The Left Coast

2009 NL West Preview: Not So Wild West

2009-04-03T21:50:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: "Not So Wild West" is the fifth of a seven-part series previewing the 2009 MLB season. Part Four, "Wins Beneath Wings,"spot-lighting the AL West is below. Parts One and Two, spot-lighting the NL and AL East Divisions were published Monday, March 30. Part Seven, covering season awards and postseason berths will be published Monday, April 6.

For much of this decade, the NL West has come down to which team was the least crappy in a pool of crappy teams. The division houses what will probably be the worst team in baseball this year in the Padres, but at least things aren't QUITE as bad as usual at the top of the division where I went back and forth about 50 times on who to put No. 1 before finally deciding on...

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 84-78, first place, lost to Phillies in NLCS.
2008 Headline: Welcome to Mannywood.
2009 Motto: This one's for you, Jeff Kent.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: RP Guillermo Mota, C Brad Ausmus, RP Claudio Vargas, INF Mark Loretta, SP Randy Wolf, RP Will Ohman, 2B Orlando Hudson.
Key Losses: SP Brad Penny (to BOS), RP Takashi Saito (to BOS), SP Derek Lowe (to CHC), CF Andruw Jones (to TEX), 2B Jeff Kent (retired), SP Greg Maddux (retired), SS Angel Berroa (to NYY), INF Nomar Garciaparra (to OAK), SP Chan Ho Park (to PHI), RP Scott Proctor (to FLA), INF Pablo Ozuna (to PHI)

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: A-

The biggest difference between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks can be summed up with one word - Manny. The Dodgers bringing back Manny Ramirez makes them a contender. Matt Kemp needs to improve his plate discipline, but if his power develops like the Dodgers hope it will, he'll be a 30-30 guy before too long. Andre Ethier is as solid a hitter as they come and can be penciled in for a .300/20/80 season. Russell Martin needs some rest, but I'm not sure if the signing of Brad Aumus will allow him to take many more days off than he already was. Orlando Hudson was a great, unheralded pickup.

Pitching rotation: C

There are a lot of questions about this staff. The loss of Brad Penny won't hurt, but losing Derek Lowe definitely will. The Dodgers have been good about limiting the innings of their young pitchers, but Chad Billinglsey and Clayton Kershaw may be asked to shoulder a lot of the load this season. Billingsley looks ready for the challenge, but I'm not so sure about Kershaw. Hiroki Kuroda quietly had a solid rookie season. This will be the year that either continues to improve, or hitters figure him out and he gets abused. The team has to be careful not to rely too much on oft-injured Randy Wolf, who was decent last year for the Padres, but made at least 20 starts for the first time in a season since 2004.

Bullpen: B+

Jonathan Broxton finally gets a shot to close after a few seasons of watching Takashi Saito. He has the skills for it, the only question is if he has the mental makeup for it. Hong Chih-Kuo was one of the better middle relievers in baseball last season and Cory Wade proved his mettle for the Dodgers down the stretch. The Dodgers brought back some blasts from the past in Guillermo Mota and Jeff Weaver to see if there's any gas left in the tank. Was there any gas in Weaver's tank to begin with?

ODDS AND ENDS

If the Dodgers can get someone to take Juan Pierre off their hands, they should jump at the chance.
What high ranking MLB official does Jeff Weaver have naked pictures of? I can't understand how he keeps getting teams to take a chance on him.

2. Arizona Diamondbacks

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 82-80, second place.
2008 Headline: Growing Pains.
2009 Motto: Aren't they supposed to stop at some point.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: 2B Felipe Lopez, SP Jon Garland, RP Scott Schoenweis, RP Tom Gordon.
Key Losses: SP Randy Johnson (to SF), 2B Orlando Hudson (to LAD), OF Adam Dunn (to WAS), RP Brandon Lyon (to DET), RP Juan Cruz (to KC), INF Chris Burke (to SEA) David Eckstein (to SD).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B.

Just like the Dodgers, the D-Backs have a lot of young talent here, but there's no superstar, there's no Manny. Stephen Drew's career trajectory shows that he should continue to improve this season and may become a 25-30 homer guy. The team is waiting for other youngsters like Conor Jackson, Justin Upton and Chris Young to break out. The team's hopes hinge largely on whether these guys can show the potential that scouts across baseball think they have. Mark Reynolds is a pretty average hitter, but he surprisingly provided the team with some much needed power last year (29 homers).

Pitching rotation: A

This is what will keep the D-Backs in the playoff hunt if the young hitters fail to take that next step forward. Arizona is one of the only teams in baseball that can make a legitimate claim to having two bonafide aces on its pitching staff. Brandon Webb and Dan Haren are two excellent, reliable pitchers who you can pretty much lock in for 16 wins and an ERA in the low 3's. The team is hoping for big things from 2006 first round pick Max Scherzer, who earned the 5th spot in the rotation.

Bullpen: C

The bad news is that new closer Chad Qualls has been in the bigs for five years and has almost no experience as a full-time closer. The good news is, he can't possibly be any worse than Brandon Lyon was last season. Scott Schoeneweis was a decent pickup. Tony Pena and Jon Rauch are middle-of-the-road bullpen fodder who will be asked to step up and get the ball to Qualls in the 8th.

ODDS AND ENDS

So far, Stephen Drew has done a good job of NOT mirroring the career of his brother J.D. He stays healthy, keeps quiet and goes about his business.
Arizona better hope they get something out of all this young talent they have before these guys grow up and become Yankees.

3. San Francisco Giants

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 72-90, fourth place.
2008 Headline: We could have probably used Barry Bonds.
2009 Motto: In Lincecum we trust.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: SP Randy Johnson, INF Juan Uribe, SS Edgar Renteria, RP Jeremy Affeldt.
Key Losses: SS Omar Vizquel (to TEX), P Brad Hennessy (to BAL)

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: D-

The Giants' problem last season was excellent pitching with a horrible offense and their offseason moves didn't do much to change that. It's never a good thing when you're looking to Edgar Renteria to provide pop for your offense. Everyone but Brian Sabean seemed to realize that Aaron Rowand was going to end up being a terrible signing. There's some young talent here with potential (Fred Lewis, Pablo Sandoval). The sooner they get rid of the Randy Winn's and Bengie Molina's, the better.

Pitching rotation: A

This unit will keep the Giants from being the worst team in the division. Tim Lincecum only needed one full season to become the best pitcher in baseball. Matt Cain is a great young pitcher who got no run support and was overshadowed by Lincecum's dominant season. Expect improvement from Jonathan Sanchez and it can't hurt to have Randy Johnson on your staff, especially when he's not being counted on to anchor it.

Bullpen: C-

Brian Wilson's sub-4 ERA would indicate that he's not a very efficient pitcher, but somehow he ended up with 41 saves last season. Don't count on that happening again. Jeremy Affeldt was a good addition. They have a lot of solid veteran depth here, but nobody that really jumps out at you.

ODDS AND ENDS

Why did this team sit by and let Manny Ramirez stay in Los Angeles? Despite how terrible this lineup is, they might be the favorites in this division if they had signed Manny.
In this day and age when pitchers seem to get torn labrum's simply getting out of bed, the Giants have to be careful not to work the 25-year-old Lincecum, who pitched 227 innings last year. He is the best player on the team, but don't ride him too hard and make him another cautionary tale.
On another Lincecum note, he has the best commercial on TV right now.

4. Colorado Rockies

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 74-88, third place.
2008 Headline: Wait, this isn't what happens the year after you make the World Series, is it?
2009 Motto: Wait, this isn't what happens two years after you make the World Series, it it?

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: RP Huston Street, SP Josh Fogg, SP Jason Marquis, RP Alan Embree, RP Matt Belisle.
Key Losses: OF Matt Holliday (to OAK), OF Wily Tavares (to HOU), RP Cory Sullivan (to NYM), RP Matt Herges (to CLE), RP Brian Fuentes (to LAA), SP Livan Hernandez (to NYM).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B+

Even without Matt Holliday, this lineup should still do plenty of mashing. There are a handful of guys here who could all hit 20-30 homers. Chris Iannetta had a breakout season and the Rockies are hoping for the same thing from leadoff man Ryan Spilborghs. Anything they get out of Todd Helton is a bonus.

Pitching rotation: C-

Aaron Cook is a solid starter and a bit of an oddity, because I can't off the top of my head think of another starter who can log 200 innings a season without tipping the century mark in strikeouts, but Cook does it, and in Colorado no less. Ubaldo Jimenez is good and young but there's a lot of unproven pitchers behind them, aside from Jason Marquis, who has only proven that he completely sucks.

Bullpen: B-

Huston Street has all the tools if he can ever just stay healthy. It's a big IF for him. Manuel Corpas lost out to Street for the closers job last year, but it's probably for the better as he was extremely shaky last season and would probably be better off served in a setup role.

ODDS AND ENDS

How would you like to be named Ubaldo? Or Yorvit?
Todd Helton's goatee. is as thick as ever, but his bat isn't. Colorado is going to have to part ways with him and find his replacement sooner than later.

5. San Diego Padres

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 63-99, last place.
2008 Headline: Yes, we have Adrian Gonzalez.
2009 Motto: New promotion: Buy a dog toy at Petco and get a free ticket to the ballpark.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key Additions: 2b David Eckstein, OF Cliff Floyd, C Henry Blanco.
Key Losses: SS Khalil Greene (to STL), C Josh Bard (to WAS), C Michael Barrett (to TOR), CL Trevor Hoffman (to MIL).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: C-

You've got Adrian Gonzalez and not much else. Gonzalez has actually transformed himself into one of the elite first baseman in the game without much fanfare. Jody Gerut turned out to be a solid find for the Padres after his career seemed to be fizzling the past couple of years. Kevin Kouzmanoff provides some pop, but virtually nothing else. The Padres are apparently going to squeeze every last bit of usefulness out of Brian Giles.

Pitching rotation: C

Everything here hinges on the health and ability of Jake Peavy and Chris Young. The bad part for Pads fans is the better Peavy pitches, the more likely he is to be traded. So they need to just accept that they're destined to suck this year. The rest of the starters are all young and unproven.

Bullpen: D

Exit Trevor Hoffman and his 554 career saves, Enter Heath Bell. Don't fret Padres fans, Bell is going to be a very good closer, the only problem is everyone else in the bullpen. The only arms there to get Bell the ball in the ninth are inconsistent pitchers like Cla Meredeith or journymen like Duaner Sanchez.

ODDS AND ENDS

Why the hell did the Padres sign David Eckstein? Why the hell does anyone sign David Eckstein?
When Peavy is inevitably gets traded and Chris Young inevitably goes on the DL, this team is going to have the worst rotation in all of baseball.
Don't most bad teams have good farm systems? Doesn't getting high draft picks let you restock your farm system with plenty of top flight talent? So why do the Padres have the 29th ranked farm system in all of baseball? (according to Baseball America). Tough times to be a Pads fan.

2009 AL West Preview: Wins Beneath Wings

2009-04-03T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Angels have boat-raced the competition the last couple of years. With Oakland’s acquisitions and another year of seasoning for Texas’ young hitters, expect September to mean something. Even the rudderless Mariners, who many picked as a sleeper to upset the L.A.-by-O.C. Halos last season, should be able to right the ship this go round. Hard not to improve on finishing as the second-worst team in baseball.

1. Los Angeles Angels
THEN AND NOW
Figures: 100-62, first place, lost to Boston in ALDS (3-1).
2008 headline: Boston, don’t lose that number
2009 motto: Cheaper and less efficient

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key additions: OF Bobby Abreu, P Brian Fuentes.
Key losses: 1B Mark Teixeira (to NYY), P Francisco Rodriguez (to NYM), OF Garret Anderson (to ATL), Jon Garland (to ARI).

MARKS AND REMARKS
Lineup: B
Nobody puts baby in a corner. The Angels tried it with Mark Teixeira and the Yankees threw him a $180 million lifeline. Now they get Bobby Abreu as a Match-Game-esque consolation prize. Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter need to relocate the pop that their bats have been missing last year. Juan Rivera and Kendry Morales will add some, but not enough. Chone Figgins needs to get his average back near .300 or he’ll turn into Dave Roberts. The million dollar question: when is Howie Kendrick ever going to produce consistently at the big leagues? Injuries have kept hitting prodigy from playing in more than 92 games in each of his three seasons. And a .300 singles hitter with marginal speed isn’t what I call producing.
Rotation: B-
John Lackey is a big game pitcher when healthy, but right now, he isn't. Ervin Santana figured out how to pitch on the road and finally had the type of year one L.A. baseball writer always thought he would. From there, things get hazy. Joe Saunders (great last name) was an all star, but young control pitchers always need a larger body of work to prove that they’re the real deal. Just ask Zach Duke. It only took Jered Weaver a season to show everyone that he’s just as over-hyped, over-payed and predicatable as his older brother. 28-year-old Dustin Moseley was supposed to rise through the ranks with Santana. Ineffectiveness (career 5.52 ERA in 153.1) slowed that. Being the team’s No. 5 on opening day is his last shot with the Angels.
Bullpen: B+
Brian Fuentes is going to go a long way to proving that Francisco Rodriguez’s saves record wasn’t a great individual accomplishment. He should get 50 if he stays healthy. The real reason why L.A. never entertained the idea of giving Rodriguez a big-money long-term deal was setup man Jose Arredondo, who went 10-2 with a 1.62 ERA and 55 Ks as a rookie. When 33-year-old rubber-armed Scot Shields retires in 10 years, he’ll go down as one of the most underrated relievers in baseball history. Darren Oliver and Justin Speier are veterans who give this bullpen a ton of depth.

ODDS AND ENDS

Angels fans know all about Brandon Wood, who two years ago was compared to and often thought more highly of than Milwaukee's Ryan Braun. This is the year the heralded 3B/SS combo get a lengthy run with the big boys.
Athletes do a ton of terrible commercials for local businesses, but manager Mike Scioscia doesn't want them to have all the fun/hatemail. Maybe Angels fans would be more inclined to buy plasma screen from Howard's if they could watch their Halos actually beat Boston in the playoffs.

2. Oakland Athletics
THEN AND NOW
Figures: 75-86, third place

2008 headline: Who's on first? Jack Hannahan?

2009 motto: Who are you and what have you done with Billy Beane?!

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: OF Matt Holliday, 1B/DH Jason Giambi, SS Orlando Cabrera, IF Nomar Garciaparra, P Edgar Gonzalez, P Michael Wuertz, OF Ben Copeland.

Key losses: P Huston Street (to COL), P Dan Meyer (to FLA), OF Carlos Gonzalez (to COL), OF Matt Murton (to COL), P Greg Smith (to COL), P Alan Embree (to COL).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B-

No one thought the A's would be movers-and-shakers this offseason, but their batting order is worlds better because of it. These may not look on the surface like moves general manager Billy Beane would make, but they were all for Billy Beane-like players. Matt Holliday is a stud whose protection will make Jason Giambi's homecoming even sweeter. Orlando Cabrera can pick it at shortstop and takes and is one of the best at working the count. Nomar Garciaparra came cheap and is a great utility option at this stage of his career. Last year, no one outside the Bay Area could name a single A's position player and now most can name one coming off the bench.

Rotation: D+

This group is as green as the field on which they play. But unlike the franchise they share that field with, this group has upside. The problem: that upside may still be a year away. Staff ace and all-star Justin Duchscherer had elbow surgery on Tuesday and something tells me that 6 weeks is a rather optimistic return date. That means Dana Eveland (35 starts) is Oakland's most experienced pitcher.

Bullpen: B-

A pretty underrated group sits down the left-field line. Brad Ziegler had that amazing start to his career and he might lose his job to the next great A's reliever, Joey Devine. But this unit isn't all about youth. Russ Springer, Michael Wuertz and Santiago Casilla all have logged some serious major league miles, enough to let the youngster mature with minimal pressure.

ODDS AND ENDS

Do you know where you'll be on July 31? How about April 1, 2010? Neither does Matt Holliday and that's a problem.
If there is a god, he/she/it doesn't like Eric Chavez. The former all-star and Gold Glover played just 23 games last season. It's getting to the point that A's fans don't even remember he's on the roster.

3. Texas Rangers
THEN AND NOW
Figures: 79-83, second place

2008 headline: Scored more than Wilt Chamberlain

2009 motto: We're still not worried about pitching

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: P Kris Benson, OF/DH Andruw Jones, OF Greg Golson.

Key losses: OF Milton Bradley (to CHC), C Gerald Laird (to DET), Jamey Wright (retired), Kameron Lowe (retired) Ramon Vazquez (to PIT).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B+

They may not have the star power of the Yankees squad, but this group can flat-out mash. 904 runs scored in '08. Josh Hamilton was the fell-good story to end all feel-good stories, but let's not forget that he's only 27-years old. Ian Kinsler is as good as Chase Utley right now and might have more pop than the Phillies star when it's all said and done. Nelson Cruz and Chris Davis are next in a long line of productive young hitters. After a deplorable season with the Dodgers, Andruw Jones is not only playing to prove he belongs in the majors, but to prove that he still is a valuable power hitter. The rage alone should help him shed 10 pounds.

Rotation: F

This is about as laughable as it gets. Vicente Padilla is the ace of this staff. Vicente. Padilla. Behind him are Kevin Millwood and Scott Feldman, two guys who've put together back-to-back seasons of 5.00 ERAs or worse. The recently-signed Kris Benson brings only one thing this to this team and it's not a good curveball. Brandon McCarthy was the best pitcher in the Rangers system after his acquisition from the White Sox in 2006. Sounds like arguing over who is the tallest midget if you ask me.

Bullpen: D+

Make no mistake, Frank Francisco didn't inherit the closer role by default. His numbers were twice as good as C.J. Wilson's. Yet somehow, Wilson's 6.02 ERA was good enough to keep him as the setup man. Guess there isn't a whole lot of faith in youngsters Josh Rupe and Warner Madrigal. That's it. No more time wasted on Rangers "pitchers."

ODDS AND ENDS

There's a slight chance this team this team again leads the league in hits and hits allowed. That's history folks.
Hank Blalock can't crack this team's starting lineup and Phil Hughes can't make the Yankees rotation. MAKE A TRADE ALREADY.

4. Seattle Mariners

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 61-101, fourth place

2008 headline: Playind Bedard-ed

2009 motto: Welcome back, Kid

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: OF Ken Griffey Jr., OF Endy Chavez, 1B Russell Branyan, OF Franklin Gutierrez, IF Chris Burke.

Key losses: OF Raul Ibanez (to PHI), P J.J. Putz (to NYM), OF Willie Bloomquist (to KC).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: C

The thing looks good on paper, but is littered with land mines. Ken Griffey Jr. coming home will be the best story in baseball this year if he stays healthy. History has shown that that is a huge "if." Teammate Mike Sweeney might be one of five guys in the league who is more frail than The Kid. Jose Lopez, Adrian Beltre and Russell Branyan are serviceable pieces, but they can't make up for the loss of the team's most consistently productive hitter, Raul Ibanez. The good news, Ichiro will have the best season of his career in '09. You heard it here first.

Rotation: C+

Mariners fans finally get to see what having two front-line starters at the top looks like. Felix Hernandez is become more dominant with each season and Erik Bedard's fastball is getting back to where it was before surgery. Unfortunately, those two will have to combine for at least 30 wins because the rest of the staff isn't going to be able to carry its weight. Carlos Silva has his worst season as a pro in '08 because he lost his sharpness and if that's gone, so's his career. Jarrod Washburn is slowly but surely getting worse with each calendar year.

Bullpen: C-

Brandon Morrow is one of the two best young arms in baseball. Seattle's problem is they really need him in two different spots. They want him to be a starter down the road, but to do it this year means sending him down to the minors, not getting him back until June and handing the ball to Mark Lowe (5.37 ERA) in the meantime.

ODDS AND ENDS

Center fielder Jeremy Reed, at one point the top player in Seattle's farm system was dealt to the Mets in the offseason and probably won't make the big league club. I know this type of thing happens a lot, but I always find it sad.
This club had better be happy about winning 75 games and still being fourth in the division because that's as good as it's going to get.

2009 NL Central Preview: Cross to Bear

2009-04-02T00:59:00.001-07:00

Editor's note: "Cross to Bear" is the third of a seven-part series previewing the 2009 MLB season. Part Four, "Twin Killing,"spot-lighting the AL Central is below. Parts One and Two, spot-lighting the NL and AL East Divisions were published Monday, March 30. Parts Five and Six, spot-lighting the NL and AL West Divisions will be published Friday, April 3. Part Seven, covering season awards and postseason berths will be published Monday, April 6.

Last October's feel-good-story Tampa Bay Rays made a lot of people forget about the tale of woe enveloping Chicago's North Side. It also made people forget that this was the second-most competitive division in baseball. That's right, I'm talking about the NL Central...You heard me.

1. Chicago Cubs

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 97-64, first place, lost to Los Angeles Dodgers in Divisional Series (3-0).

2008 headline: 100's a nice, round number.

2009 motto: Class schedule: Choke Artistry 101.

COMINGS AND GOING

Key additions: RF Milton Bradley, P Kevin Gregg, P Aaron Heilman, IF Aaron Miles, P Luis Vizcaino, OF Joey Gathright.

Key losses: 2B Mark DeRosa (to CLE), P Kerry Wood (to CLE), OF Jim Edmonds (retired), P Jason Marquis (to COL), P Bob Howry (to SF), SS Ronny Cedeno (to SEA), Michael Wuertz (to OAK), C Henry Blanco (to SD), Daryle Ward (to CIN), Jon Lieber (retired).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B+

This lineup gets even better once Cubs management can convince Alfonso Soriano that he's not a leadoff hitter. Derrek Lee's pop is just about gone (20 HRs) and so is his speed (8 SBs), but there are fewer guys who are more valuable to their clubs than the Gentle Giant. Even when he's making all-star games, I still don't think people realize just how good Aramis Ramirez is. As for Geovany Soto (.285, 23, 86), nothing more need be said. Milton Bradley hits lefties harder than he hits his w(the missing text has been claimed by the LAPD as evidence in an ongoing domestic violence investigation).

Rotation: B

No Cy Young predictions from Carlos Zambrano this season. A 7.28 ERA in August and September will do that. His shrinking strikeout rate is a reason for concern. Then again, it was the first time in three years that Round Mound of Barrett-face Pound kept his free passes below 100. Scary to think that Sean Marshall and Ted Lilly are the most reliable hurlers in the rotation. Rich Harden starting 25 games this season is about as likely Ryan Dempster repeating his 2.96 ERA.

Bullpen: B

Kerry Wood looked good in the pen last season before fleecing Cleveland out of $20.5 million. Kevin Gregg will have similar success as his replacement thanks in large part to Carlos Marmol. The Dominican fire-baller is unquestionably the best eight-inning man in all of baseball, holding opponents to a .135 batting average. The question is, who comes falls in line behind them? Jeff Samardzija? Aaron Heilman? Luis Vizcaino? Well, maybe not Luis Vizcaino.

ODDS AND ENDS

With focus put squarely on postseason redemption, no one cares about the Cubs regular season. Unless they lose. In which case, Home Depot blows through its stock of rope a month earlier than usual.
When Zambrano breaks down, Dusty Baker's revenge will be complete.
Lou Piniella had better right this ship before the end of its third voyage with him at the helm. If not, a Tampa Bay Rays-like reclamation project will be the only type of gig he can land.
Jon Lieber's 401K must not be doing too well. The man's already launched his second career: school bus driver.

2. St. Louis Cardinals

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 86-76, fourth place

2008 headline: Chicken salad out of chicken shitaki mushrooms

2009 motto: Now do even more with less

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: SS Khalil Greene, P Trever Miller, P Dennys Reyes.

Key losses: P Braden Looper (to MIL), 2B Aaron Miles (to CHC), SS Felipe Lopez (to ARI), SS Cesar Izturis (to BAL), 2B Adam Kennedy (to TB), P Russ Springer (to OAK).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B-

Let's take a moment to revel in the greatness that is Albert Pujols. If I wanted to start a franchise, he'd be the first guy I'd go after, even if he's 29-years old on paper and in his 30s in real life. Ryan Ludwick (.299, 37, 114) is the perfect example as to why. Rick Ankiel tried his damnedest to bring down the Red Birds NL-leading .281 batting average, by hitting .169 over the season's final two months before abdominal injury shelved him in early September. Speaking of guys who had their seasons cut short by injury, 2003 Rookie of the Year favorite Khalil Greene is going to benefit greatly from a change of venue. I'm just surprised that he's the best GM John Mozeliak could do after losing four guys who got significant playing time up the middle for St. Louis.

Rotation: B-

Chris Carpenter's "good" health is the only things keeping this from being one of the most pedestrian rotations in baseball. When he and Adam Wainwright start 30 games, they'll become a stellar 1-2 punch while also making Kyle Lohse look like one of the league's best No. 3s. Todd Wellemeyer might just be the most consistent starter in any four-spot, hurling 28 quality starts last season and only once allowing more than six runs. Then there's Joel Piniero, who Dave Duncan, try as he might, can't even help.

Bullpen: C+

Just because you don't know who they are doesn't mean they're that bad. Roll call! Jason Motte, who allowed one earned run and fanned 16 during an 11-inning September call-up. Dennys Reyes may look like he puts down six Moons over My Hammys ever morning, but he was a great left-handed option for the Twins. John Kinney hasn't allowed a run since Sept. 10, 2006. And the team's finally learned not to let Ryan Franklin anywhere near the ninth inning.

ODDS AND ENDS

The problem with Tony La Russa pulling a rabbit out of a hat last season is that the fans and front-office types think he can do it again.
Chris Duncan, who I've always believed in, is very close to wearing out his welcome in left. Top prospect Colby Rasmus is a big reason why.
I know the outfield's crowded, but is moving Skip Schumaker to second base really the best option?
Speaking of 2Bs, when's it going to be Bo Hart Day at the ballpark?

3. Cincinnati Reds

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 74-88, fifth place

2008 headline: Edinson Volquez was halfway there

2009 motto: Youth can serve

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additons: P Micah Owings, C Ramon Hernandez, OF Willy Taveras, OF Jonny Gomes, P Arthur Rhodes, P Aaron Fultz, 1B Daryle Ward, OF Jacque Jones.

Key losses: OF Corey Patterson (to WAS), UTIL Ryan Freel (to BAL), P Jeremy Affeldt (to SF), P Gary Majewski (to PHI), C Paul Bako (to CHC), P Josh Fogg (to COL), P Matt Belisle (to COL), P Kent Merker (retired).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B-

Yes, I know Adam Dunn isn't in the lineup anymore, but second-year men Joey Votto and Jay Bruce are going to pick up the slack. Edwin Encarnacion, this is your wakeup call: Either improve on your .251 batting average or 23 errors. One of them has to change. Brandon Phillips is a lock for another 20-20 season. Utility player extrodinaire Jerry Hairston Jr. is always an analysts' deep sleeper pick. Last season, he finally showed why.

Rotation: B-

This staff has a ton of upside. Aaron Harang won't go 6-17 again this season because he won't have the fourth-worst run support in the majors. Bronson Arroyo won't own a 4.77 ERA this season because he hadn't pitched that poorly since his sophomore season of 2001. Johnny Cueto won't be as wild because those rookie jitters are put to bed. And it won't matter how effective Micah Owings is because his bat (.318 average, five home runs, 21 RBI is 116 ABs) will makeup for most shortcomings on the mound. A small step back from all-star Edinson Volquez is the unit's only negative.

Bullpen: C-

Francisco Cordero has been a solid closer for years now, but having two 39-year olds setting the table sure is going to make it harder to maintain that sterling conversion rate. David Weathers and Arthur Rhodes are both on the dog end of middle-of-the-pack careers. Why not Mike Stanton? Hope their 4 p.m. side sessions don't interfere with mealtime.

ODDS AND ENDS

Homer Bailey, who will start the season in the 'pen, was asked too much too soon, but enough coddling. It's time to throw him in the deep end.
Jeff Keppinger made Ryan Freel expendable. He, too, will play whatever position Dusty Baker pulls out of his magic hat.
a .500 season one out of every nine years is a terrible ratio. None in nine years is worse

4. Milwaukee Brewers

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 90-72, second place, wild card winner, lost to Philadelphia in division series (3-1).

2008 headline: No toast for Yost

2009 motto: Relevance is exhausting

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: P Trevor Hoffman, P Braden Looper, P Jorge Julio, IF Casey MeGehee.

Key losses: P CC Sabathia (to NYY), P Ben Sheets (free agent/injured), P Saloman Torres (retired), 2B Ray Durham (free agent), P Eric Gagne (free agent), P Brian Shouse (to TB), Guillermo Mota (to LAD), Gabe Kapler (to TB), Russell Branyan (to SEA) Joe Dillon (to OAK).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B

This scorecard is a Sportscenter anchor's dream. "Prince crowns another fastball." "Ryan's speed shows he more than just Braun." "Corey plays with lots of Hart." "Hardy boy investigates holes in swing." That's not nausea you're feeling, it's truth. So's the fact that Mike Cameron is still a 20/20 player with good range in center, Jason Kendall is a doubles machine and Bill Hall and Rickie Weeks can't possible play worse than they did in '08.

Rotation: C+

Sabathia and Sheets left huge holes (literally) in this unit and no one come close to plugging them. Jeff Suppan and Dave Bush anchor this staff and that should frighten any Brewers fan. Yovani Gallardo may be ready to start full time, but their other budding ace, Manny Parra is not so long as he walks batters at a Zambranoesque rate. Braden Looper is a barely serviceable No. 5.

Bullpen: C

It's not that they lost great arms, they just lost a ton of average ones. After four pen pals took walking papers, the Brew Crew found themselves equally questionable replacements. Trevor Hoffman takes over for Torres as closer after posting his highest ERA since 1995. Carlos Villanueva has parlayed his 1.80 post-break ERA into a setup role. Mitch Stetter may be a better lefty specialist than Shouse, holding southpaw sluggers to a .158 average. Could be a promising group of relievers. Wait, Jorge Julio, David Riske and Seth McClung are also on the team? Nevermind.

ODDS AND ENDS

Without CC Sabathia, who will sit across the aisle from Prince Fielder to balance the team plane? Who'll play seasaw with him. Who'll he ride to work with?
What kind of butter-injected "vegetarian" foods is Prince Fielder gnoshing on?!
Completing the trifecta, we all see the similarities between Prince and his dad Cecil. Lets hope dancing isn't one of them.

5. Houston Astros

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 86-74, third place

2008 headline: April through June is just preseason

2009 motto: April through June is not preaseason

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: C Ivan Rodriguez, P Mike Hampton, P Russ Ortiz, OF Jason Michael, IF Jason Smith.

Key losses: 3B Ty Wigginton (to BAL), P Randy Wolf (to LAD), C Brad Ausmus (to LAD), IF Mark Loretta (to LAD), IF Jose Castillo (to WAS).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B-

You remember group projects in school where two people would do all of the work and the other handful would get to take equal credit? Well Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee are those two people and Geoff Blum is not. Houston's No. 3 and No. 4 hitters are RBI machines, shocking when you consider that Kaz Matsui and Michael Bourn have been hitting ahead of them. Pudge Rodriguez is no upgrade here. He's just another guy who's allergic to walks. In fact, the aforementioned No. 8, No. 1 and No. 2 hitters in the Astros' lineup combined to draw fewer free passes than Berkman amassed on his own.

Rotation: D

I slammed the Orioles for having a 34-year-old Japanese rookie as their No. 2 starter. Sorry, 'Stros fans. Mike Hampton is a worse wingman. He's totaled 25 starts over the last four seasons. And for those of you who think the arm issues of '06 and '07 are behind him, a 2.81 batting average against says otherwise. Maybe he and Russ Ortiz will simultaneously tear one another's labrums in what could only be described as the worst game of arm wrestling known to man.

Bullpen: B

If you want to accuse me of being unfairly hard on the Astros by slotting them fifth in the division, you might be on to something. I just don't want to watch another 35 chest-pounding, primal-screaming, sweat-soaked Jose Valverde save celebrations. The guy is just so intense when he's on the mound. If he's that tweaked to lock down a 5-2 victory over the Nationals, what's he going to be like throwing the ninth in a Houston playoff game? We'll never know. Other than that, LaTroy Hawkins heads a list of capable veterans.

ODDS AND ENDS

HOK Sport Event Venue architecture group, the brilliant minds that brought you Minute Maid's center-field hill and flagpole, officially changed its name yesterday to Populous. All of you who want to complain to/thank the group for putting Michael Bourn's health at risk, send letters to Populous at 300 Wyandotte St., Kansas City, MS, 64105.
The Dodgers pilfered the Astros roster in the offseason. Not sure who's better off there.

Pittsburgh Pirates

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 67-95, sixth place

2008 headline: We mortgaged our future for our future

2009 motto: We know we're not fooling anybody

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: IF Ramon Vazquez, IF/OF Eric Hinske, P Virgil Vasquez, OF Craig Monroe, C Jason Jaramillo.

Key losses: 1B Doug Mientkiewicz (to LAD), OF Jason Michaels (to HOU), C Ronny Paulino (to PHI), IF Luis Rivas (to CHC), IF Chris Gomez (to BAL), C Raul Chavez (to TOR).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: D+

There will be too many growing pains here. Ryan Doumit will be the only guy flirting with a .300 average. Adam LaRoche is the only other guy in this lineup who would start for more than half of the teams in the MLB. Nate McLouth tanked big time after making the all-star team. There's no intrigue surrounding Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson. You know what you're going to get from them and it's not good. Andy LaRoche and Brandon Moss have a ton to prove in their first full season with the ballclub. Nyjer Morgan is a speedster at the top of the lineup who can hit for average. Staying healthy (86 games in two seasons) is a different matter.

Rotation: D

Paul Maholm is a No. 3 starter on most clubs and that's a compliment. Mainly because he's the only guy in the rotation with an ERA under 4.50. Ian Snell, Zach Duke and Tom Gorzelanny have all displayed flashes in their young careers, then reality sets in. Ross Ohlendorf rounds out this circle jerk of suck, but it's not his fault. He'd be in the minors on any other team. Then again, so would the three guys in front of him.

Bullpen: D-

Matt Capps is a stone-cold stud. Then there's everyone else. They're young and have been rushed into something their not ready for. Broken record much? I almost feel like I'm cheating on a college essay, repeating the same thing over and over again in slightly different ways. Funny, that's where most of these guys should be.

ODDS AND ENDS

Manager John Russell should have one of the safest jobs in sports. Zero expectations will do that.
I could have said this the last few seasons: it's a damn shame such a great-looking ballpark houses a terrible-looking team.
I'm a Zach Duke fan. If three more people drop out, fan club bylaws will require us to disband. Stay strong Elite Eight.
Cross promotion idea: WWE at PNC. Do you Snell what the Rock is cookin'.

2009 AL Central Preview: Twin Killing

2009-03-31T21:26:00.000-07:00

Compared to the Yankees' and Red Sox' of the world, the Twins are the MLB equivalent of the hairy, dirty homeless guy that begs for change in front of the liquor store. You don't know who they are, where they came from, or why they're here, but they are. Except unlike the homeless guy, who will probably remain homeless, hairy and dirty forever, the Twins seem to keep winning. Or, to keep the homeless guy theme going, they keep picking themselves back up, shaving, cleaning up and finding a job. Try to get that disturbing imagery out of your head as we venture into what should once again be one of the tightest division races in baseball, the AL Central...

1. Minnesota Twins

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 88-75, second place.
2008 Headline: Did you just call me a Punto?
2009 Motto: "Why do they call it the twin cities, anyway? Nobody here looks alike!" - Shaquille O'Neal.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: 3B Joe Crede, RP Luis Ayala, RP Jason Johnson
Key Losses: SS Adam Everett (to DET), RP Eddie Guardado (to TEX), RP Dennys Reyes (to STL)

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B-

Justin Morneau's power numbers took a step back in 2008, hitting only 23 home runs after seasons of 34 and 31 the prior two years. He still remains one of the best hitters and run producers in the game. Jason Kubel was the only other Twins hitter to get 20 homers and will be looked upon along with Michael Cuddyer, who missed more than half of last season with an injury, to protect Morneau in the lineup. The key will be at the top of the lineup, where youngsters Denard Span (.294, 6 HR's, 47 RBIs, 18 SB's in 93 games in 2008) and Alexi Casilla (.281, 7 HRs, 50 RBIs in 98 games in '08) will be asked to set the table for Morneau.

Pitching rotation: B-

Minnesota has one of the better young pitching staffs in the league. Despite having one of the most boring names in baseball, Scott Baker came out of nowhere to have a big season for the Twins last year and will now be looked upon to be the ace of the staff. Kevin Slowey was effective in his first full season as a starter (13-11, 3.99 ERA, 123 K's). After a rough start to the season following Tommy John surgery, Francisco Liriano rejoined the Twins in August and posted a 6-1 record while looking more like his old self. If Liriano can return to something close to his 2006 form, the Twins will be that much more dangerous.

Bullpen: B-

Joe Nathan is still one of the best closers in the game and had perhaps the best season of his career in 2008. He is as much of a sure thing as any closer in the league. The Twins hope that helping get the ball to him in the 9th inning will be Jose Mijares, who was called up to make his major league debut in September and gave up only one earned run on three hits in 10 appearances.

ODDS AND ENDS

Waiting for Joe Mauer to finally show that power you've been waiting to see from him? With Mauer struggling with back injuries in the spring and possibly missing the first two weeks of the season, don't expect this to be the year it happens.
Carlos Gomez has the potential to steal 40+ bases every season, but he has plate discipline that makes Ryan Howard raise his eyebrows and say "WTF?", which prevents him from being what he should be - an excellent leadoff hitter.
Speaking of plate discpline, Da Mini Meat Hook Delmon Young, who whiffed 105 times last year with just 35 walks (which was actually an improvement from 2007) is just as swing happy as ever. He's hitting .295 with three homers this spring, but he also has 10 strikeouts without a walk.

2. Chicago White Sox

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 89-74, first place, lost in ALDS to Tampa Bay.
2008 Headline: Of course we knew Carlos Quentin would be this good.
2009 Motto: Age is only a number.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: SP Bartolo Colon, IF Wilson Betemit, IF Brett Lillibridge, OF Corky Miller, RP Jeff Marquez.
Key Losses: SS Orlando Cabrera (to OAK), SP Javier Vazquez (to ATL), 3B Joe Crede (to MIN), CF Ken Griffey Jr. (to SEA), OF Nick Swisher (to NYY), IF Juan Uribe (to SF), RP Boone Logan (to ATL).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B+

Jim Thome is 38. Jermaine Dye is 35. Paul Konerko is 33. A.J. Pierzynski is a douchebag. OK, the last one didn't have anything to do with anything, but it had to be said. The fact is, at some point, age has to start catching up with these guys. All are still producing as well as they ever have, but it's not out hard to imagine their numbers will start dropping soon, at least in the cases of Thome and Dye. Konerko's already took a dip last year. Chief among the young talent hoping to pick up the slack, if there is any, would be Carlos Quentin, who surprised probably even himself last year by hitting 36 home runs and Alexei Ramirez, one of the more talented and versatile young players in the game.

Pitching rotation: C

Mark Buehrle is no ace, but he is, however, a good, solid, dependable starter that any team would be happy to have. He'll eat innings and keep the game competitive. Gavin Floyd and John Danks are both young and only getting better. Jose Contrares is older than dirt and only getting worse. The fragments of skin that make up what's left of Bartolo Colon's arm gripped the pen long enough to sign a contract with the White Sox, where he will be paid to spend half a season on the DL.

Bullpen: B-

Bobby Jenks is not the kind of guy you want to challenge to a drinking game OR step into the batters box against. Scott Linebrink has never been able to match his brilliant 2005 season, but he's still a very good setup man. Matt Thornton is pretty good too. Octavio Dotel is.. excited.

ODDS AND ENDS

A.J. Pierzynski is a douchebag.
How many years does a World Series victory buy you? I've got a feeling Ozzie Guillen is going to find out the answer to that very soon.
The White Sox signed outfielder Corky Miller in the offseason, apparently ignoring the rule in the MLB rule book that states any team with a player named Corky is not allowed to win the World Series.

3. Cleveland Indians

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 81-81, third place.
2008 Headline: Claim to fame: drafting CC Sabathia.
2009 Motto: Sizemore does matter.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: RP Kerry Wood, SP Carl Pavano, 3B Mark DeRosa
Key Losses: OF Franklin Gutierrez (to SEA)

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B-

Grady Sizemore is the very definition of a 5-tool player. If only Cleveland had something around him. Travis Hafner experienced a career freefall last year that made even Andruw Jones say "Damn". This team could go places if Hafner and Victor Martinez have bounce back seasons. After a breakout 2008 and a strong showing in the World Baseball Classic, Shin-Soo Choo (say that three times fast) could go for 20 homers and 80-90 RBIs this year for the Tribe.

Pitching rotation: C-

If you're gullible enough to believe that Cliff Lee will match last year's totals (22-3, 2.54 ERA) then I have some ocean front property that I'd like to sell you. Lee is a decent pitcher, but last year won't happen again. Fausto Carmona looked more like Daniel Cabrera last year than the future ace he seemed to be in 2007. The Tribe is banking on some sort of career resurrection from Carl Pavano, whose balls should hopefully unshrivel now that he has left New York.

Bullpen: B-

Kerry Wood has finally found his calling as a closer and a pretty damn good one at that. Rafael Betancourt followed up a brilliant 2007 with a brutal 2008. If his struggles continue, Rafael Perez will be the one trying to get the ball to Wood in the 8th inning.

ODDS AND ENDS

This might be manager Eric Wedge's last shot to make something of what was considered the best young team in baseball a couple of years ago.
At some point Cleveland will call up Matt LaPorta and when they do, he's going to remind people of Ryan Braun.

4. Detroit Tigers

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 74-88, fifth place.
2008 Headline: What do we do with all this champagne we bought?
2009 Motto: Wanted: Someone to pitch the 9th inning every couple of days.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: SS Adam Everett, C Gerald Laird, SP Edwin Jackson, RP Brandon Lyon, C Matt Treanor.
Key Losses: SP Kenny Rogers (FA), SS Edgar Renteria (to SF), RP Kyle Farnsworth (to KC), RP Todd Jones (RET)

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: A-

When healthy, this is one of the better lineups in baseball. The problem is there are a lot of injury prone players in the lineup and key guys who are getting up there in age (I'm looking at you Magglio Ordonez). Miguel Cabrera settled into a groove in the second half and should be a strong contender for AL MVP if he can carry the Tigers to a decent record. The success of this offense will hinge on how much gas veterans like Ordonez, Placido Polanco and Carlos Guillen have left in the tank.

Pitching rotation: C-

Of the five pitchers expected to make up Detroit's rotation, only one (Armando Galarraga) finished with an ERA under 4 last year. Justin Verlander, Nate Robertson and Jeremy Bonderman have never proven to be anything more than middle-of-the-rotation starters and last year did nothing to disprove that. New addition Edwin Jackson will probably never live up to the Doc Gooden comparisons he received early in his career, but he seems to be finally coming into his own.

Bullpen: F

If Brandon Lyon's shaky spring is any indication, then Detroit's 9th inning woes didn't leave along with Todd Jones' retirement. Lyon has been awful this spring, giving up four consecutive home runs during a game last week against the Red Sox. Joel Zumaya will start the season on the DL and. Fernando Rodney has good "stuff", but is far too inconsistent to be trusted with any sort of important role or he would have been the closer by now. This group is going to cause a lot of headaches for Tigers fans this season.

ODDS AND ENDS

Everyone thought it would be Dontrelle Willis' awkward delivery that would be his downfall. Apparently, it's not going to be his delivery but instead.. anxiety?.
It's a big if, but if Gary Sheffield had stayed healthy this year, he would have given the Tigers better production than they'll get from Marcus Thames or whoever takes his spot in the lineup.

5. Kansas City Royals

THEN AND NOW
Figures: 75-87, fourth place.
2008 Headline: Don't mess with De Jesus
2009 Motto: Don't mess with De Jesus (this is the motto every year for any team that employs David DeJesus)

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key Additions: 1B Mike Jacobs, OF Coco Crisp, RP Kyle Farnsworth
Key Losses: 2B Mark Grudzielanek (FA), OF Joey Gathright (to CHC), RP Leo Nunez to FLA.

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: C-

David DeJesus - what more needs to be said? Aside from the DeJesus, this is a solid lineup. If Alex Gordon starts living up to his hype and smacks around 30 homers, it could be a great lineup. The Royals picked up Mike Jacobs, who is Ryan Howard minus about 20 home runs and 50 RBIs. He's all-or-nothing. With a Jacobs at bat, you're likely either getting a home run or he's heading back to the bench and looking for his fielding glove. Mike Aviles had a solid rookie year at shortshop and should be expected to improve on those numbers.

Pitching rotation: B-

The good thing for the Royals in 2008 was that almost all of their starters had very good/solid seasons. The bad thing about that is that it was a career year for almost all of them. Not to be a Debbie Downer, but one has to wonder if they can all keep that up and do it while staying as injury free as they did last year. Gil Meche has gone from being a guy who had seemingly never ending arm problems to a workhorse. Zack Greinke may not like a day older than 16, but he pitched like a wily veteran last season and may finally be starting to live up to the lofty expectations he arrived in Kansas City with as the sixth overall pick in 2002.

Bullpen: B-

Joakim Soria came out of nowhere to become one of the best closers in baseball last season. I'm not sure if anyone in the world, Soria and his immediate family included, expected him to have a season like he did. Kansas City made a great move in acquiring Juan Cruz to be the 8th inning man. The Royals also made a not so great move in getting Kyle Farnsworth. Ron Mahay and Robinson Tejada are solid arms to have in the 'pen.

ODDS AND ENDS

Ever seen the Curb Your Enthusiasm episode "Porno Gil"? - It is hilarious, but it has had a weird effect on me. Everytime I see Gil Meche's name, I think of porn and everytime I think about porn, I also think about Gil Meche. Ahem, moving on...
If Kila Ka'aihue, appropriately nicknamed the "Hawaiian Punch", doesn't make the Royals 25-man roster this season, I'm protesting.
It has to suck to be ex-Royal Joey Gathright. He's the fastest guy in the league, but can't hold down a job because of this pesky little problem he has about being able to get on base. New leadoff man Coco Crisp is everything Gathright should have been.

2009 NL Central Preview:

2009-03-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

2009 AL East Preview: Seeking Normalcy

2009-03-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: "Seeking Normalcy" is the first of a seven-part series previewing the 2009 MLB season. Part Two, "More of the Same,"spot-lighting the NL East is below. Parts Three and Four, spot-lighting the NL and AL Central Divisions will be published Wednesday, April 1. Parts Five and Six, spot-lighting the NL and AL West Divisions will be published Friday, April 3. Part Seven, covering season awards and postseason berths will be published Monday, April 6.

What better way to get this thing rolling than by starting off with the two big boys, one smart-ass little brother and the two glue-sniffing cousins the family doesn't talk about? I give you the AL East.

1. Boston Red Sox

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 95-67, second place, wildcard winner, lost to Tampa Bay in ALCS (4-3).

2008 headline: Did that blow your mind? That just happened!

2009 lockerroom motto: Is Dustin Pedroia (right) gonna have to choke a bitch?

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: P John Smoltz, P Brad Penny, P Takashi Saito, OF Rocco Baldelli, P Junichi Tazawa.

Key losses: P Curt Schilling (free agent/retired), P Bartolo Colon (to CWS), P Paul Byrd (retired), OF Coco Crisp (to KC), 1B Sean Casey (retired), P Mike Timlin (retired).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: A-

The BoSox have a ton of talent in the lineup, but if David Ortiz isn't right, this offense goes no where. A wrist is largely to blame for his 26 home runs, 89 RBI and .264 batting average in 109 games, all of which were lows since coming to Boston in 2003. The other factor is that Jason Bay, while a very good player, simply isn't Manny Ramirez. The Red Sox are more well-rounded than they were a few seasons back with (gulp) reigning AL MVP Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ellsbury, but this engine isn't a four-cylinder Skyline rice-burning speedster. It's a 440 Big Block built for power and Big Papi turns the key. Oh, and don't expect to see J.D. Drew repeat what he did last year. By that I mean both carry the team on his back for a month or play 100 games.

Rotation: B+

The top, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka, might be the best One-Two-Three in baseball. Their No. 4, Penny, felt burned by the Dodgers and will be pitching with a purpose until his arm no longer lets him, probably sometime in July. Tim Wakefield doesn't scare anyone anymore, even on good days. There are other options. 24-year-old flame-thrower Clay Buchholz has pitched great this spring and Justin Masterson could come out of the pen. Either way, whoever winds up keeping the seat warm for Smoltz (shoulder) could be there a while, ensuring that the 41-year-old ex-Brave is 100 percent before he toes the rubber sometime after May.

Bullpen: A-

It's been a while since this part of the pitching staff outperformed the other and the biggest reason why this year's different is depth. Jonathan Papelbon is one of the three best closers in baseball. Masterson is a budding setup man, assuming he doesn't get pilfered by the starting rotation. Saito is an understated get for them. Not only does he give Hideki Okajima somebody shoot the breeze with in his native tongue, he'll also split the seventh inning with him.

ODDS AND ENDS

Jed Lowrie is underrated. Whether he beats out Julio Lugo or has to wait around for a Mike Lowell injury, his infield versatility and decent bat gives the Red Sox bench something few others have.
Hard to believe Clay Buchholz starts the season at Triple-A Pawtucket, but if he does, he might be stuck there a while.

2. New York Yankees

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 89-73, third place.

2008 headline: Junior (Steinbrener) wet the bed.

2009 lockerroom motto: Recession? What recession?

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: P CC Sabathia, 1B Mark Teixeira, P A.J. Burnett, OF Nick Swisher.

Key losses: 1B/DH Jason Giambi (to OAK), OF Bobby Abreu (to LAA), P Mike Mussina (retired), C Ivan Rodriguez (to HOU), Sidney Ponson (to KC).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: A

The only reason this isn't an A+ is because Alex Rodriguez is out until mid-May. Dare I say that this star-studded lineup actually got better in the offseason? They're younger, faster and more durable. Of all the free agents the Yankees have shelled out big-time cash to, Teixeira is the only one who is worth every penny. Throw in a Nick Swisher here, some seasoned Xavier Nady there and this batting order will be what it is every year is only with less disappointment.

Rotation: B

Durability questions abound for this fivesome. If Burnett's elbow falls off in the forest at Brian Cashman's there to hear it, does it make a flopping sound? Andy Pettitte's age and Joba Chammberlain's tubby frame and herky-jerky mechanics will cause these guys to make at least one trip to the disabled list. Even Chien-Ming Wang spent half of 2008 on the shelf. Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, both also familiar with the DL, are waiting for a chance to redeem themselves. Most Yankees fans are would prefer neither gets his opportunity anytime soon. Sabathia's a stud, but he can only toe the rubber every fifth game.

Bullpen: B-

It's polite to offer a compliment before delving into criticism so here it is: Mariano Rivera is hands-down the penultimate closer, best there ever was, best there ever will be. However, the talent around him is questionable at best. Brian Bruney had himself a nice 2008, but doubling that 1.83 ERA is a little more realistic for '09. Say he does stay the team's setup man, is Edwar Ramirez or Jose Veras good options in the seventh? Is Yogi Berra a cunning linguist? I don't usually put a whole lot of stock in the lefty-on-lefty pitching ideology, but if Damaso Marte is your only option against the David Ortizes of the world, you're in trouble.

ODDS AND ENDS

Even with a record-breaking spending spree, Brian Cashman managed to shave $20 million from the team's 2008 payroll.
Anyone else realize that Derek Jeter had a down year last year? Didn't think so.

3. Tampa Bay Rays

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 97-65, first place, lost to Philadelphia in World Series (4-1).

2008 headline: Where did this awesomeness come from?!

2009 lockerroom motto: We had a good run.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: OF/DH Pat Burrell, P Jason Isringhausen, 2B Adam Kennedy, OF Matt Joyce, OF Gabe Kapler, P Brian Shouse, 3B Morgan Ensberg.

Key losses: OF Rocco Baldelli (to BOS), DH Cliff Floyd (to SD), P Edwin Jackson (to DET), OF Jonny Gomes (to CIN), P Trever Miller (to STL).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B+

Some teams embody the cities in which they play. For example, you could imagine Ben Rothlisberger working in a steel mill by the Allegheny River. This group of 20-somethings fly in the face of their social-security collecting fan base. There's no reason to believe that B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria can't repeat what they did in '08, if not get better. Same thing goes for Carl Crawford (.273 BA, 8 HRs, 25 SBs), who had his lowest totals since his rookie campaign in 2002. And inking Pat "The Bat" Burrell was a great move. Nevertheless, don't expect to see the type of offense the Rays displayed in the first two rounds of last year's playoffs.

Rotation: B-

Like the Yankees, this grade has as much to do with the times these guys are kept off the mound as it does with what they do when they're on it. James Shields, Scott Kazmir, Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine are all young arms (Shields being the oldest at 27) who had above-average seasons. But after averaging 30 starts and only one stint on the DL between them, you have to believe the injury bug is going to bite someone and when it does they'll be no Yankee-esque trade made to plug the whole. The Rays are hoping Jason Hammel does a good job keeping the seat warm for David Price.

Bullpen: C+

This is the unit that surprised the hell out of everyone last season. Do you smell a repeat? I don't. Both J.P. Howell (2.22) and Grant Balfour (1.54) had ERAs two-and-a-half times below their career averages. And Dan Wheeler and Troy Percival STILL throwing the eighth and ninth? The backup plan's Isringhausen? Are you kidding me?! Good thing they signed 40-year-old Brian Shouse to snuggle up to that "dinner by 4, bed by 8" crowd I talked about earlier. Welcome back 2007. 2008, we hardly knew ye.

ODDS AND ENDS

Manager Joe Maddon's got a bright post-baseball future if and when he gets to that point. Anyone who can keep the Rays believing that they're a 97-win club is a motivational speaker without peer. Tony Robbins, watch out.
Ever notice how you only find fair-weather fans in fair-weather cities i.e. Los Angeles and Miami? What's going to happen when these Rays win fewer games than the median summertime temperature in Tampa? FYI, that's about 84 degrees.

4. Toronto Blue Jays

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 86-76, fourth place

2008 headline: We were good too, ya know.

2009 lockerroom motto: We WERE good too, ya know.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: P Matt Clement, C Michael Barrett, 1B Kevin Millar, P Mike Maroth.

Key losses: P A.J. Burnett (to NYY), C Gregg Zaun (to BAL), OF Brad Wilkerson (to BOS), Shawn Marcum (injury), Kevin Mench (Japan).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: C

This would be a rebuilding year if only the Jays had something to rebuild with. Instead, Marco Scutaro, Lyle Overbay and Scott Rolen keep their starting jobs and Alex Rios calls his agent looking for a way out. Vernon Wells would be, too if he didn't have 6 years left on his $126 million deal. While he can't waive his no-trade clause fast enough, there aren't too many takers bidding $18 million for the 25 home runs, 95 RBI and a .290 batting average. Blue chipper Travis Snider is an early Rookie of the Year favorite, but the roster hardly screams "youth movement" when Adam Lind has to fight Kevin Millar for ABs.

Rotation: C+

Roy Halladay can't keep doing this. Rather, the Jays can't keep doing this to Roy Halladay. He's pitched more innings (691.1) than anyone in baseball over the last three seasons. Last year, he threw 246 innings, giving his team ample opportunities to support him with runs. In his 11 losses and two no-decisions, Toronto totaled 29. Good use of your staff ace's 2.78 ERA. Everyone beside Halladay is an unproven commodity. Jesse Litsch, David Purcey and Scott Richmond all have less than three years of major league experience. With Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum out for most if not all of the the '09 season, the Jays can kiss last year's major-league leading 3.49 ERA goodbye.

Bullpen: B+

This unit is the most underrated in baseball. Scott Downs, Jesse Carlson, Brandon League, and Brian Thallet and Casey Janssen all had ERAs below B.J. Ryan's 2.95 last year. They all won't keep it up, but the Jays really only need half of them to for this bullpen to stay in baseball's top 10. The question is who'll step into the closers role not if, but when Ryan goes down with an injury.

ODDS AND ENDS

Cito Gaston rung up a 51-37 record down the stretch of last season and somewhere a Joe Carter Fairy got its wings. He's also one of the only guys in major league baseball who doesn't have to be issued a new jersey for Retro Sundays.
The same benign run support that plagued Halladay scared newly-aquired Adam Loewen to trade in his breaking ball for batting gloves.

5. Baltimore Orioles

THEN AND NOW

Figures: 68-93, fifth place.

2008 headline: I was there when we gave up 30 runs.

2009 lockerroom motto: When's Matt Wieters getting here?

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key additions: P Koji Uehara, OF Felix Pie, INF Ty Wigginton, P Rich Hill, P Mark Hendrickson, C Gregg Zaun, SS Cesar Izturis, OF Ryan Freel.

Key losses: P Daniel Cabrera (to WAS), Adam Loewen (retired from P; to TOR as OF) 1B Kevin Millar (to TOR), P Garrett Olson (to SEA), C Ramon Hernandez (to CIN), OF Jay Payton (free agent).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B

There's dozens of questions marks, but most of them the good kind, the is-the-young-guy-ready-to-break-out type. Nick Markakis is Zeus among greek baseball players and a future all star. Adam "Galaga" Jones shoots down fly balls like it's going out of style and has budding pop to boot. Former Cubs speedster Felix Pie would be playing center field on 28 other major league teams. Gregg Zaun better not get comfortable behind the dish because Wieters, the cornerstone of the O's reclamation project, will arrive soon and he and his big bat will be staying a while. Then there's mainstays like Aubrey Huff, who won't hit 32 bombs like last season, but will make it so Markakis sees better pitches. Brian Roberts is a shoe-in for a .290 average with 40 doubles and 40 swipes.

Rotation: D

Staff "ace" Jeremy Guthrie looks like Jim Palmer compared the guys behind him. When a 34-year-old Japanese import, Koji Uehara, makes his major league debut as your No. 2 starter, you're in for a world of 30-3 type of hurt. Mark Hendrickson only resembles Randy Johnson in awkward physical appearance, David Pauley had a double-digit ERA last season and no one knows when Rich Hill is going to be ready to pitch. Now rumor has it that Danys Baez may work his way into the rotation. Can anyone in the front office explain why pitching wasn't a priority this offseason?

Bullpen: C-

The pitching doesn't get much better from the seventh inning on. George Sherrill and Chris Ray will likely split saves, each blowing a half dozen along the way. 24-year-old Jim Johnson is the only chance the Orioles have to develop another front-line reliever. Radhames Liz and Dennis Sarfate both sucked their way out of the starting rotation. What does that tell you?

ODDS AND ENDS

Daniel Cabrera's 100 walks a season would be a godsend right now.
Breaking news: Baltimore owner Peter Angelos petitions league office for more home gomes per season. "We want to schedule more Cal Ripken Jr. Days to make the fans overlook our irrelevance."
More breaking news: Angelos uses promise of lamb gyros to lure Markakis into date night with ugly daughter.

2009 NL East Preview: More of the Same

2009-03-30T00:09:00.000-07:00

There shouldn't be too many surprises in the NL East this year. After battling with the Mets for control of the division last season, expect Philadelphia to win it much more easily this year. They're still the class of the division, but the Mets aren't TOO far behind. A lot of people are expecting a playoff push from Atlanta. While they have a good offense, it isn't as good as the Phillies or Mets offenses, and they have a good pitching staff, but not as good as the Mets'. Better luck next year. Also, expect the Nationals to still suck, although maybe a little less. At least the Marlins will be there to keep them company in the dumpster.

1. Philadelphia Phillies
THEN AND NOW
Figures: 92-70, first place, defeated Tampa Bay Rays in World Series.
2008 Headline: "World champions... WORLD FUCKING CHAMPIONS!" - Chase Utley
2009 Motto: "Hey, someone wake up Jamie Moyer, the game's about to start" - Chase Utley (I'm sure he'll say it at SOME point)

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: P Chan Ho Park, OF Raul Ibanez
Key Losses: OF Pat Burrell, P Adam Eaton, 2B Tadahito Iguchi

MARKS AND REMARKS
Lineup: A-

The Phillies smashed a league-high 218 homers in 2008 and you would be foolish to expect much of a difference this year. The only change in the lineup for the defending champs is Raul Ibanez replacing Pat Burrell. Ibanez is a criminally underrated player who won't provide the power Burrell does, but will be good for a .290/.350/.470 season with about 20 homers and 100 RBIs. If Chase Utley has gotten over the hip problems that have troubled him for much of the offseason, he should have another MVP caliber season. Last year, Jimmy Rollins had his worst season in about three years and they were still the best team in baseball. It's scary to think how good they could be if he returns to his 2007 form. And to top that all off.. CARLOS RUIZ!!..Ok, maybe not.

Pitching rotation: C

Everything here begins and ends with Cole Hamels. This staff will only go as far as his left arm can carry them. The rest of the rotation is solid, but not spectacular. Joe Blanton has enjoyed a bit of a career boost since being acquired from Oakland and is a dependable starter for the Phils just as Jamie Moyer is.

Bullpen: A-

Speaking of career boosts, Brad Lidge went from complete embarrassment to best closer in baseball with a perfect season in 2008. Don't expect another perfect season, but don't expect much of a drop off either. Lidge is clearly at the top of his game right now and leads one of the best bullpens in baseball along with the lefty/righty setup combo of J.C. Romero and Ryan Madson.

ODDS AND ENDS

Father Time is apparently running in quick sand, because he has been chasing Jamie Moyer for about 15 years and still hasn't caught him. Don't expect this to be the year.
Brett Myers is a complete tool, but for some reason he dominated last year in August(4-1, 1.65 ERA, 42 K's) and sucked pretty much every other month
Ok, seriously.. who is Carlos Ruiz?
Chase Utley is not only a great player, but apparently a budding fashion icon as well.
22-year-old farmhand Carlos Carrasco might play a big part in the Phillies season if he can step up at some point as the #5 starter, assuming Chan Ho Park doesn't lock up that spot (and I think that's a safe assumption).

2. New York Mets
THEN AND NOW
Figures: 89-73, second place.
2008 Headline: Just wait until we get that new stadium next year!
2009 Motto: The second best team money can buy.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: P Francisco Rodriguez, P J.J. Putz, P Freddy Garcia
Key Losses: OF Endy Chavez (to SEA), P Aaron Heilman (to CHC), P Scott Shoenweis (to ARI) 2B Pedro Martinez (FA).

MARKS AND REMARKS

Lineup: B+

On the heels of two consecutive September collapses, the Mets will hope the brand new Citi Field brings a little better luck with it. Jose Reyes had a better offensive season in 2008 than he did the year before, but came up small down the stretch when the Mets needed him most. Carlos Beltran is as solid as ever and David Wright is getting better by the season, but the Mets would be fools to expect another 38 homer, 115 RBI season out of Carlos Delgado. If he falls back to earth this season, the Mets are going to need to pick that production up from somewhere else in the lineup.

Pitching rotation: B

The Mets will have the best rotation in the division as long as Johan Santana is healthy. Keeping Oliver Perez was huge and Mike Pelfrey and John Maine are both capable of racking up double digit wins and maintaining at least a league average ERA. The only question is the fifth spot in the rotation, which could go to newcomer Freddy Garcia.

Bullpen: A

Along with the best rotation, the Mets should also have the best bullpen. Omar Minaya is hoping the signing of Francisco Rodriguez erases the Billy Wagner fiasco from the minds of Mets fans. K-Rod probably won't reach 62 saves again, but he should give the Mets some sorely needed stability in the closer role. The Mets also acquired J.J. Putz from Seattle to be the setup man. Putz had a dominant season for the Mariners in 2007 as a closer and if he can return to that form in 2009, the Mets might have the best 1-2 punch in the league with this bullpen.

ODDS AND ENDS

The Mets reassigned 100-year-old Jose Valentin to their minor league camp, officially ending the era of the 'Stache.
He's no all star or anything, but it's hard to believe Fernando Tatis couldn't cut it with a major league club three out of the last five seasons.
Sorry J.J. Putz, but you have the worst last name in all of baseball.
Young outfielder Daniel Murphy, rated the #8 prospect in the major leagues by The Sporting News, looks to have cracked a spot in the Mets' starting lineup this season, probably as the team's #2 hitter.

3. Atlanta Braves
THEN AND NOW
Figures: 72-90, 4th place.
2008 Headline: Hey, at least we don't have Andruw Jones anymore!
2009 Motto: Um... Hey, at least we don't have Andruw Jones anymore!

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: P Derek Lowe, P Javier Vasquez
Key Losses: P John Smoltz (to BOS), P Mike Hampton (to HOU)

MARKS AND REMARKS
Lineup: C

Everything hinges on Chipper Jones' ability to stay healthy. After a red hot start last year, injuries took their toll and he was never the same. Jones will turn 37 during the first month of the season, so expecting him to play a full season at this point is asking quite a bit. There's plenty of unpredictability in the outfield with youngsters Brandon Jones, Josh Anderson and Matt Diaz all vying for spots among veterans like Garrett Anderson and Jeff Francoeur. Anderson will likely hit 10-15 homers, but he's slowing down quickly and he's a liability in the field. Francoeur used to be a guy who would do nothing but strike out a lot and hit homers. Over the last two years, he's developed into a guy who does nothing but strike out a lot. For a lineup in desperate need of guys with some pop, the Braves better hope he can get back to at least the stage where he would hit homers in addition to sucking.

Pitching rotation: B-

Atlanta did a good job of solidifying its rotation in the offseason. Derek Lowe is an improvement over John Smoltz and Javier Vasquez is a huge improvement over Mike Hampton (then again, I would be an improvement over Hampton at this point). Lowe and Hampton will be part of a formidable rotation that includes electric 23-year-old Jair Jurrjens, who has future ace potential, and Tom Glavine, who the Braves are wheeling out for one last ride hoping he has a tiny bit of gas left in the tank.

Bullpen: D

There's not a whole lot here to be excited about if you're a Braves fan. Closer Mike Gonzalez has never saved more than 24 games in a season and is the only left-hander in Atlanta's pen who has proved he can be effective at the major league level. Setup man Rafael Soriano has seemingly been a "closer in waiting" for his entire career, but hasn't ever broken through. Probably because of injures. He's already been sidelined twice this spring, once with an upper respiratory infection and now with "strained side muscle". There's talk he may begin the season on the DL.

ODDS AND ENDS

The Braves are banking a lot on Derek Lowe, but don't forget that before his awesome run at the end of last season and into the playoffs for the Dodgers, most "experts" felt he hadn't exactly been living up to his contract.
Sorry Braves fans, but it has to be said - TOM GLAVINE IS DONE.
If "Jair" is pronounced like "Air", Mr. Jurrjens has a pretty wide variety of nicknames at his disposal.
Boone Logan has the best goatee in baseball.

4. Florida Marlins
THEN AND NOW
Figures: 84-77, third place.
2008 Headline: Goodbye Miguel Cabrera, Hello Jorge Cantu!
2009 Motto: At least the recession gives us a valid excuse to have the lowest payroll in baseball.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Key Additions: P Scott Proctor, P Jose Ceda, P Leo Nunez
Key Losses: CL Kevin Gregg (to CHC), 1B Mike Jacobs (to KC), RP Joe Nelson (to TB), SP Scott Olsen (to WSH), OF Josh Willingham (to WSH).

MARKS AND REMARKS
Lineup: C-

Hanley Ramirez is one of the best leadoff hitters in the game, but he has still yet to prove that he can be as effective in the 3-hole, where he will start this season for the Marlins. If Ramirez had hit his way, he'd hit leadoff forever AND there would be no team dress code. Ramirez had been hitting .077 during the spring before breaking out of his slump and going 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs on Sunday. Jorge Cantu was an admirable replacement for Miguel Cabrera in 2008, hitting 29 homers (a career high) with 95 RBIs. Florida will need that kind of production again this year. As usual, the Marlins hopes will rest on youngsters, specifically outfielder Cameron Maybin, who was one of the centerpieces of the Cabrera deal. If Maybin is finally ready for the bigs, he could provide the Marlins with somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 homers and 30 steals. There are far too many questions about this lineup heading into the season to give it any better than a C-.

Pitching rotation: C-

There is certainly potential here. This staff could either be very good or very mediocre. The loss of Scott Olsen will hurt. Ricky Nolasco (15-8, 3.52 ERA, 186 K's in 2008) has the potential to be an ace if he continues to pitch like he did last year and most importantly, stays healthy. Aside from him, there are some questions. Josh Johnson came back strong last year from Tommy John surgery in 2007 and will need to continue to that development as the club's No. 2 starter. Chris Volstad pitched well last year but didn't get much run support. Anibal Sanchez is young and talented, but wildly inconsistent.

Bullpen: D-

As promising as Florida's rotation has the potential to be, the bullpen is just the absolute pits. Matt Lindstrom is tabbed to close, but a sore rotator cuff has kept him sidelined for much of the spring. Even if he is healthy, he is a risk just based on the fact that he's done next to nothing at the major league level aside from proving he can be a decent setup man. Scott Proctor was scheduled to be the setup man, but he will be out until May with a sore elbow. This may end up being a blessing in disguise since Proctor was awful with the Dodgers last year. Aside from them, the bullpen is filled with a lot of youngsters, no-names and questions.

ODDS AND ENDS

Andrew Miller, along with Maybin, was the gem of the deal with Detroit for Cabrera. Inconsistency and control issues have kept Miller from the minors, but the lefty has the potential to be a dominant frontline starter. A good season from Miller would go a long way to helping the Marlins slim playoff hopes.
I hope that the Marlins keep their current uniforms when they move into a new stadium in 2011 and become the Miami Marlins. Their current uni's are some of the best in all of baseball.
Jeremy Hermida needs to stay healthy. He's been injured each of the last three seasons. The guy has the potential to hit 30 homers someday, but that day may never come if he's finding himself on the DL every year.

5. Washington Nationals
THEN AND NOW
Figures: 59-102, last place.
2008 Headline: Wily Mo Pena's last dance.
2009 Motto: No, Elijah Dukes hasn't been arrested...... yet.

COMINGS AND GOINGS
Key Additions: SP Scott Olsen, SP Daniel Cabrera, OF Adam Dunn, OF Josh Willingham.
Key Losses: IF Aaron Boone (to HOU), SP Tim Redding (to NYM), Chad Cordero (to SEA)

MARKS AND REMARKS
Lineup: C+

The Nationals apparently don't like to do things in moderation, so they went out and signed two more outfielders in Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham to add to the glut of them the team already had, a group that includes Elijah Dukes, Lastings Milledge, Willis Harris and Austin Kearns. At least we know Dukes is getting one of the 3 outfield spots, because I don't think anyone wants to piss him off. Dunn was a good pickup, but he has always struck me as one of those guys who puts up good numbers without having much of an effect on his team. Every at bat with him is either a homer, strikeout, walk or pop out. Milledge will man the leadoff spot and should continue to improve and could be a threat for 20 homers and 30 steals. If Nick Johnson can ever stay healthy (he won't), he can be one of the most efficient hitters in the bigs.

Pitching rotation: D-

Scott Olsen and John Lannan are two solid starters, but two guys who wouldn't be an "ace" on most other clubs. Lannan is only entering his third season though and has plenty of room for improvement. Once upon a time, Olsen looked like ace material, but his production has fallen off the last few years. Particularly alarming has to be his strikeout rate. His K's have dipped each of the last three years while his workload has risen. The Nats also picked up Daniel Cabrera, apparently because they don't realize that he's still Daniel Cabrera. Everyone is waiting for him to break out, but at some point they're just going to have to realize that he is what he is.

Bullpen: C-

Joel Hanrahan converted 9 of 13 save chances last season. The Nats were reportedly concerned about the fact that Hanrahan's fastball, which typically floats around the mid 90s, was clocking in the high 80s at the World Baseball Classic. He is still a shoe-in to start the season as the club's closer. Joe Beimel was signed to be the setup man, he was very effective the past few seasons as the Dodgers' situational lefty, but I have my doubts about whether he'll be able to handle the bigger role that will be asked of him this year.

ODDS AND ENDS

Julian Tavarez is only here because he was apparently drunk when he signed his contract. Dunn is here because nobody else wanted him for his asking price. Dukes is here because everyone else is scared of him. What's the fans excuse?
Ryan Zimmerman looked to be on his way to becoming an elite third baseman and then...well, last year happened. If he can return to his 2007 form, minus some of the strikeouts, he can get back on that track.
Cross your fingers and pray that Dmitri Young makes the Nats 40-man roster. I'd hate to see the era of "Da Meat Hook" end prematurely.
UPDATE: Dmitri apparently just read this blog, because I just received in e-mail from him wanting to pass along a message to our readers, saying he will "whoop the shit" out of anyone who believes he won't make the Nats 4o-man. Consider the message delivered.

Right where he belongs

2009-02-21T17:25:00.000-08:00

Ken Griffey Jr. no longer sprints around the bases with the grace of a gazelle. His tired knees won't allow him to patrol the outfield with the ease that he once did, seemingly tracking down any ball hit within a mile radius of his glove. The swing that was once dubbed the sweetest in all of baseball just doesn't seem to possess the speed to catch up to fastballs like it used to and grey hairs have begun sprouting within his dark goatee.

These days, "The Kid" is anything but a kid.

Yet Saturday when Seattle's prodigal son once again donned a Mariners hat and buttoned up his teal No. 24 jersey, that was all pushed to the side. Only one thing mattered: Griffey was back.

Some things are just supposed to go together. Fish and water, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Michael Jordan and the Bulls, etc. To baseball fans, especially those in Seattle, when you think Seattle Mariners, you think Ken Griffey Jr.

In an era where the steroids hang over the game like a black cloud, Griffey seemingly did things the "right way". There's no proof of that, but there's certainly no proof he didn't. No positive steroid tests. No fellow players claiming to have seen him be injected. Over the course of his 20-year career, the only thing on Griffey that seems to have expanded is his waistline.

He represented what was good with the game. With his hat backward, a smile on his face and the carefree nature of a kid (wait, am I describing Brett Favre here?), he made the game look easy. He hit bombs, climbed walls and made diving catches that left you scratching your head. He was named to the MLB All-Century team at the age of 30 and seemed like a shoe-in to break Hank Aaron's home run record.

After a few (ok, MANY) bumps in the road after leaving Seattle, he now returns home. He returns to the place that Mariner president Chuck Armstrong dubbed "The House that Griffey Built". For good reason, because it is not out of the realm of possibility that the Seattle Mariners might be the "Oklahoma City Mariners" right now if not for Griffey.

Who can forget the 1995 season, when with the team on the verge of moving to a new city, Griffey and the Mariners came back from two games down against the Yankees in the ALDS, winning the dramatic fifth game in the 11th inning when Griffey went from first to home on a double by Edgar Martinez to topple the Yankees.

Of course, that was 13 years ago and one might wonder what trotting out what's left of Griffey does for the present day Mariners, a team seemingly on the fast track to nowhere, in dire need of a rebuilding plan.

It goes without saying how much sense the move makes from a business perspective, but it's not a bad baseball move either. Griffey is 39, but hit 30 homers and drove in 93 runs just two years ago. Bothered by knee injuries in 2008, he hit only 18 home runs between stints with the Reds and White Sox. At Designed Hitter, the Mariners could have done much worse. The in-house options were Russell Branyan (who hasn't hit 18 HR's since 2001), Wladimir Balentin (8 career HR's in two years) and Jeff Clement (7 career HR's in two years).

Griffey won't ever hit 56 homers in a season again, but he can certainly provide the Mariners with better production than they probably would have otherwise gotten in his spot. When he does, he'll do it in the stadium he helped build in front of people who grew up with him, in the only jersey that really looks right on him.

Just like it should be.

Desert mirage

2009-02-20T08:53:00.000-08:00

Phoenix storms have a bit of a reputation.

The sky will be clear in the morning, packed with clouds by the afternoon and will open up by nightfall. 90 minutes and several inches later, the rain will stop as suddenly as it started. The clouds will part. The desert sky will be clear once more.

Bad news was coming down by the bucketful in Phoenix over the weekend. While the NBA's focus set on U.S. Airways Arena, rumors were flying over the future of the host franchise.

Would first-year man Terry Porter be fired as Suns coach? Would Amar'e Stoudemire's all-star appearance be his last game wearing a Phoenix jersey? Was the acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal a year earlier to blame of all of it?

The Suns were singing a much different tune by Thursday's NBA trade deadline.

Porter was out. Former Mike D'Antoni assistant Alvin Gentry was in and already had two wins under his belt. Two wins in which Phoenix went back to its 7-seconds-or-less style of offense. Two wins in which the Suns scored 140 and 142 points. Two wins in which Stoudemire played his way off of the trading block. Two wins over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Phoenix throttled the league's sixth-worst defense, taking the pair of games by a combined score of 63 points. Stoudemire had 23 points in 20 minutes in the first contest and 42 points in 36 minutes in the second.

By the time Suns general manager Steve Kerr sat down for lunch Thursday, he was content to keep Stoudemire, content to turn down the Cleveland Cavaliers last-minute offer for Shaq, content on his promotion Gentry, content for two routs, albeit at the expense of the hapless Clippers. He was content for the first time since taking over the post a season ago. The front-office captain of the Phoenix Suns ship thought he'd weathered the storm.

He was right in a way. He just mistook when the storm took place. It wasn't during All-Star weekend. It was Tuesday and Wednesday night, when the Suns swept a home-and-home with the Clippers.

Friday morning brought news that Stoudemire, the all-important cog to Phoenix's fast-paced machine, would be out eight weeks after surgery to repair a partially detached retina in his right eye. It'll be the last week of April before Steve Nash has his high-flying buddy back throwing down alley-oop dunks and thundering fast-break putbacks.

At 30-23, the Suns are a game behind Utah for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. It will be a miracle if they're not statistically eliminated by the time Stoudemire returns.

Even with a healthy lineup, the Suns were lying to themselves if they thought that all was well in the desert. Too many things needed to happen for them to reach the playoffs. Two blowouts over the Clippers does not a season make. Phoenix needed to beat a legitimate playoff team like the Celtics on Sunday or the Lakers on Thursday. They needed Shaq to not break down going at Phoenix's break-neck pace. They needed one of the teams in front of them to suffer a major injury like the Mavs losing Dirk Nowitzki or the Blazers losing Brandon Roy and even that wasn't a guarantee. Houston and Utah are still ahead of the Suns and they've been without Tracy McGrady and Carlos Boozer, respectively, for most of the year.

Without Stoudemire, Phoenix will see less motivation and fewer games from Shaq and more frustration by the docile-by-nature Nash. It will see fewer highlights on Sportscenter and more finger-pointing I-told-you-sos from pundits and coaches alike.

It might be the first time the ousted Porter has cracked a smile in months.

With Stoudemire healthy, the best Phoenix could have hoped for would have been another quick exit in the first round. Without him, the best it can hope for is more ping pong balls in this year's draft lottery.

For two days against the sixth-worst defense in the league, it rained buckets in Phoenix. Now the Suns will try and make it through the next predictable desert weather phenomenon - the months of drought that follow after the rain stops.

Manny being Boras

2009-02-06T17:53:00.000-08:00

Manny being Manny.

It's a phrase that has been repeated countless times over the years about controversial slugger Manny Ramirez.

Whether he's faking an injury, complaining about money, cutting off relay throws from center field, letting the baseball bounce off his head or taking a nap inside the Green Monster at Fenway Park, Ramirez always seems to find away to get himself publicity.

You can still get your usual Manny fix from the various sports media outlets, but only this time, it's not his face on the front page because Manny isn't the one doing the talking.

Manny is off.. doing whatever it is that he does (feeding pidgeons? playing X-Box? writing poetry?) while "evil" super agent Scott Boras does his bidding.

Boras is, without question, the most controversial agent in pro sports. He is also the most successful. But while he has gotten teams to sign many of his clients to contracts well over what they deserved, he has also managed to turn many of those same clients into Public Enemy No. 1 in their respective cities.

In Ramirez's case, it was no different. Once adored by all in Boston, Manny became quite possibly the most despised man in the city last year when he hooked up with Boras, who helped Manny orchestrate his way out of Boston after the team wouldn't budge on giving him a contract extension when he still had two years left on his current deal.

Manny landed in Los Angeles, where he tore up National League pitching and put a team and an entire city on his back in the process of leading the Dodgers to a National League West crown and an appearence in the NLCS.

Everything was coming up roses until the day the Dodgers season ended, when after being eliminated by the Philadelphia Phillies, Manny was asked about his future and said simply, "Gas is up and so am I".

Ironically, gas prices across the country were going down at the time of the statement, but while they're going back up now, Manny's value doesn't seem to be. Which makes it all the more mind numbing that he can't come to a contract agreement with the Dodgers.

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti's tenure in Los Angeles has been nothing short of atrocious with signings like Jason Schmidt, Juan Pierre and Andruw Jones coming under his watch, but the fact is that he has handled the Manny Ramirez situation as well as he possibly could.

Boras and Ramirez have two offers on the table. One is a one-year, $25 million deal and the other is a two-year, $45 million deal.

Both would make him the second highest paid player in baseball over the next two seasons behind Alex Rodriguez.

Both are from the Dodgers.

The sticking point is the number of years. Ramirez, who will be 37-years-old when the 2009 season starts wants some long-term security, at least three years, preferably four or five.

It makes sense, but it also makes sense that instead of bidding against themselves, the Dodgers would offer him as much money in as short a time as possible so he can hit the free agent market again next year when maybe the economy is doing a little better and the team can avoid being tied into a long-term deal when they're already paying Andruw Jones $16 million over the next five years to do absolutely nothing.

Despite what Boras would like us all to believe, the market for Manny Ramirez as of today seems to start and end with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Boras claims there is strong interest from other teams, but aside from whipsers that the San Francisco Giants MIGHT be interested, not one team has stepped up to the plate to make a legitimate offer.

If no deal is made, the Dodgers will move on to another, albiet less attractive, option in someone like Adam Dunn, but what of Manny? Will he sit at home until someone offers him the contract he wants? If that happens, he might never suit up again. He has allowed Boras to bid him out of the price range of just about every team in baseball.

Unless a surprise team steps up in the next coming week and gives him what he wants, there's really only three options: A.) Retire. B.) Settle for less money after the Dodgers pull their offers off the table. C.) Sign with the Dodgers and become the second highest-paid player in baseball over the next two seasons (aww, what a shame. I really feel for you, Manny).

With Spring Training a little more than a week away, someone is bound to blink soon.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Sheets
Manny Ramirez is one of the last big name free agents left on the market, but he isn't the only one. Ben Sheets is another, although this one is not quite as puzzling.

Just a couple of years ago, Sheets was considered one of the most promising young pitchers in baseball. A definite future ace. Maybe he will be, but unless someone decides to bite the bullet and sign him, that can't happen. Of course, for any team to sign him, Sheets would have to convince them that his arm isn't about ready to detatch from his body and fly into the stands the next time he attempts to pitch, and today's news certainly didn't help ease those fears:

Ben Sheets, the injury-plagued, free-agent starting pitcher, is expected to undergo elbow surgery and be sidelined for four to six months, according to CBSSports.com sources.

The surgery, to repair Sheets' partially torn flexor tendon, is expected to be performed by noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. A source with knowledge of the situation said that Sheets is not expected to undergo Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.

Still, the elbow surgery likely will keep Sheets on the sidelines until August, or later. The right-hander was prepared to undergo surgery this week, according to sources, but those plans hit a snag over insurance issues and who would pay for it.

If Sheets will settle for a cheap one-year deal, he could provide a great boost come playoff time for a contender, but the biggest problem he faces that he is a 'Type A Free Agent', meaning whichever team signs him has to give up their first round pick to the Brewers. Good luck with that, Ben.

Juiced coverage

2009-02-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

After standing outside the Federal Courthouse in San Francisco for two hours Thursday morning, the moment finally came.

A Chevy Tahoe with window tint as black as its paint pulled up to the Turk Street entrance. Out stepped two blue-suit-and-sunglasses wearing secret service wannabes followed by the man of the hour: Barry Bonds.

Bonds coolly strutted by the media en route to arraignment and evidentiary hearings in his perjury case. No one said a word until one reporter called out "Hey Barry, how you doin'?" Bonds responded. "Good morning. How you doin'?"

The court house doors closed behind him without incident. No cavalcade of questions by reporters. No deaf ears by Bonds. No bruised egos.

But you wouldn't know it by many of the local stations' live reports from the court house.

Each of the top four TV news stations in the Bay Area reported that Bonds gruffly whisked by, ignoring questions, which in turn raised another: is the media unjustly slamming Bonds as the slugger has always claimed?

On Thursday, Bonds' claim was valid.

I may have hated him. I may still. He treated the fans like garbage. He treated his teammates like garbage. He treated the media like garbage. That still doesn't justify the haphazard coverage he received Thursday.

We could do the chicken-or-the-egg argument of "who spurned who first" all we want. That still doesn't justify the haphazard coverage he received Thursday.

I lost a great deal of respect for people who I work with because of it. I even felt a little sorry for the man who I've booed and cursed and accused unmercifully from my couch and from the Left Field Pavillion in Dodger Stadium.

At 12:20 p.m. Thursday, Bonds walked by reporters on his way to the awaiting Tahoe, his heart not quite as black as the media has made it out to be.

Bad timing for Bynum, Lakers

2009-02-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

In a time where hyperbole runs rampant in sports, saying Andrew Bynum's MCL tear couldn't have come at a worse time for the Lakers would be inaccurate.

But it's close.

The 21-year-old center was finally earning his wings before Kobe Bryant's shoulder grounded him for 8 to 12 weeks.

Now the Lakers face their toughest stretch of the regular season: an NBA finals re-run Thursday at Boston and a Sunday afternoon tilt in Cleveland where LeBron James' Cavs have yet to lose a game.

Both Boston and Cleveland are even with L.A. in the loss column. Both got there by bullying their opponents.

Kobe can flex his 61-point muscle all he wants. It's not big enough to hide the gaping hole in the middle of the Lakers' defense.

With Bynum, Kevin Garnett settles for fall-away 17-foot jump shots. Without him, KG gets lower on the block and hits a turn-around 8-footer or drop steps for a layup. With Bynum, LeBron's drives turn into pull-ups. Without him, they turn into posters with Pau Gasol or Luke Walton in the lower-left corner.

L.A. will be lucky to split the last two games of their east-coast road trip. They'll be lucky to be even with the Celts and Cavs come April.

And for those of you who think the Lakers can bide their time until Bynum returns in early May, weren't you saying the same thing last year?

Saying that the Lakers title hopes crumbled with Andrew Bynum's knee would be inaccurate.

But it's close.

Handing out the Hardware

2008-12-29T17:35:00.000-08:00

The 2008 NFL regular season has come to a close and that means it's time to hand out the Between the Lines Show season awards. Here's who Matt and David picked.

MVP

MATT LOPEZ: Chad Pennington/Miami QB (3,653 yards, 19 TDs, seven INTs) - Laugh all you want, but Chad Pennington resurrected his career in the midst of helping resurrect the Miami Dolphins. A big part of their success has been Pennington's steady arm and lack of mistakes. Pennington only threw 7 interceptions this year.

DAVID SAUNDERS: Michael Turner/Atlanta RB (1,699 yards rushing, 41 yards receiving, 17 TDs) - Coach Mike Smith and quarterback Matt Ryan got their professional careers off to unbelivable starts, but the biggest reason for their success is Turner. The former San-Diego backup missed Lorenzo Neal less that LaDainian Tomlinson did.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

ML: Matt Ryan/Atlanta QB (3,440 yards, 16 TDs, 11 INTs) - Led the Falcons back from the abyss and made everyone in Atlanta forget about Michael Vick. He had one of the best rookie seasons ever for a quarterback and will only get better.

DS: Matt Ryan/Atlanta QB (3,440 yards, 16 TDs, 11 INTs) - Completely agree with Matt here. Mike Vick who?

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

ML: DeMarcus Ware/Dallas LB (84 tackles, 20 sacks, six forced fumbles) - Despite the Cowboys' collapse to end the season, Ware deserves the award. He certainly did his best to help keep the team afloat while everything around him was falling apart. He became the seventh player in NFL history to finish a season with 20 sacks.

DS: Joey Porter/Miami LB (47 tackles, 17.5 sacks, four forced fumbles) - Porter's probably the only person who thought the Dolphins would make the playoffs and he played like it from jump street. He terrorized division opponents to the tune of eight sacks and four forced fumbles in six games. It's scary to think what he might do to Ben Rothlisberger should the Dolphins advance to the Divisional Round.

COACH OF THE YEAR

ML: Tony Sparano/Miami - Followed Bill Parcells to Miami and in his first year as Dolphins coach, led the team to an 11-5 record and AFC East championship (thanks in part to MVP Chad Pennington) after a 1-15 season in 2007.

DS: Bill Belichek/New England - No one will ever again question whether it's Tom Brady or the system. At 11-5, the Pats are on the outside looking in at the playoffs, but they got there with an aged, paper-thin defense and a quarterback who hadn't started since high school. Also, Charlie Weis may be joining other former-Belichek pupils Romeo Crennel and Eric Mangini in the unemployment line.

In August, who would have thought that six of the eight BTL selections would be Dolphins or Falcons?

Save The Hype

2008-09-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

If a Major League Baseball single-season saves record falls in the woods, does it make a sound?

That's the question I ask myself as Francisco Rodriguez prepares to break the record of 57, held since 1990 by former Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Thigpen.

"K-Rod", as the kids call him, tied the record Thursday night by recording his 57th save in the Angels' 7-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

The record is a fine accomplishment in itself, but the hype that accompanies it is quickly becoming a problem.

It seems like the "Francisco Rodriguez for Cy Young" bandwagon is full steam ahead and there are plenty of calls for Rodriguez to be the American League's..*gasp*..Most Valuable Player!

That is one of the more ridiculous assertions I've ever heard. Not just because a closer should never win the Cy Young or MVP, but because quite simply, Francisco Rodriguez's season isn't as good as his save total would indicate.

Saves are a bit of an enigma, much like the RBI. Many fans make the mistake of assuming that because a player has a lot of RBI's, that must mean he's a great hitter. For example, if Player A has 120 RBI's and Player B has only 90, that must mean Player A is better right? But theres so many other variables that go into it, mainly how many times the batters in front of Player A and Player B are getting on base. If Player A's hitters are getting on base at a higher clip, it stands to reason that he'd have more RBIs.

The same general rule applies for saves. With so many stats at our disposal now, it's foolish to look at the guy who has the most saves and automatically determine he is the best closer. It seems to me that a closer on a great team would have a few more save opportunities than one on a poor team.

Now that we have that out of the way, let's get this out of the way.. K-Rod not only isn't worthy of the MVP and Cy Young, he isn't even the best closer in baseball this season.

K-Rod, who is 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA and 72 strikeouts is playing for the team with the best record in baseball, and what is more astonishing to me is not the number of saves that Rodriguez has, but the number of save opportunities he has gotten. The Angels have played in an inordaniate amount of three-runs or less games for a team with the best record in baseball.

What is often the case is a that a closer on such a great team will often struggle to earn saves because his team is so dominant that he just doesn't get many save opportunities, whereas closers on middle of the road teams get more chances because their team plays in closer games.

The truth is, any number of closers in baseball could do what Rodriguez has done if given the same amount of chances. The Angels have bucked that trend this season and Rodriguez is reaping the benefits.

Rodriguez has 57 saves in 65 save chances. Compare that to Houston's Jose Valverde, who has the second most saves in baseball with 42 saves in 52 save opportunities. If he had 65 save opportunities at this point in the season, he wouldn't be at 57 like K-Rod is, but he would still be on pace to break the record. Although if you factor in that Valverde plays his home games in the launching pad that is Minute Maid Park (or whatever they call it these days), maybe he WOULD have 57 saves by now.

Joakim Soria has 36 saves in 41 save chances with a 1.74 ERA and 62 strikeouts for the putrid Kansas City Royals. K-Rod probably had more save opportunities at the all-star break than Soria will have all season. However, if Soria had Rodriguez's 65 save chances and judging by what he's done so far this season, the smart money would say that he would have already broken the record by now.

Then of course there is the guy who has probably been the best closer in baseball this season, Philadelphia's Brad Lidge, who has bounced back nicely after Albert Pujols nearly ruined his life a few years ago. Lidge has not blown a save yet this season, a perfect 36-for-36, with a 2.04 ERA and 80 strikeouts.

Does that mean that if Lidge had K-Rod's 65 save chances that he would have 65 saves now? No, but it's a safe bet that he'd probably already be over 57 if given that amount of opportunities.

Although it may seem like it, this is not meant as a slight on K-Rod's season. But Bobby Thigpen didn't break the record because he's the most dominant closer in baseball, and K-Rod won't either.

He's been fantastic this season and I'm sure he'll be happy to have someone like the Mets overpay for him in the off-season. But the harsh reality is that what he is doing is much more a statement on the odd amount of save chances he has gotten for an 89 win team this season, rather than a statement on his play this year.

So save your Cy Young votes for one of the starting pitchers that gets the ball to these closers in the ninth inning and your MVP votes for someone that, you know.. plays more than one inning every couple of games.

Tour de Farce

2008-09-10T11:56:00.000-07:00

It's been 24 hours since American cyclist Lance Armstrong ended his three-year retirement and already the Tour de France frontmen are lambasting their event's greatest champion.

Race director Christian Prudhomme said Wednesday that Armstrong may compete in the event, but emphasized on four different occasions that the seven-time champion would have to clear the Tour's revamped drug-testing program.

Prudhomme's repetition of those statements was not said to be procedural or even serve as a warning, but more of a veiled threat.

Watch out Lance. The French cycling community is out to get you.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

In 2005, the French sports daily L'Equipe reported that Armstrong used the banned performance enhancer EPO during his first Tour win in 1999. It took 2 hours for then-Tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc to vehemently praise the sport's testing policy and proclaim Armstrong as arrogant for thinking he could cheat the system.

In 2006, a Dutch investigator appointed by the Union Cycliste Internationale exonerated Armstrong, saying that the sample had been tampered with after it was locked away in the Tour's own secure storage facility.

It's been two years and the Tour has yet to offer any kind of response, let alone a retraction.

For a race that disqualified its 2006 winner, Floyd Landis, for a positive test and disallowed its 2007 champion, Alberto Contador, from defending his title because of his alleged connection to another prominent doping case, you'd think the Tour would embrace the return of the man who should be their golden boy. Instead, it continues to cast out aspersions like fishing lines, dissatisfied with the catches of yesteryear, hoping to hook one more yellow-jerseyed big one.

There is little question that Armstrong's seven consecutive Tour titles from 1999 to 2005 is the longest run of dominance in any sport. There is little question that come July 4, 2009, Armstrong will be the man to beat in France, despite his 3-year absence from the event.

And there is little question that the embittered French cycling community, which hasn't seen one of its native sons win the event since 1985, will do everything it can to ensure that doesn't happen.

In their eyes, Armstrong has never bested them, he's an excellent fraud who has bested their drug-testing system. He's the one that got away.

And he'll keep getting away, too. Because the farce is not the legitimacy of Armstrong's Tour victories, it's the unbiased portrayal of the body that governs cycling's greatest event.

Make no mistake, Armstrong will win the Tour de France in 2009. He'll again be touted as the world's greatest individual athlete. And that governing body will still be out there fishing, hoping to hook him.

The more things change, the more they stay them same.

NFL needs to end late nights

2008-09-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

How many times have you heard the saying "nothing good happens after midnight?"

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier was shot and critically wounded at 2:45 a.m. Tuesday and you can be sure that if he pulls through, the loved ones praying by his bedside will reinforce that mantra to him. If he doesn't pull through, you can be sure that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will reinforce that mantra to the rest of the league.

The 26-year-old Collier and former Jags teammate Kenneth Pettway were parked in Collier's Escalade waiting for two women they had met in a night club earlier that evening when a gunman opened fire on the vehicle, striking Collier several times.

The shooting was the third in the last 20 months in which an active NFL player has been critically wounded. Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was killed in his limo on January 1, 2007 following an argument at a night club. Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor died on November 27, 2007, a day after being shot in his home during a robbery. All three shooting occurred between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.

While these three are the most extreme of examples, there is no shortage of athlete-related altercations in the wee hours of the morning. Seemingly every week, an NFL player's name appears on a police report.

The "where" part of the equation is typically the same: late night, out on the town, in or around a bar or night club. The "why" also remains a constant: someone gets jealous, words are said, tempers flare and things get out of hand. The "what" varies only slightly depending on to what degree the altercation escalates. The "who" is the only piece of the formula that really changes.

The similarities between the shooting Collier was involved in and the one that killed Williams are strikingly similar. The one in which Taylor was shot at home was it an extreme rarity, the exception and not the rule.

Nonetheless, each of the three incidents shares that one indisputably common thread - time.
Goodell knows it. The NFL owners know it. And the players can no longer claim to be naive enough not to know it.

A mandatory curfew of 1 a.m. needs to be put in place. Not just on the night before games, not just every night of the season, but every night of the year.

A curfew would keep the headlines involving NFL players in the sports section and out of the crime log. It would mean that Williams would still be alive. It would mean that Adam "Pacman" Jones and Ray Lewis never would have been accused of conspiracy to commit murder. It would greatly help the image of the league, ensuring that America's favorite sport remains just that.

When punishing problematic players, a curfew would be something solid Goodell and the NFL owners could lean on rather than the vague description of the league's personal conduct policy. After all, while these athletes are commodities. The organizations with whom they are contracted ahve both a personal and monetary interest in protect their investments.

Would it be practically impossible to enforce, yes. But a 1 p.m. curfew would leave no gray area. There would be no flexing or shifting of the line in the sand. It would be in the same spot for both a franchise quarterback and a third-string linebacker. It would either be crossed or wouldn't be crossed.

If Richard Collier pulls through, you can be sure that he'll never cross that line again. It's high time Goodell and the NFL owners make it very clear where that line is and do it before tragedy strikes another one the league's players.

Call to Step Up

2008-05-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

Inconsistency has been the biggest problem in the eight-year career of Lamar Odom. Before this season, his stint with the Los Angeles Lakers has been plagued with questions about his passion to play in the spotlight next to the NBA's best player in Kobe Bryant. He hasn't always flourished in being the second option behind Bryant. As a matter of fact, he tended to shy away from the role rather than embrace it.

Because of his reluctance to step into the role, he has been involved in numerous trade possibilities, which only caused him to shrink further away from the greatness that people were predicting him to reach as an NBA player when the Los Angeles Clippers drafted him out of Rhode Island in 1999.

Fast forward to February 1st when the Lakers swindled Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. To say that the Lakers acquired a great player for peanuts is an understatement. To say that they acquired two great players for peanuts is more accurate. Since that time, the player who has benefited the most has been Odom. Even though he has had his share of mental lapses coming down the stretch of the season, and most notably in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against San Antonio, Odom is starting to undergo a transformation that can propel his so-far mediocre career at best into a potential perennial All-Star, and maybe a future Hall of Fame player.

Well, I shouldn't get too far ahead of myself. On the eve of the start of the NBA Finals, Odom must first learn to play in that spotlight, which he had tried to aviod for so long. This will not be a coming-out party for Bryant as it will for Odom. In Game 5 of the Conference Finals against the Spurs, Bryant delivered the knock-out punch to San Antonio, but Odom delivered the body blows with a sparkling 13 points and tremendous help-out defense on Tim Duncan.

If Odom can consistently put up double-double and play solid defense on Kevin Garnett every night, then the Lakers will win the championship.

For the Lakers to win, Lamar Odom win need to have an All-Star series.

With the first overall pick in this year's NFL draft...

2008-03-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

Here are picks 1-31 of the Between the Lines mock draft. All picks were made under the premise that no trades had taken place, though some undoubtedly will.

Editor's note: The New England had to forfeit its pick as punishment for video taping the New York Jets coaching staff during a game.

#1/Miami takes Chris Long, DE-Virginia (6-4, 280) - While it's premature to say that he's going to be as good as his former Raider father, Long's speed and ability to stop the run makes him a perfect fit for the Dolphins' 3-4 defense. Bill Parcells thinks he's good enough to replace Jason Taylor.

#2/St. Louis takes Jake Long, OT-Michigan (6-7, 315) - Losing Orlando Pace last season made the Rams realize how valuable a strong and agile offensive lineman can be. It won't be long before Long starts regularly freeing Steven Jackson for runs up the middle or catches in the flat.

#3/Atlanta takes Matt Ryan, QB-Boston College (6-5, 220) - Rebuilding projects that figure to take as long as the Falcons' will typically start with quarterback and Ryan is head and shoulders above his draft-eligible peers. His nonexistent rapsheet also helps. The only way he'd be a better fit is if he became a card-carrying member of the ASPCA.

#4/Oakland takes Darren McFadden, RB-Arkansas (6-2, 205) - While the Raiders have a ton of needs with running back being fourth or fifth on the list, Al Davis won't be able to resist the allure of drafting the man who could be the next great running back.

#5/Kansas City takes Ryan Clady, OT-Boise State (6-6, 317) - The Chiefs desperately need someone to open up lanes for Larry Johnson and with Jake Long off the board, Clady is their best bet. He'll start right away and should keep his job for years to come.

#6/New York Jets take Vernon Gholston, DE-Ohio State (6-4, 264) - If Chris Long is the top defensive end in this year's draft, Gholston is one heck of a consolation prize. He'll waste little time improving a Jets pass-rush that was 25th in sacks last season.

#7/New England (from San Francisco) takes Aquib Talib, CB-Kansas (6-2, 205) - Why would the Patriots scour free agency and the trading block for a corner to replace Asante Samuel when they can get Talib on the cheap? His size and athleticism give him versatility, something Bill Belichick highly values.

#8/Baltimore takes Leodis McKelvin, CB-Troy (6-3, 233) - If the Ravens want to get their defense closer to what it once was, they need to add a talented young corner to the rotation. McKelvin gives them that and makes Samari Rolle, 31, and Chris McAllister, 30, expendable.

#9/ Cincinnati takes Glenn Dorsey, DT-LSU (6-2, 303) - An unhealthy history is to blame for him dropping this far, but he'll fall no further. The Bengals have holes all over their defense so why not start by filling the one front and center. Cinci would be ecstatic if Dorsey lands in its lap.

#10/ New Orleans takes Sedrick Ellis, DT-Southern Cal (6-2, 305) - The Saints can have all the offensive firepower in the world, but they won't get anywhere if they again finish 30th pass defense and 25th in total yards allowed. Ellis isn't the ultimate solution, but he'll go a long way to helping improve those rankings.

#11/ Buffalo takes Phillip Merling, DE-Clemson (6-5, 280) - Though he provides more strength than speed, lining up next to newly-acquired Pro Bowl tackle Marcus Stroud will ensure that he gets a lot of one-on-ones. What he does with them remains to be seen.

#12/ Denver takes Keith Rivers, OLB-Southern Cal (6-3, 235) - The Broncos might be reaching here, but they are in desperate need to add some youth to its aged linebacking corps. Not only is Rivers quick in pursuit of the ball, he's effective blitzing off the edge.

#13/ Carolina takes Jonathan Stewart, RB-Oregon (5-11, 230) - Don't mistake Deshaun Foster's dismissal as a vote of confidence for D'Angelo Williams. Unlike Williams, Stewart is as big of a receiving threat as he is a rushing one. His route running underneath will give Steve Smith more space over the top.

#14/ Chicago takes Rashard Mendenhall, RB-Illinois (5-11, 224) - The Bears are really wishing they had kept Thomas Jones. Cedric Benson will be given a chance to redeem himself, but if he fails again, Chicago will at least have the home-town kid waiting in the wings.

#15/ Detroit takes Chris Williams, OT-Vanderbuilt (6-6, 320) - After taking flashy wideouts in Round 1 each of the last four years, it's time the Lions take a player at the exact opposite end of the spectrum. Jon Kitna needs time to get those receivers the ball and Williams will give him that. It won't be long before he works his way out of the rotation an in to regular playing time.

#16/ Arizona takes Mike Jenkins, CB-Southern Florida (5-10, 197) - Though he's smaller than Talib and McKelvin, Jenkins is considered by many to be the most athletic and complete cover corner in this year's draft. He's exact what the Cardinals need after finishing 28th in pass defense in 2007.

#17/ Minnesota takes Malcolm Kelly, WR-Oklahoma (6-4, 217) - After watching Baltimore, Carolina and Chicago all pass on him, Kelly finally finds a home with the Vikings. He's physical, quick, has good hands and will be the first player chosen from a deep receiver class. Don't be surprised to see him starting in the slot on opening day.

#18/ Houston takes Dan Connor, ILB-Penn State (6-3, 233) - Yes, DeMeco Ryans has perennial Pro Bowler written all over him, but Connor would be a good complimentary player when the Texans use the 3-4. His work ethic should be enough to make him a mainstay on the team.

#19/ Philadelphia takes Calais Campbell, DE-Miami (6-8, 280) - With Jevon Kearse no longer in the mix, the Eagles will want to get a freak and Campbell fits the bill. He has all the necessary attributes of a good defensive lineman in the body of offensive guard. His one-and-done at the combine is the biggest reason why he's still available this late.

#20/ Tampa Bay takes Devin Thomas, WR-Michigan State (6-2, 215) - Joey Galloway isn't going to be around forever and Michael Clayton hasn't established himself as any kind of a predecessor. Thomas had an outstanding junior year and had arguably the best showing at the combine.

#21/ Washington takes Derrick Harvey, DE-Florida (6-2, 262) - The Redskins are still satisfied playing the waiting game with Jason Campbell and Clinton Portis and an offensive lineman might be a bit of a reach here. Harvey will help them bolster their pass rush, making an already strong defense even better.

#22/ Dallas (from Cleveland) takes Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB-Tennessee State (6-1, 181) - While the Cowboys tied for sixth in the league with 20 interceptions, only 11 of those came from their cornerbacks. Starters Anthony Henry and Terence Newman have average speed, something that Rodgers-Cromartie has plenty of.

#23/ Pittsburgh takes Limas Sweed, WR-Texas (6-5, 219) - Ben Rothlisberger had a great season last year, but he misses having a big body to throw the ball to. Sweed can out-jump most DBs in the league and also has the ability to stretch the field with his speed.

#24/ Tennessee takes DeSean Jackson, WR-California (6-0, 166) - Vince Young likes throwing bombs deep and Jackson likes out-running everyone to catch them. He is the fastest of the top-flight wideouts in this years class and has a good first step. He has the potential to be a very disruptive slot receiver early.

#25/ Seattle takes Kentwan Balmer, DT-North Carolina (6-5, 295) - Seattle has a good line, but could use some help in the middle. Balmer might not start right away, but he'll be heavily involved in the rotation. His height in the middle is something not many tackles possess.

#26/ Jacksonville takes Lawrence Jackson, DE-Southern Cal (6-5, 265) - The Jaguars don't have a lot of needs so they can afford to draft based on potential and Jackson fits the bill. He was a consensus top-10 pick heading into the 2007 season, but a slow start and the emergence of line-mate Sedrick Ellis dropped his stock a bit. He could be a steal at 26.

#27/ San Diego takes Kenny Phillips, FS-Miami (6-2, 210) - In every draft, there are steals and then there are highway robberies. No one is questioning the Chargers talented trio of cornerbacks that led the league in interceptions last season, but how nice would it be to have a corps. of safeties to match it?

#28/ Dallas takes Felix Jones, RB-Arkansas (6-0, 207) - This pick is by no means a knock on the Cowboys current back, Marion Barber, but with Julius Jones leaving town, the Cowboys need a dependable second back. Felix isn't going to get many carries, but he will return kicks, something he did well last year, averaging 29.6 yards.

#29/ San Francisco (from Indianapolis) takes Jeff Otah, OT-Pittsburg (6-6, 332) - No goal should be more paramount for the Niners than keeping franchise quarterback Alex Smith on the field. While Otah didn't play organized football until his senior year of high school, many think that he has more upside most of his first-round contemporaries.

#30/ Green Bay takes Reggie Smith, CB-Oklahoma (6-0, 196) - Smith can play both the safety and cornerback positions with above-average results making him the most versatile defensive back in this year's draft class. The Packers could definitely use him to spell aging corners Charles Woodson and Al Harris.

#31/ The New York Giants take Chilo Rachal, OG-Southern Cal (6-5, 315) - The Giants really don't have a whole lot of needs. Some think Rachal didn't show enough individual ability over a long enough period of time, but the Giants can afford to gamble on a guy others project to develop into a Pro Bowler.

The Wild Wild West

2008-02-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

There's nothing more annoying than when older sports fans go on about how the NBA is "nothing like it was in the glory days" or that "things haven't been the same since Michael Jordan retired".

I'd argue that the NBA experienced a return to those "glory days" earlier in this decade with the Los Angeles Lakers battling teams like the Sacramento Kings and Portland Trailblazers in legendary playoff series'.

For NBA fans who still feel disenchanted with the product, the remainder of the 2008 season should provide them with just the roller coaster ride they are looking for.

In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics have loaded up and finally reclaimed a spot atop the NBA totem pole. The Detroit Pistons are still as tough as ever and the Orlando Magic are an exciting and dangerous young team led by emerging-by-day superstar Dwight Howard.

The real action, however, is taking place in the Western Conference. The West has long been the superior conference, but that dominance has been turned up a notch this season. The current 8th seed in the West, the 33-21 Denver Nuggets would currently be the fourth seed, only a game behind the third place Orlando Magic.

Adding to that dominance are the acquisitions that Western Conference teams have made in recent weeks, including the Lakers getting Pau Gasol, the Mavericks getting Jason Kidd and the Suns trading for Shaquille O'Neal.

With all the moves, it's anyone's guess as to who is going to win the Western Conference prize, but we'll attempt to size it up here at the halfway point of the season.

1.) San Antonio Spurs, 36-17: While many people aren't fans of it, I'm a big believer in the "champions are the champions until someone beats them theory". The Spurs 36-17 record, which would be excellent most years, is good enough for only fifth in the West this year. Because of the strength of the teams around them, people seem to be forgetting how good this Spurs team really is. The Spurs have more playoff experience than just about every team they're battling with out West, and despite what their record is or where they ultimately finish in the standings, the path to the NBA Finals still goes through San Antonio. The team recently made a somewhat under the radar move, acquiring power forward Kurt Thomas. Compared to Shaq, Kidd and Gasol he's not a big name, but he's an underrated player for what he brings to the table, and most importantly is a big body inside that can defend players like Shaquille O'Neal, Yao Ming and Andrew Bynum come playoff time.

2.) Los Angeles Lakers, 37-17: What seemed to be a sinking ship at the beginning of the season has now become a well-oiled machine. Kobe Bryant has to be pleased that he now has the kind of team around him that he's been looking for. The acquisition of Pau Gasol for virtually nothing has to go down as one of the all-time great coups in NBA history. It can be argued that they're the best team in the West right now WITHOUT Andrew Bynum, who is scheduled to return from his knee injury next month. And don't forget defensive ace Trevor Ariza is on his way back soon from a similar knee injury. The big advantage the Lakers have over almost every other Western Conference team is their versatile lineup. They have the size to slow it down against a team like the Spurs, and the speed and quickness off the bench with guys like Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar to play an up tempo game with teams like Phoenix and Dallas.

3.) New Orleans Hornets, 38-17

Hold On To That Cheating Label

2008-02-11T19:46:00.000-08:00

In the words of a wise old man who once scored four touchdowns in one game while playing football for Polk High, "it's only cheating if you get caught."

Okay, so what if Al Bundy is a fictional character? Those words hold truer than what any self-righteous hypocrite would spout off.

Remember Rafael Palmeiro and his finger-pointing testimony at a Congressional hearing about steroids in baseball a few years ago?

Five months after his Oscar-worthy performance in front of the congress, Palmeiro was suspended for ten days after "unintentionaly" testing positive for steroids, and his career has taken a nose dive since then.

Who can forget Barry Bonds? He is the biggest reason that the black cloud of steroid abuse allegations hangs over Major League baseball.

No one wanted Bonds to pass Hank Aaron as the all-time home run king, but he did last August, ending the season with 762 career home runs.

Now, with Spring Training getting set to start, Bonds, a free agent, is waiting, hoping that any team will pick him up, but no one wants to touch a cheater even if he is the best at what he does.

What Bonds and Palmeiro had to learn the hard way was that there is a heavy price to pay for cheating and lying, and they got caught.

Fast forward to the present, and say hello to the next big name in baseball who has been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs.

Thanks to his former trainer, Brian McNamee, future Hall-of-Fame pitcher Roger Clemens has been linked to using steroids.

However, before the public rushes to judgment and crucify him, let's give Clemens a chance to defend himself.

Unlike Bonds and Palmeiro, Clemens has been very vocal in his denial to the allegations.

While most people might think Clemens is stupid for even responding to his accusers, especially through the media, I'm probably in the minority of supporters who applaud Clemens for his candor.

While Bonds, Mark Mcguire and Sammy Sosa continue to linger in silence about their ties to steroids, Clemens has chosen to fight to keep his name unassociated with baseball's biggest scandal to date.

Watching him speak at a news conference just days after his name had been mentioned in the Mitchell Report, a report investigating steroid abuse among baseball players, my first thought was that Clemens was an innocent man.

More than a month after he appeared on 60 Minutes to give an interview to Mike Wallace, I feel more strongly about his innocence than ever.

He even has people starting to speak out in support of him like Jose Canseco, the former baseball player turned whistleblower whose book "Juiced" brought attention the rampant use of steroids in the Major Leagues.

Keep in mind that Canseco ratted out Mcguire and several other baseball players, but he recently told Congress in a sworn affidavit that he had neither seen nor heard about Clemens using steroids.

The speculation about Clemens using steroids is baseless other than what former US Senator George Mitchell alleges in his report and from what McNamee has told people about Clemens.

Clemens has not been the most upstanding player during his long career in baseball: He has been accused of pitching at batters' heads intentionally, and his infamous broken bat incident where he threw a broken bat at the feet of Mike Piazza during the 2000 World Series earned him the reputation of being a dirty player.

With all of that said, Clemens may have played the game by his rules at times, but he hasn't shown a propensity for lying or being secretive about taking steroids.

Not yet, at least.

Suns set? Not really.

2008-02-06T19:03:00.000-08:00

It's done. Shaquille O'Neal is headed to Phoenix.

The disgruntled and oft-injured 14-time all-star managed to beg his way out of Miami just two seasons after Dwayne Wade helped him win his fourth NBA title and, more importantly, his first without embittered battery mate Kobe Bryant.

In exchange for O'Neal, the Heat get a versatile backcourt player in Marcus Banks and fantasy hoops darling Shawn Marion, whose real-life game isn't too bad, either.

To the casual NBA fan, the move looks like a no-brainer. Even some of the league's more experienced pundits have openly said that such a transaction vaults Phoenix toward, if not to the top of the Western Conference.

After all, it gives Phoenix something this generation's Suns have never had. It gives Phoenix the one thing that many believe has held them back from reaching the NBA finals. It gives them something that all of the other Western Conference team who have bested them have had - a bruising presence in the paint.

Or does it?

Let's not kid ourselves. Shaq isn't the type of dominant center he used to be. To say that old age has not been kind to him would be an understatement.

Every Superman has his Kryptonite. In Shaq's case that amber-colored rock is better visualized through x-rays and MRIs that have revealed the toll his 350-pound frame has taken on his knees, ankles and feet. As a result, he's played in only 72 of 129 games since he last hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Even when he is healthy enough to suit up, his contributions have been marginal at best. He's rebounding at a 7.8 per-game average and his 14.2 points per contest have made Diesel look more like a Hundai running on Arco unleaded.

Suns' GM Steve Kerr has said that the aquisition of O'Neal would allow Amare Stoudemire to play at his more natural position, power forward. Kerr also said that even when Shaq is not healthy enough to play, Boris Diaw will be more than a servieable substitute.

As for Banks, he was wasting away at the back end of an already deep Phoenix rotation, making him extremely expendable.

Those are the things the Phoenix front office will point to in order to make the deal seem like a steal.

But it wasn't. Those truths don't outweigh the most glaring on of all - that the Suns are less suited for a run at the title now than they were before.

Marion was Phoenix's best rebounder while also being one of the one of the league's most versatile and effective defenders. And above all else, Marion was a perfect fit for coach Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo offense.

Shaq, needless to say, is not. He's a plodder, an over-bearing one, but a plodder nonetheless. Even in his most energetic and limber years, he was still more of a lumbering bull than an agile gazelle.

Marion was the gazelle. He was Amare Stoudemire with a jumpshot. He was Steve Nash's go-to guy on the break. He fit in with the herd.

Shaq doesn't. He is the bull in Phoenix's fine china shop. He is an oversized, ill-fitting, warn-down cog clogging up the middle of an otherwise well-oiled machine.

His presence in the Phoenix frontcourt is not a step closer to a Western Conference crown. It is an testament to the short-term success, but long-term failure of the Suns' offensive system. Nothing more.

And All That Could Have Been

2008-02-05T22:34:00.000-08:00

The New England Patriots were supposed to finish the season as the undefeated, 19-0 Superbowl Champions. They were supposed to roll into Superbowl XLII and demolish an over-matched and under-experienced New York Giants football team. They were supposed to claim the throne as the "Greatest Team Ever".

Wait a minute, wasn't someone supposed to tell the Giants?

Because apparently, they didn't get the memo that they were supposed to just roll over and die. The Giants once again rallied together against a team that, on paper at least, they had no business beating, to pull off one of the most shocking upsets in sports history, defeating the Patriots, 17-14.

It was the crowning achievement for a Giants team that has overcome so much adversity from members of the media and even former teammates questioning whether coach Tom Coughlin or quarterback Eli Manning had what it took to take the team to the next level.

Coughlin proved that he was not the same hard-nosed, drill seargant that nearly got ran out of town by his own players two years ago, and Eli proved that his mistake filled past may finally be behind him.

Neither have any intention of going anywhere, and with the young nucleus the team has, it's a safe bet that this team will be contenders for quite sometime. It's too early to, as Dennis Green would say, "crown" Eli Manning.

One play from that final drive that will likely go overlooked is an overthrown ball intended for Amani Toomer that fell in and out of the hands of Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel. So, you can't say he's completely out of the woods yet, but the Eli Manning we saw in the postseason is drastically different from the Eli Manning we've seen since he came into the NFL.

While it's clear that the Giants have a bright future, what is a little less clear is what is going to become of this Patriots team.

This team had everything. The mastermind head coach, the record-breaking quarterback, the record-breaking wide receiver and a veteran-laden defense with plenty of Superbowl and playoff experience. They were labeled the "best team ever" halfway through the regular season and it was certainly hard to argue against that given the accolades they were gobbling up.

Getting so far and falling short has to be a bitter pill to swallow. The Miami Dolphins were the laughing stock of the NFL this season after finishing 1-15. All things considered though, the sorrow, regret and "what if's?" that ran through the mind of the players of that 1-15 team were probably nothing compared to the same questions and emotions that ran through the heads of the 18-1 Patriots as their 2008 season came to an end.

The Patriots had a chance to stake their claim as the greatest team, dynasty, coach, quarterback, receiver, waterboy, trainer, etc. of all-time and with the loss, are now at risk of being just a footnote in history.

It's tough to get back to the Superbowl and it's even tougher to get back after losing in the big game the year before. Making things tougher is the fact that the Patriots will be faced with a number of key personnel questions in the off-season. Linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau are both free agents and even if the money is there to sign them, the true question will be do they have enough left in the tank that it would be worth re-upping their contracts, or is it time to cut bait and bring in younger players?

Randy Moss is also a free agent and while I'm sure he'd love to return to New England, he's not going to come at the bargain basement price he did this season. Early reports say he's looking for at least $9 million a year to re-sign with the Patriots.

Cornerback Asante Samuel is a free agent after being given the team's franchise tag this season. The Patriots likely will have to make a choice between keeping Samuel and Moss.

Then again, if the team can somehow finagle a way under the salary cap to re-sign all these players, will it even matter? Bringing all of them back would leave no money to make other acquisitions to the team. It would, however, give the Patriots a chance to make one more run with the same squad that flirted with perfection, but if they couldn't close the deal this year with literally everything in their favor, why would they be able to in 2009?

You can never count out a team with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, but it's hard to figure out how a team, even with the mental makeup the Patriots have, can rebound and put such a disappointing season behind them and move ahead without thinking about how close they were to perfection and what could have been.

Kupchak Comes Through In The Clutch

2008-02-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

After the heart-breaking last minute loss to the Detroit Pistons Thursday night, Los Angeles Laker fans were sitting on pins and needles, wondering if the team was on the verge of another mid-season collaspe like the one that sent them into a tailspin a year ago.

Injuries had decimated a strong contender for the Western Conference championship that had gone 2-5 since Andrew Bynum went down.

Kwame Brown had shown no signs of stepping up in the absence of the young phenom, Lamar Odom continued to prove that he lacks the intelligence and skills that will transform him into an All-Star player, and even though he didn't want to admit it, Kobe Bryant was once again growing increasingly frustrated with the underachieving performance of his team.

It seems that just a few weeks ago, the talk of the NBA was about the Lakers and how they looked to be serious threats to dethrone the San Antonio Spurs as league champions, but that talk seemed to fade when Bynum dislocated his knee against the Memphis Grizzlies.

My, my, how funny it is that the Lakers' championship hopes seems to rest on a Grizzlies' team that has been a perennial lottery team, except for a few playoff seasons.

Now, with the addition of Pau Gasol via a trade for Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton, the Lakers' season is saved from the impending doom in which it was headed.

In his biggest play of his life, Mitch Kupchak his come through in the clutch in a major way, and despite the moniker that he was given after trading players such as Shaq and Caron Butler away for what seemed to be peanuts, Kupchak is no longer considered to be a "Kupcake."

Getting an All-Star player in Gasol for basically nothing makes Kupchak look like Jerry West, the man known as "Mr. Clutch."

Laker fans could now look forward to their team playing well into May for years to come.

Not only have the Lakers gotten a solid big man who can score and rebound on a consistent basis, they have gotten themselves a virtually unstoppable two-headed monster in the front court when Bynum gets healthy.

Most teams are fortunate to have one good center on the roster, but the Lakers now have two potential All-Star big men playing on the same team.

Although Boston may have the best record in the NBA, the Lakers have served notice to the rest of the league that they are going to be a major force to reckon with late in the season.

Checkmate

2008-01-22T22:59:00.000-08:00

There were two sides to Bobby Fischer and it shouldn't come as a surprise that nobody is really quite sure which side to focus on after the chess legend died in Iceland on Thursday.

On one side, you have the child prodigy who took the chess world by storm. He began winning championships at the age of 13 and to this day is the only American to ever win the World Chess Championship. He made chess more than just a game a bunch of old people sat around and played.

On the other side, there was the mysterious, reclusive man who disappeared from the game and the public eye at the height of his success and became an angry, hate-filled person as the years progressed.

As a chess player, it can't be stated enough what he meant to the game. He was arguably the best ever. He was the one who my friend's father, who taught us how to play chess as kids, always told us stories about.

Fischer's crowning moment was winning the World Chess Championship from russian player Boris Spassky in Iceland in 1972.

Those of us under the age of 40 will probably never understand quite what this victory meant to the American people at the time. Maybe your parents or grandparents can tell you. It was at the height of the Cold War and you had Fischer becoming the first American World Champion, defeating a russian to win the championship that had been dominated by the Soviet Union for almost its entire existence.

And of course, that is where everything fell apart. His eccentric behavior began to take over his life in 1975 when he was scheduled to defend his championship against Anatoly Karpov. Fischer made a list of 64 demands in terms of tournament conditions that had to be met for him to play the game. When they were not met, he opted to forfeit the title to Karpov.

From there, Fischer went into hiding, not making so much as one public appearance until he reemerged in 1992 to play a re-match with Spassky in Yugoslavia, which was illegal due to a United Nations Embargo that put sanctions on sporting events.

He won the match and then went back into hiding. He was on the run from authorities as he began on a downward spiral that never seemed to end. Born of Jewish descent, he began going on radio shows, bashing all Jews and calling for the slaughtering of the entire race, claiming that he was not in fact Jewish.

Worse yet, still bitter about not being allowed back into America after his 1992 match, he went on a radio station in Europe after the attacks of September 11 and applauded the terrorists, calling for the destruction of the United States.

It's hard to believe a man who had at one point meant so much to America, had been reduced to a self-hating supporter of terrorism.

And as such, it's not hard to believe that the same man died alone in the country of Iceland to very little sympathy or fanfare.

Losing Isiah Would Get Knicks On Winning Track Again

2008-01-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

Not since September 2001 has the city of New York seen as much confusion as it has seen since the NBA season tipped off back in October, and Osama Bin Laden has nothing to do with it.

People can point their fingers at Isiah Thomas for the debacle of a storied New York Knick franchise that was once a perennial playoff team.

In recent years, the pride of New York basketball has became the embarrassment of the NBA, compiling a 42-74 record during the two seasons that Thomas has been the coach.

Although Thomas has, at best, had a mediocre coaching career (173-189) with Indiana and New York in five seasons, most of his damage has been done off the court as a general manager.

Just last summer, Madison Square Garden was ordered to pay Anuche Browne Sanders $11.6 million in a sexual harassment lawsuit in which Thomas allegedly called Sanders a "bitch," and forced her to kiss him.

Of course, Thomas didn't have to pay.

It seems that for most of his career in the NBA, Thomas has been a bully in getting his way, and no one seemed to question his judgment.

When he forced Larry Brown, one of the premier coaches in NBA history, to leave the Knicks so he could coach, no one with a reasonable mind in the Knicks' ownership had foresight enough to intervene.

When Thomas thought it would be genius to play two shoot-first-pass-later point guards (Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury) at the same time, no one tugged his coattails to let him know that it would not work.

When Thomas drafted a third point guard, the undersized but passionate Nate Robinson from Washington, and traded for underachieving players in Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry, no one, except the fans in New York, saw the freight train engineered by Thomas collide into the Garden, leaving a pile of crap on the hardwood floor for Knick owner James Dolan to clean up.

Apparently, Dolan is in no rush to save his crumbling franchise from the man who used it and abused it, and turned it into a wasteland of greed, selfishness, hopelessness and unhappiness.

If Dolan is banking on Isiah Thomas to lead the Knicks to a championship, then he needs to file for bankruptcy now because Thomas is only good for destroying teams.

Ask Indiana and Toronto.

Oh, I also forgot to mention that he single-handly brought down the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) league because of his mismanagement, which should have been a clear indication for Dolan not to hire Thomas in the first place.

Bottom line: Thomas is incapable of turning a team into a championship team because he is, and always will be a loser.

Firing should leave responsible Bulls fans seeing red

2007-12-24T13:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas is almost here, which means that football is nearing its end and the NBA is about ready to begin its slow journey to the forefront of the North American sports landscape.

But hey, lets not forget the eggnog, the brightly colored strands of lights that accent our roof lines, and Santa Claus. Oh, and that other bearded fellow for whom the holiday was named after.

Much like how I don't get how most of the things commonly associated with Christmas relate to the birth of Christ himself, I don't get why on the day before the most celebrated religious holiday in North America, Chicago Bulls coach Scott Skiles was handed a lump of coal one day early.

Chicago general manager John Paxson fired Skiles Monday in a move that, by definition, is bullish.

Paxson, along with many fans, will tell you that the team Skiles coached was supposed to be much better than it was last year when it finished with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. They became to trendy pick to beat both the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Central Division crown. Many pundits even pegged them as a dark horse to win the conference title. While such expectations might have been lofty ones to begin with and are even riskier propositions now, the goal of a run at the NBA finals is one that is attainable, even if the team 9-16 at this point.

The Bulls have been a notoriously slow to start each of the last three seasons, but have been equally well known for consistently solid play from then on out. The Bulls started the 2004-05 season going 4-15, but finished the year with 47 wins. They started the 2005-06 season in similar fashion before winning 12 of their final 14 games to clinch a playoff berth. In 2006-2007, they started 3-9 before going 46-24 over the last 70 games and then knocked off the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.

Successful finishes have been as much a part of Skiles' M.O. as the slow starts have been.

So if its not that, is it that Skiles doesn't know how to further develop the young players on his roster? Let's look:

Luol Deng's numbers are about where they were at the end of last year.
Ben Gordon's scoring average is down, but that's more of a product of his 38.5 field-goal percentage and while some blame could be laid on the coach's offensive scheme, Skiles doesn't bear all or even most of the responsibility for a seven-percent shooting dip.
Kirk Hinrich's numbers over his four-year career have followed the same pattern as the Bulls themselves have - slow start, gradual incline, then peak at the finish.
Andres Nocioni is putting up near spot-on identical numbers to last season while playing fewer minutes.
2006 lottery pick swapee Tyrus Thomas has been remarkably inconsistent, but the fact that his draft-day-deal counterpart LaMarcus Aldridge has blossomed leaves Paxson as the one looking bad, not Skiles.
Joakim Noah hadn't even started SEC-play at Florida this time last year, plus big men develop more slowly than college guards or swingmen.
Ben Wallace hasn't developed anything since he signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Bulls in the summer of 2006, but the then soon-to-be 32-year-old undersized center doesn't really count as being young or, as Bulls fans are sure to tell you, talented.

It would be irrational to cite a lack of development among the team's young talent over two-months worth of games as a reason for Skiles to be shown the door, especially when he has a lengthy record of molding talent, not to mention that regression among young players has been minimal at worst.

So since a lack of player development would be an irresponsible thing for one of the league's most calculated general managers to fire Skiles over, could it be because he has lost touch with his team?

"I wouldn't say we stopped playing for Scott," Hinrich said. "Every time I go out there, I'm playing for my teammates, my coaches.
"He's a great coach," Deng said.
Both statements were made today.

So what then? Some kind of internal conflict?

No, it's just a knee-jerk reaction by a franchise that had so much success during Skiles tenure that it set its sights too high and forgot just how bad things were before he got there. And I'm not just talking about the fact that Skiles coached the Bulls to three-straight postseason appearances after Chicago had won more than 25 games only once in first five years after Michael Jordan left. I'm talking about a 41-year franchise history wrought with futility, a franchise history that features no conference championships and only one divisional title outside of the 12-year Jordan era. I'm talking about a franchise history that can claim on 11 winnings seasons in the 29 years without Jordan, and three of those winning seasons were achieved with Skiles at the helm.

The fact that Paxson said that the Bulls have yet to name an interim coach, let alone come up with any kind of a list of possible long-term successors, just adds an exclamation point to what can only be described as a move that lacks both foresight or hindsight. While I think this move is hasty and unfounded, it had better make sense to Paxson and had better not be change-for-change's-sake, or his fall should soon follow.

Like I said, this change at this time makes about as much sense to me as Jolly Old St. Nick becoming a more recognizable Christmas figure than the man for whom the holiday was originally celebrated.

While playing for the Orlando Magic, Skiles once said that "basketball is like religion. Many attend, few understand."

Congratulations to Paxson, the spoiled, fair-weather Bulls fans and everyone else whose short attention span and even shorter memory allowed them to forget the good times Skiles had brought them and the abysmal times that immediately preceded his arrival. Congrats to those who were calling for Skiles' head because he didn't get to the finals by year-four with one of the youngest teams in the NBA. You can now officially lump yourselves in with the season's next largest mass of ignorance: all those who think of holiday sales first, reindeer second, fir trees third an can't instantly tell you why the first six letters of the word Christmas are what they are.

Catch of the Day

2007-12-20T16:46:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, the Miami Dolphins finalized a four-year deal with Bill Parcells to become the team's Vice President of Football Operations.

The Dolphins reeling in the Big Tuna is going to be, without question, the biggest NFL move this or next year.

It's a bigger move than whichever team ends up luring Bill Cowher out of retirement.
It's a bigger move than whichever team ends up getting Randy Moss if he leaves New England as a free agent.
It's a bigger move than whichever team gets Darren McFadden in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Bill Parcells, along with Bill Belichick, is the closest thing we have to a modern day football genius. His eye for talent is unmatched and his ability to get the most out of players is second to none.

Now granted, his best work probably comes as a head coach, and being VP of Football Operations will, at least for the time being, keep him far away from the field. He won't be a coach and he won't even be a General Manager, meaning he's even farther away from where he really should be (the football field).

Despite that, he should shine in his new role. The proof is in the pudding. Everywhere he goes, he wins. He's made it a hobby to take down-and-out franchises and turn them into winners.

As a Cowboys fan, I can say that perhaps his best reclamation project was what he did with the Dallas Cowboys. He took over a franchise that had hit rock bottom with an egomaniac owner in Jerry Jones who did what he wanted and didn't care what anyone else thought.

Not only did he bring in talented players and build a winning team, he changed the entire structure of the franchise. From the front office on down, he brought an attitude and philosophy that had not been seen there under Jerry Jones' reign.

Now, at 12-2 and in first place in the NFC, the team is enjoying the fruits of his labor. That's certainly not to take anything away from current coach Wade Phillips, who is doing a fine job at maintaining the status quo and winning with a talented team, but he's winning with Parcells' team.

Tony Romo? Marion Barber? DeMarcus Ware? Jason Witten? The core players of that team are guys Bill Parcells brought in. He found a diamond in the rough in Tony Romo, very similar to the way his protege Bill Belichick found Tom Brady.

He's in a perfect situation in Miami, taking over a downtrodden team like the ones he took over in New York, New England and Dallas and is being asked to do what he does best - change the culture of the franchise and turn it into a winner.

It won't happen overnight, but its a move that will be paying dividends for the Miami Dolphins a few years from now.

Ok there, I think I'm done verbally fellating him.

I just think that, for a team that has been the laughing stock of the NFL this year, it's nice that the Dolphins have gotten the last laugh.

Stuck in the Shadows

2007-12-13T16:47:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, “The Mitchell Report” was released, a 409-page report into Major League Baseball's steroid problem, compiled by former United States senator George Mitchell after a 21-month investigation.

The report promised to name names and that it certainly did. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Eric Gagne, Andy Pettitte, Miguel Tejada and Gary Sheffield are the big ones.

For all the talk that will consume baseball about the steroid era and the players that have been exposed as being key players in it, it's important to recognize where it all began.

In March of 2006, a book called “Game of Shadows” was released after much hype and controversy. The book, written by San Francisco Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, was the product of a two-year investigation into BALCO, its founder Victor Conte and Greg Anderson, who served as a personal trainer to Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield.

Make no mistake, Jose Canseco brought the steroid issue to the eye of the public. We all laughed when he talked about what a steroid problem baseball had and that he knew of specific players who had used. Canseco got the ball rolling, but Fainaru-Wada and Williams took the ball and ran with it and uncovered damning evidence against a man who was considered possibly the greatest player in baseball history.

That book is the reason that Barry Bonds is currently on trial. It's the reason that George Mitchell decided to launch this investigation into baseball's steroid problem and its the reason that the athletes named in this report have been exposed for using performance enhancing drugs.

We all knew there was a problem before the book was released, but nobody was willing to do anything about it. Before “Game of Shadows” was released, Bud Selig, baseball owners, general manager's, players and fans buried their heads in the sand and pretended like nothing was wrong.

Fainaru-Wada and Williams put their reputations and careers on the line to get this information out to the public and as a Journalism student, that is something that I have nothing but respect for.

It's easy to forget that they helped pop the cork on baseball's steroid problem, and 20 years from now the names of Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams will probably never even cross the mind of most people, but they'll be the first two names out of my mouth when I tell my children about how baseball's big guns were brought to their knees.

Tom Brady: The Greatest

2007-12-12T13:22:00.000-08:00

People who say it may be too early in his career to put Tom Brady in the category with the greatest quarterbacks to play the game are either blind or they need to have their heads examined.

Let's begin the discussion with the performance that he's having this year, shall we?

As I was listening to Greg Gumble and Phil Simms give their pre-game analysis between the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, I felt a sense that the game was going to be a playoff type game with both teams playing strong defense against one another, and there wouldn't be as many scoring opportunities for New England's high-powered offense.

Of course, New England came into the game with something to prove after Pittsburgh safety Anthony Smith opened his big mouth and guaranteed a win on New England's field.

Are you stupid, Anthony Smith? Never call Tom Brady or his team out if you're an opponent.

Of course, Tom Brady isn't as agile as Micheal Vick and he's kinder to animals. Therefore, he's not retarded like Vick is. The 45 touchdown passes to five interceptions proves the theory that he makes intelligent decisions.

People may say that Brady has Randy Moss this year, but look at the influence that he's had on the troubled wide receiver. Moss hasn't been the headcase player who's always bitching for the ball as in past seasons. In fact, he has proven to be the ultimate team leader and future Hall of Fame player that people expected him to be.

People may say that Payton Manning is better than Tom Brady, but don't let me state the obvious:
Payton Manning = 1 Superbowl ring
Tom Brady = 3 Superbowl rings

In addition, Manning has had some pretty good running backs (Edgerrin James, Joseph Addai) behind him while the best running back Brady has had was an aging Cory Dillion who played half the time that he was in a New England Patriot uniform.

Of course, people may have their own opinions about who the grestest quarterback of this era is, but numbers and performance don't lie. When it really matters the most, Brady will do whatever it takes to get his team the win as exhibited by his 12-2 record as a starting quarterback in the playoffs.

There shouldn't even be a discussion about who the greatest quarterback playing in the game today is. Maybe Tony Romo will be someday, but for now, it's Brady's world as he chases after that fourth Superbowl ring, which will tie him for the most by a quarterback with another TB.

Blank's expression

2007-12-12T11:49:00.000-08:00

Atlanta Falcon's owner Arthur Blank has already had a week of filled with misery, one for the ages, and it's only Wednesday.

He found out Monday that the man who was once his franchise quarterback, Michael Vick, was sentenced 23 months in prison after being convicted on charges stemming from his involvement in a dog-fighting ring. Less than 24 hours later, he received a phone call from Falcons' coach Bobby Petrino announcing his resignation.

But the somewhat frazzled appearance and the deep, soul-searching stares he displayed at his press conference Wednesday are not wholly the signs of a man who harbors bitterness towards either of the two men who have so publicly wronged him over the past few months. No, they are signs of a man who is left with one very personal and very daunting question: "Who can I trust now?"

When Blank approached Vick after charges were originally brought against him, Vick looked him in the eye and flatly refuted the reports of his involvement.

Petrino took it a step further. Somewhere in between Vick's sentencing Monday and the Falcons' game with the New Orleans Saints later that night, Blank sought out Petrino with one simple question: if the media asks him about Petrino potentially leaving Atlanta for one of the many college football coaching openings, what should he say. Petrino grabbed and shook Blank's right hand and said "Tell them you have a coach."

If the pure audacity of that lie doesn't strike you, maybe this will. The Falcons are an unmitigated mess. The quarterback to whom they gave a $100 million contract to just a few years ago proved to be consistently erratic on the field and an absolute nightmare off of it. The coach to whom they gave $24 million to come in and work with their much-maligned quarterback.

Both were given chances to admit their wrongdoings or false allegiances, but instead, each elected to act in a manner that was a slap in the face to the Falcons' players, their fans, the media and anyone else associated with the organization.

Who will fans and media and perhaps even players inevitably lay the burden of responsibility on? Blank.

Now, that might be justified. Blank's unwavering support of Vick through all of his well-documented off-the-field problems prior to his indictment. Blank assumed Petrino would honor his 5-year contract even though he signed with the Falcons just months after inking a 10-year deal to stay at Louisville.

For that, you can label Blank as gullible and it would be fair. He did buy into what Petrino was selling. Petrino's enthusiasm and vigor resonated with Blank, especially once the debacle with Vick started. Is there anyway he would have guessed that his coach whose mantra was "play all four quarters" would have checked out midway through the first quarter of his five year contract?

To whole-heartedly fault Blank for his inability to foresee this type of a departure, under these circumstances and at this point of the season would be an grievous mistake. The only one that could top it would be if Blank himself became calussed to any future dealings with the franchise he holds so dear.

Listening to Blank address the media Wednesday regarding Petrino's departure and quick embrace of the Arkansas program, you knew it shook him. You could hear it in the subtle cracklings of his voice. You could sense it in the type of somber and monotone delivery. He is a man twice beaten, and in two days no less. He is a man who in a matter of 24 hours went from feeling relief once Vick's situation could officially be put on the back burner to then being bombarded by an all-new fiery barrage of questions regarding another man in Petrino who betrayed his trust.

Blank is a man surrounded by inquiries and yet, he has no idea where to turn to for answers.

Then again, there is one he statement he has the wherewithal to make. He wouldn't wish this type of a week upon anyone.

Lying in wait

2007-12-12T01:17:00.000-08:00

On Monday night, Bobby Petrino was patrolling the sideline for the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome, coaching his team to a 34-14 drubbing by the New Orleans Saints and pushing the Falcons to 3-10 on the season.

On Tuesday night, Petrino was standing at a podium in Fayetteville, Arkansas to announce he had accepted an offer to fill the Razorbacks' vacant head coaching spot. He then proceeded to "call the hogs" with a bunch of rabid Arkansas fans and alumni.

Quite the interesting turn of events in just 24 hours, but for those who follow football, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

If these last few years have taught us anything, it's that you cannot trust College Football head coaches, who these days seem to change their mind and their job title more than Britney Spears changes wigs.

His acrimonious exit from Atlanta certainly brings up quite a few choice words that have been used on TV and radio over the last few hours to describe him - "gutless", "spineless" and "quitter" among them.

It's certainly hard to disagree. Petrino signed on to coach the Falcons for five seasons and didn't even get through one season before he bolted for greener pastures. For his troubles, he'll walk away with roughly $4 million of the Falcons' money. Not a bad deal at all.

Petrino isn't the first and he certainly won't be the last. Butch Davis, Steve Spurrier and most recently Nick Saban are just some of the coaches who have played the, "I'm happy here and do not want to coach anywhere else........ OK I LIED!" game over the past few seasons.

Saban, then coaching the Miami Dolphins, fervently denied any interest in the Alabama job and chastised reporters for thinking otherwise up until he was ready to sign the dotted line with the Crimson Tide.

This isn't even Petrino's first time on coaching carousel. Last year, he signed a 10-year contract extension with Louisville and said he had no interest in coaching in the NFL. Not long after saying that, he was being announced as the Atlanta Falcons head coach.

Last week, Petrino told Atlanta media that he planned to return to coach the Falcons for a second season.

These "hire-and-run" coaches shouldn't be a surprise these days, but just because it happens so much doesn't make it any less of a disgrace.

Great college coaches are great college coaches for a reason. Look no further than USC's Pete Carroll to see the reason why. They just relate to college athletes better than professional athletes. They are better suited to deal with the rigors of recruiting and helping shape young athletes into men as opposed to the rigors of dealing with multi-million dollar prima donna's and their agents. And some of them just flat out aren't good enough to make it in the NFL.

It works in rare cases, like Jimmy Johnson, who went from Miami (FL) to the Dallas Cowboys, where he won two Superbowls. The thirst for that success and the lure of big-money deals are the main reasons why these coaches have and most likely will continue to spurn their college jobs for high profile NFL coaching positions.

Coaches thinking of following Petrino's footsteps into the NFL need to realize that the grass usually isn't greener on the other side. Stay where you're at instead of leaving a college program and NFL team shattered and scrambling to find a coach in your wake, all so you can "find yourself" and realize what you really want to do.

With all that said, Arkansas has certainly pulled off the coup of the off-season. With a high profile job like Michigan open, the Razorbacks have gotten a coach in Petrino who is without question a fantastic college football coach.

Not to rain on your parade, Arkansas fans, but let's be honest - we've seen this before. We know how this movie ends and it's probably not going to be a happy ending if you're a Hog fan. I don't expect it to be very long before the lure of another opening catches Petrino's eye and he's all over ESPN "denying interest" up until the minute he's standing at his new school's podium.

Karl Dorrell was too much of a Gentleman

2007-12-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

Let the speculation over the reasons of Karl Dorrell's termination from UCLA begin. Some people across the courtry have started insinuating that Dorrell's firing was racially motivated. If so, Dorrell should have been gone after his first season in which he led the Bruins to a mediocre 6-7 season that was capped off by a loss to Fresno State in the Silicon Valley Bowl (I didn't know such a bowl existed). His most successful campaign came the following season when he led the Bruins to a 10-2 record capped off by a victory over the Northwestern Wildcats in the Sun Bowl. All in all, Dorrell compiled a remarkable 35-27 record during his tenure at UCLA. I can see why anyone would ever call Dorrell's release suspicious.

Enthusiasm was not a strong point in Dorrell's coaching technique. It was illustrated in the way the team played. Earlier this year, I had the torturous experience of watching a potentially good team self-destruct against a Notre Dame team that may have well been the worst team in its storied history. Two weeks before that, UCLA had lost to the Utah Utes, which had been winless up until then. Even though injuries played a role in the Bruins' subpar season, I doubt if having a healthy team on the field would have helped.

Getting the players (whether starting or coming of the bench) to buy into the notion of playing with passion every week is the job of a coach, and the lack of swagger and pride in the team showed on a regular basis under Dorrell. Time and time again, the team was clearly not prepared to take on an opponent that it should have beat down. Time and time again, UCLA couldn't handle the pressure of being on top and it folded.

Two years ago, when USC destroyed UCLA, 66-19, at the Los Angeles Coliseum, some players who are no longer playing for the Bruins, criticized Dorrell for not being urgent enough in his half time speech of that game. Many players said that he was quiet and that he showed no emotion. It was not because he was black.

Although Dorrell was a classy and likable guy, he just couldn't get the most out of his players. To echo the sentiments that I expressed earlier, I'm surprised that Dorrell lasted as long as he did. Now, people are trying to make race an issue when the man simply failed to do what he was paid to do. He established "character" and "stability," but those things do not win football games. If he had less of a conservative and gentlemanly approach and more of a killer's instinct to the game of football, then maybe it would be more of a contest between UCLA and their cross-town rivals, USC. Dorrell now knows that it does not pay to be nice on the grid iron.

BCS = Musical Chairs

2007-12-01T23:08:00.001-08:00

For all the college football fans that have been begging for a playoff system to be implemented – well, you still aren't going to get it, but this season should give you your best reason to whine about it yet.

The game of musical chairs that has been the 2007 College Football season concluded Saturday with more confusion than ever. No. 1 Missouri lost to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game and No. 2 West Virginia lost to Pittsburgh.

Let me repeat that:

No. 2 West Virginia, favored by 28 points, lost to a team coached by DAVE WANNSTEDT. Goodbye National Title hopes and goodbye dignity.

But really, could it have ended any other way? The No. 1 team has fallen this season more times than I even care to count. The team's we thought were great ended up being not so great. I can't even tell you who belongs in the National Championship game right now.

I mean sure, I can tell you who I THINK should be in it, but earlier this year I thought USC was the best team in the nation. Then when they lost, I thought LSU was. Then when they lost, I thought Florida was. When they lost, I thought Ohio State was. When they lost, I though it was LSU. When they lost, I thought it was West Virginia. Now that they've lost, I think it is... well, you get the point.

So what are we left with? A bunch of uninspiring pretenders to the throne.

LSU: I'm supposed to believe that a team that lost its No. 1 ranking twice this year deserves to play for the title of all titles in college football? That a team who just lost AT HOME to an unranked team last week, with its season presumably on the line, deserves to play for the national championship? What kind of world do we live in where LSU can plummet to No. 7 one week and be right back in the National Title hunt the next?

Georgia: There is no way a team that couldn't even win its own conference championship should be allowed to play for the championship of the entire college football world. Then again, with their No. 4 ranking in the BCS and West Virginia and Missouri both falling, they are technically next in line to move into that spot with Ohio State. I'm not saying they deserve to be in it, but if the BCS and Voters are going to have other teams jump them just because they didn't win the SEC, then why even put them ahead of those teams in the first place? Why not just vote Georgia below them to begin with and not have to have this ridiculous “Oh, wait, they didn't win their conference? Well dangit, time to move them down” stuff as if the voters didn't realize that fact until just this week.

USC: THEY LOST TO STANFORD. I mean, you can make a case that they're playing better than anyone in the country, but then again you can make that case for just about any of the handful of teams at the top of the rankings. But still, the fact remains: THEY LOST TO STANFORD.

Oklahoma: They certainly have a strong argument, being the team to knock off No. 1 ranked Missouri. I don't know if beating Missouri is really such a grand accomplishment in the eyes of voters though, regardless of what Missouri was ranked heading into the game. Oklahoma's loss to Colorado is hard to forget. Much like USC and pretty much every team on this list, they have all the talent in the world but found a way to screw it up one or two times along the way this season.

Virginia Tech: They're sitting pretty at No. 5 and may be the beneficiaries if Georgia, as expected, gets knocked down for not winning the SEC. Does Virginia Tech vs. Ohio State sound exciting to anyone? Anyone? Bueller? I think there's people in Ohio and Virginia that would even be bored to tears by this game. SEAN GLENNON VS. TODD BOECKMAN = $$$$. Not really. Virginia Tech has a good chance of getting into the game but I don't think anyone wants to see that. They certainly have a decent enough resume, although the ass kicking at the hands of LSU earlier this year still looms large.

Ohio State: Why does it feel like these guys ALWAYS luck out and back into the national title game? Oh wait, because they DO. Nobody outside of Ohio wants to see this team in the National Championship game. They really don't have any signature wins this year in a terribly overrated Big 10 conference. Unfortunately, their spot is pretty much locked in. I expect them to get blown out by whoever they play.

Kansas: Heh.

You can make an argument for any of these teams as to why they deserve to go, but you can make equally good arguments for why they don't. Fact is, no matter which two teams make it to the title game, it's not going to be a game that will allow college football fans to sit back and say, “I'm definitely watching the two best teams in the country play right now”. Expect the arguments for a playoff system to get louder than ever next year.

Stupid is as stupid does

2007-12-01T00:34:00.000-08:00

Apparently, the New York Mets hate keeping talented young homegrown players.

That's the only logical thought that entered my mind when I read that the team has traded 22-year-old outfielder Lastings Milledge to the Washington Nationals for the pair of outfielder Ryan Church and catcher Brian Schneider.

Mets fans who thought it couldn't get any worse after the club traded Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano must be banging their heads against the wall right now. Shit, you guys are lucky you at least have David Wright and Jose Reyes at Third Base and Shortstop instead of Vinny Castila and Cesar Izturis, because I'm sure those deals were on the table at some point.

There's just so much wrong with this deal. Milledge is not without his faults, but he's still one of the most talented young outfielders in the game. A couple of years ago he was being dangled in talks for MANNY RAMIREZ. He has plus power potential and great defensive range.

There's certainly nothing wrong with Church, he's a decent enough player. He ranked 15th in OPS+ and 14th in OBP among 32 MLB left fielders last season, making him a little better than average. The problem is, his 2006 stat line of .272/.349/.464 with 15 HR's can probably be matched by Milledge this season, and for about a fraction of the cost.

Then there is Schneider, a catcher who most media outlets will tell you is "known for his defense", which essentially means he's fucking terrible. Well, he is. The guy barely belongs on a major league roster, and certainly doesn't deserve the $10 million he is owed over the next two years.

To make matters worse, the Mets already HAVE a catcher. The club just signed Johnny Estrada, who is a much better player than Schneider, meaning that getting him in this trade was completely useless.

If there's anything Mets fans can rest their hats on, it's that their team isn't the only team to make a dumb move thus far in the 2007 offseason.

This week, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim announced the signing of Center Fielder Torii Hunter to a five year, $90 million deal.

This is a bad signing. Don't believe me? Ask Torii Hunter:

"I would have signed for less," said Hunter, who had five-year offers, ranging from $70 million to $75 million, from the White Sox, Rangers and Royals, and the day before the Angels offer dined with Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks.

What if the Angels offered less than those other teams?

"I still would have taken it!" Hunter said.

When the guy that your team just signed to a huge contract is telling you that you overpaid him, I think it's safe to say that you've been fleeced.

It's not that Torii Hunter is a bad player, he's a very good one, but his .324 career OBP doesn't, in my opinion, warrant such a large contract. ESPECIALLY, one year after signing center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. to a deal for $50 million.

The players are similar in that they are excellent defenders that provide offensive punch. Now don't get me wrong, Hunter is a better offensive player than Matthews, I'm not even trying to argue against that, but he's not so much better that it was worth signing him to such an insane contract the year after you just signed Matthews.

Hunter is not going to provide the protection the Angels desperately need in their lineup around Vladimir Guerrero. They're going to get a very good everyday center fielder that will give them some pop in the lineup, but let's face it, he's 32. He's played on astroturf his entire career and as such, his best days are probably behind him. The most they could realistically hope for from him this year is a 20 HR season while hitting .270 or .280, decent enough numbers, but at his age and with his wear and tear, he won't be playing at a high level much longer.

I advocated the Dodgers signing Hunter on my first blog post, but the Angels got to him first when they should have been focused on getting Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera works much better for the Angels than he would have for the Dodgers, who would have had to give up 3 starting position players and a top prospect to get Cabrera.

The Angels, who aren't as dependent on their youngsters as the Dodgers are, reportedly have gotten the Marlins to accept a deal for Howie Kendrick, Ervin Santana and minor league pitcher Nick Adenhart with the snag coming on who the final prospect being sent over would be and whether or not the Marlins want Santana or outfielder Reggie Willits.

On the flip side, Hunter would have been a better grab for the Dodgers because their current center fielder Juan Pierre is completely and utterly worthless. Getting him would prevent the Dodgers from gutting their team to get Cabrera. The Angels can live without Howie Kendrick and Reggie Willits, who they depend on much less for offense than the Dodgers do with Matt Kemp/Andre Ethier/James Loney. The fact that Cabrera is fat and the Angels are in the American League, where he can DH, certainly doesn't hurt.

The winter meetings haven't even started and we've already gotten two bonehead moves (OK, one bonehead move. Getting Torii Hunter isn't a bonehead move, it's just not something I would have done if I were running the Angels). Point is, there's still plenty of time for GM's around the league to screw up. I can't wait to see what kind of ransom the Red Sox or Yankees give up for what could end up being one season of Johan Santana.

In the wake of a Hurricane

2007-11-28T15:57:00.000-08:00

Let me start off by saying that anytime a 24-year old dies unexpectedly, it's a sad story. Former Miami Hurricane and Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor is no different.

For those of you who don't know, Taylor was shot in his home Monday morning by what was originally thought to be a would-be robber. Although the bullet hit Taylor in the leg, it ruptured a major artery and he died lying in a hospital bed Tuesday morning.

Like I said, his death alone makes for a sad story. What makes it downright depressing is that the events leading up to his death aren't nearly as cut and dry as original reports made them out to be.

Monday was apparently the second time over the past few weeks in which someone had broken into Taylor's home. Nothing was stolen either time and the only notable item that had been displaced was large knife that was laid on his bed after the first break-in.

Let's recap: two break-ins, nothing stolen, knife left on the bed the first time and a shot to the leg the second. No offense Miami-Dade Police, but scrap you burglary theory. This reeks of intentional and well-calculated malice. But something did go wrong. You don't shoot a man in the leg at close range if you're trying to kill him. In that sense, the shooter is in for more than he bargained for. Then again, so are we.

The layers of this story are stacked a mile high and more will continue to be pulled back as this investigation moves forward. But for now, we have a pretty informed opinion as to the "what" in all of this. What I and everyone else wants to know is the "why."

Taylor was a man with whose morals were often questioned early in his career after he left Miami with a rap sheet longer than the concession lines at the stadiums in which he played. That's not to say that people are incapable of change. Familial obligations often spur that in young people and Taylor was no exception. He had a daughter. He was engaged to the mother of his child. New York Giants tight end and former Miami Hurricane Jeremy Shockey said he said that change in Taylor. Another former college teammate of Taylor's, Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis said "ever since he had a child, it was like a new Sean." By all accounts from Taylor's former college and professional teammates, he was a man who was well on his way to turning his life around. He had managed to maintain his edge on the field while smoothing out the troubled wrinkles of his life off of it. However, the point has astutely been made that just because you try and leave parts of your own life behind, doesn't mean that others are readily willing to let you do so.

Like I said, nothing about this is right. Some might say even the timing of this post isn't right. Then again, when would it be? Let's face it, there is, nor will there ever be, an ideal time for this. Simply put, We can't canonize any and all people who have their lives taken from them. Is it a shame that events surrounding Taylor's death seem as obscured and shady as the those of the trouble past he sought to leave behind? Of course it is. Did anyone see this coming? Maybe, though the vast majority did not. But would you honestly be surprised if this does in fact prove to be more than a random act of violence or a robbery gone array? Would it be so shocking to discover that the people responsible for this have some kind of a connection to Taylor's muddied past?

Like I said, anytime a 24-year old dies unexpectedly, it's a sad story. But keep the facts in mind. Keep Taylor's past in mind. Don't rush in to grieve for a man because he was a 24-year-old public figure. Grieve for him because of what that man did in his 24 years of life. And honestly, at this points, I think very few of us know for a fact that Taylor was a man worth grieving for.

The race for the Heisman

2007-11-25T21:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend was as wild as any in college football this season. The #1 team in the country fell once again as LSU lost to Arkansas, 50-48 in a triple overtime thriller. The loss helped muddy up the national title picture even more, but from what I understand, if Missouri and West Virginia win out, they will face off in what will probably be the lowest rated National Championship game ever. West Virginia is a fun team to watch, but I just can't get all that excited about this potential match up.

What also became muddy was the Heisman trophy race. Darren McFadden, Tim Tebow and Chase Daniel all had "statement games" to lead their teams to victory. Here's my top four (four instead of five, because these four are the only ones with a real chance to win it)..

1.) Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas - 1,725 rushing yards, 20 total TDs
I can say with some certainty that McFadden is the best player in college football and should be the top pick in next year's NFL draft. He had been on the outside looking in for the last couple of weeks but after basically single handedly taking down LSU with a 206 yard, 4 TD performance last week, he should vault back up to the top of the Heisman list.

2.) Tim Tebow, QB, Florida - 3,132 passing yards, 838 rushing yards, 29 passing TD's, 22 rushing TDs.
First player to ever throw and run for 20 TD's each in the same season. It's hard to argue against him, but I think he'll run into trouble because Heisman voters hate to vote for underclassmen to win the Heisman. For those voters who, because of that, were looking for a reason to vote against Tebow, McFadden's performance against LSU gave them every reason to switch their vote over to him. I don't think this is Tebow's year to win it, but they can pretty much give him the 2008 Heisman right now if they want to.

3.) Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri - 3,931 yards, 33 TD
Daniel (not Daniels) shot himself way up the charts with his 40-of-49, 361 yard, 3 TD performance against Kansas. Who would have thought this guy would be anywhere near the Heisman discussion to begin the season? The success Missouri has had, coupled with his nearly flawless game against Kansas will have him in the minds of voters, but I can't see him getting it over McFadden or Tebow.

4.) Patrick White, QB, West Virginia - 1,498 pass yards, 1,144 rush yards, 12 passing TDs, 12 rushing TDs
White is the prototype for the new spread option offense that is sweeping college football. He leads a very explosive offense but his numbers just don't stack up to those of Tebow and he hasn't had that one signature game against a critical opponent like McFadden and Daniel had this weekend.

All things considered, this will probably be the closest Heisman race ever, because you can make legitimate cases for all four candidates, which isn't usually the case. Tebow was leading late in the season but I think McFadden takes it after his performance to help knock off the top-ranked Tigers. Have no fear Gator fans, it will be Tebow's next year.

And hey, if you were thinking about voting against McFadden, remember one thing - HE GOT DAT WOOD~!..

Early season success: For real or fraud?

2007-11-21T14:14:00.000-08:00

During this past summer, while many Los Angeles Laker fans (including me) were waiting for general manager Mitch Kupchak and owner Jerry Buss to make a blockbuster trade for disgruntled ex-Minnesota Timberwolve forward Kevin Garnett, first-year player Jordan Farmar was busy taking yoga classes. While many Laker fans were calling for Kupchak's termination when his ineptitude caused Garnett to slip into the hands of the Lakers' dreaded historical rivals, the Boston Celtics, Andrew Bynum was somewhere in the gym, getting bigger and stronger. It seems to be paying off.

Although the Celtics (8-1) are off to their best start since the days of Larry Legend, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, the Lakers (7-3) are not that far behind. Although it may be early in the season for anyone to gauge how good or how bad a team is, no one can deny that the Lakers are far from a lottery team at this point. While some people are quick to point out the excellent record that the Lakers had going into the second half of last season that turned into a seventh seed playoff team that was unceremoniously defeated by the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs, there is a vast difference between the Lakers of this year and last. If the bench play of the team continues to be consistent throughout the season, the Lakers will not only advance further into the playoffs, they will climb back into the ranks of the elite teams of the NBA.

In addition to Farmar, who is averaging 10 points coming off the bench and Bynum, who is averaging 11 points, the trade for Trevor Ariza provides a much needed defensive presence for players such as Shawn Marion, Manu Ginobili and Josh Howard, players on Western Conference teams who are known to give the Lakers a hard time. Ariza also provides more athleticism than Brian Cook and Maurice Evans combined.

In order to quell Kobe Bryant's demands to be traded, the play of the bench with the leadership of Farmar, has to play like it doesn't have Bryant to bail the team out. With that said, the Lakers might never win a championship with Kobe Bryant again, but they need to play like contenders, which they are doing so far.

Just say no to Cabrera

2007-11-20T23:37:00.000-08:00

This blog won't only be about west coast sports, but I figured what better way to start things out than by slamming one of our own hometown Los Angeles idiots.

It's the MLB off-season, the only off-season of the three major American sports that may be more exciting than the current on-field product.

Of course, the off-season means that baseball's many brain dead general manager's will once again get to rear their ugly heads. Guys who used to fleece the computer in trades on the Madden NFL video game and think it's just that easy in real life.

So, speaking of Ned Colletti, his Los Angeles Dodgers are the center of discussion to bring in a power hitter. All you need to know about Ned Colletti is that he learned from San Francisco Giants GM Brian Sabean, the master of trading away talented young players for complete garbage. The Sabean-Colletti conglomerate's claim to fame was trading away Francisco Liriano, Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser for one glorious year of AJ PIERZYNSKI.

Now, I'm not trying to compare Miguel Cabrera to Pierzynski, they aren't even on the same planet talent-wise. Cabrera is 24 years old and already one of the best hitters in baseball. It's a pretty good bet that he's going to be Manny Ramirez for the next 10-15 years.

Yet, with all that, the Dodgers still shouldn't trade for him.

It's rumored that the Florida Marlins want at least three players from the Dodgers' core group of young players that includes: Matt Kemp, James Loney, Andy LaRoche, Chad Billingsly, Andre Ethier and Double A lefty pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

Trading any two of those players for Cabrera would be too much (OK, I'd do Ethier-LaRoche for Cabrera, but no more). For a variety of reasons, the first of which being MONEY. It's kind of funny that a Los Angeles team would need to be concerned about money, but they call owner Frank McCourt "McCheap" for a reason, he's a bit of a penny pincher. Cabrera is due for a monster contract in two years while all of the aforementioned Dodgers are locked into cheap minor league contracts for the next 4-5 years.

Yes, it would be nice to get a player like Cabrera, but if you have to trade Matt Kemp, Andy LaRoche and Chad Billingsly to get him, is it really worth it? You're getting a power hitter but in doing that, you're creating two more holes on the team in right field and starting pitcher.

Coletti seems to be the only GM in baseball that doesn't want Matt Kemp, a guy who could potentially turn into a Miguel Cabrera. Kemp was reportedly offered to Florida last year in a package for Cabrera that the Marlins turned down. He was also reportedly the center piece of trade talks when the Dodgers were attempting to acquire Mark Teixeira last year. A current ESPN Insider rumor has the Dodgers offering Kemp to the fucking SAN DIEGO PADRES. For what, I have no clue, but looking over their roster I can't imagine anyone (sans Jake Peavy) coming back in that deal that wouldn't make me want to shoot myself in the head.

Of course, knowing his history with the Sabean and the Giants, he's probably using Kemp as a bargaining chip to bring back Jose Cruz Jr.

What the Dodgers need is a center fielder. Torii Hunter plays the position and is available (Aaron Rowand is too, but he sucks). It's real simple, sign Hunter and then play the kids. Get rid of Luis Gonzalez, get rid of Nomar and get rid of Jeff Kent if he insists on being a pain in the ass. It may not show this year, but it's a move that will pay huge dividends in the future.

WHAT SHOULD BE THE DODGERS 2007 LINEUP BUT WON'T BE BECAUSE NED COLLETTI SUCKS BALLS

1. Rafael Furcal, SS
2. James Loney, 1B
3. Russell Martin, C
4. Matt Kemp, LF
5. Torii Hunter, CF
6. Jeff Kent, 2B
7. Andre Ethier, RF
8. Andy LaRoche, 3B
9. Pitcher
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Earlier today, I ran across THIS link. It's a couple of days old and the Mets have since agreed to a contract with Luis Castillo to play second base, but it was the photo caption that caught my eye.

David Eckstein is thought to be seeking a four-year contract worth about $36 million.

Seriously? You'd have to be a complete moron to give that much money to such a relatively useless player. I don't think $36 million is the going rate for "grit" and "moxie" these days, is it?