IT'S ALMOST TIME

Pitchers and catchers report in the next 6 days with position players about 4 days later. Machado and Harper might not be for a week after that. There seems to be a lot of big names still available. Craig Kimbrel, Dallas Keuchel, Mike Moustakas and James Shields, all of whom have some good years left. Plus a lot of agents with big dreams and unhappy clients. You'd think they would have learned from last years free agent debacle.

Some interesting teams still flirting with the possibility of big contracts are teams not normally in the market for them: the Padres, the Giants and the Phillies. This is also when the Yanks' Cashman has been known to swoop in and grab some big name out of the blue. I don't think that's going to happen but the New York media keeps harping on Harper (sorry).

The MLBPA and the Commissioner's office are negotiating major rule changes:
1) Designated Hitter in both leagues
2) Expansion of the roster to 26 players with a limit of 12 pitchers.
3) Lowering the mound
4) A 20-second pitch clock
5) Mandating a 3-batter outing for a relief pitcher.
6) Starting a runner at second and the start of every extra inning.
All reasonable except for number six. That would bastardize the sport beyond belief. Most of them probably wouldn't go into effect until the 2020 season if approved.

Some of the rule changes are aimed at increasing the pace of play and reducing the game time. There is one change that could make a big difference: Relief pitchers can only throw ONE warm-up pitch on the mound. They've been throwing for ten minutes in the bull pen already. If they aren't warmed up by then they shouldn't be brought in. Also, make the managers call for the relievers from the dugout. No need to walk out there and rub the baseball while the reliever comes in, talk to him and hand him the ball and walk back to the dugout. All the while, Yankee fans are sitting in their $500 seats munching on $12 hot dogs and $15 beers. Isn't heartburn enough punishment?

Some Ridiculous Things In Sports
**Why do announcers come up with cute phrases, which are only cute once, and beat them into the ground? The color guy for a Syracuse game mentioned early in a game that Syracuse guard Tyus Battle was "battle-hardened." He then repeated that and some variations a half a dozen times the rest of the game. ("He came to do battle or He's really battling out there.") And then a chuckle every time. At least he was amused.
**The baseball that Jose Bautista hit for a homer and did his famous bat-flip was sold at auction for over $28,000. Other than Joey-Bats mother, who would spend that kind of money on a baseball? Not even his agent.
**Can this be true? The team bus driver for the Patriots got lost on the way to stadium for the Super Bowl. I'm investigating the rumor that he was paid off by some disgruntled Bills fans.
**Apparently, it's just me but I wasn't that impressed with Tony Romo's efforts at the Super Bowl. It seemed like a lot of the time, he said everything 'tongue-in-cheek,' like he was making fun of the game. I know it's only football but he's paid a lot of money and didn't seem like he was taking it seriously. He does know his stuff, though.

***THEY SAID IT*** 
"Some members of the national media are making a deal out of Ndamukong Suh not shaking hands at the end of the Super Bowl. So what? You're just lucky he didn't eat the Pats mascot or toss anyone off the upper deck."  -- Brad Dickson
"Rams CB Robey-Coleman now going to appeal his $26,739 fine for his helmet-to-helmet no-call against Saints. Uh, Nickell does remember that he ADMITTED and bragged about it?"  -- Janice Hough

" Saints coach Sean Payton said after losing the NFC championship he sat in his room for three days watching Netflix and eating ice cream. Gosh, he makes that sound like a bad thing."  -- RJ Currie
"The College Football Hall Of Fame says it will add the Goodyear Blimp as an honorary member, making it the biggest air-filled immortal since the Hall inducted Dick Vitale in 2008."  -- Dwight Perry
"45 year old Ichiro Suzuki has signed a one year minor league contract with the Mariners who open the season in Japan this year. He should be able to travel with the parent team under a “grandfather clause".  -- Tony Chong

" I enjoyed Adam Levine at halftime. This gave me an opportunity to put a face to all those songs I hear while I'm waiting to see the dentist."  -- Brad Dickson
"'Temperatures in Winnipeg recently dropped to -40 C. It was so cold, it could even freeze the seat that Lakers coach Luke Walton is on."  -- RJ Currie"
" Colorado State is selling wine and beer at home basketball games. If you’ve seen them play, you’ll understand why."  -- Tim Hunter

"Pitcher Adam Ottavino will become the first player in Yankee history to wear jersey number 0.

Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, not to be outdone, are holding out for the symbol $."  -- Dwight Perry

"The Nationals hired octogenarian Jack McKeon as a senior adviser. Good for McKeon, but at 88, isn’t ‘senior adviser’ redundant?"  -- Janice Hough

"Who was the best NHL defensive tandem I ever saw: Bobby Orr and anybody."  -- Cam Hutchinson
" Rams’ DL Ndamukong Suh is trying to shed his “reputation” for dirty play. Reputation? He’s reputed to be a dirty player? How about over $600,000 in fines and two suspensions for being one?"  -- Phil Mushnick