On Sunday the wait finally ended for Art Monk as his long overdue induction into the NFL Hall of Fame took place in Canton, Ohio. Monk was perhaps the most inexplicable exclusion in Hall of Fame history. His all-time numbers dwarfed many of those who were inducted in front of him (<cough> Michael Irvin <cough>), and he revolutionized the wide receiver position by accomplishing a myriad of first-time records. Monk was the first wideout to record over 100 receptions in a season (1984), first player to crack 800 receptions, and caught a then-record 940 passes, before that mark was toppled by Jerry Rice. He was also a critical cog in a Redskins dynasty that claimed three Super Bowl titles from 1981-1991. The fact that a player like Irvin would get into the Hall before Monk shows the hypocrisy of the entire election system. Because Art kept to himself, he was passed over for the more visible Irvin, who had less catches, less yards, and less touchdowns in his career (but he's on ESPN all the time!). The quiet and humble Monk reminds me of another shy, former Syracuse wide receiver that has compiled some eye-popping stats of his own, yet rarely gets his due… Kudos to the Hall of Fame committee for finally getting it right.
The induction of Monk was long overdue
Swish: Jeff Karstens
Just last week, I labeled Karstens as a “5th starter at best”, mostly because of his 5.93 ERA in 9 career starts in Pinstripes. However, apparently at his best, Karstens is damn near perfect. The 25-year old righty was unscathed through 7 2/3 innings against Arizona before his perfecto was broken up by Chris Young. But, Karstens finished strong, completing a two-hit shutout in a 2-0 Pirates win. In two starts since coming over in a trade from the Yankees, Karstens has pitched 15 scoreless innings, yielded just seven hits, and has earned a pair of victories over division-leading Chicago and Arizona. The player originally viewed as a throw-in in the Damaso Marte/Xavier Nady trade, may end up being a hidden gem. Is it just me, or is moving to the weak National League the cure-all for every struggling American League pitcher?
Brick: Boston Red Sox
I’ve heard several members of the media applaud the Red Sox for this trade, and claim that Boston was a “winner” after the trade deadline. My only question is: are you <expletive> kidding me? Are they looking at the same trade I am looking at? Manny Ramirez, perhaps the greatest right-handed hitter of this generation, plus Craig Hansen and Damian Moss – two youngsters that contributed at times with the big league club this season – for the National League equivalent of Jermaine Dye (Jason Bay)? Not only that, but the Sox also agreed to eat the remaining $7 million due to Manny after this season! How the Sox could possibly be viewed as coming out on the better end of that deal is absolutely beyond me. I feel bad for the Sox front office for having to put up with Manny’s shenanigans, but I think they could've kept up with his antics for one more run at the World Series. Yes, his stats are comparable to that of Bay’s (.312/22/73 vs. .290/23/70), but is impact on Boston goes far beyond statistics. Need proof? Look at JD Drew this season. After a horrific 2007, he’s suddenly having a huge year for the Red Sox. But, look closer at his numbers this season:
Before David Ortiz injury: 58 G, .287 AVG, 4 HR, 22 RBI
After David Ortiz injury: 42 G, .293 AVG, 14 HR, 35 RBI
When Papi went down, the lineup was shifted and Drew was put in the 3 spot - in front of Manny Ramirez. The average numbers are the same, but 14 of his 18 home runs came after being protected by Manny in the lineup, and while Ortiz was on the mend. Speaking of Ortiz, you can’t deny that batting in front of Ramirez may have launched his career in 2003. Before that, he was a nobody. I had maintained all season that the Red Sox would defend their Championship. I still think the Sox are going to make the playoffs, but there is no way they will win the World Series without Manny Ramirez. No way. Jason Bay is a great player, but he isn’t (and will never be) Manny.
Thank God he's out of my life...
Air Ball: Prince Fielder
Fielder may be the new face of the young Milwaukee Brewers, but that doesn’t give him the right to act like a jackass. On Monday night, Fielder and teammate Manny Parra had to be separated after getting physical in the dugout during the Brewers’ 6-3 loss in Cincinnati. It is not known what sparked the fracas, but I’m betting it was a comment made by Fielder that had something to do with Parra’s sub-par performance (6 ER in 6 IP). Fielder has been red-hot of late and is putting together another nice season, but he needs to do a better job of setting an example for his team. The frustration level had to be high after a one-sided sweep by the rival Cubs at home earlier in the week, but the Brewers are still right in the thick of the Wild Card race in the National League. It’s the second incident in a year, as manager Ned Yost and former catcher Johnny Estrada got into a similar argument last August. If the Brewers are going to make the playoffs for the first time in 26 years, they might want to chill on the royal rumbles in the dugout.
A common scene from the Brewers' dugout
Swish: Carl Edwards
Kyle Busch has been dominant, and lately the Hendrick drivers have stolen the headlines. But, when discussing the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, don't forget about Carl Edwards. After a near miss in Indy, the #99 car took the checkered flag at the Pocono 500 as a late pit strategy paid off. The victory rocketed Edwards from 5th to 3rd in the points standings, and also gave him his 4th victory of the season - 2nd only to Busch's seven. Edwards has been Mr. Consistency this season, as he has secured 15 top-ten finishes in 21 races in 2008.
Air Ball: Tampa Bay Rays doubters
After getting swept by the lowly Indians and losing their first-place standing right before the All-Star break, most of the talking heads had written off the Rays. They can't keep this up. They'll fall off. The Rays staying on top of the Red Sox and Yankees? Get Real. Hey fellas, let me know when that collpase is coming, because it's August 6th and Tampa is still in first place. The Rays made it seven wins in eight games after an amazing six-run ninth-inning rally helped them beat Cleveland 10-7 on Wednesday. With the win, they've kept a three-game cushion over 2nd place Boston, and have a 6 1/2 game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. It's clear that this team is in it for the long-haul, and it would take an absolute implosion for them to not at least capture the Wild Card in the American League. Mike Scioscia, Ron Washington, and Lou Pinella have all done outstanding jobs this season, but Joe Madden has almost certainly wrapped up Manager of the Year honors, regardless of what happens the rest of the way.
The Rays aren't showing any signs of slowing down
The Shots Fantasy Update:
Robinson Cano & Co. II ties Knocks Knockers, 5-5
It’s critical that my team starts playing above .500 ball because I’m in a dogfight for the sixth and final playoff spot in my league. RC&C II entered the week trailing the Cinderellas by 2 1/2 games, with only four weeks remaining in the regular season. The injury bug has destroyed by pitching staff, specifically my bullpen, which is left with Manny Corpas, Eddie Guardado, and Masa Kobayashi. Gah. Needless to say, my ERA and WHIP have inflated, and my poor pitching numbers have been way too much for the lineup to overcome. Another strong week for A-Rod (3 HR, 5 RBI, 8 R), who has been been a rock for this team.
292 point week in Fantasy NASCAR, still in 8th place
A nice bounce-back week for my boys after an embarrassing showing at the Brickyard. Jimmie Johnson (106 points), may have finished 3rd, but he got an additional ten points for winning another pole. Kasey Kahne (88 points), and Martin Truex, Jr. (62 points) were both respectable. Pocono was another weak showing for Brian Vickers, who I’m going to regulate to the bench for now. It’s a nice breather this week at the Glen, mostly because I can rest my usual starters and not have to worry about wasting anybody. Robby Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Boris Said, and Ron Fellows - aka the Road Course All-Stars - are among the possibilities.
Chuckie Three Stick-Up – still in 2nd to last place in Fantasy Golf
A fabulous four-week stretch continued for my fantasy golf team, as a 178-point week pulled me within 207 points of pulling into THIRD TO LAST PLACE! Phil Mickelson (8-under) and tournament runner-up Lee Westwood (9-under) paced the team for this week. A strong showing in the PGA Championship could have my team within striking distance of respectability.
My recent Fantasy Golf success has everyone in a dancing mood
The Shots What to Watch this week:
PGA Championship, Thursday-Sunday
The Tigerless British Open gave us great storylines with Greg Norman, first day co-leader Rocco Mediate, and David Duval – what will the PGA have in store? Vijay Singh is coming off a victory last week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and Phil Mickelson is viewed as one of the favorites after a 4th place finish last week. It’s the final major of the year, so hopefully it won’t be a huge letdown.
St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, Friday-Sunday
This could be the swan song for the fading Cardinals, who entered Wednesday 5 1/2 out in the NL Central, with two teams to climb. The Redbirds have been playing over their heads all season, and have been one of the few good road teams (31-25) in the Majors. But, their lineup and rotation just isn’t good enough to keep up with the powerful Cubs and Brewers in that division. They can stay in it with a successful weekend at Wrigley, but I feel like they’re just delaying the inevitable.
Ryan Ludwick's career year has helped the Cards keep pace in the NL Central
The Shots YouTube Clips this week:
Sports related -
Are you ready for some football?
Non-sports related -
Monkeys in people clothes = money in the bank.
(if for some reason the above clip doesn't work, you can check it out via the direct link by clicking here)
The Shots Chick Pick this week: Amy Smart
One of the staples of the college comedies from when I was actually in college.
See you next week.
Listen to Derek as he hosts the Xtra Large Lunch, every weekday from noon to 1 PM on XL 950!
