Written By: Mike Ulatoski

Tom Coughlin isn’t one to mess around. So, it wasn’t surprising when the Giants head coach made it clear that Osi Umenyiora will have to earn his starting job back this season.

Umenyiora said at the start of the offseason that he wanted to return to his starting job this season, or play elsewhere. And if he couldn’t start anymore, he said he’d retire. Coughlin has sent a message: Osi is no different from anybody else on the Giants; he is going to have to fight for a starting job.

“It’s like we tell everybody: go earn it,” said Coughlin, who has spoken with the disgruntled Umenyiora. “He’s going to come in and work hard to establish that position. That’s what he is. He’s a big part of our team. He certainly is a gifted, gifted football player.”

Coughlin also said he doesn’t envision this turning into something ugly, like it did with Jeremy Shockey.

“I don’t think so,” Coughlin said of Umenyiora, who was demoted for Mathias Kiwanuka. “I hope not. There’s great respect for Osi and his ability and I think vice versa. Osi, for the New York Giants, I think he wants to be here and I think he wants to be a part of our team.”

- I like what Coughlin is doing here. We’ve seen how great of a player Osi can be, and the kind of force he can be on the defensive line. With that, nobody is bigger than the team. It’s best for the team to have the best 11 players on the field. To be one of the eleven is something that is earned, not given.

Coughlin also gave his state of the Giants address. During it, he talked about the team’s decision to release linebacker and quarterback of the defense, Antonio Pierce. He said it was not a medical decision, despite the linebacker’s season-ending neck injury.

“Antonio, again, was a great player for the New York Giants. He was a wonderful acquisition for us. We played against him when he was in Washington. He was the kind of player I really looked forward to having with us because he had the qualities of leadership and was able to inspire other guys around him. He certainly was a huge part of our Super Bowl team and continued to be a leader on the field. The decision was made; we were going to part ways. But as I told him when he left, I said, ‘I love ya. You’re a part of the New York Giant history and you always will be.’”

Coughlin also talked about the hiring of new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and firing of Bill Sheridan:

“I expect us to return to being the kind of defensive football team the New York Giants have always been,” Coughlin said. “We play the game a certain way. We play the game with great balance and with team in mind, with the way we talk about the non-turnover game, running the ball, defending the run. That’s how we play. The defensive coordinator change… Bill Sheridan was there during the Super Bowl year and did an outstanding job for us. It just didn’t work. We were not a very good football team last year on defense, we had our issues – not all coaching, not all coaching. We all share the blame, starting with me.

“But the simple fact of the matter is I felt we needed to make a change and we did. I wish Bill well in his new job with the Miami Dolphins. Perry Fewell is a young man I brought into the National Football League when we were in Jacksonville. I followed his career very closely. Perry’s a dynamic, energetic, passionate young guy and I think that’s something we need right now. We’re looking forward to the kind of leadership Perry can bring and the way he will work with our players and the kind of energy he brings to the task.”

- Pierce being released has to have something to do with his herniated disk. I can’t see GM Jerry Reese releasing the heart and soul of a Giant defense without an injury having something to do with it. I would have closely monitored his rehab in the offseason, and brought him back for one more year. Worst-case scenario, Pierce mentors a young ‘backer to replace him in his role as the defense’s quarterback.

Now, on to the defense. Take a look at these numbers:

The Giants gave up more than 40 points in each of their last two games, and a total 427 points for the season, ranking third from the bottom in the NFL. Only the Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams gave up more points.

My jaw dropped when I read that, and I still haven’t been able to pick it up off the ground. I was depressed for a week when Spagnuolo left for the head coaching job in Football Hell…I mean St. Louis. He was the perfect fit for running the Giants’ defense. But, I loved the fact that the Giants hired from within the organization when they promoted linebackers coach Bill Sheridan. Now, the blame for last season can’t be entirely placed on Sheridan; check out the list of injuries about a quarter of the way down in this article. Unfortunately, someone had to be blamed, and a majority of the blame was aimed at Sheridan.

I like the hiring of Fewell. He spent the last 4 seasons as Buffalo’s defensive coordinator, and the last 7 games of the 2009 season as interim head coach (posting a record of 3-4). His specialty is, and always has been, defensive backs – evidenced by Buffalo’s defensive backs leading the AFC with 28 interceptions, second in the NFL behind only the Green Bay Packers (the G-Men had 13 interceptions in comparison). On top of that, the Bills’ defense allowed 14 touchdown passes in each of the last two seasons. The Giants gave up 31 in 2009. Plus, he and Coughlin are boys – Fewell spent five seasons as Coughlin’s secondary coach in Jacksonville.

Coughlin also thinks the running back tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will be healthy again this season. Coughlin expects both to rebound from mediocre seasons plagued by injuries and both to carry a heavy workload once again in 2010. Both running backs underwent surgery, with Jacobs repairing a torn meniscus in his right knee and Bradshaw undergoing surgery to fix stress fractures in both feet. Coughlin stressed that he thinks Bradshaw will be fine for the OTAs.

“There’s great concern from the standpoint of the surgical procedures that have been done,” Coughlin said of his running backs. “Again, everything is stated to us as being on schedule. I think you go all the way back to Andre Brown, he’s on schedule, too. Hopefully, they’re going to be (healthy); they’re going to have to be. Danny Ware’s improvement is going to have to be as well.”

“Brandon was able to get back and play the majority of the season, let’s put it that way. There were some weeks he was not able to practice as much as you’d like him to practice. But he gutted it out and did the best he could with it, and the expectations following his procedure are he’ll return to full speed.”

Continuing with medical updates, Coughlin also talked about safety Kenny Phillips.

“Well, we have to go step-by-step here and he’s in the early stages of coming back from a serious issue. Everyone is very positive and upbeat. All of the reports have been good and that’s basically what we have to go on. But until he puts it to the test, of course, the questions are going to be there. I don’t think I’m out of place by saying he was having an outstanding preseason, an outstanding first couple of games into the season. His return to our football team as the quality young player he was developing into is very important. He would be a great addition and a great ingredient as a part of our team, but there are other things we have to put together as well.”

- With Jacobs and Bradshaw being “on schedule” in their recovery, it’s one more thing about this offense to look forward to in the coming year. Eli Manning posted career-highs in every major passing category, despite not having an elite running game. Look for the Giants to have an all-around great year on the offensive side of the ball, thanks to the return of Jacobs and Bradshaw.

I can’t really say much about Kenny Phillips at this point in the offseason. His 2009 campaign was cut short after being placed on IR after the Giants win at Dallas in Week 2 (he had two interceptions in that game). For the first two weeks of the season, Phillips had 13 tackles (9 solo), 2 picks, and 2 defended passes. But for those two weeks, a hole in the cartilage in his left knee – that had formed sometime in the spring or summer – continued to grow. He wasn’t in pain, but his knee would swell. It became impossible for him to change direction. He badly to keep playing, but with every day the hole in his knee would get bigger and become more and more difficult to repair.

Many believed he was the safety the Giants had been missing for the last couple decades. Maybe he still is that safety, but it’s way too early to tell. So far this offseason, he has been ahead of schedule in rehabbing his surgically repaired left knee. His potential is sky-high, and he could be a perennial Pro-Bowler in the NFL.  If he’s ready to go for the upcoming season, we’ll see exactly what Kenny Phillips is capable of.

Photo Credit: news.yahoo.com

Written By: Matt Vereb

The Yankees have their first Spring Training on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. According to Chad Jennings at Lo Hud Yankees blog, Chad Gaudin will gets the opening start. Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves are expected to pitch. Typically, each pitcher will throw 2-3 innings per appearance. Lesser known pitchers will mop up the later innings. Here are the proposed pitchers for the first two weeks of ST.

March 3 vs. Pittsburgh
Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, Alfredo Aceves

March 4 at Philadelphia
CC Sabathia

March 5 vs. Tampa Bay
Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain

March 6 vs. Toronto
A.J. Burnett

March 7 at Minnesota
Sergio Mitre, Chad Gaudin

March 8 vs. Philadelphia
Javier Vazquez
March 8 at Pittsburgh
Alfredo Aceves

March 9 vs. Pittsburgh
CC Sabathia

March 10 at Detroit
Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes

March 11 vs. Atlanta
A.J. Burnett

March 12 at Washington
Andy Pettitte

March 13 vs. Baltimore
Javier Vazquez

Notables: The Phillies have their first Spring Training on Thursday against the Yankees. Expect Roy Halladay to start that game against CC Sabathia. Each pitcher will only throw a limited number of innings, but it is none the less an interesting match up. The first three game will be shown on YES, so be sure to tune in to the action! Baseball is almost here.

Photo Credit: news.yahoo.com

Written By: Mike Ulatoski

#1 SEED United States (5-0-0-0, 22 goals for, 6 goals against) vs. #6 SEED Canada (4-0-1-1, 32 goals for, 14 goals against), 3:15 ET, NBC

What to Watch For:
Most of the NHL’s best players going at it with reckless abandon for 60 minutes, with the home side defending the honor of “their sport” and the visiting neighbor continuing its quest for hockey respect.

If you tune in late, you’ll probably miss a few thunderous bodychecks. If you blink you might miss a perfect breakout pass that leads to a breakaway. If you look away, you might miss a perfect, top shelf wrist shot. Don’t count on anything other than minute after minute of rivalry-fueled hockey. Nobody puts more on the line than NHL players, and we’ll be able to see that today.

Team Reports

Canada – This has hardly been the march to gold that many expected before the tournament began. Canada stunningly was extended to a shootout against Switzerland, which Sidney Crosby and Brodeur pulled out, and lost to Team USA in group play. And after obliterating overmatched Germany in the quarterfinals and blasting Russia, Canada survived a major scare when Slovakia came within a desperate Luongo save with 8 seconds left of erasing a 3-0 deficit in Friday’s semifinal. Through six games, the Canadians have played stretches of awe-inspiring hockey that prompted Slovak star Marian Hossa to compare them with the legendary Soviet teams of the ’70s and ’80s. But, Canada also has had some inexplicable hiccups. These have prompted head coach Mike Babcock to shake up his lineup, almost every game, and change starting goaltenders.

United States - Center Ryan Kesler said last August that Team USA would beat Canada in the Olympics, and that they would win a medal. Patrick Kane said, “We’re not coming here just to win bronze or silver.” Nobody outside of the American’s locker room believed any of this was possible.

The Americans have been more consistent and focused than any team in the tournament, and they have never trailed in any game so far. They hammered the opponent (Norway) they were supposed to crush. They patiently outlasted a dangerous Switzerland team, twice, and did what was necessary to upset Canada. Then, amazingly, Team USA destroyed Finland with a six-goal first period in the semifinals.

Ryan Miller has been spectacular in net, the no-doubt MVP of the tournament, and will need to be one more time. The best goaltender in the NHL this season, the Buffalo Sabres’ netminder leads these Games in both goals against average (1.04) and save percentage (.954). And he hasn’t allowed a goal in his last 111:38 of play – since Sidney Crosby beat him late in the third period of their pool play finale.

When Patrick Kane erupted for two goals against Finland, it meant that every American was doing the job for which Burke had selected him.

Still, even if it is the No. 1 seed as a result of pool play and gets to wear its blue sweaters, Team USA remains the underdog going into this game. There’s still the question of whether this group of young, brash Americans have enough jam to win on the biggest stage most of them have ever played on, in front of the most intense atmosphere most of them have never quite experienced.

Total NHL Players - All 46 are on NHL rosters. This is an NHL All-Star Game, played at the intensity level of a seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Puck Drop
It’s not 1980 in Lake Placid. The U.S. is not facing Russia, the greatest team to ever play hockey, in the midst of the Cold War. It’s 2010.  It’s Vancouver, and Team USA is facing Canadians on home ice. Again. And while nothing will ever compare to the Miracle, a U.S. win today would be miraculous.

Miracles can happen.

USA 4, Canada 3

Shot Calling – goal for Zach Parise

Written By: Matt Vereb

Our good friend, Ken Rosenthal is up to no good once again. I tend to dislike anything Rosenthal related due to the Fox Sports reporter’s anti-Yankee sentiment. Rosenthal went on record last year saying that the Yankees would once again, miss the playoffs. Great prediction, Ken. With no other relevant baseball stories, let dive into Rosenthal’s latest column, MLB Realignment. We covered team-expansion in New York yesterday. A third team in New York makes a little more sense than Rosenthal’s realignment suggestion.

Since the CBA expires in 2011, Rosenthal outlines three different alignment suggestions. I will tackle one suggestion today.

AL East AL Central AL West NL East NL Central NL West
Yankees           Red Sox          Angels        Braves         Cubs              Dodgers
Tigers               White Sox       Rangers     Phillies        Cardinals        Giants
Rays                Twins              Mariners     Mets            Brewers         Diamondbacks
Orioles             Indians            Athletics     Marlins        Reds               Rockies
Blue Jays         Royals             Astros        Nationals     Pirates           Padres

The most staggering changes?

The Red Sox and Yankees are no longer in the same division. Both teams are left with no true division rival. The only National League change involves moving the Astros to the AL West. Rosenthal proposes that this would set up a Texas-sized rivalry between the Astros and the Rangers, but no rivalry is as storied or marketable as Yankees/Red Sox. Moving the Red Sox does not make sense geographically, nor does it make sense financially. Fox Sports benefits greatly from Yankee/Red Sox matchups airing on Saturdays(Four match ups in 2010). Fans will no longer get to watch 19 Sox/Yanks matchups and would have to settle for 7-8 per season. Moving the Red Sox to the Central division improves the chance of the teams meeting in the first round of the playoffs. Compared to the AL Divisional Round, AL Championship Series match ups are much more profitable for Fox.

How it benefits baseball?

The AL Central will add a true financial powerhouse in the Red Sox. Currently, AL Central is the only division in baseball that does not have an economic super power. The Tigers would ultimately be sacrificed to the Yankees in order to create a financial balance throughout baseball. As a Yankee fan, I don’t want to see Justin Verlander 5-6 times per season. I’m content facing him 1-2 times in the current structure. One could also argue that less Yankees/Red Sox matchups would each game more important,  but I enjoy beating the Red Sox as many times as possible during the season.

Overall, realignment is an interesting concept, but not at the expense of the game’s best rivalry. Sports are 100% influenced by the movement of the dollar, but moving the Red Sox out of the East would lose some fan interest and hurt the game.

What are your realignment proposals? Or should baseball leave it alone?

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Written By: Matt Vereb

Earlier today, the Yankees and Pitcher, Chan Ho Park, agreed on a contract reportedly worth $1.2 million for 1 year.

So what does this mean for the rest of the Yankee bullpen?

Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues(A Great Yankee Blog, btw) covered this topic in detail earlier. Here.

Here’s just a brief summary of points from the article with some commentary.

-Bullpens typically consist of eight arms during the Regular Season.

-Those eight arms will probably be; Mariano Rivera, Phil Hughes(Loser of 5th starter competition), Damaso Marte, Alfredo Aceves, David Robertson, Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre, and Chan Ho Park.

-Given that the way the schedule is set up(below), the Yankees will not need a 5th starter for the first two weeks without compromising their other four starters.

April 4th: Sabathia
April 5th: OFF
April 6th: Burnett
April 7th: Pettitte
April 8th: OFF
April 9th: Vazquez
April 10th: Sabathia
April 11th: Burnett
April 12th: OFF
April 13th: Pettitte (home opener)
April 14th: Vazquez
April 15th: Sabathia
April 16th: Burnett
April 17th: 5th Starter

-Expect that 5th starter to be Joba Chamberlain(Winner of 5th Starter Comp). Chamberlain will probably open the season in Triple A to get some starts in a low-key environment.

-Other notable names in the bullpen equation? Mark Melancon, Boone Logan, Edwar Ramirez, and Jon Albaledejo. All four pitchers will have minor league options. Sergio Mitre does not. I don’t expect the team to risk losing him by carrying five starters for the first two weeks when they really don’t need to.

What will happen when they need a 5th starter? We’ll see. Maybe one pitcher(Mitre) will be traded so the Yankees can keep the rights to Outfielder Jamie Hoffman. Who knows at this point. Injuries happen though.

The Park move was made to add depth to the team. Not to compromise the current pitchers.

Written By: Matt Vereb

In the wee-hours of Monday morning, Chan Ho Park and the Yankees agreed to a 1 year/$1.2 million contract. Park can earn up to $300,000 in incentives. Park went 3-3 for the NL Champion Phillies last year, posting a 4.43 ERA in 45 games. Park fooled Yankee hitters in the Fall Classic by throwing 3 1/3 scoreless innings in 4 appearances. Park is a strikeout pitcher, something that the Yankees covet. He struck out 72 hitters in 80 innings.  Park is expected to pitch out of the bullpen for the Bombers. Park will join Gaudin, Aceves, Mitre, Robertson, Rivera, Hughes**, and Marte.

Definitely an unexpected move given the Yankee depth. Perhaps the Yankees wanted a seasoned-arm to mix in with their young studs? You can never have too many pitchers.

**Pictured Above: Diamondback Outfielder, Justin Upton**

Written By: Matt Vereb

Players I Like For the 2010 Season:

*Disclaimer*: I like these players given their average draft position and relative value to a fantasy team. Players who I feel will exceed expectations and are currently under-valued, make this list. Just because Albert Pujols isn’t on this list, doesn’t mean I don’t like him in fantasy.

HITTERS

Justin Upton, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks: The 22-year-old Upton hit 26 home runs and stole 20 bases in only 138 games last season. He also posted an impressive batting average(.300) and slugging percentage(.532). Upton has a world of talent. If he plays the entire season, consider 30-30 to be his basement. Upton is being selected in the 3rd-4th rounds(25 Average Draft Position(ADP) in fantasy drafts when he has 1st Round potential. Consider that a good value.

Projection: .295 BA, 35 HRs, 105 RBIs, 32 SBs.

Adam Lind, OF, Toronto Blue Jays: Lind broke on to the scene with Toronto to the tune of 35 HRs and 114 RBIs. Lind also hit .305 for the Blue Jays. Many wonder if this is a one-year fluke. I don’t think so. Lind and team mate, Aaron Hill, are the lone bright spots for a struggling Toronto club. Lind is being taken as in the 5th-6th rounds of fantasy drafts(ADP 52). I like him more than similar counterparts, Jayson Werth and Carlos Beltran who are being selected a round earlier.

Projection: .298 BA, 37 HRs, 120 RBIs

Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds: Many casual baseball fans may be unfamiliar with Reds First Baseman, Joey Votto. Votto hit .325 with 25 HRs and 84 RBIs through 131 games last season. Votto finished 4th in the NL in OBP(.414), 5th in Slugging(.567), 3rd in OPS(.981). These figures alone show promise for the 26 year-old Votto. Votto will begin his 3rd full-time season in 2010. Look for him to have numerous RBI opportunities with Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce hitting in front of him. Votto currently ranks around the 8th-10th position among First Basemen. For those of you drafting at the end of the first round debating between a middle infielder and 1st basemen, take a moment to consider the depth at First Base and the position scarcity in the middle of the diamond. Votto should be there in the 5th-7th round of the draft. Draft him accordingly and you won’t be disappointed.

Projection: .315 Batting Avg., 31 HRs, 110 RBIs

Jason Heyward OF, Atlanta Braves: One word: Youtube. 447 foot blast. He’s only 20-years-old, is the #1 prospect in baseball and has a Justin Upton-type of hype surrounding him. He should start the season in right field for the Braves. Grab him late(ADP: 225) and enjoy the show.

Projection: .285 BA, 20 HRs, 20 SBs.

PITCHERS

Jon Lester, SP, Boston Red Sox: I have to put my Yankee-biased aside to give Lester his fantasy due. The guy is a stud pitcher for the Sox and fantasy teams, but isn’t getting that respect. Lester struck out 225 batters in 203 innings to go along with 15 wins and a 3.41 ERA. Impressive numbers within the AL East. His K/9 ratio topped out at 9.96. Lester is currently the 10th pitcher selected(ADP: 59), however, I’d take him over Justin Verlander, Cliff Lee, and Adam Wainwright.

Projection: 17 Wins, 220 Ks, 3.30 ERA

Brett Anderson, SP, Oakland Athletics: Don’t be fooled by Anderson’s 2009 ERA of 4.06. The 22-year-old Anderson had a great second half last season. In 14 starts after the All-Star break, Anderson posted a 6-4 record, striking out 86 hitters in only 80 innings. After mid-season,Anderson’s ERA dropped from 5.45(June 29) to 4.06(Oct 1). Anderson also benefits from playing in the spacious Oakland Coliseum. Anderson’s ADP of 150 is a no-brainer for a 15th round selection.

Projection: 15 wins, 180 Ks, 3.85 ERA

Mariano Rivera, RP, New York Yankees: Surprised? Owners are drafting Dodgers closer, Jonathan Broxton and Twins closer, Joe Nathan over Mariano. (Jonathan Papelbon as well, sigh) Rivera is 40-years-old and some pundits are calling for a down season. But when has Rivera ever had a bad season? He was 44 for 46 in save opportunities last season. His 1.76 ERA was best among full-time closers and he even had an impressive 9.77 K/9 ratio. He isn’t going to give you big strikeout numbers like Broxton will(13.50 K/9), but Rivera is as solid as they come. Don’t overpay for Broxton’s or Nathan’s gaudy strike out totals. Go with the sure thing with a lower ERA and WHIP.

Projection: 42 Saves, 2.00 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 76 Ks

Jake Peavy, SP, Chicago White Sox: Jake Peavy’s last two seasons have not been ‘Peavy-esque’. Fantasy owners have been spoiled with Peavy’s dominance in the NL. From 2004-2007, Peavy has averaged 15 wins, 190 innings, 210 K’s and a 3.15 ERA. Peavy has suffered from elbow problems in the past, but he has seemed to move beyond those issues. Last season, Peavy was 9-6 for the Padres and White sox, recording 102 innings and 110 strikeouts. More importantly, Peavy was 3-0 in 3 starts for the White Sox in September with 18 K’s over 20 innings. This sample size should tell fantasy owners that Peavy is past his elbow concerns heading into the 2010 season.

I don’t expect Peavy to have his sub-3 ERA that he had in San Diego. US Cellular Field is a hitters park and the AL features tougher lineups. However, I think Peavy should far surpass his 15-20 ADP among pitchers. Paired with Mark Buerhle at the top of the rotation, Peavy does not have to be the horse he was in San Diego. I still expect a big season from Jake.

Projection: 15 Wins, 3.60 ERA, 210 K’s

Who are some of your sleepers this season?

Written By: Adam Poedubicky

Since Tim Tebow was at the helm for the Florida Gators, it’s easy to see how the others in the offense could get overlooked. Everyone knows that it was a dynamic spread offense with some of the greatest athletes in college football today, but ultimately the offense went around Tebow. However, Tebow wasn’t the best passer in college, and his playmakers did most of the work for him. And one of his most effective weapons is a local product ready to make a splash in the NFL: Aaron Hernandez.

Aaron Hernandez hails from Bristol, Connecticut. In terms of sports, Hernandez is the best thing out of Bristol since, well, ESPN. When it comes to NFL players hailing from Connecticut, there’s really only one that rings a bell, and it’s Dwight Freeney. Expect Hernandez to make the jump and hopefully put Connecticut high school football on the map.

Hernandez is a 6’3, 235 pound tight end that can line up on the end as a traditional tight end, split out wide like a Dallas Clark-type receiver, or in the H-Back position like a Chris Cooley. He led the Gators this past season with 68 catches to go along with 850 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was the security blanket that any quarterback looks for in a tight end. Once his average blocking improves, expect him to make an impact similar to Kellen Winslow Jr.

He could go as early as: Probably #21 Overall to the Bengals, who always seem to need a TE. This, however, would require a monster day at the combine.

He could go as late as: The third round seems like the worst-case scenario, but that would be if his 40 were in the 4.8’s.

He will probably go to: New England in the second round. The Patriots are well known for liking prospects out of Florida. They are also in the need of a replacement for Benjamin Watson, and playing in New England is about as close to playing at home as it can get for Hernandez.