Knicks Are Lin-Sane

Last night the Knicks might have made a move (or lack of move) that they will regret in the coming years.  They chose to not match the Rockets offer sheet for Jeremy Lin.  Lin was offered a 3 year, $25 million deal by the Rockets.  At first the organization said they would match the offer.  Lin reconstructed a deal with the Rockets that would pay him $5 million in the first two seasons and nearly $15 million in the third season of the contract.  This hurt the Knicks because in the third year it would cost them in luxury taxes and bring the total contract to about $43 million in 2014-15.

The breakout guard brought magic to Madison Square Garden and an energy that the Knicks have been missing for over a decade.  Lin was days away from being cut from the team because they did not have room for him.  Everything would change on Saturday night on February 4th against the Nets.  Lin would be inserted in the lineup and score a career high 25 points.  It would be a start to a 7 game win streak that turned the Knicks season around.  Lin would be the talk of the NBA for weeks to come.  "Linsanity" would take over New York as jerseys sold more than any other player, endorsement deals were coming in, and he could finally move off of his brother's couch.  The Knicks were 8-15 before Lin came on the scene out of nowhere. Nobody could have predicted the former Harvard guard to break out and turn the Knicks season around.  Lin was dropped by the Warriors and Rockets where he did not get much playing time.

The Knicks made a sign and trade with the Blazers to acquire Raymond Felton, which essentially marked the end of the brief, remarkable Jeremy Lin era in New York.  The Knicks chose to go with the combination of Raymond Felton and 39 year old Jason Kidd to lead them at the point guard position.  It seems as if James Dolan let his emotions get the best of him.  Dolan was frustrated with Lin for working out the new contract with the Rockets that made it tough for the Knicks to match. Dolan also did not like the fact that Lin did not play at 85% in the playoffs following knee surgery.

Dolan and the Knicks front office let their personal emotions have an effect on business.  The Knicks will now be led by Felton, who averaged around 11 points and 6 assists a game last season, and an older Jason Kidd who just was arrested for a DWI.  The Knicks decided to go with the two older, more experienced point guards as they try to improve on their 36-30 season and first round exit in the playoffs last season.  The Knicks get nothing in return for losing Lin and cannot use the money they could have used on Lin elsewhere.  Jeremy Lin will be missed by many Knicks fans, who embraced the young guard when he broke on the scene in February.  Over 10,000 fans signed a petition for him to stay, but to no avail.  Lin will be successful in Houston where he will not have the spotlight on him every second.  Lin  said he wanted to stay with the Knicks, but it did not work out.  The Knicks will miss the young and rising guard and the organization will realize the mistake they made by letting him go.

Nets Will Be Fine Without Howard

The Dwight Howard to the Nets saga has finally come to and end. The Magic and Nets ended trade talks earlier today as they could not get a deal done after several attempts.  There were rumors of a 4 team trade, a 3 team trade, and a trade between the Nets and Magic.

The Nets have moved on and resigned their center Brook Lopez to a 4 year $61 million deal.  Pieces now are being placed together for the Brooklyn Nets as General Manager Billy King has done a tremendous job this offseason to turn an irrelevant Nets team the last couple of years into a team that can instantly contend. They started off the offseason by resigning their small forward Gerald Wallace to a 4 year $40 million deal.  Shortly after, the Nets made a blockbuster trade to acquire All Star shooting guard Joe Johnson from the Hawks.  After the signing of Wallace and the trade for Johnson, point guard Deron Williams knew that it would be the right choice to stay with a Nets team who was putting together a team that can win now. Deron Williams chose the Nets over the Mavericks as he signed a 5 year $100 million deal to join Wallace and Johnson.  The Nets also added Bosnian 6'9 forward Mirza Teletovic who was a star overseas and can be a huge contributer for the Nets at power forward.  They also acquired forward/center Reggie Evans in a sign and trade with the Clippers and signed Jerry Stackhouse to a 1 year deal. Brooklyn is also working on a sign and trade to bring in Antwan Jamison at power forward.  Not trading for Dwight Howard also meant the Nets got to keep their young guard MarShon Brooks who had a very impressive rookie season last year.

The Nets have definitely made a splash this offseason. They have one of the best starting backcourts in Deron Williams and Joe Johnson. Johnson provides them with a guy who can make shots as he is one of the best shooters in the NBA. Gerald Wallace has been a consistent rebounder and defender at small forward who will contribute double figures in points as well. Brook Lopez is coming off a season where he only played in 5 games after breaking his foot. Lopez had not missed any games in his first three seasons prior to breaking his foot. He averaged 20 points a game in the 2010-2011 season. He is arguably a top 5 center in the NBA and a very solid offensive center. Mirza Teletovic will be a huge addition being a big man who can shoot from downtown.  He was a star overseas and will be another shooter to come in and make big shots for the Nets.  Rookie Tyshawn Taylor out of Kansas will also be a big contributor coming off the bench backing up Deron Williams.  This Nets team is very deep and its only July 11th, the first day free agents can be signed.  Even after losing Howard, this looks to be a playoff team who can surprise a lot of people this year.  Brooklyn will see a very exciting and winning team to open the Barclays Center in 2012-2013.

Mets First Half Review

The 2012 Mets came into the season with no expectations by many. They were looked at as a team in a rebuilding process, a team with a rag tag no name lineup, and a very questionable pitching staff.  If I were to tell you at the beginning of April that going into the All Star Game, the 2012 Mets would be six games over .500, a half game out of a NL Wild Card spot, and 4.5 games out of the NL East, you would probably call me crazy.

Who would have thought? The Mets are going into the All Star game tonight with a record of 46-40 and within striking distance of a playoff spot with 76 games remaining.  It all starts with the pitching staff and the question mark at the top of the rotation began with Johan Santana. Coming off shoulder surgery, many were not sure how Santana would pitch.  He would come out looking like the Santana of old in the first half. Mets fans got to witness something they have been waiting 50 years for...a no hitter.  With the exception of a couple of starts this year, Santana has pitched tremendously. He comes into the half with a 6-5 record and a 3.24 ERA.

The major surprise for the Mets and for all of Major League Baseball has been the first half that knuckleballer R.A. Dickey has put together.  Dickey has been nothing short of spectacular coming into the break with a 12-1 record and a 2.40 ERA with 123 strikeouts. Dickey threw two consecutive complete game one hitters which is unheard of in baseball today.  He was snubbed out of starting the All Star game because of a poor decision by Tony LaRussa, but will still get his chance to pitch in the game for the first time in his career.

When Mike Pelfrey went down in April, Jon Niese and Dillon Gee knew that they would have to step up and they have done just that.  Niese signed a 5 year contract extension before the season as the Mets are expecting big things from the young southpaw. Niese is 7-4 with a respectable 3.73 ERA coming into the break. Dillon Gee has surprised many as the Mets fourth starter with a 6-7 record and a 4.10 ERA.  Chris Young has also stepped in and done a nice job as the fifth starter since his return on June 5th. Young has had a quality start every time he has pitched not allowing more than 3 earned runs in his six starts. The Mets rotation has surprised many and is a big reason why this team is in a playoff race.

Another surprise to many is how the Mets lineup has come together and done an excellent job, especially with two outs. This lineup led by All Star David Wright has come up with clutch hits every night with two outs. It has been a recipe for their success in the first half and something that needs to continue for them to have a strong second half. David Wright's numbers have been off the charts all season long. He has not slumped all year and day after day continues to show why he is the cornerstone of this franchise. He is hitting .351 with 11 home runs and 59 RBI coming into the break with an astounding .441 on base percentage.

Ike Davis who struggled mightily the first two months of the season has finally got it together in the month of June and so far in July. He has 12 home runs and 49 RBI in the first half. Lucas Duda, who has been streaky at times is also contributing in the middle of that lineup with 12 home runs and 44 RBI.  The guy who has surprised most has been Scott Hairston. Hairston is tied for the team lead with 12 home runs. Hairston has abused left handed pitching all season and has been monumental in the Mets first half success.  Guys like Daniel Murphy, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Mike Baxter, Ruben Tejada have also come in and have done a tremendous job for skipper Terry Collins.

The main weakness of this year's team has been the bullpen thus far. Frank Francisco has been very up and down and is currently on the disabled list as he works his way back in the coming week.  Manny Acosta who is in Triple-A Buffalo now was terrible when he had his time with the Mets. Ramon Ramirez has not been the guy the Mets hoped they would acquire in the trade for Angel Pagan. Pedro Beato has just returned and will be a pivotal piece of the Mets middle relief in the second half.  Two guys out of the bullpen who have been great all year for this team have been Bobby Parnell and Tim Byrdak.  Parnell has filled in for Francisco nicely at closer since he went down with injury and Byrdak has been the guy to come in and get lefty hitters out and he has done it with great success.

The question is if the Mets can keep up what we have seen in the first half. We saw a resilient team that following a loss or a tough streak would come back and string some wins together. This team never gives up and finds ways to come back and win ball games.  They start the second half with Dillon Gee going down with injury.  Gee will start the second half on the disabled list as he has a clot in his artery in his right shoulder.  For this team to win down the stretch, it is pivotal that they acquire an arm for the bullpen in a guy like Huston Street. They need a veteran relief pitcher who has been there before and that can help them shut down games late. Also, with Jason Bay failing to stay healthy and his failure to produce, this team needs a right handed hitter with some power to help out a predominately left hand hitting lineup.  A guy like Carlos Quentin would fill that role perfectly.  If this team could add those two pivotal pieces, don't be surprised if the Mets are playing meaningful games in September.  This team has shocked all of baseball and if their rotation continues to pitch the way it has, they can make a run at one of those two NL Wild Card spots.  Nobody in the NL wants to face R.A. Dickey if it comes down to a one game playoff.

7/1/12-SportsTalk1240

Listen to my latest sports radio show-SportsTalk1240 on AM1240 WGBB in Long Island.  Me and Ty Hardamon discuss NBA free agency as Nets beat writer for the Star Ledger Colin Stephenson joined us. We also discussed the surging Mets and David Wright not being voted the starting third baseman. Listen in.

7/1/12-SportsTalk1240

RA-DICKEY-LOUS

R.A. Dickey was once a guy who was fighting just to get to the big leagues.  He had a good knuckleball, but it was not good enough to get him recognized like Tim Wakefield, Phil Niekro, and Charlie Hough.  On April 29, 2010, when pitching for triple-A Buffalo, the Mets realized that they may have found something in Dickey. Dickey would give up a single to the first batter that night and then get the next 27 batters out to throw a one hitter.  We would soon learn that more dominant performances were on the way.

Monday night, Dickey showed the world that he might just be one of the most dominant knuckleballers of all time and the most dominant pitcher in the league right now.  Dickey breezed through the Baltimore Orioles lineup throwing his second consecutive complete game one hitter.  The Tennessee native struck out 13 Orioles and only walked two batters.  He gave up a single in the 5th to break up the no hitter.  Dickey was coming off as dominant a performance his last start against Tampa Bay.  Dickey gave up one infield single that could have been ruled an error and the Rays lineup was baffled by the swirling knuckleball that nobody could hit.

There was a feel of magic in the air at Citi Field Monday night.  Fans could not believe the absolute brilliance that was happening right in front of them.  Just two and a half weeks ago, fans witnessed the first no hitter in Mets history by Johan Santana and once again they would get to see an equally dominant performance from Dickey.  In all honesty, Dickey's two one hitters were as paramount or more than Santana's one hitter.  Hitters were not even making contact with the knuckleball that were leaving major leaguers scratching their head, throwing their bats, and a lot of times breaking them.

Two one hitters and 25 strikeouts for R.A. Dickey.  Two overbearing starts against two playoff teams right now.  Dickey is now 11-1 with a microscopic 2.00 ERA.  Robert Allen has 103 strikeouts in 99 innings pitched.  He has given up just 67 hits and 21 walks in those 99 innings.  The numbers this man is putting up are Cy Young worthy, MVP worthy, and undoubtedly All Star Game starting pitcher worthy.  Dickey has come out every 5th day and essentially given the Mets a win every time.  The guy has not allowed an earned run since May 22nd.  He has only had one start this season that was not a quality one and that came on a rainy day in Atlanta.  Take that start out and Dickey has been absolutely flawless this season.

What we are seeing from R.A. Dickey is an absolute joy to watch.  He has transformed the art of the knuckleball and at age 37, with the way he keeps his body and being a knuckleballer, still has plenty of years left in him.  In knuckleball years, Dickey is in his prime and can easily pitch into his mid-40s.  Hey, if the Mets can stay in the race and make a run for one of those two wild card spots in the National League, watch out for the dynamic duo of R.A. Dickey and Johan Santana right now at the top of the rotation.  It has become a front end that nobody wants to face.

A Night to Remember at Citi: HI57ORY

It was the first of June in 2012.  It was the Mets 8,020th game in the team's 51st season.  It was a night at Citi Field that Mets fans have been waiting their whole lives to see.  Me and the other 27,068 fans came out to see the return of Carlos Beltran to Citi Field in a Cardinals uniform.  What we ended up seeing was history.

At 9:45pm on a cool, breezy night in Flushing, David Freese swung on and missed for the 27th out.  Johan Santana had thrown the first no hitter in New York Mets history.  The Mets could not do it at the Polo Grounds for their first two years.  They could not do it at Shea Stadium for its 45 years of existence. They could not do it in the first three seasons at Citi Field.  Finally, in the celebratory year of the Mets 50th anniversary, in the team's 51st season and third ballpark, Johan Santana had completed the first ever Mets no hitter.  I was waiting for last night to happen since I started being at fan at the age of 8.  I have been to over a season's worth (162) Mets games in my life and the night finally came.  

There were so many moments in this game that made this such a special first no hitter for the Mets.  First, in the 6th inning, the ball hit by Carlos Beltran that was fair and got called foul.  After this, it seemed the Mets caught a break, and history could be in the making.  In the 7th inning is when it seemed that it was destiny for the Mets.  Yadier Molina, the man who beat the Mets in the NLCS in 2006 at Shea Stadium with his 9th inning home run, would hit one deep to left field that looked to make it the 8,020th game that the Mets would not throw a no hitter.  The pride of Whitestone, Mike Baxter, would put his glove out, catch the ball, and bang into the left field wall and somehow hold on to the ball to make one of the biggest catches in Mets history.  Baxter would leave the game with injury, but not before getting a standing ovation from everyone in the ballpark.  Baxter had somehow saved the no hitter and Santana was just seven outs away from history.  After that catch is when I said to myself...this could happen tonight.  

After the 134th pitch thrown by Johan Santana, the Mets woes of never throwing a no hitter came to an end.  Citi Field finally had the feel of home.  It was like the days at Shea as random fans all celebrated together.  High fiving and chest pumping with everyone at the ballpark was normal.  It was a night that you enjoy with the people who have been going to games for years, and a night you tell the youth to remember when they grow up.  Leaving Citi Field was hard as fans stuck around to celebrate together and realize how big of a moment this was.  It was a dream come true to be witness to such a tremendous moment in Mets history.  It happened in my last game before I begin interning Tuesday with SNY working Mets programming.  Being at the John Maine near no hitter in 2007 was incredible, but this topped them all.  

My Radio Show with special guest Charles Jenkins

Here's the audio of my first sports radio show, SportsTalk1240 on AM1240-WGBB on Sunday night May 20th, 2012.  On the show was Warriors guard and the greatest player in Hofstra basketball history, Charles Jenkins.

5/20/12-SportsTalk1240 with Charles Jenkins

Knicks Season Comes To End

The banged up Knicks roster could not pull off a miracle in Miami.  The Heat ended the Knicks season Wednesday night defeating the Knicks with ease, winning the series four games to one.

New York knew it would be tough to make it a series once Iman Shumpert went down with a torn ACL.  As it if that was not enough, Amare Stoudemire decided to go at war with a fire extinguisher and cut up his hand.  Stoudemire would have to miss game three because of the injury.  If those two blows were not enough, Baron Davis would then go down in game four tearing his ACL as well.  The Knicks were down three point guards for game five.  Jeremy Lin could not pull a Willis Reed as his knee still was not 100 percent.  The Heat were just too talented for a Knicks team that was hobbled and in disarray.

The Knicks did not show much fight in game five as they could not get the game close in the second half. They trailed by double digits the entire second half and could not put any form of run on.  The Heat had an answer to every move the Knicks tried to make.  The Knickerbockers got the one team in the Eastern Conference that they did not want to play.  They clearly would have matched up better playing the Bulls, who trail the eight seeded Sixers three games to two.  Miami is by far the best team in the East right now.  With Derrick Rose going down with a torn ACL, the Heat have instantly become the favorite out of the East.

Mike Woodson's squad has a very good team and one that can definitely contend once again next year.  This team needs some backcourt help.  Steve Nash will definitely be a guy that the Knicks will have on their radar.  Jeremy Lin was huge for New York, but the league started to catch up with him a bit before he got hurt.  The Knicks will most likely bring back Lin-sanity as he instantly became a fan favorite.  The team still needs a lot of backcourt help as Iman Shumpert will not be back until around Christmas time and Baron Davis will miss almost all of next season.  Landry Fields will also become a free agent and could have played his last game as a Knick.  New York needs to bring in a guy who can score out of the backcourt helping out Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.  Besides another point guard along with Lin, and a shooting guard, the Knicks need another big man to come off the bench.  Jared Jeffries is not the answer.  Jeffries played well off the bench this year, but New York needs another big man who is not a liability offensively.

Coach Woodson definitely deserves to return next year.  Woodson had this team playing very good basketball finishing 18-6 to end the season.  Unless Phil Jackson decides to come out of retirement, Mike Woodson should coach this team next season.

With a bit of backcourt help and some depth added to the bench, the Knicks could definitely come in next season after a full summer of training camp and compete with the Bulls and Heat at the top of the Eastern Conference.