G.W. Meets "The Rocket"

To say this weekend was anything short of incredible, or incredibly lucky, would be an understatement. It's not often your 10-year-old self gets an opportunity to emerge from your current reality and experience something you could only dream of at that age. Mine got to do just that when I lucked into a situation that put me in a luxury box for the Friday and Saturday games of the Texas Tech UT baseball series, along with the likes of one William Roger Clemens.

Last Thursday, I became the default recipient of some tickets to the Friday night game of the Tech UT series, which had sold out two weeks before, when one of my Rec Center training regulars couldn't track down his originally intended benefactor that afternoon. Having previously talked ball with me and knowing my love of the game, he asked if I'd be interested in taking the tickets instead. Um... is water wet? This guy, Mark Griffin, also just happens to be one of the bigwigs at Rip Griffin Companies which has the naming rights to Texas Tech's baseball stadium. Not putting two and two together, I rolled up to the game on Friday night drenched in sweat from having played basketball at the rec all day only to find these tickets got me into his private luxury box---should've dawned on me when the price on the ticket read "VIP." Needless to say, I was mortified when I met his family and friends, who were all dressed in business attire. But in my defense, I had no idea what I was walking into.

Despite looking something similar to Oscar Madison, Mr. Griffin's family treated me better than I could've imagined, graciously offering me beer, sunflower seeds, pretty much anything I wanted, and we all enjoyed a 13-6 comeback win for the Red Raiders. During the game, I had the pleasure of getting to know Mark's brother David, and after the game he invited me to come out again on Saturday, so of course I took him up on his offer. That's where the fun begins.

I showed up to the game on Saturday---having made sure to dress appropriately this time---and met up with David to get the ticket and be escorted up to his box. As we approached the door, he turns to me and says, "Ok, try and be cool about this when you go in. We're not sure why he's in here because we don't really know him, but Roger Clemens is in our box for today's game." Before I could even process what I just heard, David pulls the door open, and not more than 10 feet from me stands Roger F'n Clemens. "The Rocket." In the flesh.

Before I go any further, let me explain something. Yes, I am 24 years old. Is it time for me to move past becoming a total fanboy when I see a guy who made a living playing a game for a profession? Yes, it is. But growing up, I was the kid who ditched the Nintendo for a baseball card collection and a fantasy team, mailed players cards for autographs---which has brought back a pretty sick list of returns, by the way---played wiffle ball in the yard all day imagining he was a pro, and showed up to Ranger games with his glove and a pair of Pop's binoculars. I absolutely ate the pro game up as a kid and watched as much of it as I could when I wasn't playing.

Me stepping into that room probably looked something similar to when Ralphie sat on Santa's lap in 'A Christmas Story.' Seriously, I stood there and just stared at him for at least a minute or more. As I'm standing there trying to determine if this is real life or if the Ambien is kicking in, this dude is literally walking around the room shaking people's hands and saying, "Hi, I'm Roger," like everyone in there doesn't already know who the hell he is. By this point he's already looked at me more than once. Still dumbfounded, I can see this look on his face that screams, "oh, God, another one..." Dude gets to me, extends his hand, and before he can introduce himself I just say, "I know exactly who you are, Mr. Clemens," then proceeded to pour my heart out to him, ultimately thanking him for giving me someone to look up to and want to strive to be as a young, aspiring player, despite being five plus years removed from the game.

After 10-year-old G said what he needed to say, Roger was surprisingly really cool about it and posed for a picture with me. And I say "surprisingly" because "The Rocket" doesn't come without a controversial past, or a reputation for not always being the most personable pro athlete---my Aunt was paired with Clemens as a bridesmaid for a wedding in the 80's and has her own interesting story about him. But after that it was like he was just one of the guys. There were four of us in the box that

sat around him during the game talking ball as if we had all been friends for a long time, despite not knowing any of these people 30 minutes ago. Not to mention that I was the only person participating in the conversation that was under the age of 53. However, what was undoubtedly the best part about this collection of individuals was that Roger and I shared one thing that these business guys didn't; we had pitching backgrounds.

So as this game is going on and I'm listening to a living Baseball legend analyze what he's seeing on the field, there were points in time where I was the only person completely following what he was saying and contributing to the conversation. We talked some sequencing, approach, and then I got to listen to him go into this really deep explanation of how the winds in Lubbock reminded him of his starts in Wrigley. He explained in vivid detail the intricacies of not only how he had to adjust his in-game approach to fit the conditions, but how he'd harness the conditions to enhance his arsenal of breaking pitches. I mean, we're talking serious Baseball Porn at this point. As he's sharing his knowledge with all of us, I can't help but watch replays in my mind of that patented Clemens split-finger fastball, "Mr. Splitty," make even All-Star caliber hitters look like washed-up high school heroes.

About five and a half innings go by, Roger decides he wants to say hi to some folks one box down, and he wouldn't return after that. But a few knowledge bombs and some hardball talk wouldn't be the only parting gift I'd receive from "The Rocket." Apparently before the game, Roger did a private autograph signing for some people in another luxury box. He might have signed 15 or 20 of these really unique pictures that list all of his credentials, awards, and feature an action shot of him with each of the four teams that he played for during his 24 year career. The crazy thing is, people left them! How in the hell do you leave something like that as if it has no value? I mean, even if you don't want it, you're not going to try and shop that thing on eBay? I saw people grabbing them so I ran and snagged the very last two I saw laying around before the stadium crew locked up all of the luxury boxes. From there, I immediately bolted to Walmart to get those bad boys framed. It still baffles me that I even found one laying around, let alone two of them.

So like I said, I cashed in on quite a bit of luck this weekend. I went to a game I wasn't supposed to go to, sat in a luxury box I wasn't supposed to sit in, got invited back for another game the next day, talked ball with a Mount Rushmorian Major League pitcher who was also in a luxury box that he wasn't supposed to be in---although I'm sure they'd have made an exception for him---and snagged two priceless pieces of memorabilia that I wasn't supposed to have. When you put my weekend into that kind of perspective, I think I need to stop writing this and go buy a Powerball ticket. 

@GeraldWWhite

G.W.'s 2016 MLB Preview: Predictions, Awards, & My 16 Thoughts for 2016

In a rare act of courtesy, I decided to revive my underutilized blog for my 2016 MLB predictions and spare my many victims of the Facebook newsfeed pollution I create every year just before Opening Day. If you're reading this, you're likely a friend that I share some sort of bond with through baseball, and sadly many of our mutual friends don't share the same passion for this authentic, unifying, and eloquent expression of American tradition. If you think about it though, it's probably best we keep those folks out. Because let's be honest, if you don't like baseball, you probably like communism. That said, because I've found the kindness in my heart to keep my thoughts off of Facebook, you can expect this to be a long piece. Don't be mad though. I wasn't the glutton for punishment who subjected himself to this, and chances are if you've read this far, this isn't the first time you've subjected yourself to one of Gerald's long-winded rants. At the most, I hope this generates some pretty solid hardball talk among friends, and in the process arms you with a couple of knowledge bombs to drop on that one self-proclaimed baseball expert that we all know in our personal lives---absolutely no irony in that statement as I write this. And let's face it, deep-rooted baseball fandom has unfortunately become a cult following. How we've reached that point is incomprehensible, but we members need to do all we can to stick together. At the very least, I'm hoping this gets "bad movie treatment." You know...you're 15 minutes in, you know it sucks, but you aren't getting those 15 minutes back so you might as well watch the whole damn thing just to see what happens. Anyway, here are my 2016 MLB predictions, awards and 16 thoughts for 2016.
Read'em and rip'em...

  

AL/NL

East: Blue Jays/Mets

Central: Royals/Cubs 

West: Rangers/Diamondbacks

Wild Cards: Astros/Indians, Pirates/Nationals

ALCS: Rangers over Astros

NLCS: Cubs over Diamondbacks

WS: Cubs over Rangers

·       Were the Rangers a homer pick to make the WS? You could argue that, but the AL is wide open this year and I’m buying their chances. People are sleeping on the Ian Desmond signing, something I think benefits the team for at least three separate reasons. Additionally, I think Martin Perez has a bounce back year. So after Darvish returns, 1-4 in the rotation is going to be solid. That said, this year sucks for any fan of an AL team that makes a run to the WS because it’s impossible to be disappointed if the Cubs win. I don’t care about the postseason heartbreak I’ve endured as a Ranger fan. There are just some things in this world that need to happen, and Steve Bartman being able to show his face at Wrigley Field and be forgiven by an entire fan base is one of them---go watch that replay, every moron sitting around Bartman, with the exception of one, should name their kids after him because they reached for that ball too. I mean if there was one reason to root against the Cubs, it would be for how that incident played out among the fans, but we won't go there. Would a third WS loss in the last six years make the Rangers the “Buffalo Bills of Baseball”? No, and stop acting like the Bills were losers. Ask a Browns fan if he’d have rather lived through four straight Super Bowl losses instead of draft bust after draft bust and see what he says. The Cubs are the best team in baseball, and are going to have this core for at least another five years. Believe the hype, and just accept the fact that they deserve this more than your team.

2016 Awards... 

MVP: Mike Trout/Paul Goldschmidt

·        Can't you just see it now? Trout leading or in the top three of every major category and metric in the AL. Then in walks this  21 year old stud shortstop on a potential pennant winning team in the same division, only to steal the award with comparable, but not better numbers? Stop the madness. Trout is the best player in the AL, and quite possibly the entire game. The craziest thing about him finishing 2nd in the MVP race in two of the last three years is that the year he actually won it (2014) was his worst statistical year of the three. Let that sink in... 

·       Goldschmidt will approach ’09-’10 Pujols numbers. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for since I took him #2 overall in fantasy over  Trout. But seriously, he's the total package and I think he gets very close. Give me Rizzo as my dark horse, as he's looking primed to make that jump also. And for the love of all things holy, can we please bring those beautiful Arizona pinstripe vests back full-time, along with the Marlins teals? Why they were killed in the first place makes no sense considering they were both donned during both franchise's glory years. Besides, I'm a 90's kid, I grew up with them.  

Cy Young: Chris Sale/Gerrit Cole

·       I picked “Filthy Buck Fifty” when he was a less popular candidate last year---Yes, I made that up for Sale. No, I will not call him “The Condor.”---and I will maintain that he should have won the award over Keuchel based on metrics. He had a much higher K/9, lower BB/9, a much higher opponent BABIP, and a +0.68 ERA-FIP differential to Keuchel’s -0.43. Plus, I want to see him win one before his arm blows up as many have projected could happen any day now. As stated in the nickname, dude is filthy. But you know who else is just as filthy? Chris Archer. Give me Archer and Carlos Carrasco as the other two who make it a hotly contested race through September. 

·         It would be easy to take Kershaw/Scherzer/Harvey/Grienke/deGrom/, so I’m taking Cole as a dark horse despite a significantly lower K/9 than the field. This is a big-time homer pick as I've owned him in fantasy for three straight years, but he was in the race all the way through August last year. The quintessential anti-Sale with the near flawless mechanics and frame built to last, he's currently in a financial dispute with his club and out to prove his worth. Plus, I love the philosophy in Pittsburgh: Create wins by saving runs through pitch framing, up your two-seam fastball usage to induce ground balls, and constantly shift your defense within the same count to spots where you're anticipating said ground balls. You thought 'Moneyball' changed the game? What the Pirates do through real engineering makes that look like child's play.   



Rookie of The Year: Aaron Judge/Trevor Story

·       This is a long shot, as Judge may not get the call up anytime soon after struggling this spring. Everyone is taking Buxton/Berrios. While I want to show the Twins some love, my thinking is, who wouldn’t want to see a dude who’s basically the size of LeBron play the outfield and swat bombs out of that wiffle ball park known as Yankee Stadium? The only thing I’d like seeing more than that? Lew Brinson, "boy"…  

·        If he stays healthy, my money is on Steven Matz to win it, but Matz and his Mets already get enough love, so let's look at shortstop. Everyone is picking Seager/Turner, so give me Trevor Story. The glaring difference among the group that I think people are overlooking is that Story plays in Coors Field on a rebuilding team. Not to mention, he's projected to hit in the two-hole between Blackmon and CarGo. Regardless of who wins, I just hope we’re entering another Golden Age of shortstops because that’s something the game desperately needs.

 Comeback Player of the Year: Yu Darvish/Jose Fernandez

·         Need this and then some for my Rangers projection to hold true.
·         Fernandez is Pedro 2.0. Nuff said... 

My 16 thoughts heading into 2016…

1.       The Yanks and Sawks are out. New York might have the best bullpen of all-time, but it won’t matter if their rotation can’t get them a lead. As for Boston, they have some of the game’s future stars in Mookie, Bogaerts and Swihart, but they’ll be weighed down by Papi---and another egotistical "Farewell Tour"---Panda, Hanley and a subpar rotation behind Price.

2.       Staying in the East, I’m not in love with the Jays’ rotation, but it will be just enough behind a very potent lineup. No Wild Cards will come out of this division, as these five will eat each other alive. The O’s are confusing, but the Rays are an interesting sleeper that could make a run on young defensive ability---seriously, Kiermaier is in a class of his own, and everyone else is simply 1a--- run manufacturing, and the best rotation in the division headed by Chris Archer, the right-handed version of Sale.

3.       I said the wheels would come off for Detroit last year, and they did. But much like last year’s Jays, 1-5 in their lineup is a real threat. A bounceback year from Verlander could get them back to the postseason, but I’ll have to see it to believe it.

4.       I see the Indians as a poor man’s version of last year’s Mets. They’re viewed as the biggest losers of the offseason for not making any significant moves to improve offensively, and rightfully so. They won’t make the WS and they’ll struggle to score runs, but Kluber/Carrasco/Salazar are as good as it gets, especially in the AL, and what appears to be a wide open Central division.

5.       I looked foolish for picking the Royals to miss the postseason last year, and as tempting as it is to do it again, I’m taking them for the same reasons I’m not taking the Nationals (see #11).

6.       Not much separates the Astros and Rangers, but I’m giving a very slight edge to Texas based on depth, their bullpen---which Buster Olney agreed with when he read my tweet on the BBTN podcast regarding what sets these teams apart from each other, so no, I'm not a blind homer---and the fact that history says when teams make as big a jump as Houston did last year, they usually take a step back. That said, it should be a small step back, as both teams are poised to make a deep run. I'm looking forward to this potentially being the best two team race in MLB.

7.       This year’s postseason will not feature Mike Trout or Clayton Kershaw, and as a fan of the game, that upsets me…

8.       The Mariners have made some subtle moves that make them tough for me to sleep on, but I think they’re still a year away.

9.       The Diamondbacks were 2^nd in the NL in runs scored, and led all of MLB with 69 Defensive Runs Saved in 2015 (next closest team, KC with 56). Add Zack Greinke, Shelby Miller and a healthy Pat Corbin, you better believe I’m buying this team. They aren't as deep as the Cubs, but expect them to be buyers at the deadline.

10.   The Mets should build an early lead on the Nationals, and I expect them to maintain it. After facing KC to open the season, they get the Phillies, Braves, Reds and Padres. Their lineup is improved from last year, and rounding off an already dominant rotation with ROY candidate Steven Matz and a healthy Zack Wheeler set to return in July, this team could run away with the “NL Least.”

11.   I swore last year I’d never pick the Nationals to win anything again, no matter how enticing, and I’m sticking to my word… sort of. They get a WC spot only by virtue of playing in the worst division in all of baseball. I will say though, I am a fan of the Dusty Baker hire. 

12.  Looking at the NL West, with an injury riddled spring, it’s looking like the biggest payroll in baseball would be doing themselves a favor by investing in some comfortable new Lay-Z-Boys because that’s likely where they’ll be watching the postseason from. Sorry, Magic…
      As for the Giants, the buck stops here with the even year nonsense.
      [Insert Hunter Pence Joke Here]

13.  Are you like me, having trouble finding work? Let's make a road trip out of it and tryout for the Phillies, Braves, Reds, Brewers, Rockies, and Padres. My twice surgically repaired shoulder and the litany of injuries I've sustained since would make any one of these teams a lock to land the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft.
 
14. Seamheads beware when picking the Cardinals on pedigree. The 2015 Cardinals are one of 12 teams in the Wild Card Era to allow 580 runs or fewer (528) in a single season. Each of the 11 teams before them saw an average increase in runs allowed the following year by 114, with only one team being able to stay under 600.  

15. The Pirates took a step back in the offseason, but I just can’t bring myself to pick against them. Starling Marte might be the single most underrated player in baseball, Cutch is Cutch, Gerrit Cole is a workhorse, and Ray Searage is a pitching whisperer currently working his magic on Juan Nicasio. If you haven’t read ‘Big Data Baseball’, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy… like, today. You can thank me later.

16.  The Curse of the Billy Goat will end and Steve Bartman will be vindicated in 2016. The Cubs are deep, and when I say deep, I mean they can plug an impact player in at almost any spot if injuries arise. I love the Heyward signing, as he's grossly underrated when you consider his defensive ability and age. And as much as it pains me to say it, the x-factor that will determine the Cubs postseason success is... just who everybody thought, John Lackey. All of their bullpen question marks can be fixed before the deadline, and they have the farm system to make it happen.

@GeraldWWhite

Over Analysis: My Cowboys Rookie to Watch

As a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan, much to the similarity of the regular season, Draft Night has for the most part become an annual disappointment for me. However, I was slightly humbled by this year’s draft--- or the 1^st-round, at least--- when JJ made a surprisingly good decision by selecting another offensive lineman instead of the World’s greatest pine-riding jersey salesman, Johnny Manziel--- honorable mention goes to Michael Sam. Even though I still disagree with the Cowboys taking ANY offensive player in the first two rounds of this year’s draft after trotting out the third worst defense in NFL history in 2013, I’m taking the high road by choosing to look at Zack Martin as the lesser of two evils, hoping that the Cowboys are constructing an offensive line that will set the foundation of the team for the future.

Complaints aside, the Cowboys kickoff their preseason tonight as they face the Chargers, and while the preseason can easily be over analyzed by optimists and pessimists, alike, I always feel it’s important to watch the rookies and second year players as they get an opportunity to showcase themselves. As far as the rookies go, we already know 1^st-round pick Zack Martin will be highly scrutinized, and rightfully so for reasons I previously alluded to, not including being the guy Sean Lee took on in non-contact drills which resulted in a torn ACL. 2^nd-round pick Demarcus Lawrence was set to be placed under the microscope, also, as he was drafted to replace future Ring of Honor inductee DeMarcus Ware, but won’t likely be able to play for another 10 weeks because of a broken foot he sustained in training camp.

So who does that leave? The rookie I’m most excited to evaluate in the preseason is 5^th-round wide receiver Devin Street. He’s not the fastest wide out, and he could definitely add some muscle to that lanky 6’3” 200lb frame of his. But with the departure of Miles Austin and the emergence of second year receiver Terrance Williams, Street could pick up an interesting role in the Cowboys’ offense. Much like Williams, he’s a versatile guy with experience playing in the slot and on the perimeter, but I’m interested to see if he can steal the slot receiver role from Cole Beasley or special teams ace Dwayne Harris.

With Austin out, Williams will be the fulltime outside receiver opposite of Dez Bryant, which is really where he needs to be because not only is he a deep threat, he also has an uncanny ability in assisting Tony Romo as he extends plays when they breakdown, particularly in play-action. As far as Street’s potential fit, I think he’s very comparable to Laurent Robinson or possibly Patrick Crayton. Robinson was also a versatile receiver who was able to play in the slot and on the perimeter. And because Bryant, Witten and Austin could draw a double team at any point, Robinson was consistently left open, allowing him to lead the team with 11 receiving touchdowns in his lone season as a Dallas Cowboy in 2011.

Let’s be realistic for a second, don’t quote me as saying Street is going to come in and put up double digit touchdowns upon arrival; the game doesn’t work like that, and I’m not a blind homer. If it does happen, it’s going to be over a period of time. I do, however, think comparing him to Robinson is a fair ceiling to give to a guy who ranks as one of the best receivers to play at Pitt, especially considering he’s been working out over the past few offseasons with Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver and Pitt alum Larry Fitzgerald.

So ultimately here’s the way I see it, you’re going to read this and ask me why you should exude any optimism about a 5^th-round player on a team that is destined to go 6-10 after you either express your disdain for Tony Romo, or actually understand the game of football and explain that the defense can’t hold a lead and the last seven weeks of the Cowboys’ schedule has “collapse” written all over it, as they play five of their last seven games on the road, one of them being in London. I say if you have it all figured out, why dwell on it? Why not try to find something positive to look forward to as the Cowboys approach yet another unfavorable situation? I mean really, didn’t we do that with the Rangers for nearly 10 years? Look, am I putting high expectations on Street as a 5^th-round pick in year one? Absolutely. But I don’t think they’re unrealistic over the next few seasons. He could easily wind up being the next Andre Holmes just as easily as he could become the next Robinson or Crayton. When he becomes Holmes, you can repost this and laugh. But if he becomes a solid contributor in the slot, just remember, you heard it here first.

@GeraldWWhite

"Ware" has the Time Gone?



Tuesday was a different kind of “Doomsday” associated with the Dallas Cowboys. A day many began speculating was coming in November of last year, but chose to ignore because its possibility seemed unfathomable. Following the paths of former greats Don Meredith and Don Perkins, DeMarcus Ware is the latest Dallas legend facing the heartbreaking reality that, unlike in the movies, not all great Cowboys ride off heroically into the sunset. As the franchise’s all time leader in sacks (117) and forced fumbles (32), Ware will undoubtedly be enshrined in the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor one day, where he'll be joining Meredith and Perkins as the only members that didn’t play on a Dallas Super Bowl team. As a fan who’s been donning a #94 jersey since his rookie year, the only thing more painful for me to admit is that cutting Ware was the appropriate move for both sides.

In the Cowboys' case, they have been struggling to meet the NFL’s salary cap requirement year after year, especially after being penalized $10 Million in 2012 for front loading contracts during the 2010 season. Before Ware’s release, Dallas was less than $1 Million over the cap, and by cutting Ware, they saved $7.4 of the $16 Million that was scheduled to count against it. For Dallas, being able to create cap space is huge considering they trotted out one of the worst defenses in NFL history in 2013, and Ware’s release should enable them to fill a couple of gaps via Free Agency and the NFL Draft.

The other key factors to consider are age, health, and production. Contrary to popular opinion, the Cowboys have a younger roster than people realize. And while I don’t dare call Ware “old” as he nears the age of 32, it’s unquestionable that he hasn’t aged well since spraining his neck in 2009.

From 2006 to 2012, Ware etched his name in NFL history alongside Hall of Famers John Randle and the late Reggie White by becoming only the third player ever to record 10 or more sacks in seven straight seasons. However, the injury bug began to bite him in 2012 as he dealt with nagging nerve injuries in his neck, shoulder, and elbow, which ultimately resulted in two separate offseason surgeries.

In 2013, Ware missed multiple games for the first time in his entire career with a quadriceps injury that lingered throughout the season, and finished with his worst career single-season totals in sacks (6) and tackles (28). Some of the decline in production can be attributed to a change in defensive scheme, but if you watched the games you could tell he wasn’t the same Ware we were accustomed to watching slap the turf after sacking NFL quarterbacks every Sunday afternoon. So if the Cowboys were planning on starting a youth movement in an effort to rebuild, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, cutting Ware to free up some much needed cap space made sense.

As I alluded to, the release made sense schematically for Ware. I’ll spare you by not attempting to delve into the brainlessness behind replacing Rob Ryan with Monte Kiffin after two seasons, but the fact is that the coaching change didn’t play to Ware’s strengths. As a converted high school wide receiver before enrolling at Troy University, it should come as no surprise why Ware possesses the ability to run a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash. But when you couple his exceptional speed with his 6’4”, 265 pound frame, you have a hybrid outside linebacker that was bred with the sole purpose of wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks, and has no business putting his hand in the dirt as a down lineman. So in 2005, that’s what Ware, along with Marcus Spears, was drafted by Bill Parcells to do as “The Big Tuna” intended to set the foundation for the first ever 3-4 defense in Dallas Cowboys history.

Another reason you could argue that Ware needed to make a move in free agency to a team that runs a 3-4 is his injury history. In recent seasons, Ware has been pulled from games due to recurring neck stingers. If Ware were to stay in Dallas as a true defensive end in their new 4-3 defense, he’d be taking more frequent blows to his shoulders, which would cause these stingers to become more common than if he were to make the move back to outside linebacker in a 3-4. And at this point you’ve got to think he’d like to give himself the chance to play as long as possible, and with as little pain as possible, as he pursues a title in the final years of his career.

Finally, the issue comes back to money. The Cowboys had no choice but to ask for a pay cut from Ware given their salary cap woes. So in his case, if you’re an aging All-Pro knowing you’re going to have to take a pay cut just to stay with the epitome of mediocrity that is the Dallas Cowboys who just happened to undermine you by changing defensive schemes, of course you’re going to test the waters of free agency. You’ve broken franchise records; you’ve accumulated Hall of Fame worthy numbers. The only thing you have left to do is pursue the Lombardi Trophy, and Jerry Jones has proven that it damn sure won’t be coming back to Dallas any time soon.

Listen, could Ware have come back to Dallas for $250,000 per year less than what he was offered by Denver? Absolutely. But should he be questioned for bolting to the Mile High City just a day after his release? Absolutely not. Cowboy fans, it’s not your right to request a hometown discount from a future Hall of Famer who would essentially be setting himself up for failure, just like it’s not your birthright to win Super Bowls. Ware served his time in Dallas, he provided us with nine years of highlight reel football. And when he’s eventually enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, hopefully you’ll be able to look back at all the greatness he achieved as a Cowboy and appreciate it. It’s not his fault that Dallas didn’t make a deep playoff run during his tenure. Football is the ultimate team game and he’s just one man.

Super Bowl or not, Ware was a winner on and off the field in Dallas, and he proved it time and time again. He’s been to seven Pro Bowls, he’s one of eight players in NFL history to lead the league in sacks in two separate seasons, he was named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, and he was named to the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Second Team, despite having only played five seasons in said decade. Along with the numerous contributions he made off the field, you couldn’t have asked much more from him.

Let me be clear, I was just as depressed as anybody when I read the news of Ware’s release, regardless of the fact that it was the right move. For at least eight years, he was one of the few constants in an otherwise erratic and dismal era of Dallas Cowboys football, and will always be defined in my mind by his infamous game-ending sack-fumble of Drew Brees that sealed an upset victory over the 13-0---and eventual Super Bowl Champion---New Orleans Saints in 2009, just one week after suffering a neck sprain in a loss to the Chargers. But as depressed as I am that he’s no longer a Cowboy, I’m twice as excited for him that he’ll finally be competing for a title with a legitimate contender. I’ve owned his jersey since his rookie year when I was in the 8^th grade—damn, do I feel old saying that---and as far as I’m concerned, if he wins a Super Bowl with the Broncos, it’s a partial win for Cowboys fans. The dude’s a warrior who’s earned a shot at the Lombardi Trophy, and I’d love nothing more for him than to get a chance to hoist it before returning to Dallas to take his rightful place in the Cowboys Ring of Honor.

From a lifelong fan, thanks for the memories, DeMarcus. AFC Quarterbacks, "BeWare!"

Gerald White

@GeraldWWhite

Defining Michael Young

Selflessness. Of the many cliché words we use to define the careers of our favorite athletes, “selflessness” was the first word that came to mind when I heard Michael Young was finally hanging them up. In our current state of professional sports, you could look back and argue that he became somewhat of a Unicorn. Think about it. How many times do we see prominent athletes demanding trades or transferring from schools because they’re too prideful to agree with coaching and management that they need make a position change or take a lesser role for the betterment of their team?

From 2004 until his final year as a Ranger in 2012, fans watched Young make position changes three times, play all four infield positions in 2011 and 2012 serving as a designated hitter almost double the amount of games he played at any defensive position during that time, all while he was being shopped around in trade talks every offseason after 2008. When you look at it that way, it starts to make a little sense why he might have become a defensive liability from an advanced metric perspective, particularly after the move from shortstop to third base. I realize he didn’t handle that move as cheerfully as the others, because in that case he did request a trade, but can you really blame him? The guy had just come off a 2008 season in which he won a Gold Glove at shortstop and combined with Ian Kinsler to have one of the best single seasons by a shortstop second base defensive tandem in Major League history. How would you handle a move like that at your job?

Forget defense for a minute, though. The word most commonly associated with Michael Young’s career is undoubtedly “consistency,” this pertaining to him as an offensive player. As a hitter, Young recorded at least 150 hits every season from 2002 to 2012, six of which were 200 plus hit seasons (2003-2007, 2011), and he’s retiring as a career .300 hitter. However, it appeared to me that he became a victim of his past successes in 2012, as many Rangers fans--or “Post-Cliff Lee Trade” fans as I like to call them—began acting like spoiled children when he didn’t produce the usual cookie-cutter numbers he had in his previous nine seasons, failing to understand that an off year for Young is a benchmark year for an average Major League hitter.

Nowadays around the water cooler, your basic baseball card stats hold no weight in arguments regarding a player’s production, and scientifically speaking, it’s indisputable that Young had a down year at the plate after being deemed the club’s “Super Utility” Designated Hitter in 2012. Hell, you could even say he hurt the team considering he posted a negative Win Probability Added (WPA) that year. But what amazed me in 2012 was the amount of backlash he received from fans. If you followed Twitter closely during games that year, nearly every time he struck out, flew out, or grounded out, there were fans expressing this growing sentiment that he had received more credit than he was due, and that the perception of him being a “veteran leader” or “classy ballplayer” was the only reason he continued to see the field, in spite of his declining offensive production. The reason it shocked me so much was because he had just put up one of the best years of his career at the plate in 2011, as he led the league in hits (213), posted a .338/.380/.474 slash line, and finished Top 8 in the American League MVP race. I’ll even go so far as to say that he was the unsung hero for the Rangers when they made the postseason in 2011, as he had to fill in at third base for Adrian Beltre after a hamstring injury caused him to miss 37 games, during which he posted a slash line of .354/.399/.469, 21 RBIs, and a .645 WPA. Yet, the increasing resentment of him in 2012 made it seem as if none of that ever happened.

From a personal standpoint, the final word I would like to affix to Michael Young’s career is “unorthodox.” Growing up a lifelong fan of DFW sports, I often like to make comparisons of Michael Young and Dallas Mavericks Power Forward, Dirk Nowitzki. I could bore you with numerous reasons as to why I do this—trust me, it’s a completely different article in itself--- but I’ve always been awestruck by how they’ve managed to take the most difficult aspects of their respective sports and turn them into the prominent reasons they have had such successful careers. Dirk is continuing to play out a Hall of Fame career that has been defined by an indefensible, off-balance one-legged fade away that had never been seen before. NBA players take off-balance shots all of the time, but there has never been a player make a career out of shooting them the way Dirk has. And even as more and more players attempt to mimic it, we may never see it again.  

While it’s not nearly as unprecedented as Dirk’s signature “Flamingo Fade,” Michael Young’s uncanny ability to hit to the opposite field is comparable when considering the level of difficulty and the fact that both have had consistently prolonged success. Ask any Physics Professor what the hardest skill to master in all of sports is and I can almost guarantee nine out of ten will say hitting a baseball. Because in order for it to work, two round objects have to make contact squarely---casual fans, feel free to take a moment to wrap your mind around that if you need to. Now pair that with the fact that hitting to the opposite field is the most difficult aspect of being a successful hitter, and you should have a little more appreciation for Young’s craft when you consider that this is where he made his money in the league. His production never came from the long ball, but he managed to make hitting hard line drives into right center field the staple of his offensive proficiency. So to reiterate, Young’s mastery of a skill you rarely see a player find consistent success with for a sustained period of time is just one reason why I love to compare him to Dirk, besides my bias for all things DFW.

As a Rangers fan, if you took a true “Seamheadian” approach in your analysis of Michael Young’s career, I get it, science and sabermetrics don’t come to his defense---even though he was ranked as a Top 40 hitter from 2003 to 2011 according to WAR---but you don’t go about owning franchise records in runs, hits, doubles, triples, and total bases by being a mediocre player, especially when your franchise has featured prolific hitters like Ivan Rodriguez, Juan Gonzalez, and Rafael Palmeiro. Sure, Young was a poor defender at different times during his career---this may come as a newsflash, but Derek Jeter has been one of the worst defensive players in the league for more than a decade, but you don't hear too many Yankees fans calling for his head, do you? Sure, Young had a couple of spats with management, but did he ever put himself ahead of his team by failing to comply? Like I said earlier, I will always acknowledge the sabermetrical aspect of baseball. Personally, I love studying sabermetrics. They’ve created a new cult of baseball fans, and it’s been tremendous for the game. But at some point, I think fans need to see beyond the numbers with Young when it comes to evaluating him, and instead, appreciate the fact that he served the game the right way for more than a decade, realizing that he’ll be one of the last “good guys” to come through professional sports. And let’s face it, I can sit here and continue to attach more adjectives to MY's career, but what’s the point? It’s more for me to type when I could just tell you to go Google the damn Boy Scout Law.

Of course I’m sad he’s calling it quits, but I can’t blame him. Look at all he’s accomplished in his career. The Batting Titles, the All-Star Game appearances and MVP, and all the club records he holds in Texas. Look at all the awesome memories he gave Rangers fans that starved for a competitive team throughout the mid 2000’s before helping lead them to the franchise’s first ever postseason series victory and back-to-back American League titles. The only thing he had left to do was chase a title on a contending team, and the only team knocking on his door with the intentions of making him a starter was the Brewers. Sure, Young won’t be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and you can always point to science when debating his value. But after watching him play the game the way he did for 14 years with his exceptional combination of versatility and durability, I stand firm in my belief that if you had a team full of competitors like Young, they’d likely contend year after year.

Gerald White

@GeraldWWhite