Matthews: Todd Frazier Wants Money

TODD FRAZIER APPARENTLY WANTED $$$ MORE THAN A WORLD SERIES RING

Veteran third baseman Todd Frazier has signed a two-year deal with the New York Mets worth $17 million. I’m surprised.

I thought Frazier was the sort of player who’d make winning a World Series a higher priority than landing the best-possible free-agent deal.

Frazier finished last season with the New York Yankees and many observers expected the team to bring him back. The Yankees are loaded and the favorite to win the World Series this season. The Mets aren’t likely to beat out the Washington Nationals in the NL East and will be fortunate to earn a wild-card trip to the playoffs.

Frazier would’ve fit nicely into this possible Yankees starting lineup: LF Brett Gardner...RF Aaron Judge...SS Didi Gregorius...DH Giancarlo Stanton...C Gary Sanchez...1B Greg Bird...3B Todd Frazier...CF Aaron Hicks...2B Gleyber Torres or Ronald Torreyes. The Yankees also have a solid and deep starting rotation and an awesome bullpen.

The Mets have improved after signing Frazier and four other free agents. The key for the Mets will be the health of the starting rotation. Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler look impressive on paper. They’d be a fine five-man rotation if they could avoid injuries. Good luck, Mets fans.

The lineup isn’t bad but doesn’t rank with the Yankees: CF Michael Conforto/Brandon Nimmo..2B Asdrubal Cabrera...1B Adrian Gonzalez...LF Yoenis Cespedes...RF Jay Bruce...3B Todd Frazier...C Travis a’Arnaud...SS Amed Rosario.

PS: I am not discounting the possibility of Frazier being traded to the Mets by the Yankees during the 2018 season.

BILLS TAKE TWO ALABAMA DEFENSIVE STARS IN TODD McSHAY’S NFL MOCK DRAFT

If ESPN college football talent guru Todd McShay is correct, the Buffalo Bills won’t get a chance to select one of the top four quarterbacks in the 2018 NFL draft – four of his projected top six picks are QBs -- but will add two defensive stalwarts from national champion Alabama.

The top 10 picks in McShay’s NFL Mock Draft 2.0: 1--QB Sam Darnold (USC) by Cleveland...2—QB Josh Rosen (UCLA) by New York Giants...3—DE Bradley Chubb (North Carolina State) by Indianapolis...4—RB Saquon Barkley (Penn State) by Cleveland...5—QB Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) by Denver...6—QB Josh Allen (Wyoming) by New York Jets...7—S Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama) by Tampa Bay...8--WR Calvin Ridley (Alabama) by Chicago...9—CB Denzel Ward (Ohio State) by San Francisco...10—DE/OLB Tremaine Edmunds (Virginia Tech) by Oakland.

McShay’s two first-round picks to Buffalo: 21—LB Rashaan Evans (Alabama)...22__DT Da’Ron Payne (Alabama)...

...AND ONE THEORY TO LAND JOSH ROSEN

Eric Galko’s NFL Mock Draft for Sporting News projects Buffalo trading the No. 21 and No. 22 picks in this year’s draft plus an early-round pick in 2019 to obtain the No. 2 overall pick (from the New York Giants) and use it on UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen.

That seems like a steep price but Rosen would be worth it if he indeed becomes the long-awaited “franchise quarterback.”

DOUG PEDERSON RECEIVED ONLY ONE VOTE FOR NFL COACH OF THE YEAR

I’ve long pushed for major individual awards in pro sports to be for performance in the regular season plus the postseason.

For example, Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Voting for the Associated Press individual honors in the National Football League covers only the regular season.

The Eagles were 13-3 in the regular season and – despite a season-ending knee injury suffered by star quarterback Carson Wentz – won three straight games as underdogs in the postseason (including Super Bowl LII over New England).

The AP selection panel gave Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams 35 of the 50 votes for NFL coach of the Year. The Rams were a huge surprise in the regular season but were upset in their first playoff game.

Pederson of the Super Bowl-winning Eagles received only 1 vote, tied for fourth with Bill Belichick (New England). Mike Zimmer (Minnesota) received 11 votes and Doug Marrone (Jacksonville) 2.

Over the course of the entire season, Pederson was Coach of the Year – wasn’t he?

SABRES, VEGAS BOTH LOST TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT BUFFALO AT LEAST EARNED ONE POINT

When this National Hockey League season began, who could have guessed that the Buffalo Sabres would be this lousy and the first-year expansion Vegas Golden Knights would be this good?

On Tuesday night, Buffalo lost 4-3 in overtime at home to the Anaheim Ducks. The Sabres have a 14-29-10 and 38 points in the standings (second-fewest in the 31-team league). They’ve been outscored 175-120 (-55). They’re 6-8-10 in 24 one-goal games (not real good in the clutch).

Vegas lost 5-4 at the Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday night to drop to 35-15-4, The Golden Knights have 74 points in the standings, second-most in the NHL. They’ve outscored opponents 181-145 (+36). They’re a respectable 16-11-2 on the road and an amazing 19-3-2 at home.

ORANGE SHOOTERS WOKE UP IN UPSET WIN AT LOUISVILLE

Coach Jim Boeheim’s Syracuse Orange have been a poor shooting team for most of this season but they heated up during a surprising 78-73 victory over 8-point favored host Louisville (16-8 record, including 6-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) Monday night.

There are 351 NCAA Division I college basketball teams, and entering Monday night, here’s where SU ranked:

Field-goal percentage – 306th (41.9)

3-Point FG percentage – 329th (31.2)

Scoring – 300th (68.1 points per game).

In the victory over Louisville, SU had a .472 FG percentage (25-of-53) and a .462 3-point FG percentage. The Orange continued to shoot OK from the foul lin3: 22-of-29 (.759).

SU remains very much on the bubble for a berth in the 68-team NCAA Tournament field. The Orange are 16-8 (5-6 in the rugged ACC with 7 games remaining in the regular season (all in the ACC): home vs. Wake Forest Saturday...home vs. North Carolina State Wednesday February 14...at Miami Saturday February 17...home vs. North Carolina Wednesday February 21...at Duke Saturday February 24...at Boston College Wednesday February 28 at Boston College...home vs. Clemson Saturday March 3.

BARRY BONDS WAS A MUCH BETTER GIANT THAN A PIRATE

The San Francisco Giants on Tuesday announced that Barry Bonds’ No. 25 uniform will be retired August 11, 2018.

Needless to say, Bonds was a much more productive hitter for the Giants than he was in his first seven MLB seasons with Pittsburgh:

With the Pirates (7 seasons; presumably did not use steroids) – 1,010 games; .275 batting average (984-of-3,584); 672 runs; 220 doubles; 36 doubles; 176 HRs; 556 RBI; 251 stolen bases; .380 on-base percentage; .503 slugging percentage; .883 OPS (on-base % + slugging %). Two MVP awards.

With the Giants (15 seasons; probably – can’t say definitely --used steroids for at least the last 9 seasons) – 2,986 games; .312 batting average (1.555-of-6,263); 1,555 runs; 381 doubles; 41 triples; 586 HRs; 1,440 RBI; 263 stolen bases; .477 on-base percentage; .607 slugging percentage; 1.051 OPS. Five MVP awards.

If Bonds is elected to the Hall of Fame, he figures to choose SF for his cap. Most fans and writers believe S would be more appropriate.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                MLB WORLD SERIES SHARES DWARF NFL SUPER BOWL SHARES

Full shares for a player in Super Bowl LII were $112,000 for a winner (Philadelphia) and $56,000 for a loser (New England).

2017 World Series full shares were $438,902 per winning Houston Astro and $259,722 per losing Los Angeles Dodger.

Dos that seem fair?

BOB RANKS THE OSCAR MOVIES 1-to-9

The Academy Awards show will be Sunday, March 4, at Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Jimmy Kimmel will be the host. That means the POTUS should watch something else, just to keep his blood pressure down.

In my role as an unsophisticated amateur film reviewer, I finally managed to see all nine of the nominees for best movie. Here are my ratings, based on how much I liked them:

1—Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. An absorbing story line and excellent acting.

2—The Post. I most enjoyed the recreated newspaper presses. I’m surprised Tom Hanks wasn’t nominated for Best Actor. I don’t think Meryl Steep will win Best Actress. She has plenty already.

3—The Shape of Water. Entertaining if you can buy the lagoon creature/mute cleaning lady love story. Obviously great acting and film-making (13 Academy Award nominations).

4—Dunkirk. I love World War II flicks in general and this evacuation saved the British army.

5—Get Out. A very interesting horror story with lots of surprising twists.

6—Darkest Hour. Gary Oldman is a great Winston Churchill but not enough action in this flick to suit me.

7—Lady Bird. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

8—Phantom Thread. I preferred Daniel Day Lewis in Last of the Mohicans, There Will Be Blood, Lincoln and my favorite -- Gangs of New York.

9—Call Me By Your Name. A gay love story. I know many people would rate this movie higher than I do but I did find it somewhat interesting.

My favorite movie of 2018 – The Greatest Showman -- didn’t make the list of nominees. A terrible oversight, in my opinion. It received only one nomination – for best song (“This Is Me”). I’ll be rooting for it.

SHORT SHOTS

If I were running the Buffalo Bills, I’d offer one of my two second-round 2018 draft picks to Philadelphia for Nick Foles. If the Eagles wanted more, I’d pass. Foles was Super Bowl LII MVP with a much better offensive line, much better wide receivers, a much better tight end and a much better defense than he’d have with Buffalo.

I’m not buying the theory that “Nick Foles outdueled Tom Brady in the Super Bowl.” Foles played great and deserved MVP because his Eagles won. But Brady again was Tom Terrific. He passed for 505 yards and the Patriots only had the ball for 25:56 of the 60:00 minutes.

The amazing NHL Vegas Golden Knights played at Pittsburgh Tuesday night. With a victory, they could’ve had a league-most 75 points in the standings. They’ll play seven straight home games February 11 through 23. They’re 19-3-2 at home.

Super Bowl LII MVP quarterback On this date 69 years ago (1949), Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees became the first $100,000-a-year baseball player....On this date 54 years ago (1964), Cassius Clay converted to Islam and was renamed Muhammad Ali.

Variety reports that director Ezra Edelman is working in a biopic of Roberto Clemente. I’ll be watching. Clemente is my all-time favorite Major League Baseball player.  Edelman directed the acclaimed O.J. Simpson Made In America. The production – not O.J. – was acclaimed.

Society note: Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz is married to U.S. women’s national soccer star Julie Johnston Ertz.

The 145-day live 2018 thoroughbred racing season at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack will open April 21 and run through November 28.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...

Wednesday, February 7

Robeto Osuna (23)...Ryan O’Reiily (27)...Steven Stamkos (28)...Cleveland Vavalier guard Isaiah Thomas (29)...Matthew Stafford (30)...Scott Feldman (35)...Alexandre Daigle (43)...Steve Nash (44)...Juwan Howard (45)...Marvin Graves (47)...Chris Tancil (50)...Shawn Anderson (50)...Peter Bondra (50)...Rick Neuheisel (57)...Carney Lansford (61)...Damaso Garcia (61)...Lee Fogolin (63)...Robert Brazile (65)...Banny Ayala (67)...Burt Hooton (68)...Ross Lonsberry (71). Ashton Kutcher (40), Chris Rock (53) and Garth Brooks (56) are invited to the birthday party.

Thursday, February 8

Klay Thompson (28)...Johnny Hekker (28)...Bethany Hamilton (28)...Julio Jones (29)...Matt Bush (32)...WWE’s Big Show (46)...Alonzo Mourning (48)...Joy Fawcett (50)...Kirk Muller (52)...Dino Cicarelli (63)...Linda Frontianne (58)...Joe Madon (64).


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