Thursday, March 31, 2011

Major League Baseball - Model Sports Organization???

For years, Major League Baseball has been criticized, and rightly so, for it's inability to get out of it's own way. They have had a multitude of labor stoppages over the past 40 years (8, to be exact) - the most infamous being the one in 1994 that cancelled the World Series. Baseball took the brunt of the wrath spewed forth by opportunistic congressmen when the steroids scandal erupted thanks to Jose Canseco's book. There is the enduring image highlighting the general ineptitude of baseball, with Bud Selig looking confused as the All-Star Game ended in a tie.

And yet, suddenly baseball appears to be ahead of the other sports in terms of handling their issues. Since 2002, there has been labor peace. Even though their collective bargaining agreement is up after this year, there are no threats of a lockout, unlike the NFL and the NBA. In fact, both Selig and the player's union are optimistic that a new CBA will be agreed upon in the near future.

Despite the bad rap that the MLB gets for steroids and performance enhancing drugs, the truth is that baseball not only has the strictest penalties for using such substances, but they appear to have fewer players using them. It is not uncommon to hear that a football player got suspended for PEDs, yet no one really seems to care. Meanwhile, if a baseball player gets caught, it's a travesty and an affront to everything that society holds sacred. Little bit of a double standard there, and a completely undeserved one.

And now, the MLB finds itself on the forefront of the concussion issue. Although concussions are a much bigger problem in the NFL and NHL, baseball has created a new seven day disabled list strictly for players who have gotten a concussion. This way, rather than lose a player for 15 days when they could be ready to play in a week, the team can get that player back when he is healthy. With all the talk of the NFL trying to force an 18 game schedule down the player's throats, why has this concept not been brought up in their meetings? Why has the NHL not adopted something like this, so that players that will be gone for a game or two do not take up a roster spot?

Bud Selig and Major League Baseball make for easy targets when one looks to rip a sports organization for mismanagement. However, baseball actually has it's act together. Shocking, is it not?

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Dez Bryant - What Is Wrong With You?

It seems that, over the past month or so, there is a new legal issue surrounding Dez Bryant every week. He has been banned from a mall for not picking up his pants. He has debts of over $850,000 from unpaid loans, jewelry and sports tickets paid on credit, and unpaid rent. That does not even include the legal fees that he is incurring through all this.

To be fair, it is not just Bryant. It seems as though whenever a football player, more than any other sport, has free time, he finds a way to get himself into trouble. Is this because, even in the offseason, they are under a regimented schedule, so the concept of free time is beyond rational thought? Is it the people they spend their time around? This case could be made for Michael Vick and his dogfighting ring, or with Aqib Talib and the charges that he and his mother are up for.

Bryant needs help. He needs someone to grab him and make him understand that he needs to grow up. His previous mentor, Deion Sanders, has given up on him, calling his actions 'ignorant' and stating that 'he needs help'. Interestingly enough, Sanders claims that he has been telling the Cowboys for months that Bryant needs help, based off of issues stemming from his childhood. Then why have the Cowboys not done anything in regards to Bryant's behavior? Why hasn't the NFL, and their stick 'conduct policy', not done anything to reprimand Bryant? Yes, there is the lockout where teams cannot have contact with their players, but one would expect a statement in regards to the situations or something akin to that.

Overall, Bryant's actions are not nearly as bad as those of Leonard Little or Donte Stallworth. No one has died due to anything he has done. He has not harmed anyone directly. However, there is still a pattern of childish and irresponsible behavior that gives a reason to pause. Continued actions like these may cause Bryant to never reach his potential, and may cause long term ramifications for both himself and the Cowboys.

Hopefully, this is a wake up call for Bryant. Yet, it seems more likely that he will ignore the warnings, and continue to exist as the privileged individual he believes himself to be.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Make The Visor Mandatory In The NHL

On March 16th, Manny Malhotra of the Vancouver Canucks was struck in the left eye when a pass deflected off the stick of Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson. Malhotra, who wears a helmet without a safety visor, underwent surgery later that night. However, he may still lose his eye and his vision, and is scheduled to undergo a second surgery tomorrow in an attempt to save both.

Had Malhotra's helmet had the visor, he would not be undergoing these surgeries, and would still be on the ice. The NHL has thought about mandating visors before, grandfathering in players that did not wish to wear them who happen to already be in the NHL. Players in the minor leagues would be made to go with the visor immediately. Incidents such as this prove that they should step up their efforts to mandate the visor.

There was a time when goalies did not wear masks in net, considering such an idea as cowardly. In fact, Jacques Plante, the inventor and first player to wear a goalie mask back in 1959, was considered by his peers to be a wimp. Despite this, the mask caught on, and the last goalie to play without a mask retired in 1974. However, there is not an actual rule in the NHL rulebook requiring a goalie to wear a mask.

Helmets, on the other hand, were made mandatory starting with the draft class in 1979, over fifty years after they were originally introduced. In 1927, Barney Stanley, a former hockey player, presented the NHL with a prototype of a protective helmet. The first player to actually wear the helmet was George Owen in 1928-29. Although a few players would wear helmets, most notably Eddie Shore, most players refused, regarding such devices as cowardly.

This changed in 1968, when Bill Masterson died after striking his head on the ice. Masterson was hit by two players, striking his head hard enough on the ice to cause blood to pour out of his nose and ears. He was rushed to the hospital, where four doctors tried for thirty hours to save him before he died from a 'massive brain injury'. By the time the NHL made the helmet mandatory for all new players, roughly 70% of the league was already wearing them.

Hopefully, it does not take Malhotra to lose his vision for the NHL to make the visor mandatory. This needs to be done immediately so that such an incident does not occur again.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Doc Rivers' Curious Crunch Time Rotation

Prior to the trade deadline, the crunch time rotation for the Boston Celtics had been Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Glen 'Big Baby' Davis. Davis was on the court at that time mainly because the starting center, Kendrick Perkins, is an offensive liability. While a solid defender, Perkins is painful to watch on the offensive end.

Then came the trade of Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Nenad Krstic and Jeff Green. Green was thought to be the centerpiece of this trade, as he is capable of playing small forward and power forward, thus providing a legitimate scorer off the bench that could help to keep Pierce and Garnett fresh for the playoffs. Also, Green's offensive capabilities (he was averaging approximately 15 points per game at the time of the trade), would theoretically provide them with another scorer in games where they were down by two or three points late.

However, this has not proven to be the case. Doc Rivers has continued to use the same rotation as he has in close and late situations as he had previously. Wednesday night, down by three to the Memphis Grizzlies, Glen Davis is on the court while Green is on the bench. To make matters worse, Davis launched a three pointer that, predictably, missed. While Green may not have made that shot, he would have been a better option. Yes, Green did finally get on the floor at the end of that game - albeit with four seconds left. Sort of pointless at that juncture.

Last night, against the Charlotte Bobcats, the same situation appears to be coming. The game is close, there is under three minutes remaining, and the typical grouping is on the floor. Then, with roughly 2:30 left in the game, Davis fouled out. This would seemingly provide Rivers with the perfect opportunity to put in Jeff Green for his scoring ability. Yet, Nenad Krstic enters the game instead. Green did finally get into the game, with thirty seconds left to go. While not a great time to bring him in, it was a marked improvement over the four second mark from the previous game.

While Krstic is not a bad player, his entering the game at that point, and the continual usage of Davis in these situations, makes the trade that much more curious. The Celtics, as they had been constructed, were the clear cut favorites in the Eastern Conference. They were playing with swagger. They were confident, to the point of being thoroughly bored with the regular season. Yes, there were injury concerns at the center position with Kendrick's knee, Shaq being old, and Jermaine O'Neil being fat and useless, so getting Krstic was not a bad move. The part that makes it look worse was the secondary trade of Luke Harangody and Semih Erden to the Cavaliers for a 2013 second round draft choice. Both of those players, while very raw and not great defensively, provided viable backups at center. Their roster spots were then filled by Carlos Arroyo, a decent point guard, and Troy Murphy, who has done the best impersonation of a corpse this side of Weekend at Bernie's.

So what was the point of acquiring Jeff Green? Is he that far behind in the playbook and knowing the defensive rotations where he is chained to the bench while Glen Davis plays late in games? In the limited time Green has played, he has managed 10.8 points for the Celtics in roughly 20 minutes per game, so he hasn't been terrible. Is Doc Rivers just playing around, knowing that the regular season just doesn't matter in the NBA, especially for his team?

Jeff Green is a much better option on the court than Glen Davis is when the Celtics are down by a basket in a late game situation. Now they just need Doc Rivers to realize that.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

5729 People Actually Went To That????

In other Clydesdale news today, Geno Auriemma, head coach of the U-Conn Women's college basketball program, stated that he was disappointed by the half-empty arena in which his team played in yesterday. He claims that the fans are spoiled by the recent dominance of the program, roughly akin to how Atlanta Braves fans would skip out on watching their first round playoff games.

What truly is shocking is not that, of the 10,027 people that Gampel Pavilion could hold, 4298 did not go to the game. Rather, it is shocking that 5729 people actually went out of their way to witness a foregone conclusion play itself out. There is not one person that expects the U-Conn women's team to be challenged before the Final Four of their tournament. Let's face it, there has not been a run of such dominance in women's sports since Iolanda Balas won 150 consecutive high jump competitions from 1957 to 1966.

Frankly, it should be surprising that anyone went to this game. I suppose that there was a large sleep study going on, or someone was testing the effects of watching something more boring than paint drying. On it's own, the fact that so many people paid to watch this proves P.T. Barnum correct when he said that there is a sucker born every minute. At the very least, U-Conn should have provided free beer to any men in attendance. Not only would that prove incentive to go to the games, but the beer goggles might make those women look attractive. Ok, maybe there isn't enough beer in the universe for that.....

In reality, 5729 is a good crowd for such a spectacle. After all, how many people will willingly pay to watch some horses play around with a ball?

The Barry Bonds Witch Hunt

Finally, after nine years of investigation, the trial against Barry Bonds for lying to a grand jury in regards to his usage of steroids has begun. This witch hunt, perpetuated in part due to his standing on the all time home run list, has been going on for far too long.

Bud Selig, in sanctioning the Mitchell Report and subsequent steroid investigations, did so with the possibility of keeping Bonds from surpassing Hank Aaron as the all time home run leader. Aaron is an ambassador for the game of baseball, likable and affable. Bonds, meanwhile, is rather unlikeable, surly, and arrogant. Yet, for all of the effort put into the report, nothing specifically stated that Bonds knowingly took steroids. In fact, Harvey Shields, Bonds personal trainer from 2000 to 2004, stated that "Greg Anderson provided Bonds with a cream to use on his elbow, which Shields said he believed was an over-the-counter 'arthritis cream.'" In addition, in regards to a clear liquid that Bonds was ingesting which he believed was flaxseed oil, Shields said "(I) believed the clear liquid was flaxseed oil. (Shields) claimed to have taken the clear liquid himself, and he said that it tasted like flaxseed oil he had obtained from health food stores in the past."

The crux of the indictment is that Bonds intentionally lied to the grand jury when he said that he never knowingly took steroids. Greg Anderson, the man who the government is claiming provided him with the steroids, refuses to testify against Bonds, to the point of being imprisoned four times for his refusal to co-operate. Yes, Anderson has been friends with Bonds since childhood, but keep in mind that this works both ways. If your trainer that you have known since childhood provided you with substances that he stated were flaxseed oil and arthritis cream, would you have any cause to doubt him? People can claim that Bonds should know everything that he ingested or took, but where is the rationale for this?

The main witnesses for the prosecution have major character flaws as well. Kimberly Bell, Bonds' ex-mistress, used her fifteen minutes of fame to pose naked for Playboy. Steve Hoskins, a former partner of Bonds in the autographed memorabilia business, was fired by Bonds after Hoskins stole money from the business and forged his signature to several items. In fact, Bonds assisted the government in 2003 in their prosecution of Hoskins for forgery. The third witness is Kathy Hoskins, Bonds former personal shopper, who just so happens to be the sister of Steve Hoskins. Not exactly the most credible of witnesses.

In the end, Bonds will end up being vindicated, despite all of the circumstantial evidence supporting steroid use. Yes, his dome may have increased in size to be of Sputnik proportions, but that is not evidence enough to convict him. Bonds may just become the first athlete officially found to be not guilty of steroid use.

Monday, March 21, 2011

What Is Wrong With The Bruins?

The Boston Bruins, once considered a team destined to reach the Eastern Conference Finals at worst, now face the very real possibility of an early playoff exit. Two weeks ago, they were considered to be a lock to win their division, now they are struggling to hold off the surging Montreal Canadiens. Boston finds themselves one point ahead of Montreal for the third seed int he playoffs, and only six points ahead of a New York Rangers team that has played well as of late, winning four in a row.

Watching the Bruins, they are playing without any fire or energy. They are passive on defense, and not playing the physical brand of hockey they need to in order to win. This is a team that thrives on physicality, yet they have moved away from their game. Why is this?

The Bruins have gone 1-3-3 in their last seven games. Since the game against Montreal where Max Pacioretty suffered the severe concussion and fractured vertebra, they have gone 1-2-2. They played particularly uninspired hockey in their most recent game, a 5-2 loss to the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs. Montreal, in the meantime, has gone 4-2-0 to gain four points on Boston.

Since Chara's hit, the Bruins have been lethargic, playing as though they are still in a daze from the severity of what transpired. The only signs of fire were when Tuukka Rask got in the face of a defenseman for being in his way when he allowed Toronto's fifth goal. Even the fight between Dion Phaneuf and Nathan Horton seemed to be an exercise in futility, as Horton needed to leave the game to get stitches from the beating Phaneuf put on him.

Perhaps instead of sending a message to Montreal that the Bruins were back to playing tough hockey, Chara's hit ended up causing the Bruins to go into a shell. Meanwhile, that hit has galvanized the Canadiens, as they are rallying around their fallen teammate and playing inspired hockey.

This is the time where the lack of leadership on Boston is truly evident. They do not have a strong locker room presence, no one that will stand up and demand that they snap out of their doldrums and go back to playing the type of hockey they must play to compete. Claude Julien is not the type of coach that will demand that they play better, and will continue to find silver linings amongst the clouds. Given Julien's inability to get past the second round, and the Bruins utter collapse against the Flyers last postseason, maybe firing him would be the wake up call that this team needs.

The Bruins need to snap out of it, or a season that held so much promise as recently as two weeks ago will end in yet another disappointing playoff performance.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Fantasy Baseball Sleepers

It is that time of year again, where baseball is right around the corner. As such, it is also the time of year where fantasy leagues are holding their drafts. Anyone can draft Albert Pujols or Hanley Ramirez, but leagues are often won in the later rounds by finding sleepers that produce. Here are some sleeper picks by position (average draft position according to ESPN fantasy drafts).

Catcher: Mike Napoli, average draft position: 179. Despite Mike Scioscia's outright reluctance to play Napoli everyday, he managed to hit 20 or more home runs for each of the last three seasons. Now, he finds himself in Texas, and the launching pad that is Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Last season, Napoli's isolated power was .230, which not only led all catchers, but was on par with players such as Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth. Napoli also has first base eligibility, which is a bonus in fantasy. While his batting average will remain around .250, his power is reason enough to wait when the top five catchers are off the board.

First Base: Freddie Freeman, average draft position: 214. Freeman joins Jason Heyward as a part of the next wave of Braves prospects that are expected to lead them to the playoffs. Despite being only 20 years old last year, Freeman hit .319/.378/.521 in AAA. This year, he has been handed the starting first baseman job out of spring training. Again, the average may be a tad bit low since he is only 21 going into this year, but Freeman will provide solid home run and RBI totals in that lineup. For a 21st round selection, a batting line of .270/25/70 is a fairly solid proposition.

Second Base: Brad Emaus, average draft position: none. This pick is not for the faint of heart, as Emaus is not guaranteed a starting job, or to even open the season with the Mets. However, he does have several things working in his favor. First, as a Rule V draftee, the Mets must keep him on the roster, or offer him back to the Toronto Blue Jays. Second, Luis Castillo was released, opening the position. Emaus, over the course of his minor league career, has displayed the ability to get double digit home runs and stolen bases, while hitting in the .280 to .290 range and walking more than he strikes out. For the last pick of a draft, there is a lot more upside here than what would typically be available.

Third Base: David Freese, average draft position: 221. Freese is sliding in drafts due to his injury history, as he has had ankle surgery in each of the past two seasons. While he has yet to really display a lot of power in the majors, he has provided a solid batting average and the ability to get on base. Over the course of his minor league career, he did manage to hit 68 home runs in 1456 at bats, for an average of one home run every 21.4 time to the plate. Should Freese see 400 at bats this year, that would project to 19 home runs. As a 22nd round draft choice, he could be a find as a three or four category provider.

Shortstop: Alcides Escobar, average draft position: 202. At first glance, Escobar's stat line last year was thoroughly unimpressive, as he hit .235 and only stole 10 bases. However, his BABip was only .266, which is extremely low. He also was stuck in the eighth spot in the batting order for the Brewers, where he did not steal as much due to hitting in front of the pitcher. With the trade to Kansas City, expect Escobar to run more, as they try to manufacture runs. Over the course of his minor league career, he stole 176 bases with a .293 batting average. Thirty steals and a .270 batting average and a decent run total is a fair expectation, and is quite good from a shortstop.

Outfield: Nate McLouth, average draft position: 226. McLouth is another bounce back candidate. 2010 was a wasted season for him, as he hit bad enough to be demoted to AAA. However, when he was given another opportunity in September, he responded by hitting at a respectable .263/.358/.509 with three home runs and three stolen bases over his final 23 games. Also, it is worth noting that prior to last season's disaster, he had hit 46 home runs and had 42 stolen bases over the previous two seasons. He is still only going to be 29 this season, so there is not yet any reason to think that he has lost his ability to hit. Given how he finished last season, the possibility of McLouth returning to 20 home run/20 stolen base form cannot be dismissed. Potentially finding that type of talent in the 22nd round makes him worth the investment.

Starting Pitcher: Jhoulys Chacin, average draft position: 175. Yes, a Colorado Rockies pitcher. Chacin went 4-1 with a 1.44 ERA, a 1.14 WHip, and 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings over his last eight starts. Overall for the season, Chacin struck out 9.04 batters per nine, while providing an ERA of 3.28. Proving that pitching in Colorado is not a factor, he had a 3.98 ERA at Coors Field. Chacin opens the season with a spot in the rotation locked up, and is capable of providing numbers similar to pitchers being drafted five rounds before him. Ignore the fact that he pitches for the Rockies, and look at what Chacin is - a four category provider at starting pitching that is being drafted much later than he should be.

Relief Pitcher: Jake McGee, average draft position: 219. Every year, people draft relief pitchers too early, falling into the trap that they must grab saves. Yet, every year, there are pitchers that no one had even thought to draft that end up as closers. After all, how many people had John Axford at the start of 2010? McGee, who was a top starting pitching prospect for Tampa prior to injuring his elbow in 2008, appears to be that person this year. At AAA, he struck out 27 batters against three walks in 17.1 innings. In his five inning major league debut, he struck out six while only allowing two hits. He has a mid-90's fastball and a very good slider, which is all that one needs as a closer. Add in the fact that McGee is left handed, and that Kyle Farnsworth has the most closing experience on the Tampa Bay Rays roster, and McGee appears destined for 30+ saves.

Even if none of these players pan out when drafted, there is really no risk. By taking sleepers as opposed to the safe pick, the chance for reward is far greater. After all, everyone knows what Mark Buehrle will put up. But if one can draft someone that is equal to a Wandy Rodriguez instead, then that makes it worth the gamble. Players like Buehrle will be available on the waiver wire if the sleepers don't pan out.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

2011 Preview - National League West

This is the sixth and final installment of the six part 2011 baseball preview. The teams are ranked in the order of their expected finish.

1. Colorado Rockies: The Rockies managed to hang around in the playoff picture, going 83-79 in 2010 despite losing Troy Tulowitzki for roughly one third of the season. This bodes well for 2011. The Rockies feature a very balanced lineup with legitimate power in Tulo and Carlos Gonzalez, speed in Dexter Fowler and Seth Smith, and a professional hitter in Todd Helton. The bullpen, headed by Huston Street, Rafael Betancourt, and Matt Lindstrom, is solid. The top of the rotation features Ubaldo Jimenez, who had a great season last year, and the underrated Jorge De La Rosa. Jhoulys Chacin showed flashes last season of being a solid major league pitcher, ending with a 3.40 ERA, which is even more impressive since more than half of his starts were in Coors Field.

The biggest concern with the Rockies is their ability to stay healthy. Tulo, Helton, Street, Aaron Cook, and Ian Stewart all missed time last year due to injuries. Stewart is already injured in spring training, and may not be ready for the start of the season. The back of the rotation is also a concern with Cook and Jason Hammel. Neither pitched particularly well last year (Cook had a 5.08 ERA in 23 games last year, Hammel had a 4.81 ERA in 30 games), and will need to show improvement in 2011.

The Rockies are set to leapfrog the Giants and the Padres to capture the National League West. Barring injuries, the Rockies return to the postseason this year.

2. San Fransisco Giants: The 2010 Giants proved that a great rotation and playing smart baseball can lead a team to a World Series Championship. Ace Tim Lincecum heads the staff, followed by the improving Johnathon Sanchez, Matt Cain, and Madison Bumgarner. Barry Zito rounds out the staff as the fifth starter. The bullpen is also very deep, with Brain Wilson, and his beard, slamming the door in the ninth inning. Jeremy Affeldt and Sergio Romo provide a solid bridge to the closer.

With the Giants, their biggest questions involve their lineup. Last season, they only scored 697 runs, which was 17th in baseball, and 8th in the National League. This came on a career year from Aubrey Huff, who should regress. Cody Ross was a revelation in the postseason, but he was released outright by the Marlins in August. Can he continue to hit like he did in October? Miguel Tejada is expected to be the everyday shortstop at age 37, despite the fact that his lack of range and mobility dictates he should be playing third base, if anywhere on the playing field at all. Pablo Sandoval had a very bad season last year - can he rebound? These may be the keys to the Giants being able to compete for the division or the wild card.

While the Giants will have some offensive regression, there should be enough players that improve to keep them in the postseason hunt. Expect the Giants to be the NL Wild Card, based on their pitching staff.

3. Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers are an enigma. On paper, they appear to be a playoff team and the favorite in the West. However, their end results never equate to the level of talent on the roster. Is it that these players are not as good as they are perceived? Was it that Joe Torre just could not tap into the potential of these players and Don Mattingly will? Is Torre overrated? Prior to joining the Yankees and being handed the talent he had in New York, Torre only made the playoffs once. Add the messy divorce between the McCourts, and the Dodgers have the potential to further regress.

On the plus side, the Dodgers have a very solid rotation. Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Ted Lilly, and Hiroki Kuroda make a good starting four. Johnathon Broxton returns as the closer despite a rough second half of the season in 2010. Hong-Chih Kuo, Kenley Jansen, and Matt Guerrier lead a solid bullpen, and would be good options if Broxton falters again. The lineup is good, with Matt Kemp, Andre Either, and James Loney as the anchors. A healthy Rafael Furcal returns as the catalyst at the top of the order.

This season is going to be interesting in DodgerLand, as Don Mattingly inherits a messy situation. There is a lot of talent here, but it just doesn't translate to success.

4. San Diego Padres: The Padres greatest strengths going into this season are their bullpen and top two starters. Mat Latos and Clayton Richard performed at an excellent level last season, although Latos did wear down in September. The bullpen has an elite closer in Heath Bell, and two potential closers of the future in Luke Gregerson and Mike Adams. Defensively, this is also a very solid ballclub, finishing second in the National League in 2010 with a .988 fielding percentage.

The remainder of the rotation is questionable at best. Tim Stauffer, Wade LeBlanc, and Aaron Harang round out the rotation, and are all question marks. Harang has had two terrible seasons in a row. Stauffer is converting from the bullpen to the rotation, and may take some time to adjust. LeBlanc puts a lot of people on base, but managed to escape most of those situations last year with minimal damage. The lineup also has major problems. They ranked 12th in the National League in runs scored last year, even with Adrian Gonzalez in the lineup. With his trade, the Padres are now leaning heavily on Ryan Ludwick, Brad Hawpe, and Chase Headley to make up the difference. The Padres did improve their team speed with acquiring Cameron Maybin and Jason Bartlett, so expect them to be more aggressive on the basepaths in an effort to manufacture runs.

5. Arizona Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks are all about potential. Stephen Drew, Chris Young, Justin Upton and Juan Miranda all have the possibility of being star players on offense. In the pitching staff, Daniel Hudson and Ian Kennedy could turn out to be top of the rotation starters. The top of the lineup has great speed with Upton, Drew, and Young. The rest of the rotation of Joe Saunders, Armando Galarraga, and Zach Duke is solid.

The key on offense is their ability to put the bat on the ball. Trading Mark Reynolds and his 211 strikeouts while implementing a philosophy of being selective will help to lower the 1529 strikeouts that the Diamondbacks had as a team last year, which was 11% higher than the second place team. This will help to improve a team that only managed a .250 batting average in 2010, leading to more runs and a better chance at being competitive.

The Diamondbacks are heading in the right direction. While they are not quite there, expect them to contend in 2012 or 2013.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Why Does Everyone Hate Duke?

Seemingly every day in sports news, there are new allegations of recruiting violations at major colleges. Athletes are continually getting into trouble, be it for sexual assault, drugs, alcohol, or even murder. More and more, we wonder where all the coaches that do things the right way went to. We wonder where the athletes that we feel comfortable for our children to look up to are. We wonder if major college sports schools care about their athlete's education more than to just pay it lip service. Turns out that there is still such a place - Duke University.

Since arriving at Duke in 1980, coach Mike Krzyzewski has built a program based on getting solid athletes that are actually good citizens. Duke will not have the thugs, the trouble makers, or the players that refuse to realize that it is about team. The Army, where he played college basketball, has an award named in his honor - the "Coach K Teaching Character Through Sports" award - given each spring to cadets and coaches who display superior ethics and character through sports. For the most part, his athletes finish their educations. He brings back former players as coaches, helping them out to find jobs.

Yet, Coach K and the Duke basketball program are almost universally despised. Why is this? Is it due to the continual run of NCAA tournament appearances, missing the tournament once since the 1983-84 season? Is it due to the perception that Krzyzewski is a smug, arrogant individual? Is it because they seem to produce the exact same players year in and year out? Shouldn't the fact that they manage to win while upholding ethics and getting actually good citizens matter?

Duke is everything we want a program to be. So why the hatred for this program?

2011 Preview - National League Central

This is the fifth installment of the six part 2011 baseball preview. Today features the National League Central. Teams are listed in the order of their expected finish.

1. Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers are all in on the 2011 season. Given that this is Prince Fielder's last year under Milwaukee control before free agency, the Brewers went out and strip mined the farm system in an attempt to compete this year. Trades for Zack Greinke and Sahun Marcum dramatically improved the rotation. Yovani Gallardo now becomes the number three pitcher. Randy Wolf is a better fit as the fourth starter, as opposed to the number two. Rounding out the rotation is Chris Narveson, who pitched well last year. The offense is solid, anchored by Fielder, Ryan Braun, and the solid Casey McGehee.

Injuries are a concern with the Brewers. Already, Greinke is going to miss some time due to a rib injury, and Marcum is dealing with shoulder tightness. If these injuries cause either pitcher to miss significant time, the Brewers are in trouble. The defense is also a concern. Alcides Escobar, a solid fielding shortstop, was moved in the Greinke trade, and replaced with Yuniesky Betancourt, who is a defensive black hole.

As long as the Brewers enjoy a reasonably healthy season, they should be the favorite to win a fairly strong NL Central.

2. Chicago Cubs: The Cubs offseason may have attracted more attention in the Central had the Brewers not made as many moves. By trading for Matt Garza, they improved their rotation. The signings of Carlos Pena and Kerry Wood improve their defense and bullpen respectively. Pena is a Gold Glove caliber first baseman, and is adept at gathering potentially errant throws. This will help the entire infield, and Starlin Castro in prticular. Wood returned tot he Cubs to set up Carlos Marmol, and as insurance in case Marmol struggles.

The key for the Cubs may be Carlos Zambrano. Last season, prior to the All-Star break, he was 3-6 with a 5.66 ERA and a 1.69 WHiP. After the break, he went 8-0 with a 1.58 ERA and a 1.27 WHiP. Which Zambrano will the Cubs get in 2011? Starlin Castro also has to take the next step in his development. Last year, he hit .300 with 10 stolen bases as a rookie. He was also caught 8 times. Improvement as a base stealer and proving that he can continue to provide a .300 average will be key.

The Cubs are a much better team that most people realize. Should Milwaukee falter, look for them to capitalize and take the NL Central.

3. Cincinnati Reds: The Reds are due to regress this season. Last year, Joey Votto and Scott Rolen had excellent seasons to help power the Reds to the playoffs. Votto won the MVP, and should continue to hit at the same level, however Rolen is a concern. At age 35, he hit 20 home runs for the first time since 2006. He also struck out in 15.3% of his at bats, his highest total since 2004. Should the power numbers return to where they have been, and the strikeout rate continues to rise, the Reds suddenly find themselves with a hole in their lineup.

While the Brewers and the Cubs improved, the Reds didn't. They return virtually the same roster from 2010 as they attempt to repeat. However, the Reds do boast a good rotation, headed by Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez. The bullpen is solid, with veteran Francisco Cordero closing, and flame throwing Aroldis Chapman as their 8th inning pitcher.

The Reds have a good young team, and will be competitive for a few years. They just don't have enough to win the division in 2011 with the improvements made by the other teams.

4. St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals are in trouble. Already, Adam Wainwright has been lost for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Chris Carpenter has been dealing with several minor injuries during Spring Training, and given his history, cannot be counted on to pitch the entire season. The spectre of Albert Pujols' impending free agency hangs over this team as well. Colby Rasmus, a very good young player, has somehow incurred the wrath of Tony LaRussa, and was rumored to be on the trading block all offseason.

Despite this, the strength of the Cardinals is their lineup. Pujols is the best player in baseball, and is surrounded by good players in Rasmus, Matt Holliday, and the recently acquired Lance Berkman. Ryan Theriot and Nick Punto improve their middle infield, providing better defense and offense than Skip Schumaker and Brendan Ryan.

This is going to be an interesting year for the Cardinals, and may implode rapidly. The offense may be enough to keep them in contention for most of the year, but they simply do not have the pitching to keep up.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pirates are an improving team with several exciting young players ready to make an impact at the major league level. Pedro Alvarez, Neil Walker, Jose Tabata, and Andrew McCutchen provide a great core of talent that should be together for years. James McDonald looks like a potential number one starter in the making. The bullpen of All-Star Evan Meek and Joel Hanrahan is solid. The Pirates are a much better team than they were in 2010.

However, the Pirates are still a couple of years away. The major league roster does not yet have enough talent to compete with the upper echelon of teams in the Central. There is plenty of talent coming up through the minors with pitching prospects Jameson Taillon, Stetson Allie, Rudy Owens, and Luis Heredia ready to produce in the majors within the next two years.

The Pirates are improving. While 2011 may not be the year they end their 18 year run of losing seasons, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

6. Houston Astros: The Astros needed to rebuild long ago, but they had managed to remain close to contention, causing them to keep expending prospects for rental players. Last season, the bottom fell out, and they finally began the rebuilding process. Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman were traded, finally bringing over prospects to help them rebuild. However, this team has very little talent on offense at the major league level. Carlos Lee had his worst season in his career. Michael Bourn, while a Gold Glove center fielder, is not much of a hitter. Speed is his greatest asset, although he strikes out far more than a leadoff hitter should. His OPS+ of 90 proves that he is below league average as a batter.

The one bright spot for the Astros is their rotation. Wandy Rodriguez, J.A. Happ, Brett Myers, and Bud Norris comprise a staff that is surprisingly solid and vastly underrated. Rodriguez and Myers are an excellent top two in any rotation. Happ and Norris have a lot of promise, and have demonstrated the ability to get major league hitters out. Ryan Rowland-Smith is the probable fifth starter, and is a solid fit in any pitching staff.

The Astros are going to be terrible this season, and will be in contention for the top pick in 2012. They delayed rebuilding for too long, and will suffer the consequences for the next few years.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

2011 Preview - National League East

This is the fourth installment of the six part 2011 baseball preview. Today is the first of the National League divisions, the NL East. The teams are listed in the order of their anticipated finish.

1. Atlanta Braves: The Braves may have built themselves another dynasty. Their offense, already solid, was improved with the acquisition of Dan Uggla from the Florida Marlins. Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman add youth to a lineup with several veteran bats. Chipper Jones returns for another year, and is looking good thus far in spring training. The pitching staff is solid and deep, with Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrgens atop the rotation. Top prospects Julio Teheran and Mike Minor headline a crop of young pitchers that are making their way towards the majors.

With the acquisition of Uggla's bat, the Braves also traded for his glove - or lack thereof. While Uggla is not as bad as Brooks Conrad was for the Braves during the 2010 postseason at second, he's not vastly better either. Craig Kimbrel and Johnny Venters, two young hard throwing relievers, are vying for the closer position vacated by the retired Billy Wagner. Whether or not either will be able to be effective as the closer will be a major question. Also, for the first time since 1990, the Braves do not have the familiar presence of Bobby Cox in the dugout. His hand picked successor, Fredi Gonzalez, takes over this talented club as he tries to lead them back to a perpetual postseason berth.

The Braves are very well set up for 2011 and beyond. They may not have another 14 year run of postseason appearances, but they will be making October appearances for the foreseeable future.

2. Philadelphia Phillies: Ye Gods, this rotation is stacked. With the surprise acquisition of Cliff Lee via free agency, the Phillies can trot out four legitimate aces, as he joins Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels in the rotation. Joe Blanton, their number five starter, would slot as a number three on the majority of teams in baseball. The rotation is backed up by a solid bullpen, as a reborn Jose Contreras and Ryan Madson set up Brad Lidge. Lidge bounced back from a terrible 2009 to post his typically solid season, holding hitters to a .194 batting average, significantly down from the .301 he gave up the year before.

The offense, by name value alone, is solid, despite the loss of Jayson Werth. However, last season the Phillies scored either one run or were shut out in 34 of the 162 games played. Home runs decreased from 224 in 2009 to 166 in 2010. While the age of the lineup is certainly a factor, the Phillies big hitters (Utley, Victorino, Howard, and Rollins) are also seeing fewer fastballs. As batters that do most of their damage on the heater, this trend severely limits their ability to produce.

The rotation should be enough to ensure that the Phillies win majority of their games. But the offense is going to need to rebound in a major fashion for them to win the NL East.

3. Florida Marlins: The Marlins two biggest moves were to trade Dan Uggla for Omar Infante and Michael Dunn, and to sign Javier Vazquez. At first, these moves would not cause excitement. However, Infante has proven to be a solid bat, and he solidifies the defense in the middle of the diamond. Dunn was added to a much improved bullpen to help the Marlins protect any leads. Vazquez has historically pitched much better in the National League, and in the NL East in particular. With a rotation fronted by the under appreciated Josh Johnson, and a lineup featuring Hanley Ramirez, Mike Stanton, and some good young talent, the Marlins may be a lot better than people think.

The key for the Marlins will be whether or not the younger players perform up to their potential. Stanton hit 22 home runs in 359 at bats in 2010, and is expected to improve upon that number. Logan Morrison and Gaby Sanchez had solid rookie seasons, but need to improve for the Marlins to compete. John Buck was brought in as a free agent to solidify the catching position, however he is also a question mark after coming off of a career year in Toronto.

The Marlins will surprise some people in 2011, as long as the young players perform up to their potential. It would not be any surprise if they find themselves ahead of the Phillies at the end of the year.

4. Washington Nationals: The Nationals improved their offense with the signing of Jayson Werth, and also announced their intention to actually build a competitive team at the same time. While they may have overpaid Werth, teams like the Nations have to spend more than market value to attract free agents - look at how the Tigers acquired Ivan Rodriguez. Bryce Harper and the injured Stephan Strasburg headline a crop of elite prospects that will help to improve the Nationals in the next couple of season.

Aside from Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, and Ian Desmond, there is not much to like about the 2011 major league roster. Majority of the roster would either be bench pieces or be in AAA for clubs that are expected to compete, and even some that won't. Livan Hernandez is expected to lead the rotation, at age 36. If Jordan Zimmerman and Chien-Ming Wang can come back and pitch as well as they had before injury, the pitching staff would look a lot better. Until that time, there just is not a lot of talent here.

The future looks good in Washington, but the 2011 season will still be bad. They will improve over last year, but they are still a couple of years away.

5. New York Mets: To call the New York Mets a train wreck would be disrespectful - to train wrecks. They are much, much worse than that. With the situation involving the Bernie Madoff pyramid scheme, the Mets were financially hog tied and unable to make moves. Aside from David Wright, the only positive for the Mets involves expiring contracts. The mistakes known as Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo run out after 2011, as does 2012. Even though the Wilpon's needed to borrow $25 million from Major League Baseball this offseason, they have $36.5 million dollars off the books next season. Should the option on Francisco Rodriguez's contract not be triggered, that number jumps up to $50.5 million.

This team was a complete disaster, and that was even before the news that Johan Santana may be out for the entire season. Injuries, under performing free agent signings, and a lack of talent permeate the Mets. Jason Bay provided a total of six home runs for the 4 year/$66 million contract he signed. Jose Reyes cannot stay healthy. The rotation, minus Santana, is headed by either Mike Pelfrey or R. A. Dickey. This is what a team with over $133 million in payroll obligations has to look forward to? Really?

The Mets are flat out awful. As much as it would be best to just avert the eyes and ignore this disaster, the perverse interest in watching carnage is the only thing that makes seeing a Mets game worthwhile.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Donald Sterling Is A Joke

Donald Sterling is a man with a very checkered past. In 2005, he was ordered to pay $5 million in a lawsuit that accused him of trying to drive out black and Latino tenants from apartments that he owned in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was sued in 2006 by former Clippers executive Elgin Baylor for employment discrimination based on age and race, a lawsuit that alledges that Sterling told him to build a team of  "poor black boys from the South and a white head coach." In 2009, the United States Department of Justice sued him for housing discrimination in using race as a factor in filling some of his apartment buildings. He has been sued multiple times for sexual harassment. He purchased a plot of land in the eastern end of downtown Los Angeles in 2006 with the promise to build a homeless shelter, which he has yet to begin to develop, leading many to believe he purchased this land to realize a profit.

As owner of the Clippers, he has been equally despicable. There is the lawsuit with Elgin Baylor, who Sterling admitted that he had no idea of Baylor's basketball accomplishments at any point in time. The man owns an NBA franchise, and did not know Elgin Baylor's place in basketball history? He refused to pay for assistant coach Kim Hughes' surgery for prostate cancer, leaving four Clippers players (Corey Maggette, Elton Brand, Marko Jaric, and Chris Kaman) to pick up the $70,000 tab that Hughes would have owed. Even though this surgery was required to save Hughes' life, Sterling refused to pay for it, feeling that it would set a 'dangerous example' and that others would feel that he would pay for their medical treatments. What a disgrace.

Sterling has steadfastly refused to spend money on his coaches or his scouting department, which is actually a position that the NBA wanna-be mafia boss David Stern approves of. Not coincidentally, since Sterling purchased the Clippers in 1981, they have had a total of two winning seasons. He refuses to surround himself with knowledgeable basketball minds, although some of that may be due to the fact that they will not work for him, given his history.

Don David has no problems going after Mark Cuban and other people in his private fiefdom for doing such things as criticizing the referees, wearing their headbands inside out, or other completely innocent things. Yet, he refuses to admonish Sterling for anything, including the multiple discrimination scandals. Why is this? Why does he refuse to force this bigoted, penny pinching, morally bankrupt piece of human garbage to sell his team? One would think that if any other owner was involved, or allegedly involved, in even one iota of the controversy that Sterling has been that he would be at that owner's doorstep with members of a 'persuation squad' to make them an 'offer they cannot refuse'. Why the double standard?

Clippers fans, all three of them now, deserve better than this. When Sterling no longer owns the Clippers, the NBA will be a better place.

2011 Preview - American League West

On to part three of the 2011 baseball season preview. This time, the American League West is featured. Teams are listed in order of their expected finish.

1. Texas Rangers: The Rangers have an extremely potent offense when healthy. With Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Michael Young, and Ian Kinsler, the lineup already had several tremendous hitters. Adding Adrian Beltre to that mix makes this already formidable lineup even better. In the bullpen, they have Neftali Feliz, who was the AL Rookie of the Year last year as closer. With the additions of Darren Oliver and Arthur Rhodes, along with prospect Alexi Ogando, the bullpen is solid.

The biggest concern with the Rangers is their health. Cruz, Hamilton, and Kinsler all missed significant time last season. Hamilton, in particular, is a definate injury concern as he has played in over 135 games just once in his four year career. The rotation is also littered with question marks. Last season, the Rangers had a team ERA of 3.93, but that was also a product of players such as Colby Lewis and Tommy Hunter having career years. Cliff Lee is no longer there to solidify the rotation and be that stopper in the event of a losing streak.

Despite this, the Rangers are still the team to beat in the AL West, and should reach the postseason for consecutive years for the first time since 1998 and 1999.

2. Oakland A's: The A's dramatically improved their team this offseason. By adding David DeJesus through trade, and the free agent signings of Hideki Matsui and Josh Willingham, they have solidified a lineup that was anemic at best. While none of these signings are expected to hit 30 or more home runs, they fit perfectly with the ballpark, as they are prototypical doubles hitters. The pitching staff is both young and solid. Brett Anderson looks like a potential ace in the making. Trevor Cahill, Dallas Braden, and Gio Gonzalez are a solid group of pitchers, and should continue to improve this season.

The middle infield is the biggest weakness for this team. Mark Ellis cannot stay healthy, and at age 34, does not promise to gain any durability. Cliff Pennington is a black hole on offense, and is easily replaced. When the Cardinals made Brendan Ryan available, the A's should have made a move to grab him. While he wouldn't prove much more with the bat, he would solidify their infield defense, which Pennington does not.

Even with the questions in the middle of their infield, the A's should contend for the division title, and are my pick for the American League Wild Card.

3. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: The Angels offseason was filled with disappointment. After attempting to get Adrian Beltre and Carl Crawford, they made a trade that screamed of desperation by moving Mike Napoli and Jaun Rivera for Vernon Wells and his ridiculous contract. Despite this, the Wells acquisition does improve their defense. The offense is still solid, with the return of Kendry Morales only serving to improve the lineup.

The rotation is a concern after Jered Weaver and Dan Haren. Ervin Santana, Joel Piniero, and Scott Kazmir do not inspire any confidence in their ability (or lack thereof) to get major league hitters out. Kazmir in particular has fallen off dramatically since his trade from Tampa Bay. The closer position is also a potential landmine, with Fernando Rodney and his 1.544 WHiP being counted on to close out ballgames. Rodney has the potential to completely napalm the ninth inning on any given night.

This is a team with a lot of holes and a questionable pitching staff. They will finish far behind the Rangers and the A's.

4. Seattle Mariners: This team is flat out terrible. Aside from Ichiro's hitting ability and his streak of 200 hits per year, and the ability to watch Felix Hernandez pitching, there really are not a lot of reasons to be excited for this ballclub. There are a few promising players coming through the pipeline in Dustin Ackley, Michael Pineda, and Nick Franklin; however, they need a lot more help.

The offense last season scored a total of 513 runs last year, or just under 3.2 per game. As such, their biggest offseason move was to get rid of Jose Lopez and bring in Brendan Ryan, who provides a great glove but nothing on offense. After Hernandez in the rotation is the AAAA platter of Jason Vargas, Doug Fister, Luke French, and the perpetually injured Erik Bedard. This team is terrible beyond comprehension.

The only thing that the Mariners will be competing for in 2011 is the ability to draft first in 2012.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

2011 Preview - American League Central

For Part Two of the 2011 baseball preview, we look at the American League Central. Teams are listed in the order of their anticipated finish.

1. Chicago White Sox: Despite losing their closer in Bobby Jenks, the White Sox had a solid offseason. In signing Adam Dunn as a free agent to bolster an already solid lineup, they have increased their offensive firepower. Even with the loss of Jenks, the bullpen is still solid and deep. Matt Thornton is expected to take over as the closer, after an excellent 2010 where he posted a 2.67 ERA, 1.005 WHiP, and 81 strikeouts over 60.2 innings. If he falters, Chris Sale, the first round draft pick in 2010, is ready to take over. After making his debut on August 6, he posted an ERA of 1.93, a 1.071 WHiP, and striking out 32 batters over 23.1 innings. The rotation, while it does not have a specific pitcher that can be pointed to as an 'ace', is filled with pitchers that would be a number two or number three starter on most any other team.

The biggest question mark with the White Sox is how Jake Peavy will return from his injury. He had surgery last summer to reattach his latissimus dormi muscle in his shoulder, which is a procedure that is quite rare in baseball. As of now, his velocity is down, but he is still pitching relatively effectively. However, if he goes down again, that is a major hole to fill.

By virtue of their depth and Ozzie Guillen's ability to somhow make the right moves, the White Sox are the team that should win a very competitive AL Central.

2. Minnesota Twins: The Twins got a major boost this offseason without needing to make a signing in the return of Joe Nathan. With his return to the bullpen, this gives the Twins three pitchers with significant closing experience in Jon Rauch and Matt Capps. Like the White Sox, the Twins have a rotation without a specific ace, but all of their pitchers would slot as a number two or three on most other teams. The lineup, when healthy, is very good. Anchored by Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, they scored the fifth most runs per game and had the fourth highest OPS in the American League, even with Morneau being out of the lineup after July 8th.

The Twins health is a major concern with Morneau recovering from a severe concussion and the Joe Mauer's tendancy to get hurt. Also, the defense in the outfield is horrible. With the spacious outfield at Target Field, the lack of range between Delmon Young, Denard Span, and Jason Kubel could hurt the Twins in 2011.

The Twins should battle with the White Sox for most of the 2011 season, but in the end, they will fall just short.

3. Detroit Tigers: The Detroit Tigers were quite active this offseason, acquiring Victor Martinez and Joaquin Benoit as free agents, and resigning Magglio Ordonez. The offense, which was already solid, has improved with these signings and Ordonez's return. Miguel Cabrera and Brendan Boesch will benefit from the improved lineup, as Cabrera will have more protection behind him. Boesch's production decreased when Ordonez got hurt, and he will benefit from having these veteran hitters around him in the lineup. Benoit fortifies a deep bullpen, along with a finally healthy Joel Zumaya and Jose Valverde returning as closer.

The primary concern with the Tigers is their rotation. They have a legitimate number one starter in Justin Verlander; however, the rest of the rotation is a major concern. There are no guarantees that Rick Porcello, Max Scherzer, or Brad Penny will pitch well. Scherzer did pitch much better after a mid season demotion to AAA last season, but he has yet to show any consistency at the major league level. Rounding out the rotation is Phil Coke, who the Tigers are hoping to convert to starting after he has spent the last three years as a reliever. They also have the spectre of Cabrera's DUI arrest hanging overhead. While i do not expect that to be a distraction, there is still the concern that Selig may suspend him or demand that he re-enters rehab, which would severely hurt the Tigers chances this year.

While the Tigers will be competitive, they simply do not have the rotation to keep up with the White Sox or the Twins. They would need to out slug their opponents to win the division, and they simply are not consistent enough to do so.

4. Cleveland Indians: When you are a team that will be lucky to win 70 games, the greatest strength of the team should not be the bullpen. However, in Cleveland, that is exactly where their strength lies. Chris Perez is a solid closer, and looks to be on his way to becoming one of the elite closers in the game. With him in the bullpen are Rafael Perez and Jensen Lewis, both strong arms that could close if Perez falters. They have some good young players coming up, with Carlos Santana projected to become an elite catcher, and Lonnie Chisenhall expected to debut at third base for them sometime this season. Shin-Soo Choo and Asdrubal Cabrera are the main building blocks in the major league lineup, and both are excellent players.

The rest of the lineup is filled with major holes that were not addressed in the offseason. The Indians only major pickup as a free agent was Austin Kearns, which is not a move that inspires much confidence. The Indians are hoping that Travis Hafner remains healthy, that Grady Sizemore is finally healthy, and that Matt LaPorta can show some of the talent that had him considered to be a top prospect, and the key to the C.C. Sabathia trade. Meanwhile, the rotation is littered with AAAA pitchers. Fausto Carmona is the defacto number one, and is the only member of the rotation that could be considered major league material.

The Indians are in for a very long season, and it may be a few years before they are able to seriously expect to contend.

5. Kansas City Royals: Let's be up front - the Royals are not about 2011. They plan on competing in 2012 and beyond.

With that out of the way, the Royals are difficult to forecast for 2011. They have a number of elite prospects on the verge of reaching the majors, several of which may be called up before the September roster expansion. The lineup on opening day will not look anything like the lineup sent on to the field in September. The Royals, being cognisant of having the best system in baseball, signed the free agents they acquired to one year deals, so as to not block any of the prospects for 2012. For the present, they have a great closer in Jaokim Soria, and what promises to be a solid bullpen, despite the likelihood that they will have three rookies playing key roles. Billy Butler continues to hit at a solid level, and while he needs to develop more power, he has essentially become the 2010's version of Mark Grace.

However, this team has absolutely no offense aside from Butler. Jeff Francoeur and Melky Cabrera were brought in as free agents, but will probably be traded by the deadline if the Royals can get anything for them. The rotation has very little to show for it, but once again, this is by design. Zack Greinke, their ace, was traded this offseason to Milwaukee in a move that brought over their shortstop and center fielder for the next few years.  However, the Royals are placing their hopes on prospects, which is not always a formula for success. If these players flame out, the Royals are in serious trouble going forward.

The Royals have a great future, and should contend in 2012 and beyond. 2011 is more about giving some of the prospects major league experience than it is about attempting to win the Central.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Carson Palmer Is Stuck

Leave it to a Bengal to screw up the timing when he demands a trade.

With the NFL lockout, player movement is prohibited. Free agents are not able to sign with new teams. Trades cannot occur. Should the lockout last through the draft, undrafted free agents will not be able to sign with teams. Nothing is able to be done until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached. As such, Carson Palmer's trade demands are unable to be met, even if the Bengals wanted to. And Cincinnati has stated repeatedly that they will not trade Palmer.

So, where does that leave him? Presently, Palmer is in limbo. He has no idea if he is going to be a Bengal or if they will acquiesce to his demands. In a time where all of the players are dealing with uncertainty in regards to their situations, Palmer is in an even more precarious situation.

Meanwhile, the Bengals are also in an interesting position. With there being no guarantee that the labor dispute will be resolved by the draft on April 28, they have to decide whether or not to draft a quarterback in the first round. As it stands, the Bengals need a quarterback to develop even if Carson Palmer is still on the roster. Presently, their backups are Jordan Palmer and Dan LeFevour - not exactly a group that provides any confidence should they be called upon. On top of this, the Bengals history in drafting quarterbacks is terrible. Over the past 20 years, they have drafted Donald Hollis, David Klinger, Akili Smith, Scott Covington, Palmer, Reggie McNeal, and Jeff Rowe. Yikes.

Palmer has stated on multiple occasions that he plans on retiring should he not be traded. If the labor situation is not resolved by the draft, it will be interesting to see how the Bengals handle it. Even should they call him out on his threats, they still need to draft a quarterback for the future. And watching that should be interesting.

2011 Preview - American League East

This is the first part of what is going to be a six part 2011 baseball preview. For Part One, the American League East is reviewed. The teams are listed in the order that I anticipate them finishing in.

1. Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox easily had the best offseason of any team in baseball. Signing Carl Crawford as a free agent and trading for Adrian Gonzalez dramatically improves a lineup that was already formidable in it's own right. The rotation features four starters that could be the number one on any number of teams in Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett, and John Lackey. The bench is filled with solid depth players and veterans. This is a team with very few weaknesses, and is the best team on paper.

There are several questions on the Sox, but they are relatively minor. First is the health on their team. Youkilis, Pedroia, and Ellsbury all missed significant time last year. Gonzalez is coming off of shoulder surgery. By all indications, they are all healthy and ready to go. Also, one must ask where Johnathon Papelbon's head is at. For him, he had an off year last year, and the Sox brought in Bobby Jenks in the event that he falters once again.

Nonetheless, this is the team that will win the AL East, and is likely to be the American League representative in the World Series.

2. Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays managed to win 85 games last season despite Aaron Hill and Adam Lind hitting .205 and .237 respectively. While Jose Bautista's power is expected to decrease this season after hitting 54 home runs last year, it is worth noting that he hit 10 in September of 2009 after an adjustment to his batting stance. Even with a dropoff from Bautista, improved production from Lind and Hill should more than make up for the difference.

Despite trading Shaun Marcum to the Brewers, the Blue Jays still have a deep rotation. Brendan Morrow, Ricky Romero, and Brett Cecil all did a solid job last year. Jesse Litsch is being added to the mix, as he spent most of last year recovering from injuries. The fifth spot int he rotation is a battle between prospect Kyle Drabek and Marc Rzepczynski. The bullpen has been improved with the addition of Frank Francisco as their presumed closer.

The Blue Jays are a team with a good direction and a solid future. 2012 is the more likely year to expect them to begin to contend for the postseason, but this team has the potential to accelerate that curve.

3. New York Yankees: Despite their best efforts on the free agent front, the Yankees found themselves in an unusual situation - perusing the bargain bin looking for potential bargains. After missing out on Cliff Lee, they signed a plethora of low risk free agent pitchers in Mark Prior, Bartolo Colon, and Freddy Garcia. Russell Martin was signed to take over as the primary catcher from Jorge Posada. Rafeal Soriano was brought in to solidify the bullpen and as insurance in the even that the ageless Mariano Rivera falters. However, the Soriano signing was curious given the contract (3 years for $15 million) and that General Manager Brian Cashman went out of his way to remove himself from that signing.

The core of the Yankees in Jeter, A-Rod, Posada, and Rivera are getting old. Posada and A-Rod have become injury risks, and Posada has essentially become the Yankees full time DH at this stage of his career. The rotation behind C.C. Sabathia is littered with question marks and unproven talent. A.J. Burnett can be napalm at any given moment. Phil Hughes had a solid year in 2010, but is he able to build off of that? The battle for the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation is uninspiring at best, with Colon, Garcia, Ivan Nova, and Sergio Mitre battling to make the roster. Not exactly the team that one pictures the Yankees having.

Age and a lack of organizational depth that is ready to perform at the major league level are due to catch up to the Yankees. 2011 should be the first sign of slippage.

4. Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays got absolutely hammered in this offseason. They lost their starting first baseman in Carlos Pena, their closer in Rafael Soriano, and their starting left fielder in Carl Crawford through free agency. Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett were traded away for increased financial flexibility. This is a team that is definitely in rebuilding mode, and are planning on contending in another couple of seasons.

However, the Rays possess one of the best managers in baseball in Joe Maddon, a deep minor league system filled with prospects, and a smart front office. They have a plan, and they know how to execute it to perfection. It may not always be pretty, and there will be cycles where the Rays will not be competitive, but they will cycle back around. Jeremy Hellickson, Desmond Jennings, and Jake McGee are all expected to contribute at the major league level this season. Behind them are Hak-Ju Lee, Matt Moore, Chris Archer, and Josh Sale. The Rays, like Arnold in the Terminator, will be back.

Look for the Rays to return to prominence in 2013, but the future is bright down in Tampa.

5. Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles are a very perplexing franchise. They are easily the worst team in a ridiculously difficult division, yet every year they seem to delude themselves into believe that they are a competitive ballclub. They make signings and trades as though they expect to compete every year, and refuse to recognize that they are, in fact, awful. The offseason signings of Vlad Guerrero and Derrek Lee, along with the trade for Mark Reynolds, further prove that this organization does not have anything resembling a long term plan.

On the positive side, the Orioles have some solid arms coming up. Brian Matusz pitched well during the second half of last year. Chris Tillman should contribute this season. Zack Britton and Dan Klein are on the way to the major leagues, and may be called up in September. Manny Machado is an elite prospect at shortstop. However, behind them, there is not a lot to get excited about. Buck Showalter has a lot of experience in getting young teams ready to compete, but he has had a lot more to work with than what he has been given in Baltimore.

The Orioles desperate need to recognize their situation and go full bore into rebuilding mode. Until they do so, this team is destined to take up permanent residence in the American League East basement.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

When Failed Experiments Refuse To Die

Fifteen years ago, the NBA created the experiment known as the WNBA. Despite the continual advertisements, the inane 'We Got Next' promotions, and David Stern trying to ram it down our collective throats, no one cared. Fast forward fifteen years, and still, no one cares. In fact, the WNBA rates behind women's college basketball in terms of popularity.

Women's professional sports league, as a whole, do not do well in America. Does anyone remember the Women's United Soccer Association? This league came into existence based off of the popularity of women's soccer after the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Of course, most of that popularity was probably a direct result of Brandi Chastain removing her shirt after celebrating a goal, but the league founders did not realize that. Predictably, the WUSA folded after three years.

Despite the David Stern and the NBA claiming that they are losing money, they continue to funnel cash into this league. NBA teams are forced to 'affiliate' with WNBA teams in their region, and to help support them. Meanwhile, since the league began fifteen years ago, six teams have folded. Three have relocated. And yet, the NBA continues to try to expand the league, increasing the number of financial sinkholes from eight to the present twelve. In fact, of the original eight teams, only four remain. Not exactly a statistic that screams that this is a viable league.

Yet, the league stumbles forward like some horror movie villain that refuses to die. Now in their fifteenth year of existence (or the equivalent of Friday the 13th part 15, with Jason Voorhees attempting to hypnotize the masses into watching the exercise in pure tedium that is being broadcast), the WNBA has announced plans to commemorate this milestone. The top fifteen players in WNBA history will be announced, as will the top fifteen moments in league history. Expect a lot of boredom in that 'highlight' reel. Chances are, the medical profession will be prescribing it as a cure for insomnia. Also, they are planning on holding speciality themed events (like playing the games), fan promotions, interactive events, and presentations to long time season ticket holders (all four of you) throughout the season.

Supporters of the WNBA will claim that this is basketball at it's purest, where fundamentals matter. They will claim that this is a league where being properly coached, having solid teamwork, and knowing your role on the team matter. What they fail to realize is that the games are as exciting as watching paint dry. As completely terrible and unwatchable as the games in the NBA presently are, at least there are moments of excitement. In the WNBA, the most exciting play is the properly executed bounce pass. These Clydesdales with a ball should be put to pasture.

So, be prepared for the onslaught of advertisements proclaiming this monumental occasion. The best way to prepare is make certain that the batteries in your remote control are fresh, otherwise you might accidentally have to endure parts of the game.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Had To See This Coming

This was inevitable.

Despite word of progress being made in talks, the NFLPA decertified at 5:00 pm yesterday. As a result, the owners and Roger Goodell got exactly what they were aiming for, a lockout. Since 2008, when the owners opted out of the collective bargaining agreement, this has been the plan.

This is part of the three year plan they had. Everything since the point that they opted out of the CBA has led to this. The contract they had with the television networks where they were guaranteed $4 billion, regardless of whether or not football was played, just furthers the point.

The NFL is used to being able to trample the players union, since they always had in the past. This time, the union has made their own demands, which they have not backed down on. The primary demand - for the owners to open up their financial records to prove that the teams are losing as much money as they claim. The owners are refusing to provide anything beyond profitability statements, which are essentially useless without the rest of the financial information. Just because Team A claims they only made $5 million in 2010, down from $7 in 2009, doesn't mean anything. How did they get to that number?

In the end, this is about money. This is the fruition of shortsighted greed. This is the result of demanding an 18 game schedule without any further compensation for the players. This is about the owners wanting more of a $9 billion dollar pie, and refusing to compromise whatsoever.

If any games are lost, which is what seems the most likely outcome, the NFL will have shot itself in the foot. What league in it's right mind would stage a lockout at the apex of it's popularity? Why risk alienating a fanbase that is growing exponentially each year? And over what - an extra $137.5 million dollars, which is the amount that is being reported as the cause of the stalemate. Dumb. Just inexplicably dumb.

Hopefully the NFL remembers what happened to Major League Baseball when they had their lockout in 1994, and how long it took for the game to become popular again. But nothing about the owner's stance leads for anyone to hope that they will have learned from those who went before.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Shut Up Montreal

After the NHL announced that there would not be any forthcoming suspensions or fines in the wake of the hit by Zdeno Chara on Max Pacioretty, Montreal police have opened an investifation into that hit. The police stated that they are acting upon a request by the director of criminal and penal proscutions in Quebec, Louis Dionne.

In related news, Air Canada has threatened to withdraw it's sponsorship of the Montreal Canadiens home unless the league tightens rules to potentially limit severe injuries. NHL Commishioner Gary Bettmen, showing a completely uncharacteristic spine, stated that the NHL may no longer use Air Canada for it's flights as a form of retaliation.

The thing is, this sort of play happens thousands of times over the course of an NHL season. Two players are chasing a puck near the stanchion, and it essentially becomes a game of chicken. They know it's there, it just becomes a matter of which one slows up first. In this case, neither did. Momentum simply carried Pacioretty into the stanchion. Yes, the injuries are severe and unfortunate, but this play happens multiple times per game. The only thing that could possibly prevent these injuries would be to put padding on the turnbuckle, such as the padding on an NFL goalpost.

Yet, the 'outrage' coming from Montreal speaks volumes about that team. The Canadiens play a brand of hockey that is roughly akin to soccer. They dive. They flop. If someone so much as sneezes within three feet of them, they go flying across the ice as if they were shot. In fact, watching that play, it seemed as though Pacioretty was faking the injury to draw more than an interference call on Chara. It was only when he remained down for longer than a few seconds when the thought that an injury may have actually occurred came to mind. It is unfortunate, but that is the way Montreal plays.

However, they can cheap shot the opponent. They can grab. They can agitate. They will run people into goalposts. They trip. Then when someone goes to retaliate against them, they turtle, refuse to fight, and dive across the rink. These actions are why, not only do other teams hate playing them, but other NHL fans hate watching them. It is soccer on ice skates.

So, shut up Montreal. Realize that hockey is a physical game, and things like this do happen. It was an accident, pure and simple.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Kevin Love's Streak

Last night, Kevin Love set the record for the most consecutive double doubles since the ABA-NBA merger back in 1976. His 16 point, 21 rebound performance was his 52nd straight double double, breaking the previous mark held by Moses Malone. Up next for Love is the all time record of 55, which is held by Elvin Hayes.

Looking at the players who have managed to get 50 consecutive double doubles, all are members of the NBA Hall of Fame. The eight names - Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy, Wilt Chamberlain, Elvin Hayes, Jerry Lucas, and Bill Russell - are all part of the truly elite in basketball history. Love, who is only in his third season, has already positioned himself amongst the best ever.

Over his career, Love has come close to averaging a double double each season, missing in his rookie campaign when he averaged 11.1 points and 9.1 rebounds. For this season, Love is averaging 20.8 points and 15.8 rebounds. And he is only 22. Imagine how much better he could get, as he gains experience and more knowledge of the game and the players.

There is no indication that Love is close to slowing down in his pursuit of the record. In fact, he is picking up these statistics with ease, typically having his double double by halfway through the third period. Why can't Love get to 60 straight? There doesn't appear to be anything stopping him.

The problem for Kevin Love is that he plays on a truly abysmal team in the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite his statistics and transcendent performances, the Timberwolves are 16-50. How much worse would that team be without him? For his sake, the Timberwolves need to get dramatically better, or he should demand a trade to a team that will actually compete. His abilities and talents are being wasted in what may as well be basketball Siberia.

Congratulations to Kevin Love on his partial record. Let's see if he can get the next four.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Tiki's Return

After abruptly retiring in 2006, Tiki Barber announced yesterday that he is coming out of retirement to play in the NFL once again. Barber, who is going to turn 36 in another month, had two years remaining on his deal with the New York Giants when he retired. The Giants have already mentioned that they have no interest in retaining him, and Barber will be a free agent as soon as the applicable paperwork is filed.

Barber, back when he was playing, was a legitimately solid running back. A three time Pro Bowler, he rushed for 10,449 yards over his ten year career. However, the legacy he left behind was one of division. He retired because he didn't like Tom Coughin's coaching style. As an analyst, he continually criticized Coughlin and Eli Manning for the slightest problem on the Giants. To that point, former teammate Antonio Pierce said not to expect anything from Barber in the locker room: "But what he did in that locker room my two years with him, he didn't do anything but deteriorate that team. And he didn't help us out. I don't see this guy as a leader or somebody that can help you out. And that's my problem with him."

Barber has indicated that he is interested in playing for one team - the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so he can play with his brother Ronde. However, what role would he fill there? They have a young running back in LeGarrette Blount, who appears to be on the verge of becoming a star. They have Cadillac Williams, who is a solid change of pace back. They still have Earnest Graham who, when he was the every down back for the Bucs, proved to be a solid back. Where would Barber fit?

Tiki, if he has anything left after his five year break, will be nothing more than a third down back. To expect him to walk in after his hiatus would be to deny reality. The top rushing total for a 36 year old, or older, running back is 830 for Marcus Allen. After that, John Riggins had 677 yards, followed by Marcus Allen at age 37 with 505 yards. Tiki Barber, while a lot of things, is no Marcus Allen.

Barber will be able to help a team, but as a third down, chance of pace type. If he is getting more than ten carries a game, there is something seriously wrong with the running back situation wherever he lands.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Soccer Just Doesn't Get It

During the 70th minute of a match between Dorchester and Havant & Waterlooville, a spectator wearing nothing more than a green thong and a curly black wig ran onto the field. Thirty seconds into his escapade, Dorchester player/manager Ashley Vickers tackled the intruder. The intruder was banned from the stadium. Vickers was given a red card and thrown out of the game.

Exactly what criteria was used to determine that the Vickers' actions should get him thrown out of a tie game? According to the rules of soccer, a red card can be given for one of the following seven reasons: serious foul play, violent conduct, spitting at someone, deliberately touching a ball with the hand to impede it's progress, fouling an opponent to prevent an obvious goal scoring opportunity, using offensive or threatening language or gestures, and receiving two yellow cards. Under the letter of the rule, this could be considered violent conduct, but should that not only apply to other players or if a player enters the stands themselves? If some drunken moron runs out onto the field of play, he deserves what he gets.

Also, how is the player or coach to know whether or not he is going to be attacked? Remember back on September 19, 2002 when Kansas City Royals first base coach Tom Gamboa got attacked by two White Sox fans? Who is to say that this person running out onto the field isn't another William Ligue Jr? If anything, Vickers should be commended for ending this unwelcome, and potentially dangerous, interruption to the match.

Incidents like this are part of the reason why soccer will never truly become popular in the United States. Whether or not the reputation is deserved, soccer is regarded as a soft sport where the players dive and flop continually. Removing someone from the game because they tackled an interloping fan only further reinforces this image. Soccer just doesn't get it, and probably never will.

Six Months Too Late

On October 27, 2010, Notre Dame student filmmaker Declan Sullivan died while filming practicee from atop a hydraulic lift during a windstorm. Yesterday, the university announced that it would no longer use these lifts to film football practices, and would be installing a camera system. Mounted on fifty foot poles, these cameras would record the practices and use fiber optics to relay the images back to the control room across the street, where the films can be analyzed.

Rev. John Jenkins, president at Notre Dame, stated "I said in the days after Declan's death that we would do everything in our power to make changes to ensure that such an accident does not happen again -- here or elsewhere," Jenkins said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press in regards to the new system. What is left out of that statement is that everything in his power involved waiting six months after the tragedy occurred.

What is left unsaid in his statement is whether or not the hydraulic lifts were used after the incident involving Declan Sullivan. For all the handwringing, promises to change systems, and tributes for this student, did it really need to take so long to change the dynamic? These practices were still filmed for the coaching staff - probably by some other student who was placed upon another elevated platform.

This declaration, while dressed up as a positive for Notre Dame in keeping a promise made, is really nothing more than a poor joke. If they were truly interested in 'doing everything in their power' and 'making changes to ensure such an accident does not happen again', then the camera system would have been installed within a couple of weeks. This should not have taken six months. The only logical explanation? That Rev. Jenkins did not want to disrupt the staff of the football team and make them adjust to a new way of obtaining data until after the season.

Notre Dame, the football staff, and Rev. Jenkins failed both Declan Sullivan and his family when he died during the windstorm. Six months later, they have failed him again.

Monday, March 7, 2011

LeBron James - Basketball's A-Rod

They began their careers as two 'can't miss' prospects. Talents that would transcend generations and be the faces of their respective franchises for years to come. From the time they arrived on the scene, they were compared to the all time greats of their sport. So, is it any wonder how closely the careers of Alex Rodriguez and LeBron James mirror each other at this point?

Rodriguez spent the first seven years of his career in Seattle, where he was a four time All Star, and finished as high as second in the MVP voting. He then left Seattle as a free agent, signing what was the richest contract in MLB history with the Texas Rangers. Along the way, the left the fans in Seattle feeling betrayed, and the animosity towards him began to grow.

LeBron, likewise, spent his first seven seasons in Cleveland. There, he was a six time All Star, and a two time MVP. Being from the area (he grew up in Akron), he quickly became the face of the franchise, the savior that could lead the team to prominence. However, like A-Rod, after his seventh season he left, spurning the city of Cleveland in a nationally televised production for the Miami Heat. This departure began to fuel anger towards LeBron.

Both have serious questions about their abilities to perform in the clutch. A-Rod is remembered for his atrocious showings in the playoffs from 2004 through 2007 for the Yankees, and the infamous 'glove slap' as he attempted to evade Bronson Arroyo's tag attempt. LeBron infamously quit on the Cavaliers last postseason, as though he had mentally left there following Game Four, and was protesting the perceived 'lack of talent' surrounding him.

Both players are exceedingly image conscious, to the point of narcissism and egomania. A-Rod infamously has a picture depicting himself as a centaur hanging over his bed. There was the picture in Details Magazine where he was kissing himself in the mirror. He interrupted the 2007 World Series to announce that he was going to opt out of his contract and file for free agency. LeBron did manage to upstage A-Rod's announcement by having his one hour special called 'The Decision', where he ripped the heart out of Cleveland in front of a national audience. LeBron is considered to be egotistical to the point where someone actually created a Twitter account that claims to be LeBron's Ego.

And yet, despite how image conscious these two are, they are completely incapable of understanding why people dislike them. A-Rod does not understand why people consider him to be a choke artist, a fraud, an egomaniac, and a mercenary. LeBron is unable to understand why people turned on him for going to Miami, why Cleveland burned his jerseys in effigy, and why he is also thought of as a fraud and choke artist. For the money these people spend on promoting their 'brand' and trying to, in their mind, do the right thing, it would make sense to have someone there to tell them when a concept is simply a terrible idea. Yet, they continue to surround themselves with 'Yes Men', and refuse to accept the consequences of their actions.

Along the way, A-Rod has managed to pick up a championship with the 2009 Yankees. Despite actually having a good run through the American League playoff series, he is still considered to have picked up his ring by riding the coattails of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and other True Yankees. LeBron may, in time, gain his own championship in Miami. However, like A-Rod, he will be considered to have ridden the coattails of someone else to get there.

These are two all time greats in their respective sports. Yet, they are completely unable to be identified with anything tangible other than their own egos and the hatred that fans everywhere have for them. This could have all been prevented, if they only could get out of their own way.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Card of the Week Part 7 - 1921 Exhibit Babe Ruth


This week, the featured card is the 1921 Exhibit Babe Ruth. Exhibit produced a litany of various cards, focusing on the pop culture of the time. Their cards ran the gamut of topics, from sports to entertainers to fighter planes and even Benito Mussolini and strippers (seriously). From 1921, when Exhibit began it's foray into the trading card business, to 1971, it is estimated that they produced over 14000 different cards on various topics.

Exhibit, not being a tobacco or candy company, had a different way of distributing these cards. As most people during that time frame went to bars or amusement parks for entertainment, they created a card dispencing machine, the sole purpose of which was to sell these cards. This was significant for the time, as previously cards, regardless of topic, were intended as a secondary piece of advertising. For Exhibit, the cards were the purpose.

The card featured is the Babe Ruth from the inagural set. Unlike most items featuring Ruth, this one has him in a fielding position, which is exceedingly rare. Notice how he seems to be staring off into the distance, even as his body is, theoretically, facing the field of play. Yet, even dispite his seeming nonchelance towards fielding being captured for all time, Ruth was a solid fielder for his time. In 1921, he had a .966, which was actually .006 higher than the league average. Over his career, his defensive wins above replacement, which compares a player to the league average, finished at a positive 7.4. All in all, Ruth was not a liability in the field of play.

This is a very rare card, with a very rare image of Ruth, capturing a skill that he still had, but was not considered as noteworthy as his prodigious power. Exhibit did quite well to use this as the picture for this set.

Overzealous sports bureaucrats - not just in America

In professional sports, the governing bodies that be seem to spend in extremely disproportionate time regulating uniform violations. The socks have to be a certain height. Cleats must be a certain color. Headbands must be worn a specific way. The suit that Mike Nolan wanted to wear on the sidelines while coaching the San Fransisco 49ers? That was against the rules, because it did not have a Reebok logo on it. Meanwhile, Bill Belichick could wear his grey hoodie and look like a homeless guy begging for spare change.

Now, FIFA, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to ban snoods, or neckwarmers. According to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, the neckwarmers are "dangerous - it can be like to hang somebody." As these items are not considered to be 'part of the uniform', this ban is effective immediately.

Yes, the neckwarmer is not a part of the uniform. But neither are sweatbands, wristbands or anything like that. Given that most of the 'offenders' are members of the Premier League, which happens to play it's games from August to May in England (so, predominately throughout the winter), why is it wrong for the players to want to be warm? Is it wrong for them to wear gloves as well?

Perhaps the problem with the snood is not the snood at all. Perhaps it is all the flopping and exaggerated acting in an attempt to draw penalties against other teams. Yes, someone could theoretically grab the snood and use it to take someone down, but how is that different than grabbing someone's hair or shirt when attempting the takedown? Maybe if soccer players could keep from dropping if someone so much as sneezes within twenty feet of them, then this would not be a problem.

Instead of banning something that is being used for comfort, FIFA should impose penalties for using the snood for takedowns. After all, how many people want to stand around in the snow wearing nothing more than shorts and a short sleeve shirt?

Saturday, March 5, 2011

The possible reason behind Chipper's decline

Come this time of year, if you play fantasy baseball, it is around the time when you begin to scout for your leagues. Statistics get crunched, trends are looked at, and a draft list begins to take place. If you happen to be in deep leagues, you look beyond the top 15 at each position, and look for players that may be able to have bounce back or unexpected seasons.

Looking over Chipper Jones' statistics over the past three years, there is a marked decline. Yes, Jones is still taking his walks, however his power has decreased dramatically and his batting average has suffered. Perhaps this is due to age (Jones is 39) and injury, but there may be more to it than that. In 2008, Jones hit .364, leading the National League, and slugged 22 homers. In 2009, that went down to .264 and 18 homers, despite 62 more plate appearances. Last season, in 381 plate appearances, he batted .265 with 10 homers.

Part of this may be due to bad luck. His batting average in balls in play has dropped from .383 in 2008 to .287 in 2009 and .281 in 2010. His career average on BABip is .315, so there is a significant difference there. Also, he has a lower than normal BABip over the past two seasons, as the median falls at .299.

However, there is a disturbing trend that may signify why his BABip is decreasing so rapidly. When he makes contact with an offspeed pitch or a breaking ball on the outside part of the plate, his batting average has fallen rapidly. Back in 2008, his batting average on such pitches .358. This fell to .274 in 2009, and down to an atrocious .136 in 2010.

Typically, when a batter is about to lose his abilities, he is no longer able to keep up with the fastball or maintain his batting eye. With Chipper, this is not the case. He can still hit the fastball, and he can still draw a walk. Yet, he no longer seems to be able to hit softer pitches on the outside half. It will be curious to see how he hits these pitches throughout the spring, and whether or not pitchers begin to throw him more offspeed pitches on the outer half.

Jones has had a great Hall of Fame worthy career. But his time is about up, and it's interesting in how the decline has been this atypical.

Friday, March 4, 2011

The Heat have no heart

Last night, the Miami Heat lost to the Orlando Magic by a score of 99 to 96. At first glance, the score does not appear to be that big of a deal - after all, they only lost by three points. However, the Magic were down by 24 points in the third quarter, then went on a 40-9 run over the next fifteen minutes to pull out the victory.

This season, there have been six occurrences where a team has lost after pulling out to a 22 or more point lead. Miami has two of those six. Also, the Heat have seen leads of 15 points evaporate to the Knicks, and barely hung on to a victory over the Magic last month despite a 23 point lead. They also had a 23 point lead over the Indiana Pacers a couple of weeks ago, which they managed to hang on to.

This is a sign for the Heat, and is a damning indictment for what was supposed to be a team that should breeze through the calender towards their anointment as champions. Despite having a great deal of talent in their 'Big Three' of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, they lack the intangibles. They lack the killer instinct. They lack heart.

Looking at teams that the Heat may have to face in the playoffs, this promises to be magnified further. The Celtics of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce would never allow this to happen. Kobe and the Lakers would never allow this to happen. Even the Orlando Magic have proven that they will not back down, and can stand up to the paper champions.

The Heat are similar to the classic schoolyard bully. They can dominate the weaker opposition with ease, but cannot handle it when someone stands up to them. In retrospect, should anyone truly be surprised by this? The foundation of the team is a player who quit during the playoffs last season (James), someone who has never made it out of the first round and has not displayed any leadership qualities whatsoever (Bosh), and someone who is going along with what his pals want (Wade). Yes, Wade has won a championship, but it makes one wonder how much of that should be attributed to an angered Shaquille O'Neal at this point. Could it be that Shaq carried Wade to the title, as opposed to the other way around, regardless of what the statistics may have said?

Yes, the Heat will make it out of the first round, mainly because they will draw a team that won't stand up to them. But it would be shocking if they made it past round two, especially with fortitude they have displayed thus far.