Fenst's Farm Report: Pacific Coast League

Welcome to another installment of Fenst's Farm Report. Two weeks ago I shared with you all a few players who are making a name for themselves in the International League. This week I am going to take a look at a few players who are turning heads in the other AAA leage, the Pacific Coast League. Let's get right into it with the unreal year that a 7 year minor leaguer is having.

Jake Fox (OF- Cubs)

Fox has had a tremendous start to his 2009 campaign. He already has belted 14 and knocked in 42 RBIs, which both lead the league. He is still hitting over .400 at .405 and his OPS is an astronomical 1.426. When I look at some of his numbers I still question if they are accurate because of how amazing they are. The next highest OPS in the Pacific Coast League is Hector Luna's 1.109. Fox has had 120 ABs so far in the PCL this year, which happens to be the same amount of ABs he had last year in the PCL. The comparisons are almost from one extreme to another. He was hitting .220 last year with just 6 home runs and had an OPS of .720. Talk about a guy figuring something out over the off-season. If Fox continues to put up these numbers people will have to take notice. He just got himself on my radar.

Chris Coghlan (2B- Marlins)

Coghlin's play has just earned him a call up to the major league squad. He is now seeing some time with the Florida Marlins after a very productive month and a half in New Orleans. Coghlan showed his versatility by doing a bit of everything with the bat including a couple of home runs and handful of steals at 9. He has shown versatility in the field as well. He has played left field and second base for the Marlins so far and is also listed as a third baseman. That kind of versatility is important to a young player looking to make an impact on his new team. Chris has shown great plate discipline in the minors so far this year (6:5 BB:K ratio). It will be important to see if that translates over to the big leagues.

Luke Hochevar (SP- Royals)

The highly touted prospect has been the Zach Greinke of the PCL thus far. His strong performance and the struggles of Sidney Ponson has resulted in Hochevar back up with the surprising Royals. If Hochevar can keep his confidence up and add another strong arm to that rotation the Royals could become the favorites in the tight AL Central. Hochevar struggled against Oakland in his first start and Ponson had to relieve him early in the game so keep an eye on that situation if you are in need of a pitcher for your fantasy squad. Hochevar has great upside. He isn't overpowering, but he can strike batters out at a solid clip. If he can come into his next start with some confidence and face the adversity ahead of him, he could be in for a quality season. The Royals are capable of run production for the first time in many seasons and since Alex Gordon (yes, I'm still on the band wagon) is still going to break out this year they will have even more firepower to their offense when he comes back. So far Hochevar's PCL ERA of 0.90 has translated over into an ERA of 36.00 in the MLB. I'll say if Hochevar locks down a rotation spot look for low to mid 4 ERA with an average to above average strikeout rate.

Sports and the Law: The NHL, Phoenix Coyotes, and Antitrust Laws

While last week's bankruptcy filing by the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes got all the headlines, the team is now suing the league, arguing that antitrust laws were violated when the NHL refused to allow the team to relocate to Ontario.

Craig Harris of the Arizona Republic reports that:

As part of the team's bankruptcy filing, the Coyotes on Thursday sued the NHL and alleged the league has engaged in a "conspiracy" to unlawfully attempt to take control of the franchise and prevent the sale to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, who wants to move the team to Hamilton, Ontario...

...The suit against the NHL alleges Phoenix is not a viable hockey market, and that the Coyotes have one of the worst home attendance records and have failed to build a large fan base. During the past three years, the team lost $73 million.

SportsJudge founder and Professor Marc Edelman was also quoted in the report and shed light on the slippery slope that the US Bankruptcy Court will face:

"There always has been a conflict of the powers of an individual team and the power of a league. To the extent a court would overrule this, it would open up the door where an owner could sell to the highest bidder irrespective of how other teams in the league feel about it."

While it may seem odd that the Bankruptcy Court would handle an anti-trust case, in a recent article on here on SportsJudge (Q&A on the Phoenix Coyotes Bankruptcy), bankruptcy expert Tim Cedrone alluded to the fact that "the reason the Bankruptcy Court can hear the antitrust claims is that bankruptcy courts have jurisdiction to hear all civil proceedings arising in or related to cases filed under the Bankruptcy Code. Although the antitrust claim could be removed to the District Court, the Bankruptcy Court has the power to hear the antitrust claim because the claim is related to the outcome of the case and has an effect on administration of the team."

This is not the first antitrust challenge in the NHL's recent past. In late 2007, Madison Square Garden LP, the unit of Cablevision that runs the New York Rangers, found itself in a squabble with the league over rights to team websites, broadcasting agreements, and other areas of business. According to the complaint filed in New York Federal Court, "the NHL has unreasonably restricted a team's ability to distribute its own live games through the team's Web site and/or the Web site of its local television holder.''

Throughout the summer of 2008, the NHL threatened serious fines and penalties on MSG unless the parent of the Rangers complied with league rules and requests, and at one point in June, even discussed suspension or termination of ownership. In October of last year, SportsJudge reported (The Real World of Sports Law: Madison Square Garden v. NHL) that the NHL's motion to dismiss MSG's antitrust lawsuit was granted in part, and rejected in part, allowing MSG to continue with their challenge.

For further information on the single-entity defense in professional sports leagues, check out our recent report on American Needle Inc v. National Football League (Supreme Court Seems Close to Taking NFL Antitrust Case).

Marc Edelman also discusses antitrust basics in his published articles, which can be found here.

Chin Closer Music: Making An Entrance

This past week has been a whirlwind of activity in the baseball world, from Manny Ramirez's positive test for HCG to Jeremy Guthrie grooving a fastball to Alex Rodriguez like he's Chan Ho Park pitching to Cal Ripken Jr. in an All-Star game to Selena Roberts "investigative journalism." Rather than waste more electronic ink on these issues, I'm going to move on to a part of baseball that I have an issue with: closer entrance music. Closer music always seems to fall into one of the following categories: Metallica, AC/DC, Welcome to the Jungle, or something that will make grandma's ears bleed (I'm looking at you Disturbed, Staind et al). Since most of those songs are either played out or well, bad, its time to move on to the next generation of closer entrance music. I'm here to offer up some suggestions.

Often times a song is picked because of its title or the message that its words send to the batters due up in that half inning (like "Welcome to the Jungle" or Nas' "Hate Me Now" which Huston Street uses and is one of the closer songs I don't think are bad choices). Outside of the songs by the screaming types, entrance music tends to start off slow to feed into the anticipation of the crowd. Rather than to serve the purpose of "intimidating" the opposing team, the music actually, more than anything, pumps of the crowd and, maybe just a little bit, the pitcher. Remember, these ballplayers are professionals, they all know the situation they're in, top of the ninth on the road in a tight game, James Hetfield isn't going to make their knees shake any more than ABBA. Similarly, while closers are a rare breed that most teams are lucky enough to stumble across, they too understand the situation the lies before them. Sure music can get your adrenaline going, but it really should already be going if you walking out onto the field in front of forty-thousand people. Now, it's those forty-thousand people that, unfortunately, need the music to get into the game. In some places, namely the northeast, this isn't much of a problem. But in other places fans arrive late, leave early, and don't do much unless a big scoreboard says to.

So now, if I may, here come some suggestions for the next generation of closers, but first a few things to note: 1) the name of the song doesn't matter. It doesn't, song titles (and generally words) don't pump people up, music does. Also, bad words can generally be edited out, as long it doesn't ruin the song. 2) The break between innings is only two minutes long. That means a song can have two glorious minutes and the rest can be terrible, doesn't matter, as long as the music is those good two minutes, even if it's the middle of the song. 3) Some of the lyrics in the following songs are NSFW (The Offspring, Eminem, Jay-Z), plus if you can get away with listening to music at work loud enough for other people to hear it, I applaud you.

First off is a song that morphs the coolness of a sheriff from a spaghetti western with a Custer-era calvary with a futuristic feel of...lasers and electric guitars. Knights of Cydonia by Muse.



Led by three lead guitars, and roughly ten, yes ten, singers is Boston-based band Bang Camaro and "Push, Push (Lady Lightning)." After all, the more singers there are, the more it feels like a kicking party from way back when you were in college. Similarly, beer sales end well before the end of the game so beer-fueled rowdiness tends to dissipate towards the end of games. While everyone's favorite Marxist Che Guevara described liquid courage best when he said "by the time we went on to the village dance, I felt ready to take on the world," fans who've lost their buzz, and closers who, unless they're Kevin Millar, never had one, will feel the courage to take on the world again after this song.



Next up are the instrumentals. Words aren't alway necessary, in fact they generally get in the way of a lot of good songs. Take, for example, the song from Requiem for a Dream. I'm sure you've heard it before. It isn't bad.


There's also an "Fire On High" by E.L.O., which isn't just good because it's an instrumental, but also because you don't have to listen to Jeff Lynne's voice.


In the third category, to counter the guitar heavy riffs from above, we have the drum heavy intros, led by The Offspring's "Americana."


Next is Billy Squier's "The Stroke" (whose words, in my mind, would mock the opposing team, or would at least be good for a bad closer, like Derek Lowe). You may also remember "The Stroke" from Billy Madison's arrival at his first day in high school, which sort of makes it even better.




If words of inspiration really are your thing, rather than the typical go-to, "Lose Yourself" I'd suggest an edited version of Eminem's "'Till I Collapse."



Or better yet, some words of advice on closer humility and work ethic (and really, it's advice everyone can use) from Shawn Carter himself in "My 1st Song."



Now what about the Caribbean coalition of closers? Fernando Rodney uses a song by reggaeton duo Angel y Khriz, while Frankie Rodriguez also goes the route of reggaeton. I think Hispanic closers are a little different in their outlook on a lot of things. Granted, they still want to get hyped, but a lot also just want to relax, and nothing helps that more than some reggaeton, merengue, or even slowing it down with some bachata. The Dominican north coast's finest in Raulin Rodriguez and his combination of country twang and Allman Brothers-sounding smooth guitar in "Parece Mentira" or Eddy Herrera's "Tu Eres Ajena" cover Bachata and Merengue respectively, but to really get maximum effectiveness it's going to need to be reggaeton. The default reggaeton artist? Daddy Jankee.

And finally, what about music for the visiting team's closer? I wouldn't suggest anything that mocks them upon their entrance because of how that could backfire once he strikes out the side in nine pitches. But what if he gets chased from the game? Then I say pour it on with some Benny Hill chase music or with some replacement-emasculating, Andy Bernard-inspiring Swedes (especially if you can get that last video on the video screen).

So there it is, a whole article without using the word steroids (whoops).

Having a dispute in your fantasy baseball league? Be sure to check out SportsJudge.com. Real Lawyers, Solving Real Fantasy Disputes Since 2001.

The Mulligan: Fantasy Golf Picks for the Valero Texas Open

If you followed The Mulligan's advice last week, you likely saw another spike in your fantasy golf rankings. Henrik Stenson pulled out the win, while Jeff Klauk finished in the top 15. That is 2 winners in the past 4 weeks, and 5 players in the top 15 in the past 2 weeks. Lets see if we can keep it up. This week the Tour heads to San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open. Here are some players that I think should play well this week and would make solid fantasy golf picks.

Justin Leonard has a lot going for him this week. He has won this tournament 3 times, and has finished in the top 25 in nine out of eleven starts here. He is the fan favorite at this tournament, having played his college golf just around the corner at Texas. He already has 3 top ten finishes this season, and this should be another good week for Leonard.

Zach Johnson is the defending champion of the Valero so we know he can win here. He already has a victory this year at the Sony Open, and he is currently 6th in the FedEx Cup Standings. Look for Johnson to have a good week.

Finally, Charlie Hoffman and his blonde locks are worthy of a start this week. Hoffman has made 20 consecutive cuts, and plays well here (2 top 15 finishes). He is currently 18th in FedEx Cup points, and he has four top 15 finishes in 2009.

I dont recommend starting him, but watch out for Steve Elkington. He shot a 61 here last year on Sunday to rally his way up the leaderboard to a T-28 finish. Elkington can go low on this course, and if he has it going this week maybe he can repeat that performance.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

First to Third: Big Papi, Little Bat

It's May 12th. David Ortiz is hitting under .250 and you can count his home runs on one hand... actually, you don't even need any hands. Papi is 34 years old this season and has seen his home runs and batting average drop faster than the NASDAQ in each the past two years.

The NASDAQ will bounce back (eventually, right?) but the big question is: will Ortiz? If he really is healthy, a point of contention in Red Sox Nation, is he done? Personally, I don't think he'll reclaim the .332 batting average of 2007 or the 54 home runs of 2006, but I think he's still a serviceable DH-type. I'd certainly take him over the unemployed Frank Thomas or Barry Bonds. He still showed that he can hit against the Yankees, going 3-for-6 with two doubles in the first game of a two-game series. I fully expect him to hit 20-25 home runs and bat around .250, but for a middle of the order hitter, is that good enough for a team that looks destined for October?

Contract-wise, he's signed through 2010 at $12.5 million per year with a club option for 2011 and if he wants to stick around past then, he better start hitting - soon.

The Buzz Around The Bullpen: Juan's All Done Lounging Around

Welcome back to another edition of the "Buzz Around the Bullpen." It was certainly an interesting week in baseball with another one of its superstars testing positive for performancing enhancing drugs. This time it was the mayor of "Mannywood", Manny Ramirez. Whether it is the reality of what has become the "steroid era", or the fact that Manny was a 36-year old outfielder producing like a 27-year old; I can't say I'm surprised that Manny tested positive. What I do find interesting is that each time one of baseball's greatest has tested positive or has been accused of taking steroids, the first two questions that you hear are, "what will this player's legacy be?", and "are they still a hall of famer?" However, as the list of those that have tested positive or have been accussed of taking performancing enhancing drugs continues to grow, I have one question that I continuously ask myself. Who is the greatest "clean" home run hitter of this era? My answer...Ken Griffey Jr.

For right now, let's get back to talking about two players that can help your team during this upcoming week of fantasy. I apologize for the brevity and lack of timeliness of this article. This last group of law school finals is really cutting into my fantasy baseball time.

Big Hits

Juan Pierre (OF, LAD): Pierre has emerged as the only beneficiary of the Manny Ramirez 50-game suspension. With this unexpected opportunity, Pierre has hit the ground running...literally. In fact, since his promotion to the starting line-up, Pierre has gone 9 for 16 with 4 RBIs, 2 walks and 2 stolen bases. Not too bad for only having around 30 ABs before his promotion to the starting line-up. While the Dodgers offense did take a huge hit with the suspension of Manny, Pierre still heads a line-up that includes rising superstars Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier and James Loney. Also, Orlando Hudson has found a home in L.A. and he is hitting a ridiculous .331 over the first several weeks of the season. Over the past couple of days, Pierre's ownership has almost quadrupled. If he is still available in your league, you should grab him immediately. He could really provide some run and stolen base production for your team.

Koji Uehara (SP, BAL): Before you rule out picking up Uehara because of his slightly below average ERA, take a look at his game to game stats and you'll see that he is still trying to recover from one bad outing against Texas. Otherwise, Uehara has been Baltimore's best pitcher allowing three or less runs in 6 out of his first 7 starts. Uehara has the ability to accumulate some strikeout numbers and has done so by striking out 32 batters in just under 43 innings. Uehara also possesses a 1.12 WHIP and looks as though he has made the move from Japan quite smoothly. He's only owned in a little over 50% of leagues but he has put up numbers which are far better than many pitchers that have a much higher percentage of ownership. He's definitely worth a look if your dealing with a struggling starter.

Once again, I apologize for the brevity of this article. Check back next week when I will get back to our normal "hits" and "misses" format. And as always, with any SportsJudge articles, please feel free to post any questions or comments. Until next time, keep your ears open for the Buzz Around the Bullpen.

SportsJudge.com PTI: Ultimate Debate, The Top 5 NFL Quarterbacks of All Time

This week Adam and I decided to discuss who we think are the top 5 NFL Quarterbacks of all time. We agreed on 3 of them, but we differed on the other 2.

Chris

1) Joe Montana – Best known for throwing touchdowns to Jerry Rice, Montana played 17 years in San Francisco, before finishing his career with 2 forgettable years in Kansas City. Joe Montana is the definition of the word greatness. He won 2 MVPs (1989, 1990) and was Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 1990. He led the 49ers 4 Super Bowl victories, and was MVP in 3 of them. He was also named to 8 Pro Bowls.

2) Dan Marino – Marino is one of those quarterbacks from the 1983 NFL Draft to enjoy great success. His arm was basically a high-powered artillery gun, firing rounds to whoever could run far enough to catch them. Marino played his entire career with the Miami Dolphins. The only knock on Dan is that he never won the big one, but he really never had the supporting cast to get all the way.

3) Brett Favre – Out of Southern Miss, Brett was the 33rd overall pick in the 1991 NFL draft. He played for the Packers from 1992 – 2007 and the Jets in 2008. Favre is the toughest quarterback to ever play the game. He holds the record for most consecutive career starts in the NFL with an impressive 291 games without missing a start. He is the winningest quarterback ever, with 169 career victories. He has been named the NFL MVP 3 times, tied for most with Peyton Manning. He led the Packers to victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. He holds virtually all significant career records for quarterbacks. To go along with the records mentioned above, he is also the all time leader in touchdown passes, passing yards, and completions.

4) John Elway – Elway strapped the Denver Broncos on his back and lead them into 5 Super Bowls, winning back to back Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII. The number 1 overall pick in the 1983 draft out of Stanford is probably best known for “The Drive.” Elway led the Broncos on an epic 15-play, 98-yard touchdown drive in the AFC Championship game against the Cleveland Browns to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. The Broncos won the game in overtime. Elway just had a knack for finding the end zone. He has the most rushing touchdowns (4) of any quarterback in Super Bowls. He is 3rd in career completions and yards and was named to 9 Pro Bowls.

5) Bart Starr – Vince Lombardi’s Starr quarterback led the Packers to 3 NFL Championships (Pre NFL/AFL Merger) and the first 2 Super Bowls in 1966 and 1967. He won the MVP in 1966 and the Super Bowl MVP in 1966 and 1967. Although drafted in the 17th Round, Starr is a legend. He was inducted into the hall of fame in 1977.


Adam

1) Joe Montana- Joe Cool belongs at the top of this list because he embodies everything you want a quarterback to be. Montana was able to combine winning, poise, and talent to form the ultimate QB. Montana was elected to 8 Pro Bowls, due to high statistical achievements such as three seasons with a QB rating above 100 (92.3 for his career), over 40,000 yards in his career, 273 touchdowns, and 2 MVP awards. However, Montana is number one on this list for his other accomplishments. He is one of two QBs to win 4 Super Bowls (Terry Bradshaw being the other) and the only player to be Super Bowl MVP three times. His knack for late game comebacks led to the nickname, “The Comeback Kid.” But the thing that really puts Montana apart from the rest of the field for me, is how he can calmly point John Candy out in the crowd at the Super Bowl and then lead the 49ers to the game winning touchdown in the final two minutes. That is why he is Joe Cool, and that poise and leadership is also why he is the best QB ever.

2) Johnny Unitas- Johnny U was a three time regular season MVP for the Colts, but it was his leadership and consistency that made him one of the greatest. His three MVP awards were over a span of 9 years, showing both consistency and longevity. During his tenure with the Colts, Unitas lead the team to back-to-back championships in 1958 and 1959, the first being the first overtime game in NFL history and widely considered the greatest game ever played. In 1964, Unitas again led the Colts to the championship, but the team lost to the Cleveland Browns. In the Super Bowl era, Unitas played in both III and V. While III is famous for Joe Namath’s guaranteed victory, an injured Unitas did come in late to give the Colts a spark although the comeback fell short. Two years later, Unitas and the Colts won their third championship with a Super Bowl V win over the Cowboys. Johnny Unitas brilliance and consistency, while shown by a 17 season career that left him with 40,000+ yards and 290 touchdowns, is best shown by his NFL record of 47 straight games with a touchdown pass.

3) Dan Marino- Marino is the only QB on my list to not win at least two championships. For me the mark of a great QB is how he combines his physical skills with the ability to win championships. However, I will make an exception for Marino who is one of the best ever despite never winning a championship. Until Brett Farve came along, Marino was all alone atop the NFL record books as the most prolific QB in the history of the league by far. He finished his 17 year career with 61,361 yards and 420 TDs, both of which were records, as well as records for the most attempts, completions, 400 and 300 yard games and numerous others. His 1984 season in which he threw for 5,084 yards (still the record) and 48 TDs (since passed by Peyton Manning and Tom Brady) and led the Dolphins to the Super Bowl may be the best season ever for a QB. While never winning the big game, Marino also provided the leadership that a QB needs with 37 comeback (4th quarter or OT) wins and 147 wins total, both 3rd all time.

4) John Elway- With all of my talk of wining big games being important to QBs, I had to include Elway on this list. While an outstanding QB statistically with 51,475 yards and 300 TDs (both 3rd all time) and a dual threat dimension as he ran for 3,417 yards (6th all time among QBs) and 33 TDs in his career, it is Elway’s intangibles that put him on this list. Elway played in 5 Super Bowls, more than any other QB in history. While he was just 2-3 in those games, one loss came to Montana’s 49ers and another to Bill Parcells’s Lawrence Taylor-led Giants defense. And to be honest, even though he lost 3 Super Bowls, not many QBs have won 2 either. The most important statistic about Elway for me is the 47 comeback wins, the most ever in the NFL. This shows Elway was able to stay calm and lead his team to victory in high pressure situations, such as a 98 yard drive against the Browns in the AFC Championship game in 1987 to tie the game with 37 seconds left. And many people forget that in college, Elway led Stanford to what appeared to be the game-winning score against California in his final game only to see “The Play” snatch victory away as Cal ran the kickoff back through the Stanford marching band. Elway’s ability to lead his team to victory added to his ability to perform both through the air and on the ground put him in my top 5.

5) Tom Brady- Although he only played 7 seasons, Tom Brady is already one of the most accomplished QBs to ever play. He is a 4 time Pro Bowler and he won the MVP award in 2007 when he set an NFL record with 50 TDs to go with 4,806 yards and a ridiculous 117.2 QB rating. For his career, Brady has over 26,000 yards, 197 TDs, and a QB rating of 92.9 (4th all time), just ahead of Montana. Statistically, Brady is one of the top two QBs (Peyton Manning being the other) in the league since 2001, his first season. But, like most of these QBs, it is Brady’s ability to perform in big games that puts him in the top 5. In 111 starts, Brady has a record of 87-24, including a 16-0 season in 2007. That record averages to a 12-4 record over his career. In the playoffs, Brady is 14-3 with a 3-1 record in the Super Bowl. All three of his Super Bowl wins were decided by 3 points showing his ability to stay tough and pull out the close game, and in the first two Super Bowl wins, Brady led the Patriots to late field goals to break ties after both the Rams and Panthers came back to tie the game. In those first two Super Bowls, Brady was named the Super Bowl MVP. Brady also has 28 comeback wins, and looks to be on pace to challenge Elway’s record of 47. Although still young, Brady would be on this list if he didn’t play another game in the NFL. As his career progresses, he may move up the list, but it would be difficult for him to play his way off of this list.

Of the 5 QBs on Chris’s list, I can’t really complain about who is included, three are also on my list and Starr is a good choice. But I think putting Brett Favre in the top 5 may be a reach. It is difficult to compare statistics across different eras because of rule changes and different strategies for teams. For example, Johnny Unitas led the league with a completion percentage of 58.5% without the benefit of the West Coast offense or generous pass interference penalties. In today’s game, 58.5% would be in the lower tier of the league. So, to support my decision to exclude Brett Favre from this list, I will compare him to his most similar contemporary, Peyton Manning. Manning was probably 6th or 7th on my list, but I took Brady over him because Brady has won 3 Super Bowls and Manning only 1, even though Manning has better statistics. However, Favre and Manning have both won 1, so they are even. Both have also won 3 MVP awards. Manning has the edge in Super Bowl MVPs, one to nothing because Desmond Howard had possibly the best return game ever in the Super Bowl in Favre’s lone victory. Both QBs have very good winning percentages as well, with Favre at 169-100 and Manning at 117-59. Statistically, Manning is the only QB that has a realistic chance to catch Favre’s career passing records in yards and TDs (65,000+ to 45,000+ in yards and 464 to 333 in TDs in 6 less seasons for Manning). Manning has also matched Favre’s durability in starting all 176 games of his career. Manning is the only player who could break Favre’s record of consecutive starts.
The difference for me comes down to who takes care of the ball. Favre has thrown 310 interceptions compared to Manning’s 165. Favre has lead the league in interceptions three times, Manning only once and that was in his rookie year for a 3-13 team. Also, while Favre’s interception totals have remained steady over the years, Manning has cut his totals nearly in half in the second half of his career. This interception margin leads to Manning’s superior passer rating of 94.7 compared to Favre’s 85.4. If I am going to pick a QB to be one of the best of all time, I would prefer an efficient and effective QB like Manning rather than a gun-slinger like Favre. While Favre is fun to watch and a good QB, he is too reckless to be one of the top 5 of all time. While this recklessness is sometimes rewarded, it can also hurt, as it did in the NFC Championship game in 2008 when his interception in overtime led to the game winning score.

Chris

I agree that Peyton is likely a top-10, and Unitas is probably my number 6. Brady is also in my top 10. None of these guys has a better claim than Brett Favre as being a top-5 quarterback of all time. Who holds the all time touchdown record? Who has won more games at the position of quarterback than anyone? Who is the toughest player in the last 25 years (based on consecutive start record)? You are pointing out that Favre throws a lot of interceptions. That is true. But that is part of what makes him so great. Brett went out on the field and tried to make something happen even when he didn’t have a play to be made. When it worked, he was making plays that NOBODY else could make. When it didn’t work, he was intercepted. The fact is that Brett went out there and made those incredible plays, carrying a Packers team to a Championship and winning 3 MVP’s in the process. I will take a guy who is not afraid to put it on the line any day over a guy like Brady who dinks and dunks his way to titles because he has a stellar supporting cast. It took an all-star receiving squad to finally get Brady to throw the ball down field. Before the days of Randy Moss, Brady’s Super Bowls can be attributed to (1) unbelievable defense, (2) a great offense surrounding him, (3) cheating on the part of the coaching staff during the whole spy-gate ordeal. In contrast, Brett was out there running from defensive tackles, throwing the ball between defensive backs, and throwing blocks for Dorsey Levens and Edgar Bennett in the “Packer Screen” play.

Favre is a guy who had guts, character, toughness, and talent. He has the records. He has the championships and MVPs. He belongs in the top 5.

Q&A on the Phoenix Coyotes Bankruptcy

[Editor's Note: Today's post is the first in a two-part series addressing the Phoenix Coyotes recent bankruptcy filing. Part 1 discusses some of the legal issues surrounding the case. Part 2 will reflect on some of the hockey-related issues that have arisen. For previous posts regarding the Phoenix Coyotes and bankruptcy, click here and here. For a more detailed background on the legal history of bankruptcies in professional sports, you can also check out Tim Cedrone's full law review article here.]

On May 5, the Phoenix Coyotes filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. During the course of the past week, many issues have been raised regarding the filing. At times, it can be dizzying and downright confusing to piece together everything that has happened...and where everything is going. Lucky for you, we at SportsJudge Blog are here to help. We have come up with some basic questions and answers regarding the Coyotes filing. Please let us know your thoughts.

1. Why did the Coyotes file? The simple answer is that the Coyotes believed they needed to financially reorganize the business through a sale to a new ownership group headed by Jim Balsillie, the co-CEO of BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion Ltd. Some reorganizations are purely financial, where the business operations of the debtor remain the same and debts are written down or eliminated. Other reorganizations are designed to reshuffle business operations, i.e., sell unprofitable divisions, cut staff, etc. In the Coyotes case, they had debts significantly in excess of their assets, and Jerry Moyes, the owner, obviously believed the best way to reorganize was through a sale to Jim Balsillie.

2. Did Jerry Moyes have the right to file? The Bankruptcy Code permits companies to voluntarily file bankruptcy petitions. However, the Code does not specify which party to a limited liability company may file a petition on behalf of the LLC. As a result, state law and the LLC's operating agreement specify who may file on behalf of the LLC. In this case, that means the Arizona Limited Liability Company Act and the operating agreements of the various LLCs that make up the Coyotes franchise (Coyotes Holding LLC, Coyotes Hockey LLC, and Dewey Ranch Hockey LLC). Based on the operating agreements, Moyes appeared to have the authority to file as he was majority owner. The reason this has become an issue, however, is the NHL claims Moyes did not have the authority to file the petition. The NHL claims that when the League provided the Coyotes and Moyes with $38 million in financial support, Moyes agreed to the condition that he had no authority to cause the Coyotes to take any actions outside the normal course of business, including filing for bankruptcy. If Moyes agreed to such terms, he would apparently not have had the authority to file.

Another issue is whether the NHL could have the case dismissed. If a petition is filed in bad faith, a creditor can seek to have it dismissed. Proving bad faith usually requires showing that the debtor is in a strong and solvent financial position and does not have a valid reorganization purpose. Here, the Coyotes have had well documented financial problems and their debts outweigh assets. Thus, a motion for dismissal for bad faith would likely fail, even if the NHL could show Moyes filed to merely circumvent the League's efforts at brokering a deal to buy the team. Much of this will be resolved on May 19, when the court decides who controls the Coyotes - Moyes or the NHL. If Moyes agreed to not file for bankruptcy, the NHL will likely win. If Moyes only relinquished control on hockey matters, as is his contention, he could prevail.

3. Assuming the case is not dismissed, will Jim Balsillie's plan be approved? If the case goes forward, the court will have to decide whether to approve Jim Balsillie's reorganization plan. The non-financial part of the plan calls for Balsillie to assume control of the team (through PSE Sports & Entertainment LP) and relocate it (presumably to Hamilton, Ontario). The financial details of the $212.5 million plan call for $80 million to be paid to SOF Investments, $35 million to the NHL, and $97.5 million to other unsecured creditors. For the plan to be approved, it would have to satisfy a laundry list of Code requirements. The most important is whether it would be in the best interests of all the creditors. This requires each creditor to get at least as much under the plan as it would if the Coyotes liquidated. Moreover, if another plan is proposed that would allow creditors to recover more of their claims, Balsillie's plan may be rejected. Thus, if another party offers more than Balsillie's $212.5 million, his plan may indeed fail. If no one else comes forward with a plan, his may indeed go through as the court would likely want to avoid liquidating the Coyotes.

4. What happens if Balsillie's plan is not approved? If Balsillie's plan is not approved, the Coyotes have proposed an auction at which Balsillie's offer is the starting point. Under the Coyotes' auction scenario, if no other bids are submitted, then Balsillie's bid would automatically win. Either way, if the plan is not approved, any party in interest (such as creditors) may file a reorganization plan starting on September 2 (120 days after filing), thereby effectively taking some control of the case away from the Coyotes (or NHL if they win on May 19). While everyone would like to see the case resolved before the season starts, it is not unprecedented for teams to be in bankruptcy during the season, as was the case with the Penguins and Sabres in recent years.

5. Why did the Coyotes bring an antitrust claim against the NHL? I thought this was a bankruptcy case. The Coyotes brought an antitrust claim against the NHL seeking injunctive relief in connection with the proposed move to Ontario under Balsillie's plan. The Coyotes argued that the NHL is excluding competition and restraining trade through the application of unreasonable restrictions in the NHL Constitution and Bylaws, which prevent relocation of the team to Hamilton, Ontario. The reason the Bankruptcy Court can hear the antitrust claims is that bankruptcy courts have jurisdiction to hear all civil proceedings arising in or related to cases filed under the Bankruptcy Code. Although the antitrust claim could be removed to the District Court, the Bankruptcy Court has the power to hear the antitrust claim because the claim is related to the outcome of the case and has an effect on administration of the team.

6. What happens next? The next step in this case is the May 19 hearing to determine who has control of the team. If Moyes and the Coyotes win, they will push the Balsillie plan and auction process forward. If the NHL wins, they will either (1) seek to have the case dismissed and try to sell the team to Jerry Reinsdorf or another party or (2) let the case run its course and seek to find a buyer within the guidelines of a bankruptcy proceeding.

The Future of the New York Islanders: A Look Back at a Decade of Futility

[Editor's Note: With the Phoenix Coyotes filing for bankruptcy on Tuesday, the next few months will likely be open season on the financially inept cellar-dwellars of the NHL. There have already been rumors of numerous teams relocating to Canada, and the New York Islanders may not be far behind. SportsJudge NHL Insider Darren Coslov takes a look at how the Islanders got in this position in the first place.]

As we approach the conference finals in the National Hockey League, the Bell Centre in Montreal is beginning preparations for the upcoming June Entry Draft. Team scouting departments are putting the finishing touches on what they believe to be their lists of ideal prospects for all 30 franchises. The New York Islanders have a bit more at stake as they work to decide who to take with the 1st overall pick in the draft. Yes that’s right, the Islanders won the rights to draft either Swedish Defensemen Jonathan Hedstrom, or London Knights superstar, John Tavares in the top spot.

The New York Islanders won the draft lottery hands down as matter of fact. Another poor performance off the ice in the summer of 2008 led to another dismal 82 games on Long Island. Their ownership group led by Charles Wang, co-founder of Computer Associates International, has been searching for nine years now on how to properly manage an NHL Franchise. It hasn’t happened yet and unfortunately I don't think it will happen anytime soon.

From the year 2000 until present, it has been a revolving door of coaches, players, and even general managers. But unlike the somewhat successful free-wheeling Rangers, there has never been a right coach. There has never been a right player. There is no depth on the island and certainly no direction.

Of the promising players who have come through Long Island, most have enjoyed successful careers elsewhere. Roberto Luongo is a Canuck and Zdeno Chara is a Bruin. In fact, looking back at how those players found their way to their current home is even more depressing.

To NYI: Trevor Linden
To Van: Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe, Pick (Jarkko Rutuu)

To NYI: Alexei Yashin
To Ott: Zdeno Chara, Bill Muckalt, Pick (Jason Spezza)

To NYI: Oleg Kvasha, Mark Parrish
To Florida: Roberto Luongo, Olli Jokinen

To NYI: Roman Hamrlik
To Edm: Eric Brewer, Josh Green, Pick (?)

To NYI: Olli Jokinen, Josh Green, Mathieu Biron, Pick (Taylor Pyatt)
To LA: Zigmund Palffy, Bryan Smolinski, Marcel Cousineau

To NYI: Janne Niinimaa, 2nd round pick
To Edm: Brad Isbister, Raffi Torres

Can you imagine the Islanders with a starting six that included Roberto Luongo, Jason Spezza, Olli Jokinen, Todd Bertuzzi, Zdeno Chara, and Brian McCabe? Not only did GM Mike Milbury approve of the horrendous shipment of talent to Ottawa, but he followed that up by signing Alexei Yashin to a $99 million contract only to to then buy him out four years before the contract expired. Years later, Garth Snow made an attempt to top Milbury by signing Rick DiPietro to a $115 million dollar contract. DiPietro has struggled with knee and hip injuries throughout his first few years of the contract.

Moves by Mike Milbury all but destroyed the Islanders, but former-goaltender Garth Snow is only making things worse. He traded away the rights to land punishing defensemen Luke Schenn in last years draft, only to grab a questionable offensive threat in Josh Bailey. Bailey joins a growing list of maybes on the Island, while Luke Schenn moves towards becoming one of the most dominant forces on the blueline in the NHL. No matter how you slice or dice it though, the decision making will always start at the very top and end at the very top of the Island: owner and puppeteer Charles Wang.

In a recent Newsday interview, Wang announced his regret on the decision to purchase the organization nine years ago. If he had the chance to do it again, he wouldn’t.

"According to the team's annual audited financial reports that were viewed by a Newsday reporter last month, Wang has spent $208.8 million - an average of $23 million per year - to keep the NHL franchise operating since his purchase. That's after spending $74.2 million to buy the team and assuming $97 million in existing liabilities."

Nine years of failure and lost revenue. Oh what have you done for me Mr. Wang? Only a question an Islanders faithful could ask.

[Be sure to check out "Draft Day", Part 2 of SportsJudge's look at the Future of the New York Islanders.]

Fantasy NASCAR: Southern 500

The drivers take the track at Darlington tonight, one of the most historic tracks on the circuit. The close to 1.5-mile track is almost 60 years old and has a long standing history known as the "Track Too Tough To Tame" The race resumes with the "Southern 500" title after many people thought it was offensive and the race was changed to the "Dodge Charger 500" for the past few races.

Dating back to 2000, this track has seen 10 different winners in the previous 14 races. Names of those winners include Terry Labonte, Ricky Craven, and Ward Burton, popular names in the 90s but faded towards the end of their careers in the early 2000s but still had the experience to win at Darlington.

Experience is a key factor at this track which is why when you look at the stats for this track, you will find a copious amount of veteran drivers with the most top-10 finishes over the past 10 races. There is something about this track that can at times, give young drivers fits (with the exception to Kyle Busch's win last year). Here's how I see it going down tonight.

I'll prep you for one of the closest NASCAR finishes in history.



1- Jeff Burton: I wanted to go with a different Jeff (Gordon) for this spot but I feel that Burton will have a better night. Burton won back-to-back in 1999 here and had the second fastest practice time on Saturday. Burton has 16 career wins at tracks of this size and has the experience I spoke about in order to win here. The last seven winners at Darlington have started 11th or better and Burton starts 6th. He is my pick to win.
2- Tony Stewart: Stewart has never won at this track in the Sprint Cup Series but when a driver is hot, you stay with them no matter what. In fact, he has only led 8 laps here in his career. He has completed 98% of the laps run here over the past 10 years and that number would be higher if he didn't crash 10 races ago. 14 of his career 33 wins have come on tracks 1-2 miles long. I think he gets his first victory, or at least another top-5 tonight.

3- Greg Biffle: Biffle has been quiet of late and is slowly slipping out of the top-12 in points. Biffle has two wins here in just eight races and starts 11th. He won back-to-back in 2005-06 and looks to return to the winner's circle tonight.

4- Mark Martin: Just announced that he will race a full schedule next year and can you blame the 50-year old who sits 15th in the points standings? Martin has 5 top-10 finishes this year, good for a tie for 5th best this year. Martin is familiar with this track and has 5 top-10 finishes in his last 10 races here. I expect more good things from him.

5- Jimmie Johnson: I'll tell you the bad first. Johnson starts 42 for tonight's race which gives him an up hill battle to the finish line. The good news is that since 2000, three drivers have won this race since starting 30th or worse. Johnson won back-to-back in both races here in 2004 and there is nothing I don't believe that this team can't do. This team will find a way to be in contention all night long.

Has Manny Ramirez Violated His Morals Clause?

Yesterday, I was quoted on behalf of SportsJudge in the Wall Street Journal about fantasy disputes that have arisen from Manny Ramirez's drug-related suspension.

Today, Eriq Gardner of The Hollywood Reporter contacted me about a real world question stemming from this mess: whether the Los Angeles Dodgers could release Manny Ramirez for breaching his moral clause.

Specifically, Section 7(b) of the Major League Baseball Standard Player Contract states as follows:

The [Major League Baseball] Club may terminate this contract ... if the Player shall at any time ... fail, refuse or neglect to conform his personal conduct to the standards of good citizenship and good sportsmanship or to keep himself in first-class physical condition or to obey the Club's training rules.

Indeed, this language is somewhat ambiguous. It is also not all together clear how it applies in conjunction with the specified drug-related suspensions set forth in baseball's collective bargaining agreement.

However, it seems at least possible that the Dodgers are within their rights to void the remainder of Manny's contract ... at least after Manny's 50-game suspension expires.

For more on Manny and his morals clause, see Eriq Gardner's full article on this topic.

Also, for more on the Manny fallout in general, see SportsJudge writer Rob Burckhard's column, The End to Mannywood.

First to Third: The End of Mannywood

Well, it was fun while it lasted. The honeymoon between Los Angeles and Manny Ramirez ended tragically yesterday when it was reported that Ramirez had been handed down a 50 game suspension from the commissioner's office for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. The leftfield section that was branded "Mannywood" out in LA at the beginning of the season was back to being... well... the leftfield section. And, SportsJudge.com founder Marc Edelman has already written about the fantasy implications of all this.

Since February, two of the three best hitters in baseball (A-Rod, Manny and with the exception of Albert Pujols) have admitted to taking something to help their performance on the field or have failed a test. Sure Hall of Famers Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire come before them as having to deal with the stigma of being tied to PEDs. What is baseball supposed to do now? There are still 100 names left on the same list that A-Rod was on.

Baseball can't keep all of them out of Cooperstown, right? Most players who set foot on the diamond from 1993 to now will be subject to intense scrutiny, fairly or not. Baseball, though, has numerous cheaters in the Hall of Fame. Take Pud Galvin for instance, the fifth winningest pitcher of all-time. Galvin was the first player on record to use something to enhance his performance (monkey testosterone in 1889). It was in newspapers the day after he did it and no one cared. He's in the Hall. What baseball should do is acknowledge that PEDs were prevelant during this era and admit these players to the Hall because they were the best that this generation had to offer. They just can't shut out a whole era, can they?

And Now You Know!: As Balanced As a D Nug

I was going to write about Brett Favre this week but I wasn't in the mood to talk about mediocrity. Then the news of Manny Ramirez came and I just didn't feel like writing anything baseball realted (SportsJudge founder Marc Edelman tackled the Manny Ramirez fantasy fallout here and here). So, I decided instead to write about the Nuggets (once again).

What amazes me so much about the Nuggets is their lack of that go-to-scorer. Of course there is Carmello Anthony, Chauncey Billups, and J.R Smith, Nene, and Kenyon Martin. But what gets me is that ALL of these players average over 10 ppg this season, and then there is Linus Kleiza who averaged 9.9 ppg. So essentially that means that the Nuggets have six guys who scored over 10 ppg this year, an unheard of figure when it comes to championship teams.

Looking at the previous champions, one would have to go back 20 years to the 1989-90 Detroit Pistons to find a championship team that had five players average 10+ ppg in a season, and in fact they had a sixth guy who averaged 9.8 ppg that season. The Pistons lineup included Isaiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, James Edwards, Mark Aguirre, Bill Laimbeer, and the sixth man was Vinnie Johnson.

Something else I find unique about this year's Nuggets team is that they had no player who averaged more than 8 rpg. You'd have to go back to the 1990-91 Bulls to find a team that had a Championship team that had a leading rebounder with fewer than 9.2 rpg. That year Horace Grant led the team with 8.4 rpg throughout the regular season.

The Nuggets would be just the 4th team in the past 20 years to win a championship while allowing more than 100 ppg (100.9) and have the smallest margin of victory (3.4) since the Lakers in 2000-01. This year's Nuggets were better than their opponents in ever single statistical catagory except FT% and Offensive Rebounds yet everyone is talking about the Lakers.

The most important player on this team who receives the least amount of credit would be Chris Andersen. Andersen comes off the bench and averages over 20 mpg. Andersen has a story, though. The Birdman went undrafted after dropping out of the University of Houston and playing one year at Blinn Community College, coming from a broken home. From college he went ot play in the International Basketball League, the International Basketball Association and the Chinese Basketball League (against Yao Ming) for a few years before the Nuggets took a try at him.

The story most know is that this man entered the slam dunk contest, failed miserably, and soon after was banned from the NBA for 2-years after violating the anti-drug policy. Andersen came back to the Hornets for 5 games in 2007-08 before becoming a free agent and signing a 4-year deal with the Nuggets before this season.

Andersen credits his success this year to all the doubters. He finished second in the league in blocks per game with 2.5 (D. Howard 2.9), yet received just one vote for either All-Defensive team this year. Big men such as Kendrick Perkins, Udonis Haslem, and Trevor Ariza received more votes than Andersen for the All-Defensive team. In fact, three of his teammates received more votes for the All-Defensive team than Andersen did.



It's funny to watch the Birdman play, and no sooner than you can say, "What is this guy doing on the court?" does Andersen block a shot.

But I am getting ahead of myself. There is still a series to be played against the Mavericks and then the Rockets/Lakers. But should the Nuggets get to the Finals, as I predict they will, ESPN/ABC will be running specials on the Birdman. I'd like to believe that they'd be reading this article here to find out just how underrated he is.

And Now You Know! (And Knowing is Half the Battle)

Fantasy Baseball Dispute About Manny Ramirez? SportsJudge Has Answers

Yesterday afternoon in the Wall Street Journal Online, Nando Di Fino predicted that Manny Ramirez's 50-game drug-related suspension would lead to a wide range of fantasy baseball disputes. He also suggested that fantasy commissioners should "mosey over to a fantasy arbitration site like Sports Judge and let a detached stranger make that call on the veto for you."

And "mosey over" they did.

For the past several hours, the SportsJudge Court of Fantasy Baseball has been resolving two types of disputes involving Manny Ramirez -- (1) trade disputes; and (2) active roster disputes.

Trade Disputes Involving Manny:

The SportsJudge team has resolved a few disputes about trades involving Manny Ramirez. As we told the Wall Street Journal in an evening follow-up story, generally, trades made after the Ramirez steroids news broke Thursday were nullified. Those made before would stand. This is consistent with our previous view in the case Commissioner P.K. v. Cartman & The Atlanta Secessions, Index 409-T (June 2, 2007), which held that "a trade shall be analyzed as of the time it is consummated ... any events that emerge subsequently have no relevance."

Of course, one caveat to the general rule would be if a team that traded away Manny before the story broke had access to insider information. Another caveat would be if Manny was traded after the story broke, but at a substantial discount that factored in the knowledge of both parties.

Active Roster Disputes Involving Manny:

The SportsJudge.com team has also received a large number of disputes regarding whether teams may remove Manny Ramirez from their active roster during his suspension. Here, the SportsJudge.com Court of Fantasy Baseball had to review each league's constitution on a case-by-case basis. In leagues that do not have reserve squads or suspended lists, Manny Ramirez's fantasy owners would have to treat him just like any healthy player.

Don't like that outcome? Well, these fantasy owners should have considered the risk of this sort of suspension when drafting their league constitution. It is not as if Manny Ramirez is the first baseball player ever suspended--albeit, he is almost certainly the best player yet to take a 50-game hit.

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not around the Minor Leagues: Ranger Catcher Manny Pina Heads this Week's List

A Virtual unknown at the start of the season, Manny Pina is the Minor’s fastest rising prospect

It’s time for a look around the Minor Leagues to find out who’s performance over the last two weeks has turned heads and who just makes you want to turn away.

Hot Hitters:

1) Manny Pina, C, TEX - No player in baseball has boosted their stock more this season than Pina. He has hit safely in every game and his .469 AVG leads all of baseball. What makes this all the more remarkable is that the 21yo Pina has always been regarded as a ‘defense-first’ catching prospect and has never posted an OPS greater than .677 in four professional season. Over the last two weeks Pina has torched Texas League pitching to the tune of .526/.538/.842.

2) Dominic Brown, OF, PHI – Following up on his breakout 2008 season, the Phillies top hitting prospect has taken his act to the Florida State League (FSL). In his last 50 ABs, Brown has posted a .400/.492/.840 line, bringing his OPS to 1.024 on the season.

3) Brett Lawrie, 2B, MIL – The cold environs of Wisconsin and the Midwest League (MWL) are supposed to keep offensive numbers down—unless, I guess, you hail from Canada. After an eye-popping performance with the Canadian Junior team in the Dominican Republic a few weeks earlier, the 16th overall pick in last June was the fastest riser on the board going into draft day. Now we finally get to see why. The 19yo has opened his debut season by posting a .991 OPS for the season and is .431/.463/.745 over the last two weeks. No one is still quite sure where his glove will play, but there seems to be no questions about his bat.

4) Johermyn Chavez, RF, TOR – Finally filling the Jays expectations they had when they signed him as a 16yo out of Venezuela in 2005, Chavez looks to be on the verge of a breakout season. He has added 20lbs of what appears to be pure muscle on his 6’3” frame and is terrorizing MWL pitching with it. Over his last 40 ABs Chavez has posted a .375/.432/.925 line with 5 HRs and 4 SBs.

5) Gregory Halman, OF, SEA – Halman may be the most fun prospect to watch in all of baseball. 21yo and making his second go round in the Southern League, Halman has become the epitome of the all-or-nothing player. Over his last 50 PAs, Halman has gone .295/.354/.909, with 8 HRs and 20 K’s . One the season he has 10 HRs and only 7 Singles. Don’t get me wrong, I worry tremendously about his ability to perform at the next level while fanning every third AB—but I’d have fun watching it.

6) Chris Coghlan, 2B, FLA – Coghlan is just biding his time right now until the Marlins fall out of contention and deal Uggla. Make no mistake, he is sending notice that he is ready. .415/.520/.659 over the last two weeks. A .906 OPS on the season for the 2006 Supplemental First Round Pick.

7) Justin Smoak, 1B, TEX – Chris Davis may have entered 2009 as the Ranger ‘wunderkind’ after his 2008 performance, but he better not look behind him as the Satchel Paige-esque proverbial ‘someone’ is gaining on him. Smoak has been virtually automatic since the Rangers got him with the 11th pick last June in what was likely the biggest steal of the first round. On the season he is .352/.468/.557. .429/.517/.694 over the last two weeks. Look for him to be manning first base in Arlington for a long-time, starting sometime later this season.

8) Jaff Decker, OF, SDP – The Padres kept Decker back in extended Spring training for a couple of weeks, but that hasn’t slowed him down any as he has picked right up where he left off when he was last seen becoming the Arizona League MVP. Decker is .273/.520/.485 to open the season. Yes, that’s his real first name…Yes, that’s his real body…and Yes, he sure can rake.

9) Chris Pettit, OF, LAA – Pettit was named the Angels’ Minor League POY after posting a .949 OPS in 2007. But Pettit got off to a slow start last season after breaking his foot on Opening Day and never really recovered. Apparently he is serving notice that he is back as Pettit has gone .528/.575/.722 over the last two weeks and now has a 1.133 OPS on the season.

10) Nolan Reimold, OF, BAL – Oriole fans are clamoring for the end of the Felix Pie ‘experiment’ and are expecting Reimold to be called up to fill in the gap. While I think Reimold is proving ready to take the next step, going .364/.451/.773 over his last 44 ABs with a 1.218 OPS on the year, and I certainly think long-term he is a better answer than Luke Scott, Scott has gotten off to a solid start and Nick Markakis is ahead of him in RF. Until someone gets hurt, I don’t see any reason to bring up Reimold to ride the bench.

Hot Pitchers:

1) Daniel Hudson, RHP, CHA - Hudson lasted a little longer than he may have hoped in last June’s draft, going to the White Sox in the 5th round. But after a disappointing Jr. season at Old Dominion, he likely earned it. Hudson regrouped after signing and put up solid numbers in his Pioneer League debut and seems to be carrying that through to this season. A 1.42 ERA, 0.789 WHIP and a 24:1 K:BB ratio over his last two starts. At 22yo, he is a bit old for the South Atlantic League (SAL) and could use a bit more of a challenge.

2) Jenrry Mejia, RHP, NYM – Entering the season the question on Mejia was whether or not he could find enough control with his off-speed pitches to remain a starter or if he was essentially going to be a two-pitch power reliever. After walking nearly 5 batters per 9IP in his first two professional seasons, Mejia is walking only 3 batters per 9IP to start this season and the change is creating a lot of positive results. As one of the youngest pitchers in the FSL, the 19yo hasn’t allowed an Earned Run in his last 13IP and has posted a 0.692 WHIP and a 11:2 K:BB ratio over the same period.

3) Jeffrey Locke, LHP, ATL – After a breakout season in 2007, Locke found the going in 2008 a little tougher as SAL hitters batted .269 against him en route to a 5-12 season. Nonetheless the Braves were satisfied enough to start Locke in the Carolina League this year. The lefthander seems to be rewarding the Braves’ faith, as hitters are only batting .202 against him through 5 starts. 0.66 ERA, 0.585 WHIP and a 13:4 K:BB ratio in his last two starts.

4) Ethan Martin, RHP, LAD – Due to a knee injury in a post-draft minicamp, the best high school arm in the 2008 draft never saw the mound last season. Fortunately, there are no signs of rust. Martin has posted a 1.64 ERA, 0.818 WHIP and a 16:2 K:BB ratio over his last 3 starts. MWL batters are hitting just .173 against him on the season.

5) Aaron Poreda, LHP, CHA – The White Sox are in desperate need of a 5th starter right now, and many of their fans, after watching Poreda start the season with a 1.65 ERA and 28 Ks in 27IP, are calling for Poreda to be given a shot. The problem is those 5 BB per 9IP that Poreda is still issuing. A perfect example is illustrated in this week’s 5 IP no hit performance where he threw 85 pitches, walked 5, hit a batter and through a wild pitch. Nonetheless, Poreda has a 0.98 ERA, 0.927 WHIP with a 22:8 K:BB ratio over his last 3 starts.

6) Ryan Searle, CHN – The ‘Who’s He?’ Award for this week goes to Searle. The Cubs signed the 19yo out of Australia before the 2007 season. He posted solid enough numbers in 34 short season innings in 2008 that the Cubs jumped him a level, making him one of the youngest pitchers in the FSL. Searle has responded in a big way, going his last 16 innings without allowing a run. The knock on Searle is that he lacks a dominant out pitch. He makes up for it by missing bats, as opposing hitters have a career .169 average against him.

7) Thomas Hanson, RHP, ATL – At this moment Hanson has to be wondering what it is going to take to get a crack at a big league rotation spot. After posting a 2.41 ERA, 0.999 WHIP and fanning 163 in 138 IP last year, Hanson looked sharp while fanning 18 in 17IP this Spring. But when the final rotation was assembled Hanson was on the outside looking in. The Braves gave Kawakami a $23 million contract this Winter, so he isn’t going anywhere. That means barring injury, Hanson is biding his time in AAA waiting for the Braves to move aside Jo Jo Reyes. So as he waits, Hanson has put up a 1.00 ERA, 0.889 WHIP with a 25:7 K:BB ratio over his last three starts. Still he waits…and waits…and waits.

8) Hector Rondon, RHP, CLE – Rondon may be baseball’s most underrated prospect. After putting up a 3.60 ERA, while using a mid-90s fastball with late life to fan 145 in 145 IP as a 20yo in the Carolina league last year, Rondon hasn’t missed a beat this season, winning his first four starts. As a 21yo in the Eastern League, Rondon has posted a 0.77 ERA, a 1.029 and a 11:2 K:BB ratio over the last two weeks. Look for him to see some time in Cleveland before the season is out.

9) Chris Carpenter, RHP, CHN – Had Carpenter played his college ball somewhere other than the Mid-American conference, chances are he wouldn’t have lasted long enough in June’s draft for the Cubs to grab him in the 3rd round. He has a fastball that runs up to 97mph and has possibly three major league caliber pitches—if he can tighten up his control. In his last 17IP he has not allowed an ER and only 4 hits, while fanning 17 batters. Unfortunately the control remains an issue, as he has walked 5 batters per 9IP on the season.

10) Jeanmar Gomez, RHP, CLE - Gomez has always been far too hittable, and not nearly dominant enough since signing as a 17yo out of Venezuela. The Indians decided this year to finally let him catch up to his competition a little by having him repeat Hi-A to start this season. Too much of a good thing, as Gomez is now at Akron. Gomez has posted a 0.75 ERA, a 0.667 WHIP with a 11:2 K:BB ratio over his last two starts. Opposing hitters are batting .190 against him on the year and he is still just barely 21yo.

The Nots:

1) Abraham Almonte, OF, NYY – He’s just 19yo, so there is no need to get overly concerned at this point, but a repeat trip to Charleston this year is producing the same results. .086/.111/.114 over the last two weeks leaves him with a .540 OPS on the season.

2) Jamie Romak, 1B, PIT – If you take a look at Romak’s six year minor league career, Romak has often needed to repeat a level in order to find success. Hoping to see a similar result the Pirates returned Romak to Altoona this season. Unfortunately the results aren’t what everyone hoped for. .106/.125/.213 over the last two weeks and a .431 OPS on the year.

3) Brett Sinkbeil, RHP, FLA – Sometimes you just get it wrong. I’m there with Sinkbeil after being very high on him before the Marlins grabbed him in the first round of the 2006 draft. Entering the year, opposing hitters had tagged Sinkbeil at a .285 Average Against during his professional career. That number is .397 so far this season. In his last 3 starts, Sinkbeil has a 10.029 ERA and a 2.657 WHIP.

4) Cesar Ramos, LHP, SDP – As long as we’re discussing likely first round pitching busts…Ramos was the Padres supplemental first round choice in 2005. In four professional seasons, hitters have touched him at a rate of .283 Average Against. Over the last two weeks, Ramos has posted a 9.00 ERA, a 2.667 WHIP and a 4:9 K:BB ratio. Oh yeah…hitters are batting .305 against him on the year.

5) Eric Cambell, 3B, ATL – After a monster Appalachian League (APY) season in 2005, Cambell has spent the last four years trying to duplicate the magic. After repeating the Carolina League in 2008, the Braves moved him up a level this year. A .139/.184/.167 over the last two weeks leaves him with a .617 OPS on the year.

6) Shooter Hunt, RHP, MIN – It strikes me as odd when I hear that people are surprised that Hunt is having control issues. Afterall, this is a guy that walked nearly 5 batters per 9IP in college and 6 batters per 9IP in his debut last year. Hunt has posted a 12.91 ERA, a 3.000 WHIP and a 8:18 K:BB ratio on the season. He now has issued 29 walks in 14 2/3 IP on the season. All that I can say is ‘yuck!’

7) Nick Evans, 1B, NYM - At least I can say I told you so on this one. After having three similarly talented, similarly defensively limited corner infielders at Binghamton last year, the Mets had to make some choices. They moved Danny Murphy to left and decided to keep Nick Evans over Mike Carp. While Murphy has had his defensive struggles, his bat is playing just fine in New York. Mike Carp appears to be the Mariners future firstbasemen, as he has gotten off to a 1.043 OPS start with Tacoma…and then there is Evans. A .074/.167/.074 over the last two weeks leaves him with a .488 OPS on the year.

8) Jonathan Arencibia, C, TOR – The book on the ‘Jays 2007 first round pick has always been that of a solid defensive receiver with enormous power and he’s never met a first pitch he couldn’t take a swing at. Apparently AAA pitchers have read the book. A .138/.138/.207 over the last two weeks. Arencibia has some really unbelievable stats though—1 HR and 2 Walks in his first 85 ABs.

9) Brad Hand, LHP, FLA – Hand’s prospect status was on the rise after being the Marlin’s second round pick last June. He had a solid debut season in 2008, worked on some mechanical problems and really seemed positioned for a breakout 2009. Unfortunately, so far the 19yo isn’t finding Lo-A hitters very accommodating. A 12.91 ERA, a 2.609 WHIP and a 5:7 K:BB ratio over the last two weeks.

10) Kyle Skipworth, C, FLA - When is it too early to get worried about a top six draft pick? Is 267 ABs too soon? A .584 OPS start to his professional career sure would make me nervous. If that doesn’t do it, how about a .154/.214/.154 over the last two weeks?

SportsJudge.com 2009 Fantasy Baseball League: Panic Zone

May has finally arrived. As a fantasy baseball owner, you've had four weeks to get settled and get the Emilio-Bonificio's out of your system. Personally, I look forward to this time in the season as an opportunity to pick up good talent when fellow owners hit the panic button on underachieving players. Earlier today, the SportsJudge team took an in-depth look at some of these players. It's worth a read before you click that fateful 'Drop Player' button. Jose Reyes, Jimmy Rollins, Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday, and Aramis Ramirez are all off to uncharacteristically slow starts, but I've been impressed with the SportsJudge.com expert league owners...no one seems to be panicking yet. Here's a look the league standings (as of Monday) and the change in points since our last article two weeks ago:

1. 98.5 pts Joe Romano 2.0
2. 89.5 pts Jesse Spector (1.0)
3. 82.0 pts Brian Doyle (1.5)
4. 70.0 pts Baxter and Lowe 10.5
5. 65.0 pts Chris Carmona 17.5
6. 64.5 pts Darren Heitner 3.5
7. 60.5 pts Marc Edelman (2.0)
8. 58.5 pts Amanda & Melissa 7.0
9. 57.0 pts Mike Colligan 3.0
10. 53.5 pts Jordan Zucker (4.0)
11. 41.0 pts Elie Mystal (25.5)
12. 40.0 pts Scott Simon (9.5)

The big risers are Chris Carmona, author of the 'And Now You Know' column on the blog, and Brian Baxter & Zach Lowe of AM Law Daily. In this week's article, I'm going to take a look at a few interesting moves Chris Carmona has made and why they just might ensure he stays in the top five for a while.

Carmona had a slow start to the year after his pitching staff was devastated by injuries and poor performances. After losing (and eventually dropping) Chien-Ming Wang and Chris Carpenter early in the season, and more recently Carlos Zambrano, he's been searching for solid arms to get him back in the race. He quickly turned to Wang's replacement in the Yankee's rotation, Phil Hughes. If Hughes is available in your league, I think he is a must-grab. His first start resulted in 6 innings of two-hit ball and 6 strikeouts last Tuesday. You might remember Hughes struggled mightily in eight starts in 2008, but he wasn't completely healthy and has developed a nice cut fastball to go along with his already devastating knuckle-curve and four seam fastball. Just like any 22-year old, Hughes will have a few hiccups early on, but I think he'll fit in nicely next season (or earlier) as a #3 starter behind CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett.

Another savvy move recently made by Carmona was the pickup of David Aardsma, relief pitcher from Seattle. Aardsma assumed the closer role for the Mariners after fireballer Brandon Morrow hit the 15-day DL with bicep tendinitis. It sounds as if Morrow will be back in the lineup when he is eligible on May 9, but there's more to this situation than meets the eye. With every injury that Morrow suffers, I can't help but wonder if he might end up being the second coming of Kerry Wood. While he can no doubt groove 100-mph fastballs, it's possible that it just takes too long for Morrow to get warmed up and ready for 9th inning closer duties. On top of that, it's hard to expect more than one or two save opportunities per week with the current state of the Mariners. With that in mind, it would make much more sense for all parties involved if Seattle moved Morrow into the rotation in the near future. Some might question whether Aardsma can truly handle the closer duties over the long haul, but he's easily been the team's best relief pitcher this season. Still not convinced? Ok here's the wild card: Chad Cordero. You might remember the former first-round pick had a surprising 37 saves with the Nationals in 2007 before suffering a torn labrum. He's currently targeting a return in the first week of June, and if he can find any version of his former self, he could be a perfect option to close out games for Seattle. As an owner, definitely hang onto Morrow, but keep an eye on how this situation plays out over the next month and a half.

The end of April also marked the first dispute in the SportsJudge.com Experts League. All in the same week, Joe Romano added Joel Zumaya to his roster and DL, and dropped David Aardsma, added Jordan Zimmerman, and, days later, dropped Huston Street to make room on his roster to allow Zumaya to come off the DL. Mike Colligan challenged Joe's moves as in violation of the league's two move transaction limit, claiming he made three moves in the same week.

In his opinion which can be read here, Justice Cohen ruled that only dropping a player, without adding one, did not constitute a transaction. In reaching this decision, Justice Cohen agreed with Joe's argument that the intent of the transaction limit was to limit an owner's ability to add players, not drop players. As such, the dropping of Huston Street did not constitute a transaction and was legal. Be sure to check out the full opinion for further details.

Check back in a couple weeks for another look into the 2009 SportsJudge.com Fantasy Baseball League.