It's the Future

I don't know about you but when I used to think about the year 2010, I imagined flying cars, space exploration of mars and of course, the ability to watch baseball on my mobile phone. While technology works on the first two, watching baseball has never been easier or more convenient. The unveiling of the new Apple iPad today was met with much fan fare. While the overall specs of the device reveal it to be merely an over sized iPhone, it falls short in comparison to the netbooks that have dominated sales in the recent months.

One application that will benefit greatly from the iPad is Major League Baseball's MLB.TV service. I've been subscribing to MLB.TV for three years now. Living in the Philadelphia market and being a Cleveland Indians fan leaves me without the ability to catch my Tribe more than a few times per season. With MLB.TV, I can watch every game live or on demand. I can choose between the home or away team broadcast, giving me the ability to choose between Cleveland's dynamic duo of broadcasters or catch the legendary voices of the opposing team, say the legendary Vin Scully when they happen to play the Dodgers. Being a college student leaves me away from my television and computer frequently, yet my desire to be watching live baseball never fails.

For a meager $100, I can watch all 162 games of my beloved Indians as well as several of their Spring Training match-ups. The service does not require you to choose one team exclusively either, so say there's the odd chance that a Yankees/Red Sox game isn't on a national broadcast, I just click on the NY and viola, baseball. While the iPhone gives you the convenience of baseball anytime, the size of the picture is quite limiting. Enter iPad. The 10'' screen is now more than adequate for watching a game. Granted the increased size poses transportation limits, it's nothing a small briefcase or shoulder bag won't eliminate. I can only imagine how the commute to work on buses and trains everywhere will become tremendously less excruciating.

As a baseball purist, I never want to be more than a click away from live game action. Today might not be remembered as monumental a day in baseball history as the day Lou Gehrig delivered his famous speech or the day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier or the day Kerry Wood struck out 20 batters. But for baseball fans everywhere today has forever changed the way we'll remember those moments.

Thank You Captain Obvious

Phillies' skipper Charlie Manuel told reporters he would have loved to have Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee in his rotation.

All I can say is...duh!

Who wouldn't want both Doc and Cliff pitching on back to back days. The difficult part to swallow is that according to GM Ruben Amaro, it wasn't a payroll issue. Cliff Lee is slotted to earn $9 million during the 2010 season while righty Joe Blanton will earn $7 million. For a mere $2 million, Amaro could have dealt Blanton and headed to 2010 the clear cut favorite to win a third consecutive pennant. What Amaro did was take a stand that he had to know would be fairly unpopular among fans. The prospects exiting Philadelphia to get Lee and Halladay left the farm system woefully depleted. While Blanton would have received something in return, it would not be nearly the quality or quantity that the Phillies got from Seattle for Lee.

Basically Amaro opted to be competitive for seasons to come instead of stacking the deck for another run in 2010 and then having a large void once completed. There is definite doubt as to whether the Phils would have the payroll to sign Lee at the end of 2010. While their rotation this season would look stellar, its 2011 rotation would be lacking and not much help would be on the way from Triple-A.

Another factor to consider is the free agency of breakout right fielder Jayson Werth. Werth is going to want to get paid and given his production during his stay in Philly, I'd say it's reasonable. Cliff Lee did wonderful things over the last two seasons, but his career is still young and riddled with inconsistency. In sacrificing Lee for Halladay, Amaro shrewdly changed the course of the organization for the next few seasons and ensured a competitive product will take the field day in and day out.

Not many general managers would have the gusto to make a move like this, especially less than one full year into their tenure. Amaro has proved he is the right man for the job and will not let media or fan pressure dictate his moves. I can't wait for the day Roy Halladay accepts his Cy Young and World Series MVP Awards, purely to see the satisfaction on Ruben's face.

It's a New Year!

Happy 2010 everyone!

I never liked living in the past, so instead of reviewing 2009, let's consider what we can look forward to in 2010.

Tiger Woods return to the golf course

At some point, he's going to need to get back on the links. The million dollar question is how will his impending divorce affect his game play. I would have to think it will be burdensome initially as the gallery heckles America's favorite golfer. Once he gets in front of a microphone and actually addresses the incidents and fields questions from legitimate reporters, I think things will get easier for him. The question I'd most like answered has nothing to do with his infidelity, but instead the report that linked him to a Canadian doctor detained for unlawfully distributing performance enhancing supplements. For someone who allegedly cheated without remorse off the course, is it too much of a stretch to think he cheated on the course as well? Undoubtedly he will reclaim his title as greatest golfer on the planet, but it will truly take a miracle for him to regain all his endorsements and admiration that he once had.

The NFL Play-offs

For so much of this season the question was whether or not the Colts and/or Saints could complete the perfect season. Well that question has been emphatically answered on both sides, yet each team remains in the hunt for the Super Bowl. With two differing strategies on use of starting players in 'meaningless' games, we may finally see which strategy is more effective. Commissioner Roger Goodell has said he will 'look into' the Colts strategy of resting starters. Personally, I think its ridiculous that a rule could be imposed requiring teams to play their primary players when play-offs births have been clinched. Would you rather have an awesome week 16 schedule or a Super Bowl that features fully healthy players? I think that one is simple to answer. The only change we may see in 2010 is the overtime format. If an important playoff game is decided on the first possession of overtime with the losing team never touching the ball, I think the competition committee will take a closer look at what is in the best interest of the sport.

Can the Yankees repeat?

It remains to be seen whether they will re-sign Johnny Damon, but regardless, the Yankees still looked primed to repeat as AL Champions. And given the moves the Philadelphia Phillies have made in acquiring former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay, they look to be in great position to reach their third consecutive World Series. Although it appears both teams are finished making major moves this offseason, the Yankees still need a left fielder and Matt Holliday remains unsigned. Unlikely? Sure, but if there's one thing I've learned from the Yanks is never count them out of any major free agent. There was virtually no connection last year to the Yankees and Mark Teixiera, yet we all now how that one ended. The Phillies could still move some players as well, given the uncertainty of the outcomes of salary arbitration. Joe Blanton and Shane Victorino will be getting rather significant raises and given the Phillies payroll constraints, it is not out of the realm of possibility that one of them is calling a new city home next year.

Where will LeBron end up?

Although the 2009-10 NBA season is far from over, many have already begun to look to the offseason when King James becomes an unrestricted free agent. Speculation has been that he and USA basketball teammate Dwyane Wade will look to join forces, forming one of the most explosive and dynamic duos in the history of the sport. Hip Hop mogul Jay-Z will undoubtedly be a large player in attempting to attract James and Wade to Brooklyn where the Nets look to be relocated. Cleveland's only chance at keeping LBJ may be a NBA title this season. Wake up Shaq, the clock is ticking.

Can Jimmy Johnson win his 5th consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Title?

I'm not going to pretend I know much about NASCAR, but what this man has done over the last four years is nothing short of remarkable. Given the popularity and advancement of the sport, this has to go down as one of the most impressive records in the history of sports. A fifth consecutive title will only further establish his place in history.

So many questions yet all we can do is wait. It's 365 days anyway you slice it. Might as well enjoy it.