For Bobby Valentine, charity can be all-consuming | Boston.com

It's hard not to root for a guy like this. Or someone with enough intelligence to do this:

"[Bobby Valentine] would eventually learn 2,042 kanji characters out of an instructional book, practicing them in the dirt with the toe of his cleats during practice, and by the time he made his tearful goodbye speech to the team’s fans in 2009, he did so in Japanese."

Drama of Rays, Red Sox and Braves made for unforgettable final day - Tom Verducci - SI.com

Great column by Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated. Probably one of the finest sports columns I've read in a long time.

MLB Players Poll: Most Overrated Player - Photos - SI.com

SI.com polled 185 MLB players to name the most overrated player in baseball. SI's photo gallery lists the top 16, which includes Yankee players in the top three spots and five Yankees (and one former Yankee) overall.

"...even Crawford isn't worth Crawford money."

Interesting post that worries me as a Met fan because it'll drive up Jose Reyes' asking price. But it does explain the tangibles behind re-signing Reyes. The intangibles add up even further.

The best line from this post:

"Of course, there are two arguments against Reyes getting Crawford money in free agency: 1) he has trouble staying healthy; 2) even Crawford isn't worth Crawford money."

Ouch.