In position: Right Field

Miguel Velazquez

Every year over the past three or four, I've gone through the entire Texas Rangers' franchise, position by position in order to gauge the organizational depth. This has especially been important as prospects have progressed and made it to the Majors. It also helps to discover what prospects might prove valuable in trades.

Previous: Catcher, First Base, Second Base, Shortstop, Third Base, Left Field and Center Field.

Nelson Cruz
30 - Texas Rangers
I think an understated storyline from the 2010 Texas Rangers was Nelson Cruz' season. He played just 108 games and hit .318. Although he was "held" to 22 home runs, he smacked 31 doubles. He went from 118 strikeouts to 81 (despite the drop in at-bats). Getting 500 at-bats out of him would be monumental.

Joey Butler
24 - Oklahoma City RedHawks
A solid 2010. Hit .277 with 26 doubles and 10 home runs. Has put together years of 143 hits and 146 hits in consecutive years. Still, he's struck out 266 times in two years.

Miguel Velasquez
22 - Bakersfield Blaze
Is often compared to Nelson Cruz due to his bat and arm. Belted 23 doubles and 15 home runs jumping from High- to Double A.

David Paisano
23 - Bakersfield Blaze
I think he has something. It's tough to ignore the 76 doubles he's hit over the past three seasons. Over that time, his average has gone from .240 to .263 to .278. If he learns how to get on base and get the ball in play, he'll shoot through the system. Easier said ...

Jared Prince
24 - Hickory Crawdads
Followed a good debut year with a boffo sophomore campaign. Hit 29 doubles and drove in 75 runs. What's best, he's struck out 89 times and walked 85 times. He's had on-base percentages of .370 and .388. His third year will be one to watch.

Ryan Strausborger
22 - Spokane Indians
Stole 21 bases and scored 42 runs in just 64 games in his rookie year.

Ruben Sierra
19 - Arizona Rangers
Played sparingly in Arizona last season despite hitting .302. Still extremely young, and I suspect 2011 will be huge for him.

Hanging Brad

Still here

One of two things will happen with Brad Richards now that the trade deadline has passed:

1. Some rich guy -- ahem, Mark Cuban -- will buy the Dallas Stars and sign Richards to an extension to play the remainder of his days in North Texas.

2. Or, he'll sign somewhere else.

The deadline passed and the thoughts of Richards being traded passed also. He's still a Dallas Star.

I thought it ridiculous to think the Stars would trade him. For one, how do you go into the room and look Steve Ott and Brendan Morrow in the eye and explain to them how swapping their best player for draft picks and some spare parts is in the best interest of the team.

It's one to let free agency pass only adding Adam Burish. It's another to jettison players because you're broke. If Richards leaves in the off-season, those guys know the score. It's a business. They'll be disappointed, but you can move on.

The Stars are a good team. Adding Alex Goligoski helps. Keeping Richards is huge. I think they have a legit shot at making a splash in the playoffs despite their participation in post-season play is still in doubt.

I applaud the Stars for passing up untold deals and staying the course.

RIP, Duke Snider

Duke, left

The Duke of Flatbush died yesterday at the age of 84. Odd thing, I kind of thought he was already deceased.

Through his career, played for every team -- outside of the Yankees -- that had been once in New York City (Dodgers, Giants, Mets).

Had 2,116 hits and 407 home runs. Posted a .295 career average. Made the All-Star team eight times and finished in the top 5 for Most Valuable Player three times, never winning.

Snider played in six World Series and won two, one as a Los Angeles Dodger and one as a Brooklyn Dodger. Also played centerfield. Took 11 votes to get into the Hall of Fame, finally making it in 1980.

Twofer

High percentage

The Dallas Mavericks swept a weekend set, back-to-back contests on the road.

Fortunately, the Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors were on the schedule.

The Wiz gave the Mavs all they could handle Saturday night, 105-99. The Mavs were up double-digits at halftime before the Wiz went on a run in the third making it close throughout.

Tyson Chandler wound up with a season-high 23 points as he just dunked the shit out of Washington. Chandler's line was brilliant. He somehow played 31 minutes and grabbed 13 rebounds, yet, didn't record a turnover or personal foul.

Of the starters against Washington, Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler scored 44 points. The other three (Jason Kidd, Roddy Beaubois, Peja Stojakovic) scored 10 on 4-14 shooting (to Kidd's credit, he shot once and made it ... he wound up with 14 assists).

Naturally, the Mavs rebounded against Toronto Sunday night in a blowout, 114-96. Outside of Dirk's 34 minutes, no one played more than 30. Even Ian Mahinmi logged 22 minutes.

Again, the starting line-up did very little. Outside of Dirk, they scored 19 points. Still, the shot just 24 times, so no biggie.

The Mavs moved to a salty 21-8 on the road, just a half game from matching their 22-8 record at the American Airlines Center. Washington and Toronto are not good litmus tests, but wins on the road -- especially back to back -- matter. It's not the Mavericks' fault they were against tomato cans.

Notes:
1. Chandler's shooting 65 percent from the field. A career high. His previous is 62 percent.

2. The Mavericks' point totals for February: 113, 101, 101, 99, 102, 121, 106, 116, 112, 118, 105 and 114. That's an average of 109 per contest.

3. Ironically, their lowest point total for the month -- 99 -- came against the worst team in the league (Cleveland) at home in a win. The highest point total came in a loss at Denver on the rear end of a back to back.

4. The Mavs are middle of the road in the NBA with 99.6 points per game. However, they have the third best field-goal percentage in the league at 47.4 percent. Behind Miami and Boston.

5. Roddy Beaubois in six games: 17-42 FG -- 5-17 3PT.

6. I give Jason Terry shit for being a one-dimensional player. However, for February, that one dimension's been awesome. Averaging 17 points a game. Five games of 20+ points. Only one with less than 10.

Goligoski

Good times

Since his acquisition from Pittsburgh, Alex Goligoski has caugh my wandering eye.

The Stars are 2-0-1 with Goligoski solidifying the blue line after today's 3-2 win over Nashville. Goligoski tallied a goal and assist. He's posted a +2, the one goal and two assists as a Dallas Stars.
What first seemed like a hefty bounty (Matt Niskanen and James Neal), is rounding into being a grand deal for the Stars. They're not only saving money (obviously, important), but they've addressed tehir weakest spot (defense) with the young Goligoski. Joe Nieuwendyk may come out smelling like roses here.

After the February they've had (now, 3-7-1) any win is a good win and it's high time to start collecting Ws. At 72 points, the Stars are now in seventh place and still third in their own division.

All I know is that I need more Alex Goligoski.

Notes:
1. With a pair of assists, Brendan Morrow has 43 points, just thre shy of his total a year ago in 76 games.

2. A day after an awkward interview with The Hardline, Loui Eriksson posted his 21st goal. He's got four goals and four assists in the disastrous February.

3. The Stars are 18-9-5 at home.

'Adrian Beltre, you signed at a six-year, $96 million contract with the Texas Rangers. What are you going to do next?'

"Get injured in Spring Training, of course!"

Remember this, folks. You had that money burning a hole in your pocket. You wanted to blow your load. You did it for a guy who is notorious for contract years.

Out just 10-14 days, but it's a start.

"They bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let 'em crash."

Key to the Season: Tinkering

Kinsy

The Texas Rangers are in Surprise, Ariz. getting ready for the 2011 season. I'm here in my mom's basement blogging. This is an installment of posts about those Texas Rangers and what they'll need to do to win.

Arguably, the biggest factor that went into the success of the 2010 Texas Rangers was change.

When Frank Francisco blew a couple saves the first week of the season, management quickly pulled the plug, inserted Neftali Feliz and never looked back.

Never. Like, I don't remember there ever being a time when the thought of re-inserting Francisco into the closer's role ever was even hinted at. While we're at it, I'd like to retire the thought of conjoining the words "re-inserting" and "Frank Francisco" in a sentence for the season.

When Julio Borbon was clearly overwhelmed, the Rangers quickly put Elvis Andrus at the top of the batting order. And never looked back.

Give the Rangers credit. They're a decisive group of assholes.

And that was 2010. There were structures and borders. Everyone knew their role, no one publicly bitched and it worked out. This -- above all -- probably is what irks us about Michael Young. If everyone can be cool, why can't he?

Already the tinkering has begun. Evan Grant already brought this to the table two days ago. Yesterday, it was apparent in the first intersquad game.

Ian Kinsler is apparently the new lead-off hitter, Andrus will drop to the two-hole ("two-hole," "re-inserting," "Frank Francisco" ... what's wrong with me) and Michael Young will drop to sixth where he can pile up those jaw-dropping RBI numbers.

Although injuries limited him to 400 at-bats and 100 games, Kins put forth, most think, his best season at the plate in 2010 (I also feel Dave Murphy did the same). He rounded his walk-K ratio to practically 1:1 (56-57), notched a .382 OBP, quit the upper cutting shit and became a much improved hitter. Combine his skill at the plate, his penchant for getting on base and his speed (71 stolen bases in last three seasons) and he seems like natural fit at the top of the order. Furthermore, he's got quite a bit more pop than Borbon and Andrus.

Andrus, conversely, will be able to utilize his acumen with the lumber to move runners over, go hit and run and much more. Ideally, we're putting Kins and Tiny E in the perfect spots to do the most damage. Even with Young at six, he'll be able to swing free and easy, driving the ball to all parts of the field.

The Rangers are already making drastic changes and there isn't even a problem yet. The Rangers have seemingly mastered this: Identify the problem, find a solution and execute that solution with no apologies, little regret and with your eyes looking ahead. Making changes and bracing for the ridicule is a ridiculous way to run an organization. It may be a key for them in 2011.

Cam Newton, Tim Cowlishaw and the Dallas Cowboys

Juice Newton

The NFL Combine is this weekend. The Dallas Cowboys are attending, of course. They have the No. 9 pick in the draft, mind you, and they'll be smart to keep a close eye on everyone that might drop to them.

This probably includes the Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. Much-ballyhooed. Much-maligned. Much-criticized.

The Cowboys have announced they'll interview Newton this weekend.

This comes on the heels of Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw stating that the Cowboys should take Newton.

As soon as I saw this story, I immediately thought to myself, "Is Tim Cowlishaw actively hoping ESPN gives him a job?"

I haven't seen pandering and grandstanding in the media like this maybe ever. Jean-Jacques Taylor is lazy. But he'd never do this.

This is Randy Galloway-like. Make a grand statement. Ruffle feathers. Sit back and watch your Twitter followers grow.

This point was brought up the next morning on The Ticket in a brief comment on how Cowlishaw's been on TV too long. It's a ridiculous column filled with ridiculous thoughts.

I'm not high on Tony Romo and if you can address the quarterback position for 2014 right now, I say you do it. However, Newton, probably, is not the answer and everyone knows it.

There are things to consider.

Jerry Jones is probably the worst media manipulator in the world. Every draft season, he'll obviously go into the media and try to mask the Cowboys' intentions. Every year, he makes some outrageous comment to the media about taking a kicker, quarterback or linebacker. Saying he'll talk to Newton seems like another sneaky ploy from the wildcatter.

Also, consider that Jerry Jones is an idiot. He's the man that passed on Randy Moss and the man who didn't pass on Quincy Carter. He has a history of drafting poorly and if Roger Goodell should tell us on draft day that with the No. 9 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft that the Cowboys take Cam Newton from Auburn University it would honestly not shock me in the least! And it shouldn't you either. If Newton had gone to Arkansas, they'd already be negotiating a contract, CBA or no.

What I don't get is that Newton is obviously a trap, in the words of Admiral Ackbar. The fleet-footed, big college quarterback that has the big arm, who played in the simplest offense in the history of college football and was mired in NCAA violation talk as much as he was national championship talk.

It almost seems so bad that it might actually be good. Or seem bad and actually be bad.

He's either Vince Young (marginally good, considerably nutty), JaMarcus Russell (noticeably fat, notably awful) or Daunte Culpepper (remarkably good).

The key to all of this is Tony Romo. If the Cowboys spend a top 10 pick on a back-up quarterback, it would outrage the fans. However, when did Jones really care about the fans?

Who he does care about is Tony Romo. I think Jones loves Romo. I think he loves Romo in a way that is very different then the way he loves any other player.

Romo's confidence may be shot. Or he might say, "We're good enough to make a run here, why spend a prime draft pick on a useless piece when we could use a cornerback or tackle?" That, I think, is the main reason the Dallas Cowboys will not take Cam Newton.

Adam Burish, MVP?

Good times

Adam Burish made his return tonight, a 4-1 win for the Dallas Stars over the Detroit Red Wings, in Detroit, no less.

Significant?

Burish last played Feb. 3 against Boston. Since, the Stars went 1-6-1 going from third in the Western Conference to 10th and first in the Pacific Division to fourth.

This was was huge. Gigantic.

Without this win, the Stars compound all the other losses. They get stuck at 68 points and potentially slip very easily to 11th or 12th in the conference. The Stars have 21 games left and getting left behind now without any real opportunity to come back would be killer.

Now, they can concentrate on getting healthy, gain back some confidence and move onward or upward.

Keep this night in mind. We might look back in a month and note tonight's win as a benchmark moment for this team.

Notes:
1. Kari Lehtonen has failed to register a shutout this season. In 56 games start in Dallas over two years, he's not blanked an opponent. It's almost hard not to shut someone out.

2. Burish had blue balls: Collected 14 penalty minutes off a holding, roughing and 10-minute misconduct.

3. Jamie Langenbrunner tallied 14 points in 31 games in New Jersey. He has nine in 19 games in Dallas.

4. With his goal tonight, Loui Eriksson became the fourth star with 20 games. He scored 27 a year ago. One of those 20-goal guys was James Neal.

5. Alex Goligoski pitched in an assist and a +3. Already, very useful.

Pistons slap Mavericks' offer for Tayshaun Prince to midcourt

Princely

Allegedly, the Mavericks offered Caron Butler's corpse and expiring contract and the 2011 first-round pick for the Pistons' Tayshaun Prince.

Prince, also, has an expiring deal. The contracts are almost identical. The Pistons would essentially get a bad draft pick (in the 20s, which you could make work, but isn't great).

I don't know why the Pistons wouldn't bite other than not pissing Prince off and possibly re-signing him in the off-season.

The Mavericks also went after the Nuggets' J.R. Smith, but I don't think the Nuggets were into any more moves unless someone knocked their socks off.

****
Everyone is seemingly in too far in love with Caron Butler. They typical issuance is that "He's not a superstar, but he's a piece to the puzzle."

The NBA is no longer a league where you have a superstar and pieces. You need two or three superstars and good, respectable role players.

The Mavericks have one superstar. A couple of pieces. And some junk.

Trade deadline creeps, Dallas Mavericks can't make a trade

Why can't we get Carmelo Anthony?

I had a friend tell me all morning about all the "deals" the "Dallas Mavericks" were allegedly on the brink of making and I wondered, "So, is Donnie Nelson the worst general manager in the NBA?"

The trade deadline came and went today and the Dallas Mavericks stayed put. I guess Roddy Beaubois coming back from injury and trading for Peja Stojakovic is enough for them.

Of course, the Mavericks weren't alone. The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs stayed put. The Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz got worse.

The Memphis Grizzlies added a handy Shane Battier. Oklahoma City added Kendrick Perkins an subtracted Jeff Green. The Portland Trailblazers added Gerald Wallace to the Nicolas Batum All-Stars.

I don't know if I feel any better or worse about the Mavericks. I think they're significantly worse than the Lakers and Spurs.

My problem is with all the bullshit missed opportunities and rumors.

When was the last time the Mavericks signed a marquee free agent? When you think about that, think about how bad that sucks.

When's the last time the Mavericks were on a receiving end of a blockbuster trade? Have the Mavericks ever made a trade on the level of Carmelo Anthony or Deron Williams?

Why does it always feel the Mavericks are never truly in the conversations for these type of players? However, the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls or Lakers are ALWAYS involved?

I think we're all happy with our 50 wins. Our playoff appearances. Our future Hall of Famer.

Blah. I love this team, but they suck and they will suck until Nelson is fired an accountable, smart general manager is inserted to overrule Mark Cuban, who I feel has a lot more input than is needed or desired.

Someone needs a win

Go Stars!

The Dallas Stars hate February. They're 1-7-1. Need to take it to the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis tonight.

Weakening of the West

Deron-ron-ron-ron

Another trade not involving the Dallas Mavericks winds up involving the Dallas Mavericks.

Spurned by Carmelo Anthony, the Atlantic Division got a little bit richer as the New Jersey Nets traded Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and two first rounders to Utah for Deron Williams.

Williams is a free agent after next season and I assume the Nets want to (or feel they can) extend him over the summer. I don't see Williams making an immediate impact although it does make the Nets a lot better. Maybe an off-season and a contract-year from Williams puts them in the playoffs. If nothing else, the Russian Mark Cuban just wants to make a splash.

What I don't get about Utah is that they let Jerry Sloan walk for Williams' sake. Then they trade Williams. It's like the Mavericks addressing the Jamal Mashburn-Jason Kidd-Jim Jackson spat by getting rid of all three. Oh. Hold on. They did get rid of all three.

This, however, directly affects the Mavericks. Both Denver and Utah made significant moves and both are Nos. 8 and 7 in the Western Conference and the Mavericks still sit in the No. 2 whole. Chances are, they'll get Denver, Utah, Memphis, New Orleans or Portland in the first round of the playoffs.

Sans Williams and Anthony, this looks like a pretty good deal. Williams was a potential disaster for the Mavericks. Against Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Roddy Beaubois and J.J. Barea, he might get 30 points a game. Instead, he's stuck on a 17-win New Jersey team, biding his time.

The other odd note on the Williams trade is that the Jazz are not a bad team. They've got some good players, although I don't think they are as deep as they have been and they let Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews walk in the off-season. Still, it's a team looking to rebuild a little. Right now, they do not scare me.

Anyway, for the next month, it'll be interesting to see how things shake out with the Nos. 6, 7 and 8 spots in the West and if the Mavericks can maintain the No. 2 seed.

In other news, Mark Cuban needs to start saving his pennies and dimes for 2012 when Williams hits the open market.

Stepping up: Derek Holland

Dutch Oven

With Spring Training happening, we look at specific Texas Rangers that need a big 2011. For various reasons.

Locally, I don't think anyone's gotten a more raw deal than Derek Holland.

There are some -- although, these few are the least knowledgeable of baseball items -- that think Holland is washed up and useless.

I could not disagree more. Remember, he started his pro career in 2007. In 2008, he jumped from Low-A Clinton to Triple A Oklahoma City.

In one season.

Holland wasn't a four-year college kid. He went to community college and then into the Majors. By 22, despite not being a well-known, highly-touted prospect in the system, Holland started 21 games in the Majors. That's a lot for a kid to handle.

His 6.12 ERA that season was swore off by the sheer moments of brilliance he'd occasionally show and the fact that it was his first taste of the Majors.

Holland was better in 2010. His ratios were better even if he pitched less in the Majors due to injuries and opportunities.

However, that meltdown in the World Series is what is on everyone's mind. That is what's molding everyone's opinions about the guy.

Trust me, Holland has a lot more room to grow. He didn't get the grooming and the coaching that many get working their way, year by year, through the minors. He shot up and it's bit the Rangers in the ass and it's made the local media and fans grow weary of his act.

I do think Holland has plenty of time to get more consistent. I also think 2011 is a bit year for him. I think it's time for Holland to step up.

For one, it appears he'll have the opportunity. Brandon Webb's not as far along as it was perceived (or reported ... or both) and injuries to Omar Beltre and Scott Feldman help too.

Two, he's 24. One-and-a-half seasons is a good cross section of games to get your feet wet and understand how to pitch. Not ideal. But enough to the point that 2011 should be a year of noticeable and substantial growth. Holland's burnt out the minors. He can not get better there. His improvement will come on the big stage.

It's not Holland's last stand. But 2011 will be a good gauge to see where he's at, big picture.

Can the lil' Ticket get a mayor elected?

The No. 1 cop

The Ticket is the most powerful sports media entity in the Dallas-Fort Worth spectrum.

Over 17-odd years, they've ingrained themselves into the local lexicon of media ... and sports, the latter almost becoming a footnote in the station's legacy.

For the longest, it was the area's only sports talk radio station. And if ratings are any indication, it still kind of is as it leaves the World Wide Leader and The Fan perpetually in the dust. Those other stations have their fans and that's commendable. However, it's an uphill battle against an enemy that is beyond entrenched. It'd take a nuclear war to wipe The Ticket from the map.

It's not that The Ticket has more listeners than the Dallas Morning News or Fort Worth Star Telegram has readers or visitors to their website. Or that less people watch Dale Hansen on WFAA at night. The Ticket may wane in these areas. However, should the war come, and we all had to pick sides, The Ticket's army of Johns from Plano, Blues from the Grove, plumbers from McKinney and delivery guys from Benbrook would greatly outnumber other media outlets.

The Ticket may have numbers. More importantly, they have emotion.

****
Several years ago, something strange happened on air. For whatever reason, The Ticket's afternoon drive show -- The Hardline -- was missing two of its regular hosts, Corby Davidson and Mike Rhyner. All that was left was co-host Gregg Williams.

Late in the afternoon, if I recall correctly, the six o'clock hour, Williams played host to the newish Dallas Police Chief, the No. 1 cop, David Kunkle.

For anyone who listens to The Ticket with any consistency knows what happened. The most bumbling, mind-blowing interview (or, first question) in the history of radio.

It was also indicated that Kunkle was a long-time listener to The Ticket.

Kunkle would serve as police chief through April 2010, when he stepped down to lead a quieter life as a consultant. He was pretty highly regarded and considering Dallas' veritable train wreck of past chiefs, his departure was probably pretty missed.

Fast forward three weeks ago. Kunkle's name is thrown back into the media ring after its hinted he might run for mayor of Dallas, as current mayor Tom Leppert is stepping down to run for a Senate seat.

Where did Kunkle first run to when his name popped up in the rumor mill? The Ticket's Hardline, who else?

A week later, he was on the morning drive show, Dunham & Miller. He hadn't even officially filed to run yet for the May elections.

Kunkle's no dummy. He knows that local elections typically bring out an interested minority as a disinterested majority sits at home and hopes someone else fills the potholes and arrests the criminals.

If he can engage The Ticket listener, the everyday man, the person that attends Guys Night Outs and Ticketstocks, he might have an opportunity to overcome whatever financial deficit he'll be fighting through against richer, more well-connected opponents.

However, I don't know if The Ticket really understands their role in all of this. This is a sports talk radio station! It's the home of "Gay or Not Gay," "Gordo's Corner," "Homer Call of the Week," "The Pool Party," "The Reconsider Lounge" and "What's on Mike's Mind?"

This is not supposed to be the medium in which a mayor -- the leader of one of the biggest cities in the United States! -- should be elected. But, come May, The lil' Ticket might have elected itself a mayor.

Carmelo fallout

Knickerbocker

I typically don't dip outside of the Dallas sports scene, but I find the Carmelo Anthony trade rollercoaster fascinating.

You had a player that desperately wanted to play in New York City. He was not signing with the Denver Nuggets. So they decided to trade him to get something in return.

Of course, no team would give the farm to "rent" Anthony for two months at a title run. At least, not without Anthony agreeing to a contract extension. If nothing else, that's what killed any opportunity for the Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets or any other franchise.

And Anthony played everyone like a fiddle. Lebron James has been run through the mud for "The Decision." Well, this was the sequel. I have nothing against Anthony, but let's call a fair game here. Anthony's no different from Lebron or anyone else looking for the best opportunity.

The trade to the New York Knicks directly affects the Dallas Mavericks, however.

The Mavericks are making the playoffs and, should the season end today, their opponent would be the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets scared me because you've got to play in Denver and they're so athletic and mean.

Clearly, sans Anthony, the Nuggets are not nearly as formidible as they otherwise would be. However, I would contend that Aron Affalo, Wilson Chandler, Nene, Chris Andersen, Al Harrington, Ty Lawson, J.R. Smith, Danilo Gallinari and Ray Felton is still a collection of very athletic players that can pile up some points on you. Playing three games in Denver in that mile-high atmosphere will not help.

Of course, this all depends on Denver also making the playoffs. They're a seventh seed and just one game out of the ninth seed. Let's say it takes the Nuggets some time to gel and they run through a tough part of the schedule. By the time George Karl has it figured out, the Nuggets might out of time. And, frankly, I feel no better facing a young Memphis team, Chris Paul's Hornets or Deron Williams' Jazz.

As for the Knicks, the trade knocked them out. It's a better NBA world when the Knicks and Celtics are good and this will make the Knicks good. Unfortunately, they have, arguably, six NBA-caliber guys and they might get worn out until they can sign Williams in the off-season.

Also, the Knicks aren't winning a thing with Mike D'Antoni as coach. There's little doubt the guy is an offensive mastermind. However, there hasn't been an NBA champion in the history of the game that wasn't able to stop an opponent. D'Antoni's teams do not do that. That's what will kill the Knicks when all is said and done.

In position: Centerfield

Taking you to Skole

Every year over the past three or four, I've gone through the entire Texas Rangers' franchise, position by position in order to gauge the organizational depth. This has especially been important as prospects have progressed and made it to the Majors. It also helps to discover what prospects might prove valuable in trades.

Previous: Catcher, First Base, Second Base, Shortstop, Third Base and Left Field.

Josh Hamilton
29 - Texas Rangers
Healthy and sober, there's little better. You just always look back at those lost years and wonder where he would be in the grand scheme of Major League Baseball had he kept it all together.

Julio Borbon
25 - Texas Rangers
Wound up with 438 at-bats in 130 games and 121 hits. Still, it seemed like a total disappointment. Doesn't seem like he played as much as he did and didn't make any impact despite the .276 average and 42 RBI.

Craig Gentry
27 - Oklahoma RedHawks
A salty year cut short due to injury, which has become a reoccurring theme for Gentry. A valuable piece off the bench and someone that plays balls out.

Engel Beltre
21 - Frisco RoughRiders
Figured it out in Bakersfield hitting .331. Most importantly, he walked 11 times and struck out just 34 times. He took that momentum to Frisco. It eventually tapered, but his patience at the plate stuck around. Beltre begins and ends 2011 at the upper levels of the Rangers organization. An amazing prospect.

Cody Podraza
23 - Bakersfield Blaze
Finished hitting .295 winding up in Bakersfield. Just 5-8 and 185, he doesn't have a lot of power and his speed was virtually non-existent last season.

Guillermo Pimentel
21 - Hickory Crawdads
Ripped short-season Spokane with a .344 average and was sent to Hickory after just nine games. One of the Rangers' hottest prospects is due for a huge year and a huge jump.

Jacob Skole
19 - Spokane Indians
Known as the less-than-stellar first-round pick from 2010, Skole has a lot of attitudes to change. Helped by hitting .286 in Arizona and then had 13 extra-base hits after the bump to Spokane. A safe pick with safe stats.

Teodoro Martinez
18 - Arizona Rangers
Eighteen going on 19. Registered a very, very impressive .313 average with 14 doubles, 20 steals and just 25 strikeouts in 211 at-bats. Perfect, young speed in the centerfield position.

Neal, Niskanen traded

Neal with it

A youth movement is taking place with the Dallas Stars.

Unfortunately, it's leaving, not coming.

The Stars traded forward James Neal and blue-liner Matt Niskanen to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Alex Goligoski.

Neal, 23, had 21 goals and 18 assists in 2010-11. However, so far his is young career, he ran pretty hot or cold. He had just one goal and one assist in February as the Stars try to right the ship.

Niskanen, 24, was the first-round pick in 2005. He jumped to the NHL in 2007 and posted a +22 in his rookie campaign playing in 78 games. Since, he's had a -27 in three disappointing seasons and has, accordingly, lost the faith of management and what little fandom that can actually discern what defensement do in hockey.

The trade might be a money saver for the penny-pinching Stars. Both Neal and Niskanen signed two-year deals before the season. The total cost was $10.75 million. At least with Neal you got something. Niskanen, however, was a bit of a waste.

Of Goligoski, I know nothing. He's signed through next season for about $4.2 million. He's 25 and, based on all accounts, is like a successful Niskanen.

He's a defenseman with the ability handle the puck. He had 37 assists and a +7 last season. This season, he's upped the ante with a +20, nine goals and 22 assists.

Defensively, it's clear the Stars are better. Putting Goligoski back there with Trevor Daley, Nik Grossman, Stephane Robidas and Karlis Skrastins will make their blue line only better ... and hopefully their offense.

No matter how much I like Goligoski, giving up Neal and Niskanen seems like a lot. But this is a team that scores goals. They just can't prevent them.

Rewriting my history

Chain of fools

Less than a year ago -- April 2, 2010, to be exact -- I posted a blog just before the 2010 Texas Rangers took the field for the first time.

The title: "Things to Consider: Losing."

I cited the Colorado Rockies and their World Series appearance:

Three years ago, the Colorado Rockies went 90-73, eked into the playoffs and eventually lost the World Series.

The next season, brimming with hope, they went 74-88. Last season, they bounced back with 92 wins and another playoff appearance (Clint Hurdle's appearance on the scene is not an accident on about four levels).

I then compared the mild success of the 2009 Rangers and that of the 2007 Colorado Rockies and warned folks to be wary of a potential disappointing 2010 season.

I went wrong on several levels. For one, finishing second in the division and over .500 does not equal playing in the World Series. The Rangers still had potential to peak. Needless to say, the peaked Dallas-Fort Worth's brains out.

Now, I exercise caution.

The Rangers went from 87 wins in 2009 to 90 and a division title in 2010.

The Rockies went from 76 wins in 2006 to (gulp!) 90 in 2007 and a World Series trip, where they lost. As noted, the Rockies then followed up with 72 wins.

I'd like to think the Rangers have a bit more going for them. The offense, or so it appears, is far superior to those Rockies. The bullpen looks stout, but those come and go with the seasons. The starting rotation seems solid. Not glamorous, however.

However, it'd be irresponsible not to pay heed to history. The Rockies aren't the only example. Throughout baseball, teams slip and slide up and down the standings from year to year. Some are consistently bad and some consistently good. Everyone else in the middle, but you can almost guarantee some team will virtually "come out of nowhere" and make noise.

That was the 2010 Texas Rangers. It was the 2007 Colorado Rockies.

The question we must all ask ourselves is this, "Do we believe in this team? Do we believe that this squad is ready to make a mini-run into the playoffs every year for the next five seasons?"

I certainly do. We saw a virtual miracle one year ago as the Rangers did the unthinkable. They lit a fuse in this city and I think there's many who trust this team as wholeheartedly as I do.

All we -- and they -- can do is take it at-bat by at-bat, game by game, series by series. Let the chips fall where they may and damn history.

Dallas Mavericks first-half grades in three words or less

Chandler

Although the technical first half of the NBA season is long gone, there's some balance that the All-Star game brings.

It's a couple days off for most of the players. It also signals the beginning of the stretch run. These are the games where you hope you tighten up the loose ends and really round into playoff form.

As for the Dallas Mavericks, who knows where everything will wind up. It's really tough to ignore the forthcoming 50 wins and the insane record they'll have again for the 10th year in a row. It's also hard to ignore their age, offensive liabilities, the mask of defense and their total inability to blow anyone out.

This might be the most underwhelming 50-win team in NBA history. Or, they might spend the next month figuring things out. Here's what I think of their first half, all in three words or less:

Jose Juan Barea -- D
Overrated. Exposed. Short.

Roddy Beaubois -- Incomplete
Two-month injury?

Caron Butler -- C
Boring. Not missed.

Brian Cardinal -- C+
Suprising. Extremely useful.

Tyson Chandler -- A
Game-changing. 6/$77 million.

Brendan Haywood -- F
Do. Over.

Dominique Jones -- D
Rookies don't play.

Jason Kidd -- F
Inconsistancy>bad.

Ian Mahinmi -- B
We. Want. More.

Shawn Marion -- B+
Fills it up.

Dirk Nowitzki -- A+
Until further notice.

DeShawn Stevenson -- B
Handy.

Peja Stojakovic -- Incomplete
White. Old. Shooter.

Jason Terry -- C
Seen his contract?

Roddy, who?

The professional

Roddy Beaubois was the starting shooting guard in a 112-106 Dallas Mavericks win over the Phoenix Suns last night.

Dirk Nowitzki, however, is unconcerned with the young Frenchman's exploits.

Ol' reliable has turned the last month of basketball into some of his best. It's not been gigantic point totals and double-doubles out the wazoo. However, it's been probably his most efficient collection of games despite a wrist injury.

Last night: 13-18 FG -- 3-3 3PT -- 6-6 FTs -- 35 points.

I would contend that this has been some of the best offensive basketball Nowitzki's had in his career because of the efficiency and seeming lack of effort he's had to exude to get what he's getting.

Frankly, he's been amazing. Understatement.

If I can critique the guy, I think we have a real issue with rebounding. I realize that Nowitzki is a scorer first. However, you need your power forward to rebound.

He's gone from 8.4 RPG in 2008 to 7.7 in 2009 and, now, 6.6 RPG in 2010. In February, he's averaged 5.8 RPG. He had one rebound last night.

I think rebounding is 98 percent effort. It's why undersized guys like Dennis Rodman or Charles Barkley had such awesome numbers. A small body that wants the board will get it over the bigger guy that could care less. Part also could be age and injuries. Would you rather have Nowitzki's 25 points a game for another four years or 15 rebounds a game for two?

Beaubois wasn't so bad, either. He played 19 minutes and scored nine points. However, he collected more personal fouls (5) than rebounds and assists (3). Shawn Marion filled up the box score (12 points, eight rebounds, two blocks). The Mavs shot 52 percent with only Jason Kidd and Peja Stojakovic doing poorly.

Notes:

1. Remember when the Mavs almost overpaid Marcin Gortat before Orlando overpaid him for us? He played 16 minutes and a -10.

2. Phoenix stinks. They've got awful contracts, old stars and awful players. I would, however, take Jared Dudley and Mickael Pietrus off their bench. Those two are exactly what the Mavs could use.

The return

Quite literally not breaking a sweat

Apparently the most anticipated moment in Dallas sports happened last night when everyone went apeshit over Roddy Beaubois' return. It resulted in a 116-100 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Per usual, the Mavericks let a double-digit lead slip away in the third quarter, only to make a run of their own (like, 26-6 or something) and pull away.

I thought Beaubois looked good. Quick as usual and not necessarily looking like he had a broken foot or whatever was wrong with him.

He ended with 13 points and six assists in 23 minutes. What kills me about him is how reckless he looks. He's a white-knuckle ride if ever there was one. I just can imagine him handling the ball in a big moment in a big game and that ball going off his knees out of bounds. Probably a good reason Rick Carlisle's hidden him in big games on the bench.

Still, it's another body and another person to take minutes. Thanks to the blowout, Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler played less than 25 minutes each as the Mavs relied heavily on that bench for minutes.

Also, Beaubois' return lit a fire under some underperforming dudes. Brendan Haywood was resurrected to filed a double-double and Kidd found some of those open looks he feasted on the last two years and hit six three pointers. Kidd hasn't learned to shoot. He's learned how to hit open jumpers. Not the same thing.

I think this team has a long way to go, but I think Beaubois will force their hand in a direction they might not necessarily go: Playing youngsters. The pressure to play Beaubois might be more of an issue than him actually playing. How it affects the rest of the team (maybe it rejuvenates Haywood and Kidd) is also vital. He's not a saviour. But you'd rather have him than not.

Let's see him play against Tony Parker in San Antonio and reconvene for assessment.

Omar Beltre's back and Scooter Feldman's knee

A hell of a backbone

Texas Rangers pitching prospect Omar Beltre has spinal stenosis -- a genetic narrowing of the spine -- and he'll have surgery. Since no one in baseball has had the disorder (to anyone's knowledge) they have no idea how long he'll be out.

Rehab is set for six to eight weeks.

This is a huge bummer for the team and, frankly, for me personally. I love this kid. And I had huge expectations for him this season and for the next 10.

I think he's a big hoss of a pitcher with a good head for pitching and a big arm to back it up. I think he showed a lot in his brief time in Arlington last year and I looked forward to his presence in Round Rock and, probably, Arlington in 2011.

I feel sick for Beltre. This. Last season he tore up his ankle. Before that he had Tommy John surgery. He also was caught up in the infamous visa situation trying to get off the islands.

Hopefully it all works out.

Furthermore, the Rangers will be without Scott Feldman until June or so. He's still recuperating from microfracture surgery on his right knee in November. Other than being Jewish, it's just another thing he has in common with Amare Stoudemire.

Are journalists assholes?

I listened to The Ticket's vaunted afternoon drive-time show, The Hardline, today and I heard the segment on co-host Corby Davidson going to the Dallas Mavericks-Sacramento Kings game tonight and sitting beside owner Mark Cuban.

The show then talked for 15 or so minutes about how fucking awesome their lives are.

I know, I know. They sandwiched their thoughts with that "aw-shucks," how did we get so lucky rhetoric and we're supposed to believe this as a salve for the tortured and underprivileged lives that the rest of us are living.

See, The Hardline -- getting to go to World Series games in New York City, NBA Finals games and playing with Roger Staubach in a charity flag football game -- just fell into this.

That's supposed to make them not sound like complete idiotic assholes.

It doesn't. For about 15 minutes this afternoon, The Hardline sounded like complete douches as they compared notes about how all this awesome shit they get to do for free as all the stars align in their sports lives and they get to front rock bands to boot.

It's generally known that journalists get free shit. It's OK because a vast majority of them are severely underpaid. If some writer gets a free lunch at a chamber of commerce luncheon, that's the least they can get.

I was part of this rabble once. Fresh out of college making $17K at a weekly in Dallas. The free lunches and dinners were a nifty perk of the job.

And, yes, I've been to countless sporting events for free. A vast majority of them from the high school ranks. Still. Free and most include an air conditioned press box and free grub.

If you can handle making $20,000 a year, it's a sweet gig for free food.

However, there is a vast difference between the regular journalist peon and those guys on The Hardline. For one, the pay. Without looking at their income tax records, I doubt they're hurting like a lot of kids still working at newspapers living in shitty apartments, paycheck to paycheck.

Also, catching a Cedar Hill-Duncanville high school football game is vastly overshadowed by almost anything our radio heroes have gotten to experience.

Finally, you don't get to read about some print journalist bragging about some free cheese and crackers they got the week before. Some people have tact. They understand that everyone has perks to their jobs or careers. You enjoy those and move on.

Maybe it's not that big of a deal. To a certain point, many listeners to The Ticket live vicariously through those hosts. It goes beyond this relationship the station has forged with its listeners. To a point, the listeners probably look at it like this, "If I can't do these things, I'd prefer my buddies at The Ticket to experience them." Which is weird.

It's just odd listening to those guys lackadaisically talk about their exploits as if they really didn't feel they sounded like complete jerks.

Roddy B.

Roddy Buckets

Question: Do you know Roddy Beaubois' stats from the 2009-10 season?

56 games - 12.3 MPG - 7.1 PPG - 1.3 APG

Underwhelming, isn't it?

Beaubois is returning six months after sustaining a two-month foot injury tonight against the Sacramento Kings and local yokels essentially have the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals because of it.

Fact is, Beaubois is as unproven and still raw as they come. There hasn't been this much anticipatory hype since Tony Romo went into his first full year with the Dallas Cowboys.

Here are some truths:

Rick Carlisle Will Barely Play Him
Forget the injury. Carlisle does not dick around with young projects. One mistake and Beaubois will be pulled for the inferior (yet, steady) play of J.J. Barea.

Roddy Has Zero Experience
I loved the media observation from a local drive-time radio show that stated that Roddy B didn't do very well against good teams. That's because he didn't play against good teams. The only reason he played in the playoffs against San Antonio was because Carlisle was DESPERATE.

Fans Are Desperate
Deep in our hearts, we all know that the Dallas Mavericks -- as they've been playing the last five months -- are nowhere near prepared for playoff basketball nor do they have the personnel to play in that environment. Plus, we're suckers for youth. We're suckers for the phenomenal. One fantastic Beaubois play equals a dozen steady 12-footers from Dirk Nowitzki and that's a fact. The out of the ordinary is a drug. We get a taste. Soon we're hooked and looking for more. At that moment, we're not longer reliable to make good decisions.

Prepare For The Worst
What if Carlisle benches him? What if he's as mistake-prone as he was a year ago? What if he's not that good? I'm all about giving Beaubois as many minutes as you can get him. Stuffing him at the end of the bench so you can overuse him in the playoffs (although Carlisle actually benched him in the most important five minutes of that series-clinching game) is not a way to run things. Beaubois needs exposure. Good or bad!

The Mavericks Are Not Hoping ... They Are Expecting
Carlisle may not agree with Mark Cuban's and Donnie Nelson's ascertation of the situation. The Mavericks are not hoping Beaubois comes in and gives him something. He's not a contingency or the cherry on the sundae. Beaubois' the key. He might be our representation of a "free agent" acquisition mid-season to put this team over. They need Beaubois to turn into a reliable scorer. They also need him to round off his defensive game in order to keep up with Tony Parker, Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook in the playoffs. Do not buy into the "Everything's OK!" mantra from Mavericks camp. They know it's desperation time. They need Roddy B.

In position: Left Field

Jared Hoying: Bringing his lunch pail

Every year over the past three or four, I've gone through the entire Texas Rangers' franchise, position by position in order to gauge the organizational depth. This has especially been important as prospects have progressed and made it to the Majors. It also helps to discover what prospects might prove valuable in trades.

Previous: Catcher, First Base, Second Base, Shortstop and Third Base.

David Murphy
29 - Texas Rangers
Despite seemingly always being relegated to back-up duty, Murphy eked out 138 games last season notching 26 doubles, 12 home runs and 65 RBI. Most importantly, he got better. Logging less at-bats, he just about matched his walk total and whittled his strikeouts down from 106 to 71. I doubt you'll find a more useful fourth outfielder in baseball.

Michael Bianucci
24 - Bakersfield Blaze
His 2010 numbers dipped quite a bit after 62 extra-base hits in 2009. Still, 18 homers and 23 doubles are nothing to sneeze. And I don't know if anyone noticed, but there are zero guys above him that are not in Arlington. I fully expect Bianucci, if healthy, to get a long look at the upper tiers of the system.

Eric Fry
23 - Bakersfield Blaze
Injuries prevented Fry from getting double-digit at-bats (stuck at nine). Still, he showed more than enough in 2009 (20 doubles ... .329 OBP) to be considered in 2011.

Cristian Santana
21 - Hickory Crawdads
A good argument could be made that Santana has as much upside as any prospect in the system. His 2010 was cut short due to injuries, but he managed, still, 11 homers and 22 doubles. He hit .260, his highest average since 2007, his professional debut.

Jared Hoying
21 - Spokane Indians
The 10th-round pick took professional baseball by storm. He hit .325 with 13 doubles, 10 home runs and five triples in his pro debut, stealing 20 bases and collecting 51 RBI. He was named the Northwest League Most Valuable Player.

Travis Meiners
22 - Arizona Rangers
In 111 at-bats, Meiners -- a 40th-round pick -- hit .279 and wound up striking out just twice more than he walked (16-14). A tad older, Meiners surely caught the attention of someone, somewhere.

Braxton Lane
20 - Arizona Rangers
Logged 34 games and hit .239 while doing it.

In position: Third Base

In with the Olt

Every year over the past three or four, I've gone through the entire Texas Rangers' franchise, position by position in order to gauge the organizational depth. This has especially been important as prospects have progressed and made it to the Majors. It also helps to discover what prospects might prove valuable in trades.

Previous: Catcher, First Base, Second Base and Shortstop.

Adrian Beltre
31 - Texas Rangers
He's the big fish Jon Daniels and Nolan Ryan are holding up and getting their picture taken with. For their sake, I hope he works out. Hell, I hope he works out for my sake. Still, it's so hard for me to ignore those faulty years in contrast with those two major contract years.

Mike Young
34 - Texas Rangers
I think we'll see Young at third base more so than any other position. So, I'll put him here. I still contend that the move to third base revitalized Young's career. The physical toll of shortstop impacted his ability at the plate. To me, it's no surprise his numbers jumped after the move. I like the guy on the field, but I think he's kind of a douche off of it.

Renny Osuna
25 - Frisco RoughRiders
A usable utility guy. I saw him play second and shortstop on any given night. Followed a disappointing 2009 with a really good 2010 hitting .293 with 30 extra-base hits and 20 steals. He gets on base at a decent rate. If he can improve that a bit more, he might find a lot more success moving forward.

Mitch Hilligoss
25 - Frisco RoughRiders
Hit .304 in a 24-game stint in Frisco. The issue is that he had two home runs in 243 2010 at-bats, which isn't a good number for a corner infielder.

Tommy Mendonca
22 - Bakersfield Blaze
Turned in what we're learning is a typical Mendonca year: .248 average, 126 strikeouts. Still, he's young and those power numbers (26 doubles, 10 homers) keep you hopeful.

Jonathan Greene
25 - Bakersfield Blaze
Injuries derailed Greene's 2010. Considering he's good for 20 home runs and 20 doubles a season, that means something. Consequently, he's dropped a level for third basemen in the organization. Time is not on his side.

Matt West
22 - Hickory Crawdads
The highly-touted high schooler has hit .234 and .223 in consecutive years, stuck in Low-A Hickory. He's also struck out 261 times in two years. He finally showed a little pop with 13 home runs and 25 doubles in 2010. The dude needs to step up in 2011.

Michael Olt
22 - Spokane Indians
Became the Rangers' best prospect out of the 2010 draft quickly by hitting .293 with 16 doubles and nine home runs. Furthermore, he walked 40 times driving his on-base percentage up to .390. Olt will not be in Spokane very long if at all.

Daniel Lima
23 - Spokane Indians
Hit .345 in 15 games last season and hit very well the year before. However, in those same two years, he's shown zero power and a total lack of control at the plate.

Christian Villanueva
19 - Arizona Rangers
Youngster hit .314 with 14 doubles in the rookie league last season.

Trading Tyson Chandler

Strike while the iron's hot

For the past month, I've sat here and ridiculed the Dallas Mavericks.

Again, they farted around Saturday night and almost blew a win against the Houston Rockets, 106-102, after piling on a double-digit lead.

I truly do not believe this is a team seriously contending for the Western Conference Championship more or less the NBA title. It doesn't just have holes. It has large gaps.

As currently constructed, it'll never get to that point and, frankly, Dirk Nowitzki is no spring chicken and if you want to move forward in getting him a ring, then you need to do something drastic.

I think the Dallas Mavericks should concede 2010-11 for whatever it is (my prediction: A first-round exit) and look to truly go for it in 2011-12 and 2012-13 -- Nowitzki's probable two final peak years.

This means trading Tyson Chandler.


Do not get me wrong, this sounds pretty ridiculous. Well, only if you consider the Mavericks title contenders this season. If you do, then you are watching a completely different team than I or you are blinded by regular season wins against Memphis or Charlotte.

Chandler is playing fantastic. I always thought they ought to somehow get him. When they did, I was excited. He fits well. Plays good defense and is a perfect end piece to Nowitzki. He's athletic, tough and everything I've wanted for this franchise.

He's also putting up career numbers in certain stat categories in a contract year. His $12 million is coming off the books along with Caron Butler's $10 million.

My point is that Chandler is not a sure-fire bet to come back to the Mavericks. He's 28 and there aren't many more opportunities for him to get a big contract. The very fact that he's have such a great year and it being a contract year are not coincidences. I sincerely believe he'll test the market and go to the highest bidder. Who'd blame him? Certainly not me.

So, what if he leaves? You're stuck with last year's big hiccup: Brendan Haywood, who will be making $10 million in 2014-15. It gives you an 800-year-old Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion as a seventh man, Jason Terry's contract as a sixth man, the youngsters Dom Jones and Roddy
Beaubois.

Again, should Chandler and Butler leave or even should they stay, the Mavericks are not built for an NBA title.

I say, trade Chandler. Find a contender in need of size and athleticism and get the youngest, most NBA-ready talent they have on the roster. I'd avoid draft picks. The Mavericks are shitty at drafting players. If anything, use draft picks in another trade for actual talent.

Stock up on young talent. Force a team that think they're a player away to give up the farm to get Chandler. Take that talent and build them around Nowitzki, Kidd, Terry, Marion and Beaubois for the next two seasons.

After Kidd and Terry leave (hopefully ... Donnie Nelson might give them each five-year deals) after next season (both contracts are up), you have a nice foundation for our post-Nowitzki years.

Otherwise, the alternative is terrifying. After Chandler and Butler, the Mavericks have zero trade chips outside of Roddy Beaubois (who, frankly, is as unproven as they come). By next season, Kidd and Terry might be tradeable with their expiring deals.

If Chandler is traded (and possibly Butler's expiring deal) for cheaper, younger talent, it conceivable gives the Mavericks the leeway to have a lot of cash to play with in the off-season.

Now is not the time to be a hero or to be loyal for the sake of loyalty. I love Chandler as much as anyone and I prayed they didn't throw a big, long deal at Haywood last year. That handcuffs them more than anything because they are stuck with that dude holding down the far end of the bench down.

Desperate times cause for desperate measures. Let's wheel and deal here.

Bad times at the Star-Telegram

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram just fired 22. Including three sports folks. Right after they worked them to death for the Super Bowl.

Also, there's apparently some bad blood that they gave Randy Galloway -- who hasn't done a thing worth while in 20 years and is half the writer Jenn-Engel-Floyd is -- a huge raise not to go to ESPN.

Little did they know that the Star-Telegram could do better than Galloway. As could ESPN.

Sucks for those now looking for a job.

Happy Super Bowl!

Lee Stevens can finally pop the cork on that chilled champagne

Keeping Lee's dream alive

The Texas Rangers great is still the last player to go into arbitration hearings after Josh Hamilton signed a two-year, $24 million deal.

He was making $3 million last season.

Sometimes, the small things are all we got.

Fool's gold

Still a treat to watch

The Dallas Mavericks are a mirage. It's best not to get too excited. Don't get your hopes up too high. Don't waste energy thinking you've found an oasis.

It's a tough argument considering they win so much. If nothing else, they're cursed with Dirk Nowitzki and just enough peripheral talent for the Mavericks to get 50 wins a season, as if it were as easy as blowing your nose. It's not easy and I certainly do not take for granted that winning and those playoff appearances.

However, I feel the Mavericks are like a loved one suffering from a longterm, largely ignored sort of cancer. For a number of days, you'll think they're doing OK, you think they're recovering.

The good days are confused with the bad days. The cancer's still growing. The death is coming. Sooner or later.

The Mavericks botched a 13-point lead in the final five minutes in Denver last night for a last-second 121-120 loss.

This is not a team built to win in the playoffs. No reason to get excited here. Enjoy what you can. But temper any lofty thoughts.

Despite logging 120 pionts, only two Mavericks -- Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler -- good to great games. Jason Terry scored 25, but it took him 17 shots to do it. And Dirk Nowitzki ain't right. He took 10 shots and that wrist is bothering him.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks had ZERO answer for Carmelo Anthony, a hurt Chauncey Billups and Aron Affalo, who zapped them for a combined 96 points. The Nuggets shot 53 percent and, they too, were playing on a second night of a back to back. And Billups was hurt.

I'm telling you, don't buy in. This is a team that will trap many into thinking they're contenders. They are, however, pretenders.

When did Blaine Gibbert get so sexy?

Hey Gabbert Gabbert

I've paid attention to Blaine Gabbert's entire college career. I've seen him play.

At no point did I think, "Hmm. I bet he's a top 10 draft pick and a definite NFL prospect."

Never, ever. In fact, even from pundits, I didn't hear that it was Jake Locker, Andrew Luck, Cam Newton and Gabbert.

Now, Gabbert's the hottest quarterback prospect in the 2011 NFL Draft. Most mocks have him in the top 10. In some mocks, he's a top three pick.

Crap.

This after Gabbert was pretty ordinary during the 2010 season. He had 16 touchdowns and nine interception running Gary Pinkel's throw-first-ask-question-later spread offense in 2010 in a 10-win year. Most spread quarterbacks are discounted. Look at every Texas Tech quarterback and even former Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel.

Gabbert apparently has all the tools. Accuracy, footwork, mechanics, pocket awareness, vision and all that jazz.

More than anything, I think Gabbert's stock is rising due to a shift to big quarterbacks in the NFL. Gabbert's 6-5 and 230. I think teams will look at a quarterback and then suddenly look at the size. Gabbert has it. Along with all the other apparent quirks.

Squashing the Steve-Nash-to-Dallas talk

Getting Nash-ty

I think there's a select few Dallas-Fort Worth media members that really know basketball. It's a short list that includes Skin and Junior Miller.

Otherwise, I think the collective basketball IQ is the lowest for any city in the United States.

The Steve-Nash-to-Dallas trade rumors are making me throw up in my mouth. Mostly because it appears the only reason people find this interesting is because it will re-pair Nash with buddy Dirk Nowitzki.

Seriously? Is no one serious about winning an NBA title around here?

Here's a cold-hard fact about Steve Nash and the Mavericks:

THE MAVERICKS DO NOT WIN AN NBA TITLE WITH STEVE NASH!

This doesn't make Steve Nash not great. He is great and he meant everything to the Phoenix Suns. Maybe. Doesn't seem they're doing too hot without Amare Stoudemire. But that's besides the point.

Steve Nash is everything that is wrong with the Dallas Mavericks. They're soft and they don't play defense. That's Steve Nash. Again, it doesn't make him bad or even remotely not good. It's just who he is and, as evidenced by Stoudemire's departure and the Suns' freefall, Nash is no good to a team without some lead dogs.

Do you think Nash is playing stop-down defense in the Finals on Dwayne Wade in the Finals? Hell no.

Also, how many over-the-hill, defensive liabilities at point guard does one team need? Isn't Jason Kidd enough?

This rumor is beyond ridiculous. It's like the Dallas Cowboys trading for Tony Gonzalez or the Rangers going after Hanely Ramirez to play shortstop.

This team needs lean, long, athletic, young black guys on their team. Mean dudes that go to the rim and take shit off no one. They need winners. They need someone that's going to step in front of Tony Parker or Kobe Bryant and make him play his nuts off for 42 minutes for 18 points in a playoff game.

Steve Nash is none of those things.

To put the dumb cherry on the dumbass trade rumor, the very thought of including this team's two best -- AND ONLY -- trade chips (Caron Butler's deal and Roddy Beaubois) in a deal for Grant Hill and Nash certifies that the world is officially topsy-turvy.

Steve Nash means first-round exit. Period.

Thursday morning grab ass bag

Hope this makes it a good day

The Dallas Stars lost, again, 2-1 to the Phoenix Coyotes and are now in a dead heat for the Pacific Division. The surging San Jose Sharks have gone 9-0-1 and are tied atop the division. In fact, the Stars are just six points out of last in the division.

****
Wisconsin wanted a rematch of the Rose Bowl with TCU next year. TCU balked at it. TCU has nothing to gain there and leave it to a big school to want a rematch after getting beat.

****
The Dallas Mavericks are the worst-best team in the NBA. They win. They win a lot. Ten straight. Beat the Sacramento Kings 102-100. But they can't blow out bad teams. It kills them. They were up on the Kings by 19 in the first half and needed 15 points from J.J. Barea in the fourth to win the damn thing. The Mavericks are posers and nothing short of overhauling the entire line-up will help.

****
The Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers chatted about Michael Young. He isn't going anywhere.

****
Mike Hindman goes off on Young.

Total chaos

Who needs lyrics?

I wanted to take some time to consider the debacle that was Super Bowl XLV, known as the North Texas Super Bowl.

Consider the seating travesty. The botched national anthem. The weather. The injuries due to the falling ice. The seemingly countless number of stolen laptops and briefcases with "sensitive" information. The gates being closed. The fingerpointing.

I was talking with a friend yesterday, and I asked, "Why can't we do anything right?"

Two weeks before the Super Bowl, I wrote a small post about the Super Bowl not seeming real. As if there were all these things that should be happening that weren't. That absence, that void did not feel right.

Quite literally, between the time we learned the area got a Super Bowl, Dallas, Fort Worth and the surrounding areas haven't changed. I dare the city of Arlington to show me all the hotels that were supposed to go up. No alternative means of transportation were brought in. Nothing was done to deal with traffic.

All we had was that dumb stadium. I actually kind of hate that stadium now. It represents how disastrous the last week has been and how embarrassed I was seeing outsiders skate across highways, brave cold temperatures, write stories based little on the game and more all the inane bullshit that surrounded it.

It was Dallas-Fort Worth's time to shine. Instead, it drooped and waited for someone or something to save it.

There were ways to anticipate all of this. There was a chance that bad weather would hit the area in February. A week before, we knew it was coming. Why wasn't salt used? Why weren't more trucks brought in. Not just more for Dallas and Fort Worth. I mean as many trucks as Chicago or Boston might have in a icy, wintery storm.

Then there's the seating issue. Clearly, it was an inept confluence of the fire marshal/city, Jerry Jones, the NFL and the contractor just fucking everything up.

Only in Dallas. Where our general manager and the guy putting this shindig together is seen photographed at bars and clubs with girls that could be his granddaughters.

Only in a city where a jock-sniffing city councilman would give a Philadelphia Eagle -- and convicted felon -- a key to the city. Whilst there was a 100 percent chance that same councilman would not give Ben Roethlisberger even a punch in the arm. And we know why -- and it has nothing to do with rape as much as it does race.

Only in a city that allows the marquee franchise to build their world-renown stadium in a suburb. Then invest $50 million in a football stadium that no one wants to play in.

Only in a city that allows its best and foremost baseball player get so disgruntled that he wants a trade from a World Series team.

For whatever reason, we can do nothing right.

We do not deserve another Super Bowl. I hope we don't get one. It's just another opportunity to screw it up.

Coach canned

Sighting a need for a "fresher look," Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban unceremoniously canned longtime play-by-play guy "Coach" Bob Ortegal today.

He'd been there for 23 years, but hadn't been doing games for two weeks as Brad Davis and Derek Harper have filled in (Sam Perkins and Uwe Blab came off the bench).

No real word as why this change is being made mid-season. Ortegal is 70. Maybe it's a medical thing. Otherwise, Cuban kind of looks douchey firing a steady hand like Ortegal in the middle of the season.

As we'll all remember in 2007-08, Ortegal and Davis were flipped from radio and TV. Then they were flipped back. It's apparent something about Ortegal rubbed someone the wrong way. Why you just don't can him ... say ... five years ago between seasons is a mystery.

Meanwhile, Donnie Nelson is still employed.

Mike Young's unfortunate tongue

Public relations not in Mike Young's vocabulary

I don't understand why they're so much question surrounding Mike Young's very public request to be traded from the Texas Rangers.

The timeline says it all.

Jan. 27, 2011
Rangers say they are not looking to trade Mike Young.

Feb. 5, 2011
Ken Rosenthal reports that the Rangers are, again, looking to trade Mike Young.

Feb. 8, 2011
Mike Young reaches out to the media. Takes jabs at GM Jon Daniels. Admits he's asked the Rangers for a trade. Say he's been "misled" and "manipulated."

It's documented. It's real. It happened. It's not about Mike Napoli or Adrian Beltre. It's not about necessarily being a designated hitter or utility infielder.

In the span of 12 days, it has been made public that Mike Young was not going to be traded and that he was going to be traded.

I don't blame Young one bit. I'd be a bit pissed, too. On the other hand, if I'm the Rangers, I'm pissed that Young took such a adolescent route toward getting his end.

Some facts:

This Isn't The First Time Young's Spouted Off To The Media
Remember all the fussing he did when the Rangers did nothing at all those trade deadlines as Mark Teixeira and others were traded off? Remember ASKING FOR A TRADE when Elvis Andrus was added to the starting-day roster? I do not know who his agent is or who is advising him, but Mike Young has shit for brains concerning how to handle things. It seems he goes to the media at the first sign of agitation and it not only grows old among the fans, but it pisses off your boss(es).

Young's Contract Should Not Be A Thing
No one put a gun to the Rangers' head to give Young a five-year, $80 million deal in 2007. And no one should blame Young for taking it. The idea that he shouldn't bitch because he's "making $16 million a year on a World Series team" is ridiculous. Tony Romo or Dirk Nowitzki would not be treated like this if they complained. Everyone knew that contract would be a lead weight on this organization when it happened.

Young Royally Screwed The Organization
What leverage the Rangers had is gone.

The Misnomer Of 'Face Of The Franchise'
As I recall, Young never adopted or called for the crown of "face of the franchise." He's a guy that brought his bat and ball glove to the park. Got his hits. Spoke to the media. He's the "leader" only because the Rangers gave him a big contract and because he's the elder statesmen. That's it. Young is not unlike any other ball player. He wants on the field. And he's not unlike your or me: He doesn't want to be jerked around by his employer.

Young Is Virtually Untradeable
Consider that he's erased all leverage the Rangers had and he's under contract for three years. The Rangers don't have to trade him. His highest value and highest opportunity is with Texas. He's due $28 million over the next three seasons. The Rangers don't have strong trade partners at the moment. They won't get anyone decent and they'll have to pay at least part of his contract. What's the downside? Him being bitter at Daniels? Boo hoo.

Young Will Be A Texas Ranger At Least Until July
As stated, Young likes to spout off at the mouth. He also gets talked down from many ledges over the years. He has a good contract on a good, young team. He hits well at the Ballpark and more trade partners (hopefully, more desperate trade partners) will be around mid-season.

Super Bowl update, gameday edition

Look at lil' DFW. Shows up on gameday with 45-degree temperatures and sunny skies. Good for us.

It's the day of the game, a mere hour-and-a-half until those guys go out and play the game of their lives.

I'm sticking to what I did in the conference championships. I'm going with my heart.

Pittsburgh 24, Green Bay 20

When I learned the Packers and Steelers would play in the Super Bowl, my initial gut reaction was that Ben Roethlisberger was going to win Super Bowl No. 3, Mike Tomlin will win ring No. 2 and the Steelers will solidify themselves as the greatest NFL franchise in history.

When I go with my heart and ignore all the talk and press swirling around me, I always find I do pretty well.

Pittsburgh is just too much. They're the only team I know where the whole starting offensive line could get food poisoning at a Jack in the Box and miss the game, and I would still pick them. Whatever they do, whatever Tomlin does to motivate them, it works. It just does. Why fight it? I'm going with it.

Another good point made to solidify my pick was someone mentioning how the Steelers aren't necessarily a run-first, low-scoring, stout defense team. Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown can spread the field. Hines Ward is as reliable as Big Ben (the clock ... not the cock). Heath Miller is probably a top five tight end in the game. Rashard Mendenhall's contributions are just icing on the cake.

I do, however, feel it's going to be a really good game. I'm actually kind of pumped about it.

Michael Young and the Texas Rangers

Behind the scenes

In late January, the Texas Rangers came out publicly to reiterate that they were not trading Michael Young.

A week later, rumors starting flying that the Texas Rangers-Colorado Rockies deal that boiled over during the winter meetings was back in the works.

The question right now isn't who the Rangers get in return or whether or not the trade goes through.

The question: Can the Rangers, at this point, keep Michael Young?

If you want to trade the guy, then don't come out every month and tell us how you're not going to trade him. I think that's unfair to the fans and Michael Young.

It's clear the Rangers are shopping Young. I assume they want to get younger and cheaper for a designated hitter-utility infielder. Why they're still denying it is a mystery.

I think Young wants to be here and I think trying to trade him is a big mistake. You signed him to that contract. Why not play him? You can't have enough reliable bats in the line-up and I think he could have further value mid-season when teams need someone like Mike Young to play any number of positions. Or, the Rangers might actually need him.

At this point, I don't know if the Rangers and Young can really go back. How do you start the season getting constant reassurance, all the while, your employer is trying and trying to get rid of you? Just seems like bad, shady business.