Special: Trot's Day Off: Lincoln Review

I am introducing a new section of Trot's Cap, entitled "Trot's Day Off." The idea here is that posts under the title "Trot's Day Off" will be unrelated to sports. Much like real athletes, not everything I do pertains to sports. So, here is my first installation of "Trot's Day Off," a review of the Oscar-nominated film, Lincoln. I promise you will disagree with me, and I will happily respond to any comments you have on my review.

And the award for Failing to Meet Expectations goes to...Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis, for Lincoln!

Lincoln was one of 2012's most highly anticipated films. Even before it began filming, moviegoers across the globe were salivating at the thought of Spielberg's take on one of America's most beloved presidents, featuring the stellar performance Daniel Day-Lewis – perhaps the most talented actor of the last twenty-five years – was sure to give.

With Spielberg, audiences anticipated the professionalism they have come to expect from the storied director and producer. With Day-Lewis, they expected an incredible performance full of passionate calls-to-arms wrought with emotion. Unfortunately, since its release in November 2012, Lincoln has left much to be desired in those departments.

Spielberg's elder-statesman reputation in the movie industry is well-warranted, but his last two films (Lincoln and War Horse) suggest he doesn't feel the need to try anymore; anything he makes will be considered wonderful and heaps of praise will be thrown at the film, simply because his name is attached to it. Lincoln's direction in Lincoln was fine, but it did not impress, and many scenes didn't have the dramatic impact he would have you think, such as the burning of an unspecified city after Lincoln said that there was no peace treaty from the Confederacy.

Day-Lewis's career connotes nothing less than astounding, heart-felt representations of historical characters, but Abraham Lincoln is not given the same justice that Christy Brown and Bill the Butcher were. Day-Lewis was not impressive, but his name alone carried him back into conversations of best acting performances of the year.

The award shows seem to have neglected to actually watch the film, and automatically nominated and awarded Day-Lewis the award for Best Actor: so far, he has won Best Actor for Lincoln 16 times. Day-Lewis is without doubt an incredible actor, but he only proved that twice in Lincoln: in his “human dignity” speech, and when arguing with Mary Todd Lincoln (Sally Field) about Robert enlisting, in which Fields puts on the better performance.

Lincoln dragged on for far too long, and snuck in the presidents' assassination as an afterthought. The historical accuracy – something that should always be questioned in historical films – was a bit off. From the boisterously full House of Representatives during an era when half the country was not part of the country, to the touching introduction and celebration of African-Americans sitting in on the 13^th Amendment vote after the film spent two hours showing Mary Todd Lincoln's African-American servant present for the entirety of the House proceedings, this historical drama was dripping with inaccuracies and inconsistencies.

Lincoln was supposed to be Oscar-bait, and with the 12 nominations the film has garnered, it has fulfilled expectations. Whether or not these nominations are earned, or if they were just born out of the preconceived notions of the talent of Spielberg and Day-Lewis is another question altogether.

Cory Conacher

In early December 2012, I sat down with Syracuse Crunch (AHL) forward Cory Conacher for a feature I was writing on him. Now, a month and a half later, Conacher is playing in the newly returned NHL for the Tampa Bay Lightning. In his NHL debut, he scored a goal and an assist, and was +1 on the day. Below is the article I wrote about Conacher, which holds some more weight now that he has made the NHL.

Cory Conacher is a diabetic. Cory Conacher is 5-foot-8, and that's being generous. Cory Conacher is the reigning MVP of the most violent professional sports league in North America.

Cory Conacher also plays for the Syracuse Crunch a team composed of the reigning champions of the American Hockey League. The Crunch currently hold the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference. You may be asking yourself, How can this be? Because Cory Conacher is one of the fastest and most skilled hockey players in the United States today.

With the NHL lockout of the 2012 season, the best hockey league in the Western Hemisphere, and perhaps the world, is the AHL. Cory Conacher entered the league last year, and his rookie campaign was one of the best ever. In 75 games, Conacher tallied 39 goals and 41 assists, for 80 points overall. He led the league in goals, was second in points and had an impressive plus/minus of +19.

Conacher led his team, the Norfolk Admirals, on an impressive 28-game winning streak, the longest in North American history – on any professional level. Over the two months the streak spanned, Conacher scored 14 goals and dished out 12 assists for 26 points and held a plus/minus of +13.

But Conacher wasn't always the AHL star he is today. Conacher remembers when he was 14 and his coach sent him down to the AA team because of his diminutive size.

“Ever since that, I've learned to get motivated from stuff like that,” Conacher said. “If you are small, you can't play small. You see guys like [Martin] St. Louis, who has played so many years in the NHL, who's about the same size as me, and he goes into corners and battles hard and hits [people], and does the little things that big players do, and he's a small guy.”

“If you are small, you can't play small,” Conacher added. “Small players have to learn to play big, and that's how they become successful.”

Conacher's father was a hockey player, and he comes from a hockey family that includes former NHL-ers Roy, Charlie and Lionel Conacher. Cory began playing at age six.

“I started playing, and I have loved it ever since,” Conacher said. “I have it in my blood.”

Conacher was not a star throughout high school, and was not drafted. He attended Buffalo, NY's Canisius College, beginning in 2007.

“I wasn't looking to get drafted, I wasn't expecting to get drafted or anything. I just went to Canisius to work on my game,” Conacher said.

Conacher spent all four years at Canisius, where he broke 12 school records. While there, Conacher developed a strong relationship with head coach Dave Smith, who Conacher still keeps in touch with today.

“The coaching staff gave me an opportunity to play there, and since then it's worked out. I thank my coach at Canisius more than once or twice a month,” Conacher said. “I chat with him every once in a while, and I like to keep in touch with Canisius, see how they're doing.”

Smith could not say a negative thing about Canisius' most accomplished hockey alumni.

“I'm in awe of Cory,” Smith said. “He's such a humble kid; he recognizes the part small people have had in his development.”

Smith and the Canisius coaching staff were incredibly beneficial to Conacher's development as a player.

“We encourage [players] playing to their strengths,” Smith said. “We encouraged Cory to shoot and use his speed. He just needed the confidence to let it fly.”

Conacher graduated from Canisius in 2011, and tried out for the Rochester Americans, an AHL team. He played two games for Rochester, and bounced between the ECHL and AHL with two other teams for a total of 10 try-out contract games in 2011.

July 6, 2011, Conacher signed a free agent contract with the Norfolk Admirals. From there, he would bring the Admirals their first league championship, and bring in his own MVP award. The championship-winning team moved to Syracuse this summer, when the affiliation with the Tampa Bay Lightning switched from Norfolk to Syracuse.

“Last year he was just one of those kids that came out nowhere that nobody really knew anything about, and now he's got a target on his back,” Coach Jon Cooper, Conacher's coach in both Norfolk and Syracuse said. “He's really, really fast, but he's tenacious; he's fearless. And when you put a really fast, fearless player on the ice, paired with his skill, you've got a good player.”

J.T. Brown, a rookie who shares a line with Conacher has been quite impressed with his linemate.

“He's a very skilled player,” Brown said. “But at the same time, he's also one of those players to get to the hard areas, first to the puck; he's pretty much the total package.”

“He can make plays at high speeds, in unbelievably tough traffic areas,” Cooper said. “When you can do that you have a future in the league.”

With the NHL in a lockout, Conacher misses an opportunity to vie for a spot on the Lightning, at least for now. Conacher was his typical humble self when asked about NHL chances this year.

“If there was an NHL camp, I knew it would be a very competitive one, and there'd be spots open for us young guys to take,” Conacher said. “We have a lot of young, good players on this team this year. I didn't go into this year – if there was a camp this year – thinking I would be a guy making the [Lightning].”

“As long as I work hard, and do the right things, and show that I've improved and developed, I think that I'd have that chance to make the team,” he continued. “Last year is in the past, although they do have that in the back of their minds, want to see where you are now, show that you didn't take the summer off and that you kept developing and learning as a professional athlete.”

Cooper was not convinced that Conacher needed there to be an NHL season this year for Conacher to make it.

“There's no rush to the NHL, the NHL will come find him,” Cooper said. “It's just a matter of time.”

Conacher is currently second on the Syracuse Crunch in points with 19 points (in 20 games), behind Tyler Johnson's 23. Cooper attributed some of Johnson's success to Conacher's presence on a separate line.

“When we get the Cory Conacher line to wear them down, it kind of opens the door for the Tyler Johnson line, so it's kind of a 1-2 punch,” Cooper said.

Conacher continues to work to hard to reach the ultimate goal of making the NHL, staying late at practice, and working on the things he needs to improve.

“You need to show that you're getting better everyday, and that's what I do,” Conacher said. “I think about working on the things I need to work on, because there's no player in the world who's perfect; there's always something you could be better at.”

While we may sit on the brink of NHL teams opening up camps, ending the lockout, Cory Conacher continues to work hard, regardless of at what level.

“He gets better every single day. Everything he's getting, he's worked for,” Smith said. “I believe in Cory Conacher.”

“The only thing that's going to hold Cory Conacher back is Cory Conacher,” Cooper said.

The Last 48 Hours

Wow. That's what I've been saying a lot in the last 48 hours, in regards to sports news. There's the obvious (Lance Armstrong admitting to Oprah that he used PEDs) and the utterly disgusting and bizarre (Manti Te'o's fake girlfriend; Roger Springfield's illegal taping of Syracuse players). I will break down these three and the other two major stories from the last two days in brief, in an effort to relaunch this blog, just in time for hockey season to (finally) begin.

Lance Armstrong admits drug use
While this story was by no means a breaking news story, as most people already knew this information. This was just a instance where Armstrong just proved everybody correct. While it does take a bit courage to own up to your wrongs, Armstrong gets no sympathy from me, because he only did so after the public already knew the truth. Also, it takes the opposite of courage to have lied to the public for years, and be rewarded for said lies by being revered as one of the most impressive athletes of the century. I'm glad all the cards have been played in this story line, and I look forward to Armstrong starting an organization to fight against performance-enhancing drugs.

Chip Kelly named head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles
Unlike Armstrong, Kelly's decision came as quite a shock to most of the world, as a few weeks ago, after he'd interviewed with many NFL teams (including the Eagles), Kelly announced he would remain at Oregon. I guess he changed his mind. After four incredibly successful as the Ducks' head coach, Kelly was perhaps the most sought-after coach. The Eagles got their man, but the real story here will be the fallout. Will Phil Knight and Nike follow Kelly to Philly? Will the Ducks remain a powerhouse team? Who will take his place?

Michael Morse traded to Seattle
In a three-way trade that got mostly lost in the shuffle of all of the other sporting news, Morse was traded to the Mariners, with John Jaso going to Oakland, and Seattle giving up three prospects. Morse became expendable when the Nationals signed Adam LaRoche last week, and Seattle had the need. His versatility will only strengthen their team, and now Jesus Montero can catch on everyday basis, which could equal a blossoming offensively.

Roger Springfield video tapes Syracuse University athletes
Springfield was the Syracuse athletic department's media director prior to police finding that he had taped men from three different sports, including football showering and other similar activities in the locker room  Springfield, whose real last name is Cahak, had the red "on light" blocked off, so athletes would be unaware of his taping of them. These tapes were then used for his personal use, as they obviously could not be used to improve game performance. While this is not technically as bad as Jerry Sandusky, the reach is much further, as Springfield taped 108 or more student athletes. I am sure we will hear much, much more about this in the upcoming weeks and months.

Manti Te'o's dead girlfriend does not exist
In what was one of the saddest, most inspirational stories of the 2012 college football season, that of Manti Te'o, whose grandmother and leukemia-suffering girlfriend died within days of each other. But, it turned out to be a hoax. The girlfriend never existed, which means the cancer story was a lie, as was the car accident that put her in the hospital in the first place. Deadspin's investigative piece that uncovered this is a must read, which makes it incredibly difficult to find Te'o anything but involved in the creation of his fake girlfriend. However, Notre Dame has released a statement suggesting that it Te'o himself who has been the victim of a hoax. Deadspin's report did much more than expose the lies that Te'o had been spreading, but also the lack of fact-checking that Illinois and nationwide news outlets such as ESPN did on this story. The girl did not exist, her picture was stolen from a friend of a friend of Te'o's, and her back story did not check out in the least. Te'o is an incredible football player, but the rationale behind pulling a quick one on the American people for eight months should not be taken lightly. Like Lance Armstrong, Te'o will eventually need to fess up. At least, if there is anything good to come of this, Deadspin's work will be followed through with. We deserve the truth.

MNF: Philadelphia vs. New Orleans

I need to live blog a game this week anyway, so I'll be blogging tonight's MNF match up between the Eagles and Saints.

8:22- Eight minutes to kick-off for Monday Night Football, with the Eagles and Saints both in a must-win situation.

8:28- The presidential candidates are being interviewed at halftime? Football really is America's sport.

8:31- Clearly Brees has been a better quarterback than Vick all year, but, unfortunately for the Saints, the Eagles have the edge in every other position.

8:33- Yes, Eagles are in a much better position than the Saints in their division, but the Saints are in the same division as the 8-0 Falcons...

8:40- No chance for Boykin to show off so far. I'm still unsure whether they should be using him or Jackson.

8:42- That 18-yard catch for Jackson said more about the New Orleans defense than it did about the Eagles offense. That defense looks awful.

8:46- Just like with every game this season, Vick is going to have to throw more quickly. Way too much pressure always on him, even with a bad defense like New Orleans.

8:49- BIG 14-yd pick up to Avant to convert that third down. More blitz pressure made Vick throw quick.

8:50- This challenge looks like it will go in the Saints favor. Big break for them in what looked like a 3rd down conversion.

8:52- Lucky for Avant, he may have used the ground as a third hand here. New Orleans gets the short stick for now.

8:54- McCoy NEEDS a big run. Needs to break out of his funk.

8:56- The Eagles' offensive line caused that fumble, not Vick. 

8:57- The Eagles were in field goal position a play ago. Now, they're punting.

9:03- Trent Cole's failed blitz leads to a 38-yard catch after the Saints seemed headed for a 3-and-out.

9:06- Hartley misses the 52-yard attempt. He made a 53-yard field goal earlier this season, but couldn't pull this one out. Tough break for the Saints.

9:09- Brown is now the Eagles the most productive back (of the game) following that 40-yard run.

9:10- If this interception gets overturned, the Eagles are incredibly lucky.

9:11- Touchdown for the Saints from that. The Eagles Achilles' Heal HAS been these turnovers. Vick threw the interception, made the foul that resulted in the touchdown.

9:19- Bryce Brown may get more looks than McCoy if he keeps this up.
9:25- HUGE run by McCoy at 4th and 1. He avoids seemingly all of the Saints defense, and even almost scores. Maybe that was what he needed.
9:27- Henery's 22-yard field goal attempt is good. 7-3 Saints.
9:34- 23-yard run for Mark Ingram. Eagles defense isn't looking good.
9:35- After another first down, this is looking like the Super Bowl offense the Saints had in the past.
9:35- And just like that, Ivory gets the Saints a touchdown. 14-3 Saints.
9:42- Vick runs for his own first down. Given a lack of pressure, he SHOULD do that.
9:42- Another first with Clay Harbor. Gotta keep it moving quickly if they want to be successful.
9:49- The Eagles are going to need to get into the end zone if they want to win this game. Clearly, the Saints offense is still firing, even if their defense isn't. But, the Saints defense is looking much better than expected, keeping the Eagles to just a field goal so far.
9:51- The Saints have done fine without Darren Sproles, as Ivory and Ingram and more than aptly filling in.
9:53- That's at least the second time Asomugha has failed to tackle Ivory. He's just too big for him. Over-matched.
9:54- Two-straight first downs pushes the Saints back into the red zone just in time for the Two minute warning. The Eagles need to hold them to a field goal if they don't want to let this game slip away from them.
9:57- Pierre Thomas to the 1. Eagles run defense has been awful. They need luck here.
9:58- Brees to Colston for the touchdown. Brees has now thrown touchdowns in 51 straight games. Unbelievable. 21-3. Chances are that Reid speaks with the defense at halftime.
10:03- A three-and-out for the Eagles. This team is not looking good. They need a huge second half.
10:06- Eagles make the stop for what seems like the first time all game. 11 seconds left in the half.
10:07- Eagles run it to end the half. 21-3 Saints.
10:14- Mitt Romney just took credit for the Patriots Super Bowl victories and the Red Sox World Series.
10:23- Nate Allen is missed as his replacement allows the Saints to convert with a pass to Graham.
10:25- Holding call saves the Eagles from another red zone danger.
10:28- Brees to Colston on a 3rd-and-6 puts the Saints back in the red zone. Eagles have not adjusted at all.
10:29- Brandon Graham strips the ball from Brees, Eagles end up with it.
10:32- 77-yard catch for DeSean Jackson for the score. This may have been just what the Eagles needed. 21-10 Saints.
10:37- On the kick return, Saints fumble, Eagles recover.
10:37- Vick runs for the first down, into the red zone. This game has been going the Eagles way the last 13-14 seconds.
10:38- Vick gets sacked yet again, with a loss of 11. The offensive line still doesn't have it together.
10:39- 37-yard field goal is good. 21-13 Saints. If only the Eagles can force more fumbles that result in scoring plays, they may get right back into this game. Being only a touchdown down is much more comfortable, but their defensive and offensive lines still need a lot of work.
10:45- David Sims makes a good play, on the other side of the line, taking down Ivory for a loss.
10:45- Brees converts again, this time to Lance Moore, in a pass that should have been intercepted, but Asomugha didn't get in the way.
10:47- Ingram is catching balls now, too. He's been a dynamic weapon against the Eagles today, as the Saints are knocking on the door again.
10:52- Touchdown to Jimmy Graham. 28-13 Saints. Single coverage was not enough to stop him.
10:56- Illegal forward pass on the return for a touchdown prevents the Eagles from scoring.
11:00- Pass to Maclin just short of the 30 for a fresh set of downs. End of the third quarter.
11:05- Vick sacked for the fifth time. Something needs to be done about this. Five sacks from this bad Saints defense is unacceptable. Eagles are forced to punt.
11:11- Brees is sacked by Babin, but the fumbled ball is bounced forward and Thomas falls on it. Saints still have to kick, though. Eagles start at the 26.
11:16- Jason Avant continues to be a nice option for Vick, who gives the Eagles a first down.
11:20- Into the red zone, the Eagles need to avoid the pressure of the blitz, and score seven here, or this game is over, with only five minutes left.
11:22- Crucial 3rd-and-five turns into a first-and-goal with a pass to Celek.
11:25- Two five yard penalties in a row against the Eagles push them back to 2nd-and-fifteen, which is promptly followed by a sack. 3rd-and-twenty-two now. They need a big one.
11:26- 15 yard pass to Celek, which he fumbles. This is messy. Eagles are done.
11:32- A three-and-out leads to the two minute warning. Even if the Eagles score quickly on this drive, they'd be forced to try something risky like an on-sides kick if they want to push this game to overtime.
11:36- The Eagles have quickly made their way down field, but their ability to even score here comes into question.
11:38- Clay Harbor drops a wide open pass, a fitting metaphor for this game.
11:38- 4th-and-ten with 14 seconds left. Vick pass incomplete. Eagles lose, 28-13. Saints' and Eagles' records both stand at 3-5 now.

Off Season Outlook: David Ortiz

The Boston Red Sox off season promises to be the most active one in years. The organization has a lot of work to do (and I mean A LOT), starting with their expiring contracts of David Ortiz and Cody Ross. Most significantly is Ortiz, who the Red Sox hope to lock up before their sole negotiating rights with him expire on Saturday, November 3.

David Ortiz is the face of the franchise. Without David Ortiz, there is no 2004 World Series Championship. 2007, too. Ortiz went into the last off season without a contract, too. He wanted a two-year deal, but the Red Sox were hesitant due to age (he was 36 at the time.) They signed him to just a one-year deal. Ortiz was not happy with the length, so he had a chip on his shoulder. A year later, Ortiz has proven to still be Big Papi, and although he missed a good portion of the season due to injury, Ortiz was one of, if not THE, most productive Red Sox in 2012. For that reason, the Red Sox MUST sign him.

There's also the issue of the Texas Rangers, who outed themselves as suitors for Ortiz on November 2. The Red Sox CANNOT allow Ortiz to end up in Texas. Texas is arguably the best team in the American League over the last three years, and David Ortiz would make them monstrous. That adds to why the Red Sox NEED to re-sign Ortiz.

Who hits for power if the Red Sox fail to sign Ortiz? The argument can be made for Cody Ross, Will Middlebrooks, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, but no one is expecting any of them to hit 30 home runs. Heck, they could all struggle to hit 20. For years after Manny Ramirez's departure, Ortiz pleaded for another big bopper for the middle of the order. They had that in Adrian Gonzalez, but he's gone now. To lose Ortiz would make them pretty much without a power bat. And face it, the Red Sox are NOT going to get Josh Hamilton.

Guess what? Thanks to that enormous trade in August, the Red Sox have A LOT of salary space. What do they do with it, you ask? Well, they need pitching. Maybe acquiring Dan Haren is a good idea. Zach Greinke is always an option, too. But beyond that, they absolutely MUST re-sign David Ortiz. So, Ben Cherington, give Ortiz what he wants. Give him two years. Heck, give him a third year option. Give him the $14 million a year he wants. Give him $16. Do what it takes. Get him back. Do it. Do it now.

State of Red Sox Nation

Yes, here I am, commiserating the woe that is being a Red Sox fan. I hope you enjoy this, because you definitely can't enjoy the state of the Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox are in trouble. No, this isn't news. They've been trouble since August 2011. The trouble with the Boston Red Sox is that they aren't going to win.

The Red Sox may have freed up upwards of $250 million in contract space by unloading the bad contracts of Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford on the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they aren't going to do anything big with that space. The loss of those enormous contracts wasn't just losing contracts or players, it was also losing a philosophy, a way of doing business. The Red Sox will not be offering huge contracts to keep stars in Boston for a decade any time soon. So you can forget about them signing Josh Hamilton to an eight year deal this off season. Not that he'd come to Boston, anyway.

This change in business model is not sustainable. Baseball is a business. The best players want to security of long-term contracts. If the Red Sox don't offer those types of deals, they won't get the best players. It's elementary, really. Sure, the Red Sox will be able to good players in their model of smaller deals, but not great players. Cody Ross seems poised to return, and he has done well in Boston. But is he a bona fide star? No.

Will the Red Sox make the playoffs in the next decade? Maybe. Every team has the ability to make the playoffs. Look at the Oakland Athletics. Or the Baltimore Orioles. Will the A's and O's make the playoffs regularly? Probably not. The Red Sox remain in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, one that features the New York Yankees, a team never afraid to dump buckets of money on stars.

Do the Red Sox have a core of up-and-coming prospects who could turn out to be great, and become bona fide stars? Perhaps. But it would be silly to have lofty expectations like that. In fact, if the Orioles can keep even being just a .500 team, the Red Sox could become perennial fourth place finishers, at least for a few more years.

Saying the Red Sox are in the rebuilding stage is putting it lightly. In the last 13 months, the team has been about as gutted as a baseball organization can be that is not the Florida Marlins following a World Series victory. A new General Manager, three different managers (one not chosen yet), and the dumping of two major contracts that were signed just before the 2011 season. There is no reason for optimism.

The Red Sox need to make a lot of changes this off season. They need a manager who commands respect, is effective and will be around for a while. They need a clearly defined left fielder. They need a first baseman who can hit. They need starting pitching. They need to decide whether they're okay with a soft-hitting shortstop who is a defensive wizard, because, face it, Jose Iglesias is never going to hit well. Plug him in or move on. They also need to decide whether to lock up Jacoby Ellsbury, or trade him for some quality pitching.

The Red Sox have made two good moves since the season ended: Firing Bobby Valentine, and bringing Jason Varitek back into the organization. These are good steps, but those were obvious ones. Brad Pitt would have made those decisions, even when not playing Billy Beane. Ben Cherington, it's time for you to make your impact.

The return to being a successful baseball team will take weeks, months, years. Fans may not see a World Series before 2020. Fans may never see another Boston Red Sox victory parade. The days of pain and suffering spouting from failures and shortcomings that defined Red Sox fans for 86 years are back.

MLB Regular Season Wrap-Up

It's over, it's done. We don't need to go through any (unscheduled) 1-game playoffs. The playoffs can begin. Now, all that's left is my season wrap-up. I will go through each major league team and briefly asses what their season was like, and what they need to do. Then, I will make my picks for the post-season awards (MVP, Cy Young, etc.). I will ignore making playoff picks, because that's a waste of time.

AL EAST

New York Yankees- 1st place. They're the Yankees. They're where they always are. No surprises here.

Baltimore Orioles- Wild Card. The Fightin' Showalters showed what they are made of this season, and a big props to them. It's a bunch of misfits that somehow came together and had a great season. Could they be like the 2004 Red Sox and somehow win it all? Probably not, which is sad because they will never do this well again. Not any time soon, at least.

Tampa Bay Rays- The Rays almost made the playoffs. And then they didn't. I have a feeling this will be a regular thing for them for the next few years. But, having a healthy Evan Longoria may be the one thing they need to get them back to the playoffs. That and David Price having Cy Young-worthy stats.

Toronto Blue Jays- If someone told you in April that the Blue Jays would finish in fourth, you would not expect it to be ahead of the Red Sox. But they were. Unfortunately for them, they're heading towards another Shea Hillenbrand "sinking ship," (see: malcontent Yunel Escobar). However, they DO have Jose Bautista, who is coming off his worst season since becoming a starter. Yes, he still hit almost 30 homers while spending 1/3 of the year on the DL, but that's not the point...And having Edwin Encarnacion fill in for him seemed to have worked out okay...

Boston Red Sox- I've been writing about them all year, so it's kind of unnecessary. As the Cubs/Mets always say, "Next year's gottta be better, right?" Right...?

AL CENTRAL

Detroit Tigers- 1st place. It's the Miguel Cabrera show in the Detroit, where the first-baseman-playing-third overcame adversity to become the first Triple Crown winner since Yaz in 1967. Good luck to them in the playoffs.

Chicago White Sox- Very impressive showing from a team that was expected to be blown away by the Tigers. Expect good things from them, as long as Dunn and Konerko don't retire and Chris Sale remains an absolute stud starter.

Kansas City Royals- Ask Keegan or my brother, as they both should be able to attest to the fact that I predicted they would finish in third. And finish in third they did. Props, youngins', keep up the good work. See you in the playoffs soon.

Cleveland Indians- It should be interesting to see who they pick at manager. Could very much determine the future of their organization.

Minnesota Twins- I miss the days when I could read a Sports Illustrated article about Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau living together. Those were the days...

AL WEST

Oakland Athletics- First place. Holy crap, these guys finished in first? And here we all were thinking the Angels and Rangers would be fighting for first. I think Jonah Hill summed it up best, "If the A's win it all this year, me and Pitt better get rings."

Texas Rangers- Wild Card. The Rangers, arguably the best team in baseball the last three years, and arguably the biggest chokers since the 2004 Yankees, may have just lost their post-season. By losing out on the division, they are forced into a 1-game playoff. Sure, it's against the O's, but the O's are good. Plus, beating them only pits them against the Yankees. It's an uphill battle. Plus, they will have to consider re-signing Josh Hamilton when the season is all over.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim- Albert Pujols should have been enough. CJ Wilson should have been frosting. Mike Trout was the best story in baseball this year. Yet, they still didn't make the playoffs. Watch out, though...

Seattle Mariners- Hey M's fans, cheer up! You get to fight with the Astros next year, so you may not finish last!

NL EAST

Washington Nationals- First place. Finally, the Nats made the playoffs. They were the best team in baseball. It only took being the worst team in baseball for 22 years, changing cities, and five extra years of being almost the worst team, but you finally made. Now, if only you'd managed Strasburg better (started his season later, more time between starts, 6 man rotation, etc.) you would automatically be looking at a World Series trophy. Now, you'll have to fight for it.

Atlanta Braves- Wild Card. Congrats on having a great pitching staff. Your offense needs to come up big in the playoffs if you want to go anywhere, though. This is a team to watch in the future.

Philadelphia Phillies- The rebuilding process has begun. It'll be interesting to see how Amaro does it.

New York Mets- You didn't finish last. And Jose Reyes did. Happy?

Miami Marlins- Jeffrey Loria needs to sell this team. He is ruining everything. At the very least, get rid of Ozzie. That was a terrible idea.

NL CENTRAL

Cincinnati Reds- First place. Well done, Dusty. I like your team a lot, but I really don't see you getting any better than this. At least not without Billy Hamilton. About that...

St. Louis Cardinals- Wild Card. Thank you, Mike Matheny, for proving that a few-year-removed catcher with no managerial experience can be a good manager. Signed, Jason Varitek. Also, good luck trying to repeat without The Machine.

Milwaukee Brewers- The Brewers come out of every season being okay. It made sense while Prince was there. But now? Ryan Braun's steroids can't be that good...

Pittsburgh Pirates- Remember when the Pirates were in first place and had the likely NL MVP? That was a month ago. Now they only have one of those. Send help.

Chicago Cubs- This rebuilding might take a while...

Houston Astros- Remind me again why moving the worst team in the lesser league to the stronger league, and one of the strongest divisions, is a good idea, please.

NL WEST

San Francisco Giants- First place. The Giants very quietly put together a very nice season. They have some pretty good potential, especially with hitting-his-prime Buster Posey, who really is the next Joe Mauer.

Los Angeles Dodgers- Congrats on taking on $270 million worth of bad contracts in order to make the playoffs! Oh wait...Maybe next year. And Colletti says you're spending more money? Let's see if you can make the Yankees model work.

Arizona Diamondbacks- I really like this team. But I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because they may give the Red Sox Justin Upton...and I like their colors. And stadium.

San Diego Padres- They need to bring those walls in more! And wait a few years for Casey Kelly to develop. And Alonso. Then, they'll challenge.

Colorado Rockies- Unless they do something drastic, this team will be in the same spot next year.

AND NOW, FOR THE AWARDS!

American League

MVP: Mike Trout. Yes, yes, I know, Miguel Cabrera won the Triple Crown. Yes, I know, it has not been won since Yaz in 1967. Yes, I know, that was a very long time ago. But guess what? This award isn't called the Triple Crown. Miguel Cabrera won that. This is the MVP. Completely different. I am a firm believer that the three categories that are part of the Triple Crown are not at all indicative of value. Yes, they are impressive, and I am in complete awe that in my lifetime someone has led the league in these three distinct categories. BUT, in the land of baseball, there are always new stats. An important in determining a players value, ie. in a most valuable player award, would be WAR, Wins Above Replacement. This metric measures how many more wins this player have given their team, while compared to someone of average skill at their position. In this stat, Mike Trout leads all of baseball. His WAR is an absurd 10.7. The next closest is a full three wins less, held by the Yankees Robinson Cano (who will probably finish third in MVP voting) at 7.6. A lot of people argue for Cabrera, whose WAR is 6.9, which is only .3 games better than Adrian Beltre, who also plays third and will garner some MVP votes. Sure, Miggy got the Triple Crown. But did he run away with it? No. But Trout ran away with the statistic most relevant to the MVP award.

Cy Young: Jered Weaver. 20 wins (1st), .214 opponents' BA (1st), 1.02 WHIP (1st), 2.81 ERA (3rd). My vote is for him, but I would not be surprised to see it go to Justin Verlander. David Price will finish third.

Rookie of the Year: Did I not also mention that Trout is a rookie. Yeah, that happened. He won this award in July.

National League

MVP: Since the three top candidates (Braun, McCutchen and Posey) are so close in WAR (between 7.0-7.2), you need to dig deeper here. Posey's BA is 9 points higher than McCutchen's, and 17 higher than Brauns. But Braun annihilates the two above him in home runs, RBI, slugging and OPS. He also stole 10 more bases than McCutchen. I give the MVP to Braun (again), although the other two do make strong cases. And if you buy into the "can't be MVP if his team doesn't make the playoffs" nonsense, it obviously goes to Posey. We'll see.

Cy Young: RA Dickey. This is not up for discussion. He was an absolute animal. And he's a knuckleballer, which makes it all the more impressive. 

Rookie of the Year: Wilin Rosario. Out there in Denver, this rookie catcher quietly put up some great numbers. .270 BA, 28 home runs, and 71 RBI. Sure, take your Bryce Harpers and your Todd Frazier's, but this guys got my vote.