FanHouse Woody Paige

Tony Kornheiser really is an insufferable clown. It pains me to write that because for almost 30 years he was one of the best sportswriters in the country, but since cutting back (and eventually leaving) his Washington Post gig, and being named the third wheel in the Monday Night Football booth, he's gone from respected newspaperman to Woody Paige light. In case there's any confusion, that's not a compliment.

During the first two MNF games, Mr. Tony spent equal time yelling about Brett Favre -- even though, you know, the Jets weren't playing -- and making inane observations while talking over boothmates Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski, two guys made infinitely more interesting by comparison.

And now, with the Chargers and Jets facing off this Monday night, guess where Kornheiser will focus his attention? Yep, it's FAVRE-MANIA! Or something.

Woody Paige is, of course, insane. But I suppose he borders on reasonable enough -- the idea that Colorado should trade Matt Holliday is in fact a good one -- that we give him a pass. However, when you look at what he thinks Colorado should consider getting in return for its MVP runner-up, well, there is no way you can legitimately rationalize that he knows where he is or what he is doing.

His first idea -- Holliday and Garrett Atkins or Brad Hawpe for Cliff Lee, a middle reliever and an outfield prospect -- is closer to reality than the rest of his thoughts, but it's a bad deal for the Rockies. And not because of Lee's "four superb pitches", either! The rest, though, are borderline insane.

Or, consider: The Rockies acquire Cleveland pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who got off to a terrible start before settling. It would be 2007 Cy Young winner for MVP runner-up.

Sabathia will be a free agent at the conclusion of the season. But it would make sense for dollars to the proven 27-year-old left-hander - probably close to $100 million over five years. He would be precious for years for the Rockies' pitching staff. The Monforts have to get over the Hampton/Neagle debacle. There is a humidor at the ballpark, and the Rockies always need a (No. 1) starter.

Yes, adding a #1 starter would be nice. But who is more likely to re-sign as a Rockie? The hitter with the home splits that make him look like Hercules ... or the pitcher in a place where pitchers stink? Exactly. But wait! There's more!

And if he had a Hall of Fame vote, by george -- and thank God he doesn't -- he'd be voting Brady Anderson straight in:

"It happens to everybody. You age and you stop playing -- although he seems to have the fountain of youth, somehow," Ripken said recently of Anderson. "He came over in the Mike Boddicker trade and Boddicker's locker was next to mine, so he ended up coming into that locker. We struck up a friendship from that point.

"I don't know how many votes he's going to get, [but] I'll vote for him."

"Brady was pretty much my best friend in baseball, and I enjoyed spending time with him," Ripken said. "It's really weird now, because I don't get a chance to see him as much. We get busy doing other things. As he refers to it, it's the offseason all the time now. Brady's in fantastic shape and it looks like he can still play. I guess he's on the ballot because he's been out five years now. I didn't know he was out that long. It seemed like he was still playing long after I retired."

Unfortunately for Anderson, he is not a Hall of Famer by any standards, even if you throw out the pretty persuasive steroid suspicions surrounding his career. A cursory glance at Anderson's statistics doesn't reveal a Hall of Fame player; it reveals an above-league average player with a short shelf life and one unbelievable season. Fortunately, despite what Woody Paige might tell you, "friendship" isn't grounds for Hall of Fame induction. If only.

If you need further evidence that the Baseball Writer's Association of America has no idea what's actually going on, I think I have some clinching evidence for you. A few weeks ago the BBWAA voted to extend voting credentials to online writers but left out Keith Law and Rob Neyer, two of the better online-only baseball writers out there. The general scutttlebut was that because they were mostly stat-oriented guys, they're going to have a serious problems getting a vote. That's all well and good, but Woody Paige still has a vote. Check out some choice excerpts from his latest column about who he's voting for this year:

[Goose] Gossage - During a visit to Yankee Stadium in the late 1970s, I wanted to talk to Goose, but was told he was cruel and gruff to reporters. I sheepishly introduced myself and said I was from Colorado, his home state, and he talked pleasantly for 30 minutes. We've been good friends since. I would vote for him even if he wasn't deserving.

Jim Rice - He has been shut out for 13 years, mainly because he primarily was a DH.

[Dale] Murphy - ... I vote for Rockies. He was who a ballplayer should be. And he always remembers my name. I'm a sap.

I'm not going to fisk this thing Fire Joe Morgan style (I have a feeling they'll be all over this soon), but of the nine guys Paige says he's voting for, two made the list because he's friends with them. Also, Jim Rice played over 1500 games in the outfield and just a little over 500 at DH, but Paige didn't even bother to look that up. And he's soliciting reader requests to help fill his ballot out. But because he's not a stat-head, Woody Paige still totally knows more about baseball than Rob Neyer.

Via BBTF

There is little doubt that Peter Forsberg is one of the best playoff performers in NHL history. If you had to build a playoff team based on players in their prime, Forsberg would definitely rank up with Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, and Bobby Orr among those I would snap up with the first overall pick. Sure, the guy dives more than an Italian soccer player during the World Cup, but Forsberg's as clutch as they come.

Sadly, his career has been marred by a series of very serious injures ... one after another after another after another ... Forsberg's been broken more times than Humpty Dumpty, and it's always a wonder to me why he keeps coming back for more punishment. For a guy who has accomplished everything a hockey player could want, Forsberg seems determined to break every bone in his body playing the game he loves.

While he should just retire while he can still walk upright, Forsberg is likely to try to come back for one more season. Woody Paige of the Denver Post would like it to be in Colorado.

The Swede's stellar National Hockey League career should not end at 33 after a yearlong NHL lockout, a 1 1/2-year stay in Philadelphia, a short stint in Nashville, free agency with no interest, another injury and another surgery and an abrupt retirement or dismissal - without a final faceoff or a sweeping shot around the post, or a pirouetting pass to Sakic for the goal, or the ringing cheers of an adoring, appreciative Colorado crowd.

Forsberg gave up his youth, his country and a major body part to skate among us as one of the premier two-way players in hockey history. We should not let him leave yet

Ahh, fantasies aside, would it be worth it for Colorado, or any club, to sign Forsberg as a free agent at this stage?