Celtics Clinch Playoff Berth

The Boston Celtics clinched a postseason spot with their 98-93 win over the hapless Detroit Pistons. Jeff Green led the way with 34 points (on 13 of 19 shooting), 6 rebounds and 4 blocks. Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass both chipped in 17 points apiece as Boston improved its record to 39-36.

Though they got crushed on the boards (Greg Monroe snared 17 of them), the Celts compensated with lockdown defense. The Pistons shot below 37 percent from the floor and missed 20 of their 24 three-point attempts. Those paltry numbers can be mainly attributed to one man--Charlie Villanueva--who bricked all but two of his 17 attempted field goals and came up empty on all eight of his threes.

So with that, more than two months after losing Rajon Rondo for the season, Boston has a reason to celebrate. But their long, arduous journey is far from over; it has just begun.

Starting tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the seventh-ranked C's have just seven games left to try to improve their seeding. If they get hot and win five or six of those games they could leapfrog both the Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks in the standings to settle at fourth in the East, but that's unlikely to happen. The Celtics sputtered lately--5-9 over its past 14--and will be hard-pressed to fare much better with Doc Rivers expected to rest his starters. That means  Boston is going to battle either the New York Knicks or the Indiana Pacers in the first round.

Though it pains me to say this, they will probably lose, possibly in four.

Never mind the fact that Indy and New York are vastly superior teams. The C's have never been eliminated from the first round since the Big Three era began, but this could be the year they finally bow out before the conference semis. They're another year older and they'll really miss their star point guard, who always takes his game to another level during the postseason. It remains to be seen how effective Kevin Garnett will be on a bum ankle and creaky knees. In addition, this will be their first playoff run without clutch sharpshooter Ray Allen to bail them out with his late game heroics. Jason Terry, his replacement, has not lived up to expectations and needs to step up his game over the next few weeks. If Terry catches fire this team becomes much more dangerous offensively, but when he's slumping Pierce is the only true shooter capable of spreading the floor for Green, Avery Bradley and co. to attack the rim.

Terry's the X-Factor, and Boston needs him now more than ever.

Verlander, Posey Make Bank

Justin Verlander and Buster Posey just got a whole lot richer.

The best players at their respective positions (and former MVPs) became the most recent additions to baseball's ever-growing $100 million contract club. Following a winter in which David Wright, Evan Longoria, Zack Greinke, Josh Hamilton, and Felix Hernandez signed nine-figure contracts, Posey and Verlander secured massive paydays for themselves.

Posey inked a nine-year, $164 million contract extension with the San Francisco Giants to rival Joe Mauer's $184 million dollar deal for most money ever given to a backstop. Like Mauer, Posey is a fan favorite expected to be the face of his franchise. His deal includes a full no-trade clause as well as a club option for 2022, so it seems safe to say he'll stick around in San Francisco for the next decade at least.

Posey just turned 26 but has already accomplished more than many players do in their entire careers. He's been named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, and Comeback Player of the Year. He owns a pair of World Series rings, a batting title and a Silver Slugger award. He's started an All-Star Game and won a batting title. Better yet, he's just coming into his prime and should be a superstar for years to come.

Justin Verlander's extension makes his contract the richest for a pitcher in the history of the sport, topping the $175 million Seattle gave to Felix Hernandez in February. Verlander was already signed through 2014 and will rake in $20 million in both of the next two seasons before his five-year, $140 million contract kicks in. His deal also includes a $22 million vesting option for 2020.

Though the Tiger ace just turned 30, he's one of the sport's most durable hurlers, not to mention most dominant. I can't argue against paying top dollar for elite starting pitching because if there's any workhorse worth breaking the bank for, it's Verlander. The reigning AL champs can only hope that Verlander's career doesn't fizzle out in his 30s like Johan Santana's or Pedro Martinez's.

The real question is: which baseball star is next in line to re-up with his team for big money? Will the Yankees keep Robinson Cano? Can Boston afford Jacoby Ellsbury? Will the Giants invest in Tim Lincecum, too?

Only time will tell.

Sox Start 2013 on Right Foot

Last winter, the Boston Red Sox poured just as much time and energy into rehabbing their reputation as they did rebuilding their roster. One of their catch-phrases for the upcoming season was that 2013 would provide "162 chances to restore the faith." Red Sox management knows its going to take time to win back a fan base that became alienated by the team's recent downturn. The front office also knows that winning cures all, and fans will be quick to return if their Boys of Summer can contend for a playoff spot this year.

October is still a long ways away, but hopes are high after Boston's 8-2 Opening Day win over their arch-rivals at Yankee Stadium. While one win can't erase what happened last year or the nightmarish September that preceded it, it's a start.

Boston's new-look offense battered CC Sabathia to the tune of eight hits and four runs, all of which scored in the second inning, to drive the Yankee ace from the after the fifth inning. Jon Lester also departed after five, but spring training success carried over into the first game of the season. While the Yankees are nowhere near full strength, it was still encouraging to see Lester limit New York to two runs and five hits while striking out seven.

Lester threw 96 pitches before entrusting his 4-2 lead to Boston's bullpen, hailed by many during the preseason as the team's greatest strength. Koji Uehara, Andrew Miller, Andrew Bailey, Junichi Tazawa, and Joel Hanrahan (all expertly deployed by John Farrell) held the Yankees to just one hit--a Travis Hafner single--and no runs over the final four frames to preserve Lester's first win of the season. Meanwhile, the Sox scratched out another run in the seventh, then tagged Joba Chamberlain for three runs in the ninth to put the game away.

New York hadn't suffered an Opening Day loss at home since 1982, kickstarting a disappointing season in which the Bronx Bombers went 79-83 and finished fifth in the AL East. Given their aging roster and slew of injuries, history may very well repeat itself here in 2013.

Some other notes from Boston's encouraging win:

• Shane Victorino, Boston's most-criticized offseason move, stroked two singles and and knocked in three runs. Jonny Gomes also had a pair of hits in his Boston debut along with an intentional walk and run scored. Mike Napoli struggled, going hitless in five at-bats (two strikeouts) and leaving four men on base
• Jackie Bradley Jr. looked good in his big league debut, drawing three walks/exhibiting the plate discipline that fueled his .423 minor league OBP. He also flashed his speed while making a sensational catch on a long drive off the bat of Robinson Cano
• Speaking of patience, the Red Sox worked eight walks on Monday. Only the Royals walked less frequently last year, so hopefully this is a sign Boston will return to its tried-and-true strategy of grinding out at-bats and taking pitches. Even Jarrod Saltalamacchia--he of the .288 OBP since joining Boston--drew three walks. If you're looking for this week's sign of the apocalypse, look no further
• Jose Iglesias had an interesting day at the dish, stranding six runners but recording three infield singles as well as an RBI and run scored. Leave it to the light-hitting Iglesias to get three base knocks without hitting the ball out of the infield 
• Former Red Sox fan favorite Kevin Youkilis doubled (New York's only extra base hit of the day) and scored a run in his first game in pinstripes

Notes From Opening Night

The 2013 baseball season began with last night's interleague game between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. I don't think anybody gave Houston's glorified Triple-A team much of a chance to win, so it was shocking to see the 'Stros pound their new division rivals by a score of 8-2. Bud Norris got the win, Matt Harrison took the loss and Erik Bedard earned the save.

Here are some more box score notes from the game:

• Ian Kinsler flew out in the first at-bat of 2013
• Jose Altuve recorded the first hit of the year and added an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth
• Rick Ankiel smacked the first home run of the year with a three-run bomb off Derek Lowe Ankiel was inserted into the game as a pinch-hitter for Brandon Barnes in the bottom of the sixth
• Nelson Cruz committed the first error the season (which led to an unearned run), but at least he made up for his mistake by going 2-for-3 at the dish with an RBI single and a walk
• Erik Bedard notched his first career save. Unlike a Mariano Rivera or Jonathan Papelbon, he actually had to work for his save, recording ten outs to finish what Norris started
• Lance Berkman performed well in his Rangers debut, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. A.J. Pierzynski didn't do quite as well; 1-for-4 with a strikeout
• Justin Maxwell ripped two triples, more three-baggers in one game than many hitters will over the course of an entire season. Additionally, he and Altuve were the only Astros not to strike out last night
• Both teams combined for 15 hits--12 singles, Maxwell's triples, and Ankiel's home run
• The game ran three hours long

Happy Opening Day! 

A-Rod Out-earns Astros

Alex Rodriguez will make more money than all the Houston Astros combined.

That's crazy. One player is going to earn more than an entire team, and considering that baseball teams field 25-man rosters, that is quite impressive.

A-Rod is no longer a superstar, but he still gets paid like one. He's set to collect $29 million in 2013, making him the sport's highest paid player for the 13th straight season. The lowly Astros, by comparison, have trimmed their payroll to $25 million, equal to Cliff Lee's salary and easily the lowest in baseball. They've lost more than 100 games in each of the past two seasons and aren't expected to do much better after moving to the American League West.

Rodriguez's outlook isn't much brighter. He's expected to miss the entire first half as he works his way back from offseason hip surgery, and Brian Cashman acknowledged it's possible that the three-time MVP won't play at all this year.

 A-Rod isn't the only pricey player opening the season on the Disabled List, though. Teammate Mark Teixeira (price tag: $23.1 million) is on the mend until May with a strained wrist. Johan Santana ($24.6 million) might never pitch ago after going under the knife for a second shoulder surgery. Rodriguez's injury is serious, but the Yankees and their fans should be thankful (or not) that at least it isn't career-threatening.

But even if he comes roaring back with a monster second half, he still won't do enough to earn his paycheck. The market rate for a win above replacement is about $5 million these days, meaning Rodriguez would have to be worth six wins to justify his earnings. He hasn't had a season that good since 2008 and has averaged 3.6 bWAR per year since. Given his age (37), eroding skills and inability to stay healthy, it's safe to say he will be grossly overpaid until the day he retires.