Darell Revis On the Verge of Signing (Just in Time For Hard Knocks)

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

The news that Jets fans have been waiting to hear since the start of training camp. Our prized player, the coolest cornerback in the league, Darelle Revis, is close to signing.

There have been whisperings all night of a meeting between my boy Darelle's agent meeting with the Jets tonight to lock this thing up.

Some other writers have been shooting this down, which gives the impression that no one knows what the hell is going on.

Now news is coming out from Mort's twitter:

Bob Pompeani or @KDPomp of KDKA (Pittsburgh - where Revis played college ball) tweeted he "hears" deal is 10-yrs, $150m, $65m guaranteed

Before Jets fans start running around town causing havoc this is NOT DEFINATE but when there is smoke there is usually fire and this one is burning up.

My personally opinion is that the Jets knew what would get Darelle signed, they waited until Hard Knocks was about to air so that the show could help break the news. They will be painted as the good guys and Revis will be back.

I have a gut feeling on tonights Hard Knocks you will see Revis become a Jet for life.

This media blackout may have actually helped get the deal done but the downside is that the public is in the dark.

Robinson Cano: Why He Should Win MVP

Since the baseball season is in it's home stretch everyone starts talking about awards. C.C. Sabathia is looking like a front runner in the A.L. Cy Young race. The interesting race to follow this season will be the 2010 A.L. MVP. There are four hitters who can make a claim to the prestigious award: Josh Hamilton, Miguel Cabrera, Adrian Beltre and Robinson Cano. Joe Mauer has the average and OBP to be in the running but I booted him out due to his small power numbers this year, like his .487 slugging %.

Before I go into detail check out the stats yourself:

 When you take a look at the stats you think Hamilton should win due to the large lead he has in the Batting Average category. Then you look at Cabrera's power numbers in awe and think he should lock it up due to his Homers, RBIs, OBP, and SLG while still keeping a high average. Miggy playing for Detroit will deter him from winning this award, I guarantee it.

Even though Hamilton and Miggy are leading Cano in almost every common statistical category he is still my pick for MVP on MVP and here are my reasons why.

First of all WAR. WAR stands for Wins Above Replacement which is a statistic that presents the number of wins that the player added compared to what a replacement player (think a AAA or AA player) would add. This stat shows Cano's value to the in hitting, fielding and base-running expressed in wins. 

 Scale: 8+ MVP
5+ AllStar
2+ Starter
0-2 Reserve
< 0 Replacement Level







Though Cano isn't leading the league in any common statistics such as Average but he is leading the league in WAR by a good margin. The MVP award is about your individual performance benefiting your team and adding 6 and 1/2 wins to the Yankees really jumps out.

Fun Fact: Cano has hit 23 of his 25 home runs in games that Yankees have won. Cano is batting .311 with RISP as well.

MVP stands for most valuable player not most valuable hitter. Defense is usually discounted when the MVP is talked about. From the three players in the running you already know- from watching baseball- that Cano is the best defender of the group.

Some quick UZRs:
Cano 3.2
Hamilton 4.6 in LF, 1.2 in CF (way less games in CF)
Cabrera -5.4


Playing on the best team in baseball helps Cano's MVP bid. In a season where the Yankees two best hitters, A-Rod and Teixeria, started off cold Cano picked up the slack. He is one of the main reasons the Yanks have the best record in baseball. If Cano reverted to another 2008 like season the Yankees would be struggling with Boston right now for the Wild Card.

Cabrera and Hamilton are both playing positions where most of the elite hitters in the game play, Outfield and 1st base. Cano is a second baseman. Think about some other second basemen in the leauge, the only one that can compare to Cano's hitting prowess in baseball is Utley.  You can make the argument for Pedroia but you have to be above 6.0 ft to be considered on my site (and he is hurt this year so stop crying).

You don't believe me? Here your chart:

I hope the bold text on the main points helped people who liked to skim but now I've got you, go back and read the whole thing!

Anyway it seems pretty simple to me that Cano should be this year's MVP but hell if Dustin Pedroia can win it anyone can.

Revis Holdout Almost Over?

There was a uproar among Jets fans yesterday after Tim Cowlishaw claimed that a Revis deal was close to done on Twitter:

"Revis and Jets announce new deal, probably Wednesday. You heard it here first. 'Inside information!'"

After this news broke nearly everyone shot down the news or said that Cowlishaw's twitter was hacked. Then another story broke claiming Nick Mangold and not Revis, will be receiving the contract:

The Jets and the All-Pro center are closing in on a long-term contract extension that could be announced as early as tomorrow or Tuesday, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations.


That person requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak for the team or Mangold.


Terms of the deal are still being finalized, but it is expected to be a mega-deal topping the five-year, $37.5 million contract St.Louis’ Jason Brown — the league’s highest-paid center — signed last year.

 This seems to be the right move by Mike Tannenbaum since Mangold showed up to camp. Just because the Jets and Nick are close to a deal doesn't mean that Cowlishaw's news about Revis is complete bull.

Back to Revis, Cowlishaw explained further on his blog this morning:  

My quiet day ended when I obtained some information early in the afternoon about Darrelle Revis, the Jets’ fabulous cornerback who has been holding out from camp in order to get a new contract.


The source of information was good, someone I have used before. Beyond that, I won’t go into further details.


Originally I was told the signing would be “probably Wednesday or Saturday.” That seemed strange that there would be a possible range of three days in the situation.


But when I found out one other aspect of the story that made me believe it had to be true, Wednesday made a lot more sense than Saturday. Since the 140-character nature of Twitter doesn’t lend itself to expanding on one’s thoughts, I just typed “probably Wednesday.”


Even limiting myself to that, “probably Wednesday” sounded weird, like I was hedging my bets. I wasn’t trying to suggest there’s a deal-breaker involved, but who knows? Things of that nature happen all the time. Still, I felt like “probably Wednesday” was the most accurate information I could provide at the time.


Once that one tweet was out there, my chances of getting much of the day off were shot (although I did manage to squeeze in three games at Top Golf with Ben and I didn’t forget to skype Rachel).


It didn’t surprise me that my information was getting shot down right and left by those covering the Jets. As a beat writer covering the Cowboys for six years, I did a lot of “shooting down” and this was in the early days of ESPN and long before the world was wired and Twitter came along.


I talked to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and the New York Daily News‘ Gary Myers on the phone, a couple of guys I have known for 20 years or more. I exchanged texts or, in some cases, tweets with others I have had long relationships with.


They were supportive if curious as to how this information was coming from a Dallas-based general columnist. Understandably curious.


As for those who said I was making it up to get more followers: Does that sound like a good thing to do? I’ve worked for The Dallas Morning News for more than 20 years, ESPN for another seven. Is just making stuff up and having no clue about it a big part of my history?


Getting predictions wrong, yeah, I’ve done that two or three times. Two or three thousand times, I mean.


Throwing stuff against the wall with no idea whether or not it might stick? Not a real good way to maintain any shred of credibility.


The messages coming in from Jets’ fans were pretty much non-stop and the only surprising thing about any of that was how many of them seemed to suggest they didn’t think Revis would sign until well into the season, if at all.


How often does that happen? How often does that work?


Emmitt Smith got extra guaranteed money by sitting two games in 1993. But that was the league MVP-to-be and he had to get somewhat lucky in rolling the dice that the Cowboys would go 0-2 to Washington and Buffalo and that Coach Jimmy Johnson would go so crazy about it that Jerry Jones would have no choice but to cave in.


As great a player as Revis is, that’s a big gamble to take.


Regardless, it does not appear that he is going to roll those dice. All signs indicate that the Revis saga, a major storyline for HBO’s Hard Knocks‘ special on the Jets, ends this week.


And then I can tweet more about Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon … even if it doesn’t quite reach the same audience that Darrelle Revis does.

Revis Island should return for the season.

 Now after reading this post Cowlishaw really thinks that his source it right. I think they will announce Mangold's deal before Revis' but they still may be making progress with both. This is great news for Jets fans like me. 

It's Good To Be Home

The Notorious C.C.

C.C. Sabathia is tied for the most wins in baseball with 17. He is the best pitcher in baseball right now in my opinion and would have my Cy Young vote.

Of course C.C.'s numbers are impressive but what really jumps out are his stats at home. Sabathia is 9-0 at home this season.  This season his home ERA (2.64) is a whole point lower than his away era (3.55).

With around 7 starts left in the regular season for C.C. it seems almost definite that he will lock up 20 wins for the first time in his career.

Game 124: Mariners at Yankees

Yankees

1. Derek Jeter SS

2. Nick Swisher RF

3. Mark Teixeira 1B

4. Robinson Cano 2B

5. Marcus Thames DH

6. Jorge Posada C

7. Austin Kearns LF

8. Brett Gardner CF

9. Eduardo Nunez 3B

CC Sabathia P

Mariners

1. Ichiro Suzuki RF

2. Chone Figgins 2B

3. Russell Branyan DH

4. Jose Lopez 3B

5. Franklin Gutierrez CF

6. Casey Kotchman 1B

7. Adam Moore C

8. Matt Tuiasosopo LF

9. Josh Wilson SS

Luke French P



- Posted from my iPhone

A-Rod To DL

A-Rod is being put on the DL and Ivan Nova is being called up to pitch on Monday. We are going to be seeing more of Nunez.


- Posted from my iPhone

Game 123: Mariners at Yankees

YANKEES (75-47)
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Marcus Thames DH
Jorge Posada C
Austin Kearns LF
Curtis Granderson CF
Eduardo Nunez 3B

RHP Javier Vazquez (9-9, 4.89)

MARINERS (49-73)
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Chone Figgins 2B
Russell Branyan DH
Jose Lopez 3B
Franklin Gutierrez CF
Casey Kotchman 1B
Josh Bard C
Michael Saunders LF
Josh Wilson SS

LHP Jason Vargas (9-5, 3.15)

TIME/TV: 1:05 p.m. / YES Network

UMPIRES: HP Brian Knight, 1B Sam Holbrook, 2B Gerry Davis, 3B Greg Gibson

WEATHER: Low 80s. Hardly any chance of rain. Little bit of a breeze blowing in.


Notes: I am on the way to the game. Currently I am stuck in traffic on the bridge.

Update: Now I am stuck on the deagan. Great.


- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Hudson Terrace,Fort Lee,United States

A.J. Burnett: The Tale of Two Men

When A.J. Burnett steps out to the mound you never know what you are going to get. Sometimes he strikes out nine guys while pitching 7 innings and sometimes he gives up 8 runs to Toronto. Every Yankee fan knows what I am talking about, this guy is inconsistent. I can take just the starts from this month to show you.

August 2nd was a bad A.J. sighting, he pitched 4 and 2/3rds innings while giving up 8 runs on 8 hits against Toronto.

August 10th good A.J. showed up, though he lost, A.J. still pitched 7 innings while giving up three runs to the Rangers, one of the best offenses in baseball.

August 15th really good A.J. showed up against the Royals, he pitched 8 innings and only gave up one run but lost due to some guy named Bullington.

August 20th was last nights game and he looked like shit. He gave up 12 hits and 6 runs to one of the worst offenses in baseball.

It is like Mr. Burnett is living a double life.

8/20: Mairners at YankeesGame-122: (A-Rod Returns)

Brett Gardner LF
Derek Jeter SS
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Ramiro Pena 3B

Here They Come, Yo. Here They Come.

Curtis Grand has gotten a lot of crap since coming to New York, especially since the guy who the Yankees traded for him, Austin Jackson, is hitting .303.  He started off the year red hot but then a groin injury slowed him down. It seems now C-Grand is starting to pick up steam again.

In the last ten games Grandy is batting .333 with 3 homers. Maybe hope week is inspiring him or maybe Kevin Long's swing revamp is the cause of this resurgence. His outs have been hit hard as well and it seems he is early on almost every pitcher. He has jumped his average 10 points up.

I like to group Thames and Grandy together so I can do rap group photoshops.

Marcus Markley Thames (yes it is his real name) has been even hotter than the Grandyman. Hitting .379 over his last 10 games. Marcus might be one of Cashman's best signings this year.





DO DA DIPITY!