Friday, September 23, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Football Time in Tennessee
Football is back, and it is balls hot.
Isn't it only fitting that the first game is supposed to be so hot that I am debating not going. Why should I go and stand in 96 degree heat next to hundreds of drunk people all who are crowding in around me trying to get good seats, or "just talk" to their friend who has one ticketed seat while 9 guys pack in around him? Is there an answer? Is it because I love getting smuggled liquor mixed with sprite/coke dumped on me? Is it because I love almost getting fallen on by passed out drunk guys? Is it because I love smelling the throw up that gets splattered on the row below me in the second quarter and stays there the whole game?
No, the only answer is because it's football season....ok, well, can I get another explanation?
Well, you can bond with fellow fans!
The mystique of having some bond with 105,000 people is great, except that there won't be 100,000 there, and there isn't a bond when it is just a regular game against a Division 1-AA team.
Luckily, I have thought ahead and waited to buy my ticket until late so I will be far away from the "best seats in the house."
You know, front row in the students section. The area that is right behind all the behemoths that are on the football teams, so I get a great view of the back of their heads while hundreds of people try and cram into seats they don't have.
Instead I will be up in EE. Where I can see all of the field and can watch the game on both sides of the field with out flipping like an anchovy every time the ball crosses the 50, it will be glorious.
So, as I was saying, football is back!
I love watching me some football, and here is my quick SEC preview that is a bit skewed as the season began Thursday.
East:
1) South Carolina: Sure, this may be the favored pick in the league, but my reasoning is this. Steve Spurrier is a man, a myth, and a legend. He hates using one quarterback and is the only man that has ever scared Phillip Fulmer. Now, Steve has at his disposal in Columbia arguably a top-5 running back and a top-5 wide receiver. Top-5 not just in the SEC, but in the nation. Jeffries and Lattimore are studs, end of story. Steve also has two quarterbacks at his disposal, which is good for him. Call me crazy, but I see SC as an East contender as long as Steve continues his recruiting streak he is on (Clowney anybody). Steve breaks records, and is re-writing SC's football firsts, and let's not toy with the idea he will be out-coached.
2) Georgia: Is Georgia good, yes, is this new, no. Mark Richt has been on the wrong side of luck recently. That being said, you would think he averages 7 wins a season the way UGA fans rip into him. Check out this wins resume, since '01 when he took over: 8, 13, 11, 10, 10, 9, 11, 10, 8, 6 (plus 7-3 in bowl games, 3 of which were BCS bowls). That is well above what most schools have had. Yes last year was rough, but look at the positives: The pick to win the East is Carolina...hello, it's yours to take. Urban Meyer is finally gone, the man won games and unfortunately was in the same division. And finally, the East is down now, so your stable program should be good.
3) Florida: This is simply because they have recruited talent over the years, and you can't tell me Muschamp is that bad of a coach that he can squander all the recruiting talent Meyer built up. However, his new system could take a while to function smoothly, plus the SEC isn't the most welcoming place for new coaches.
4) Tennessee: Derek Dooley is the funniest coach in the SEC. And he has the worst luck (LSU, UNC games). However, karma didn't give him a lot of depth or old players to pay him back for the screw overs he got. The line should be much improved and Tyler Bray should be comfortable with his top 2 targets. It remains to be seen if he can handle a full SEC schedule though. Also, Poole needs to learn how to consistently run, instead of breaking one 60-yard run a game and averaging 2 yards per carry after that.
5) Kentucky: They are better than Vandy. The loss of Randall Cobb will hurt, as well as other key starters. Joker has got a good team, by Kentucky standards, but that still isn't good enough for the SEC.
6) Vanderbilt: Laaaary. Their quarterback is named Larry Smith. I played high school football with a guy named Larry Smith, he was hilarious, and quite strange. However, this coincidence will not be enough to get Vandy out of the basement.
West:
1) Alabama: I will stop picking them here when they prove they don't belong. Yes, last year was rough, but who saw Cam Newton doing what he did? Trent Richardson needs to prove to me he can be more than a change of pace back and that he can consistently power through run defenses, but I have the Tide winning the West.
2) Arkansas: I believe Leyland is the name of the guy that calls into the Sports Animal every now and again to talk Razorback football. He talks highly of them and makes points, here is one: Look at Petrino's progression. 5 wins in '08, 8 wins in '09, and 10 last year. They only improve. Unfortunately, the injury to Knile Davis is troublesome, and Tyler Wilson still has to prove he can be Mallet-esque, but they are very close to potentially stealing the West, especially with those receivers.
3) LSU: I don't understand how Les Miles keeps doing it. Every year you see him pull out some victory after a boneheaded decision that should cause him to lose the game. But, he doesn't. And that is key. Jordan Jefferson and his 49 pairs of shoes are in trouble, but I don't necessarily think that is bad for LSU. It will be if Jarrett Lee continues his pick six talent (7 total pick sixes in '08, including 4 games in a row). However, I think he will be a stable addition to the offense and if they can score the defense will win them games.
4) Mississippi State: This team could shock some people. However, I think they are unfortunately in the wrong conference at the wrong time. A good team in a great division. They may cause some upsets, but I don't see them being able to sustain enough to win the West.
5) Auburn: It's a hard fall from grace. But I guess they didn't have an alleged 180,000 more dollars to get a new Cam Newton. They lost too much from both sides of the ball and their competition is just better. Hope it was fun while it lasted. Your national presence is dying....like your trees...(too soon? I liked it)
6) Ole Miss: They may be better than Vandy, and possibly Kentucky, but they are in the West and will get pounded on. They are...err...rebuilding right now and unfortunately for them that will leave them in the basement.
SEC Championship:
South Carolina over Alabama
As I typed this my computer froze for a while. Don't be shocked. This is just what Steve wants. Doubting of his skills just so his achievements look even better.
Hope it was enjoyable, sorry for the brevity and lack of pictures as I am churning this out before the game tonight. Headed to Dead End for some pre-game action!
Isn't it only fitting that the first game is supposed to be so hot that I am debating not going. Why should I go and stand in 96 degree heat next to hundreds of drunk people all who are crowding in around me trying to get good seats, or "just talk" to their friend who has one ticketed seat while 9 guys pack in around him? Is there an answer? Is it because I love getting smuggled liquor mixed with sprite/coke dumped on me? Is it because I love almost getting fallen on by passed out drunk guys? Is it because I love smelling the throw up that gets splattered on the row below me in the second quarter and stays there the whole game?
No, the only answer is because it's football season....ok, well, can I get another explanation?
Well, you can bond with fellow fans!
The mystique of having some bond with 105,000 people is great, except that there won't be 100,000 there, and there isn't a bond when it is just a regular game against a Division 1-AA team.
Luckily, I have thought ahead and waited to buy my ticket until late so I will be far away from the "best seats in the house."
You know, front row in the students section. The area that is right behind all the behemoths that are on the football teams, so I get a great view of the back of their heads while hundreds of people try and cram into seats they don't have.
Instead I will be up in EE. Where I can see all of the field and can watch the game on both sides of the field with out flipping like an anchovy every time the ball crosses the 50, it will be glorious.
So, as I was saying, football is back!
I love watching me some football, and here is my quick SEC preview that is a bit skewed as the season began Thursday.
East:
1) South Carolina: Sure, this may be the favored pick in the league, but my reasoning is this. Steve Spurrier is a man, a myth, and a legend. He hates using one quarterback and is the only man that has ever scared Phillip Fulmer. Now, Steve has at his disposal in Columbia arguably a top-5 running back and a top-5 wide receiver. Top-5 not just in the SEC, but in the nation. Jeffries and Lattimore are studs, end of story. Steve also has two quarterbacks at his disposal, which is good for him. Call me crazy, but I see SC as an East contender as long as Steve continues his recruiting streak he is on (Clowney anybody). Steve breaks records, and is re-writing SC's football firsts, and let's not toy with the idea he will be out-coached.
2) Georgia: Is Georgia good, yes, is this new, no. Mark Richt has been on the wrong side of luck recently. That being said, you would think he averages 7 wins a season the way UGA fans rip into him. Check out this wins resume, since '01 when he took over: 8, 13, 11, 10, 10, 9, 11, 10, 8, 6 (plus 7-3 in bowl games, 3 of which were BCS bowls). That is well above what most schools have had. Yes last year was rough, but look at the positives: The pick to win the East is Carolina...hello, it's yours to take. Urban Meyer is finally gone, the man won games and unfortunately was in the same division. And finally, the East is down now, so your stable program should be good.
3) Florida: This is simply because they have recruited talent over the years, and you can't tell me Muschamp is that bad of a coach that he can squander all the recruiting talent Meyer built up. However, his new system could take a while to function smoothly, plus the SEC isn't the most welcoming place for new coaches.
4) Tennessee: Derek Dooley is the funniest coach in the SEC. And he has the worst luck (LSU, UNC games). However, karma didn't give him a lot of depth or old players to pay him back for the screw overs he got. The line should be much improved and Tyler Bray should be comfortable with his top 2 targets. It remains to be seen if he can handle a full SEC schedule though. Also, Poole needs to learn how to consistently run, instead of breaking one 60-yard run a game and averaging 2 yards per carry after that.
5) Kentucky: They are better than Vandy. The loss of Randall Cobb will hurt, as well as other key starters. Joker has got a good team, by Kentucky standards, but that still isn't good enough for the SEC.
6) Vanderbilt: Laaaary. Their quarterback is named Larry Smith. I played high school football with a guy named Larry Smith, he was hilarious, and quite strange. However, this coincidence will not be enough to get Vandy out of the basement.
West:
1) Alabama: I will stop picking them here when they prove they don't belong. Yes, last year was rough, but who saw Cam Newton doing what he did? Trent Richardson needs to prove to me he can be more than a change of pace back and that he can consistently power through run defenses, but I have the Tide winning the West.
2) Arkansas: I believe Leyland is the name of the guy that calls into the Sports Animal every now and again to talk Razorback football. He talks highly of them and makes points, here is one: Look at Petrino's progression. 5 wins in '08, 8 wins in '09, and 10 last year. They only improve. Unfortunately, the injury to Knile Davis is troublesome, and Tyler Wilson still has to prove he can be Mallet-esque, but they are very close to potentially stealing the West, especially with those receivers.
3) LSU: I don't understand how Les Miles keeps doing it. Every year you see him pull out some victory after a boneheaded decision that should cause him to lose the game. But, he doesn't. And that is key. Jordan Jefferson and his 49 pairs of shoes are in trouble, but I don't necessarily think that is bad for LSU. It will be if Jarrett Lee continues his pick six talent (7 total pick sixes in '08, including 4 games in a row). However, I think he will be a stable addition to the offense and if they can score the defense will win them games.
4) Mississippi State: This team could shock some people. However, I think they are unfortunately in the wrong conference at the wrong time. A good team in a great division. They may cause some upsets, but I don't see them being able to sustain enough to win the West.
5) Auburn: It's a hard fall from grace. But I guess they didn't have an alleged 180,000 more dollars to get a new Cam Newton. They lost too much from both sides of the ball and their competition is just better. Hope it was fun while it lasted. Your national presence is dying....like your trees...(too soon? I liked it)
6) Ole Miss: They may be better than Vandy, and possibly Kentucky, but they are in the West and will get pounded on. They are...err...rebuilding right now and unfortunately for them that will leave them in the basement.
SEC Championship:
South Carolina over Alabama
As I typed this my computer froze for a while. Don't be shocked. This is just what Steve wants. Doubting of his skills just so his achievements look even better.
Offensive Player of the Year: Marcus Lattimore
Defensive Player of the Year: Don’t’a Hightower
Breakout Offensive Player: Tyler Wilson
Breakout Defensive Player: Jadevon Clowney
Team on the Rise: Tennessee
Team on the Decline: Auburn
Coach of the Year: Derek Dooley (although it very well might be Steve)
Most Overrated: Trent Richardson
Bold Predictions:
Trent Richardson is just an average back, nothing special.
Tennessee wins 9 games
Arkansas wins the West
Alabama chokes away another SEC West title, drop key games to Miss. St and Arkansas
Bold Predictions:
Trent Richardson is just an average back, nothing special.
Tennessee wins 9 games
Arkansas wins the West
Alabama chokes away another SEC West title, drop key games to Miss. St and Arkansas
Hope it was enjoyable, sorry for the brevity and lack of pictures as I am churning this out before the game tonight. Headed to Dead End for some pre-game action!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
All-Star Update
It is now that time of the baseball year when the best of the best meet up and play in a game, or as it has been more recently, where half of all players in the pros meet and play. The All-Star system is getting to be as meaningful as getting a bowl invite in college football. Let's vote this guy in, oh he's hurt? Well how about we replace him with this guy, oh he pitched on Sunday, well how about this guy?
This is going to be a ranting blog, because I don't want to spend time talking about how to fix the system or even anything close to offering an idea. Here's another gem, how about we give the American League the DH even though we are playing in an NL ballpark, because that's a fair way to determine the home-field advantage of the World Series by automatically giving the AL teams an advantage. Oh, they're good at hitting, well how about we give them a spot. Because that's how interleague games work...oh wait.
Alrighty, the real reason I am updating my blog. I am going to update my season preview with how the first half of the season finished.
AL East: (I will put the actual placement and then discuss what I had)
1. Red Sox (55-35)
2. Yankees (53-35)
3. Rays (49-41)
4. Blue Jays (45-47)
5. Orioles (36-52)
The Red Sox have obliterated any memory of that horrific start to the season and are currently clicking on what seems to be all cylinders. The scary part is that they have 3 of their starters on the DL. Helped along by Adrian Gonzalez, who I will talk about later, the Red Sox offense is the best in the league. And all of that is without Carl Crawford reaching his preseason hype.
The Yankees are no slouch either, only a game behind their rivals they have dominated just as much. With Derek Jeter finally getting to 3,000 hits, perhaps his season should get better now that all the pressure has evaporated. That being said, he needs to with A-Rod going on the DL after surgery. He'll be back in a month or so, but they can afford little room for error with the Red Sox only winning. Also, look for the Yankees to possibly make a deal before the break.
The Rays will need an amazing run and help from the top two teams to make the playoffs. The Jays and the O's are done-zo. While I liked the Orioles spunk, they didn't hold out as long up top and have settled back near their usual AL East cellar seat.
My guess: Red Sox, correct so far, only had the O's and Jays flipped.
AL Central:
1. Detroit Tigers (49-43)
2. Cleveland Indians (47-42)
3. Chicago White Sox (44-48)
4. Minnesota Twins (41-48)
5. Kansas City Royals (37-54)
I was wrong about the Indians. They had probably the most magical run of the first half, however, the Tigers caught them. Detroit looks good, but only Cleveland boasts a positive run differential in the division. And it is down almost 100 runs from where it was earlier in their season. This looks to be a run between Detroit and Cleveland, but if the White Sox can figure out how to hit (what happened to Adam Dunn?), they could sneak up and win a division that has not impressed.
My guess: Tigers, correct again, but I had the Indians 4th. I still think the Tigers pitching will prevail.
AL West:
1. Texas Rangers (51-41)
2. Los Angeles Angels (50-42)
3. Seattle Mariners (43-48)
4. Oakland A's (39-53)
The Rangers didn't need Cliff Lee, ha, please. Their offense isn't lacking and their pitching has been enough to win games, that is even when they had Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz on the DL at the same time. Solid team. The Angels have been unimpressive, but remain only a game behind the Rangers. They seem to not want to hit, but Jered Weaver and Dan Haren have been phenomenal this year. The A's are terrible, and the Mariners are going to be here for a while, assuming they keep their players in Seattle. They can hit and pitch, and have shown signs of brilliance.
My guess: Angels, close but not quite. I didn't think the Rangers' staff would be as good as it was. But their offense has been impressive. I also had the A's and Mariners flipped.
AL Wild Card: Yankees
my guess: Yankees
NL East:
1. Philidelphia Phillies (57-34)
2. Atlanta Braves (54-38)
3. NY Mets (46-45)
4. Washington Nationals (46-46)
5. Florida Marlins (43-48)
Ok, I guess I can finally say the Phillies are good. I tried as hard as I could to convince myself that they weren't good, but they are. Even as a Braves fan, I must admit that their staff is amazing. And the scary part is their offense isn't that good right now. However, the Braves staff is right behind them. I see them as 1-2 the rest of the way, hopefully with the Braves taking over the top. Props to the Mets for overcoming adversity and scandal to be over .500. And look at the Nats for being decent. The Marlins...oh wow, implosion.
My guess: Braves, they are second but still wrong. Flip the Mets and Marlins and I was right on otherwise.
NL Central:
1. Milwaukee Brewers (49-43)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (49-43)
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (47-43)
4. Cincinnati Reds (45-47)
5. Chicago Cubs (37-55)
6. Houston Astros (30-62)
How about the Pirates! They could finally have a winning season. I'm all about that. Eighteen years is a loooong time. Consider me on the bandwagon. The Brewers and Cards are at a tie up top. But if the Reds can get their rotation healthy and pitching (and stop blowing games, cough, Mr. Cordero) in order look for a close run into September. I can see it being a 4 team race going into the last weeks. Whereas the Cubs and Astros are bad, haha.
My guess: Cardinals, half right. The only thing I had right was the Cardinals, this division has been topsy turvy compared to my picks.
NL West:
1. San Francisco Giants (52-40)
2. Arizona Diamondbacks (49-43)
3. Colorado Rockies (43-48)
4. LA Dodgers (41-51)
5. San Diego Padres (40-52)
How about those Diamondbacks? Looking to strike the heel of the Giants. Unfortunately the Giants still have their solid starting rotation, with the inclusion of newcomer and first time All-Star Vogelsong (crap pick. Bruce Bochy, manager of the Giants, took him over Tommy Hanson who had better stats in every catergory.) the Diamondbacks need a San Fran offensive collapse to come back.
My guess: Giants, but props to Arizona for not being 4th like my guess.
NL Wild Card: Braves
my guess: Rockies, again, I was in denial of the Phillies, but the Rockies are a historic second half team, so who knows. But I hope not, unless the Braves get into first place
I will update the player awards and predictions soon, but for now I want to watch the All-Star game in which the NL leads 3-1 now. Go National League!
This is going to be a ranting blog, because I don't want to spend time talking about how to fix the system or even anything close to offering an idea. Here's another gem, how about we give the American League the DH even though we are playing in an NL ballpark, because that's a fair way to determine the home-field advantage of the World Series by automatically giving the AL teams an advantage. Oh, they're good at hitting, well how about we give them a spot. Because that's how interleague games work...oh wait.
Alrighty, the real reason I am updating my blog. I am going to update my season preview with how the first half of the season finished.
AL East: (I will put the actual placement and then discuss what I had)
1. Red Sox (55-35)
2. Yankees (53-35)
3. Rays (49-41)
4. Blue Jays (45-47)
5. Orioles (36-52)
The Red Sox have obliterated any memory of that horrific start to the season and are currently clicking on what seems to be all cylinders. The scary part is that they have 3 of their starters on the DL. Helped along by Adrian Gonzalez, who I will talk about later, the Red Sox offense is the best in the league. And all of that is without Carl Crawford reaching his preseason hype.
The Yankees are no slouch either, only a game behind their rivals they have dominated just as much. With Derek Jeter finally getting to 3,000 hits, perhaps his season should get better now that all the pressure has evaporated. That being said, he needs to with A-Rod going on the DL after surgery. He'll be back in a month or so, but they can afford little room for error with the Red Sox only winning. Also, look for the Yankees to possibly make a deal before the break.
The Rays will need an amazing run and help from the top two teams to make the playoffs. The Jays and the O's are done-zo. While I liked the Orioles spunk, they didn't hold out as long up top and have settled back near their usual AL East cellar seat.
My guess: Red Sox, correct so far, only had the O's and Jays flipped.
AL Central:
1. Detroit Tigers (49-43)
2. Cleveland Indians (47-42)
3. Chicago White Sox (44-48)
4. Minnesota Twins (41-48)
5. Kansas City Royals (37-54)
I was wrong about the Indians. They had probably the most magical run of the first half, however, the Tigers caught them. Detroit looks good, but only Cleveland boasts a positive run differential in the division. And it is down almost 100 runs from where it was earlier in their season. This looks to be a run between Detroit and Cleveland, but if the White Sox can figure out how to hit (what happened to Adam Dunn?), they could sneak up and win a division that has not impressed.
My guess: Tigers, correct again, but I had the Indians 4th. I still think the Tigers pitching will prevail.
AL West:
1. Texas Rangers (51-41)
2. Los Angeles Angels (50-42)
3. Seattle Mariners (43-48)
4. Oakland A's (39-53)
The Rangers didn't need Cliff Lee, ha, please. Their offense isn't lacking and their pitching has been enough to win games, that is even when they had Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz on the DL at the same time. Solid team. The Angels have been unimpressive, but remain only a game behind the Rangers. They seem to not want to hit, but Jered Weaver and Dan Haren have been phenomenal this year. The A's are terrible, and the Mariners are going to be here for a while, assuming they keep their players in Seattle. They can hit and pitch, and have shown signs of brilliance.
My guess: Angels, close but not quite. I didn't think the Rangers' staff would be as good as it was. But their offense has been impressive. I also had the A's and Mariners flipped.
AL Wild Card: Yankees
my guess: Yankees
NL East:
1. Philidelphia Phillies (57-34)
2. Atlanta Braves (54-38)
3. NY Mets (46-45)
4. Washington Nationals (46-46)
5. Florida Marlins (43-48)
Ok, I guess I can finally say the Phillies are good. I tried as hard as I could to convince myself that they weren't good, but they are. Even as a Braves fan, I must admit that their staff is amazing. And the scary part is their offense isn't that good right now. However, the Braves staff is right behind them. I see them as 1-2 the rest of the way, hopefully with the Braves taking over the top. Props to the Mets for overcoming adversity and scandal to be over .500. And look at the Nats for being decent. The Marlins...oh wow, implosion.
My guess: Braves, they are second but still wrong. Flip the Mets and Marlins and I was right on otherwise.
NL Central:
1. Milwaukee Brewers (49-43)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (49-43)
3. Pittsburgh Pirates (47-43)
4. Cincinnati Reds (45-47)
5. Chicago Cubs (37-55)
6. Houston Astros (30-62)
How about the Pirates! They could finally have a winning season. I'm all about that. Eighteen years is a loooong time. Consider me on the bandwagon. The Brewers and Cards are at a tie up top. But if the Reds can get their rotation healthy and pitching (and stop blowing games, cough, Mr. Cordero) in order look for a close run into September. I can see it being a 4 team race going into the last weeks. Whereas the Cubs and Astros are bad, haha.
My guess: Cardinals, half right. The only thing I had right was the Cardinals, this division has been topsy turvy compared to my picks.
NL West:
1. San Francisco Giants (52-40)
2. Arizona Diamondbacks (49-43)
3. Colorado Rockies (43-48)
4. LA Dodgers (41-51)
5. San Diego Padres (40-52)
How about those Diamondbacks? Looking to strike the heel of the Giants. Unfortunately the Giants still have their solid starting rotation, with the inclusion of newcomer and first time All-Star Vogelsong (crap pick. Bruce Bochy, manager of the Giants, took him over Tommy Hanson who had better stats in every catergory.) the Diamondbacks need a San Fran offensive collapse to come back.
My guess: Giants, but props to Arizona for not being 4th like my guess.
NL Wild Card: Braves
my guess: Rockies, again, I was in denial of the Phillies, but the Rockies are a historic second half team, so who knows. But I hope not, unless the Braves get into first place
I will update the player awards and predictions soon, but for now I want to watch the All-Star game in which the NL leads 3-1 now. Go National League!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Glory Days
I found my Game Boy the other day and started to play some games that I had. One of which was Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball.I started to play and saw the date was 1997, so I went to check the Braves roster and was amazed. On there was every one of my childhood baseball idols.
Now, for a disclaimer, my childhood was recent, as the only manager of the Braves I ever knew was Bobby Cox. So my sample size is smaller, though I'm sure the Hank Aaron and Dale Murphy days were wonderful, as were the Phil Niekro years.
That being said, here's the roster:
Kenny Lofton at CF
Michael Tucker at RF
Chipper Jones at 3B
Fred McGriff at 1B
Ryan Klesko at LF
Javy Lopez at C
Mark Lemke at 2BJeff Blauser at SS
that was the starting lineup
with the pitcher hitting 9th.
And here was the rotation:
Greg Maddux
Tom Glavine
Denny Neagle
Terrell Wade
and closing was Mark Wohlers.
I immediately put it in and started to play. (I lost the directions and don't remember the buttons, so I gave up 11 runs in the first inning, but that's beside the point, haha.) Playing with these greats flashed me back to a wonderful childhood.
One where I had a Ryan Klesko poster. One where we bought a Greg Maddux baseball that showed where to put your fingers to throw different pitches. One where my grandpa taught me how to throw Greg Maddux's "mystery ball," the one he threw and never knew which way it was going, yet still had impeccable command. One where I idolized Chipper Jones so much that even as a senior in college I was so jealous I was speechless when my roommate's girlfriend went to a Mets-Braves game in NY and came back saying Chipper talked with her and her family while he was in the on-deck circle. One where I learned what contacts were because we watched so many games and I wondered why Kenny Lofton was always blinking so much. One where I felt okay to wear glasses becasue I saw Greg Maddux wearing them in the dugout,
I can only encourage you all to reminisce your baseball youth in some way, because I haven't been that happy since the Braves made it back to the playoffs and I went to a Divisional game at Turner.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Party at the Ted!
Cole Hamels decided to crash the party planned at the Ted.
There was a birthday party for my friend and roommate Nat planned for Sunday April 10 at Turner Field. As Braves fans, we reluctantly invited the Phillies team, knowing that they have recently decided to be good, in part, I think, to hide the fact that they were the first professional team to reach 10,000 losses. Regardless, we wanted to see some baseball, and there has to be two teams playing each other for that to happen.
Little did we know that Cole Hamels had another plan. Hamels showed up dealing that fine April day, where temperatures almost reached 90 degrees. He pitched seven shutout innings only allowing four hits. He struck out eight and only walked one batter. It was hard to watch. But you have to give credit to a pitcher who is dealing like that. The Braves lost 3-0, but I got a free Tumbler cup thanks to a giveaway during the game. Holla section 402!
(On a side note, there are no bad seats at Turner Field, even being at the top all the levels we saw an amazing game.)
Anyway, I got to thinking about how when the Braves meet good pitchers (and it hurts me to call Hamels that, he's only had one good year, plus one solid playoff run) they do it in style.
On April 13, yes, just three days later, they faced the Marlins' Josh Johnson. Johnson took a no-hitter into the 8th inning, before Freddie Freeman doubled off of him. The Marlins took him out (Freeman wouldn't score) and his line looked like this: 7.1 innings, 1 hit, 3 walks, 9 K's. Chipper homered in the ninth to avoid another shutout, but it was still a 5-1 loss, and the Braves only had 2 hits.
Surprisingly, that wasn't the first time this year that the Braves have been two-hit. They faced the winless Brewers on April 5 and met an in the zone Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo threw a 2-hit shutout against the Braves, walking two and striking out two. He also scored a run, the only run in the 1-0 game.
A lot of times in baseball you will hear of a team's offense not "clicking" or going through a "drought."
I sometimes think that the Braves have an on-off switch somewhere that they occasionally forget to switch on.
Here are a few historic feats, of which the Braves contributed to the wrong side:
Randy Johnson's perfect game. The 6'10" lefty was by no means a bad pitcher, winning 5 Cy Young Awards and winning over 300 games (303). And on May 18, 2004, he dominated the Atlanta hitters en route to baseball's 17th perfect game. The 2-0 game saw competing complete games, with Mike Hampton going 9 innings and giving up only two runs on eight hits while striking out five. However, Johnson fanned 13 to leave with a line of 9.0 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and 13 Ks.
Ubaldo Jimenez threw the first no-hitter in Rockies' history...against the Braves. On April 17, 2010, Jimenez pitched a gem and left with a 4-0 win and a no-no. He walked six, but seemed to always be in control. He ended the night with a line of 9.0 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 6 walks, and 7 K's.
As I review these dates, it seems to me that the Braves just take a while to warm their bats up. And by June all the cobwebs are out, but even so, that is two month's worth of potential games where there is little to no hitting going on. Hopefully, the Braves can get comfortable at the plate and give some more run support for their pitchers and get back to winning.
And for those of you who worried about the ruined party, we fixed that with a trip to The Vortex Bar & Grill in Atlanta, Georgia. I ate away my sorrow by attacking their Double Bypass Burger.
DOUBLE BYPASS BURGER
Twice as big as the Coronary Bypass! Topped with
two fried eggs, six slices of American cheese, and
eight slices of bacon, all served between the two
grilled cheese sandwiches that we use in place of
the regular hamburger buns. 14.95
Mark
all images are mine, except the Randy Johnson one, which I google searched
There was a birthday party for my friend and roommate Nat planned for Sunday April 10 at Turner Field. As Braves fans, we reluctantly invited the Phillies team, knowing that they have recently decided to be good, in part, I think, to hide the fact that they were the first professional team to reach 10,000 losses. Regardless, we wanted to see some baseball, and there has to be two teams playing each other for that to happen.
 |
| Here's me and my girlfriend, Amy, at the pre-party. |
(On a side note, there are no bad seats at Turner Field, even being at the top all the levels we saw an amazing game.)
Anyway, I got to thinking about how when the Braves meet good pitchers (and it hurts me to call Hamels that, he's only had one good year, plus one solid playoff run) they do it in style.
On April 13, yes, just three days later, they faced the Marlins' Josh Johnson. Johnson took a no-hitter into the 8th inning, before Freddie Freeman doubled off of him. The Marlins took him out (Freeman wouldn't score) and his line looked like this: 7.1 innings, 1 hit, 3 walks, 9 K's. Chipper homered in the ninth to avoid another shutout, but it was still a 5-1 loss, and the Braves only had 2 hits.
Surprisingly, that wasn't the first time this year that the Braves have been two-hit. They faced the winless Brewers on April 5 and met an in the zone Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo threw a 2-hit shutout against the Braves, walking two and striking out two. He also scored a run, the only run in the 1-0 game.
A lot of times in baseball you will hear of a team's offense not "clicking" or going through a "drought."
I sometimes think that the Braves have an on-off switch somewhere that they occasionally forget to switch on.
Here are a few historic feats, of which the Braves contributed to the wrong side:
Randy Johnson's perfect game. The 6'10" lefty was by no means a bad pitcher, winning 5 Cy Young Awards and winning over 300 games (303). And on May 18, 2004, he dominated the Atlanta hitters en route to baseball's 17th perfect game. The 2-0 game saw competing complete games, with Mike Hampton going 9 innings and giving up only two runs on eight hits while striking out five. However, Johnson fanned 13 to leave with a line of 9.0 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and 13 Ks.
Ubaldo Jimenez threw the first no-hitter in Rockies' history...against the Braves. On April 17, 2010, Jimenez pitched a gem and left with a 4-0 win and a no-no. He walked six, but seemed to always be in control. He ended the night with a line of 9.0 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 6 walks, and 7 K's.
As I review these dates, it seems to me that the Braves just take a while to warm their bats up. And by June all the cobwebs are out, but even so, that is two month's worth of potential games where there is little to no hitting going on. Hopefully, the Braves can get comfortable at the plate and give some more run support for their pitchers and get back to winning.
And for those of you who worried about the ruined party, we fixed that with a trip to The Vortex Bar & Grill in Atlanta, Georgia. I ate away my sorrow by attacking their Double Bypass Burger.
DOUBLE BYPASS BURGER
Twice as big as the Coronary Bypass! Topped with
two fried eggs, six slices of American cheese, and
eight slices of bacon, all served between the two
grilled cheese sandwiches that we use in place of
the regular hamburger buns. 14.95
 |
| I like fries on my burger |
 |
| Here's the final product and it was delicious |
Mark
all images are mine, except the Randy Johnson one, which I google searched
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Braves through the first week
You have to put the bat on the ball.That in itself explains the Braves first week and change. The pitching looks good and there have been flashes of brilliance on the offensive side of the ball, but overall they just haven't hit the ball well.
Here's a quick look at the Braves after their first 11 games:
They are 5-6 in 4th place, 2.5 games out of first place. However, it isn't because of lackluster pitching.
Derek Lowe: Lowe has a 1-2 record, but an ERA of 1.45. He has a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio but has lacked run support.
Tim Hudson: Timmy has a 2-0 record and an ERA of 1.84. He has a 7:1 strikeout to walk ratio.
Tommy Hanson: Hanson has struggled to start the season, but he threw a shutout tonight and has look progressively better after each start.
Bullpen: The bullpen, with the exception of a collapse against Philadelphia, has been phenomenal. Johnny Venters has been nearly untouchable and Craig Kimbrel in his debut as closer is 3-3 in save opportunities. He also struck out 5 of the first 6 batters he faced.
The hitting has been the problem for Atlanta. Other than an 11-2 victory over Washington, a 6-3 win over the Phillies, and tonight's 5-0 win over the Marlins, the Braves have averaged 1.86 runs per game.
Brian McCann is hitting an impressive .350 and Chipper has a .308 average, but no one else on the team is hitting over .300. Martin Prado is hitting .298 after a slow start (0-9), but not much else was clicking.
Jason Heyward has a team leading 3 HR and has an OPS of 1.065.
Martin is also doing a great job of adjusting to left field and occasionally playing third when Chipper needs a rest. He is not a fielding liability out there and has actually made some great plays.
Dan Uggla and Freddie Freeman are hitting .167 and .194 respectively, but Freeman is getting good contact on the ball and Uggla when he has hit it, has hit it far (2 HR).
I expect the Braves to finish strong on their stay at home with two more against the Marlins and a three-game series against the Mets. They then head out West to play the Giants, Padres and Dodgers, where things could get a bit tough.
The season is early and there is nothing to worry about. Look for Jair Jurrjens to come back from his injury here in the next week or so and for the bats to wake up.
Mark
Friday, April 8, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Opening Day
Opening Day is one of the best starts of all the sports. Not just because baseball has begun, but there is so much more tied in. It is more than just finally getting to see your team play and to get a glimpse on the chances that they win more than they lose.
Opening Day signals the beginning of Spring. Finally the blustery winds and cold weather are behind us, now we're only a few short months from the heat of summer and until we arrive there we get to watch flowers bloom and trees regain their leaves.
Opening Day is about a craving for hot dogs and peanuts, when you realize that your glove needs more working in and you need to buy more sunflower seeds.
Opening Day signals that America's Favorite Pastime has begun and that alone is reason enough to celebrate. And even if you aren't a huge fan, baseball allows for a constant sport until football starts back way in August.
Opening Day causes us to reboot the computer and check our fantasy lineups, to scour the internet finding out if our first baseman is starting or not because he is notoriously bad against lefties.
Opening Day is perfect.
I have luckily been able to attend this wonderful day twice in the last two years. I spent the opening of the 2010 season at Turner Field watching the Braves open against the Cubs, and this year I went to Progressive Field to watch the Indians take on the White Sox.
The atmosphere is hard to describe, but it is phenomenal. Often they are sell-out crowds and they are buzzing. When I was in Atlanta, it was Bobby Cox's last year of managing the Braves. Everyone knew it was and they came out in abundance, to add on to that it was the 'rookie phenom' Jason Heyward's first career start in the big league.
I watched Jason Heyward hit one out of the park on the first swing of his major league career. The crowd went absolutely crazy. Then I saw Brian McCann go deep. Opening Day is just phenomenal.
I encourage you all to go to an Opening Day if you ever get the chance!
Mark
Opening Day signals the beginning of Spring. Finally the blustery winds and cold weather are behind us, now we're only a few short months from the heat of summer and until we arrive there we get to watch flowers bloom and trees regain their leaves.
Opening Day is about a craving for hot dogs and peanuts, when you realize that your glove needs more working in and you need to buy more sunflower seeds.
Opening Day signals that America's Favorite Pastime has begun and that alone is reason enough to celebrate. And even if you aren't a huge fan, baseball allows for a constant sport until football starts back way in August.
Opening Day causes us to reboot the computer and check our fantasy lineups, to scour the internet finding out if our first baseman is starting or not because he is notoriously bad against lefties.
Opening Day is perfect.
 |
| It was Bobby's last season. And rightfully so they went to the postseason. |
The atmosphere is hard to describe, but it is phenomenal. Often they are sell-out crowds and they are buzzing. When I was in Atlanta, it was Bobby Cox's last year of managing the Braves. Everyone knew it was and they came out in abundance, to add on to that it was the 'rookie phenom' Jason Heyward's first career start in the big league.
I watched Jason Heyward hit one out of the park on the first swing of his major league career. The crowd went absolutely crazy. Then I saw Brian McCann go deep. Opening Day is just phenomenal.
 | |||
| Watching your favorite player on your favorite team of your favorite sport hit a homerun is a great feeling. |
Mark
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
2011 MLB Season Preview
With the 2011 season beginning in just one more day, I bring you my season preview. At the same time as myself, two other bloggers will be posting their previews and predictions and I will post their picks at the end of my own predictions.
First let me introduce the two guest bloggers: Sam and Nat Scott. They are brothers by blood, students by trade and bloggers by necessity. Our necessity, but enough chit chat, let's get down to the picks.
We will cover each division winner, wild cards, playoffs, major awards, and end with bold predictions. Here we go.
(I will rank them in order of finish)
AL East:
1. Boston Red Sox:
Injuries plagued them last year. Assuming they stay decently healthy, the additions of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford only add to their talented line-up. If Ellsbury and Pedroia can stay healthy, there is little room for error in their lineup, and they are sound defensively. You can protect Gonzalez with Youk and Crawford, and if Big Papi gets off to a fast start, who do you pitch to? Their pitching staff's "faults" are two guys who are capable of being very good in Dice-K and Lackey. And their bullpen is very talented. It is their division to lose.
2. New York Yankees:
You aren't supposed to bet against the defending champion, but I don't see the Yankees beating out the Red Sox for the division. While their offense will no doubt be great again, they did not get Cliff Lee and the departure of Andy Pettitte leaves the end of their rotation with question marks. They are taking chances on some guys who were good a few years ago (Mark Prior, Andruw Jones, Freddy Garcia), but I think their offense is too potent to be beaten.
3. Tampa Bay Rays:
Originally I was down on this team, but after talking to my friend Drew, a Rays fan, he shed some positive spin on them. While losing Crawford hurts, their young pitching has been and looks to keep being phenomenal. If their bullpen can hold up, the addition of Manny and Johnny Damon will add leadership and professional bats. Sorry Drew, I just don't see them being better than the Sox or the 'Evil Empire.'
4. Baltimore Orioles:
Harry Truman said the buck stops here. Now we see he meant Baltimore. Buck Showalter has rejuvenated this team, and they have potential. The additions of J.J. Hardy, Vlad, and Mark Reynolds make this lineup very dangerous and if Brian Roberts can stay healthy they could score runs in bunches. Their pitching is suspect, and I don't see them being able to compete week after week with the Yankees or Red Sox, but they are definitely on the right track.
5. Toronto Blue Jays:
They are in Canada. They traded Halladay away. But they can mash the homeruns. Jose Bautista looks to prove his power was legit, and J.P. Arencibia looks to be the next big thing in Toronto, but they just aren't there yet. It doesn't help your division features two of the constantly best in baseball.
Sam: Red Sox
Nat: Yankees
AL Central:
1. Detroit Tigers:
Here's to hoping the only champagne Miguel Cabrera gets into is in the postseason. This team has the ability to both hit and pitch. I think their staff, with the addition of Brad Penny to the rotation that includes Verlander, Scherzer, and Porcello will be one of the better AL pitching squads. Jose Valverde and Joel Zumaya make for a potentially lethal 8-9 duo. And if their offense wasn't good enough last year, they added Victor Martinez, who looks to mainly DH, aka focus solely on hitting.
2. Chicago White Sox:
My question with this team is if anyone will get on base, or if they will just hit solo homerun after solo homerun. Adam Dunn travels to Chicago from Washington and looks to hit some more HRs on a team that features Paul Konerko, Alex Rios, Hard Hittin' Carlos Quentin, and Alexei Ramirez. Question marks in the pen and a rotation that seems to be aging, and not like George Clooney ages, lead me to believe they fall just shy of the title.
3. Minnesota Twins:
Well played, Mauer. I like their potential. Mauer is a phenomenal hitter and if Morneau gets healthy for a full season they can definitely make a run. I just worry that their ace is Carl Pavano. I'm not sold, even after his great year last year. But, if Liriano and Baker finally pitch to their potential and Duensing and Blackburn simply pitch decent. There is not much that will keep them from making a run. Especially when Joe Nathan is your closer. If they stay healthy and pitch well, don't be surprised if they are up near the top in September.
4. Cleveland Indians:
Carlos Santana and Shin-Soo Choo. That's about all you need to know. Look for Masterson and Carmona to pitch well, and be on the lookout for a Grady Sizemore return later in the year, but other than that, there isn't much hope for a title.
5. Kansas City Royals:
They had Greinke, and he was good one year. . . If you need insight on the Royals look at their outfield: Alex Gordon, Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur. Combined these guys hit about .250 with 25 HR and 107 RBIs. Comparatively, the Rockies Carlos Gonzalez did that by himself, only he hit almost .300 and 4 more bombs. Perhaps in the future they will contend, maybe one day, but definitely not this year.
Sam: Tigers
Nat: White Sox
AL West:
1. Los Angeles Angels:
This is more due to Cliff Lee's not being in Texas than anything the Angels did. I think their rotation has great potential with Weaver, Haren, Santana and Kazmir. But I like their lineup and with Bobby Abreu primarily at DH they should be able to produce runs.
2. Texas Rangers:
Why anger Michael Young? The guy has moved all over the place to please the team and then you just flaunt him on the market like a piece of meat? That's wrong, but it's Nolan's show now and we'll see what he does with it. Their offense is still sick, the good sick, not the influenza type. But I am not sold on their rotation. A lot of young guys who have been inconsistent and Brandon Webb? A gamble I don't think will pay off. They need Hamilton to stay healthy and play at least 120 games if they want the division.
3. Oakland A's:
Here's a group with a lot of talented young pitching. Dallas Braden threw a perfect game, Trevor Cahill won 18, Gio Gonzalez won 15 and Brett Anderson had an ERA under 3.00. Their bullpen looks good too, especially if Andrew Bailey can get and stay healthy. But even without him they have Fuentes who has been a more than adequate replacement. Unfortunately I don't think they have the offense to keep up with the Angels and Rangers. Hideki Matsui will help out at DH, but they look more like a small-ball NL team (which I like more) than a homerun mashing AL team. (I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a run though.)
4. Seattle Mariners:
Here's my big thing with the Mariners. You have the AL Cy Young winning pitcher in Felix Hernandez and you can only get him 13 wins. He ended the year with a 2.27 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and 232 Ks. When he pitched last you you needed on average 3 runs of support to win, and they failed to do that and left King Felix with a measly 13-12 record. I don't see much else happening with them, though I think Chone Figgins and Ichiro will work out the top of the lineup for more SBs this year. But I don't know if there is enough below to drive them home with consistency.
Sam: Rangers
Nat: Angels
AL Wild Card: New York Yankees
I just think the Yankees will make it happen. If their pitching is bad, they will make the trade for someone that makes it decent. As much as I'd like to see the 'Evil Empire' miss out, I just don't think it will happen.
Sam: Yankees
Nat: Red Sox
NL East:
1. Atlanta Braves:
The often cited problem for the Braves in the past was they lacked the long-ball (I personally disagree with the HR-or-bust attitude, but we're a minority, stay strong small ball fans, stay strong). However, a surprising in-division trade brings Dan Uggla, who averages 30 HRs a year, to the lineup. Rumors in camp are that Nate McLouth is looking more like his All-Star Pittsburgh-self than the .190-hitting version that played last year and the J-Hey kid looks to improve on a stellar rookie season. If Lowe pitches like he did in September, the combo of him, Hanson, Jurrjens, and Hudson should be more than enough to keep them in games. They have depth in the pitching ranks should injuries strike. The questions lie with Chipper's health, rookie Freddie Freeman's ability to master the learning curve in the bigs and the loss of Billy Wagner.
2. Philadelphia Phillies:
Remember how good their staff was last year? Roy Halladay won the NL Cy Young and threw a perfect game. Well they added Cliff Lee. Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels and Joe Blanton round up one of the best starting five in the game. However, I worry about their health. Raul Ibanez is 38, Chase Utley is already injured with no timetable for return and Jimmy Rollins has struggled with health the last few years. Closer Brad Lidge looks to start the year on the DL and Placido Polanco is 35. If injuries strike it could be detrimental to this offense. The departure of Jayson Werth to Washington and the Utley injury leave Ryan Howard unprotected in the lineup which means he better learn to hit the curveball, because that's all he will see. In a 162-game season, I just don't see every one of these players making it through unscathed.
3. Florida Marlins:
It's officially the Hanley Ramirez show. With Uggla gone he alone is the offensive impact for the Fish. Mike Stanton looks to impact offensively and the addition of Omar Infante brings them a versatile utility man. The question lies in their pitching. Will Josh Johnson be able to repeat his 9 wins pre-All-Star Break? And can he continue it after? They brought in Javier Vazquez, but his velocity has recently gone missing. Their other guys always have hype, but tend to never pan out. I think they will float in NL East limbo, neither great nor terrible.
4. Washington Nationals:
I think the Nationals are getting better. Granted multiple No. 1 picks will do that to a team. But, the additions of Werth and Adam LaRoche finally give Ryan Zimmerman a little help in the lineup. They have a lot of young guys and just traded away Nyjer Morgan, but I think they have enough experience (Livan Hernandez, Pudge, LaRoche) to keep help mature these young guys. Plus the hype surrounding Bryce Harper could be reminiscent of the Strasburg-hype. All that said, they still have a long way to go before getting to the top.
5. New York Mets:
The Mets are having some trouble. With the team up for sale after the Bernie Madoff-money problem, I don't see anything but a mess. They have re-done the front office and manager positions and that always tends to take a toll on a team. But Jason Bay didn't pan out, David Wright looks to be a highlight and if Reyes and Beltran can stay healthy they might prove my projection wrong. But their pitching was highlighted by Mike Pelfrey and a knuckleballer named R.A. Dickey. But that is it. K-Rod had some late-season anger issues and I'm interested to see if he's mentally able to continue his dominance as a closer.
Sam: Phillies
Nat: Braves
NL Central:
1. St. Louis Cardinals:
I have a hard time picking against Albert Pujols. Granted, Adam Wainwright looks to be lost for the year, but the Cardinals always seem to be able to churn out some rookie pitcher who comes in and does great (Jaime Garcia, anyone?). The addition of Lance Berkman adds to an already stacked outfield with Matt Holliday and Colby Rasmus, plus Jon Jay is waiting in the wings. David Freese had a very solid rookie year at 3rd and should be good again this year. I only worry about their bullpen. Ryan Franklin seems to have become more hittable of late, but you never know with closers.
2. Cincinnati Reds:
Joey Votto came out last year and proved that there were other talented first basemen in the NL Central. His career year where he challenged for the Triple Crown led the Reds to the division crown for the first time since 1995. The offense will be there. Rolen, Phillips, Bruce, Stubbs and Jonny Gomes all can crush the ball, but the only reason I have them finishing second is the pitching. They have the potential to be great, but Volquez has the ability to walk 7 as easily as he strikes them out. Leake and Wood were phenomenal last year, but I wonder what more exposure and tape will do when major league hitter see them more and more. Aroldis Chapman supposedly hit 105 on the radar gun this year, but can he locate?
3. Chicago Cubs:
The Cubs. . . Youth has come to them, Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin look to impact the team in a big way this year. If Ramirez can stay healthy he is always deadly at the plate. The addition of Carlos Pena adds power that Derrick Lee once had and lost, but not quite the average. Matt Garza looks to be a good addition to the rotation that is made or broken by Zambrano's ability to pitch. If he pitches well, they could make a run, if not, then they look to get lost in the shuffle.
4. Milwaukee Brewers:
They added Zack Greinke! But he broke ribs playing basketball so he's already on the DL. We'll see how he does on a decent team, but I'm guessing not like the Brewers hope. Fortunately, they have Yovani Gallardo to head the staff. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are still there, so you know they will be able to crush some balls, but I don't think they have made enough moves to get up top quite yet. But watch out for Carlos Gomez, he might just make a name for himself with the CF job all to himself. Especially with Nyjer Morgan pushing him as the backup.
5. Houston Astros:
They don't have Lance Berkman or Roy Oswalt? What is this a joke? It isn't, it's just a more youthful Astros team. Hunter Pence and Carlos Lee look to anchor the offense with the speedy Michael Bourn poised to score a lot of runs. Brett Wallace and Chris Johnson will have to adjust to pitchers changing up their approach now that they have seen what they like. Look for this offense to be able to score, but don't be surprised if they don't. Their staff is young, but Wandy Rodriguez, J.A. Happ and Bud Norris give Astros fans a lot to be excited about.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates:
The Pirates have had 18 straight losing seasons. And I don't see anything changing. Look for a lot of hard hitters. Garrett Jones, Lyle Overbay and Jose Tabata all can crush the ball. Plus the Pirates have youth, only two listed starters are 30 or older, Overbay (34) and catcher Chris Snyder (30). Be on the lookout for Pedro Alvarez. The Pirates young third baseman has the ability to absolutely crush balls, but he also can absolutely whiff on some too.
Sam: Brewers
Nat: Cardinals
NL West:
1. San Francisco Giants:
Buster Posey came up and shined as the Giants went on a late season run that left them winning the World Series. They lost WS MVP Edgar Renteria, but replaced him with Miguel Tejada. Everyone else returns to familiar positions. The golden jewel of the Giants is their pitching. Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Madison Bumgarner and Barry Zito look to continue their dominance. I think they'll try even harder this year now that Philadelphia has rivaled their staff. Plus Brian Wilson is one of the most electric closers in the game. It's hard to beat the defending champ, especially when they return the majority of their players.
2. Colorado Rockies:
Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez look to lead a young team (with the exception of Todd Helton, but who can argue with that facial hair? Not me.) to a division. With the help of flamethrower Ubaldo Jimenez and the addition of slugger 2B Jose Lopez, the Rockies look to make a run at the division, but I don't think their pitching is well rounded as San Francisco and that will leave them just short of the division.
3. Los Angeles Dogders:
Matt Kemp looks to prove he is one of the best CF's in the game, and Andre Ethier looks to retain his elite status. The Dodgers have the talent and a staff that includes Kershaw, Billingsley, Lilly, Kuroda and Garland. They have the potential to do well, but can new manager Don Mattingly take them to the playoffs. I think they compete, but don't have enough.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks:
Look for the Diamondbacks to stay about the same. Offense power, but suspect bullpen. They were often in the lead late, but the bullpen often blew big leads. Justin Upton and Chris Young are two of the best young outfielders in the game and the late trade for Joe Saunders and the acquisition of Armando Galarraga should give their rotation some consistency. J.J. Putz looks to bring some help to the bullpen as the closer, but they still lack elements needed to win consistently.
5. San Diego Padres:
Sam: Giants
Nat: Dodgers
NL Wildcard: Colorado Rockies
This team is notorious for late-season runs. I think with the good team they have this year, the late run will vault them over the Phillies in September for the WC spot.
Sam: Braves
Nat: Phillies
Playoffs:
ALDS: Red Sox over the Angels: Too much offense for the Angels, not a close series.
Tigers over the Yankees: This one is closer, but I think the Tigers pull it out late.
NLDS: Cardinals over the Giants: I think the Giants luck runs out and Albert shows why he's the best in the game at his position.
Braves over the Rockies: The Braves use their upgraded offense and solid pitching to win a close series over the Rockies.
ALCS: Red Sox over Tigers: The Tigers meet a more offensively talented version of their own team and fall relatively easy to the Red Sox.
NLCS: Cardinals over the Braves: The Cards offense is too big for the Braves pitching to completely stop in a 7-game series, the Cards win in a close series.
World Series: Red Sox over Cardinals: Again, the Red Sox prove that winning is easy when you have great pitching, a potent offense and a stingy bullpen. They beat the Cardinals 4-2.
Sam: Red Sox over the Phillies
Nat: Yankees over the Phillies
Awards:
MVP: AL: Adrian Gonzalez: Petco to Fenway, he's already licking his chops.
NL: Albert Pujols: With Gonzalez in the AL, it's all about outplaying Joey Votto, which he does.
Cy Young: AL: Justin Verlander: I think this is his year to finally be truly dominant.
NL: Roy Halladay: Whether the Phillies are good or not, this guy will be. I wouldn't even be surprised if a no-no was thrown.
Rookie of the Year: AL: Jeremy Hellickson: He showed great promise at the end of last year and will build on his experience.
NL: Freddie Freeman: With Heyward there to help him through his rookie season, expect few lapses in a very impressive rookie campaign.
Bold Predictions:
1. Phillies finish closer to 3rd in the NL East than they do to 1st, or the Wildcard
2. Derek Jeter hits close to .325
3. The Baltimore Orioles lead the AL East for most of April/May, before they go cold.
4. Manny hits 30 HRs.
-Mark
(all images were google searched, I don't claim any of them as my own)
First let me introduce the two guest bloggers: Sam and Nat Scott. They are brothers by blood, students by trade and bloggers by necessity. Our necessity, but enough chit chat, let's get down to the picks.
We will cover each division winner, wild cards, playoffs, major awards, and end with bold predictions. Here we go.
(I will rank them in order of finish)
1. Boston Red Sox:
Injuries plagued them last year. Assuming they stay decently healthy, the additions of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford only add to their talented line-up. If Ellsbury and Pedroia can stay healthy, there is little room for error in their lineup, and they are sound defensively. You can protect Gonzalez with Youk and Crawford, and if Big Papi gets off to a fast start, who do you pitch to? Their pitching staff's "faults" are two guys who are capable of being very good in Dice-K and Lackey. And their bullpen is very talented. It is their division to lose.
2. New York Yankees:
You aren't supposed to bet against the defending champion, but I don't see the Yankees beating out the Red Sox for the division. While their offense will no doubt be great again, they did not get Cliff Lee and the departure of Andy Pettitte leaves the end of their rotation with question marks. They are taking chances on some guys who were good a few years ago (Mark Prior, Andruw Jones, Freddy Garcia), but I think their offense is too potent to be beaten.
3. Tampa Bay Rays:
Originally I was down on this team, but after talking to my friend Drew, a Rays fan, he shed some positive spin on them. While losing Crawford hurts, their young pitching has been and looks to keep being phenomenal. If their bullpen can hold up, the addition of Manny and Johnny Damon will add leadership and professional bats. Sorry Drew, I just don't see them being better than the Sox or the 'Evil Empire.'
4. Baltimore Orioles:
Harry Truman said the buck stops here. Now we see he meant Baltimore. Buck Showalter has rejuvenated this team, and they have potential. The additions of J.J. Hardy, Vlad, and Mark Reynolds make this lineup very dangerous and if Brian Roberts can stay healthy they could score runs in bunches. Their pitching is suspect, and I don't see them being able to compete week after week with the Yankees or Red Sox, but they are definitely on the right track.
5. Toronto Blue Jays:
They are in Canada. They traded Halladay away. But they can mash the homeruns. Jose Bautista looks to prove his power was legit, and J.P. Arencibia looks to be the next big thing in Toronto, but they just aren't there yet. It doesn't help your division features two of the constantly best in baseball.
Sam: Red Sox
Nat: Yankees
AL Central:
1. Detroit Tigers:
2. Chicago White Sox:
My question with this team is if anyone will get on base, or if they will just hit solo homerun after solo homerun. Adam Dunn travels to Chicago from Washington and looks to hit some more HRs on a team that features Paul Konerko, Alex Rios, Hard Hittin' Carlos Quentin, and Alexei Ramirez. Question marks in the pen and a rotation that seems to be aging, and not like George Clooney ages, lead me to believe they fall just shy of the title.
3. Minnesota Twins:
Well played, Mauer. I like their potential. Mauer is a phenomenal hitter and if Morneau gets healthy for a full season they can definitely make a run. I just worry that their ace is Carl Pavano. I'm not sold, even after his great year last year. But, if Liriano and Baker finally pitch to their potential and Duensing and Blackburn simply pitch decent. There is not much that will keep them from making a run. Especially when Joe Nathan is your closer. If they stay healthy and pitch well, don't be surprised if they are up near the top in September.
4. Cleveland Indians:
Carlos Santana and Shin-Soo Choo. That's about all you need to know. Look for Masterson and Carmona to pitch well, and be on the lookout for a Grady Sizemore return later in the year, but other than that, there isn't much hope for a title.
5. Kansas City Royals:
They had Greinke, and he was good one year. . . If you need insight on the Royals look at their outfield: Alex Gordon, Melky Cabrera and Jeff Francoeur. Combined these guys hit about .250 with 25 HR and 107 RBIs. Comparatively, the Rockies Carlos Gonzalez did that by himself, only he hit almost .300 and 4 more bombs. Perhaps in the future they will contend, maybe one day, but definitely not this year.
Sam: Tigers
Nat: White Sox
AL West:
1. Los Angeles Angels:
This is more due to Cliff Lee's not being in Texas than anything the Angels did. I think their rotation has great potential with Weaver, Haren, Santana and Kazmir. But I like their lineup and with Bobby Abreu primarily at DH they should be able to produce runs.
2. Texas Rangers:
Why anger Michael Young? The guy has moved all over the place to please the team and then you just flaunt him on the market like a piece of meat? That's wrong, but it's Nolan's show now and we'll see what he does with it. Their offense is still sick, the good sick, not the influenza type. But I am not sold on their rotation. A lot of young guys who have been inconsistent and Brandon Webb? A gamble I don't think will pay off. They need Hamilton to stay healthy and play at least 120 games if they want the division.
3. Oakland A's:
Here's a group with a lot of talented young pitching. Dallas Braden threw a perfect game, Trevor Cahill won 18, Gio Gonzalez won 15 and Brett Anderson had an ERA under 3.00. Their bullpen looks good too, especially if Andrew Bailey can get and stay healthy. But even without him they have Fuentes who has been a more than adequate replacement. Unfortunately I don't think they have the offense to keep up with the Angels and Rangers. Hideki Matsui will help out at DH, but they look more like a small-ball NL team (which I like more) than a homerun mashing AL team. (I wouldn't be surprised to see them make a run though.)
4. Seattle Mariners:
Here's my big thing with the Mariners. You have the AL Cy Young winning pitcher in Felix Hernandez and you can only get him 13 wins. He ended the year with a 2.27 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and 232 Ks. When he pitched last you you needed on average 3 runs of support to win, and they failed to do that and left King Felix with a measly 13-12 record. I don't see much else happening with them, though I think Chone Figgins and Ichiro will work out the top of the lineup for more SBs this year. But I don't know if there is enough below to drive them home with consistency. Sam: Rangers
Nat: Angels
AL Wild Card: New York Yankees
I just think the Yankees will make it happen. If their pitching is bad, they will make the trade for someone that makes it decent. As much as I'd like to see the 'Evil Empire' miss out, I just don't think it will happen.
Sam: Yankees
Nat: Red Sox
NL East:
1. Atlanta Braves:
The often cited problem for the Braves in the past was they lacked the long-ball (I personally disagree with the HR-or-bust attitude, but we're a minority, stay strong small ball fans, stay strong). However, a surprising in-division trade brings Dan Uggla, who averages 30 HRs a year, to the lineup. Rumors in camp are that Nate McLouth is looking more like his All-Star Pittsburgh-self than the .190-hitting version that played last year and the J-Hey kid looks to improve on a stellar rookie season. If Lowe pitches like he did in September, the combo of him, Hanson, Jurrjens, and Hudson should be more than enough to keep them in games. They have depth in the pitching ranks should injuries strike. The questions lie with Chipper's health, rookie Freddie Freeman's ability to master the learning curve in the bigs and the loss of Billy Wagner. 2. Philadelphia Phillies:
Remember how good their staff was last year? Roy Halladay won the NL Cy Young and threw a perfect game. Well they added Cliff Lee. Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels and Joe Blanton round up one of the best starting five in the game. However, I worry about their health. Raul Ibanez is 38, Chase Utley is already injured with no timetable for return and Jimmy Rollins has struggled with health the last few years. Closer Brad Lidge looks to start the year on the DL and Placido Polanco is 35. If injuries strike it could be detrimental to this offense. The departure of Jayson Werth to Washington and the Utley injury leave Ryan Howard unprotected in the lineup which means he better learn to hit the curveball, because that's all he will see. In a 162-game season, I just don't see every one of these players making it through unscathed.
3. Florida Marlins:
It's officially the Hanley Ramirez show. With Uggla gone he alone is the offensive impact for the Fish. Mike Stanton looks to impact offensively and the addition of Omar Infante brings them a versatile utility man. The question lies in their pitching. Will Josh Johnson be able to repeat his 9 wins pre-All-Star Break? And can he continue it after? They brought in Javier Vazquez, but his velocity has recently gone missing. Their other guys always have hype, but tend to never pan out. I think they will float in NL East limbo, neither great nor terrible.
4. Washington Nationals:
I think the Nationals are getting better. Granted multiple No. 1 picks will do that to a team. But, the additions of Werth and Adam LaRoche finally give Ryan Zimmerman a little help in the lineup. They have a lot of young guys and just traded away Nyjer Morgan, but I think they have enough experience (Livan Hernandez, Pudge, LaRoche) to keep help mature these young guys. Plus the hype surrounding Bryce Harper could be reminiscent of the Strasburg-hype. All that said, they still have a long way to go before getting to the top.
5. New York Mets:
The Mets are having some trouble. With the team up for sale after the Bernie Madoff-money problem, I don't see anything but a mess. They have re-done the front office and manager positions and that always tends to take a toll on a team. But Jason Bay didn't pan out, David Wright looks to be a highlight and if Reyes and Beltran can stay healthy they might prove my projection wrong. But their pitching was highlighted by Mike Pelfrey and a knuckleballer named R.A. Dickey. But that is it. K-Rod had some late-season anger issues and I'm interested to see if he's mentally able to continue his dominance as a closer.
Sam: Phillies
Nat: Braves
NL Central:
1. St. Louis Cardinals:
I have a hard time picking against Albert Pujols. Granted, Adam Wainwright looks to be lost for the year, but the Cardinals always seem to be able to churn out some rookie pitcher who comes in and does great (Jaime Garcia, anyone?). The addition of Lance Berkman adds to an already stacked outfield with Matt Holliday and Colby Rasmus, plus Jon Jay is waiting in the wings. David Freese had a very solid rookie year at 3rd and should be good again this year. I only worry about their bullpen. Ryan Franklin seems to have become more hittable of late, but you never know with closers.
2. Cincinnati Reds:
Joey Votto came out last year and proved that there were other talented first basemen in the NL Central. His career year where he challenged for the Triple Crown led the Reds to the division crown for the first time since 1995. The offense will be there. Rolen, Phillips, Bruce, Stubbs and Jonny Gomes all can crush the ball, but the only reason I have them finishing second is the pitching. They have the potential to be great, but Volquez has the ability to walk 7 as easily as he strikes them out. Leake and Wood were phenomenal last year, but I wonder what more exposure and tape will do when major league hitter see them more and more. Aroldis Chapman supposedly hit 105 on the radar gun this year, but can he locate? 3. Chicago Cubs:
The Cubs. . . Youth has come to them, Starlin Castro and Tyler Colvin look to impact the team in a big way this year. If Ramirez can stay healthy he is always deadly at the plate. The addition of Carlos Pena adds power that Derrick Lee once had and lost, but not quite the average. Matt Garza looks to be a good addition to the rotation that is made or broken by Zambrano's ability to pitch. If he pitches well, they could make a run, if not, then they look to get lost in the shuffle.
4. Milwaukee Brewers:
They added Zack Greinke! But he broke ribs playing basketball so he's already on the DL. We'll see how he does on a decent team, but I'm guessing not like the Brewers hope. Fortunately, they have Yovani Gallardo to head the staff. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are still there, so you know they will be able to crush some balls, but I don't think they have made enough moves to get up top quite yet. But watch out for Carlos Gomez, he might just make a name for himself with the CF job all to himself. Especially with Nyjer Morgan pushing him as the backup.
5. Houston Astros:
They don't have Lance Berkman or Roy Oswalt? What is this a joke? It isn't, it's just a more youthful Astros team. Hunter Pence and Carlos Lee look to anchor the offense with the speedy Michael Bourn poised to score a lot of runs. Brett Wallace and Chris Johnson will have to adjust to pitchers changing up their approach now that they have seen what they like. Look for this offense to be able to score, but don't be surprised if they don't. Their staff is young, but Wandy Rodriguez, J.A. Happ and Bud Norris give Astros fans a lot to be excited about.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates:
The Pirates have had 18 straight losing seasons. And I don't see anything changing. Look for a lot of hard hitters. Garrett Jones, Lyle Overbay and Jose Tabata all can crush the ball. Plus the Pirates have youth, only two listed starters are 30 or older, Overbay (34) and catcher Chris Snyder (30). Be on the lookout for Pedro Alvarez. The Pirates young third baseman has the ability to absolutely crush balls, but he also can absolutely whiff on some too.
Sam: Brewers
Nat: Cardinals
NL West:
1. San Francisco Giants:
2. Colorado Rockies:
Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez look to lead a young team (with the exception of Todd Helton, but who can argue with that facial hair? Not me.) to a division. With the help of flamethrower Ubaldo Jimenez and the addition of slugger 2B Jose Lopez, the Rockies look to make a run at the division, but I don't think their pitching is well rounded as San Francisco and that will leave them just short of the division.
3. Los Angeles Dogders:
Matt Kemp looks to prove he is one of the best CF's in the game, and Andre Ethier looks to retain his elite status. The Dodgers have the talent and a staff that includes Kershaw, Billingsley, Lilly, Kuroda and Garland. They have the potential to do well, but can new manager Don Mattingly take them to the playoffs. I think they compete, but don't have enough.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks:
Look for the Diamondbacks to stay about the same. Offense power, but suspect bullpen. They were often in the lead late, but the bullpen often blew big leads. Justin Upton and Chris Young are two of the best young outfielders in the game and the late trade for Joe Saunders and the acquisition of Armando Galarraga should give their rotation some consistency. J.J. Putz looks to bring some help to the bullpen as the closer, but they still lack elements needed to win consistently.
5. San Diego Padres:
The loss of Adrian Gonzalez should leave the Padres where everyone thought they would finish in 2010. Stud pitcher Mat Latos is hurt, but they do still have Heath Bell, but what good is an ace closer if you are never winning games (ask Joakim Soria)? Ryan Ludwick is who the Padres have to fall back on, and that just isn't the same.
Sam: Giants
Nat: Dodgers
NL Wildcard: Colorado Rockies
This team is notorious for late-season runs. I think with the good team they have this year, the late run will vault them over the Phillies in September for the WC spot.
Sam: Braves
Nat: Phillies
Playoffs:
ALDS: Red Sox over the Angels: Too much offense for the Angels, not a close series.
Tigers over the Yankees: This one is closer, but I think the Tigers pull it out late.
NLDS: Cardinals over the Giants: I think the Giants luck runs out and Albert shows why he's the best in the game at his position.
Braves over the Rockies: The Braves use their upgraded offense and solid pitching to win a close series over the Rockies.
ALCS: Red Sox over Tigers: The Tigers meet a more offensively talented version of their own team and fall relatively easy to the Red Sox.
NLCS: Cardinals over the Braves: The Cards offense is too big for the Braves pitching to completely stop in a 7-game series, the Cards win in a close series.
World Series: Red Sox over Cardinals: Again, the Red Sox prove that winning is easy when you have great pitching, a potent offense and a stingy bullpen. They beat the Cardinals 4-2.
Sam: Red Sox over the Phillies
Nat: Yankees over the Phillies
Awards:
MVP: AL: Adrian Gonzalez: Petco to Fenway, he's already licking his chops.
NL: Albert Pujols: With Gonzalez in the AL, it's all about outplaying Joey Votto, which he does.
Cy Young: AL: Justin Verlander: I think this is his year to finally be truly dominant.
NL: Roy Halladay: Whether the Phillies are good or not, this guy will be. I wouldn't even be surprised if a no-no was thrown.
Rookie of the Year: AL: Jeremy Hellickson: He showed great promise at the end of last year and will build on his experience.
NL: Freddie Freeman: With Heyward there to help him through his rookie season, expect few lapses in a very impressive rookie campaign.
Bold Predictions:
1. Phillies finish closer to 3rd in the NL East than they do to 1st, or the Wildcard
2. Derek Jeter hits close to .325
3. The Baltimore Orioles lead the AL East for most of April/May, before they go cold.
4. Manny hits 30 HRs.
-Mark
(all images were google searched, I don't claim any of them as my own)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Spring Training
Oh, Spring Training.
It is one of my favorite times of the baseball year for a couple reasons.
1. I don't have to hear the same talk about the NFL Draft over and over and over.
2. It means that baseball is about to start.
Spring Training is an interesting animal though. You have to take it with a grain of salt, but at the same time you need to really pay attention to it.
For example, in 2009, the Philadelphia Phillies finished 13-19 in Spring Training and looked unimpressive. The Milwaukee Brewers on the other hand went 22-10 in the same year.
However, when the regular season was over the Phillies ended up winning 93 games and would eventually lose to the Yankees in the World Series, while the Brewers only won 80 and missed the playoffs.
Don't count out everything from Spring Training. Nate McLouth came into Spring Training in 2010 looking to fill a key role for the Braves as the lead-off hitter. However, something was off with him and he did the opposite of hit. At one point his batting average was a dismal .032, but fans kept hope alive that he could fix it.
He didn't. Instead of rallying in the season, McLouth continued to not hit. That plus multiple disabled list stints eventually forced him out of the line-up and forced the Braves to find a different CF answer. To his credit, he hit better after coming back late in the season (hitting .273 in Sept./Oct.), but he still ended with a .190 average.
Injuries happen, and Spring Training is no exception.
Take, for instance, Adam Wainwright. This Cardinals ace has put up 19 and 20 wins in the last two seasons and kept his ERA at a sub-3.00 level. Last year's NL Cy Young runner-up looked to be a major staple in the Cardinals' rotation, but now, after an elbow injury suffered in Spring Training, he might miss the entire 2011 season.
While that could be an excuse for less Spring Training, I see it as a reason to keep it. Who is to say he doesn't injure the same elbow on Opening Day? He definitely wasn't trying too hard during Spring Training, but something still went wrong. The upside to this, is the Cardinals have had almost a month to figure out how they can fill his spot in the rotation. Had this had happened during the season, they would have had to scramble because every game counts against them, but in Spring Training they can throw out a couple of AAA guys and see how they do. All the while knowing that if they get shelled it isn't a big deal.
Spring Training is definitely an interesting time. You never know whether to put stock in the stats, or to be worried by slumps.
Here are the leaders for this year (as of March 22):
San Francisco leads the Cactus League with a record of 18-8.
Detroit leads the Grapefruit League with a record of 18-9.
Jake Fox, a catcher for the Orioles, leads everyone in homeruns with 7.
Chris Davis, a 1B with the Rangers, leads RBIs with 15.
Jeremy Reed, an OF with the Brewers, leads with 22 hits.
Darren Ford, an OF with the Giants, leads the SB category with 9.
Of all of these players, none have gone on to put up stellar seasons. This year could be different, but often, Spring Training tends to be a false hope of statistics, unless they are strange slumps.
I love to watch Spring Training games because you get to see the guys in AA and AAA try and make the MLB roster. Or you get to see that phenom rookie get his first action and see if he lives up to all the hype. It also signals the beginning of baseball season. However, I have learned that the stats often don't mean much, like the football preseason.
FANTASY:
In other news, we had our draft last night. And I used my tips that I blogged earlier and have a pretty decent team, I think. The only thing I worry about is power and saves, but here is my line up:
C: Brian McCann ATL
1B: Mitch Moreland TEX
2B: Dan Uggla ATL
3B: Martin Prado ATL
SS: Elvis Andrus TEX
2B/SS: Alexei Ramirez CWS
1B/3B: Pedro Alvarez PIT
OF: Delmon Young MIN
OF: Drew Stubbs CIN
OF: Nick Markakis BAL
OF: Grady Sizemore CLE
OF: Garrett Jones PIT
Bench: Justin Smoak SEA
Bench: Ryan Theriot STL
P: Felix Hernandez SEA
P: Justin Verlander DET
P: Tim Hudson ATL
P: Phil Hughes NYY
P: Trevor Cahill OAK
P: Matt Thornton CWS
P: Jonny Venters ATL
P: Joel Hanrahan PIT
P: Kevin Gregg BAL
Bench: Brian Duensing MIN
There you go, that is Karl Ravech's Favorite Team in all their glory.
Mark
It is one of my favorite times of the baseball year for a couple reasons.
1. I don't have to hear the same talk about the NFL Draft over and over and over.
2. It means that baseball is about to start.
Spring Training is an interesting animal though. You have to take it with a grain of salt, but at the same time you need to really pay attention to it.
For example, in 2009, the Philadelphia Phillies finished 13-19 in Spring Training and looked unimpressive. The Milwaukee Brewers on the other hand went 22-10 in the same year.
However, when the regular season was over the Phillies ended up winning 93 games and would eventually lose to the Yankees in the World Series, while the Brewers only won 80 and missed the playoffs.
Don't count out everything from Spring Training. Nate McLouth came into Spring Training in 2010 looking to fill a key role for the Braves as the lead-off hitter. However, something was off with him and he did the opposite of hit. At one point his batting average was a dismal .032, but fans kept hope alive that he could fix it.
He didn't. Instead of rallying in the season, McLouth continued to not hit. That plus multiple disabled list stints eventually forced him out of the line-up and forced the Braves to find a different CF answer. To his credit, he hit better after coming back late in the season (hitting .273 in Sept./Oct.), but he still ended with a .190 average.
 | |
| Poor, poor Cardinals |
Injuries happen, and Spring Training is no exception.
Take, for instance, Adam Wainwright. This Cardinals ace has put up 19 and 20 wins in the last two seasons and kept his ERA at a sub-3.00 level. Last year's NL Cy Young runner-up looked to be a major staple in the Cardinals' rotation, but now, after an elbow injury suffered in Spring Training, he might miss the entire 2011 season.
While that could be an excuse for less Spring Training, I see it as a reason to keep it. Who is to say he doesn't injure the same elbow on Opening Day? He definitely wasn't trying too hard during Spring Training, but something still went wrong. The upside to this, is the Cardinals have had almost a month to figure out how they can fill his spot in the rotation. Had this had happened during the season, they would have had to scramble because every game counts against them, but in Spring Training they can throw out a couple of AAA guys and see how they do. All the while knowing that if they get shelled it isn't a big deal.
Spring Training is definitely an interesting time. You never know whether to put stock in the stats, or to be worried by slumps.
Here are the leaders for this year (as of March 22):
San Francisco leads the Cactus League with a record of 18-8.
Detroit leads the Grapefruit League with a record of 18-9.
Jake Fox, a catcher for the Orioles, leads everyone in homeruns with 7.
Chris Davis, a 1B with the Rangers, leads RBIs with 15.
Jeremy Reed, an OF with the Brewers, leads with 22 hits.
Darren Ford, an OF with the Giants, leads the SB category with 9.
Of all of these players, none have gone on to put up stellar seasons. This year could be different, but often, Spring Training tends to be a false hope of statistics, unless they are strange slumps.
I love to watch Spring Training games because you get to see the guys in AA and AAA try and make the MLB roster. Or you get to see that phenom rookie get his first action and see if he lives up to all the hype. It also signals the beginning of baseball season. However, I have learned that the stats often don't mean much, like the football preseason.
FANTASY:
In other news, we had our draft last night. And I used my tips that I blogged earlier and have a pretty decent team, I think. The only thing I worry about is power and saves, but here is my line up:
C: Brian McCann ATL
1B: Mitch Moreland TEX
2B: Dan Uggla ATL
3B: Martin Prado ATL
SS: Elvis Andrus TEX
2B/SS: Alexei Ramirez CWS
1B/3B: Pedro Alvarez PIT
OF: Delmon Young MIN
OF: Drew Stubbs CIN
OF: Nick Markakis BAL
OF: Grady Sizemore CLE
OF: Garrett Jones PIT
Bench: Justin Smoak SEA
Bench: Ryan Theriot STL
P: Felix Hernandez SEA
P: Justin Verlander DET
P: Tim Hudson ATL
P: Phil Hughes NYY
P: Trevor Cahill OAK
P: Matt Thornton CWS
P: Jonny Venters ATL
P: Joel Hanrahan PIT
P: Kevin Gregg BAL
Bench: Brian Duensing MIN
There you go, that is Karl Ravech's Favorite Team in all their glory.
Mark
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Ides of March
It's finally March and you know what that means, right?
No, not those silly basketball tournaments. It's fantasy baseball time! The grandaddy of all fantasy sports is having its drafts all across the country.
The question is no longer: Will the NFL and the Players Association be able to reconcile and not force a lockout? (That one's a no.) But rather becomes: Do I take Albert Pujols with my first overall pick? (That one's a yes.)
No longer do controversies lie in conference tournament officiating...
(see the Big East and also note the Northwestern-Ohio State game: How does one guy, Luka Mirkovic, hold Jared Sullinger to 10 points [6-8 on free throws] through two halves of college basketball and only obtain one foul, but then get four fouls in under two minutes of overtime? {of which Sullinger was 10-10 from the charity stripe})
...but instead lie in Mets' finances and the Rangers' front office moves.
It is a wonderful time of the year. Spring Training has begun and fantasy GM's everywhere are chomping at the bit waiting for their drafts to start.
Here are some do's and do not's for your upcoming draft:
DO:
Think about drafting an ace early. A player like Roy Halladay or Felix Hernandez can anchor your staff and allow you to draft pitchers who tend to be really good or really bad (cough, cough...Scott Feldman in '09)
DON'T:
Draft a lot of pitchers early. Please note the "an ace" in the above hint. If you waste your early picks on pitching you will be stuck with lower-tier offensive players. And it is always easier to find a hidden pitching gem than it is to find an undrafted stud first baseman. (Scott Feldman had 17 wins in '09 and I picked him up off of free agents a month into the season.)
DO:
Think about picking up your middle infielders early. Elite fantasy talent in these positions is hard to come by this year. For instance:
Derek Jeter: Jeter is projected by ESPN as the 4th best shortstop in the MLB. However, he hit .270 last year as the lead-off hitter. (His worst average since his very first call-up [in '95], and worst ever for a full season.) Not only was his average down, but his Slugging Percentage (.370) and On-Base Percentage (.340) were also down. And while these aren't terrible stats, his age and the early indication that the Yankees have him leading off again this year are a cause for concern.
Chase Utley: Utley has been a top-tier second baseman for years. ESPN has him rated as the 6th best second baseman. However, he has steadily declined over the last 4 years. From 2007, his batting average has declined from .332 to .275, his on-base from .410 to .387 and his slugging from .566 to .445. Translated into fantasy stats: his homeruns dropped to 16 (after 3 of 4 seasons saw him hit 30+.), his doubles from 48 to 20 and his RBIs went from averaging 100 to 65. And while you can argue he was hurt last season, he has also already had surgery for a hip problem this year and has no timetable for his return.
I say all of this to warn you for waiting and ending up with middle infielders that hit 8th, while your opponents will have the guys that are hitting clean-up or lead off.
DON'T:
Rush on outfielders. Assuming you are in a 12-team league and need 3 outfielders, the last outfielder picked will theoretically be the 36th best outfielder. According to ESPN that is Bobby Abreu. This is what they have him projected to do:
90 runs, 17 HR, 85 RBI, 18 SB, and a .278 average. That is solid production. So don't feel rushed to spend your early picks on your outfield.
One final DON'T:
Do not get a closer early. I say this because you never know who is going to be good. Closers often will be hit or miss (Brad Lidge) and it is better to just wait it out and see what happens. For instance, you can draft Mariano Rivera early, but what happens if the Yankees are average? Say they either win big or lose. Then you have wasted your pick. San Diego was picked to tank last year, they were not supposed to be good. And yet, they were. Plus, their lack of offense led to close games, which gave Heath Bell multiple opportunities. Closers are a fickle group, know that as you think about drafting one too early.
I encourage you all to join a league if you have never played before. It is fun and easy to figure out. Multiple websites have free leagues (ESPN, Yahoo, etc.), so join up and enjoy America's Pastime even more.
Mark
(all stats were pulled from ESPN or www.baseball-reference.com, the image was google seached and the video was from youtube)
No, not those silly basketball tournaments. It's fantasy baseball time! The grandaddy of all fantasy sports is having its drafts all across the country.
The question is no longer: Will the NFL and the Players Association be able to reconcile and not force a lockout? (That one's a no.) But rather becomes: Do I take Albert Pujols with my first overall pick? (That one's a yes.)
No longer do controversies lie in conference tournament officiating...
(see the Big East and also note the Northwestern-Ohio State game: How does one guy, Luka Mirkovic, hold Jared Sullinger to 10 points [6-8 on free throws] through two halves of college basketball and only obtain one foul, but then get four fouls in under two minutes of overtime? {of which Sullinger was 10-10 from the charity stripe})
...but instead lie in Mets' finances and the Rangers' front office moves.
It is a wonderful time of the year. Spring Training has begun and fantasy GM's everywhere are chomping at the bit waiting for their drafts to start.
Here are some do's and do not's for your upcoming draft:
DO:
Think about drafting an ace early. A player like Roy Halladay or Felix Hernandez can anchor your staff and allow you to draft pitchers who tend to be really good or really bad (cough, cough...Scott Feldman in '09)
DON'T:
Draft a lot of pitchers early. Please note the "an ace" in the above hint. If you waste your early picks on pitching you will be stuck with lower-tier offensive players. And it is always easier to find a hidden pitching gem than it is to find an undrafted stud first baseman. (Scott Feldman had 17 wins in '09 and I picked him up off of free agents a month into the season.)
DO:
Think about picking up your middle infielders early. Elite fantasy talent in these positions is hard to come by this year. For instance:
He's hard not to like (admit it Red Sox fans, you like him.)
Derek Jeter: Jeter is projected by ESPN as the 4th best shortstop in the MLB. However, he hit .270 last year as the lead-off hitter. (His worst average since his very first call-up [in '95], and worst ever for a full season.) Not only was his average down, but his Slugging Percentage (.370) and On-Base Percentage (.340) were also down. And while these aren't terrible stats, his age and the early indication that the Yankees have him leading off again this year are a cause for concern.
Chase Utley: Utley has been a top-tier second baseman for years. ESPN has him rated as the 6th best second baseman. However, he has steadily declined over the last 4 years. From 2007, his batting average has declined from .332 to .275, his on-base from .410 to .387 and his slugging from .566 to .445. Translated into fantasy stats: his homeruns dropped to 16 (after 3 of 4 seasons saw him hit 30+.), his doubles from 48 to 20 and his RBIs went from averaging 100 to 65. And while you can argue he was hurt last season, he has also already had surgery for a hip problem this year and has no timetable for his return.
I say all of this to warn you for waiting and ending up with middle infielders that hit 8th, while your opponents will have the guys that are hitting clean-up or lead off.
DON'T:
Rush on outfielders. Assuming you are in a 12-team league and need 3 outfielders, the last outfielder picked will theoretically be the 36th best outfielder. According to ESPN that is Bobby Abreu. This is what they have him projected to do:
90 runs, 17 HR, 85 RBI, 18 SB, and a .278 average. That is solid production. So don't feel rushed to spend your early picks on your outfield.
One final DON'T:
Do not get a closer early. I say this because you never know who is going to be good. Closers often will be hit or miss (Brad Lidge) and it is better to just wait it out and see what happens. For instance, you can draft Mariano Rivera early, but what happens if the Yankees are average? Say they either win big or lose. Then you have wasted your pick. San Diego was picked to tank last year, they were not supposed to be good. And yet, they were. Plus, their lack of offense led to close games, which gave Heath Bell multiple opportunities. Closers are a fickle group, know that as you think about drafting one too early.
I encourage you all to join a league if you have never played before. It is fun and easy to figure out. Multiple websites have free leagues (ESPN, Yahoo, etc.), so join up and enjoy America's Pastime even more.
Mark
(all stats were pulled from ESPN or www.baseball-reference.com, the image was google seached and the video was from youtube)
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