Sports April 3, 2011

The Yankees were caught "cheating" the other day because they had a coach in the stands relaying information to hitters at the plate. However, the Yankees were very open about the situation and told baseball officials they only had a man behind the plate to relaying information that would be on the scoreboard anyway (the scoreboard had broken down). Baseball officials seem fine with that and have decided not to punish the Yankees in any way. But does it really matter. Teams get to use 1st and 3rd base coaches to relay information and can use signs from the dugout. How is having someone behind the plate that different? Teams pickoff each others' signs anyway, but you don't see a game won or lost because one team used more signs or could read the other team's signs. Baseball games are won on execution, and no matter how many coaches you have relaying signs, someone still has to make a play to win a game.

The Heat are a good team, but they are far from great. They might have three of the most talented players in the league, but that doesn't automatically make you the best team in the league. Yes the Celtics did have a big 3, were the best regular season team, and won a championship all in the same year, but that was with a remarkable supporting cast. The Heat are a solid team and will have a decent playoff run, but that is a far cry from what they were expected to do. They will not win 70 games, they are not the best team in the NBA let alone the Eastern Conference, and Lebron isn't the leading candidate for MVP, I believe that honor belongs to Derrick Rose. They also have not played very well against the better teams. They will steamroll through the first round, but I think they will be done after that.

There is always one team that makes a big splash and makes big moves. Some times, like the '09 Yankees, the team goes on to win a World Series. Other teams, like the '08 Tigers, miss the playoffs completely. This years team is the Red Sox. So far however, their moves don't seem to be paying off. It might be too early to tell, but they just got pounded in a three game sweep by the Rangers. And by pounded, the Rangers were hitting Home Runs everywhere. Unless they can get that part figured out, the Red Sox might be in for another long season.