This just in: Geezer Ballplayers Worth Millions

This week, Starting Pitcher and 45-year old geezer Randy Johnson signed a one year $8 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. When hall of famers like Sandy Koufax and Whitey Ford felt like they could no longer perform when they were in their 30's, the fact that Johnson is receiving a premium contract demonstrates that the geezers can still be successful in the young man's game of baseball.

And Johnson will be worth every penny. Johnson is 5 wins away from the magical 300 win plateau. Fans all over the country will attend every in start in anticipation of watching history. The ticket and advertising sales will earn the Giants profits well above Johnson's $8 million salary. In addition, Johnson gives the Giants a quality 5th starter to place in the rotation behind National League Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, and Barry Zito.
Johnson becomes the third Cy Young Award winner on the Giants' staff, joining the NL's reigning winner, Lincecum, and Zito, the 2002 AL Cy Young Award recipient. The last team with three Cy Young winners on the same roster was the 2002 Braves, who boasted Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz.

Johnson is one of the most accomplished pitchers in Major League history. The veteran of 21 big league seasons has won five Cy Young Awards and made 10 All-Star teams while compiling a 295-160 career mark with a 3.26 ERA, 100 complete games and 37 shutouts in 596 appearances. Known to be highly motivated about the chance to secure his 300th career victory -- he'd be the 24th pitcher to achieve that milestone -- Johnson ranks second all-time with 4,789 strikeouts.

Even at age 45, Johnson remained effective last season, posting an 11-10 record with a 3.91 ERA in 30 starts for the D-backs. He ranked third among National League pitchers with a 3.93 strikeout-to-walk ratio and sixth with 8.46 strikeouts per nine innings. His 2.41 ERA following the All-Star break ranked fifth among NL hurlers.

Pretty remarkable for a geezer like Johnson. But, then again, several pitchers are peaking in their golden years.

A few weeks ago, the Philadelphia Phillies rewarded starting pitcher Jamie Moyer with a two-year $16 million contract. That sort of contract would make sense coming off a season in which he was 16-7 with 3.71 E.R.A. except for the fact that Moyer is the oldest player in the major leagues. At 46-years young, Moyer is among the game's most reliable starting pitchers. He even proved to be a critical part of the Phillies rotation in 2008 that led them to a World Series title.

In 2008, New York Yankees starting pitcher Mike Mussina won 20 games for the first time in his career. That fact that this amazing feat occurred at age 38, makes Mussina's success even more remarkable. Mussina decided to retire while he was on top of his game, but if he desired, he could have received another multi-year contract from the Yankees.

Pitchers like Johnson, Moyer, and Mussina used to be an aberration, but in today's game pitchers are showing their effectiveness longer and longer. In the coming years, we may see the first 50-year old pitcher receive a premium contract. It will be just enough money to buy him the best rocking chair on the market.

The Evil Empire Strikes Again!!

No one is better at getting quality players for bubkus than Brian Cashman.

Just yesterday, the General Manager of the New York Yankees worked his magic again and acquired Chicago White Sox Outfielder/First Baseman Nick Swisher for utlity man Wilson Betemit, and minor league pitchers Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez. Consider that two years ago, Swisher was considered a potential All-Star and was acquired by the White Sox for top prospects Pitcher Gio Gonzalez and Outfielder Ryan Sweeney. Now, the Yankees are acquiring his services for spare parts.

Although Swisher only hit .219 last season, he has a lifetime .354 On-Base Percentage and hit 35 Home Runs with 95 Runs Batted In as recently as 2006. Swisher is a switch-hitter and one of Billy Bean’s original Moneyball players. He can also offer flexibility, as he has the ability to play both first base and outfield. And, Swisher is only 29 years of age, meaning that he is entering his prime.

Swisher is only earning $3.6 million in 2009, meaning that he is a bargain compared to the gigantic contracts expected to be shelled out for free agents like Mark Teixera. Tex is likely to command a salary in the range of $15-20 million per season. Is Tex 5 or 6 times better than Swisher? Absolutely not. Swisher still has plenty of upside and should be a great asset for the Yankees. Considering that the Yanks only had to give up a reserve infielder and some buffer propsects, Cashman should be commended.

This is not the first time that Cashman has taken another team’s quality player and only returned bubkus. In 2006, Cashman stole Rightfielder Bobby Abreu from the Philadelphia Phillies for prospects C.J. Henry and Matt Smith. Have you ever heard of either player? Exactly. And, Corey Lidle was a throw-in to that deal as well! In the meantime, Abreu has played solid right field and hit .296 last season with 20 home runs and 100 Runs Batted In.

How about in 2000, when Cashman traded Zach Day, Jake Westbrook, and Ricky Ledee for slugger David Justice? Or how about when Cashman traded Scott Wiggins in 2002 for former All-Star Raul Mondesi? Simply incredible!

While Cashman has certainly made his gaffes in the free agent market (see Pitchers Carl Pavano, Sterling Hitchcock, and Kei Igawa), his trading ability has been superb. Add Swisher to the long list of Cashman steals.

NFL Power Rankings Week 10

Power Rankings
Current
	1 Titans
	The Bears stacked the box and Kerry Collins throws for 300 yards. It seems like no one can stop this team.
	2 Giants
	The G-Men lose Strahan and Osi, and they still lead the league in sacks. They have 3 running backs that are all averaging above 5 yards per carry. How did they ever lose one game?
	3 Panthers
	Delhomme had one of his worst games, and they still blew out the Raiders. At 7-2, they are tough to beat!
	4 Bucs
	No more QB controversy as Jeff Garcia is playing like a Pro Bowler again. At 6-3 and with one of the toughest defenses in the league, they are a top 5 team.
	5 Redskins
	They come off the bye with a huge game against the Cowboys at home. They need to win it to try to keep pace with the Giants in the division -- or they will be taking the wild-card route.
	6 Patriots
	Tom Brady goes down and the Pats are still winning games. As Matt Cassel grows, they will only get better. They have two huge games in the next two weeks against the Jets at home and at Miami. Win them, and they will win the division.
	7 Jets
	Favre finally went a week without throwing an INT. Maybe he is finally starting to understand the offense. With Thomas Jones leading the AFC in rushing, gang green is looking solid.
	8 Cardinals
	Even in a week division, the Cards are playing tough football. They have their 2 most expensive players in Edge and Leinart on the bench. At 37, could Kurt Warner win another MVP?
	9 Cowboys
	Romo is coming back. That is their only hope.
	10 Falcons
	Two words: Matty Ice.
	11 Colts
	Manning finally looks comfortable. Could Addai be next? If so, watch out!
	12 Steelers
	Big Ben is playing with a bum shoulder and FWP can't stay healthy. It will be hard for the Steelers to compete without those two.
	13 Ravens
	Joe Flacco is getting better by the week. With the Ravens D, the playoffs look like a great possibility.
	14 Eagles
	They get the Bengals this week, which is a must-win if they are to have any chance to win the division. They're 0-3 against the NFC East, with two losses at home. That's not good enough.
	15 Vikings
	Will they ever get good quarterback play? Not with the group they have, which means it's all about Adrian Peterson and the defense.
	16 Bills
	Trent Edwards has cooled and so have the Bills. He just hasn't been smooth the past three weeks. The Bills are fading fast.
	17 Bears
	Rex Grossman is showing why he is backup material. Kyle Orton better return soon.
	18 Dolphins
	Last year, they were 1-15. Parcells comes in, makes a few changes, and now they are 5-4. How does he do it?
	19 Packers
	Aaron Rodgers is the real deal and they don't miss Favre. But without a running game, they will not make the playoffs.
	20 Broncos
	They have no defense and no running game, but they have a great schedule. Their prospects weigh on Jay Cutler's shoulders.
	21 Jags
	Jack Del Rio's tough talk worked against Detroit. But that's the Lions. We'll know if they're back for sure next week when they play the Titans.
	22 Saints
	Brees may win the MVP, but without Reggie Bush, this team is going nowhere.
	23 Chargers
	Awful. Simply awful. LT is banged up and the defense is nothing without Merriman. This is Norv Tuner's last chance.
	24 Browns
	The change to Brady Quinn matters none if the defense can't stop anybody. Where is the pass rush or the coverage?
	25 Texans
	Sage Rosenfels is a capable backup, but Schaub can't stay on the field and Slaton is getting tired. There's still a long way to go in the season.
	26 Rams
	The Rams are just not a very good team. Their coaching search should begin now. They should also look for a new GM while they are at it.
	27 Seahawks
	A sad way for Holmgren to go out. Without Hasselback and any decent receivers, they don't have a chance.
	28 Bengals
	They finally won a game, but it may not be enough to save Marvin Lewis' job.
	29 Raiders
	The Raiders can't wait for the season to end. Are they on the clock yet?
	30 49'ers
	They battled Monday night, which has to make feisty Mike Singletary happy. The good thing is some young players are starting to step up.
	31 Chiefs
	Tyler Thigpen has played well the past couple of weeks. The next seven games should be to find out if he can be a long-term answer.
	32 Lions
	Daunte Culpepper? Even a fantasy team would not sign him.

The Fall of the Edge

This past Sunday, for the first time in his professional career, dynamic running back Edgerrin James got benched. He wasn't injured or guilty of a disciplinary infraction; quite simply, the team thought they would be better off if he did not play a down. And, as sad as it is to say, they were right. Youngsters Tim Hightower and J.J. Arrington bring more explosiveness and big game ability. Edge has not had a run of over 30 yards in two years! In the NFL, you win games with impact performances, and Edge clearly was not providing any to his team.

Hard to believe, but it was 8 years ago that respected analysts around the league were talking about Edgerrin James as the most feared and dynamic running back in the National Football League. James was coming off back to back years for the Colts where he amassed a two-year total of over 3200 rushing yards and 26 Touchdowns.

But, that was many surgeries and teams ago. Now, Edge is sporting a putrid 3.5 yards/per carry average and looking like he is carrying a piano on his back when he runs with the rock. Nevertheless, did the Arizona Head Coach perform a disservice when he unceremoniously benched Edge in last week's game? No warning? No scale down of carries? Even a smoking addict is taught not to quit cold turkey?!

James is currently 13th all-time in rushing yards with 11,607 entering 2008. That puts him ahead of Hall of Famers John Riggins and O.J. Simpson, and just a shade below Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and Franco Harris.

How could Edge fall so fast? Edge now claims that his running style doesn't fit into the "Cardinals system." Is there a system where Edge's 3.5 average would be successful? Maybe he can return to Indy, the source of all his prominence from yesteryear. Other than that, there aren’t many other places Edge can go. Shaun Alexander, once the face of the Seattle Seahawks franchise, was also left for dead after he lacked the same burst he had when he was piling up huge rushing seasons. Now, Alexander had to beg just to be Clinton Portis’ backup in Washington.

It's sad to see a performer fall so fast and just reminds us that a career in the NFL is more fleeting than an ice cream cone in the hand of a fat kid.

Nothing like a "JEST" Fan

As if the New York Jets didn't have it bad enough that they play in "Giants" stadium and don't even play in New York...You would hope that they could at least spell their team name...

Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 4 in NFL

Bye Weeks are upon us. It is important to have plenty of depth in the weeks ahead, so keep track of these players if they are still available on your waiver wire:

1) Brady Quinn, QB: The Browns are 0-3 and the natives are getting restless in Cleveland. Quinn, the former first-rounder, is ready to pull his next Philip Rivers imitation. If Derek Anderson falters this week, Quinn will see some action. He may have the starting job by week 5, so grab Quinn now while you can.

2) Correll Buckhalter, RB: Brian Westbrook is on crutches and the Eagles rely on their running backs more than other teams. Buckhalter will get the start in week 4 and may be the starter going forward if Westbrook cannot return. Also, keep an eye out for RB Lorezo Booker. He was obtained this offseason and scouts call him a Brian Westbrook clone.

3) Rudi Johnson, RB: Rudi came on strong last week in relief of Kevin Smith. Smith has not impressed and Johnson has the experience. With first round pick Gosder Cherlius now assuming the starting role on the offensive line, expect Rudi to put up some decent numbers.

4) Antonio Bryant, WR: Bryant always had talent, but he had too much attitude with the Cowboys. Now with the Bucs, Bryant emerged last week as the #1 option for QB Brian Griese. With aging Ike Hillard and Joey Galloway in front of him, Bryant may be the pure #1 WR on this team going forward.

5) Brandon Lloyd, WR: When he was in San Francisco, scouts were comparing Lloyd to a young Terrell Owens. Although Lloyd didn't fit in well with the Redskins, he has found new life under offensive coordinator Ron Turner. Turner, who coached Lloyd in college ball, knows how to make Lloyd tick. Without any other first options for QB Kyle Orton, Lloyd may be the guy.

6) Bobby Engram & Deion Branch, WR: The top two receivers on the Seahawks are expected to return by week 6. The Seahwaks have a high powered offense, so these guys will produce if healthy. Now is the time to grab them on the cheap before anyone else realizes.

7) Lance Moore, WR: The Saints have lost Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey. Someone has to catch all of Brees passes. Reggie Bush is not enough. Last week, he had 7 catches for 78 yards. Expect Moore to step up and claim more catches.

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