Yanks Talkin' Johan/Tribe After Bay?

The old saying is the rich get richer. Well it could happen again in baseball. It is getting to be such a tired act, but the way the current system is built, this is the way of the world. According to the Associated Press, The Twins and the Yankees are having preliminary discussions regarding Johan Santana. So let me get this straight, the Yankees will have the best player in the game, A-Rod making $27 million a year, and if they pull this off will have to sign Santana long term, most likely in the $20 million a year realm. Derek Jeter makes $18 million a year. Mariano Rivera just signed a three year deal for $15 million per. Jorge Posada just signed his deal for $12 million a year. Is this a friggin joke?

Brian Cashman has got to be smarter than this, doesn't he? Notice he has been extermely quiet this offseason now that Hank Steinbrenner has taken over the reigns from his father. Hank has become the moronic quote machine, walking right into his fathers footsteps. Cashman has said for months that he won't trade his three top pitching prospects. Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Joba Chamberlain. Don't you get the feeling that if these three were in the Brewers farm system, nobody would be talking about them the way they do and they wouldn't be held over every other team's head? Of course. Its the Yankees, and over-blowing everything is a way of life.

All I know is they were taken down in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of your Cleveland Indians in four games and they haven't won a playoff series since 2004. That's what a $200 million payroll gets you evidentally.

In the meantime, according to yesterday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The one party confirmed to have spoken to the Pirates about Jason Bay is Cleveland, and that should be no surprise. For one, Huntington came from the Indians and knows their system better than any. A rookie general manager will want to be ultra-certain about the return for someone like Bay. For another, the Indians are a good match, having exceptional depth of starting pitching and catching.

Put Jason Bay in left, hit him between Victor and Hafner and call it a day. Give em Stiff Lee, Marte and Shin-Soo Choo. Make it happen Shappy!

Varajao Ain't Walkin Through That Door

Out of the clear blue sky, our good buddy and resident flop king Anderson Varajao has decided to speak and let the world know the Cavaliers and Danny Ferry have done him wrong. In his first interview in months, the Brazilian sixth man and key cog in the Cavaliers run to the Eastern Conference Title says he is essentially done in Cleveland. He told ESPN.com's Chad Ford the following:

"I wanted to come back," he said. "I love the fans and I really love my teammates. But there are others there that have made it very difficult. It's gotten to the point that I don't want to play there anymore. I'm just hoping for a sign-and-trade at this point."

He told Ford that Ferry showed up in Brazil unannounced to offer him a contract, going behind his agent's back. That didn't sit well with agent Dan Fegan or Andy: "I was shocked," Varejao said. "He showed up and wanted me to sign a contract. I told him he's got to talk to my agent. He didn't even up his offer. I guess he thought if he just showed up, I would just sign whatever he gave me."

"It defies logic for the Cavs to accuse Anderson of demanding too much money on a long-term deal while at the same time refusing to allow Anderson to sign a one-year deal for less money, especially when they retain his Bird rights next year." Fegan said. "It begs the question: If their offer is truly fair, what are they afraid of?"

More From Varajao: "I'm willing to go and play in Europe if that's what it takes," Varejao said. "I know it's a risk and I'll be a restricted free agent next year, but at least I'd be happy. I don't think I'll be happy in Cleveland knowing that I was [almost] the lowest-paid player there for three years and am still paid much less than players on the team that I outperform. Life's too short to be unhappy."

All Ferry could do is defend his position: "From the start of free agency, we told Anderson and his agent that the ability to communicate with him directly was going to be very important to the process," Ferry said. "The trip was done because our communication with Anderson was no longer available to us."

You want my take? Varajao can tell me all he wants that he is getting screwed, but he and his agent both think they are better than they are. I said it before, he isn't nearly the player Drew Gooden is, yet wants more money than Drew's three year, $22 million deal. That said, Ferry going to Brazil around Fegan was a total chump move. He should hold firm, stay in Cleveland, and work a sign and trade. Call it a day and move on.

Emmitt Smith...So Bad, He's Good

I love Browns Head Coach Romeo "Cornell," and evidentally, so does Emmitt Smith. Seriously, does anyone think he will last more than this year? That'a a bigger lock than Artie Lange dying before he's 45.

More Browns National Love and Other Musings

Again, I apologize for my tardiness today as I know Monday is a big day here at MTAC. I've had some opportunities to peep a little bit of the national love coming to the Browns. I wanted to make sure you were all kept abreast of the happenings. That is what we do here at MTAC, we keep you informed, while trying to make you laugh. Speaking of which, I was down at the game yesterday, and I've decided that other than Ohio State fans, there is no group that exemplifies the phrase "lowest common denominator" than Browns fans. Drunken buffoons everywhere yesterday. What am i talking about? Drunken buffoons every week. Just once I;d like to go to a game and not get beer spilled on me. Just once. Not likely though. That said, its so nice that they are actually putting a good product on the field for us to watch. Here are some national takes:

Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback - si.com

Coach of the Week
Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel. Now he's got them playing defense. The ex-Patriot has the Browns 7-4 with five games left, and he has them playing better defense than we thought they were capable of, at least on Sunday against Houston. "RAC [his nickname] has been grinding us, working us hard, making sure we get better every week on defense,'' Willie McGinest said via cell phone Sunday. "The best thing he's done, on both sides of the ball, is get rid of the individuals on this team. Everyone here's a team guy now.''

The Fine Fifteen (page link)
9. Cleveland (7-4). Braylon Edwards has a combination of physicality and hands equal to any young receiver in football.

Ten Things I Think I Think (page link)
c. Jamal Lewis has more than a little bit left.

Week 12 Judgements - Clark Judge, CBS SPORTS

3. Oh, yeah, we better include Romeo Crennel in that (Coach of the Year) conversation, too. The guy could wind up 12-4. I'm serious.

Pete Prisco's Week 12 Grades - CBS SPORTS

Browns B-: Jamal Lewis had a good day running the ball and Derek Anderson was good again. The best thing for the Browns was that the defense had a good day. They had two big picks.

Browns Showing the Swagger of a Playoff Team - John Clayton, ESPN.COM

Make sure you read that entire article. Its great stuff for a Browns fan. Clayton says: But this was more than a one-man show. It was a statement game for the 7-4 Browns, the NFL's Cinderella team. Instead of looking like some lucky squad that fortune has shined on this season, the Browns had the look and feel of a playoff team, one that doesn't beat you with tricks but with physical play. You can see their swagger, their confidence.

Edwards Turns Blue Collar for Browns - Jason Cole, Yahoo Sports

Another good read. Cole says: After two years of physical and emotional frustration, Edwards is rising nearly as fast as Cleveland is turning itself into a contender.

I'm Swamped, so I'm Cheating on the KU Coverage

I'll be honest with you, my real job is kicking my ass this morning. I want to give you more breakdowns of the Browns and the Kansas win over Arizona. Instead, its cut and paste time. There was lost of interesting reads, and while I know you are looking for my takes, take a look at my in game diary from last night's KU game below as well as my last Browns postings.

Kansas/Arizona coverage:

Bill Self on Rush’s final shot in regulation: “I’m glad it didn’t go in, because we need to play five more competitive minutes like that and have some good things happen. I mean I would have been really glad if it went in, but since we won the game, we needed five more minutes to execute with the pressure on.”

Bill Self on what he learned about his team from this one: “I know that we don’t play smart. We had a chance to crack the game open and had about six straight terrible offensive and defensive possessions consecutively. So we played stubborn, which is very frustrating. Instead of playing to our strengths, we play stubborn. And I know we don’t rebound - our big guys don’t rebound. And also we’ve got to figure out who our lockdown defender is. Brandon’s not ready to be that yet....From a positive standpoint, once the game was 40-40 at halftime, they weren’t going away. It was going to be a close game no matter what. I thought that it was good we played in a tight game, thought it was good we had to execute form behind and make free throws with the pressure on. There were a lot of good things that happened. I do think we have tough kids, and I do think we’re poised. But we play stubborn. And what I mean by that is we know what we should do, but there’s that inside of us saying ‘Yeah, but I can do this.’ And it doesn’t play out to work, and it certainly didn’t work tonight.”

Bill Self on his plan for using Rush going into the game: “We were going to play Brandon 20 minutes. Medical staff said he was feeling good, looking good, wasn’t fatigued, so play him more. But if Tyrel hadn’t gotten hurt, if Russell hadn’t committed those two silly fouls to end the half to give him three, and then Rod gets called for the touch foul to end the half to give him three, if those things hadn’t happened, he would have played 20. And the outcome would have been different. So we were fortunate.”

Bill Self on getting the ball into the big men more: “We have to see it. And then if we see it, it’s a confidence standpoint to get the ball to them. But to me it looked like our post guys were wide open, our guards didn’t deliver the ball at all. We’ve got to play through Darrell. The sooner we learn that, the better off we’ll be. We still haven’t quite figured that out yet. So hopefully we’ll get better at that.”

Bill Self on Rodrick Stewart’s performance: “He was good. Rod was good. He’s got to become a lockdown defender, but he was good. He played very well, played smart, took care of the ball, I thought it was probably his best collegiate game.

Bill Self on Russell Robinson: “I don’t know what it was, but it was not good. He’s been so consistent for us, and hopefully tonight was just one of those nights where things just didn’t go well.”

Brandon Rush on KU benefitting from a game like this: “It was an overtime win, it was a grind-it-out game, and we needed one of those, with the last couple of games being blowouts. It’s not good that I missed that shot, I wish it would have went in there and the game would have ended five minutes earlier.”

Brandon Rush on how his knee felt afterwards: “I’ve been looking forward to playing an entire game. I feel fine, no soreness, no nothing.”

Brandon Rush on joking with UA’s Jawan McClellan following his halfcourt miss: “I was laughing at Jawan. He was talking about the shot. I guess before the end of the game, he’d said ‘don’t make a miracle’ or something like that. I said ‘One almost came true.’”

Brandon Rush on guarding Chase Budinger: “That could have worn anybody out. I was probably guarding him 25 minutes of the game. Those screens started killing me, running around, getting hit, getting hit, left and right, they were moving on the screens a little bit, but I ain’t complaining about it.”

Darrell Arthur on the lift KU got from Rush’s 36 minutes played: “It just makes the whole team play better seeing him out there playing, doing good. It just makes the whole team come out and play. When we see him play hard, we’re going to play hard.”

Mario Chalmers on Rush’s 36 minutes played: “Going into the game, I didn’t think he’d play 36 minutes. But in the back of my mind, I knew he’d play a lot of minutes tonight because we’re short with Sherron out and when Tyrel got hurt, so we knew he had to play a little bit more.”

Mario Chalmers on his lob to Rush in OT: “It didn’t surprise me. That’s our bread-and-butter. Every time one of us drives, we look for Brandon to go back door. And he’s always there. That’s a play we work on in practice and stuff, so we knew he could do it.”

Quotes courtesy of kusports.com

No Kan Do for Cats - Bruce Pascoe, Arizona Daily Star

Rehab Dividends Obvious - Tom Keegan, Lawrence Journal-World

Rush to the Rescue - Gary Bedore, Lawrence Journal-World

KU Pulls it Out - J. Brady McCullough - Kansas City Star

Lastly, some quick hits from me:

1. The announcers didn't mention it last night, but Freshman Point Guard Tyrel Reed left the game with a tweaked ankle and didn't return. That is why Rush was pressed into 36 minutes of action. I like Reed's game and we needed him badly last night. When Jeremy Case was inserted for his three horrible minutes of play, the offense sputtered. Self was smart enough not to go back to him again.

2. Man, did KU miss Sherron Collins last night on so many levels. They didn't have the guard depth they normally enjoy. With Russell Robinson in foul trouble, Mario Chalmers had to play the point, something he isn't that comfortable with these days. Also Russ wasn't on the floor to guard Freshman Jerryd Bayless who school the other KU guards for 17 points. The offense was stagnant. Other than Rush, nobody could knock down an outside shot. Sherron is the man who stretches the defense and opens everything up for everyone else with his quickness. As I said, we miss Sherron badly.

3. Arizona dominated the offensive glass. that is inexcusable for a team with four big bodies. Self ripped the big men in the post game presser saying "our big guys don't rebound." Sasha Kaun is so much bigger than anyone he matches up with, yet it doesn't translate on the glass. He has got to be more physical. Shady Arthur also tends to shy away from contact and takes too many fadeaway jumpers, taking himself away from offensive rebound opportunities. Still, he was pretty good last night, with 20 points. I won't rip my guy D-Jack, and Cole Aldrich sniffed the floor for maybe 30 seconds last night, which was a curious move in my opinion.

4. Anytime Chase Budinger wants to play for my team, he is more than welcome to. He has the sweetest stroke in college.

5. We played like garbage, couldn't hit a jump shot to save our lives, yet still came away with the W against a game Arizona team. KU has a long way to go.

7-4 and I am a Loser

At the beginning of the year, I placed a bet with this guy I know. After seeing what I saw in the preseason, I took 6-10 and below, he took 7-9 and above. I thought this was the absolute lock of the century. TE Kellen Winslow knew better. "I told you we were going to turn some heads" he said after the 27-17 win down at the Lakefront. I was there. It was cold. The crowd was great. The defense actually showed up. It was almost like the old days. We've got ourselves a legitimate playoff contender here in Cleveland, and I still can't believe it.

Kellen Winslow is an absolute stud. You can have Antonio Gates, give me K2 all day long. He may have the best hands in the NFL. Every single time the ball is thrown to him, he is seemingly double-covered and he gets drilled. He is playing with a partially torn shoulder and a bad knee, yet every week he gets 100 yards receiving and makes big catches. Today was no different as he caught 10 for 107 and a TD.

Give the Defense the nod. As bad as they have been all season, to hold the high-powered Texans passing attack to 17 points is a feat. With a healthy Andre Johnson at WR, they had their full arsenal working, yet Johnson only had three catches for 37 yards. The Browns defense forced three turnovers and they needed all of them. This was the epitome of bend but don't break. Rookie Nickel back Brandon McDonald seemingly was everywhere when they needed him.

I can sit and praise the D, but they are still way below average. There was still no pass rush, the middle of the field was wide open the entire first half and QB Matt Schaub exploited it. Kamerion Wimbley continues to regress. My Uncle who I sit next to at every game calls him a "fly weight." He cannot handle a double team and is easily getting pushed outside. Leigh Bodden gets burnt way too often for you #1 corner back. Willie McGinest is probably great in the locker room, but he is finished on the field. No speed. None. The middle of that D-line is as bad as it gets. All of this is going on defensively, yet somehow, the Browns keep winning and are now 7-4.

Jamal Lewis ran for his contract yesterday. The game plan looked as though it was to pound the Texans early and often and wear them down so the Browns Big O-line could take over in the fourth quarter. While there were some curious play calls (Jason Wright up the middle on 4th and 1?, Vickers up the middle on 4th and 1?), Lewis got stronger as the game wore on. He finished with 132 yards on 4.6 per carry with a touchdown. He ran hard all game long and opened up the field for Derek Anderson. I still think RB is the most overrated position in football and I wouldn't give Lewis a long-term deal next year, but he doesn't look finished the way the Ravens thought he did.

Joe Jurevicius - I love that man. Seriously, how glad are you that this guy plays for our team? Every team needs a WR like Joe. He runs precise routes, never drops passes, and is an excellent blocker. While his numbers weren't spectacular (5 catches for 55 yards), but his effect on the field cannot be measure by numbers. Give me a team of 53 guys like Joe and you'd never lose. The guy is all heart.

Derek Anderson got it done. DA didn't have his best day - he was high and wide on several throws - but when he needed it, his big arm showed up and he threaded the needle. On two of his TD passes, i thought once the ball left his hand he was crazy. The first being the Braylon Edwards TD. It looked as though DA was throwing into triple coverage and the next thing you know, Braylon showed up right between the three defenders and fell into the endzone. Winslow's TD was a pass only a handful of QB's can make. It was from seven yards out and K2 wedged himself between two defenders. DA shot a cannon that Winslow snagged for the TD. A weak armed QB gets that pass picked off. The Browns are no 7-3 with Anderson as starter and have won five straight at home. Unreal.

Defense Now Complementing the Rest of the Team - Terry Pluto, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Anderson's Passing Gives Lewis Freedom to Run - Bill Livingston, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Smashmouth - Tony Grossi, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Lewis Wins Respect and Proves Worth to Browns - Patrick McManamon, Akron Beacon-Journal

Winslow Battered but not Beaten - Marla Ridenour, Akron Beacon-Journal

Second Half

9:10 Not a good sign when Rush is supposed to only play 20 minutes and he played 15 in the first half. Plus he has started the second half with Robinson on the bench. D Jack also starting the second half for Kaun.

9:14 Sasha gives us a patented retard offensive move that doesn't even hit rim. The backboard is bruised. Budinger draws a Rush foul on the other end. 44-40 Arizona. We need to wake up. This means you Mario Chalmers.

9:15 Man are these refs whistle happy. Arizona's four big men all have three fouls. Two of KU's guards have three fouls. 44-42 after Rod Stewart drains a pair of free throws.

9:17 Rod buries a jumper from the free throw line. We are tied at 44. He is playing with a ton of confidence. Arizona turnover. Hi-lo from Stewart to Kaun. 46-44. Timeout Arizona. I am being way to serious. My sister in law just sent me pictures of her dog. Should I look at them or not?

9:25 Robinson re-enters the game and shoots an airball. Lets hope the tendinitis isn't bothering him. Why are we struggling with this average team on our home floor? Have I mentioned how much I hate Miles Simon. I want to punch him in his bald fucking head.

9:29 Rush comes out of the game. We become a turnover machine. Three straight times. All of a sudden we can't score. My boy The Buatch calls me. Says he missed the first half because he "forgot the game was on." Vintage. I'm out of sync now.

9:32 AJ Feeley hits Greg Lewis for his second TD. Its 21-17 Eagles. No shit. My 8:52 is way off. Oh lord...Case is back in the game.

9:35 Steal by Stewart and a MONSTER THROW DOWN over Bayliss. He is jacked up. We are tied at 48.

9:36 Timeout Arizona. Jay Bilas makes the first mention of the 97 Arizona upset over KU. F You asshole! Do I really want to recall my alltime worst college basketball loss? I still cant believe Jacque Vaughn passed up that open three to dish to Ryan Robertson. What a puss. Not the way you want your career to end.

9:39 This bad lineup is yanked. Case almost gets picked by Bayless. Within one second, Self pulls him for Mario. If Case never played again it would be too soon. 51-50 Arizona. We are getting killed on the offensive glass.

9:42 Budinger for his fifth three of the game. He's got 22. 54-52 AZ. If you had the over on 8:52 on Brady you win. He just hit Jabar Gaffney for a TD. 24-21 Pats.

9:45 I just realize I will be missing a ton of great games this week with my weak sales conference and events going on. Can't wait for team building. Self calls a T.O. as we cannot get anything going offensively. Bilas says KU's inability to make outside shots is killing them. He is right. 56-5 Arizona. Shady just picked up his fourth foul with five left.

9:50 Mario basket and one on the drive, he falls to the floor and flexes his biceps. Weak. Mario, get up, shut up, and make your free throw. You are losing by a point at home to an unranked team and you have played like garbage most of the night. Act as if, dude. 58-56 under three minute TV timeout. Mario going to the line.

9:52 He missed. That's called karma.

9:55 Mario misses a wide open three with the score tied at 58 and 2:30 left. More karma. Then he commits a foul on the other end. Arizona in the one and one. Self pats down the rug. 60-58 2:15 left.

9:59 Shady misses a fadeaway after Budinger hits his. Under a minute left and KU is down two. Ron Franklin has called Jordan Hill "Lee" five times this half. KU has the rock with 35.7 left.

10:01 Ticky tack foul call on Nic Wise. Mario back to the line for two to tie the game. First one....Good....KU 11-16 tonight....Second one....Good....62-62. Shot clock off. Timeout Arizona. Franklin says "KU doesn't want to lose to Chase back to back nights."

10:05 The ball ends up in the hands of Brielmeier who misses a J. The ball ends up in the hands of Rush who shoots from half court...literally in and out. Unbelievable. OT. I love Jay Bilas. Dud is so negative tonight.

10:07 Stewart basket and one. KU up three. Budinger comes down and buries a three right in Rod's face. Tied at 68. Budinger has 27. The kid is sick. He also has a nose only actor Adrian Brody could love.

10:11 Wow, Budinger misses a front end. Shady sticks a put back on the other end. He;s got 20. KU up 69-65.

10:12 Breilmeier throws a bad pass, Rush steals it gets an uncontested jam! KU up 71-65. Timeout Wildcats. The crowd is electric. The wheels are coming off the wagon for the visitors.

10:14 Chalmers hit Rush for a sick backdoor alley oop! Nice to see some semblance of halfcourt offense by KU. Of course on the other end, Mario gets caught napping and Bayliss grabs a three point play. Its a three point game. Vintage Mario. Half the time he doesn't use his head. Reminds me of a young cousin Steve.

10:17 Budinger fouls out. Rush at the line for two. Splits the pair for his 1000th career point. 12.2 seconds left 74-70 KU with Robinson going to the line. Bilas rightfully says "Kansas has done nothing more tonight than survive." Robinson buries both. I agree with Bilas. 76-72 KU win. It was ugly, But we will take it. I guess that Brandon Rush 20 minute deal is out the window.