John Franco gives his perspective about the Wilpons' predicament in this post-Bernie Madoff environment.

He also shares his outlook regarding the NY Mets new season. In addition to going to Mets spring training, Franco also plans to hang out with his son who plays second base for Brown University.

WATCH VIDEO: Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan trade; Carmelo Anthony may reach Rockets; Tiger Woods; the Brooklyn Nets split with Jeremy Lin; NY Mets mess

In this episode of What's The 411Sports, Keisha Wilson and Mike McDonald are talking about the NFL's lack of leadership; the Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan trade; Carmelo Anthony leaving the Hawks and the Rockets is his predicted landing spot; Tiger Woods had a great comeback at the British Open; the fallout from the Brooklyn Nets trading Jeremy Lin; and the mess that is the NY Mets.with drama coming from Yoenis Cespedes, and the head, foot, and mouth disease contracted by pitcher Noah Syndergaard, which has many people scratching their heads.

VIDEO: NY Mets manager, Terry Collins, appears to be on the hot seat

Lately, the NY Mets' record is not living up to the public's expectations.

Some of the New York Mets' lack of production and wins are due to injury, and some say is because of managerial decision-making.

Consequently, NY Mets manager Terry Collins is on the hot seat.

Can the Cubs go all the way to the World Series?

In the AL, both Texas and Boston are on the verge of being swept.

Meanwhile, the Cubs and Nationals have jumped out to early leads in the NL playoffs.

With the Cubs being the heavy favorite, will this finally be their year?

Griffey Jr. surpasses the previous record of 98.84% held by Tom Seaver

Congratulations are in order for Ken Griffey, Jr. who along with Mike Piazza will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. Griffey, Jr., who was known for wearing his baseball hat backwards, received 99.32% of the vote which is the highest percentage received by anyone. He surpasses the previous record of 98.84% held by Tom Seaver.

Also, former NY Mets catcher Mike Piazza is a member of the 2016 class to be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. As the number 1,390 pick in the 1988 draft, Piazza holds the distinction of being the lowest draft pick to ever be elected into the Hall of Fame. This is his fourth time being on the ballot for induction. During his career, he was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the NY Mets. He has chosen to be inducted as an NY Met.

VIDEO DISCUSSION: Do you think there a need for protective netting at baseball stadiums?

There is a debate going on right now in baseball about the experience at the ballpark vs. safety at the ballpark. There are those that would like protective netting from 1st to 3rd base to protect the fans from power hits into the stands.

And, on the other side, there are people complaining that a net would destroy the experience of feeling connected to the players. What are your thoughts, a net or some other technology to protect fans or no net?

WATCH VIDEO: Commissioner Goodell and Cameron Maybin in 411 Dog House

The young guns of The What's The 411Sports team are discussing who's in the dog house this week. Bianca Peart put NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the 411 Doghouse for suspending Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for only two games for a domestic violence charge.

Greg Alcala put Cameron Maybin of the San Diego Padres in the dog house for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy.

The New Face of New York Baseball

Now that New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has retired, who will be the face of New York baseball? Will it be Matt Harvey, Masahiro Tanaka, Curtis Granderson, CC Sabathia, Didi Gregorius, or minor league baseball player, Aaron Judge?

Major League Baseball is entering a new era. Former MLB Commissioner Allan Huber "Bud" Selig has exited the stage and entering the spotlight is Rob Manfred. Today, the newly minted MLB Commissioner Manfred wrote a letter to Major League Baseball fans.

Here is Major League Baseball Commissioner Manfred in his own words:

Dear Fans:

On the night of August 14, 2014, I left a Baltimore hotel after being elected Commissioner of Baseball. As I began to reply to the overwhelming number of congratulatory messages coming in, it hit me that I'd just been entrusted to protect the integrity of our National Pastime and to set a course that allows this great game to continue to flourish -- now and in the years to come. Needless to say, I was deeply honored by the trust the owners placed in me.

Today is my first day as Commissioner, and I am incredibly excited to get to work. I am grateful to Commissioner Selig for his expertise and friendship. His leadership set a direction that led to historic success.

The mission before us is clear: To honor the game's history while welcoming new people to our great sport -- people who will one day pass their love of baseball down through the generations. That is what our parents and grandparents did for us, and it is what we are doing for our own children. Baseball is a game firmly rooted in childhood experiences, and its vitality and growth rely heavily on giving young people from all backgrounds the opportunity to play and watch baseball.

This notion that baseball is the game of children is central to my core goals as Commissioner. Maybe that is because my own Little League experience in upstate Rome, New York was such an important part of my childhood. I will never forget my intense dedication to that club and to my teammates -- each of whom I can still name to this day -- and being part of a perfect game.

My top priority is to bring more people into our game -- at all levels and from all communities. Specifically, I plan to make the game more accessible to those in underserved areas, especially in the urban areas where fields and infrastructure are harder to find. Giving more kids the opportunity to play will inspire a new generation to fall in love with baseball just as we did when we were kids. Expanding Little League, RBI and other youth baseball programs will also help sustain a steady and wide talent pool from which our clubs can draw great players and create lifelong fans.

As Commissioner, I will draw closer connections between youth baseball and MLB. I want to inspire children's interest in baseball and help parents and coaches foster that passion. In the coming years, MLB will work with college, high school, amateur and youth baseball programs to help grow our game and to ensure that the best players and talent have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. I call it "One Baseball" -- a partnership between all professional and amateur groups involved in our game.
Our children can look at MLB today and find a wave of new stars worthy of emulating both on and off the field. Players like Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey, Giancarlo Stanton and Mike Trout and aces Madison Bumgarner,Felix Hernandez and Clayton Kershaw have powerful stories to tell -- and MLB will tell them across every platform. We will continue to internationalize our game and to celebrate the fact that we have the most diverse rosters in the world. Our mission is to build upon this recent success by creating opportunities for the next wave of baseball talent. We also must continue to nurture inclusive environments for all the contributors to our game and our loyal fans.

Another priority for me is to continue to modernize the game without interfering with its history and traditions. Last season's expanded instant replay improved the game's quality and addressed concerns shared by fans and players. We made a dramatic change without altering the game's fundamentals. I look forward to tapping into the power of technology to consider additional advancements that will continue to heighten the excitement of the game, improve the pace of play and attract more young people to the game.
The Major League Clubs have bestowed an extraordinary opportunity upon me. My pledge is to work every single day to honor their faith in me and your love of this game.
Sincerely,

Robert D. Manfred, Jr.
Commissioner of Baseball

MLB pitchers and catchers start reporting to Spring 2015 training on February 19, woo-hoo!!!

"Can't Stop, Won't Stop," seems enough of an appropriate title for this post due to the constant action the New York Mets are displaying, led by GM Sandy Alderson. The phrase "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" is more than a phrase used for motivation, it is also a novel, the title of an album by a group called The Maine and has served as the title for two songs from recording artists Usher and the Young Gunz. Now let's dive into what's significant and what is current at the moment. The Mets have agreed to a 2-year $20-million contract with free agent starting pitcher Bartolo Colon.

Toyota promotes the moving forward campaign and that's exactly what the Mets are executing. Met fans may miss Matt Harvey on the field in 2014; it is a tough steak to chew and digest. However, the signing of Colon has the potential to aid and provide the gravy we will need to digest that loss. Here's why: Colon, 40 years old (40 is the new 20 by the way, get over it) is coming off a year where he finished sixth in the AL CY Young voting. He also manufactured an All-Star appearance, an 18-6 record and a 2.65 ERA. Sounds good enough to me.

Colon was tested for PED's, suffering a suspension on August 22, 2012 for 50 games by the MLB police, who in the last decade has prioritized disinfecting MLB. Colon's resurgence with the New York Yankees, as Mr. Clean has only added to his stint with the Oakland Athletics, re-establishing his pitching prowess and his future with the Mets. This move further displays Alderson's understanding of the fan base and its desire to win now. He's fully taking on the challenge to resurrect the Mets franchise back to shades of 2006. Hopefully the addition of Colon relieves the Mets of finding a starter to replace Harvey while also fusing him with what's left of the starting rotation of Zack Wheeler, Dillon Gee and Jonathan Niese. The 5th spot in the rotation will now feature a competition between the likes of Jenrry Mejia, Carlos Torres and possibly farm-hand Rafael Montero. Colon's presence alone will have a positive impact on the next generation of arms that the Mets have at its disposal in a nurturing effect, with his pitching style in pounding the strike zone, which can influence many. Like Harvey's ascent to the majors, Colon's presence will provide enough time to thoroughly promote top pitching prospect Noah Syndergarrd to the big stage, a process which appeals to Alderson, as he very much dislikes rushing young talent.

All in all, the Mets are not done and they should not be satisfied with this recent player confirmation. The shortstop position must be addressed due to SS Ruben Tejada's inability to advance the ball past the infield. For positive momentum, as well as, finding a suitor to unload either 1B Ike Davis or Lucas Duda, preferably Davis, who has already uninspired and frustrated the fan base due to his struggles so early into his career. With OF's Chris Young, Curtis Granderson and now Colon in the mix, it sparks excitement to see who else we will welcome to the city that never sleeps. At this time, I guess the Mets are wide awake.