Good game for Pettitte and the Yanks

Andy Pettitte pitched 7 innings allowing 2 runs on 9 hits getting no K's but allowing no BB's, as the yankees went on to win 5-3.

The yankees scored 4 runs in the second inning starting off with a leadoff walk by Nick Swisher, and a double by Matsui, followed by a Ransom fly out to the Right fielder, Gardner then hits a 2 rbi single and then Jeter matches minus the rbi's. Damon hits a line drive to the left field and got caught going for 2, netting a rbi single. Tex finished off the scoring with a rbi single.

A 2 run 4th by the A's brought them to withn 2 but they would not come closer than that, because Johny Damon hit a solo Homer in the 6th.

Brian Bruney allowed 1 run in the 8th but Mo got the job done in the 9th and got his 4th save of the season.

Notes

Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera tied for the MLB record of win save combinations with 57

1+5= A reason to be optimistic bout the Nets future

Point Guard, and Center are by far the hardest positions to fill in the NBA, and the Nets are set at those positions with two great young players one an already an All Star in Devin Harris, and the other one, is a rookie averaging 13 and 8 who most likely is the runner up in the rookie of the year award this year. This a huge reason to be optimistic on the future of the Nets.

If the Nets have a good offseason they will have an opportunity to make the playoffs after a two year drought. But first they have to evaluate the roster, to be able to see were the help is needed.

Here's my take on the PG's SG's and SF's on the Nets Roster.

Devin Harris: leading candidate for the Most Improved Player, and he only Net to make the All Star team. He average 21.3 ppg and 6.9 assists and 3.3 rebs a game, but he sat out 13 games for injuries.

Keyon Dooling: played great for the Nets this year, he came off the bench about 60 times, and started 18 games, mostly filling in for an injury prone Devin Harris. He averaged almost 10 ppg with 3.5 assists and 2 rebounds per game. He is a great backup combo guard, and spot starter.

CDR: was drafted early in the second round, and didn't play much until DH was injured for the second time, where he was inserted into the lineup and earned his spot playing very good. He started a few games, and was loved by the fans. He could be a future starter, judging by what he showed at the end of the season.

Vince Carter: The former All Star and the only remaining memeber of the big 3 is the captain of he Nets squad, but he is almost 32 years old and showed a small dropp off in stats this year. He showed great leadership and team skills this year, but he is the center of the trade talks in the Nets off season, it would be nice to have him back next year.

Jarvis Hayes: The Backup Small Forward was a fan favorite who was notorious for his hustle plays. He averaged 9 ppg and is a great backup SF, the only problem is that through most of the season the starters were not playing as well as him.

Bobby Simmons: started 40 games averaging 8 points and shot 45% from three point land but is not a starter bottom line.

Treton Hassel:started 30 games and played good d, but he is not a starter either.

Whats missing is a backup PG because DH gets hurt to much, and a starting SF unless VC is switched to SF and CDR starts at the 2. In which case another wingman is needed.

Look out for Part 2 later in the week!

Giants TE's

Lets take a look, at the Giants tight ends, another group with a lot of skill, as well as younger players with potential.

Kevin Boss- The rookie last year, had a memorable performance in the absense of Shockey, he stepped in and contributed to the SuperBowl win, and had an ok year this year.

Michael Mathews- The third year player contributed as a TE, and as a FB, he will probably make the roster next year.

Darcy Johnson: a good backup tight end who stepped up at times receiving the ball, he has good hands, he is also a good blocker.

overall, there is a lack of star power, but a good groop of players

Nets Off-season

The Nets traded away RJ, and got five players on draft night, 3 rookies, and 2 non rookies.
Nets New Players
YI Jianlian, Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, Chris Douglas Roberts, an Bobby Simmons.
They got rid of 1 player so far in RJ, but it looks like more will follow.
so here's who wont be here next year
RJ Diop(agreed on a contract with Dallas), Darrel Arrmstrong,
possibly Krstic, Boki, Ager, and Marcus Williams.
And no one on the roster is safe, besides Yi, Lopez, an Harris.
So lets take a look at who the Nets are looking at, remember though no one expensive because the Nets want to get Lebron for Brooklyn in 2 years.
Mikael Peitrus- The 26 year old Frenchman who played for Golden State last year, is a wing man who averaged 7.2 points 3.7 rebounds, and .7 assists last year. These numbers are the second lowest in his 5 year career, because of less playing time which went down 7 minuets from the year before, where he averaged 11.1 points. He would be a good addition, to the Nets who are in desperate need for a wing man.
Roger Mason- A 28 year old guard with 5 years experience in the league. He played for the Wizards last year averaging 9.1 points 1.6 rebounds, an 1.7 assists, all career highs. He is another player who plays in a position the Nets need.
Euardo Najera, and Kwame Brown- 2 Forwards who the Nets don't really have room on their roster for, unless Krstic, an Boki leave.
JR Smith- The guard who played in Denver last year is only 22, he would be a huge addition to the Nets, but he is a restricted free agent, and Denver said that they would match any offer, so they would have to make a sign and trade to get him.

Yankees bats are asleep

The Yankees have a combined 5 runs in the past 3 games which is fairly dismal. Totalling just 13 hits over 3 those three games. And in the last 2 games Yankees scored just 2 runs on solo shots from Arod and Betemit.
This cannot continue, but i think it had something to do with the messed up lineup by Girardi, who even had Posada starting at first. I think there was no reason to take all of the lefties out of the line up as well.
Well look for the Yankees bars to wake up against Kevin Milwood of the Rangers.

A gapping whole in the SFposition for the Nets

With the departure of a star, like RJ, who has done nothing but good for the Nets, there are always going to be some negatives. One of them is that there is a huge whole where he used to be. A whole that one man can't fill, unless he is a star.
Who will play the 3 in the starting lineup?
Boki Nachabar- He came to New Jersey and stepped up his game but not exactly enough to be propelled into the starting lineup. He averaged 9.8 points 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2points of the bench last year. He is probably going to be considered most here, and will win the starting job, at the beginning of the season, assuming he will be re-signed.
Chris Douglas Roberts- CDR will have to impress to get a spot in the starting lineup. And if he does reach the starting line up he will most likely do it in the middle of the season, buy he will get playing time, because there really is no one else.
Mo Ager- He really doesn't have a chance to get the starting spot, he will have to worry about making the roster first.
Yi Jianlian- Yi will be in the starting line up for sure, it depends were though. He could play either the 3 4 or 5 positions. He probably wont start at the 3, but he will see game time there if the Nets go big, which the Nets might be able to do for the first time, in along time.
A Free agent could also come in and start, it could be someone like JR Smith, or Mikael Peitrus.
Everyone else is going to have to step in when their name is called, because they will get thir chance.

Trading RJ was to make more money and not to win a championship

Unless the Nets can make some big moves, the Nets roster has a bunch of inexperienced players, 3 rookies Lopez, Anderson, and CDR , 2 second year players, Sean Williams, and Yi, and 3 third year players Marcus Williams, Ager, and Boone. Of those players, the ones with the most game experience are Boone Williams Williams and Yi, and a total of 8 players have no more than 2 years of experience.
The Nets are also very thin at the guard and small forward position. With Ager, Marcus Williams, Carter, Nachbar, CDR, and Harris, they also have players that are big but could play the 3, but that is only Yi, and Anderson, but Nachbar is not under contract for next year yet.
But the Money that the Nets can get from this deal is tremendous. Yi Jianlian brings in a whole new international fan base from the most populated country in the World. This means that the Nets could get TV with China, because they want to see their player, as well as sell Nets merchandise to them, and alot of Chinese will become Nets fans, because their country's star plays for the nets. Even look at the picture at the top, the Nets have started selling him already. This is like when the Nets got Krstic and Serbia started showing the nets games on TV.
The other part of the deal brought in cap space, for Lebron James. This will get people to come to Brooklyn to watch him, and he will sell tickets, because he is one of the great basketball players.
Now I have no problem with the Nets trying to make money, especially because the Nets have been losing money each of the past few years, but they should sacrifice the team, but on the upside though, the Nets have a lot of youth, and a lot of potential, and Yi could be a star.

If the Nets scouted good enough we might be seeing some good performances on the court by some young players, and maybe turn out like the Trail Blazers, who broke their streak of losing seasons last year.

Giants wr's for next year

The Giants are very deep at the wr position for next year. For many years the giants have struggled with the position, and when they got Burress it helped them out tremendously. But up until last year the giants never haven't had a semi competent, 3rd widereciever for a long time. This is because Tim Carter, the preseason standout every summer, never stepped up in the regular season let alone the postseason. He was traded and the giants moved on and drafted Steve Smith, who stepped up big time last season. So starting with Smith here is my projected wide receivers on the Giants roster next year.

Steve Smith- he played great towards the end of last year, and will most likely be the 3rd WR.

Amani Toomer- The veteran receiver is the giants all time receptions and receiving yards leader, and played fairly well last year, he is getting up there in terms of age but still was productive. He will likely be the 2 Wide Receiver.

Plaxico Burress- He came in 3 years ago, and immediately upgraded the wr group. He has made some huge catches, including the Superbowl winning catch, and has had huge games, especially against the division rival eagles, and he is known as the eagles killer.

Sinorice Moss- He will be going into his third year, and it will be his last chance with the Giants. If gets injured again, or doesn't take advantage of his time on the field he will be gone because there are many people who can play the position.

David Tyree- The special teams ace had a game to remember in the Superbowl, including arguably the greatest catch in the history of the game, he will be there next year.

Mario Manningham- He was considered to be a big steal in the draft, taken in the third round. We will see how good he really is next year, although he will have to prove himself to get playing time on this team, at the receiver position.

DJ Hall- The undrafted free agent came in and impressed during rookie camps, and mini camp, it will be hard for him to make the team, but i think he will.

Notables left out

Michael Jennings- the UFA finally made the team last year, but he got injured really badly. It will be a longshot for him to make the team, and he needs to come back as good as he was, if he is healthy he might make the team.

This group of wide receivers seems great for next year, and it could include a pro bowler in Plaxico Burress, an up and coming star in Steve Smith, and a veteran to set the example in Amani Toomer. With Superbowl MVP Eli Manning giving them the ball, this group can achieve great things.

Up next tight ends

Diop likely gone

Desagana Diop aqcuired in the trade from dallas, most likely will be gone. The nets really don't have room for thtte defensive big man. They already have; Sean Williams, Ryan Anderson, Brook Lopez, Stromile Swift, Yi Jianlian, Nenad Krstic and, Josh Boone.
Dallas who Diop was originally on said they will offer him the Mid Level Exeption which is about 5 million dollars, and the heat seem like they will do the same.

Nenad Krstic a Net next year?

The Nets extended a quaifying offer to Nenad Krstic who is an unrestricted free agent. Krstic had a huge injury and was sidelined for a year but it also bothered him for the ensuing season. The Nets started the procces of the offseason by extending a qualifying offer. This means that they can match any offer made by any team.
This also puts the Nets in position to make a sign and trade deal. A sign and trade deal would happen, if different team did not have the cap room to sign Krstic, or they believed that the offer that they give to Kstic would be matched by the Nets.
This is what happened with Kenyon Martin, when the Nuggets thought the Nets wanted to sign Martin, so they made a sign and trade deal.
So if the Nets want to keep Krstic they can, it is up for them to deside if he is fully recovered, and can help the team. Or they can let him get away by not matching an offer, or trading him.