That was MLB Network’s Peter Gammons, discussing how quickly the deal that put Prince Fielder in a Detroit Tigers uniform took place. Leyland, the manager, was even left in the dark, fueling his sense of disbelief. Minutes later, the ink was dry on the nine-year, $214 million contract. One of the game’s best power hitters is shockingly headed to Motown, making an already immensely talented Detroit team even more dangerous.

That Leyland was taken aback by the news is not altogether surprising. It was widely expected that the powerful Fielder would go to the Washington Nationals or another one of his few suitors. The Tigers weren’t even mentioned in relation to him until today. They had to replace the mighty hole left by Victor Martinez, who is out for the season with a torn ACL. It was perceived that they would just sign one of the lesser free-agents or make a trade. No one but the Tigers front office thought they would with such a slugger as Fielder.

“Everyone knew Mr. Ilitch and Mr. Dombrowski were going to make a move when Victor went down,” outfielder Brennan Boesch said in a phone interview with the AP, as documented by Sports Illustrated. “But I don’t think anybody thought it would be this big.”

There is are other reasons, other than the yearly commitment and incredibly lucrative contract, that Fielder picked Detroit. First, his Dad, Cecil, played for the Tigers. In 1996, a 12-year-old Prince hit homers out of the stadium he is about to play in.

“You can’t ever say that you look at a kid that age and say that you know he’s going to hit 40 or 50 home runs someday, but Prince was unbelievable,” former Tiger and Hall of Famer Al Kaline reminisced a few years ago. “Here’s a 12-year-old kid commonly hitting homers at a big league ballpark.”

Now, at 27, he is about to do the same, donning the uniform his dad played in for the team he grew up following.

Another reason for his choosing Detroit is the formation of perhaps the game’s most lethal duo, as Fielder joins Miguel Cabrera in the middle of the Tigers lineup. The 28-year-old Cabrera, who will reportedly move to third base as Fielder takes over first, hit .344 last season with 30 homers and 105 rbi; he has 277 homers and 984 rbi in only eight seasons time. Similarly, Fielder hit .299 with 38 homers and 120 rbi last season with the Milwaukee Brewers, the team he was signed by in 2002; he has 230 homers and 656 rbi in only six seasons time. It’s safe to say these two are among the most prolific sluggers in the game. And now they will be batting back-to-back in what was already a solid lineup, with the potential to be what Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz was for the Boston Red Sox from 2003 to 2008.

The commitment financially and yearly to Fielder in creating this formidable pair and ensuing comparison is far from advisable, especially considering the large percentage of payroll the Tigers have donated to just a few players, but his bat turns a team reeling from losing Martinez to a championship contender once more.

How did this happen? All of the credit for this big splash out of the blue is due to General Manager Dave Dombrowski and owner Mike Ilitch. And because of their efforts, Fielder has been there and back again.

“That just shocked me,” Cecil Fielder told MLB Radio on SiriusXM, as documented by USA Today. “I just landed in New York… and I got that call — that’s crazy! He’s going to come full circle. You know, he’s been there in Detroit most of his young life, so I think he’ll be comfortable in that place. …

“I know Mr. (Mike) Ilitch is probably pretty excited, because he’s been wanting that kid since he was a little kid, so he finally got his wish.”

Ilitch sure did. And as a result, the city of Detroit will be treated to an older Fielder, back to his old stomping grounds, doing what he does best yet again.

Ricky Rubio (far right) tied the game, while Kevin Love (center) shocked the Clippers. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

My friend Erik and I stood at the counter in Webfoot, a relatively new bar on the University of Oregon campus, and took in the final few minutes of the Los Angeles Clippers game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the big-screen. As we watched, we struck up a conversation with a man named Jay sitting on a nearby stool milking a beer. He, who had lived in Minnesota before moving to Eugene, was a diehard fan of the Timberwolves, and was ecstatic about the uplifting direction of the team. He said this game, which was televised on ESPN, was the only time he has seen them play this season. And, largely due to the play of star forward Kevin Love and rookie point guard Ricky Rubio, was he ever in for a treat.

As we watched the closing minutes, we talked about these two players, among others. As Rubio made two fancy passes to center Darko Milicic for baskets, Jay raved about his potential. We agreed that even at the age of 21 he already has Steve Nash’s passing ability. The latter of the two passes to Milicic confirmed this, as he threaded the needle between two Clippers to where he knew Milicic would  be. It bounded at the perfect height for the 7-footer to grab and swoop in for a layup. My friend Erik, Jay, and I were in awe.

Rubio–with a beard that, though it tries, doesn’t keep him from looking like a kid–came over from Spain and has lived up to the hype. Despite his youth, he is poised and his decision-making is intelligent.

“You’ve got to give him rope and let him go because he’s got that ability,” head coach Rick Adelman told the LA Times. “But I think probably the biggest thing I really love about him is he’s a competitor. He doesn’t back down from anybody. He gets a lot of attention but he keeps an even keel. He doesn’t get too high, too low. He just plays. He’s been better than I thought he was going to be.”

He may be a rookie in the NBA, but he sure doesn’t play like it. He has been playing professionally since he was 14 and, at 17, was on Spain’s Olympic team in 2008 that finished second. His having this background was evident, but though he played well beyond his years there were instances where he was just a 21-year-old having the time of his life.

Though his passing is superb, his shot is far from appealing. He is shooting only 39 percent on the season and was 0-9 from the field with a half-minute remaining. Minnesota had fought back from a 11-point halftime deficit, and they were down three, 98-95, with a chance. The crowd in Los Angeles was buzzing. The Timberwolves were the underdog and in a hostile environment, but that didn’t affect them. They stayed calm and collected. And Rubio wasn’t afraid of the moment.

Guard Luke Ridnour pulled down a defensive rebound in traffic with 32 seconds left, and, helped by a Love screen, drove into the lane. Clippers forward Blake Griffin converged on him, so he passed out to rookie Derrick Williams, who then whipped the ball to Rubio. The Spaniard, who Jay dubbed “The Spanish Magical Unicorn”, didn’t hesitant, lofting a three-pointer in front of the Clippers bench. Swish. The crowd groaned. And he pumped his fist, jumped up and down, and skipped down-court. He was celebrating as if he had just won his team the championship. And he couldn’t have looked more like a kid.

Twenty seconds remained, the game tied at 98. The Clippers, being at home and with a veteran, star-laden team were sure to either score or get bailed out by the refs. Billups would take the last shot. Rubio had to guard him. Jay said he wasn’t a great defender, but Rubio certainly was on this play. He stuck with the NBA champion guard as he drove into the lane and used his long arms to affect Billups driving layup. Due to his superb defense, the shot was missed. The Timberwolves grabbed the rebound. A second and a half remained. While others in Webfoot mingled, Jay, Erik, and I were glued to the television. Minnesota would have a chance.

Head coach Rick Adelman drew up the perfect play. Rubio and Ellington screened off Love’s defender, DeAndre Jordan, forming a wall that, to his dismay, couldn’t get through. Love popped out beyond the three-point line, wide-open, 32 feet from the basket. He launched immediately. Clippers fans behind the basket put their hands on their head, expecting the worst. The worst happened. Swish, again. Love turned around and threw his arms into the air, and walked downcourt. His teammates ran jubilantly towards him, including Rubio, who had the same hop in his step as before.

We let out yells filled with happiness and slapped hands as we watched Love’s shot fall through the net. Jay, in particular, was beside himself with joy. Minnesota had defied the odds and won, doing so behind two pieces of a bright present and future.

Fans like Jay have more than just a single game to relish in. Minnesota, which has seven wins in 15 games after managing just 17 in 82 last season, has the opportunity to make some noise in the Western Conference for many years to come. And it all starts with the flashy Rubio and the svelte Love–two confident and incredibly gifted players.

Adelman has seen this before with the Sacramento Kings. He coached many talented teams anchored by Mike Bibby and Chris Webber–a flashy point guard and a dominating forward. The electrifying duo of Rubio and Love is the second coming, a better version.

“He won us that game,” Love said of Rubio moments after defeating Los Angeles. “He showed a lot of poise. He wasn’t necessarily playing the greatest ball through three quarters, but I told him ‘All we need is one good quarter out of you.’ He had a great fourth quarter, hit a big shot for us that tied up the game, giving us a chance to win. I love him for that. He’s been great since day one.”

“I believe in that shot,” Rubio said. “I believe in myself. Because if not, nobody can believe for you. You have to trust in your and try to hit the shot, like we trust in Kevin on the last one.”

“We’re just giving ourselves a chance to win,” Love added. “Last year we might have imploded if we got down 10, 12 points, so I mean we’re really just grinding it out as much as we possibly can and getting better every day. We’re happy to get this win.”

With these two running the show in Minnesota, many more wins are on the horizon. And that means Jay, who has watched his team lose for so many years, will be able to have the feeling Rubio and Love’s heroics produced again and again.

After years as the conjured Fausto Carmona, Roberto Hernandez Heredia is arrested. (Photo: Reuters/Mark Blinch)

I’m not saying it’s right, but were I raised on a dirt floor in the Dominican Republic and found I could throw a baseball a little, and that seemed like more fun than, say, working a tobacco farm for a few pesos a day, I’d change my name to Doris Day and wear a wedding gown for a shot at professional ball.

That was Yahoo Sports‘ Tim Brown, talking about Roberto Hernandez Heredia, formerly known as Fausto Carmona. The Cleveland Indians starting pitcher was arrested Thursday on false identity charges in his native Dominic Republic, where he was playing winter ball in preparation for Spring Training. He was going by Carmona, a 28-year-old. He is in fact Heredia, a 31-year-old.

At first, the news was stunning and conjured up all sorts of questions. ‘Why?’ was recurring. Brown answered that, and then I understood. That Heredia did this was strange, but it made sense: living a lie made playing in the major leagues possible.

What the Indians do in reaction to this odd twist isn’t worth discussing at the moment. That he changed his name isn’t either, though settling on Fausto Carmona is quite cool. That he lied about his age isn’t pertinent either. After all, it’s not as if he’s alone on that front, as Brown documents:

Rafael Furcal, Bartolo Colon, Neifi Perez and [Ramon] Ortiz, among others, were discovered to have lied about their ages. Years later, Miguel Tejada and Vladimir Guerrero were found to have shaved a year or two from their birth certificates. In March 2009, MLB investigated at least 40 cases of age irregularities among Dominican Republic prospects.

What happened as a result of his conjured name, however, is worth chronicling. The 6’4″ right-hander was signed in 2000, thought to be 16 years old. He went 17-4 with Lake County, Cleveland’s Single-A affiliate, in 2003, his second year in their farm system. He proceeded to fluctuate from level to level over the next three-plus years, putting up respectable numbers for Akron, Kinston, and Buffalo. The latter was the Indians Triple-A affiliate. He was oh-so close to living the ultimate dream. And no one suspected a thing. To Cleveland and the rest of baseball, h was just a 22-year-old Dominican trying to make it. They had no reason to believe he was a late-blooming 25-year-old.

He made his debut with the Indians in 2006, spending time as both a starter and a reliever. His statistics weren’t pretty, as he had just one win to 10 losses and struggled to a 5.42 ERA. Nothing outstanding was expected from him. He was wild. His pitches were far from polished. Then, in 2007, the 23-year-old man named Carmona came out of nowhere and shocked the baseball world.

He was magnificent. A starter from day one, he played second fiddle to CC Sabathia atop the Cleveland Indians rotation and helped lead the team to the postseason. He surprisingly won 19 of his 32 starts, compiling a 3.06 ERA in doing so. He didn’t strike out many batters, but he used his heavy sinker to consistently frustrate the opposition. His deception was tremendous, and harmless groundballs were constantly hit and hit meekly. He made this go-to pitch look like a fastball out of his windup. A split-second later it wasn’t. Who would have thought he was deceiving in more ways than one.

The New York Yankees, Cleveland’s opponent in the American League Division Series, would have their hands full. Sabathia dominated in Game 1, as the Indians won 12-3, giving Carmona the chance to send their AL East foe to elimination’s brink.

Game 2 was known for the midges that took over Jacobs Field. They, scientifically known as Chironomus plumosus, latched onto Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain, and flustered the big Nebraskan into relinquishing a game-tying run in the eighth inning. They were everywhere, and that the game wasn’t stopped created an uproar. Lost amongst all of this was what made the tie game possible. Swarming bugs weren’t the only reason the Yankees were frustrated.

Carmona, in his first postseason game, dominated. His sinker was masterful, and fastball had enough zip to adequately offset it. Melky Cabrera laced a solo-homer in the third, but that and two singles would be all New York would muster over the nine innings he pitched. Cleveland would win 2-1 in 11 innings and end the series three days later.

In Game 6 of the ensuing series against the Boston Red Sox, Carmona would surrender the infamous “$14 million grand slam” to outfielder J.D. Drew, leading to a Cleveland loss and postseason exit. But, though this was a tough pill to swallow, and though the man now known as Heredia has since had a tumultuous career he, if only for a short while, was feared. Nineteen wins, a fourth-place finish in the Cy Young voting, and an incredible, albeit woefully under-appreciated performance against New York. To him, it had to be worth the name change, the age-shaving, the deception.

Who knows what will become of Roberto Hernandez Heredia. Last month, the Indians picked up his option for the 2012 season. If they take this shocking news in stride, see if he can bounce back from a trying 2011, and have confidence in the person they never knew existed, Heredia will still be with Cleveland, playing baseball in the major leagues, doing what he loves–what inspired a teenager named Fausto Carmona.

Jorge Vazquez has been hitting moonshots for many years. Will he finally get to hit them out of Yankees Stadium? (Photo: Zimbio)

On Friday, the New York Yankees sent Jesus Montero packing. They lost the power and high batting average he was expected to bring. And with an aging lineup, his absence appeared to leave a hole. That might not longer be the case. Jorge Vazquez is beyond ready, waiting for his time to come.

The road he has traveled in an effort to reach the major leagues has been long. It may have come to an end. A 29-year-old native of Mexico, standing a stocky and strong 5’11″, 225 pounds, Vazquez is a living legend and may finally get to show New York what he can do.

He isn’t a household name here in the United States, but he sure is in his home-country. “Everybody down there in Mexico knows Chato,” Yankees infielder Ramiro Pena, who has played with him in winter ball, told The Star Ledger. “Chato” means small and chunky in Spanish, The nickname may be unflattering, but it fits his physique well. And he’s more than “Chato.” There is an incredible amount of strength within his pudgy build. His countrymen can speak to that, too.

“He can hit homers everywhere,” said Pena.

“I like to watch him because he hits a lot of them,” added Yankees pitching prospect Manuel Banuelos.

“He’s a powerful hitter,” chimes in former Yankee and current Boston Red Sox pitcher Alfredo Aceves. “He’s intelligent and he’s still focused. He would be a star in the big leagues, even if he came late in his career.”

What he has accomplished is extraordinary, but he has yet to reach the level Aceves believes he would excel at. He has played first base and third base throughout his career, but has been, and forever will be, blocked at both positions. This is due to the investments the Yankees made in sluggers Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. It’s very unfortunate, as this man might be able to outproduce either as a replacement, if given the opportunity. That big of a role won’t be there, however, but donning pinstripes appears to be in his near future. Considering what he has done to get to this point, that is a very exciting prospect.

What has he done, then? Why does he draw such high praise from Pena, Banuelos, and Aceves? I had never heard of him before Saturday, and after looking at his statistics I was dumbfounded as to how he eluded me. He played eight years in the Mexican League–four for the Mexico City Tigers, two for Angelopolis, and two more for Quintana Roo. It is what he did after Mexico City that makes his story so remarkable. He crushed 33 homers and drove in 96 runs as a 23-year-old in 2005, his first season with Angelopolis. For major leaguers, that kind of production is spread across a 162-game schedule. Some are gifted enough to do that much damage in 140 games. Vazquez did it in 71.

It is easy to think, “Wait, what?” in perplexity upon reading this. It was hard not to be taken aback upon scanning over this statistic on his Baseball Reference page. He had 108 hits in 285 at-bats, equating to a .379 batting average. He got on base at a .413 clip. His OPS (On-Base + Slugging Percentage) was 1.210. To put that in context, Jose Bautista had the highest OPS in the major leagues last year at 1.056. Only nine players in major league history have had an OPS as high as Vazquez did. Vazquez also had only seven less rbi than Bautista in 228 fewer at-bats. He was simply remarkable. And he wasn’t just a one-year wonder.

He had 31 homers and 98 rbi’s in 75 games the following season. Even while battling injuries in 2007 and 2008 with Quintana Roo, he hit 17 homers in 56 games and 18 in 58. He continued to tote a very high batting average, hitting .323 and .339. The Yankees had been keeping a close eye on his incredible production through scout Lee Stigman, who, as the Ledger wrote, “has mined Mexico for big league talent and quickly gave the green light for the signing.”

So off Vazquez went, and he picked up in New York right where he left of in Mexico. He crushed 13 homers and batted .329 in 57 games with Double-A Trenton in 2009, then went 16-41 with the team in 2010 before being promoted to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre.

His batting average and on-base percentage dipped severely, but could he ever tear the cover off the ball. He hit 18 more homers in 56 games in 2010 and demolished 32 more this past season in just 110 games. He strikes out a lot and doesn’t work many walks. He is up there to swing and swing hard. If crisp contact is made, just watch and admire.

Banuelos did that many times. One stands out.

Writes the Star Ledger‘s Marc Carig:

“Banuelos remembers watching live on his computer during the Caribbean Series earlier this year when Vazquez won MVP honors with Team Mexico. Against Venezuela, Vazquez drilled a homer that sailed just left of the center-field batter’s eye, over a fence, over another fence, over a few cars and onto the roof of a waiting bus.”

Who knows if Vazquez will play an integral role on the Yankees. He had 166 strikeouts last season. He reached base only 31 percent of the time. New York knows his drawbacks, but they also are fully aware of his lone strength.

“He doesn’t have a position, but he can flat-out rake,” a talent evaluator told ESPN’s Buster Olney. “He just mashes.” If the Yankees give him a chance, fans in major league ballparks better be ready for some souvenirs. He sure is primed to give them out.

Can Michael Pineda handle the pressure that comes with pitching in New York? (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The New York Yankees have always been potent offensively. The lack of consistent starting pitching has been their downfall. On Friday, the front office did its part to try to rectify the problem. In the early evening, they signed former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda to a one-year deal worth $10 million. It was what they pulled off a few hours earlier, however, that has the greatest potential to turn a weakness into a strength.

Michael Pineda, a 22-year-old from the Dominican Republic who had a tremendous rookie season with the Seattle Mariners in 2011, was traded to the Yankees for one of their top prospects, catcher Jesus Montero. These two young players aren’t household names, but their futures are bright. And this deal could easily be a win-win for teams currently on opposite ends of the spectrum.

“The risk for both clubs is low,” wrote MLB.com’s Bernie Pleskoff. “The reward for both clubs is outstanding. This could be a transformational deal that will have fans of both clubs buzzing about for a long time.”

New York puts every player under a microscope, and Pineda should already be feeling some pressure. Judging by his performance last season, expectations deserve to be very high. He had formed a very solid one-two punch with Felix Hernandez atop Seattle’s rotation. He won only nine of his 28 starts, largely because he was backed by a terrible offense. He posted a 3.74 ERA, and struck out 173 batters while allowing just 133 hits in 171 innings. Pineda heads to the Bronx with a live arm, a imposing 6’7″, 260-pound frame, and a repertoire featuring three polished pitches. He has the talent to be dominant, but can he handle the stress that comes with pitching in such a hostile environment? The discouraging success rate of young pitchers in pinstripes isn’t on his side, but his talent, demeanor, and maturity suggest he can break the trend.

For New York, it is worth finding out. He cooled off at the end of the season, but had a 2.61 ERA over the first three months. And even when he wasn’t at his best he kept his team in contention and pitched deep into games. He was an All-Star. He allowed two earned runs or less 15 times. And he is under team control for five more years. This is why the asking price was Montero, a 6’3″, 235-pound hitting machine. And if Pineda is able to handle life on the big stage and, in turn, lives up to his potential, the Yankees won’t have any regrets, no matter what Montero does.

All indications are that Montero will do a lot. Considering the Mariners gave up a top-of-the-rotation starter, he better. It would be hard to argue with those people who say New York won this trade. Montero isn’t proven, and Pineda appears to be an awful lot to give up for someone with 61 major league at-bats. Who knows if Montero can hit big-league pitching. It is known that Pineda can make the game’s best hitters look silly. Still, there is reason for Seattle to feel comforted by the move, even though the word “potential” is a dangerous one.

The new Mariner has crushed opponents everywhere he has been. He hit .306 in the minor leagues spread over six levels. He hit .328 with four homers and 12 rbi’s in 18 games with the Yankees. He is only 22 years old and doesn’t turn 23 until November 28th. “I gave up a ton,” New York General Manager Brian Cashman said. “To me, Montero is Mike Piazza. He is Miguel Cabrera.”

Comparisons to Piazza and Cabrera are incredibly premature, but just show how good Cashman thinks he can be. Though he may not live up to them, there are many reasons why the GM had a difficult time parting with him. He has power to all fields, a good eye at the plate, and has consistently proven to be a solid contact hitter. The team desperately needed someone with his skill, as they ranked dead last in baseball in runs scored. Based solely on his offensive potential, it’s a perfect fit. He is seen as a below-average defensive catcher, so there is a question as to what position he will play long-term. That could come to hurt Seattle, but if he can put the critics to bed and be respectable as their everyday catcher Seattle will benefit greatly by his presence.

There aren’t many trades made that include this much young talent. And it doesn’t just stop at Pineda and Montero. Twenty-four-year-old pitcher Hector Noesi was also sent to Seattle, adding to its terrific up-and-coming crop of young arms. Nineteen-year-old pitcher Jose Campos was sent to New York. They are more than just throw-ins; the deal doesn’t lose any of its balance by their inclusion.

On Noesi, Pleskoff wrote:

Noesi has the ability to start or come out of the bullpen. He throws his fastball in the mid-90s, but he also has an effective curveball and changeup. He still needs to work on his breaking pitches, as they have a tendency to flatten out at times. When that happens, Noesi is prone to giving up long fly balls, some of which make their way out of the park. Seattle will be well suited for Noesi, who should thrive in the large park.

On Campos, Pleskoff wrote:

Many see Campos as a younger edition of Pineda. He is imposing physically at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds. He throws a very reliable, high-velocity fastball. While Campos lacks the experience and polish of Pineda, he is only 19. Pitching for Class A Everett last season, Campos went 5-5 and yielded just 66 hits in 81 innings, walking just 13 while fanning 85 for a stunning 0.97 WHIP. Scouts are very bullish about Campos, and it’s a bit surprising he was included along with Pineda in the deal for Montero.

Though they have their upside, Noesi and Campos won’t make the immediate impact Montero and Pineda will. The latter two have should have a resounding effect on their new teams this coming season. One goes to Seattle, which is trying to get out of the American League West’s basement. The other goes to New York, which looks to live up to its yearly championship aspirations. The two franchises are in different stages of development, but this exciting trade will keep both going in the right direction.

McGrady, lanky and lazy-eyed, standing 6’8″, 225 pounds, was on the top of his game at the time of that amazing performance. He was in his first year with the Rockets after four incredibly productive albeit stressful seasons with the dismal Orlando Magic. Unlike in Orlando, where he was the offense, the gifted scorer had a respectable supporting cast that would consistently contend in a hotly contested Western Conference. And he flourished.

That first season in Houston, he played in 78 of 82 games and averaged 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists per game. He was only 25, yet already in his eighth NBA season. He was a high-flyer, soaring for effortless dunks. He would also launch from three-point range at will and take the most acrobatic twos. He had no conscience. His memory was short. He was given the green light and he didn’t disappoint. And he was one of the most electrifying players the game had to offer. Then, gradually, a once oh-so promising career of a seven-time All Star turned hard to watch.

This ensuing decline was in large part due to injuries. His back hampered him, then his knees did. He played in only 47 of 82 games in his second season with Houston, missed 12 more the next, was sidelined 16 more the next, and then, following arthroscopic knee surgery, he managed to appear in just 35 games in the 2006-2007 season and 32 in the 2007-2008 season.

Incredibly injury-prone and having lost a step or two, the man they call T-Mac wasn’t the same. He didn’t have nearly the same explosiveness. His production, not surprisingly, dipped. He was traded from Houston to New York in 2007. He wasn’t even a shell of his former self. He was a ghost. The Tracy McGrady of old had become a 29-year-old with a bum knee, dwindling confidence, a new climate, and a minimized role. There were rightfully questions as to what kind of impact he could make. The downfall, which was far from his fault, was saddening.

There was still hope. He didn’t give up. He was still out there trying to resurrect a career he never thought would need resurrecting. And he showed flashes of brilliance, as New York turned into Detroit, where he played in 72 games–the most since his first season with Houston. More than half of his appearances came as a starter, and overall he was a solid contributor. The pretty shot was still there.

He was still hesitant, though; by his play, it was clear he had undergone reconstructive knee surgery. He didn’t go after loose balls as urgently as he used to, nor could he come off screens as fast. He didn’t look confident going up for rebounds in traffic. He had his moments that flashed back to his hey-day, but all in all he just looked slow. He wasn’t the player who stunned San Antonio that December evening all those years ago.

He could have been so good. He is the typical “what if?” player. Just thinking about how much potential he had to be truly great made his days final years in Houston and his cups of coffee with the Knicks and Pistons so hard to watch.

He entered this past offseason without a team, then, two days before his seven-year anniversary of that magical game against San Antonio, he reached an agreement with the Atlanta Hawks. They knew losing sixth-man extraordinaire Jamal Crawford was a distinct possibility. They hoped McGrady, now 32 and a 14-year veteran, could fill his shoes. For the first time in many years, he felt healthy.

The shooting guard, who was named to seven consecutive all-star teams during his glorious yet shortened prime, is enjoying basketball again. He is pain-free and is making the most of his opportunity.

“It feels good,” McGrady told the Atlanta Journal-Constitutional. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had that feeling. My legs feel fresh. Everything just feels good. It feels right. That’s a good sign. I haven’t felt this good in a long time, probably since the beginning of my knee injury.”

Fittingly, he had a flashback to his hey-day. The 3-1 Hawks took on the 4-1 Miami Heat as the underdog playing on the road. The game was close early in the fourth. Then it wasn’t. McGrady came alive. He had a hand in 23 of Atlanta’s 33 fourth-quarter points, turning a 71-67 deficit into a 100-92 victory. He scored 13 of those. Six came on a pair of three-pointers off feeds from point-guard Jeff Teague to ice the win late.

In eight games this season, he is averaging nine points in 21 minutes, shooting 50 percent from the field. He has made five of six three-pointers, none bigger than the two daggers that sunk the Heat. He may not have the same hop in his step, but on that night he was the Tracy McGrady I remember–the player who had opposing coaches, including the Spurs’ Greg Poppovich on that December night, scratching their heads as if to say, ‘What can you do?’.  And he drew his fair share of praise.

“He’s been doing big things for us,” teammate Joe Johnson told Fox Sports South. “He made some clutch plays out there and did what a veteran like that is supposed to do. He made plays.”

“He played exceptionally well,” added Heat star forward LeBron James. “When you’re born a scorer, you’re always a scorer. No matter what may happen to athleticism or anything like that, he’s a natural born scorer and we saw that tonight.”

And, if he remains healthy, we’ll continue to see it. He didn’t have 13 points in 35 seconds again, but his 13 points in a quarter proved just how much he has left in the tank. And what he said following the win over the Rockets could have been said after his clutch play eight years later against the Heat:

“I was just trying to do whatever I could to get a shot up,” he told TNT’s Craig Sager after the 81-80 win over the Spurs. “My will just took over and it was knocking down shots for me. Anytime I got the ball in my hand and any room that I got to get off a shot, I was gonna let it go.”

Tracy McGrady may not be the player he once was or have had the career he and so many others envisioned, but the scoring mentality that made him so dangerous in his prime still makes him lethal. That may be enough for him, and it’s certainly enough for Atlanta.

Javy Lopez supplied a high average and plenty of power for the consistently successful Braves.

Twenty-seven names are on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot for the class of 2012, and none of them are shoe-ins to be enshrined. The announcement comes Monday, and though most of the game’s former stars aren’t worthy this becomes a time to reminiscence and remember just how good they were.

Tim Raines Sr., Alan Trammel, Jeff Bagwell, Edgar Martinez, Barry Larkin, Fred McGriff, Larry Walker, Bernie Williams, Jack Morris, and Mark McGwire are on the ballot of ESPN’s Jim Caple. Each of these players had tremendous careers. Some may surpass the 75 percent needed to be inducted at some point during their stay on the ballot. Others, rightfully not on Caple’s ballot, aren’t thought of as Hall of Fame material yet were very successful. Bill Mueller and Javy Lopez are two such players.

They represent two periods of my life. Growing up, I passionately followed the Atlanta Braves. Then I followed the Boston Red Sox. These two teams had so many talented and likable stars. Lopez and Mueller, stars at different stages of my childhood, were two of them.

Lopez caught for the Braves for the better part of 12 years. He came up in 1992, hit his first homer in 1993, struggled in his rookie season of 1994, and then found his stride. He never played in more than 134 games in a season for the team but he sure was productive. He was never heralded as a good defensive catcher, but he worked well with the staff and was renowned for his bat. He had the pleasure to catch Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz, three future Hall of Famers, and was a consistent power threat. He was more than a home-run hitter, though. He was smart, had a keen eye, hit for a high average, and did his part in creating some of the most successful teams baseball has ever seen.

He hit 20-plus homers six times in his 15-year career. His best season was in 2003, his last in Atlanta, when he batted .328 with 43 homers, 109 rbi’s, and a fifth-place finish in the MVP voting. During his glory days with the Braves, the right-handed hitter complimented the Jones Boys–Chipper and Andruw–well, forming a dangerous trio. I had the pleasure to watch most of the team’s games, as they were broadcast on TBS. My grandmother loved Atlanta, and, as early as my toddler stage, I came to, too. Lopez was just one of many Braves who fueled a love for baseball, and who made my childhood that much more enjoyable.

Bill Mueller, noted Yankee killer, could hit with the best of them.

While Lopez was mashing homers in 2003, I was following another team intently: the Red Sox. Mueller, a 5’10″, 180-pound third baseman, was an integral part of their effort to reverse the Curse of the Bambino. He wasn’t intimidating. He just simply knew how to hit. He won the batting title in 2003, his first of three seasons with Boston, by hitting .326. He had a .398 on-base percentage–one of three Red Sox in the top seven in that category, joining Manny Ramirez and Trot Nixon–and a higher slugging percentage than New York Yankees’ Jason Giambi. He clubbed 45 doubles and crushed 19 homers. These four statistics were, and would remain, career-highs in each category.

After Aaron Boone’s infamous and gut-wrenching drive down the left-field line in Game 7 of the ALCS ended Boston’s 2003 season, Mueller was unable to stay fully healthy in 2004 but still put up respectable numbers. He hit .283 with a .365 on-base percentage in 110 games and redeemed himself in the postseason after struggling in the 2003 edition.

Mueller had 1,229 hits in his career but none were bigger than his single in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the great Mariano Rivera and his New York Yankees. What happened is engrained in baseball lore. With his team down 3-0 in the series and facing elimination, Kevin Millar worked a two-out walk, with Boston behind by one, and was lifted for pinch-runner Dave Roberts. The speedy outfielder took an incredibly long lead, was nearly picked off, and then, with Mueller at the plate, stole second base by an eyelash. The tying run was in scoring position and Mueller, who hit Rivera well throughout his career, laced the second pitch he saw for single up the middle to score Roberts. The rest is history.

“We talk about my walk,” Millar said in ESPN’s beautiful ’30 for 30′ segment. “We’ll talk about Roberts’ stolen base. But we forget about that at-bat that Billy Mueller had off Mariano Rivera. He had to hit a ball to the right side. And this was probably the only guy in our lineup that did a lot of damage off Mariano.”

Watching and re-watching Mueller’s single and Roberts speeding homer gave me chills. Tears weren’t far behind. It was amazing. Mueller, such a gifted hitter, was amazing.

Many players on the Hall of Fame ballot are common names. He and Lopez aren’t. They flew under the radar. Gaudy numbers weren’t put up by the either, but they were consistently good and immensely valuable to their teams. Looking back, I think how much fun it was to live and die with them and their teams. I remember the joy they produced, how beloved they were.

Their production doesn’t warrant enshrinement, but that doesn’t take away from what they accomplished. They shouldn’t be forgotten, and they never will be by me, representing two incredibly joyful periods of my baseball-filled childhood.

Chip Kelly and Darron Thomas celebrate the Ducks 45-38 Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin. (Photo: Reuters/Danny Moloshok)

Entering the 2012 Rose Bowl against the dangerous Wisconsin Badgers, the Oregon Ducks were trying to get a couple of monkeys off their back. They hadn’t won this particular bowl in since 1917, and, more importantly, they hadn’t won a monumental game against a marquee opponent in recent memory.

There was the Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State in 2010. Then there was the National Championship loss last year, the close defeat to LSU to begin this season, and the loss to USC that dashed their hopes of returning to the title game. The Ducks have been rightfully renowned over the past few years as a dangerous team. Yet, not as a team that has prevailed under the bright lights. This year, in this game, on January 2nd, they could shred that label, finally prove their true worth, and get one of the biggest victories in school history.

Darron Thomas, Lavasier Tuinei, De’Anthony Thomas, LaMichael James, and Kiko Alonso, among others, made that happen. And for the first time in a long time, roses would be clenched between the teeth of the Ducks, a collective group of talented players oh-so deserving of this moment.

The former Thomas has regressed this season, but delivered when his team needed him most. He made some ill-advised decisions, some of which paying off, but was all in all a smart decision-maker in leading Oregon down the field against the Badgers. It helped that he had Tuinei, Thomas, and James by his side.

De’Anthony, the electrifying true freshman running back returning to southern California, sparked Oregon on two occasions–first, when the going was tough and when a win was in sight. They were on opposite ends of the spectrum–one tying the game at 14 and the other taking a late lead. The bursts were extraordinary, but nothing his teammates, coaches, and fans haven’t seen before. He was a blur, even when he slowed down. A 91-yard touchdown run and another for 64 yards. And after the game, according to The Register-Guard‘s Rob Moseley, he said his goal this offseason is to improve his speed. For someone who blew past Wisconsin for a Rose Bowl-record 314 all-purpose yards, that’s a scary thought.

He doesn’t need much improvement, but entering the Rose Bowl Darron, Tuinei, and Alonso sure did. They have all been underwhelming this season; Tuinei simply hasn’t produced, Darron has been inaccurate, and Alonso has been just average, with plenty of off-the-field problems haunting him. They needed to deliver. And all three joined De’Anthony in stepping up to help produce one of the school’s more meaningful victories. Tuinei had eight catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Darron threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns. And Alonso had five tackles, two sacks, and an interception. He was the defensive MVP. Tuinei was the offensive MVP.

The Ducks benefited greatly from Alonso’s diving interception, a play that was considered by many teammates to be the game’s most pivotal. There was also the fumble recovery near the sideline that had head coach Chip Kelly jumping for joy, and then miscue by Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson on the game’s final play; a spike that left zeroes on the clock and Oregon jubilantly rushing onto the field. Oregon, behind a little luck and a lot of talent, confidence, and composure, won on the big stage for the first time in a long time.

In winning, the Ducks became more than an electrifying team with flashy uniforms and helmets. They had the newest combination: incredibly shiny helmets and eerily cool uniforms that glowed in the night. This time, the wide array of talent backed up Nike’s creativity and delivered on the field.

Entering the game, it was hard not to give the Badgers the edge. The Ducks were going up against a record-setting running back in Montee Ball, a quarterback in Wilson who threw only three interceptions all season, and an offensive line that averages well over 300 pounds per player. It was a tall task, but they rose to the challenge and are, as a result, smelling roses. The offense played smart, made the right reads, and kept their miscues to a minimum. The defense tightened in the second half, took advantage of mistakes, and shut down Ball. And the offense simply outplayed Wisconsin’s when it needed to.

This Rose Bowl victory will do for now, but it isn’t what the set out to do at the start of the season. One big win down, another to go. And they may yet get an opportunity to accomplish that ultimate goal. It sounds like James, who had 159 yards in the 45-38 triumph, might return for his senior season–to be a part of this immensely talented and cohesive group, to chase the only item left on the list, a championship.

“I feel like we’re going to be more awesome next year,” De’Anthony said. Coming off this incredibly satisfying victory, they can be.

Can Michael Redd's career be resurrected in Phoenix?

Michael Redd’s 11-year NBA journey has taken him down many welcoming and unwelcoming streets. He went from a second-round draft pick to an All Star to the face of Milwaukee’s franchise to an injury-prone lucrative contract with a surgically repaired knee to potentially having nothing left to give at the young age of 32. Yet, after waiting and waiting for a chance, he will have the opportunity to prove he can still contribute. The Phoenix Suns have signed the 6’6″ shooting guard to a one-year contract.

What he can bring to the table is up in the air. Nonetheless, team President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby is happy to have him aboard and is confident in his abilities.

“Michael Redd has a proven pedigree as a first-rate NBA scorer,” he said. “He will work with our renowned training staff to get into basketball shape. When he is ready to play, Michael will be a welcome addition to our team.”

Redd isn’t in game shape yet. According to the Arizona Republic, he was winded after his workout with the team on Tuesday. Despite his current condition, the Suns saw enough to give him a chance. And he thinks he can make a significant impact.

“I want to play at the elite level that I’m accustomed to playing at,” Redd said, according to the paper. “I asked all the doctors this last surgery, ‘Can I play at the level I’m accustomed to playing at,’ and they said, ‘Yeah.’ That’s the goal for me, to come back and to play at an elite level — to do what I normally do and to have fun. More than anything, have fun and play without worrying about pain.”

Given his injury history, the reputation of the Suns medical staff only increased his interest in signing with the team.

“That was big,” he said. “That was one of the things that really drew me to this organization was the fact that they have an incredible medical staff. I wanted to be a part of that to get better, but I feel great.”

Pain-free and equipped with high expectations, Redd deserves to live up to his lofty goals. For a time, years ago, he was consistently electrifying, with a smooth, effortless lefty-stroke. Defenses couldn’t take an eye off him for one second, as his quick release and incredible range led to dazzling performance after dazzling performance. If he can be a solid role player, that would be tremendous. If he can indeed be the player he once was–the player he thinks he can be, even coming off multiple knee surgeries–that would be truly remarkable.

His left knee, which has been torn to shreds the past couple years, was examined for precautionary reasons before his signing the one-year deal worth the league’s veteran minimum. He had only played in 61 games over the previous three seasons, including only 10 games last season. He is 29 in NBA years, and if his knee holds up, the Suns could be in for a treat.

Redd should have a significant role on Phoenix. The team is not what it once was. Amar’e Stoudemire is long gone. Steve Nash is old. And the supporting cast is far from championship-caliber. There is a definitive need for what he can bring. The team scored only 83 points in Wednesday night’s 20-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. They had only 34 points at halftime. And their guard depth consists of Grant Hill, who is serviceable at age 39, streaky Shannon Brown, minimally used Josh Childress, and young, unproven point guards Ronnie Price and Sebastian Telfair. The team’s only dependable scoring threats are Hill and star point guard Steve Nash, and even they are showing their age. Redd, if healthy, should be a breath of fresh air.

Having watched the sad, rapid decline and sudden retirement of Brandon Roy, another player who was once the face of a franchise, it is nice to see someone with similarly bad knees be able to not only continue playing but believe he can still be great.  And for Redd to be someone I followed intently over his glorious prime makes this chance that much more joyful. He went from perennial All Star to the operating table. Can he be the player he was all those years ago? Once an incredibly dangerous scorer, a confident unknown awaits.

Josh Reddick, who was believed to be the future in right-field, goes from Boston to Oakland. (Photo: Reuters/Adam Hunger)

The Oakland Athletics are known for Moneyball, both the book and the film, and General Manager Billy Beane, who was behind the philosophy, is continuing the cycle. Heading the low-payroll American League team, he has consistently been unable to afford to retain star players. This offseason, he has once again turned those stars into talented youth, trading three All-Stars pitchers in an effort to rebuild once more.

The latter of the three sent packing, 27-year-old closer Andrew Bailey, was acquired by the Boston Red Sox for 24-year-old right-fielder Josh Reddick and two lower level minor-leaguers. Compared to the trades that put Trevor Cahill in Arizona and Gio Gonzalez in Washington, this move didn’t require a king’s ransom of minor-leaguers. Nonetheless, Beane added three prospects to the seven he received for the Cahill and Gonzalez.

The deal was immediately perceived by many in the media to be a win for Boston. They get a young closer, appearing to fill a void, for an outfielder Boston’s brass evidently thinks can be easily replaced. Contrary to this belief, it is hard not to see this decision by new General Manager Ben Cherington as strange. The reasons are clear, revolving around Reddick’s inclusion.

The outfielder didn’t put together incredible numbers last season but he was consistent and more than serviceable. He hit .280 with seven homers and 28 rbi’s. His future prospects were bright, too, which is the main reason why parting with him may prove problematic for the Red Sox. Over a full season, he could have been great. And instead of giving him that chance, of having a fan-favorite with experience and a great deal of confidence in right-field, the team is deservedly left scrambling for a replacement.

The in-house options include Ryan Sweeney, who was acquired along with Bailey, Darnell McDonald, and Mike Aviles. Sweeney is a career .283 hitter spread in limited action spread over five seasons. His best performance at the plate came in 2009 with Oakland, when he hit .294 with 31 doubles in 134 games. He is renowned for his defense, having made only four errors in his career while playing all three outfield positions. Right-field is tricky to defend, with the treacherous corner that can act as a pinball machine, so it appears he is a good fit. This may be the case, but he is nonetheless an underwhelming option to take over full-time for Reddick. McDonald and Aviles, albeit serviceable, aren’t altogether appealing, either.

Boston didn’t need to make this move. That is why it is hard to back it. Bailey will be a good pitcher to have. He will be the Red Sox closer. Unless he can’t handle the pressure of pitching in Boston, he should succeed. And having Mark Melancon, who saved 20 games for the Houston Astros last season, as a set-up man should be a plus. There is a lot to like here. Yet, it would have been more appropriate to use Daniel Bard in the closer role, have Melancon set-up, keep Reddick as the everyday right-fielder, and throw some money at one of the starting pitchers left on the market. Instead, they are left with unknowns at Reddick’s position and Bard might be forced into a starting role. Who knows how he would perform. He may have struggled at times setting up Papelbon, but he deserves to be the closer if his ideal situation is to remain a reliever. That can’t happen now.

If Bard is moved into the rotation, Boston will have the chore of finding out what players at five important positions can do. This is why their offseason strategy has been a puzzling one thus far. They trade away important utility man Jed Lowrie, move an up-and-coming right-fielder, let closer Jonathan Papelbon go, and get two relievers who have never pitched for winning teams in such a hostile environment. While Beane continues to stock up on young players, Boston has some explaining to do.

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