Random Thoughts Heading into February

Sox missed out; Mets re-claim top status in NL East

Let's face it: The Red Sox blew a golden opportunity to re-position themselves as the front-runner heading into the 2008 season. The Tigers made a big splash acquiring Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins, and with a pitching staff of Verlander, Willis, Bonderman, Rogers and Robertson they seem real tough. Having a bona-fide ace, three solid lefties and a another righty with top of the rotation potential is a good thing to have. And that lineup is reminiscent of the Yankees during their late 90's reign. No holes and no let-up for any team's pitching staff.

If Boston had committed to the Santana deal, imagine Johan, Beckett, and Matsusaka at the top of the rotation. With Schilling and Wakefield still around to hold down the back-end for a year, the Sox could have afforded to make a package from a crop of Bucholz, Lester, Ellsbury and Bowden. They certainly could have kept one of the pitchers while giving up some of the young talent that has either arrived or is on its way up through the system.

I know Theo is big on developing in-house, but I've said this before and I'll say it again: the minor league system is like a $1/$2 table at the Mirage - build up your $1 and $5 chips and once the stack starts falling over, color out and head to the $2/$4 table. You keep doing that until you find yourself seated at the Big Game w/ Doyle, the Phils and Negraneau. Pull the trigger, Theo! You have to wonder if he questions his own baseball acumen these days with the list of busts that he has compiled as of late(Drew, Lugo, Gagne and Crisp off the top of my head). Props on his drafting ability, but unless you're the A's or any other small market team, most GMs use prospects to line up big time trades. Not Theo.

The one plus is that it's the Mets who ended up winning the sweepstakes, and not the Yankees or any other AL team for that matter. While they may come out of the National League in '08, I still don't think their pitching staff wins a WS title. They added one of the best in the game, but with the loss of Glavine, they didn't address depth in the rotation (or lack thereof). After Santana and Maine, who faded bigtime down the stretch last year, there's Pedro's and his noodle arm, Perez and his diaper, and El Suckque. Wagner and 'pen give em a chance, but in a 7-game series, Santana will HAVE to pitch 3 games.

Leyritz finally coming down to Earth

It's amazing what one clutch moment can do to someone's head. Jim Leyritz was no better than a serviceable big league back-up during his 11 year stint in the majors. But who would have known that one big WS homerun would cloud this man's judgement for the balance of his life. Looks like his head swelled so big he thought he could pour more booze into it, too. Turns out, a big ego doesn't turn into a big tolerance.

It's unfortunate someone's life was taken, and my sympathies go out to the family of the victim, but it's about time Leyritz got pulled off his high horse. I got to see him interact with media, players and big wigs alike at the ALCS and WS this past season. To say he was his biggest fan would be an understatement. This guy thought he was Mr. Baseball. Here's to serving four more years in jail than you did in the Bigs, pal.

Rondo making strides

The NBA should create an award just to give Rajon Rondo something for what he's done this year. I don't care if it's a certificate of achievement like something out of a Little League Baseball tournament. Give this kid his dues. Watching him run the Celtics' offense has been surprisingly enjoyable thus far, and he continues to get better night in and night out. His defense hasn't lapsed one bit, and he's slashing to the hole and creating shots around big men like a 12-year veteran. His ability to do this is opening up opportunities around him, and I think we're seeing a pass-first attitude become contagious up-and-down the C's roster. I mean, any other year would Paul Pierce pass up a layup to kick it out to Scalabrine in the corner for 3? Absolutely not, but he did against the Magic last Sunday (Scal rimmed out, by the way).

But it's a good thing, because it's giving guys like Perkins, Powe and Big Baby opportunities to score double digits and make meaningful contributions in meaningful minutes. And for the Magic to need a last second 3 to win it against a KG-less C's squad says a lot about the maturation process the rest of the team has gone through this season. Veterans like Eddie House and James Posey, Tony Allen and the like are expected to provide solid time. But this team is now potentially 10-men deep. That's scary in the East.

And with Rondo stepping up game after game, I think he'll be just fine come playoff time matching up against Chauncey Billups.