Peyton Manning, MVP
Peyton Manning was rightfully announced as the NFL MVP today. He was a near unanimous decision, getting all but 1 first place vote. The other first place vote was cast for...
Dante Culpepper
Drew Brees
LaDanian Tomlinson
Ben Rothlisberger
Brett Favre
Terrell Owens
Donovan McNabb
Tom Brady
Curtis Martin
Shawn Alexander
Michael Vick.
MICHAEL VICK??? Did I miss the announcement that the league MVP will be voted on by elementary school children? Is it even remotely possible that anybody, whose only job is to watch and write about NFL football games, could honestly say that Michael Vick was the most valuable player? I can't even form a half-baked excuse for why Vick can be considered the MVP.
If your ballot had Michael Vick as the MVP, you should not only lose your voting rights, you should lose your job and be subject to ridicule. Vick over Manning? Come on! That's not even trying.
Dejan's 10 questions
First, let me start by saying that Pirate fans couldn't be more lucky to have Dejan Kovacevic taking Paul Meyer's spot in the trib. Nothing against Mr. Meyer, but Dejan did a great job with the Penguins and I'm sure he'll do a great job with the Pirates.
Every Pirate blogger is answering the 10 quetions Dejan posed in a recent PG Q&A. So, without further adieu....
Question 1: Who deserves most of the blame for the Pirates' inability to win since moving into PNC Park?
Answer: Kevin McClatchy. Period.
Question 2: When you see young players excel, as have Oliver Perez, Jason Bay, Jose Castillo, Jack Wilson and Mike Gonzalez, do you find reason for hope? Or do you just picture how they will look in another uniform?
Answer: Terrible question. I see neither. If your answer is that you see them in another uniform, then what in the hell are you doing here? Go read one of the billion Red Sox blogs.
Question 3: For old-timers only: Can you recall any Pirates player between Ralph Kiner and Perez who single-handedly drew Pittsburgh fans to the ballpark?
Answer: Another terrible and unfair question. I don't know if I qualify as an old timer, but I'm pretty sure that I bugged the hell out of my dad to go to 3-rivers so I could see Willie Stargell and Dave Parker and John Candelaria and ...you get the picture. While I had my favorite players (Stargell, Madlock, Tekulve) it never mattered who was in the uniform. I just wanted to watch my team. Besides, how many players from any team can be said to actually single-handedly draw people to the park? Barry Bonds played here for crise-sake, and if he isn't a draw then I don't know what Dejan is looking for. This question does shed light on the short-sighted thinking that's pervasive in the organization. Instead of wasting time pursuing or keeping players the "fans want to see", let's put a quality product on the field and see how many people flock.
Question 4: What are your choices for Dave Littlefield's best and worst personnel moves in his tenure? This does not have to be limited to trades. It also can be an internal move (keeping Castillo in the majors last year, Rule 5 fiasco, drafting Neil Walker, whatever).
Answer: Best move - Brian Giles trade, with a close 2nd being the Todd Ritchie trade. Worst move - trading Aramis Ramirez. Duh.
That was too easy. Let's modify the question and try again - "What are your choices for best move that went under the radar and worst move that didn't draw enough criticism."
Answer: Best under the radar move - Sticking with Jack Wilson. Worst move that was glossed over - Drafting Neil Walker for publicity sake.
Question 5: In your mind, which prospect in the organization who has yet to appear in a major-league game has the greatest potential?
Answer: How the hell do I know? I haven't seen most of them play. But going by the numbers, I'd say Zach Duke.
Question 6: If Major League Baseball shut down for a full season or more when its current Basic Agreement expires in a couple of years, and you had reason to believe that the end result would be a salary-cap system, how would you react during the work stoppage?
Answer: I'd say, "It's about time." Players deserve EVERY penny that they can get. And the playing field has never been level (no matter what you chose to believe). However, it's so out of whack today that MLB is inching closer to professional wrestling territory, where the winners and losers are chosen before the competition begins. I prefer sport. That said, there is no reason why the Pirates can't field a competitive team every once in a while. You don't blame a decade of losing on the Yankees.
Question 7: For season-ticket holders only: Is there anyone 18 or younger in Pittsburgh who cares about the Pirates? I am not talking about kids who get dragged there by their parents and roll their eyes when dad starts talking about how Bill Madlock once said that hitting a sac fly is the easiest thing in baseball. I am talking about passionate, stats-keeping, analyze-every-move, Bay-jersey-wearing fans.
Answer: Well, I used to be a season ticket holder, so I'll answer. The answer is "yes." If anyone really needs to ask this question, then they should start spending more time out and about in their community. Of course there are kids who beg their parents to take them to games. I'll admit that there are a lot more entertainment choices today than when I was little, but that doesn't mean a future fan base isn't out there. And let's face it, kids will always roll their eyes at their parents. It's got nothing to do with good old #5.
Question 8: Who should start in center field? For that matter, what should the outfield look like? Feel free to throw in a free agent you think the Pirates should sign or acquire through trade. But be realistic. No Beltran.
Answer: Who knows. The center field situation is in shambles. Bay can't play centerfield. Redman is a case study in why speed doesn't always equal range. And the word on Lawton is that the cutoff man is going to get a good workout. Pressed for an answer, I guess I'd have to say Bay, at least until the wheels fall off that experiment. Please don't anybody mention Burnitz.
Question 9: How do you feel about the Pirates' decision to delay signing Perez to a long-term contract? Is it a needless risk that could cost the team money in the long run? Or a shrewd show of patience?
Answer: Another bad question. This presumes the Pirates have the option of whether or not to sign Perez long-term. The answer to this question is: "If the Pirates think they can sign him long-term for less than market value, then they should and would. Otherwise, they shouldn't sign him."
Question 10: A purely selfish one: What would you like to see in the Post-Gazette's coverage of the Pirates in 2005?
Answer: Some acknowledgment of the fine stuff being written on the internet by the folks I've linked on the left!
Pirates minor league report
If you have an interest in the Bucs' minor leaguers, (and really, who doesn't) you need to check out Wilbur Miller's excellent site. He has information on everyplayer in the Pirates sytem, grouped by position. It's really a great place to visit. Go
here. Now.
Updated status
Accordng to the techinician who did my MRI, it looks like the hip pain is being caused by a herniated disc. So...since it's impossible for me to sit, and since it's difficult to type while standing, I may be out for a few days.
Let's go Steelers.
