Why There's No Chance Alex Rodriguez Will Ever Play for Yankees in MLB Again



By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

As Alex Rodriguez continues to rehab from his most recent injury after missing the majority of the year with a hip injury, it's looking like the New York Yankees third baseman has seen his last game in Major League Baseball.

Following what appeared to be a successful rehab from hip surgery, Rodriguez looked primed to come back and take the field amidst all the controversy surrounding himself and the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Both the MLB and the Yankees wanted no part of Rodriguez's return because of all the negative press he brings with him.

Then, a stay of execution for commissioner Bud Selig and the Bronx Bombers: A-Rod suffered a much talked about quad injury that has turned into a conspiracy theory of some sort. Say what you want about it, it really doesn't matter anyway because A-Rod still isn't playing.



In all this time, the suspension of Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun has occurred until the end of the 2013 campaign and that was a sign of things to come for Rodriguez.

It's been rumored that A-Rod could be in for a lifetime ban thanks to his connection to PEDs, and most recently the Biogenesis clinic down in Florida run by Tony Bosch. The evidence seems to have mounted against A-Rod in an astounding fashion.

Some notes on possibility of lifetime ban for A-Rod. Is MLB considering it? Yes. Sources say evidence is "far beyond" Braun's. But...(1)
— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) July 24, 2013

ESPN reported that the evidence against Rodriguez was "far beyond" the evidence held against Braun that got him a 65-game ban.

A few days later, the New York Post came out with a story saying A-Rod would likely receive a suspension for the remainder of this season and all of the 2014 season as opposed to the lifetime ban once speculated by many.

Once we saw Braun fold like a cheap suit thanks to the evidence against him brought by Bosch and his clinic, it's become more realistic that Rodriguez's suspension is now imminent and with the fact that there is reportedly more charges against A-Rod, it's safe to assume it would be worse.

So, will A-Rod win his appeal against the MLB?

His lawyer seemed to sound confident about their chances, but everything in the world is against whatever bid the tainted star and his counsel decide to make.

Cornwell also told ESPN they are not negotiating with MLB on a deal for A-Rod. "We're focused on an appeal," he said.
— David Lennon (@DPLennon) July 29, 2013

For starters, much of their case will likely hinge against the credibility of Bosch and his associates, including, a "disgruntled employee?!"

Now Cornwell talking to ESPN about a "disgruntled employee" that "stole" documents, so guess that shows how A-Rod's defense is shaping up.
— David Lennon (@DPLennon) July 29, 2013

Considering the fact that Bosch faced criminal charges and was looking for all the help he could get from the league in exchange for his testimony against dirty players, I myself thought Bosch's credibility would be aggressively challenged by these players.

Boy was I wrong.

Mr. Successful appeal himself (Braun) didn't even attempt to destroy Bosch in the appeal process in order to save himself. Instead, as I mentioned before, Braun raised the white flag with the MLB and took the punishment it was ready to dish out.

That right there was a huge blow to whatever defense A-Rod has in regard to Bosch's credibility. If Bosch was able to turnover legitimate evidence that made Braun guilty enough to give up, how can an arguement against Bosch's legitimacy even work?


At this point, the only way I see Rodriguez being successful on an appeal is if the MLB goes for a lifetime ban instead. I don't see that happening because it doesn't need to.

If the Post's story is true and A-Rod is forced off the field as a result of the over 200-game suspension, it's doubtful--but not impossible--he'll even be able to take the field ever again.

In 2015, A-Rod will start the season at 39 years old and will hit the big 4-0 in July. If he is having the physical problems that are plaguing him now, just imagine almost two years from now when his body is even older.

That's why this suspension could be the kiss of death for his career and that's why the MLB doesn't need to even try and give A-Rod a lifetime ban. It would be like giving a 90-year-old man a 100-year prison sentence.

I must admit I'll be eating some crow if that happens. SportsGuyMike asked me a few months back if I thought A-Rod would ever play another game for the Yankees and I said he definitely will, and to make matters worse for Yankees fans, I said it will be this year.

As the weeks and months tick on and we get closer to a decision, Rodriguez's hopes of ever taking the field for any team is looking worse by the moment.

Word came down, courtesy of the New York Daily News, that MLB commish Bud Selig actually has the power to stop any appeal process A-Rod wishes to venture into if he deems it necessary to "preserve the integrity of the game."

If you have to ask, Rodriguez trying to make a mockery of the sport by getting away with his alleged PED use certainly qualifies. Without a shadow of a doubt, A-Rod's appeal would be long, public and unprecedented to say the least.

That's a spectacle worthy of avoiding on the part of the MLB while Rodriguez will go in guns blazing with his newfound nothing to lose attitude. Only ugly will come of it.

Normally A-Rod would get a stay if he was suspended under the new drug rules of the MLB. Now it appears the league will seek to make a suspension immediate by saying A-Rod violated the MLB's labor contract, per the Daily News' report.

Thus no stay would be granted and A-Rod would be finished immediately.

It remains to be seen if the Yanks third baseman will be able to collect on all of the $100 million he's owed throughout the rest of his deal, or even the $60 million left on his final years from 2015-17, but that would be the stiffest penalty of all.

It's tough to imagine that Rodriguez will have too tough a time dealing with an early retirement if he has all of his money, but that's certainly possible.

The biggest complaint on Braun's deal is that he still collects $100 million for the rest of the time on his enormous contract despite the soiling of his name and career. If A-Rod can't enjoy the same luxury, his quick exit from the game will be personally painful for him as well.

We would all like to be done dealing with A-Rod's controversial career and we may get our wish much sooner than anyone could have ever imagined.

Dan Koppen Injury: What's Next For Denver Broncos at Center Position?

By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

The Denver Broncos have already been trying to fill the void at the center position this offseason, but now it appears the team will once again need to find another replacement in the same spot after Dan Koppen's injury.

According to the Denver Broncos official Twitter feed, Koppen tore the ACL in his left knee during practice on Sunday and will miss the entire 2013 season. It's a huge blow for a team already in trouble at the all important center position.

MRI results reveal that Broncos C Dan Koppen has torn the ACL in his left knee. He will miss the 2013 season.
— Denver Broncos (@DenverBroncos) July 28, 2013

Koppen was signed to a one-year deal after he did a stellar job replacing the injured J.D. Walton last season.

Mike Klis of the Denver Post reported that Walton is experiencing a slow recovery from his respective ankle injury, and the team's No. 4 center, C.J. Davis, was carted off the field on Saturday.

So the center carousel continues to spin for the Broncos and now they will have to become creative to fill the void.

Torn ACL for Dan Koppen. Serious infection delaying J.D. Walton's left ankle recovery. No. 4 center C.J. Davis carted off Saturday.
— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) July 28, 2013

ESPN.com's Bill Williamson reports that the team will likely go with guard Manny Ramirez who has been working as a center during the offseason program. That's especially important because it means he has some experience working with Peyton Manning.

Second-year guard Philip Blake is another option for Denver as he had experience playing center in college and snapped the ball to that Robert Griffin III guy, but his lack of experience will be a huge negative in his hopes of getting the starting nod.

Also, Williamson notes that the Broncos signed Steve Vallos on Sunday, who is expected to be a backup this season. Denver will also likely continue to look at the waiver wire for more help, but it isn't likely to come from there because of how important centers are in the NFL.

Add to that the fact that Manning is behind center for the Broncos and it makes it even more difficult to fill the void. Not just anybody can work with the Hall of Fame quarterback--especially at center.

Manning is always changing plays and snap counts at the line of scrimmage and having a center who is smart enough and familiar with Manning's decision making is vital to the success of the offense--both running and throwing the ball.

As far as the Broncos go as a whole, these injuries to their centers will no doubt hurt but this team has more than enough talent to overcome such difficulties. At the end of the day, this is just a bump in the road for a team that will likely contend for a Super Bowl this upcoming season.

Albert Pujols Injury: LA Angels With Buyer's Remorse After Early End to Season for Star

By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

There are plenty of fans around baseball who believe that the 10-year, $240 million contract the Los Angeles Angels gave Albert Pujols was a mistake, and after a potentially season-ending injury, that will only add fuel to the fire.

According to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, Pujols will likely miss the remainder of the season after suffering a tear in the left plantar fascia. Pujols may need surgery to repair the injury which has been a thorn in his side the entire season.

Source: Pujols has been told he's likely done for the season. Surgery possible, but undetermined.
— Tim Brown (@TBrownYahoo) July 28, 2013

It's been a rough go of it for Pujols, whose contract has garnered insane expectations of the slugger and rightfully so, that's what tends to come with big-money contracts like his. For the season, Pujols is hitting a disappointing .258 with 17 homers and 64 RBI.

On the bright side of things, Pujols' lackluster season may be attributable to his prolonged battle with this injury. It's very possible if not likely that a bad foot has made it more difficult for Pujols to be as effective as he normally is in the batter's box from season to season.

Still, no matter what may be holding Pujols back this season, there is still a whopping eight years left on his deal and it's becoming more and more apparent that Pujols will have a tough time living up to his massive deal that will take him beyond the age of 40 in L.A. because of his bad wheels.

Adding to the financial headache out there in the City of Angels, fellow big-money slugger Josh Hamilton is having a horrid season with 15 homers, 43 RBI and a .221 average.

In all, the Angels are in fourth place in the American League West and trail first place by 12 games, while they also remain eight games back of the second wild card spot. Clearly the $365 million investment in these two players hasn't even come close to paying off as of it and maybe it never will.

Los Angeles expected to get much more from Pujols and Hamilton for the money its spending, but it remains to be seen if the Angels will get a return on their excess. Until then, what was thought to be a World Series favorite will now be lucky to sniff the playoffs come October without Pujols.

As long as these two stars continue to struggle and/or get hurt, this will only serve to hurt the case for players seeking the same long term, high-priced deals for years to come.

At this point, it's safe to say the Angels are having buyer's remorse with Pujols and Hamilton, but there's no question Pujols' deal is far more destructive to the future of the Angels organization if this continues because of the length of his deal.

However, if it seeks to find comfort in the equal misery of others, all Los Angeles has to do is call up the New York Yankees (see: Alex Rodriguez, amongst others) and the two organizations can sob together in self pity.

Tino Martinez: Miami Marlins Make Right Move Parting Ways After Alleged Abuse

By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

The Miami Marlins are having a rough season and it appears their hitting coach Tino Martinez isn't making it any easier on the team.

According to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, Martinez allegedly choked a player--rookie second baseman Derek Dietrich--a few months back and the team was notified by the player's agent. Dietrich was demoted to the minors last week.

Also in Spencer's report, another player speaking anonymously confirmed at the very least that Martinez has been verbally abusive to the players he coached since spring training and others have complained to manager Mike Redmond about Martinez's behavior.

Martinez was ready to resign but Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, who hand-picked Martinez for the job, had stopped that from happening at first, but now it appears Martinez has resigned, per Spencer.

#marlins hitting coach tino Martinez has resigned
— clarkspencer (@clarkspencer) July 28, 2013

Loria had to see that this is an extremely negative thing both from a media relations and player development standpoint. Keeping Martinez would have shed a very negative light on the organization as a whole if this behavior was allowed to continue.

Furthermore, Miami is in the process of rebuilding with a ton of young players coming up and going down in their system and the last thing this team needs is to stunt these players' growth in any way by having a seemingly impatient and hot-headed Martinez working with young hitters.


Granted, these are grown men Martinez is yelling at and abusing, but this behavior is still totally unacceptable no matter how you slice it--and that's especially true living in the uber-sensitive society we live in today.

Coming from a long-time Yankee fan, Martinez's behavior is surprising to say the least. He has always seemed like a very mild-mannered person, but after showing his true colors with the Marlins, it's doubtful Martinez will have an easy time getting another job in the MLB for the foreseeable future.

Carlos Gonzalez Injury Further Stacks Deck Against Colorado Rockies Playoff Hopes

Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

The Colorado Rockies are in the midst of a horrid month of July offensively and the fact that Carlos Gonzalez simply can't get healthy enough to swing a bat is troubling to say the least.

According to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, CarGo left Thursday's game against the Miami Marlins early after aggravating his finger injury, which has been a continuous problem for the star outfielder this month.

In fact, CarGo was just 3-for-20 on the team's homestand with a single homer to show for his struggles and that's especially problematic considering the Rockies have been poor offensively lately.

Also according to Renck's report, CarGo told the media his finger was still bothering him last week, so clearly it's affecting his work at the dish no matter how day-to-day he may be.

If Gonzalez is forced to go on the disabled list it would be a huge blow for the Rockies at this point in the season. He is by far their best all-around hitter and not having a player of his caliber in the lineup will only make things worse for Colorado.

Granted, it appears the way he's hitting that Gonzalez needs the rest in order to heal his injury and get back to 100 percent in the batter's box, but just how long can the Rockies survive without him?


It was thought that even with Gonzalez in the lineup the Rockies might need to make a move to bring in another bat if possible, but now that thought will only gain traction if CarGo's injury proves to be a lingering issue down the road.

After dropping Thursday's matchup with the Marlins, the Rockies now find themselves seven out in the loss column behind the Los Angeles Dodgers who now lead the National League West.

With the way the Dodgers have been playing lately, the Rockies can't afford to slip up at all and not having Gonzalez healthy will only increase the chances of that happening. The only plus for Colorado is the fact that Matt Kemp recently hit the DL again, but L.A. looks to be just fine without him for the moment.

With all the injuries this team has had to overcome this season along with pitching woes, it's amazing the Rockies have gotten as far as they have and are still contending at this point in the season.

But you have to wonder if maybe it just isn't in the cards for manager Walt Weiss' squad in 2013.

One thing's for certain: if the Rockies are to make a push for the playoffs in the next few months, Gonzalez must be on the field and driving in runs like he normally does or else Colorado won't have enough offensively to play October baseball.

NBA Free Agents 2013: Nate Robinson is a Perfect Fit for Denver Nuggets





By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

The Denver Nuggets signed Nate Robinson to a new deal on Monday and the signing couldn't be a better fit for new head coach Brian Shaw's squad.

The deal, according to ESPN.com, is worth two years and about four million dollars, which in my humble opinion is a steal for the Nuggets with what Robinson brings to the table.

This will be Robinson's sixth stop during his NBA career, but there's no question his 2012-13 season with the Chicago Bulls was one of his best. With Derrick Rose on the pine the whole season, Robinson stepped up big for the Bulls as a spark off the bench for a team in desperate need of some offensive energy.

During the postseason, Robinson exploded for 16.3 points, 4.4 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game to go along with one steal per contest. He was very much responsible for Chicago getting past the Brooklyn Nets via upset in the first round of the playoffs last season.

Not only can he be a terror driving to the basket, but Robinson also has an outside game that must be respected and can help Denver spread the floor even more next season.
Another advantage to having Robinson on the roster is his knowledge of defense.

Robinson played for head coach Tom Thibodeau last season, who is easily one of the smartest defensive minds in the league and there's no question the Nuggets can use all the help they can get on defense after being the league's worst last season.

The loss of Andre Iguodala was a tough one for the Nuggets to swallow this offseason, but Robinson's abilities on both sides of the ball as an offensive threat and a defensive pest will be greatly welcomed by a team in desperate need of some depth off the bench.

Not to mention, Robinson is the kind of guy who can be considered an agitator with his antics off the bench and that's helpful in taking opposing players off their games as they are more concerned with Robinson's high-energy celebrations on and off the court.

And at two million per season, the Nuggets saved a ton of money and years on their payroll instead of using it on Iguodala and brought in a strong impact player who will no doubt make a huge difference in Denver for the 2013-14 campaign.

Ryan Braun Suspension: Milwaukee Brewers Star Gets off Easy With Light MLB Ban

By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers will serve a 65-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy, but it's a suspension that should be considered light at best for the former MVP.

The first offense for a player who violates the policy is a 50-game suspension, while a second offense gets you kicked out for 100 games. And, of course, a third violation means a lifetime ban for any player involved.

In reality, this is at least Braun's second offense.

In 2012, Braun got off from a suspension after his positive test was thrown out thanks to it being improperly handled. While many people did defend him after that, there were others that thought him to be extremely lucky that his appeal worked out.

Now, fast forward to 2013, and is there anyone who really believes Braun wasn't on performance-enhancing drugs before that 2011 failed test?

I can't imagine that the MLB believes Braun was clean, so that's why this suspension should be at least 100 games or even more. Braun has not only shamed his MVP award, but he has also shamed the league and its fans by lying right to all of our faces in his own weak defense.

His consistent lying in and of itself is worthy of a suspension because it questions the integrity that MLB athletes should abide by. Clearly it's okay to lie, lie, lie until you get caught red-handed much like Braun was during this Biogenesis mess.

The sad thing is that Braun's suspension will teach nothing to future players who decide to take such a risk with drugs because the consequence simply isn't that bad.

After all, Braun is still owed $100 million on his contract which he will continue to collect after this season and the 65 games or the rest of the season he will miss won't hurt the Brewers at all because they are already out of the playoff hunt.

So, exactly where is the impact?

At the very worst, Braun will have to face the public beat down from fans around the league, but that won't commence in his face until next season when Braun returns to the field on Opening Day 2014. That will be the moment when Braun returns to the field after a huge cooling off period and most importantly, that's when Braun's pay checks will start coming in again.

Until then, he can "stress" about his soiled name from whatever million dollar mansion he chooses to rest his head in while he enjoys all the great things his now cheap MLB career has afforded him. What a tough life!

There is still little incentive for players to avoid PEDs when these cheating players like Melky Cabrera and Ryan Braun are still getting paid. If only the MLB could really hit these guys in the wallets harder then and only then will these multi-million dollar athletes feel the sting and think twice about cheating the game of baseball.

MLB Trade Rumors 2013: Colorado Rockies Should be Buyers at Trade Deadline

By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

The Colorado Rockies are very much in contention for the National League West division title and that's a perfect reason for this squad to be a buyer rather than a seller at the MLB trade deadline.

As it stands heading into Saturday, the Rockies are 4.5 games behind the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks and just three games back of the second place Los Angeles Dodgers. In case you live under a rock, you know that a 4.5-game deficit isn't very much to make up with another half to play.

And judging from Rockies owner Dan Monfort's "no way" response to an inquiry about trading veteran Michael Cuddyer during a career year, this team isn't raising the white flag just yet, per Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com.

So, where can the Rockies improve in order to bolster their chances at making the playoffs?

Offensively speaking, the Rockies are pretty solid in the batter's box. With a lineup sporting guys like Dexter Fowler, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez and Cuddyer, this team can swing the sticks with anyone in its division when healthy, which has been a problem during the 2013 campaign.

Sure, there have been issues lately for Colorado with driving in runs courtesy of their big bats, but this team certainly has the juice to more than get by without having to bring in another bat and waste young talent. Further proving that fact is the Rockies No. 10 ranking in runs scored in the league.

Pitching is a different issue entirely.

While their rotation has been a bit more solid recently, the Rockies are ranked No. 21 in the MLB in starter's ERA and No. 20 in bullpen ERA. With Rafael Betancourt hitting the disabled list on Saturday thanks to appendicitis, the Rockies now must look to a different option to close out games in the mean time.

Betancourt had successful appendectomy surgery last night Has been discharged from hospital
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) July 20, 2013

That will only complicate things further in Colorado's bullpen--especially if Betancourt is out an extended period of time.

One move the Rockies have been linked to is the possible acquisition of New York Yankees starter, Phil Hughes. While Hughes would be a nice move to help shore up the bullpen, it isn't entirely clear if Hughes actually wants to be a reliever.

If they can convince him to become one, the Rockies would be wise to pull the trigger after his past success in the 'pen, but Hughes must give an assurance that he'll be okay with that role. Otherwise, the Rockies should avoid it altogether and look elsewhere to avoid locker room drama.

Not to mention, Hughes will be a free agent after this season is up.

Hughes would be a dreadful starter in Coors Field as he is no doubt a fly ball pitcher and gives up a ton of homers. In the thin air of the Rocky Mountains, that's about as far from ideal as one could get. At this point, it's reliever or bust in any deal involving Hughes going to Colorado.

Per Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post, reliever Jesse Crain of the Chicago White Sox has been named as a possibility and he would be a great fit. Not only is Crain having a sensational season with a 0.74 ERA and zero homers allowed, his parents also live in Boulder and he even owns a home there.

Crain has been on the shelf with a sore shoulder and hasn't pitched since June 29, but he is expected to be ready to take the mound this upcoming week. The Rockies will have to pay a hefty price for Crain's services, however, as impact relievers with great numbers like his don't come cheap.

A bigger risk is that Crain will be a free agent at season's end, so the Rockies must be careful not to sell the farm for him without some sort of a guarantee of returning for next season. Other than that, the move makes all the sense in the world.

As is always the case, no pitcher on the market whether reliever or starter will be cheap for the Rockies, so any move made will be heavily reliant on the price each team is asking for. Colorado can't sell off its future for a half-year rental unless it truly believes there is a great chance to compete this season and beyond with that new player.

No matter what they do, the Rockies will be taking a huge risk on any player they trade for in order to make themselves better. Realistically speaking though, trading for some form of bullpen help will likely be easier than a starter, so Colorado should keep their focus on that aspect of the team for the moment.

If that isn't a reality, the Rockies will have to get creative and make more moves like the acquisition of Armando Galarraga in the hopes that throwing multiple things against the wall will eventually result in it sticking.

Tiki Barber Comments That Eli Manning is Better Than Peyton Are Only Partially True

Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

Tiki Barber made a bold claim on Wednesday that New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was better on the field than his brother Peyton, who currently plays for the Denver Broncos. While that was once thought to be a crazy notion, Barber's comments aren't that far from the truth anymore.

Barber spoke on the Morning Show on CBS Sports Radio Network, which is a show that he co-hosts with Brandon Tierney and Dana Jacobsen. Here are the former New York Giants' words, per John Breech of CBSSports.com:

"The expectation was that he was never going to be Peyton. I remember having these conversations with people who watched Eli in college, saying, 'He's good, but he's never going to be Peyton, he's not Peyton.' Guess what? I think he's better than Peyton," Barber said. "Because of clutch. What matters in sports? It's winning and losing. You get to the stage and what do you do? Eli's gotten there and he's won."

So, where is Tiki right and where is he wrong?

There is no question in the minds of NFL analysts and fans alike that Peyton will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever thanks to his unmatched regular season dominance.

Not only is Peyton one of the smartest signal-callers ever to put on a football jersey with his constant play-changing at the line of scrimmage and near mastery of reading defenses, but he also routinely racks up insane statistics that will undoubtedly rank him near the top of every major category in NFL history.

Heck, some would even argue Peyton is as good as a coach at this point in his career and is at the very least an extension of whatever coach is on the sideline for his respective squad.

 

Adding to his already impressive resume, Peyton has four NFL MVP Awards under his belt.

Eli's numbers won't exactly stack up to those of Peyton's when discussing regular season success or MVP trophies, but Eli does have a huge advantage over Peyton in playoff success and that's exactly where Eli comes into the realm of being as good as his brother.

The Giants have won two Super Bowls with Eli behind center and both came against the New England Patriots in a surprising and clutch fashion. By comparison, Peyton has only captured one Super Bowl as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.

 

Digging a bit deeper, Peyton's playoff record of 9-11 is a far cry from his brother's, which is an astounding 8-3. Add two Super Bowl MVPs for Eli to Peyton's one and you have another area where Eli is superior to his brother.

Where I take issue with Barber's comments is his absolute opinion that Eli is better than Peyton simply because of clutch. Indeed it's accurate that clutch performances in the playoffs are a huge factor in sports and Eli certainly has done more than Peyton in that regard, but not even Tiki can ignore just how much more talent Peyton has over Eli.

It just depends on what you rank as more important when comparing two quarterbacks. In my humble opinion, you have to take more than just titles and playoff success into consideration when both players have at least one Super Bowl and some playoff success in their past.

If you need to win a regular season game, you would go with Peyton. If you need a huge fourth-quarter drive to win a playoff game or the Super Bowl, Eli is your man. Clearly Peyton is consistently better each and every season before the playoffs come, but Eli takes the cake beyond that.

To be fair, I would say the Manning brothers are pretty even with all things considered and after each of their respective accomplishments, but that is certainly a victory for Eli because as Tiki pointed out, nobody ever thought Eli would be close to Peyton.

However, I think it's safe to say the Ole Miss product has forever changed that notion.

2013 Home Run Derby Predictions: Chris Davis Will Win All Star Contest

By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

There are few if any hitters in all of Major League Baseball who are hotter than Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles in the batter's box this season, but that's especially true in the home run department and that's exactly what he needs to win the 2013 Home Run Derby.

Davis comes into the contest on long ball fire having hit four homers in his last four games and currently sits atop the home run mountain in the MLB at the moment with 37 homers, which not to mention is right on pace to tie or break Roger Maris' 61-homer mark back in 1961.

It's true that Davis' average has dipped from a once surreal .357 to a now more realistic .319 in a little over a month, but the one thing that has yet to slow down for the Orioles first baseman is his home run totals.

Davis has tallied nine, 10 and 12 homers in the months of April, May and June, respectively, and his six homers this month puts him just about on pace to either match or even surpass his previous monthly totals.

As far as his average is concerned, it doesn't mean squat in this instance. Davis will be facing batting practice pitches in the derby and won't have to deal with pitchers being afraid of him and possibly pitching around him more as a result.

That reason, I contend, is exactly why Davis' average has dipped since June 6. But again, he doesn't have to get base knocks on Monday night, he just has to do what he's done better than any other player in baseball this season and that's putting the ball in the seats.

Being that it's at Citi Field this season, hitters will have a tougher time sending the balls into the stands as the New York Mets home park is widely considered a pitcher's park. That means the guys with the most power have the best chance of launching long balls and Davis certainly qualifies as such.

With all things being equal and some of the best home run hitters in the game taking part in the 2013 Home Run Derby, Davis is the hottest home run hitter of them all and that's exactly why he's the best bet to take home the honors this year.

MLB Trade Rumors: Colorado Rockies Should Avoid Deal With Yankees for Phil Hughes

By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

The Colorado Rockies find themselves right in the hunt for the National League West crown and as a result, the team may be looking to add New York Yankees starter Phil Hughes to help bolster their pitching staff.

According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, the Rockies are looking to add the Yanks' starter, but would prefer to use him as a reliever instead. Hughes has already made 18 starts for New York this season and has yet to come out of the bullpen during the regular season the last two years.

On the surface, the deal makes perfect sense for the Rockies.

Not only would Hughes greatly help the back end of the Rockies bullpen--which as a whole ranks No. 18 in the MLB in ERA--but he would also be a key pitcher as Colorado makes a run at the division just 4.5 games back going into Monday.

There's no question all of those factors make a move for Hughes a no-brainer and he's already proven himself to have elite stuff as a 7th or 8th inning pitcher, and even as a reliever when necessary, but Hughes may not want to be in any of those roles at all.

It's quite evident that despite all of his success in the bullpen during his career, Hughes wants to be in the starting rotation no matter how poorly he's pitched the past few seasons.

If the Rockies were to make a deal for Hughes and try to force him to become something he doesn't want to be, that could create plenty of turmoil in Colorado's locker room and that's something a team chasing a division simply can't deal with.

Furthermore, Hughes will be a free agent at the end of the season and giving up any key young players or even current impact players for his services is risky at best for the Rockies. They could end up losing him for nothing, which would become more certain if he's unhappy with his role on the team.

Another negative for Hughes whether he's a starter or in the bullpen is that he is a fly ball pitcher and gives up homers on a regular basis. That's especially dangerous late in games when the score is close and a runner is on, no matter if he's a reliever or a starter.

In his last start, Hughes allowed four earned runs and three homers in total.

In 2012, Hughes allowed 35 homers in 191.1 innings as a starter and in 2013 he's on pace to do pretty much the same having allowed 18 homers in 102.1 innings pitched. Things aren't likely to get any better even if he does become a starter for the Rockies because as we all know, Coors Field is one of the most friendly hitter parks in the history of the game.

Hughes is the kind of pitcher that becomes more of a liability as he goes through an opposing lineup multiple times because he simply doesn't throw that many pitches, thus hitters can pick up on his stuff later on in games and do some serious damage.

As a Yankees fan, I have been screaming for years that Hughes has better stuff as a reliever and he shouldn't be a starter, but obviously my opinion doesn't matter and Hughes' opinion likely hasn't changed in regards to starting games as opposed to helping finish them.

With such an uncertain future whether it be his impending free agency and/or his potential displeasure with a role change upon coming to Colorado, the Rockies are better served to look elsewhere for help because a move like this has the potential to blow up right in their face.

Chris Davis: Baltimore Orioles 1st Baseman Continues Assault on Roger Maris' Record

Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

Don't look now, but Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles is currently right on pace to either tie or break the original and only valid single-season home run record which is currently held by Roger Maris.

Davis continued his assault on the record by bashing his 37th home run of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. The homer also gave Davis a share of the record with Reggie Jackson for the most homers by an American League player before the All-Star break, per Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun.

Chris Davis' 37 homers tie Reggie Jackson's AL record for most HRs at the break, set in 1969. #Orioles
— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) July 14, 2013

The record, of couse, is held by Barry Bonds during his historic but disrespected record-breaking season back in 2001, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Chris Davis: 37 HR ... tied for 2nd-most before All-Star Break in MLB history. Only player with more-- Barry Bonds (39 in 2001)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 14, 2013

Not only did Davis tie Jackson's AL record, but he has also reached the 37-homer mark in his team's 96th game of the season. By comparison, it took Maris 95 games into the season to reach No. 37, so clearly Davis is right on track to match or break the true record.

So the big question is: does Davis have the juice (no pun intended) to get all the way to 61 and beyond?

He has certainly proved he can hit homers and hit them in bunches. The problem that will remain is teams may start choosing to intentionally walk Baltimore's home run machine and that will greatly lower his chances of breaking the record.

Even if opposing pitchers throw to him, Davis can expect to see far less appealing pitches to hit moving forward.

It's also been proven time and time again that just because a hot start occurs the first "half" of the season doesn't mean it will continue. Most times, players who are having the season that Davis is will taper off and finish somewhere between 50 to 60 long balls in total.

Mr. October, for example, did even worse than that by finishing with just 47 homers after setting the pre-All Star break record back in 1969. It certainly isn't a stretch to believe Davis will do the same or maybe just a bit better.

In fact, the law of averages makes it probable he will, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.

But, regardless of the skepticism, I continue to echo the sentiment that Davis' chase for 61 must be more respected by the league, the fans and the media. Granted, there are plenty of people starting to come along to Davis' potentially historic season, but far too many are as close to ignoring it as you can get.

That rings especially true when you compare the coverage Davis is getting to that of the home run chases of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds back in the late 1990s, early 2000s.

It's puzzling at best as to why this lack of attention is fact. Not only will Davis' breaking of the record bring great publicity to Major League Baseball, but as I've said before, it will also show fans that records can be broken the right way without any cheating or enhancements at all.

And, with the current steroid mess going on with guys like Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun, that type of exposure would be a huge lift for the sport.


Hopefully now that people see he is right on pace with Maris' infamous 1961 season, the attention will begin to come around for Davis. However, maybe the lack of attention is actually a good thing because the amount of pressure on Davis isn't as great and he can relax more at the plate while continuing to attempt to make history the rest of the way in 2013.

Brooklyn Nets Signing of Andrei Kirilenko Stinks of Wrongdoing

Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

The Brooklyn Nets added veteran forward Andrei Kirilenko during the week in what appears to be the last major piece they will need in order to compete for an NBA title, but the move hasn't come without its fair share of scrutiny from basketball fans and owners alike.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, NBA owners and their front office personnel are apparently suspicious about the deal that saw Kirilenko take the mini mid-level exception--around $3 million per season--which was far less than his market value.

Even before this suspicion came to light, fans around the globe--myself included--were already highly critical of the potential means by which this deal was reached. After all, Kirilenko was set to make $10 million with his player option from the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he declined that option to take $7 million less with the Nets.

Per the same report from Wojnarowski, Kirilenko was looking for a three-year deal worth about $24 million before inking a contract with Brooklyn, so that further fuels the fire that Kirilenko and the Nets may be up to no good.

What is the no good, you ask? Well it's pretty simple really.

Doubters are saying that Nets owner and Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov is paying Kirilenko under the table in some fashion in order to make up for the money lost by his signing with the Nets. Since both are from the same country, it's possible that Kirilenko and Prokhorov have some kind of deal in place that will pay him in Russia or maybe elsewhere, but we can't say for sure at this point.

Of course, a move like that would be highly unethical in basketball circles and would warrant punishment from the league should an investigation discover this was going on.

The NBA has yet to respond to such allegations by fans and owners, but if this pressure persists, look for the league to take some kind of action in the form of a probe to make sure the Nets owner isn't breaking any rules.

There is a chance that this is all over nothing and could be blown out of proportion, but the accusations certainly make sense. Few players in their right mind would take the kind of pay cut Kirilenko is taking and that's why this stinks. 

Going from $8 to $10 million per year to just over $3 million a year willingly is just unheard of. The only players on this planet who do things like that are aging stars who are desperate to win a championship and in turn take less money to join a championship-caliber, cash-strapped squad.

While Kirilenko is joining a definite contender who is cash-strapped next season, he is only 32 years old and isn't in any way, shape or form at the age when players become more desperate to win a title. The Russian forward still has plenty of time to get that done and the normal course of events would have Kirilenko taking a pay cut in his mid to late 30's instead.

Not to mention, he was just asking for significantly more money than the Nets were able to offer and all of a sudden he changes his mind? It just doesn't make sense and there's no doubt the NBA needs to look into the matter just to make sure everything is gravy.

At the end of the day, this all may just be sour grapes by people around the league because the Nets are set up to be a powerhouse in 2013-14 and just added another impact player like Kirilenko. But the suspicion certainly makes sense in every regard and the tyrannical David Stern and company must look into it to save the dignity of the league and its salary cap restrictions.

Derek Jeter: Is New York Yankees Captain Fading Physically?

Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

It has been a long road back for Derek Jeter, his broken ankle and the New York Yankees as a whole, but after suffering yet another injury, is it now time to expect Jeter's body to start failing him on a regular basis as a result of age?

His latest injury came on Thursday afternoon when the Yankees shortstop injured his quad muscle against the Kansas City Royals in a winning effort, per Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger:

Jeter's right quad tightened up in the sixth, which caused his early exit. He'll get an MRI later.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughSL) July 11, 2013

There is a good possibility it could be nothing, of course, and Jeter himself thinks he can play tomorrow, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Yankees will have tests on Jeter, he thinks he'll play tomorrow. Girardi says "we'll see."
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) July 11, 2013

While that might be very positive news in this situation, would you really expect anything less from a gamer like Jeter?

For the most part, Jeter has had a very healthy career and this season will be the first in his career since his rookie campaign back in 1995 that he will fail to play in at least 119 games. Granted, his missing most of this season was a result of last year's injury, but a new quad injury could keep him out even longer.

Age is the only sure thing in the career of an athlete. Age will always eventually catch up to every player, whether a star or not, and that's precisely what could be happening to Jeter at the moment. With an older body, injuries tend to spring up more often and are far harder and more time consuming to heal.

That's why writers like myself make such a big deal about the potential steroid exploits of a guy like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

While steroids may not be clean-cut cheating in its purest form to some, there's no denying that performance-enhancing drugs can keep an athlete in far better shape at an older age than most guys who do things the natural way.

Without getting into all that specifically, Jeter is human just like the rest of us and age will catch up to him also. That may not mean that Jeter's average will dip necessarily or that he'll be any less of a player on the field right now, but it could mean his body will simply never be the same again.

Like a dip in his performance, age catching up to The Captain is inevitable. If this latest injury isn't the sign that this is happening, it's just a matter of time before we see something that's off with Jeter in his performance or physical well-being.

Consider this scenario at least eventually becoming the new normal for Jeter until his days in the majors are over. In turn, that could turn Jeter into a more part-time fielder as opposed to the team's everyday shortstop.

It's just a reality that Yankee and baseball fans in general will have to come to terms with at some point. It's the same reality that will keep Jeter from reaching Pete Rose's all-time hits record, which was a mark some thought Jeter could reach with longevity that seemed endless only a year ago.

I'm not ready to seal the deal on Jeter's career just yet in regards to his body, but clearly something isn't right with him at this point. Instead of worrying about which records Jeter will break, baseball fans need to just hope that he can stay on the field for the foreseeable future as his career continues to wind down.

A baseball generation without a consummate professional like Jeter seems impossible to accept, but it's a very harsh dose of reality that will be realized sooner rather than later and Jeter has nothing but age to thank for that.

Baltimore Orioles: Chris Davis' Record-Chasing Season Isn't Getting Media Attention it Deserves

Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

As Chris Davis socked home run No. 33 in the Baltimore Orioles' 88th game of the 2013 MLB season, it's quite apparent the national media isn't paying as much attention to Davis chasing Roger Maris' 61 homers as it should and did with the likes of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa back in 1998.

Davis is currently on pace to belt at least 60 homers, but it's certainly plausible he puts together a week where he hits more home runs than his average to give him a better shot. It's also possible he flames out and doesn't break the record, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't be getting more credit than he is now.

RT @ESPNStatsInfo: Chris Davis: 33 HR, tied for 4th-most by AL player before All-Star Break. pic.twitter.com/nM4xN0tore
— Baseball Tonight (@BBTN) July 6, 2013

There may be a few reasons for this being the case.

Maybe the media as a whole still views Barry Bonds as the home run king in MLB history, thus that would mean Davis is not on pace to eclipse Bonds' 73-homer mark set back in 2001. If that's what is driving this lack of attention, it couldn't be more troubling.

If you are a die-hard baseball fan, there's not a chance in hell you consider Bonds or any of the steroid era players to be in control of this prestigious record. Steroids in baseball has been considered cheating by the vast majority of fans of the sport, so cheating shouldn't mean you earned any record.

A vast amount of evidence out there has no doubt convicted Bonds in the eyes of the public.

Therefore, Bonds doesn't hold Maris' record in the court of public opinion and he will never get the respect associated with his record-breaking mark over a decade ago. The record books may say one thing, but it doesn't mean as much as what you and I believe as fans of the sport.

Also, if the media is still compliant in the notion that Bonds is the record-holder, it couldn't be further from reality than it currently is now.

Even Davis himself has admitted he still considers Maris the record-holder in an interview with ESPN's Mike and Mike, per NESN.com. It's safe to say he's in the majority with that thought process.

Chris Davis Still Considers Roger Maris Single-Season Home Run Record Holder http://t.co/NKkF1Y3FpD
— NESN (@NESN) July 6, 2013

The other side of this puzzling coin is quite possibly the media is afraid to follow Davis too closely in the event that he is found to have been doing steroids all along. That would be bizarre at best because Davis hasn't been found to be doing anything wrong and only baseless accusations from a few fans really exist in the matter.

Logically speaking, Davis must be taken seriously in his approach of 61 homers.

He would be the first player to eclipse the mark cleanly (as long as no evidence pops up) and should be recognized as the new home-run champion should he get there. It would set a dangerous precedent if Davis hits 62 homers and the public writes him off as a cheater.

Granted, baseball fans and the media have been trained to be skeptical of anyone approaching any home-run record, but just because it isn't likely to be done doesn't mean it is impossible to do so without the aid of foreign substances such as performance-enhancing drugs.

Since there is no evidence of that in Davis' season, there is really no reason not to get on the bandwagon and cover Davis' every move for the last three months of the year.

The media is seriously missing the boat on this one, but there is still time to start giving Davis the attention all potential record breakers get when they approach one of the most coveted marks in sports. I'm not looking for the 24/7 media circus that was 1998 and 2001, but a mention once in awhile for Davis wouldn't hurt.

On top of just breaking this record being a news story in and of itself, Davis breaking Maris' mark would be great for the game because it would reinstill the faith back in the sport that great, special and record-breaking things can happen without needing to cheat in any way, shape or form.

Andre Iguodala: Former Denver Nuggets Swingman Signs With Golden State Warriors

 

By Michael Moraitis--Featured Columnist

Former Denver Nuggets swingman Andre Iguodala is moving out west for the 2013-14 season and beyond as he has signed a four-year deal with the Golden State Warriors.

Per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Iguodala has signed a four-year deal worth $48 million with the Warriors.

Andre Igoudala has reached agreement with Golden State on a four year, $48 million deal with the Warriors, league source tells Y! Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 5, 2013

Iguodala originally had a player option for next season with Denver but decided to opt out and test the free-agent market. Iguodala was set to make roughly $16 million with his Nuggets option but instead chose to explore getting a new contract for more years.

The former Nuggets guard/forward averaged 13 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.

While his scoring numbers were some of the lowest in his career, Iguodala still remains one of the better all-around players in the league on both sides of the ball as a talented offensive player and an even more talented defender.

The Warriors will enjoy his services greatly for the next four years. Not only does he figure to help them out in the depth department on offense, but Iguodala will now give Golden State the lock down defender they need to hold opposing teams stars in check.

On top of that, the Warriors can now make either Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes expendable in their attempts to pull off a sign-and-trade that will bring free agent Dwight Howard to the team. A move such as that will make Golden State instant NBA Finals contenders next season.

On the flip side, Denver's bad defensive squad figures to get even worse without Iguodala. The Nuggets allowed more points per game than any other team in the NBA last season and that was with Iguodala in the lineup every night.

Now Denver must look to bring in another guard and/or forward who can help match Iguodala's production on offense and defense, but with the money they save the Nuggets should be able to replace him with a quality player or two as free agency continues.

If that turns out not to be the plan for the Nuggets, guys like Wilson Chandler and Evan Fournier figure to be the biggest beneficiaries of Iguodala's departure and should see increased minutes as a result.

Will any of these players have the all-around impact Iguodala delivers? That remains to be seen.