Brian From Pearl River, NY: 

-What are the Yankees chances for signing Cliff Lee?

I would peg the Yankees chances somewhere in the 40-45% range. As for the rest of his suitors I think the Rangers are a close 2nd somewhere in the 35-40% range, with the Nationals trailing at about 10%. For the remaining 10% I think is split between a number of potentially interested teams (Angel, Red Sox, etc.) that look like long shots (or at least longer shots) now but could become interested.

I think the Nationals can make the strongest case in regards to money, which might seem crazy considering the Yankees reputation with spending, but I believe that even they have their limits. The Nationals only have one player (Ryan Zimmerman) who is definitely part of their long term future making any significant amount of cash. Other players like Willingham and Dunn could be extended/resigned but they aren’t the cornerstones like Zimmerman. Two years ago the Nationals offered Mark Teixeira more money than anyone, so it wouldn’t shock me to see them go down that road again. Yankees might seem like they are made of money, but I don’t know if they are really willing to add a contract equal to or greater than Sabathia’s.

The Rangers can probably get competitive when it comes to money, but I’m sure it will be creative as well. They will likely try to keep Lee at roughly $20 million a year, but that might not be enough to keep him. Texas can offer Lee the comfort of knowing the organization and having a bright future. They are also the closest to his Arkansas home town, which could be a benefit. The Rangers though don’t have the infinite resources to keep Lee. Right now they are flush with money due to their postseason run, but the Rangers can’t base their contract to Lee completely on postseason revenues.

The Yankees of course have the best chance considering they have the need, money and prestige to offer to Lee. Although the Yankees contract offer could be slightly beaten by the Nationals (they won’t be able to offer $30 million a year or something outlandish like that), it won’t be outclassed. New York also offers almost guaranteed postseason appearances, and plenty of wonderful baseball history to fall back on. Also, it is a bit easier to lure free agents with guys like Jeter, A-Rod and Sabathia shilling for you, compared to Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond and John Lannan. Lee could be swayed by playing with a collection of All-Stars, but it is possible (albeit slightly) that he might view that as a drawback.

Despite Cliff Lee being dominate these past three years and pitching a number of big playoff games, his stature of being one of the games elite pitchers is still understated. Lee right now should be mentioned among the top 5 starters in the game, and you could even make the case that he is better than Sabathia, but I believe most fans would still peg him as a notch below. Lee might not want to be overshadowed by all the Yankees stars, and that could end up being something that keeps him in Texas or looking at a dark horse contender.

In the end though I think the Yankees get their man thought I think it will cost them slightly more than Sabathia did. Lee is worth it though and he will go a long way to making fans forget A.J. Burnett if he can’t return to form.

Julie From Miami, Fl: 

-With the season getting underway who are your NBA playoff picks, and who do you think will take home the hardware (MVP, 6th man etc.) this year?

I will give my power rankings for each conference (Top 8 teams apiece) as well as my conference picks for MVP, ROY and 6th man:

First up Eastern Conference:

1. Miami Heat
2. Orlando Magic
3. Boston Celtics
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Atlanta Hawks
6. New Jersey Nets
7. Milwaukee Bucks
8. Indiana Pacers

The top 5 spots in this conference are extremely strong, but it completely tapers off once you get past Atlanta. With the weakness at the bottom don’t be shocked if the Knicks, Wizards or Raptors challenge for a playoff spot.

I realize it isn’t really going out on a limb to pick the Heat, but they are just too deep of a team to ignore. And his lack of media savvy aside, LeBron James is the best player in league. Now he has a top notch supporting cast, and I think it is going to propel this team to the top. They won’t just be handed the East though, as the Magic, Celtics, Bulls, and Hawks (to a lesser extent) have the talent to challenge them. I just don’t know if it will end up happening. While you have got to love Dwight Howard, the rest of the Magic hype is built more on their depth than star power. I don’t know if they can outlast Miami in a 7 game serious. Boston is loaded with star talent and has plenty of depth, but it is a very old roster, and they might not have the ability to run with the younger teams when they get to the playoffs. Chicago added a nice inside presence with Boozer this offseason, but he is injured to start the season. Chicago also needs Ronnie Brewer to step up as a SG to compliment Rose. Atlanta is an interesting team as they have a ton of young talent, but they don’t have the superstar or 2, to match up with James, Rondo, Rose etc. They also lack depth along their frontcourt that one injury could send this team in a major downward spiral.

MVP: Derrick Rose- While it is easy to say James or Wade from the Heat or maybe Rondo from the Celtics, they will have to do so much ball sharing that it will likely limit their ability to stand out. Rose on the other hand is still that team’s top scoring option, and he now has a reliable option down low, which should add to his assists total nicely. I also think Rose will continue his path to becoming an elite player, and he makes Chicago extremely dangerous.

ROY: John Wall- I think the top pick will get it done this year, and while I’m a bit wary of the talent around him, Wall should keep Washington competitive all year. They might not make the playoffs but they should at least be in the hunt. He will have plenty of chances to make his presence felt in Washington, and I thin he will be the top rookie when it is all said and done.

6th Man: Jamal Crawford- With Joe Johnson’s resigning, Crawford is once again going to be the best player in this league coming off the bench. Although he could end up being traded by the deadline, if he is with the Hawks he will be by far the best bench player in the league.

Western Conference:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. LA Lakers
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. New Orleans Hornets
5. Memphis Grizzlies
6. Portland Trail Blazers
7. Dallas Mavericks
8. Los Angeles Clippers

I know my playoff picks go a bit against the grain and leave a number of normal powerhouses (Denver, Utah, Houston, Phoenix) on the outside looking in, but that is how deep this conference is. Also don’t be so quick to discount the Warriors or Kings as they look much improved. Honestly the only team I have confidence in not making the playoffs is the Minnesota Timberwolves. The T-wolves don’t seem to have the proper direction, despite having their share of young talent.

Here is why I picked some of the surprises I did:

Thunder winning the West: Kevin Durant is just an incredible basketball player, and I think they have built a very good young team around him. I see Oklahoma City having an incredible year and knocking off the Lakers.

Memphis in the Middle of the Pack: This team might not always look it, but they are stacked. I love that starting lineup, and a bench consisting of Darrell Arthur, Sam Young, and Xavier Henry (as well as a host of others) is down right filthy. The Grizzlies also have the young talent, to make trades if they need to.

Clippers making the Playoffs: They are off to a slow start, but beware of the other resident of the Staples Center doing some damage this postseason. They might not have added a star this offseason, but they did add plenty of talent in Gomes, Foye, and their two first rounders Aminu and Bledsoe. Also don’t forget Blake Griffin is back this year and he rounds out this lineup nicely.

MVP: Kevin Durant- Durant I think is going to keep improving (which is a scary thought) and become the best player in the league. I see him leading the Thunder to the top spot in the West, which should lead to this trophy.

ROY: Demarcus Cousins- Cousins had the talent to go first overall, but some makeup issues slid him down a few spots in the draft. He ends up in a nice fit with the Kings, as they are a young team on the rise. Cousins should average a Double-Double a night and help keep the Kings in the playoff hunt this year.

6th Man: Sam Young- Young might only be a 2nd year player, but he plays like a veteran. He does a lot of good things for Memphis when he comes off the bench, and I think he will be a spark plug for them down the stretch.

Jeff From Akron, OH: 

-Why do you think the Browns hate Colt McCoy so much that they are going to start him against the Steelers?

Well you are right, hate might not have anything to do with it but the Browns are definitely risking their third round pick investment in Colt McCoy. I don’t care that Wallace or Jake Delhomme are injured, who starts a rookie quarterback for his first game ever at Pittsburgh, a week after they have a bye, and when their quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is returning. That entire team, stadium, city is going to be energized, and you better believe that Pittsburgh’s defense is going to come after McCoy. That defense always comes to play, but with that energy behind them, a divisional opponent and a rookie quarterback, they will be bringing the heat.

To make matters worse the Browns most consistent weapon this season running back Peyton Hillis is banged up and might not be 100%. So of course in the Browns infinite wisdom they traded their back up Jerome Harrison to the Eagles for their backup Mike Bell. Bell is a solid running back, but I would have chosen Harrison. Also, Bell won’t be 100% up to speed with the playbook and playing with these guys that I’d expect a few blown assignments (exactly what you want against this defense). If Hillis can’t go, or can’t gain ground against this defense it is going to be a long day for Browns fans. Browns fans will hope Hillis can have a repeat of his Ravens game when he ran all over their vaunted defense, but I wouldn’t bet on it against Pittsburgh. This defense stopped Chris Johnson and Ray Rice (as well as Micheal Turner). They are giving up just 62 yards a game, and 2.9 yards per carry. Hillis might be a different kind of back, but the same thing was said about Johnson (just obviously in a different way) so I wouldn’t bet on his success this week.

While the Browns have some nice receivers and uber-weapon Josh Cribbs, they lack the go to guy that demands double coverage (which of course means more blitzing for Polamalu). The Browns need to run a lot of short slants and out patterns in an effort to keep McCoy on his feet. I would also utilize Josh Cribbs in the Wildcat quite a bit, to keep Pittsburgh guessing. I don’t see the Browns being able to exploit the Steelers deep, and force them to hold off blitzing.

I know this was a tough situation for the Browns and ideally they wouldn’t want to start a rookie in this game, but they need to do whatever it takes not to shake his confidence. Cleveland might have been between a rock and a hard place with the injuries to Wallace and Delhomme, but their predicament is better than McCoy’s, who will be between James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley. I wish the best of luck to McCoy and hope that he makes it out of Pittsburgh alive.

Tim From Washington DC: 

-How big of an impact will John Wall have on the Wizards this season? Also can him and Gilbert coexist?

I am a big believer in John Wall and think that he is perhaps the best rookie since Kevin Durant. Now I don’t just mean in his rookie year performance, but in his long term talent and ability. I think that with in a year or two John Wall can be one of the top 5 PG’s in this league and a top 15 player (well on his way to being higher). Now the question remains is what does that mean for th Wizards? Well there is no doubt that having a top player goes a long way to making an NBA team a success, they need a strong supporting cast around them to help make them a contender. That is especially true when they are rookies.

Despite adding Durant and fellow top five pick Jeff Green in the 2007 draft, the Sonics/Thunder finished with the 2nd worst record the following season. Now that team had zero supporting cast, and while that was the best for the Thunder in the long run, there were plenty of growing pains. Now there are plenty examples of rookies helping to turn the team around, but in just about every example that team has an established core.

The Wizards don’t have the talent surrounding Wall to really make a run this year, but I think they are headed in the right direction. It starts with their offseason trades for Kirk Hinrich and Yi Jianlian. Hinrich is a good veteran player, who might not be exceptional in any one area, but does a lot of things right. Yi has bounced around for a couple of years since being a high draft pick in 2007. He offers the Wizards size, and the versatility to play either of the forwards spots or at the 5 (though he hasn’t always shown the toughness needed). Add them to a young core of PF Andray Blatche, SF Al Thornton, SG Nick Young and C JaVale McGee and the Wizards might have something going on in the capital. The problem is that outside of Blatche last year none of these guys have fully lived up to their hype (and even Blatche at times didn’t look like a first tier PF). The potential is there, but it is a far cry from a top notch unit. The wild card in all of this is Gilbert Arenas and how he plays with Wall.

Which of course brings us to the second part of the question of them coexisting. Now I personally don’t think they will have any issues coexisting. Arenas might play a point guard on T.V., but he has always been more of a shooter (no pun intended) and scorer first. I think Arenas will actually relish not having the offense run through him, which should allow him to find some open shots. The real problem will be, is will Gilbert give up the ball when he is the 2nd or 3rd touch, if his shot isn’t there, instead of trying to force it? If Arenas can distribute the ball back, then I think this is a marriage that will work. If Arenas and Wall work well together, and one or two of the young guys steps up this Wizards team could turn some heads.

I wouldn’t yet bet the farm on Washington being a success story this season. Not only might there be some hiccups, but I could see some midseason deals of Arenas and possibly Nick Young. Either way the Wizards should be happy with Wall becomes, and how he makes the rest of his teammates better, even if they don’t see the results this year.

Kim From Dallas, TX:

-Why do you think there is only one remaining undefeated NFL team after 4 weeks? And what is going on with the top contenders?

It has been an odd year for the NFL as so far no team has really separated themselves from the pack. And through 4 weeks there is only one remaining undefeated team, the Kansas City Chiefs, and they had a bye last week (and face Indy this week). Expected powerhouses the Colts, Jets, Patriots, Packers, Cowboys, Vikings and Saints all have been slow coming out of the gate this year. And while obviously not all of those teams could have started out undefeated at the quarter point, since some of them played each other, it is a bit surprising that none of them survived the first 4 weeks.

This shows what looks like parity in this league, but in reality could be some teams that were overhyped from the start. Here is a look at what plagues these teams and what they can do to fix it.

Indianapolis Colts: The Colts have probably the greatest quarterback of all time, but are only 2-2, and 0-2 in the division. While week 1′s loss isn’t entirely shocking as the Texans are a good team, last week’s last second loss to the Jaguars is inexcusable. Despite having an incredible passing attack, the Colts running game hasn’t fully gotten going. They will need Addai, Brown and company to get their act in gear to add another dimension to the offense. As for their defense, they have left a lot to be desired thus far. To often they have let opposing teams have sustained drives against them, and it will only get worse as they face tougher offenses. Their schedule has allowed them to face some pretty weak competition so far, something that will change in the coming weeks.

New York Jets: The Jets have had three solid weeks after their embarrassing Monday night performance to start the season. So it is hard to peg them as a problem team, but I’m not entirely sure I’m buying yet. While beating the Patriots was impressive, squeaking by the Dolphins and crushing the Bills are not going to make me assume the Jets are legit. I think they have shown themselves to be a good team, and Mark Sanchez has improved, but what happens when he faces another first rate defense? This team hasn’t been tested yet, and their defensive performance against the Dolphins still gives me cause for concern.

New England Patriots: The Pats are 3-1 with their only loss coming away at the Jets, but I think a helium watch is in order. Their defense allowed the Bengals to get back in the game late (an offense that can’t score against the Panthers and Browns effectively), gave up quite a few yards to the Dolphins and let the Bills stay in that game late. They also let Mark Sanchez dissect them like he was in Biology class. Until New England can get more consistent pressure on the quarterback that defense will be their liability. And now with the loss of Moss on offense and no consistent running game I question if they will score enough points to make up for their defensive woes.

Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers is ascending to “Franchise” quarterback status, but the loss of Ryan Grant could be their downfall. They need desperately to find a way to run the ball, if for no other reason than to control the clock. They have allowed both the Eagles and Lions to stay in games with them, and have not shown the shutdown defense everyone expected. Another major issue facing them is their protection of Aaron Rodgers, which is shaky at best. That offensive line needs to tighten up if the Packers are to go far this year.

Dallas Cowboys: Dallas started out a shocking 0-2, but rebounded with a big win in Houston. Now coming off the bye they need to figure out why they have ignored the running game, and why they can’t score effectively. One thing holding them back (literally) is the play of their offensive line. Way too much penetration into the backfield (and penalties) has stalled drives this year. While it is still a good unit their pass defense got TORCHED against the Bears in week 2 and will need to tighten up.

New Orleans Saints: The Saints might be 3-1 and were a missed FG away from being 4-0, but this is not last year’s Saints. All four of their games have been close, with their opponent in it until the very end. And while on paper the 49ers game looked tough, this is a team that has completely imploded and they barely got past them. The loss of Reggie Bush and now Thomas’s injury leaves New Orleans desperate for a ground game. The Saints defense has not caused the same disruption/turnovers they did last year, and that is leading to closer games that New Orleans is just squeaking by. While their special team’s issues may be fixed, they need to find away to stop these inferior offenses if they want to repeat.

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings have had major issues this year with their offensive line and lack of a deep threat, but that has begun to change with yesterday’s trade for Randy Moss. Moss might not be able to block for Favre, but he gives him the tall deep threat receiver, the Vikings have been looking for since Sidney Rice went on the PUP list. The Vikings would still seem like a disappointment considering they are 1-2 with their only win coming against the Lions, but I think they can make a run. They were in both the Saints and Dolphins game, and I think their offense will be vastly improved with Moss. Also, if Rice can come back healthy in a couple of weeks (a bit of a big if) they could be very scary down the stretch. That defense is still playing well, and now they have some of their defensive backs returned after missing the first couple of games with injuries. They still need to find a way to help protect Favre, but now with a receiver like Moss they can afford to keep an extra blocker in on more occasions.