tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

Tuesday’s Thoughts

While wondering if there is a better month than July for weather, here's what is on my mind today:

* The New York media's obsession with Derek Jeter's place in the batting order is borderline annoying.  In today's editions, the fact that Jeter was 0-4 last night was the major story despite the fact that the whole team was hitless through 6 innings.  Here's hoping the Captain gets to 3,000 before the All-Star break.

* The fact that CC Sabathia was not chosen to the American League All-Star team is a complete and total joke.  It's hard to pick a pitcher who is more important to his team than CC.

* The Baseball All-Star Game has lost its luster for me.  Interleague play has destroyed the novelty of the game.  I can remember wanting to see how Reggie Jackson would do against Steve Carlton.  In today's game, they may have faced each other in a weekday series in May.

* The whole idea that the league winning the All-Star game gets home field advantage in the World Series is a joke and an over reaction to the tie game that took place several years ago.  Another one of the dumb moves made by clueless Bud Selig. 

* The trading of Brett Lebda and Robert Slaney for Matthew Lombardi and Cody Franson was a good move on the part of the Maple Leafs.  Lebda was flat out terrible last year and Slaney was a low level prospect.  Lombardi is trying to come back from a concussion which kept him out of action for Nashville all of last year.  If he can bounce back he will certainly help the Leafs particularly in face-offs and penalty killing.  But the prize of the deal is Franson, a 23 year old defenseman who played on the Predators second power play unit.  He's big and has offensive skill.  Suddenly the Leafs have 8 NHL defenseman to choose from and hopefully some assets to make another move.  Nashville made the trade in order to free up cap space in order to take care of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter.

* Still shaking my head as to why the Leafs would sign Tim Connolly.

* A group of retired NFL players (Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, to name a couple) have filed a lawsuit against the NFL and the NFLPA for failing to address the pension issue.  Shame on the current players and the owners if they don't do right by the retirees.  If it wasn't for these old NFLers, the league wouldn't be where its at today and the current players wouldn't be making the money their making today.

* The NBA players are locked out and the season is in severe jeopardy.  Who cares??

* And finally, is there anything more disgusting than watching idiots fill their faces to see who can eat the most hot dogs??  What's more disgusting is the fact that ESPN covers the whole mess.