Over the past two weeks with the NBA trade deadline approaching, and spring training having started, my mind has been bombarded with frustration, excitement, and confusion all at the same time due to drastic roster changes, dumb injuries, and angry coaches. As I endure the agony of being entrenched in the middle seat of a 5-hour flight, it seems as though writing a column is the only remaining option I have left to entertain myself before I have a nervous breakdown. That being said, here is my take on recent events in the sports world:
The first thing that comes to mind is Carmelo Anthony, and dragging along behind that train of thought is my disappointment in the Knicks’ hesitation to make a move. The offer in consideration at the moment would send Danilo Ganillari, Raymond Felton and Eddy Curry to Denver in return for Anthony, Chauncey Billups and Shelden Williams. As far as I’m concerned, both teams come out on top here. Denver gets rid of their cranky veteran, and the Knicks get rid of two lackluster young guns and an aging center in Curry. Anthony has expressed serious interest in playing for the Knicks, and as a result Donnie Walsh should do everything in his power to bring him there.
The second thing that comes to mind, is why have the Capitals not traded for a defenseman yet? The team’s main blue liner Mike Green, hardly a defender — more like a forward with a hitting streak, has been forcd to carry a defense that has struggled all season. Rookie John Carlson has seemingly endless potential, but the Caps can’t wait for him to grow up and make a bigger impact. Plus, now that the rival Flyers have added LW Kris Versteeg, the gap between the Flyers and the rest of the East just got much bigger.
Monday marked the first day of spring training, as pitchers and catchers have reported to their respective sites under the sun in Arizona and Florida to compete for vacant spots in bullpens across the board. More importantly, the hands-down best rotation in the league, if not league history, assembled in Clearwater, FL with other Phillies prospects to kick off what will likely be a action-packed season of historic proportions. It would come as no surprise to me if the Phillies match the feat performed by the Orioles in1971 — four 20-win pitchers. They have a reigning Cy Young winner in Roy Halladay, a three-time all star Roy Oswalt, the 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, and 2008 Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, who was also this year’s most desired free agent. To complement this stacked rotation, they have a consistently powerful lineup that has sat perched atop the NL for the past several years in total runs, RBIs, as well as stolen bases.
Now that my hand hurts and the stewardess is coming back with my drink, I’m putting away my notebook and concluding my train of thought here.
