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New York Yankees: The best option for CC is out of the bullpen

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New York Yankees, Yankees, CC Sabathia

C.C. Sabathia was left off the New York Yankees’ ALDS roster due to a shoulder injury. The reoccurring injuries with Sabathia (mostly his knee) have set him back all year and caused him to not have his “A” stuff.

Due to being unhealthy, it was extremely difficult for the Yankees to get length out of him in his outings. However, Sabathia’s stuff is still effective and can get guys out at the major league level. Therefore, the only place for him is as a reliever in the bullpen.

The Yankees tried this strategy out in the final series of the regular season where Sabathia pitched a perfect inning and looked comfortable and confident doing it.

It’s clear the Sabathia didn’t pitch the way he’s used to this season. Potentially a new role for him would be effective. A one or two-inning appearance would be perfect for Sabathia – not too much on his body and the Yankees could get a couple of innings of strong pitching from a veteran.

Sabathia has said he’s OK with a bullpen role.

“I’m excited and nervous,” said Sabathia weeks ago before his injury. “I don’t know what to expect. It’s the first time I’m going on the field doing something I’ve never done.”

Sabathia continued, “It seems like a pretty fun role and something I feel like I can do.”

The 39-year-old is planning on retiring after this season. This would be the perfect way to end his legendary 19-year career. The fans would love to see him pitch one last time in pinstripes especialyl in the postseason.

New York Giants: The Bright-spot of the Loss Against Minnesota

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New York Giants, Daniel Jones

Not much went well for the New York Giants against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. New York suffered a 28-10 defeat, dropping them to 2-3 on the season. Big Blue’s defense gave up 490 total yards, while the offense recorded just 211. The offensive line allowed four sacks, and RB Wayne Gallman left the game early with a concussion. It was clear the Giants weren’t as good as we thought they were. Very few positives came out of the defeat, but there was one player who shined. Rookie WR Darius Slayton broke through and had the best game of his young career.

Why Darius Slayton was the bright-spot of the loss against Minnesota:

He was the leading receiver of the game

Rookie QB Daniel Jones threw for a career-low 182 yards in his third start on Sunday. Fellow rookie Darius Slayton contributed 62 of those yards on four catches. He led the entire team in receiving yards for the day. He also scored the only touchdown of the day for Big Blue.

He is already proving to be a steal

Slayton was drafted in the fifth round of this past year’s draft, lower than many thought he should have gone. There were concerns about how good his hands were, something vital to success as a receiver. He was profiled as a big-body speedster who could run the deep route. His 4.39 second 40-yard-dash and 6’1″ frame proved he had the athleticism and size to be a great player in the NFL.

Through three games this year, Slayton has looked like a steal. He has averaged 17.4 yards per catch, the fourth-most of any rookie receiver. He also has tallied 157 receiving yards, the ninth-most of any rookie.  He has had three plays go for more than twenty yards. For the eighteenth receiver selected in last year’s draft, he has been outstanding.

He is the deep threat the team has been missing for years

Perhaps most importantly, Slayton showed on Sunday that he has a skill the Giants have missed for years – the ability to catch the deep ball. In the second quarter, Slayton caught a 37-yard-pass from Jones for a touchdown. It was the Giants’ first passing touchdown that traveled more than 35 yards through the air since 2015.

Having an offense with players that thrive off of quick-passes (Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate), Slayton’s skillset becomes that more valuable. The ability to push the ball downfield opens up an entirely different part of the playbook. Through Slayton’s first three games, it looks like the Giants have found their deep-threat.

New York Jets: Rookie Justin Alexandre is ready to play

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New York Jets, Jason Myers

At just 21 years old, New York Jets defensive lineman Justin Alexandre is already primed for big things ahead.  A native of Elmont, New York, Alexandre is homegrown.

At the University of the Incarnate Word, Alexandre was quite the baller.  Standing at 6’5 and weighing 265 pounds, Alexandre has both the stance, the size and the presence to be a formidable defensive lineman.  In his senior season as an Incarnate Word Cardinal, Alexandre recorded a total of 55 tackles, 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 11 games.  Alexandre was a part of the 2018 Southland Conference Football First Team.  His efforts earned him an invitation to the Gridiron Showcase in the 2018 postseason as a defensive end.

Alexandre is a player who has a ferocity and is truly a play-maker.  His energy is one that is contagious and through his exigent plays, he rallies the team win, loses or tie.  Alexandre is more than just a powerful player, he is rather quite adroit at the game of football in general and studies long and hard the game film to pick up on any patterns or tendencies he notices the opposing team’s offense has, so he knows how to take them down and ultimately defeat them.

Alexandre is close to his mother who has sadly been battling cancer.  Like his mother, Alexandre is a fighter and will stop at nothing to overcome any trials and tribulations life throws at him.  He is strong and agile and can truly be a threat.  At only 21 years old, Alexandre has already shown the maturation that NFL veterans possess!  It is only soon before Alexandre is a star!

New York Knicks: Marcus Morris is Part of The New Identity Plan

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New York Knicks, Julius Randle, Marcus Morris

New York Knicks forward Marcus Morris‘s offseason signing was definitely for the culture. Toughness and grit defensively will be the New York Knicks identity. Whoever doesn’t want to play defense will definitely ride the bench. You keep what you kill especially on defense. That’s the kind of culture the Knicks are embarking on with Fizdale at the helm.

Marcus Morris Sr. is part of the new identity plan. During day three of Knicks training camp, Marcus Morris states the following to a pool of reporters after practice:

“Old school Knicks. Protect the Garden. You know my biggest thing is no one’s coming in there and disrespecting us”. You’re gonna come in there and get a hard-fought game. The better team is going to win, but we’re not tolerating no disrespect and nobody is coming in there and thinking it’s going to be easy. That’s first and foremost and I think — as a matter of fact, I know we got the guys who are going to stand and fight every night.”


Marcus Morris Sr. And the Knicks are a perfect match, especially when it comes to toughening the young talented nucleus of players the Knicks possess. Competitiveness and grit will rub off from not only Morris, but also from Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson, Elfrid Payton, and Julius Randle.

Marcus Morris averaged 13.9-points and 6.1-rebounds per game last season as a Celtic. The North Philadelphia native will look to start and make an immediate impact for the New York Knicks in a wide-open Eastern Conference this season.

Overall, the New York Knicks are stacked with versatile forwards unlike what ESPN tried to portray. This team is built for pressure defense and a physical offense that exploits mismatches. Fast uptempo play on both ends will help maximize the total depth of the Knicks roster which will increase their opportunities for more victories this season.

New York Knicks Completed Intense Open Gym Practice at Columbia University

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On Saturday, October 5th, the New York Knicks had open practice inside of Columbia University’s gym. Players warmed up with practice drills in front of fans then put on a show afterward with some full-court scrimmaging.

The New York Knicks are gearing up for a rapidly approaching preseason game against the Washington Wizards Monday, October 7th, at the Capital One Arena in Washington DC. The open gym practice showed players getting after each other with intensity. This is a very encouraging sign due to the fact that Scott Perry is building an iron-sharpens-iron kind of culture. This means whoever ends up starting for the Knicks on opening night against the San Antonio Spurs, would’ve earned it through toughness, grit, and defense. Besides, if a guard for the Knicks attacks the rim successfully against Mitchell Robinson and Kenny Wooten during practice, chances are they’ll continue having success in the regular season against some lesser shot-blocking oppositions on some nights. Knicks bigs were being physical with each other as well and there were also some individual battles going on during the course of the full-court scrimmage. One battle I noticed was between Frank Ntilikina and undrafted point-guard out of Mississippi State University, Lamar Peters. Both showed moments of attack and FIBA Frank used his height and won the battle while knocking down a few jumpers.

Kevin Knox and Marcus Morris displayed some good fluidity and offense for the Knicks during the scrimmage. Kenny Wooten and Mitchell Robinson displayed some shot-blocking and Bobby Portis showed flashes of his ability to stretch the floor. Elfrid Payton showed flashes as a floor general along with RJ Barrett and Julius Randle looked like he was going through the motions. However, Randle did have an impressive steal and fast-break dunk early in the scrimmage at Columbia University in Harlem, New York.

New York Jets: Bennett Jackson’s Opportunity Will Come

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New York Jets, Kelvin Beachum

After being drafted by the New York Giants in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 2014 NFL draft, Bennett Jackson signed a rookie contract but was cut during the 2014 preseason to get to the 53 player maximum.  The very next day, he was signed to the New York Giants’ practice squad.  The next season Jackson switched positions from cornerback to safety.  In the 2015 preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jackson sadly suffered a torn ACL and was put on injured reserve shortly after.  Jackson was released by the New York Giants in the preseason of 2016.

Jackson’s next stint came with the Baltimore Ravens.  In early 2018, Jackson signed a reserve/future contract with the Baltimore Ravens, but was placed on injured reserve later that year and was subsequently released, only to be re-signed to the practice squad and later sign another reserve/future contract with the Baltimore Ravens.  This past preseason, Jackson was released by the Baltimore Ravens.

The next day on September 1st, 2019, the New York Jets claimed Jackson off of waivers, shortly waiving him and signing him to their practice squad.  Safety Bennett Jackson just may finally get his opportunity with the New York Jets.

Jackson is a versatile player having began his collegiate career at Notre Dame as a wide receiver on special teams.  The next year during spring practice, Jackson switched to defense and played cornerback.   He also was a track and field sprinter and high hurdler for Raritan High School.

A native of Hazlet, New Jersey, Jackson is a hometown boy through and through.  Jackson never forgets where he came from and always tries to give back to the place he was born and raise and the city that bred him.  Jackson has hosted football camps for local youth and has gone back to his middle school.   Jackson is constantly working and striving to be his best both on and off the field every single day.  Whether he is in the gym training or practicing, Jackson never backs down.

Through every struggle and adversity he has faced, Jackson has his head held high and chooses to see the positive in everything.  He is not afraid to step out of his comfort zone and makes the most out of every opportunity given.  Jackson has done really well in high school, college and preseason and has proven his abilities a depth and simply just needs the chance to show his abundant skills and talents. He refuses to be anything but successful which is why Jackson will surely be granted his well-deserved opportunity shortly.

New York Knicks: Can Dennis Smith Jr.’s Improved Jumpshot Win the PG Battle?

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New York Knicks, Dennis Smith Jr.

The New York Knicks‘ are hungry for improvements all-around at every position on the roster. The point guard battle is one to keep an eye on, and Dennis Smith Jr.’s improved jump shot just might give him the upper hand.

After a 17-65 season a year ago, there is (hopefully) nowhere to go but up for the New York Knicks in 2019. In order for New York to steer the franchise in the right direction, they’ll need their young pieces, key contributors from a season ago, and new acquisitions to adapt and take the next steps in regards to what they bring to the table.

Mitchell Robinson, a defensive prowess from last season, is looking to stretch his game and become a threat from farther away from the basket. Kevin Knox, who as a rookie was given a long leash from David Fizdale, will need to truly battle for minutes with a suddenly loaded frontcourt with the likes of Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, and Bobby Portis.

And then there’s the positional battle with Dennis Smith Jr, Frank Ntilikina, and Elfrid Payton, the latest trio of guards to vying for the role of the Knicks’ point guard of the future.

The Knicks are searching for something, anything really, that can signal they have their point guard of the future on the roster today. For years the position has been met with uncertainty, as New York has tried every manner possible to find a solution (Ntilikina via the draft, Dennis Smith Jr. via trade, and Elfrid Payton via free agency).

Dennis Smith Jr., the most athletically gifted of the trio, might have the upper hand by eye test alone, but he’ll need an extra advantage if he wants to secure the point guard role long-term. And after an offseason of training, he just may have found it.

Like many other Knicks players, Smith Jr. worked on improving his jump shot over the summer. Dennis Smith Jr. is a career 31.6 percent shooter from beyond the arc, so in reality, any type of improvement can be impactful. For reference, Ntilikina is a 30 percent career three-point shooter, and Payton has averaged roughly the same percentage from deep as well (ProBasketballReference).

So the Knicks haven’t been able to historically rely on their point guards for perimeter shooting, but if one of the three managed to build that confidence in 2019, could the front office suddenly have a change of heart? In a league that has seen the importance of the three-point shot grow exponentially in recent memory, the ability for a Knicks guard to add that skill could be invaluable.

He’ll need to back up his talk with the efficiency on the court, but Dennis Smith Jr. made it an effort to add the outside shot to his skillset. If the talk comes to fruition, and we indeed see him have a leg up over his counterparts in shooting from outside, the Knicks may have just found a long-term solution at the point guard spot.

New York Knicks: This Season Won’t Be An Experiment Like Last Season

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On the first day of training camp, New York Knicks head coach David Fizdale let reporters know that last season was just an experiment. During the lost season last year, the Knicks coaching staff experimented with defensive and offensive schemes. Last season was also about player development and a high draft pick in the lottery, not wins. Fizdale claims this season will be more about getting wins and the implementation of suitable defensive and offensive schemes for the New Knicks player personnel.

Many fans point to Fizdale’s management of player rotations and lack of offensive schemes last season. There’s plenty of fans voicing their opinions about the current Knick head coach’s lack of creativity for his players on offense. Isolation basketball caused the New York Knicks to finish in the last place in the entire league in assists last season. However, many overlooked the fact that last season’s personnel for the Knicks weren’t going to stick around very long anyway. Therefore, why would the coaching staff buckle down and commit to schemes instead of full player evaluation and development for the 2019-20 NBA Season?

The front office upgraded the New York Knicks roster after an atrocious season which sent the Knicks face-first into the lottery. The coaching staff is implementing schemes on both ends of the court. Many players on the Knicks last season contributed to losing and are no longer on the roster. Now the roster is filled with battle-tested NBA professionals. Some even have playoff experience. Having seasoned players around a young developing nucleus is priceless.

Overall, the Knicks are applying the right package of schemes to the right package of players. In due time, success should be on the horizon for the Knicks if they patiently continue to grind.

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett Must Develop Into a Solid Defender.

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It’s extremely important for New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett to develop into a solid and impactful plus defender. The former Duke University star will be in great hands with Knick legend Bernard King within reach for advice and coach David Fizdale at the helm along with his talent development staff in training camp.

The defense will catapult RJ Barrett very fast in this league filled with scoring wing players. At 6’7″ tall with a 6’11” wingspan and 210 pounds of lean muscle, the sky is the limit for Barrett defensively considering he turned 19-years-old about four months ago. Barrett is already a physical specimen and defense is what Coach Fizdale is hammering into the potential future Knick star.

It’s very inspiring to hear that RJ Barrett is working his tail off defensively because it’s a sign that he acknowledges how important that end of the floor really is. New York City is a blue-collar town that loves defense and Barrett understands why learning the defensive concepts is so crucial for his development.

During the scrimmage at Columbia University on October 5th, RJ Barrett displayed very good athleticism on cuts to the basket, one which led to a ferocious two-handed dunk. The Knicks rookie also played point guard for his assigned scrimmage team and showed flashes as a floor general due to Dennis Smith Jr. being held out of the scrimmage due to a minor ailment. The maple mamba missed a few perimeter shots and also a few free-throws. The field goal is also an important metric Barrett must continue to work on. However, with RJ Barrett’s work ethic, shooting will develop in due time alongside maturity which he already shows at such a young age. The sky is the limit for the first-round selection by Scott Perry and the Knicks.

Overall, the Knicks are happy with their young talented 3rd overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft. RJ Barrett is working hard and the NBA game might slow down for him sooner than most think. The defense will be key in the young stud’s career and he is underneath the right tutelage in David Fizdale and other battle-tested vets on the Knicks roster.

New York Knicks: Coach Fizdale Is Focusing on Defensive Identity During Training Camp.

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New York Knicks, David Fizdale

New York Knicks training camp is here and Fizdale has his troops picking up people 94-feet defensively. Every point guard and shooting guard better be in top physical condition because Fizdale is preaching defense like Pat Riley during the 90’s Knicks era.

Fizdale’s favorite quote “Keep What You Kill” is in full effect during camp. No handouts are expected, however, Knicks coaching staff been focusing on real defensive identity. So far, it looks like the Knicks have bought in. One player who bought into the defensive and toughness identity is Marcus Morris. Fizdale wants to know his players are willing to scrap defensively. Bobby Portis is definitely a high motor player who’s willing to get dirty for a win. Julius Randle’s improvement shows he’s ready to become one of the leaders for this Knicks team. Morris, Portis, and Randle are the main identity changers for the New York Knicks.

Knicks first-round selection RJ Barrett stated that the full-court defensive scheme is nothing new to him. Barrett claimed the defensive scheme reminded him of Duke and Coach Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K always encouraged high-pressure defense in order to force turnovers. RJ Barrett is working his tail off defensively because he understands that smart and aggressive defense will help the team and keep himself in the game.

One player who definitely won’t mind picking up his opponents 94-feet is Knick combo guard Frank Ntilikina. His natural length and wingspan can cause opposing ball handlers chaos. Kemba Walker was a victim of Ntilikina’s defensive wrath during FIBA.

Overall, Fizdale will be maximizing the depth of the roster by pressuring opponents defensively. Tough defense and a fast pace offense would be nearly impossible with a team that doesn’t possess deep roster depth.