well, as I stated a few weeks back, regardless of how the 2008 season concluded, the Tampa Bay Rays sure took us for quite a ride! It's time to congratulate the Philadelphia Phillies, dust off our pants (or scrape the mud off might be a better way of putting it) and look ahead to a new season. For the first time in this franchise's history, looking ahead will translate into something much greater than simply attaining a winning record.

To start off, I've got to believe that this first taste of the post season will do nothing but wet this team's appetite. So what is in front of the Rays' management in terms of keeping this ball club intact, or what might have to be done to maintain or improve the overall player performance as we move into 2009?

Here is a rundown on the issue of salaries, who is going to continue under contract, who isn't, and who the team must satisfy in order to keep this thing moving forward...

 

* * * * *

Take a look at this:

Tampa Bay Rays

Every Day Players -               Age        2008 Salary        2009 Salary     Signed Thru

Catcher Dioner Navarro -      24           $412,500         $---------------          2008%

1st Base Carlos Pena -           30           6,000,000           8,000,000              2010

2nd Base Akinori Iwamura - 29           2,400,000           2,400,000              2010

3rd Base Evan Longoria -       23             500,000              550,000              2016

SS Jason Bartlett -                 25               416,600           --------------           2008%

Left Field Carl Crawford -    28            5,375,000           8,250,000              2010

Center Field B.J. Upton -       24              412,100           --------------          2008

Right Field Gabe Gross -       27              414,000           --------------          2008%

DH Cliff Floyd -                    35            2,750,000           2,750,000              2009^

Bench Players -                      Age        2008 Salary        2009 Salary        Signed Thru

Catcher Michel Hernandez - 30              395,000           --------------          2008

Catcher Shawn Riggans -      28              392,100           --------------          2008

Inf. Willy Aybar -                   25              401,200           --------------          2008%

Inf. Dan Johnson -                 29              410,000           --------------          2008%

Inf. Ben Zobrist -                   27              395,800           --------------          2008

Out. Rocco Baldelli -             27            2,250,000           6,000,000             2011^#

Out. Jonny Gomes -              28            1,275,000           --------------          2008%

O/I Eric Hinske -                     31              800,000           --------------          2008#

Out. Fernando Perez -            25              392,000           --------------          2008*

Out. Justin Ruggiano -          26              392,000           --------------          2008*

Starting Pitchers -                  Age        2008 Salary        2009 Salary        Signed Thru

RH James Shields -                26           1,000,000           1,500,000              2014

LH Scott Kazmir -                   24           3,785,000           6,000,000              2012

RH Matt Garza -                      24              404,600           --------------          2008

RH Edwin Jackson -               25              412,700           --------------          2008%

RH Andy Sonnanstine -        25              395,800           --------------          2008

Relief Pitchers -                     Age        2008 Salary        2009 Salary        Signed Thru

RH Grant Balfour -                 31              500,000           --------------          2008%

RH Chad Bradford -               34           3,666,667           3,666,667             2009

RH Jason Hammel -                26              396,300           --------------          2008

LH J.P. Howell -                      25              397,400           --------------          2008

LH Trevor Miller -                  35           1,600,000           2,000,000             2009^

RH Jeff Niemann -                  25           1,000,000           1,000,000             2009

RH Chad Orvella                     28              400,700           --------------          2008

RH Troy Percival -                 39           4,000,000           4,000,000             2009

LH David Price -                    23              650,000              750,000              2012

RH Dan Wheeler -                 29           2,875,000           3,200,000              2011

Total  -                                                   $43,745,597       $50,066,667

*Major League Baseball 2008 Minimum Salary used.

^If Option is exercised in first option year.

#True Free Agent.

%Arbitration Eligible.

 

 * * * * *

Of the everyday players, the most critical to get re-signed would have to be Dioner Navarro and Jason Bartlett. These two solidified the defense and supplied key hits all season long. Both are eligible for arbitration. What will it take?

B.J. Upton, in my humble opinion, is as good as gone. I can see the vultures starting to circle as B.J. and the Rays wrangle over a new contract. Let's face it, the guy is a superstar ready to bust out. He knows it, the Rays know it, and the rest of baseball knows it. How do they keep him happy? They don't unless they trade him... Sayonara B.J.! If the Rays continue on a course that infuses the team with good young talent, such as the A's and Twins have done over the years, I wonder who will step up... This leads to keepng Fernando Perez happy. He doesn't have the bat B.J. has, but nobody can deny the speed that's as good as or better than Upton's. I look for Gabe Gross, another arbitration eligible player, to work out a new contract with the team. He's a southern boy and although he didn't show well in the playoffs, he contributed mightily during the regular season.

* * * * * 

Of the bench players, I don't expect the Rays to exercise their $6 million option on Rocco Baldelli for 2009 and there just might be one or more teams out there willing to take a look at him. I guess there's always the chance that the Rays and Rocco could sit down and rewrite a new contract, in a business as cold as professional sports, the Rays certainly earned that right with Rocco, all things considered. Rocco is a true free agent. We'll see what happens on this front. As stated above, getting Perez under a new contract becomes a priority if my take on Upton comes true. Willy Aybar, Shawn Riggans, and Ben Zobrist all showed well during 2008. These are the guys who made it possible to bob and weave through the injuries suffered late in the season and it would be a shame to lose any of them. Of this group, Aybar is arbitration eligible. He proved his worth, what will his pay end up being? Beyond Aybar, Perez, Riggans and Zobrist, the next most important player could well be Eric Hinske who, like Ben Zobrist, can play infield as well as outfield, albeit at a slower pace. Hinske is a true free agent and very well could garner interest around the league.

* * * * *

In this day and age of a premium being put on starting pitching, there are three members of the team's five man rotation that are not under contract for 2009.  Depending on how the team plans to use David Price, and I think he will be a starter, the Rays might just consider trading a starter and it might not be limited to the three not under contract. Based on his body of work throughout the 2008 season (yes, I know it might be considered sacrilege), I think if the Rays' management takes a good hard look at it, Scott Kazmir might be available for the right price. I swear, the guy looked like a deer in the headlights more times than not this last season when the chips were down. He still has high value as a strong throwing left handed starter. I don't think this is such a stretch with Price waiting in the wings and with the knowledge that Price apparently has "it" whereas Kazmir leaves me wondering. I believe Matt Garza has matured through this season and appears to be capable of shutting anyone down. In my opinion, Matt is well worth a long term contract. Andy Sonnanstine has developed into the kind of steady pitcher every team covets. Although he isn't flashy, he just gets the job done. He strikes me as a true pitcher out of the same type of mold as Maddox or Moyer. I know I'd want him on my team. Edwin Jackson came a long, long way this season. Whether it was lack of defense, poor pitch selection or just plain lousy luck, 2007 was terrible for Edwin. Today he has also become a valuable commodity after finally becoming a pitcher, not just a thrower. Edwin is the only starting pitcher that is arbitration eligible. It will be interesting to see what the Rays end up doing with their starting pitchers as many competitors look on with envious eyes...

* * * * *

The relief pitchers also showed well all season and two of the Rays' most important contributors, Australian Grant Balfour and J.P. Howell, are also looking for new contracts in 2009. Balfour is arbitration eligible. If I had to choose, there is no doubt I'd do everything I could within reason to keep Howell in the fold. Balfour is a rare commodity and many teams covet relievers with a 95 MPH fastball and an attitude, and Grant fits that bill. Will it be adios Grant? If so I hope you end up in the National League! Trevor Miller is entering an option year and I think it's a foregone conclusion that he will not be back. This leaves the bullpen in fairly good order if Troy Percival can get and stay healthy next year along with Dan Wheeler maintaining the same level of success.

* * * * *

So what do the Rays need going into 2009? The needs from last year continue to be a priority moving into the future. They could use a right hand power hitting right fielder or designated hitter. Possibly a bona-fide shutdown closer, and, if Shawn Riggans isn't re-signed, a good young backup catcher. The pitching appears pretty well set and may be tapped to fill the holes just mentioned.

 

 ???

(Wishful Thinking!)

 

All in all, the Tampa Bay Rays will enter 2009 confident they can compete with anyone.

 

Thanks Rays!

Now more than ever it's just wait till next year!

Sources:

St. Petersburg Times

Fox Sports.com

Cot's Major League Contracts