Horse hockey!!!

And down the stretch they come in the Cross-Check Stakes; it's the NHL by a nose over the NHLPA; now the NHLPA by a neck; here comes the NHL going to the whip; the NHLPA has something left at the pole; they're coming down to the final furlong..... and it's.... nobody in front at the finish line!!!!!! Hold all tickets, but for the first time in history, this horse race may not have a winner. 


By now, you expected to approach New Year's Eve and hockey was still looking iffy to be played in the NHL until fall of 2013 at the earliest. Oh, there's another deal on the table for the players to ponder as time to salvage the season has reached procrastination territory. There is the slimmest margin for error now, maybe a week or two into 2013 before the sticks and pucks will be put away for 2012-13 and the NHL will face the embarrassment of canceling TWO entire seasons in less than a decade. Talk about a public relations fiasco.

Who knows? Perhaps the NHL's gracious concession of increasing contract term limits from five to six years -quick, someone get Parise and Suter on the phone, stat-, and among other tidbits retaining the "Make Whole" provision of $300 million to compensate for existing contracts will be enough for a truce. But I'm not sure player representative Don Fehr is going to recommend his boys accept anything without another counter-proposal (my guess, adding another year to the term limits disagreement that feels like the deal breaker). And the owners will angrily shoot that down and play the disrespected card, and we'll finally reach the point in the calendar where the season must be shut down for good.

That's the photo finish and dead heat this race seems destined to end with. Let's instead hope for an I'll Have Another Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes feel-good story, instead of the Belmont disappointment. 

Holiday cheese and crackers

Merry Christmas, everyone (it's still OK to say that, right? How about Seasons Greetings?)

I like mocking columnists at major papers, despite plenty of actual sports to write about, who by choice fill space by penning cheesy holiday theme stories. And in many instances they find a way to make the story about their own holiday experiences: spreading around your Christmas cheer; giving thanks to your own loved ones in late November; unleashing some personal story from 20 years ago about Mom or Dad. Why can't some sports columnists write about sports and not themselves? (And let me say there is a time and place for an "I and me" column. Every now and then. But not as frequently as some of the business's most inflated egomaniacs.)

Some of these guys may as well cut-and-paste the same Christmas and Thanksgiving columns year after year, because they end up reading exactly the same with a few of the words tweaked!

So I've been fighting the urge to join the fray with a Christmas gift wish list with an A's and Sharks twist (My planned present to Josh Reddick? More hits with runners on base. And Dan Boyle? Getting that year back his aging body is apparently going to lose with another season in jeopardy.).

But I'll stop right there and regain some of my pride. Happy Holidays.

Five more years! Five more years?

Give Lew Wolff credit for avoiding a lot of scrutiny and backlash. Maybe it's because he did it just before Christmas and during a week where the 49ers are soaking up the rainy the Bay Area's sports saturation (full confession: I'm a Seahawks fan and rooting for the 12th Man tonight!). But Wolff's extended quest of "San Jose or no way" plans to move his Oakland baseball team has become such a Slurpee machine-slow process, he has "committed" the Athletics to five more years at the Coliseum earlier this week.  The Coliseum's lease with the A's has just one more year remaining, so Wolff was able to buy himself more time.

It was an easy outlet for Wolff to say: "Well, Major-League Baseball doesn't care how long we're strung along and that team across the Bay is threatened, paranoid and trying to squeeze me, so I'll just use Oakland a little longer when there's no logical place I can take my team, stick around while my team's new ballpark is not being built and then hope I get my way."

Just not the most holiday cheery news for those of us who prefer the A's to stay in Oakland and receive what the fans and the franchise deserves: a new ballpark in the East Bay. I wouldn't be as outraged as some if the Athletics moved to San Jose. Keeping the team in the Bay Area should be what's most important to the endgame of possibly losing historically the Bay Area's most successful baseball franchise.

But when Wolff's letter suggests "I have no interest in listening to any stadium ideas in Oakland; so I'll just stash my suddenly exciting and contending club in this bland, tarp-infested dump and hold my breath until I get what I want," it's another kick in the groin for A's fans who have clearly and patiently waited long enough for a ballpark their team can truly call home.

Bowled over again

Nothing new to report with the latest news out of the NHL: more canceled games.  This time through Jan. 14 and as the report suggests perhaps the last announcement of "we really mean it this time" until the ice is melted on even salvaging half-a-season.

What's that? The NHL as popular a sport here as bowling? Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock thinks so.  (Try telling that to Roy Munson, Babs. He'll have something to say about that insult.)

But you know what? Though Babcock coaches for that Sharks' rival in that "state up north" (that was for you, Woody Hayes), he's 100 percent right. I understand the Sharks' market is not inundated with puckheads like the Twin Cities, Philly or Motown; but don't think for a minute the hockey establishment hasn't thought about how irrelevant its game can become again across North America, especially below the 49th parallel if the stigma of another potential lost season is looking more and more realistic. This isn't Finland or Sweden or Slovakia, where getting through the cold winter months without your top-level hockey league is depressing. 

By the time NFL holds its Super Bowl in February, baseball's pitchers and catchers will be about to report and the promise of warmer weather and (a glimmer of) hope for fans of the Cubs, Pirates, Mets and Twins fending off mediocrity, and thus easing the sting of not seeing the Kane's, Crosby's, Nash's, and Parise's skating in those cities this winter and spring. When hockey's crunch time in the regular season is hitting its stride, a little event called March Madness will make you pay more attention to Butler, Murray State and VCU crashing your bracket instead of your top six forwards crashing the net. 

Hey, I still love hockey and would -grudgingly, mind you- welcome the game back with some shred of forgiveness if these clowns on both sides can find a solution to their bickering and make a 40-something mini-season happen. But another season gone the way of 666 Park Avenue (the canceled T.V. show, not Rick Nash's reported new address in Manhattan), and give me this guy below to get my pin instead of puck on. Everyone bring some beer and your bowling ball over to Babcock's house. 

There goes my Hiro

In addition to calling Billy Beane "sexy and cool," Hiroyuki Nakajima discussed the "Bernie Dance" and lack of American tubs. (AP)\In addiIn addition to calling Billy Beane "sexy and cool," Hiroyuki Nakajima discussed the "Bernie Dance" and lack of American tubs (Associated Press photo). ion to calling Billy Beane "sexy and cool," Hiroyuki Nakajima discussed the "Bernie Dance" and lack of American tubs. (AP)

The smile won me over. So did his noble attempt to speak some English, his love for taking baths and hoping to find some American tubs, and at the end his desire to learn the Bernie Lean. You hear college football and basketball message board geeks -and I'm one of them for my alma mater- who proclaim "he won the press conference" when a new coach is introduced and charms his new players and adoring but demanding boosters in the room.

Consider new A's shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima a big "PC" winner after the 30-year-old Japanese star held his first press conference Tuesday in Oakland. First things, first: I don't know what to expect from Nakajima; other fans don't; Billy Beane and Bob Melvin don't; the defending American League Western Division roster doesn't; and Nakajima himself doesn't. He won't be pressured to be the "difference maker" Josh Hamilton will be demanded to be from the Angels as he defects from Six Flags Over Texas to Fantasyland in the AL West's carnival midway.

Nakajima simply fills a need at shortstop for Oakland and doesn't have to be Miguel Tejada (though Walt Weiss in his debut in green and gold would be pretty awesome).  The A's made a play to re-sign free agent Stephen Drew, but once Beane decided to decline the mutual $10 million to bring back Drew, who filled in admirably late in the season as a waiver trade for the Athletics. He may well regain his pre-injury form that cost him 137 games spanning 2011 and 2012. But the A's made the right move to not get into a bidding war for Drew. Congrats to Drew and good luck to the Red Sox for the two striking a one-year, $9.5 million contract.  Boston can afford it.

My take on the shortstop position is this: neither Drew nor Nakajima was probably going to move the needle for the Athletics whoever ended up as the team's 2013 shortstop. If the A's can repeat as division champions and even get further in the postseason (ALCS? World Series?), shortstop play won't be the determining factor; it's pitching, power and peace (in the clubhouse). The A's must have big offensive seasons from Yoenis Cespedes; Josh Reddick; Josh Donaldson; Coco Crisp or Chris Young; and the first base tandem of Chris Carter and Brandon Moss. They hope to have a steady player at short Melvin can confidently write into every day's lineup and not be either a butcher in the field nor a total bust at the plate.

Nakajima is a smart signing by Beane. Yes, I would have approved had he sent some of his young pitching surplus to Cleveland for Asdrubal Cabrera. But I also am pleased the Athletics didn't sacrifice a Dan Straily, a Brad Peacock or an A.J. Griffin to take on a position where being just OK is OK in this era of big run producers at other positions. And that's what fans can reasonably expect from Nakajima. He probably won't match his usual production the last six seasons with the Pacific League's Seibu Lions (.310/.381/.474; 17 HR, 85 RBI). But as Susan Slusser pointed out today in the San Francisco Chronicle, Drew and Cliff Pennington combined for just a .203 average, 12 home runs and 46 RBI. Are those plausible numbers for a newbie in the big-leagues, but one who's a proven professional player elsewhere? Probably. Certainly, the A's can make this move for just $6.5 million over two years and not be on the hook for obscene salary money and you'd hope flexible enough to spend more money elsewhere if needed next season.

So Nakajima put on an Athletics jersey sporting his new number 3 (graciously given to him by Oakland third base coach Mike Gallego). The thirty-something rookie who wants to call himself Hiro should be given a hero's welcome for his first words spoken as an Athletic.  Not for what he said but the language he used to say it. Nakajima's English will be a work in progress, but he said he went to sleep at night practicing his "Hi, I'm Hiro" greeting in his non-native tongue, and admitted to working on it in the hallway before taking his seat in front of the table of tape recorders and microphones. So he overcomes whatever fears he may have by speaking English as an icebreaker. Meanwhile, that Japanese star in the Pacific Northwest spent over a decade building a splendid Hall of Fame resume but keeping his interpreter busy and avoiding a second language he arguably understood and could get around Seattle with by then if he really wanted to.

But charm and thoughtful gestures will only get Nakajima so far if as his scouting report suggests his defensive skills and the unknown of making a big transition make him a questionable everyday Major-League Baseball shortstop.  So the jury will be out on Hiro Nakajima until at least Opening Day, April 1, 2013 in Oakland against the Mariners. Considering he queried the press conference audience if anyone had any Bernie tips, he should fit in well with this new team. To be continued.

Perspective

I planned to write today about the Angels' signing of Josh Hamilton and how it will impact the Athletics and the American League West. But that seems not only trivial but inappropriate given the events that unfolded today in Newtown, Conn. Just a tragic day for those families and for Americans. Everything else just seems pretty irrelevant right now.

Are they as mad as hell....?

Sorry, old and tired "Network" reference and I'm tired and sort of old, but not Peter Finch-era old. Still, at least some hockey fans are firing counterpunches at the NHL's battle royal, steel cage match, loser leaves town extravaganza (all this WWE-style throwdown is missing are these guys and these gals to restore order to the madness). And how do the fans feel about it? Watch the video in this link  -with no dated 70's movie quote, I promise- and then I'll get back to you:

Interesting? That's what I thought too when I read about the Just Drop It fan group (it also has a Facebook page). and "the pledge". As the video suggests, for every game the NHL cancels after Dec. 21 -presumably for the team you root for- you'll not buy a ticket for that game, refrain from going so far as watching the television broadcast of the game, and refuse to purchase any NHL gear or souvenirs. (Good news for the great Dan Rusanowsky and this guy for any fans of dumb movie lines like me: the pledge doesn't include swearing off listening to games on radio.

From a more serious standpoint, I totally applaud the gesture and the message Just Drop It wants to send to the NHL. The possibility of the unthinkable cancellation of an entire season again looms over this mocked and criticized league. If an empty net goal can't be scored to salvage a shortened season, life will go on for the already wealthy owners; life will go on -albeit with another year on those older legs- for the players. Life should go on for the fans, even in the long, unforgiving winters in such hockey-mad markets as Minneapolis-St. Paul, Montreal, Pittsburgh and Calgary. But as this crusade of pissed-off hockey fans suggest, hockey fans take such nonsense personally.

Here's my take on those intending to take the pledge: more power to you. I have become a huge hockey fan who grew up in a hockey-less culture. There's not a lot of frozen ponds in San Bruno, Cal. where I grew up; in Fresno where I went to college;  in and around Los Angeles where I worked for six years. Granted, I once spent a brutally frigid night with my dog when I lived in Fayetteville, Ark. with no power during a devastating ice storm. But mention hockey in Arkansas and a native will look at you with a puzzled expression. "Son, this is Razorback football country". 

But you would guess the most disgruntled puckheads have a more personal connection with the game. Many in the coldest climates probably grew up skating in the winter. Some probably played on their local bantam or midget teams. College hockey at schools like Lake Superior State, Boston University, Denver and Cornell rival SEC football and ACC basketball in terms of passion. Hockey doesn't have the American national frenzy for the NFL, but there are no fans as dedicated and loyal as those in the NHL. Football games will feature plenty of expensive jerseys in the crowd. But go to a Sharks' game and it seems like every small group will have at least one donning a Boyle, Thornton, Marleau, Couture or Pavelski sweater. It's probably an even greater fan-to-jersey ratio in a more traditional hockey town.

So what to do for Sharks' fans when/if the lockout handcuffs are unshackled? First, I love the idea of not spending a dime on hockey apparel. That's a no-brainer. In terms of not watching games on T.V., I probably can't agree on that one. Once the games return if I'm around I can't stay away when it's so convenient to turn on Hahn and Remenda. Sure, it would benefit the NHL in terms of ratings (and it's unclear if viewership and overall interest will plummet whenever the game returns). But hockey has survived a general of lack of television ratings in the past, so I don't anticipate the league to suffer any major setback in the short term. If you don't watch that mid-January -just a possible if not unrealistic guess- season opener, it'll probably agonize you more to NOT watch than actually watch.

The "don't buy a ticket for the equivalent of every game canceled" is more intriguing. Thousands of empty seats at any pro sports game reflects poorly for the team and suggests the product is not worth the price of the tickets. And it's downright embarrassing for the league when it happens in multiple cities. And it has happened in all the major sports, though the NFL, despite fan violence growing at games, and the recent deaths of two players stemming from alleged criminal acts, seems to remain bulletproof.
And when hockey does return it will be interesting how the fans who have supported nontraditional hockey markets like San Jose, Nashville, Washington D.C. and Tampa/St. Pete will approach buying tickets. Ditto in proud, blue-collar hamlets such as Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Boston and Philadelphia.

I certainly wasn't planning on flooding the Sharks' Web site or Stubhub to buy a ticket for San Jose's TBA next home game given my frustration over yet another season of cancelled games. But to take another twist in the Just Drop It plan would be this: For the first home game for all teams, I would be at least interested in the idea of buying a ticket, putting on a sweater or hoodie and look the part of a forgiving fan. Going to the game, buying a beer and sitting down in your seat. Watching all the hoopla while the over caffeinated P.A. announcer is begging the fans to stand up and cheer for your heroes as they skate onto the ice with heavy metal music blaring from the speakers. Then standing for your anthem and singing along to the lyrics as if there was a lockout. But after the anthem, not sitting down, but simply walking up or down the stairs and leaving.

Imagine the message it would send if all 17,562 teal-clad Sharks' fans at HP Pavilion bailed seconds before the puck drops, leaving the NHL's first game back after a hate-filled lockout playing to the symbolic scene of an empty arena. The next game would and should return to at least a shred of normalcy. But that's my "Just Drop It" contribution to the suggestion box as to what hockey fans should do in protest if we even have a 2012-13 season.

The NHL has already just dropped the ball puck. 

Happy Holidays, hockey fans :(

ESPN says the NHL will now fill our stockings with more coal in the form of another 104 total games canceled through Dec. 30. No word whether Commish Gary Bettman will tweet or flood the e-mail boxes of Sharks' fans and recommend them to keep Jan. 3 open just in case San Jose plays its regularly-scheduled home game vs. the St. Louis Blues that night at HP Pavilion.

Clark Griswold's Christmas invitation to either Gary Bettman, Bill Daly or Don Fehr (invitee not specified; warning for foul language):

Sad (but understanding) to see McCarthy go

Brandon McCarthy jersey :: Mark Cunningham/Getty

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/extramustard/hotclicks/10/10/brandon-mccarthy-sports-ilustrated-article-berenice-marlohe/index.html

Sept. 5 is my birthday, and two of my sisters took me to that day's A's game against the Angels this season for my gift. When the Angels used a workmanlike performance to win 7-1, sweep a three-game series and crawl within 2 1/2 games of the Athletics' position in one of the two wild card spots, it was a low point of the second half. Admittedly, I wondered aloud more than once that day as the A's looked lethargic and tired if what was then a surprising and cute run was about to fade away rapidly Pittsburgh Pirates style. 

Looking back, I've never been happier to be proven so dreadfully wrong. But it wasn't just the loss nor the sweep that day the tiny announced crowd of 15,404 -even on $2 Wednesday!- was most concerned about. Consider it a blessing that I didn't see the live-action moment when Oakland starter Brandon McCarthy took a line drive to his forehead off the bat of Angels' shortstop Erick Aybar (if anyone missed it this is McCarthy's wonderfully crafted account of what he went through via Sports Illustrated).

 By chance, it was that half-inning when I decided to make a concession stand run. Believe it or not, there was still a line even with so many empty seats, so by the time I got back to our seats after grabbing a beer and one of the worst "carnitas" sandwiches of all time (there are far better concessions options at the O.Co, but it seemed like a good idea at the time). Anyway, I did hear the faint "oooh"from the crowd at the time of the incident, but facing away from the field I thought nothing of it until I returned to a dead silent ballpark and a congregation of A's players and staff surrounding a seated and dazed McCarthy. My sisters couldn't really explain what happened and honestly I didn't know everything until reading updates on my IPhone after the game.

It was clear McCarthy was going to be done for the season and unavailable for the playoffs. But most concerning was his long-term health. He underwent emergency brain surgery after A's trainer Nick Paparesta had deemed his injured pitcher's status as "absolutely life threatening". But we all know now McCarthy is on his way to a full recovery, at least physically. Mentally, how he will handle taking the mound again won't be determined for a while. Still, even though he signed with another team, every A's fan should wish McCarthy well and frankly root openly for him as he moves to the National League's Arizona Diamondbacks.

Going to the Snakes made sense for both McCarthy to go -he signed for a two-year deal worth $15.5 million provided he passes a physical- and the Athletics to not try and match when that money can be used elsewhere for bigger needs (see Drew, Stephen, as that's the business of pro sports). A budding rotation looks almost set after starters Brett Anderson, Jarrod Parker, Tommy Milone and probably A.J. Griffin seem like no-brainers. Dan Straily can't be dismissed for a spot; talented minor-leaguers Brad Peacock, A.J. Cole and Sonny Gray are on the waiting list; and Oakland also showed faith and loyalty in re-signing formerly PED suspended Bartolo Colon to a one-year and cost-friendly $3 million deal as insurance. Colon gives a talented but still relatively young staff a veteran presence. For a team that just won't spend a ton of money, Colon is a smarter option to bring him back for a significant amount less than trying to keep up with the money McCarthy is getting in Phoenix.

Granted, even without the line-drive misfortune McCarthy had been prone to injuries and disabled list stints. Still, he will be missed on the field since he was a solid starter for the A's, and not to mention missed on the Internet. Thanks to his dry sense of humor I totally appreciate, McCarthy is one of the few personalities even a Twitter neophyte like myself makes a point of periodically checking his feed. @BMcCarthy32 rarely disappoints. Ditto the sense of humor of @Mrs_McCarthy32. There are plenty of beautiful wives and girlfriends out there like Amanda McCarthy, and I've interviewed plenty of famous sports athletes and coaches, so I'm not usually fazed when I do see a celebrity in person. But I can't think of a sports couple I'd rather have a beer or cocktail with than Brandon and Amanda McCarthy.

Best of luck to the McCarthy's in Arizona. 

So much for that optimism mumbo jumbo

Wow. Just how fast can an already tardy hockey season go from probable Opening Night coming soon to the mother of all "We're done" press conferences courtesy of your friendly Commissioner Gary Bettman? Apparently a few minutes of players' rep Donald Fehr's good news/bad news holiday cheer.

To recap tonight's festivities per the Associated Press:

Moments after telling a news conference the union presented a proposal that offered a "quick end" to a bitter dispute, NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr returned to the podium to say the offer was shot down.

"We were advised in a voicemail message that the moves the players made were not acceptable, there was no reason to stay around for meetings tonight or tomorrow, that they would be in touch," said Fehr.

"It looks like this is not going to be resolved in the immediate future. I hope that turns out to be wrong but that's certainly what the message is that we have today." 


That's about it. And when Bettman stepped to the podium came the pandemonium. 

I'll spare you much more significant spin, as there is no shortage of information to Google. I read a few columns and tweets from those hockey scribes more in the know than I am. And it looks pretty bleak there will be NHL hockey played this season. Every dotted i and crossed t seemed to point in the direction of a compromise. But now Bettman -whether it was dramatic posturing or heart attack serious- declared he and the owners would pull back what is known as the "make whole" provision of adding what had swelled to a $300 million payout to the players' existing contracts.  Now, if you're Donald Fehr, good luck convincing his players to take these negotiations seriously if they can kiss another $300 million good-bye.

Speaking of good-bye kisses, here's a smooch to what could be another canceled hockey season.

Shameless alma mater plug

As expected, at least as I expected, baseball's winter meetings featured a lot of hot air but not a lot of hot stove action. The Athletics' contingent got some national T.V. attention, including this MLB network chat with Oakland skipper Bob Melvin. But the A's were typically their quiet selves, unless A's beat writer Susan Slusser's tweet regarding Stephen Drew is an accurate prediction. 

But one piece of pretty minor news got this blogger's attention earlier today. Baseball's Rule 5 draft took place Wednesday, and the A's gained two players and lost two players in the minor-league portion of the draft. The one addition that turned my head was selecting infielder Tommy Mendonca from the Texas Rangers' farm system. Mendonca has been mostly respectable but not dominant during his four-year career in the minors with Texas. But the 2009 second-round pick made his biggest impact to date in college at Fresno State. In 2008, the Bulldogs stunned the college game with a run to the national championship despite being one of 16 No. 4 seeds -four teams per regional- entering the 64-team tournament. Fresno State's title was equal to a No. 13-to-16 seed winning the basketball NCAA Tournament national title. And no, the latter has never happened by a seed that low.

Why is this relevant here? Like Mendonca, I too am a Fresno State alum (class of '94), so I'm just taking a moment to brag about what was just the second team national championship in Fresno State history. There were a ton of Bulldog heroes during that 2008 postseason. But Mendonca, particularly when the Bulldogs got to Omaha, was at a different level than anyone else. In seven CWS games, including beating Georgia two-games-to-one in the best-of-three championship round, Mendonca hit four home runs with 11 RBI. But he was almost more impressive on defense at third, making highlight reel plays one after another. Mendonca didn't care he also set the NCAA single-season strikeout record with 97 that season. 

Mendonca now becomes the Bay Area's second -OK, a distant second to one of those dreaded Nevada Wolf Pack alums- most famous current pro player from the Central Valley California city of Turlock. And who knows how much of a factor he'll ever be as a member of the Athletics' organization. Rule 5 guys are rolls of the dice. Mendonca again has struggled making contact in the Texas organization. He's struck out 485 times and walked just 100 in four seasons. Last season splitting between Double and Triple-A, he hit .229 with 12 home runs with 51 RBI and a Billy Beane-unfriendly .238 OBP. He is slated to go to Triple-A Sacramento and would be a longshot to make the team out of spring training with Josh Donaldson the no-brainer third baseman and versatile players like Adam Rosales, Eric Sogard and Grant Green favorites to be the team's utility man.

But one variable to remember about Mendonca (and excuse my biased feelings about a former Bulldog player): He's still just 24-years-old and won't turn 25 until after the start of the 2013 season. If he can begin hitting more consistently and compensate for his strikeout issue with some power in Triple-A, the A's might have themselves an infield sleeper going forward. Just to stroke my homer-ness further, here are a couple of videos reminiscing about Fresno State's title and a Mendonca interview during that College World Series performance.

What's this? Optimism?

Went to see "Lincoln" last night. Great movie, as even those unlike me who aren't history/Civil War/Abe-O-Files like my sisters who gave their thumbs up, should love the film. Besides the terrific acting -I defy Hollywood to find a better alternative to Daniel Day-Lewis' performance in the title role come awards season- what I loved about the picture most were the scenes in the House Chambers where the left and right fired away at each other in the struggle for Lincoln to get the 13th Amendment passed a few months before his assassination and deliver the needed knockout blow to slavery in the final months of the Civil War. It was great drama (with some comedic quips added for the Spielberg effect) watching these men play verbal tug-of-war with their Tommy Lee Jones-led wigs (and maybe some with lingering Whig ideals?)  and beards that could have made this guy look as comfortable in Antietam as when working it in Anaheim.

But the 1865 Democrat vs. Republican feuding over slavery -obviously a ridiculously more significant issue than anything this blog can ever dream of writing about- nonetheless conjured up the image of the NHL owners and NHLPA side in constant disagreement mode during this lockout battle royale. But just as hope seemed to be fading with every unproductive meeting, news broke on Tuesday and Wednesday as "optimistic" discussion ongoing. From national media, to the Canadian scribes, and within the Sharks' market, there is for a change some positive projections about a possible resolution (hell, it only took 81 days!).

Then again, not everyone is all-in with the "it's almost over" play and assuming this is the winning hand and not a bluff that peace is coming soon and your team's rink can fire up the Zamboni's. I'm not so convinced either. I'll bet Tommy Lee Jones' Thaddeus Stevens' hairpiece this is far from a pending done deal. So don't get too excited yet, but feel free to at least slice a sliver of hope pie and enjoy it.

Hockey soon-to-be back in S.J.*

*This isn't a lie, but nobody said NHL hockey.

As Comcast Sportsnet California's Brodie Brazil reports,  the ECHL (friends, don't call it the East Coast Hockey League; I once received a friendly but firm e-mail from the ECHL for informing me to not refer to the league by its old name in a story I wrote in Arkansas about the league's since unsuccessful attempt to relocate a team in the Bentonville, Ark. area) expansion franchise, the San Francisco Bulls, will apparently play the Stockton Thunder at the Shark Tank on Dec. 17.

This would be the first organized hockey at HP since the Sharks lost Game 4 of the Western Conference quarterfinals to the St. Louis Blues last April 19. It's a nice opportunity for the Bulls, who are affiliated with the Sharks as most NHL teams have some kind of working relationship with the ECHL organizations. (Most legitimate NHL prospects are sent to the American Hockey League by NHL teams, though there are plenty of NHLers who once were ECHL grinders).

Getting to play on NHL ice for players who by and large are longshots to make it to the NHL should be a treat. And Sharks' forward Ryan Clowe, thanks again to Brodie Brazil for another link, has been working out with the Bulls and is serving as a gameday coach for the understaffed Bay Area team that usually plays its home games at the Cow Palace. So it may be fun to watch the fiery Clowe scream at Stockton players in a suit behind the bench, knowing full well he'd give anything to charge the ice and take a few swings himself.

But personally, I don't much have much interest in watching live hockey in the Bay Area until this labor dispute is resolved. I hope the Bulls can be successful over the long haul, but my hockey passion and love for the sport is being severely tested by the bickering and refusal to compromise  among millionaire players and billionaire owners at a time when many of the fans like myself who don expensive team sweaters and gear, buy expensive tickets and drink overpriced beer and hot dogs shouldn't be that eager to flock back to the rink and watch the Bulls play. Those same fans would be just as well served to send a message and spend what money they have on some other form of entertainment.

Winter's Groan

When you think Major-League Baseball's storied cities..... I can't think of anything less storied than Nashville, which this week hosts its fifth Baseball Winter Meetings gathering.

Hey, it's no Toronto, which just happens to be the last host city that legitimately experiences a real "winter", and that was back in 1979 when the A's stunk (108 losses?); the Coliseum was indeed a mausoleum (653 announced attendance for the April 6 game vs. Seattle, and kudos to every last one of them at the yard); and this was the anthem of a championship baseball team in  -believe or not you young folks- Pittsburgh. It was indeed another world.

Since Toronto, baseball takes advantage of climates so warm you can't stay off the golf course, a beach or a pool-side folding chair when not discussing middle relievers for utility second basemen blockbusters. What Nashville lacks in tropical temperatures it compensates with honky-tonk bars and Southern hospitality. And hey, a Hall of Fame is one of Nashville's biggest tourist attractions. But instead of honoring Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford (the baseball player),  this one honors Benjamin Francis "Whitey" Ford (the country comedian whose heyday was from the late 1930s to the mid-50's; you may or may not remember him as "The Duke of Paducah"). 

OK, enough chamber of commerce nonsense. This is about baseball wheeling and dealing. We know there could be some action in Nashville, and not just at the "world famous" Tootsies Orchid Lounge in downtown (I've been there, it was an interesting cultural experience to say the least). Will someone roll the dice on signing Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton when his age and personal issues cloud his long-term value? Do the Marlins continue to fish the catch-and-release method and next unhook slugger Giancarlo Stanton with money obviously an object? Do the suddenly underperforming Yankees spend even more money (Zack Greinke? Hamilton? Aubrey Huff? the last one was a joke... sort of)?

But what this blog is most concerned about is where do the A's fit into the Winter Meetings mania? At last year's meetings -in Dallas, which at least fields a big-league team in suburban Arlington- Oakland General Manager Billy Beane stayed incognito before spending the rest of the days leading up to Christmas and New Year's rebooting his roster. Spoiler alert: It worked.

So as the Athletics' MLB.com beat writer Jane Lee reminded,  Beane, who traditionally drops his bombshell player transactions with less of  a spotlight blaring down, won't be needy or desperate to either shed payroll, change the culture of his roster, or strengthen the farm system via significant trades. But the A's also need to resolve their shortstop vacancy, and even if it's not done in central Tennessee, perhaps Beane's Happy Hour chats with other GM's will pave the way for another trade as Cleveland's Asdrubal Cabrera seems like a trendy name churning on the rumor mill. Or perhaps Beane and Stephen Drew will find a deal that's reasonable and both sides find appealing. If so, Drew will be back in Oakland.

I'm not sure which idea is a better choice. Cabrera looks like the better player over the long haul. But Drew is a free agent and won't cost the A's some of their surplus of young pitching (which the Indians need and would demand as any starter involving a trade for the 26-year-old Cabrera).

Hey, it's the Winter Meetings, so anything can happen, except probably hazardous winter weather (Tuesday's forecast does calls for thunderstorms, but a comfortable high of 68). But perhaps next year's meetings will be in Fiji and Beane can work his tan as well as his cell phone.

Prospecting for talent

I'll be the first to admit, as much as I love college football, I chuckle at how obsessive and borderline insane recruiting geeks get about "next year's class" and treating "Signing Day" in early February as if it were a pitch for the latest bad Garry Marshall-directed movie about a "holiday". I close my eyes and see one of these guys playing a Nebraska farm boy quarterback making his decision and torn between the home state Cornhuskers or the bright lights (and underachieving seasons) of USC; and that noted thespian and "Valentine's Day" veteran Taylor Swift cast by Marshall as farm boy's doting girlfriend who with a North Platte twang croons the movie's theme song: "Should My Guy Choose Sexy Lane Kiffin, or the Gooooooo Biggggg Reddddddd?"

OK, enough movie vs. recruiting shtick. I will confess and plead guilty that since the end of the baseball season, I've eagerly awaited Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects list  when it was the Athletics' turn (author's note: I was once a correspondent for Baseball America and have the utmost respect for the guys there like John Manuel, Will Lingo, Jim Callis etc. They cover baseball, especially another sports passion of mine, college baseball, as well as anyone in this business).

The A's turn came earlier this week, and I had a couple of thoughts on what the guys at BA came up with:

*I am a little concerned with how fast Baseball America expects No. 1 prospect Addison Russell to shoot up the farm system, and in turn how fast the 18-year-old shortstop and Oakland's first-round pick could be big-league ready. This was Jim Shonerd's description for Russell's future in the organization (you need to be a subscriber to read the scouting report for each prospect:

Russell has the makings of a big-time shortstop who can impact a game with his power, speed and defense. The A's believe he could advance quickly after seeing how well he handled two promotions in his pro debut, though he'll still likely be ticketed for Oakland's new low Class A Beloit affiliate to start the 2013 season. He may only need a couple of years in the minors and could be the franchise's best shortstop since former American League MVP Miguel Tejada.


Without  a doubt, in the videos available for Russell -I posted one below, although most of these are just one or a couple at-bats in low Single-A and obviously small sample sizes- the kid looks the part of an impact player at a coveted position, but only that is where I get nervous. There is a reason beyond the fact he's a Yankee and a natural media darling why Derek Jeter is considered one of his generation's best players. Premier shortstops (and catchers) are so hard to come by, and Jeter is a no-doubt, first-ballot Hall of Famer. It was suggested Grant Green -more on him later- was going to be the next Miggy or if not Eric Chavez when he was selected out of USC. Now as we'll dive into later Green won't be on the left side of the infield for the immediate future. Be optimistic about Russell, but tread carefully given how difficult it is to develop shortstops and justify their promise.

*Outfielder Michael Choice would have been my -apologize for the pun- choice for No. 1 prospect instead of ranking second. But in Russell's defense for his inclusion Choice is coming off a broken hand injury at Double-A Midland he endured with about six weeks remaining in the 2012 season. On the surface, the A's outfield of Josh Reddick, Chris Young -Coco Crisp won't be in Oakland for the long haul unfortunately but understandably- and Yoenis Cespedes looks set for a lot of years if the team holds onto them. But if Choice bounces back from his injury and has a big season at Double-A and/or Triple-A Sacramento, he'll either be a threat to unseat one of the incumbents in 2014 spring training or be a valuable asset the team could use in a trade. 

*Speaking of trades, General Manager Billy Beane was at his brilliant best in the 2011 offseason swapping frenzy. We know in letting go of popular All-Stars Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill and Andrew Bailey did Beane land 2012 contributors like Reddick, Tommy Milone, Jarrod Parker, Ryan Cook, Derek Norris etc. But there are more promising offspring from those deals still in the preschool stage of the minors. Pitchers A.J. Cole (Gonzalez trade) Brad Peacock (Gonzalez) and corner infielder Miles Head (Bailey) each found their way into the Top 10 rankings. Frankly, part of that is the A's farm system, while improving even before these deals, had really fallen off bridging the gap between Oakland's four consecutive playoff appearances and five in six years and last season's shocking division title. But Cole, who admittedly struggled at Midland before bouncing back in the demoted California League at Stockton, and Peacock, give the A's more arms waiting in the wings for a chance. 

Barring injuries and infractions, Cole and Peacock won't be needed for the big club in 2013 with so much young talent atop the rotation, and the veteran presence of Bartolo Colon and possibly Brandon McCarthy at the back end. Throw in former Vanderbilt ace right-hander Sonny Gray (ranked fifth by Baseball America) and the A's have what a lot of teams lack and that's quality pitching depth both in the big-leagues and the minors. Remember, the 2010 and 2012 World Series champions built a championship-caliber team with an emphasis on pitching. And with three phone calls to Phoenix, Washington D.C. and Boston and some recent drafting success, Beane went that route too. All that's missing now is the championship (or two!). 

*Second base looks like the hottest competition for the A's in spring training. What to make of Jemile Weeks? Fluke rookie season or simple sophomore slump? Now that Green, who went from too tall a shortstop to third baseman, to outfielder and now second base candidate, is expected to make a run as the starter at second when the A's break camp in late March, we'll know a lot more about Weeks. Most probably weren't expecting Weeks to struggle for such long periods of time, nor could have anyone anticipated he'd be sent to the minors. And who would have thought by the playoffs the now traded Cliff Pennington would be at second base and Weeks off the postseason roster? Adam Rosales is not the answer long term as an everyday player -and you wonder if Green even if he's not a starter should absolutely take over the Rosales role of utility player. You hope so, given Green was touted as a future cornerstone of the organization when he was drafted in 2009 (not to mention one of 23 players selected in the first round before Mike Trout -luckily, despite what this writer brags- fell into the Angels' lap, and even the Halos sinned when they didn't take Trout with the first of their two No. 1 picks and survived one more player drafted before landing their big fish). You just hope the expected competition between Weeks and Green inspires one to grab the starting job. And Scott Sizemore, whose season-ending injury suffered on the first day of spring workouts and the emergence of Josh Donaldson at third base will also have Sizemore in the second base derby. So expect a spirited battle. 

*One more point: What I always love about the Baseball America Top 10 prospects lists is the magazine projects what each team's starting lineup and pitching rotation could look like in the future (in this case it's for 2016). Here's what Shonerd/Baseball America projects for your 2016 Oakland Athletics (location and stadium address TBA):

Catcher	Derek Norris
First Base	Miles Head
Second Base	Jemile Weeks
Third Base	Daniel Robertson
Shortstop	Addison Russell
Left Field	Michael Choice
Center Field	Chris Young
Right Field	Josh Reddick
Designated Hitter	Yoenis Cespedes
No. 1 Starter	Jarrod Parker
No. 2 Starter	Brett Anderson
No. 3 Starter	A.J. Cole
No. 4 Starter	Brad Peacock
No. 5 Starter	Sonny Gray
Closer	Ryan Cook

I don't have any major arguments for or against, though Norris right away has a lot to prove -especially with his arm when runners are stealing bases- to ensure he'll still be around for that long. In terms of the corner infielders, Baseball America understandably plugged two of its Top 10 Oakland prospects, Head and No. 10 Daniel Robertson. I really liked the pick of B.A. Vollmuth, a third baseman who the A's drafted in the third round in 2011 out of Southern Miss (I remember seeing him when I covered the 2009 College World Series when his Golden Eagles' team reached Omaha his freshman year). But admittedly his early pro career has been unspectacular. And usually Baseball America doesn't anticipate what players could be traded, which would be impossible to measure given Beane's Turkish Grand Bazaar way of seeking the best deals available (during a short cruise ship port of call in Kusadasi, Turkey I couldn't walk 10 feet on the waterfront without someone trying to sell me something!). But note Milone is not listed as a member of the rotation and Cole, Peacock and Gray behind Jarrod Parker and Brett Anderson. Not necessarily disagreeing with that projection, just something to chew on as we wrap this up.

And don't forget.... it's 74 days until Oakland pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Phoenix.  And only 66 days to 2013 National Signing Day for you recruiting and possible Garry Marshall movie script wackos.