* The Rays remain pitcher rich and catcher poor. They have, arguably, the best starting pitching depth in Major League Baseball. But catching remains a chronic problem. And imagine back in 2008, when the Rays drafted first, they passed on Florida State catcher Buster Posey and chose infielder Tim Beckham instead. Beckham remains a minor-league disappointment. But Posey, who was drafted 5th that year by San Francisco, has been a phenomenal success story for the World Series-winning Giants–and was named National League MVP this season. (In fairness to the Rays, however, three other teams–Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Baltimore–also passed on Posey in 2008.)
* Too bad we can’t have a moratorium on athletic-arena use of the terms “swagger” and “chip on your shoulder.” They no longer mean play with a sense of self-confidence and proof you’re better than others give you credit for. They no longer connote anything positive. Now it’s short hand for boorish, look-at-me, in-your-face antics. If you’re a fan, you know exactly what I mean.
* The Big East. USF’s conference has lost Boston College, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and now Rutgers. But it is picking up, among others, Memphis, Houston, SMU, Boise State and San Diego State. Branding is one thing, but shouldn’t geography count for something? The Far East, the Least East?