It’s been a while. So I figured I’d just jot down what’s on my mind. In no particular order:

-The baseball signings have been fast and furious. With a little emphasis on furiou$. The Soriano deal was already covered last week. Carlos Lee got $100 million and I think six years from Houston. Okay. He should hit at least 35-40 home runs and drive in 120-130 plus supply much needed batting protection for the overlooked MVP candidate Lance Berkman.

-The Mets paid a 40 year-old Moises Alou between 8 and 9 million. I have always been a fan of his but why commit that to a vet who just came off a season in which he played under 100 games? They also already have the overpaid and dwindling Shawn Green in the same outfield. If you play Alou and Green in left and right, Carlos Beltran is going to have cover even more ground. This makes Endy Chavez even more vital. So where does this leave Lastings Milledge? Not sure. He has already been ragged on repeatedly by the NY papers for not being professional enough and thinking too highly of himself. And btw…he refused to go to Winter Ball. Is this the kind of player Omar Minaya wants around?
-So, you want rational signings? In the span of two days, Juan Pierre and Gary Matthews, Jr were paid like superstars. Pierre got five years $44 million from the Dodgers and Matthews Jr somehow received $50 million over five years from the Angels. Pierre at least was a proven centerfielder who could leadoff and provide solid D and team speed. He also helped the Marlins win their second World Series in 2003. Matthews, Jr??? He cashed in on a career year at the age of 32. It is literally amazing that he got the kind of payday he did. He was a bench warmer before this year. But now he’s paid like a star. Only in baseball. Are both Pierre and Matthews worth that much? Come on. Maybe the two GMs got too much California sun. It’s the only explanation. Man. I want what all those Californians are having.

-The same Angels also gave another 30-plus unproven pitcher Justin Speier four years $18 million. And then you wonder how Jamie “freaking” Walker can get three years $12 million from Baltimore. Hey. Danys Baez was also given $19 million over three years by the Orioles to setup. Sadly, that’s the going rate for an eighth inning reliever. So think baseball doesn’t need a salary cap?

-Woody Williams is 40 years-old. He’s been a reliable top three starter the past few years for St. Louis and San Diego. He’ll be making over $6 million per the next two years pitching for his favorite team the Astros. If he pitches to capability, he’ll actually be worth that. Who says life doesn’t begin at 40?

-The same Mike Stanton who the Yanks once released a couple of years ago will make $5 million over two years in San Francisco. Why? Cause although he might be more washed up than Brett Favre but he’s a lefty reliever.

-Frank Thomas proved he still could be a capable runproducing DH with Oakland and drew MVP consideration. So The Big Hurt was rewarded with a 2-year $18 million contract from Toronto. Hey. If he stays relatively healthy like this past year, it’s a good calculated risk by the Jays.

-Of course, the biggest news of this offseason was the Red Sox off the charts payment of over $51 million just to negotiate with Japanese pitching star Daisuke Matsuzaka. Say what?!?!?!?!?! And if they reach agreement on a contract by the December 14th deadline, how much will it cost total? Theo Epstein better pray that the Seibu Lions’ ace is worth all this. In related news, the Yankees had the winning bid of over $26 million for 27 year-old lefty Kei Igawa. He’s projected as a fourth or fifth starter and should compete for a spot in the rotation next Spring provided Brian Cashman can reach agreement with the Hanshin Tigers star by December 28.

-The last time we talked about Giants football, they looked like they were on their way to winning the NFC East and easily into the postseason. But since a brutal second half implosion to the Bears, they have dropped three straight including a dismantling at Jacksonville and a dreadful choke job at Tennessee this past Sunday. Somehow, Big Blue managed to blow a three touchdown fourth quarter lead against Vince Young and the Titans. Of course everything has been covered already from Plaxico Burress quitting on an Eli Manning pick to Frank Walker’s stupidity on a late hit to Tiki Barber’s inability to pickup first downs to Kiwanuka’s non-sack to Eli’s terrible interception with 41 seconds left. But it just keeps getting worse for them heading into their big first place showdown at the Meadowlands against Bill Parcells’ sizzling Cowboys. Outspoken tight end Jeremy Shockey went on record as saying Dallas had no shot as long as the Giants play “their game.” What exactly is their game at this point? Fail to execute offensively and be unable to make key stops on D. Of course, Parcells let his team know about the dumb remarks by the Shockmaster. Naturally, the former Giants coach downplayed it at his press conference trying to play dumb. It was kind of funny cause you know better. Then today, a ticked off Michael Strahan went berserk at an ESPN reporter for asking a question about his remarks about Burress. He challenged her to look him in the eye and not expect an answer which would divide the locker room after their big players’ only meeting a couple of days ago. I loved it. Not just cause it was ESPN but because he was right. That’s how these reporters act. They look for anything and then spew inaccurate garbage usually. So, will the Giants be ready come Sunday despite their third-year QB in a slump and despite the D still banged up and despite Tom Coughlin losing his mind and maybe his team? Oh. They’ll be ready. There is too much at stake here. This team knows what’s on the line. The question is will they be able to execute good enough to make a statement and beat the Cowboys and march back into first by sweeping the season series? The answer promises to be intriguing this Sunday at 4 ET/1 PT.

-Meanwhile, there’s no such utter nonsense going on with rookie coach Eric Mangini’s overachieving 6-5 Jets heading into Lambeau for another must-win game at Green Bay. Amazing. Who would’ve thought they’d have the same record as the Giants at this point. They don’t have a lot of talent but win the games they’re supposed to and bust their asses. And nobody finger points. Much easier to admire.

-If Syracuse played an easier opening basketball schedule, they’d be St. John’s without the chance to play in March. How come nobody ever talks about this?

-Tell me how USC is more worthy than Michigan when the Wolverines beat Notre Dame by even more in South Bend. Yep. This BCS system really works.

-The Rangers go as far as Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Lundqvist takes them. Belated congrats to Jagr on becoming the 16th NHLer to reach 600. But more vital to him last week was passing Jari Kurri for first among Europeans on the NHL goalscoring list. Jagr also became the ninth player to play for the Rangers and score 600-or-more. Can anyone name the other eight?

-If SI doesn’t reward Roger Federer with Sportsman of the Year, something’s wrong. Nobody dominated their sport more than the 25 year-old Swiss men’s No.1. He took home three more majors and made a French Open final, finishing the year with a ridiculous 92-5 match record and winning an incomparable 12 titles. Unthinkable. By next year, he’ll surpass American Jimmy Connors for the longest run of consecutive weeks at number one. To put it in frank terms, The Maestro is a genius with a tennis racket. Eight grand slams already including four Wimbledons, two Australians and back-to-back U.S. Opens. Can anyone stop him from reaching Pete Sampras’ record 14? It’s not like the competition isn’t stiff. Figure the resurgent Andy Roddick to be in the mix for 2007 and Rafael Nadal to continue his improvement. James Blake should also challenge as should risers Andy Murray, Marcos Baghdatis and Richard Gasquet. Maybe even Tomas Berdych breaks through. Either way, it’s not easy to dominate the sport the way the classy Federer does. He deserves every accolade.