Darnold Standoff Ends, Rookie Finally in Camp

It took four days, but Sam Darnold's contract standoff is finally history after he, his agent Jimmy Sexton and the Jets agreed to terms on a $30 million contract over four years.

In addition, the Jets rookie quarterback will earn a $20 million signing bonus, which he can recoup right away in the next 15 days. In case you are wondering that equates to about $.1.333 million a day. Not bad at all.

In return, Darnold and his agent concede to the Jets wish to include off-set language in the deal that prevents the quarterback from "double-dipping" should the Jets cut him within the first three years of the deal. Secondly, the language that voided guarantees in the deal based on fines for any on-field/off-field incident was removed from the contract.

When Darnold finally got on the field, his Jets teammates clapped as he made his way to to begin stretching with the other quarterbacks, Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater.

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   Manish Mehta‏Verified account @MMehtaNYDN 4h4 hours ago
   

   Cool moment as Jets players clap as Sam Darnold jogs on to the field.

   
   

   
   

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Of course, Darnold threw a pick on his first pass and the media excoriated him for it.

Rich Cimini‏Verified account @RichCimini 3h3 hours ago

On his first pass in team drills, Sam Darnold throws a pick. Tipped by CB Derrick Jones and intercepted by S Doug Middleton. One player yells out, “Welcome back.” #Jets

44 replies106 retweets485 likes

Welcome to the Jets, Sam.

Sam Darnold holdout carries into Third Day

It's getting more complex regarding the Sam Darnold holdout. Here is the latest in this podcast.

Sam Darnold A No-Show at Jets Camp over Contract

Just when you thought it was safe to come out and play football, the Same Ole Jets rear their ugly heads. 

It might be only one day of training camp, but the Jets are still without their rookie quarterback Sam Darnold who is holding out as both the Jets and his agent iron out contract details. 

This is incredibly disappointing for New York. The Jets have been propped up as one of the league's most improved teams, with many so-called pundits and talking heads saying they won the draft when they drafted Darnold third overall. 

Last time I checked championships were not won on draft day. 

Darnold's holdout only hurts a young player who needs to get on the field to receive important reps with the first team. Now he is a full day or more behind, and there is no sign (at least right now at 4:54 p.m. on a Friday) that this hold out will end. 

What's most frustrating is that most rookie deals are already in place thanks to the CBA. He would receive a 4-year deal worth $30.2 million in guaranteed money, including a $20 million roster bonus. Rich Cimini of ESPN NY reports that the two sides are split on over offset language. 

Cimini reported that "Darnold's agent is seeking a contract with no offsets, which would allow him to receive his Jets salary and get paid by another team if the Jets cut him. It's called double-dipping." 

As George Constanza was told in Seinfield, you can't double-dip the chip! 

This is insane. Why would Darnold's agent be that worried about his client getting cut by the Jets in four years. If the kid goes Free Agent and wants to play elsewhere he can sign a mega contract elsewhere. It makes no sense! 

The Jets and Darnold's party had more than enough time to iron out a contract well in advance of training camp. In fact, this deal should have been done a month ago at the very least. 

Until Darnold shows up for camp, the Jets are a two man band at quarterback as incumbent Josh McCown will battle Teddy Bridgewater for the starting job. The longer Darnold holds out, the easier it will be for Bowles to make his decision (if he hasn't already) between the two veteran quarterbacks. 

Oh, and in case you Jets fans are wondering, if Darnold were to hold out for an entire year (I know worst case scenario, but that is what life of a Jets fan is all about), he could re-declare for the draft in 2019. Hopefully this doesn't get that insane and the Jets can get Darnold in camp in the next couple of days. 

Aaron Judge Out 3 Weeks with Fracture in Right Wrist

For one night Yankee fans saw their hopes and dreams of a World Series Championship flash before their very eyes. Aaron Judge, by all accounts the leader of this ball club, will miss the next three weeks with a fractured wrist, an injury he sustained on a 93 mph fastball that struck his arm in the first inning of last night's Royals-Yankees game.

Judge stayed in the contest until he was removed for a pinch hitter in the fourth inning.

The only sliver of good news for the Yankees is that Judge will not require surgery. However he can't swing a baseball bat for a month.

The Yankees (65-36) are in a dog fight for the American League Wild Card with the Seattle Mariners (61-41) and Oakland A's (61-43) right on their heals. With Judge out until at least late August, that means New York will need everyone else to step up big time.

Judge leads the Yankees in home runs (26), RBI (61) and total bases (204). The next closest to that production is Giancarlo Stanton. With 23 homers and 61 RBI himself, the pressure will fall on Stanton to be THE guy in the heart of the Yankee order. Being the center of attention is nothing new for Stanton; he had to be the man in Miami for seven years. However, when he was traded to New York, he was expected to be one of the guys. Now, he has to be the guy in some key situations.

The injury doesn't come at a good time. Gary Sanchez is also on the disabled list until September with a groin strain. Without Judge and Sanchez in the lineup, the Yankees are missing roughly a quarter of their offensive production from this season. That's big.

Oh, by the way, the Yankees open up a big four-game series in Boston next week. If there was ever a time for the others in the Yankee dugout to step up, now would be a good time.

Hopefully for the Yankees sake they can get both Judge and Sanchez back before September, where they have a road trip to Seattle and Oakland on the docket. Should be interesting to say the least.

2018 AFC East Training Camp Preview

Can the New York Jets finally take the right steps in the AFC East this year? Not likely, but the Jets, Bills and Dolphins are all hoping that the New England Patriots run of success comes to an end this season.

Preview below!

Yankees Trade for Starting Pitcher JA Happ

The Yankees finally made their trade for a starting pitcher. The Yankees agreed to terms with the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire JA Happ for infielder Brandon Drury and minor league outfielder Billy McKinney.

Considering the speculation that the Yankees would have to part with either Justus Sheffield, Miguel Andujar, or Clint Fraizer in any deal, the Yankees made out pretty good here. They kept their top prospects and acquired a starting pitcher that can help them down the stretch.

Happ was 10-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 20 starts for the Blue Jays this season. The 11-year veteran is well traveled having played for the Phillies, Pirates, Mariners, and Astros as well.

What attracted the Yankees to Happ more than a Jacob deGrom, per say, was the fact that he came cheap, and is an expiring contract. Even if Happ does nothing for the Yankees down the stretch, they don't have to keep him beyond the month of October.

There is some concern though with Happ now in the fold. He has not pitched well in over a month. In his last six starts, Happ has allowed 26 runs (21 earned) in 31.1 innings. That equates to an ERA of 6.03 since a June 20 start against the Atlanta Braves. Prior to June 20, Happ held an ERA of 3.48.

A lot of people point to how well Happ pitched against big teams like the Red Sox and Yankees in the past, however, he gave up five unearned runs to the Red Sox in a 6-4 loss on July 12, and gave up six earned runs to the Yankees on July 7.  In his first start of July, Happ gave up seven runs to Detroit. That's right, Detroit!

Considering the Yankees issues in the rotation, one has to wonder how effective Happ will be if his struggles continue. At the same time, a struggling JA Happ is better than Domingo German and Luis Cessa. In case you are wondering, that isn't saying much.

Happ will likely slot into the spot that Cessa is taking up, which means that we should see Happ make his Yankee debut July 31 against the Baltimore Orioles.

Yoenis Cespedes to Miss Rest of the Season with Heel Injury

Less than a week after being activated from the disabled listed, the Mets have shut outfield Yoenis Cespedes down for the rest of the season so he can undergo surgery to remove bone calcifications from his right and left heels this week.

Green Bay based Dr. Robert Anderson will perform the surgery. Cespedes will need 8 to 10 months to recover from the surgery, meaning he could be out deep into the 2019 season.

Cespedes started complaining about pain in his feet following Friday’s game against the Yankees, where he had two hits, including a homerun in his first game back off the disabled list.

Cespedes had an MR on Monday in New York, which revealed the sore bone calcifications. According to the Mets, the pain forced Cespedes to alter his gait in an attempt to manage the discomfort, which has resulted in stress and injury to other parts of his legs.

The consensus among the team doctors and specialists is that all conservative treatment options to manage the pain have been exhausted and that surgery is now recommended.

Still the questions about what the Mets knew, and when they knew about Cespedes’ heel issues is one that has baffled fans and media alike since the outfielder revealed the injury on Friday night.  

Those questions were magnified when manager Mickey Callaway made a stunning revelation that he wasn’t aware of Cespedes’ issue on Saturday, then tried to backtrack on Monday, saying he misspoke.

“On that, obviously, we talk all the time,’’ the manager said Monday. “And I knew what [Cespedes] had said. I didn’t see his interview [from after the game], but I get filled in on what everybody says every night. I did a bad job of trying to get the question narrowed down. That was my bad. It was a bad way to do it.”

Moreover the Mets have said they were “aware” of Cespedes heel problems for some time. Cespedes’ history of bone calcifications goes back 15 years. Ricco added the Mets were aware of the injury when they initially acquired Cespedes in 2015 from Detroit.

“This is something Yoenis has dealt with for a number of years and it was a matter of managing the pain with anti-inflammatories and preventative treatment,” Interim General Manager John Ricco said.

On Saturday, Mickey Callaway said the hip flexor; quad and heel injuries were all “interconnected.”

Which again begs the question that many have asked in the ensuing days since the injury was annoucned, if the heel problems were related to the other leg injuries, why didn’t the Mets end Cespedes’ season sooner?

It’s a question of Monday Morning Quarterbacking where only the Mets know the true answer.

Ricco may have given an indication with this statement: “(The heel injuries have) now progressed to the point that he felt he could not manage the pain despite all the measures taken to help him prepare to play.”

“I have worked hard to manage the pain and fight through it, but it got worse and worse,” Céspedes said. “The doctors are confident nothing else but surgery can address this injury and allow me to return to full strength.” 

Now the Mets are without their best hitter until sometime in the later part of the 2019 season and they have nobody to blame but themselves for it. The Mets should have disabled Cespedes sooner, but refused to do so. By the way, the Mets are on the hook for $58 million on Cespedes' deal over the next two seasons. 

Gary Sanchez Will Be Out Until Late August - Brian Cashman

The Yankees are going to be without their catcher for at least a month, if not longer after the club announced Gary Sanchez aggravated a groin injury and will need to be placed on the Disabled List.

The announcement comes after Sanchez was excoriated on social media and sports talk radio for being a lazy player for not running out a ground ball in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. Had Sanchez reached first safely, the Yankees would have tied the game.  The truth is, he was injured.

Sanchez said he felt tightness in his groin when he got out of his crouch to chase down a passed ball. The injury forced Sanchez to slow up as his missed a baserunner who scored from second.

When asked about his struggles from Monday Sanchez said, "When the other team scores runs and you have the game on the line and you end up basically losing the game because it's your fault, you feel really bad about that," Sanchez said through an interpreter. "You feel bad for your teammates, you feel bad for the fans, because you want to give them the maximum effort."

The Yankees said they will explore the catcher market to see what is out there in case Sanchez has to miss even more significant time.

Until then the Yankees will rely on Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka behind the dish.

Yankees Make a Splash for a Pitcher ... Just Not a Starting Pitcher

The Yankees have made a deal for a pitcher.

No it is not Jacob deGrom, or Cole Hamels, or J.A. Happ. No the Yankees still haven't addressed the biggest issue facing them for the rest of this season. But the team did bolster its bullpen by acquiring Baltimore Orioles closer Zach Britton for minor league prospects Dillon Tate, Josh Rogers and Cody Carroll -- meaning the Yankees didn't have to deal any of its top prospects to make the trade happen. That is a huge plus.

If anything adding Britton to the bullpen keeps him away from the Red Sox, Astros and Mariners who are all bullpen starved at this point in the year. Britton can now slot into a Yankee bullpen that is already deep and is already considered by some to be the best in Major League Baseball.

Britton has been pretty solid this year for an Orioles team that is among the worst in baseball to date. His 3.45 ERA was sixth best on the team, and he only pitched in 16 games this season. Now Britton joins a bullpen that has an ERA of 2.28 and over 400 strikeouts. Not a bad consultation. There is no pressure on Britton. He just needs to fit in and pitch well when his number is called.

The Yankees already have guys like Jonathan Holder, Dellin Betances and Chad Green who have all been pitching well. David Robertson, once a closer for this franchise and the Chicago White Sox has been pretty good of late, allowing only one earned run this month.

Of course Aroldis Chapman anchors this pen with his 68 strikeouts, 2.03 ERA and 26 saves.

As Chapman, himself, said to reporters, "When you bring somebody like him in, it gives you the opportunity to rotate and divide work."

So true, and another reason why the Yankees will be so dangerous come October.

Syndergaard on the Disabled List with Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease

Remember the movie Groundhog Day? That would describe the New York Mets and injuries. As they used to say in the Peanuts cartoon, "Good Grief, Charlie Brown."

Bizarre would be an understatement when describing the recent rash of injuries that have inflicted the Mets in the past 24 hours.

First it was Yoenis Cespedes who revealed that a heel injury has contributed to his quad and hip flexor injuries, a procedure that would require surgery and 8 to 10 months of rehab. Now the Mets got another doozy on Sunday involving Noah Syndergaard.

According to interim General Manager John Ricco, Thor was placed on the disabled listed with hand, foot and mouth disease. The Mets have called up Corey Oswalt to take his place in the rotation. Ricco is hopeful that Syndergaard will miss only one start.

The virus might explain why Sydergaard was inconsistent with his velocity, which only toped 94 mph on his fastball by the fifth inning. While Syndergaard held the Yankees to only a run over five innings, he left the game after only 84 pitches. At one point during that inning, manager Mickey Callaway went out to the mound to make sure there was nothing physically wrong with his starting pitcher.

The injury is the latest in what has been a series of ill-gotten misfortune for the towering star. Last season, Syndergaard missed most of the season with a torn lat muscle in his arm.

This year, he spent seven weeks on the disabled list with a strained ligament in his right index finger.

On the mound, the 2018 season has been a frustrating one for Syndergaard. He hasn’t dominated the way he did during his first two seasons in the big leagues.  At time it appears that Syndergaard spends more time trying to muscle the ball than pitching.

While he is 6-1 with a 2.89 ERA, Syndergaard finds himself getting into deep counts way too often against hitters. Case in point, he is average 16.1 pitches per inning, which is a career high at this rate, and 3.82 pitches per plate appearance speaks to the high pitch rate.

We would be remiss to point out that hitters haven’t been fooled by Syndergaard too much this year. Teams are hitting .268 against him this year, with a .311 on base percentage. Those are all career highs against Thor.

With Syndergaard on the disabled list there seems to be a prevailing thought in Social Media, and the media in general that the Mets were interested in trading Syndergaard. This latest setback may change that.

When asked about whether the injury eliminates the possibility he would be traded, Ricco didn’t put cold water on the idea. “I don’t think so because this is a short-term issue and he’s been out there a few times and teams know what he is,” Ricco said.

With eight days to go before the non-waiver trade deadline, the Mets could still look to trade the likes of Jacob deGrom or Asdrubal Cabrera. While deGrom rumors have quieted down, there was speculation earlier in the day that the Seattle Mariners could be interested in Cabrera.

As far as the return the Mets got in the Jeurys Familia trade, New York didn’t get much in return. The Mets received prospects Will Toffey and reliever Bobby Wahl in the deal, plus cash for international signings.  Wahl pitched in Triple-A for the Athletics.