The sunlight arrived unexpectedly early this morning. As I lay in my bed and opened my eyes, I realized it was lighter in my bedroom than it has been in quite some time. I heard an owl hoot conspicuously in the distance. The succinct sound was followed by the chirping of a seagull. The seabird’s familiar call captured my attention and I climbed out of bed. As my blurry eyes opened the blinds on my window, the urge to go outside suddenly surfaced. Spring is so near and it was one of those mornings where I could take my bike out for a trail ride. Soon I will bring my bike down from my apartment, tumbling down the stairs, and ride off to the bike shop for the annual tune-up. I look forward to that first ride of the year, after the long, cold winter months of being inside starting at my lonely bicycle. It’s still too cold to go outside and ride, even if I bundled up a bit. Tomorrow the weather forecast is calling for sleet and snow. March comes in like a lion but goes out like a lamb. I can’t wait for the lamb.
Biking is a liberating activity. I enjoy riding aimlessly through my small hometown, passing the brick buildings, old houses and snug stores and shops. Trail riding is more unfettering because you can lose your mind in the moment. The rocky gravel and dirt paths are placid and pleasant. Trees and small shrubs appear out of nowhere and tiny animals scutter across my path with instant trepidation. I love the sound of the birds because it reminds me of lounging on the beach during summer. The first ride of the year is a test of stamina and I slowly shift gears as I pace myself for the journey. There are no limits to where my bike will take me. As long as the wheels continue to spin, the brakes allow me to stop, and the handlebars guide the way, I can keep going. I love to feel the breezy air and the sweat drip from my helmet.
My bike still sits against the wall but soon the tires will be firm with air and the chain will be lubricated. I’ll shine up the paint and dust off the rust. The seat will feel brand new as I take the road. That first tune-up brings new life to an old toy. It’s instant gratification. The first ride of the year is well worth the wait. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. It’s true.
For now, I think I will relax inside with some old TV shows, some scorching coffee, some new music and some Spring baseball on the radio. It’s easy enough to catch up with indoor activities when the lion is still roaring.
Parting points: “I’m hanging on here until I’m gone, I’m right where I belong, just hanging on even though I pass this time alone somewhere so unknown, it heals the soul”- February Stars by Foo Fighters
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Muscle Minded
Strength and smarts, brains and brawn, muscles and mind are all major factors in competitive athletics. One is no more important than the other in my opinion. You need to have a keen knowledge of your sport, just as much as you are required to prove powerful. These two characteristics create colossal athletes with supreme attributes and advantages. They apply to all athletes no matter the sport.
The ability to perform at the professional level is a gift few people possess. The skills and talent of athletes must be present and shouldn’t be undermined. An understanding of the game is equally vital. Knowledge comes from practice, patience, experience, success and failure. The best athletes make necessary changes, adjust their game and improve themselves constantly. Top-notch players want to learn from past mistakes and take those humble lessons with them to achieve success at even higher levels. Physically and mentally, premier performers plan and prepare their bodies. They take care of the single most important asset--their bodies.
Two particular players come to my mind when I ponder the two essential ingredients in creating an ideal professional athlete--the Yankees’ Mark Teixeria and the Devils’ Martin Brodeur.
Marty returned to net for New Jersey last night for the first time since November 1st. In hockey terms, he was tripped up for sure. Brodeur blasted his way back by blanking the Avalanche on 24 shots for a 4-0 Devils win. It was his 99th career shutout. Brodeur’s phenomenal effort behind goal is extreme and amazing. He is so focused, so strong and slick and has impeccable instincts and rapid reflexes for a goalie. I was impressed Martin didn’t miss a beat but not surprised. He was sidelined three months with an elbow injury but came back just as solid as before. Number 30 moved so well, going from left to right, like the all-time great he is. You could tell how motivated his teammates were playing behind their Hall of Fame net minder. Brodeur’s brains are just as powerful a tool as his burly biceps. He knows hockey and challenges any player who tries to sneak one past him. Opponents attempt to pick his bran with minimal success. When Marty’s in pads and working out on the ice, sit back and enjoy him for all he’s worth.
Mark Teixeria tallied his first Yankee hit yesterday afternoon. He swung from the left side of the plate and reached base safely. I hope it was the first of many, many hits Mark will acquire this season in NY. Teixeria’s a smart a hitter as they come. He swings at good pitches, lays of the bad ones, and knows how to work the count. Mark plays baseball the way it was meant to be played. I love his relaxed approach and switch hitting ability. Mark is a proven power bat and his muscular physique matches his baseball wit. Both are excellent. You cannot ask for more from this sure-handed fielder with exactly the correct mechanics. Watching Teixeria play first base makes me smile. Mark must have been taught by the book growing up on the field. The Gold Glove first baseman continues to get better each year defensively. His arm is like a cannon and his fielding approach awe-inspiring. The part of playing baseball often overlooked is knowing what to do in any given situation. Mark is a situational player and plays the part so well. He knows where to throw the ball to make the right plays and where to hit to advance the runners. If ever there was a well-rounded athlete with smarts and stamina, Teixeira is it.
Parting points: Song of the day- “Read My
The ability to perform at the professional level is a gift few people possess. The skills and talent of athletes must be present and shouldn’t be undermined. An understanding of the game is equally vital. Knowledge comes from practice, patience, experience, success and failure. The best athletes make necessary changes, adjust their game and improve themselves constantly. Top-notch players want to learn from past mistakes and take those humble lessons with them to achieve success at even higher levels. Physically and mentally, premier performers plan and prepare their bodies. They take care of the single most important asset--their bodies.
Two particular players come to my mind when I ponder the two essential ingredients in creating an ideal professional athlete--the Yankees’ Mark Teixeria and the Devils’ Martin Brodeur.
Marty returned to net for New Jersey last night for the first time since November 1st. In hockey terms, he was tripped up for sure. Brodeur blasted his way back by blanking the Avalanche on 24 shots for a 4-0 Devils win. It was his 99th career shutout. Brodeur’s phenomenal effort behind goal is extreme and amazing. He is so focused, so strong and slick and has impeccable instincts and rapid reflexes for a goalie. I was impressed Martin didn’t miss a beat but not surprised. He was sidelined three months with an elbow injury but came back just as solid as before. Number 30 moved so well, going from left to right, like the all-time great he is. You could tell how motivated his teammates were playing behind their Hall of Fame net minder. Brodeur’s brains are just as powerful a tool as his burly biceps. He knows hockey and challenges any player who tries to sneak one past him. Opponents attempt to pick his bran with minimal success. When Marty’s in pads and working out on the ice, sit back and enjoy him for all he’s worth.
Mark Teixeria tallied his first Yankee hit yesterday afternoon. He swung from the left side of the plate and reached base safely. I hope it was the first of many, many hits Mark will acquire this season in NY. Teixeria’s a smart a hitter as they come. He swings at good pitches, lays of the bad ones, and knows how to work the count. Mark plays baseball the way it was meant to be played. I love his relaxed approach and switch hitting ability. Mark is a proven power bat and his muscular physique matches his baseball wit. Both are excellent. You cannot ask for more from this sure-handed fielder with exactly the correct mechanics. Watching Teixeria play first base makes me smile. Mark must have been taught by the book growing up on the field. The Gold Glove first baseman continues to get better each year defensively. His arm is like a cannon and his fielding approach awe-inspiring. The part of playing baseball often overlooked is knowing what to do in any given situation. Mark is a situational player and plays the part so well. He knows where to throw the ball to make the right plays and where to hit to advance the runners. If ever there was a well-rounded athlete with smarts and stamina, Teixeira is it.
Parting points: Song of the day- “Read My
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Baseball's Brewin'
“Don’t take your eye off the ball!” “Choke up on the bat!” “Keep your butt down!” “Don’t lock your elbows!”
Let the sanctimonious, smug screeches and screams begin. The fundamentals of baseball never change. The cadence and tempo of nine innings is enticing, fascinating and captivating. The game is played throughout the world by people of all races, colors, ethnicities and nationalities. Girls, boys, men and women all participate in America’s pastime yet the game and rules remain the same.
Baseball is one of the few things I cherish most in life. The thought of a ballgame gets me up in the morning. It has since I first discovered the game and owned my first Yankees shirt. The shirt was white with blue pinstripes and a Yankee symbol on the left breast side. I even had matching navy blue shorts. I still have my first baseball bat and I still remember the joy of swinging it for the very first time. My favorite toys growing up were Legos and jacks. I loved bouncing the rubber ball then quickly scraping up the metal pointed stars called jacks. Legos were endless fun because of the endless possible figures I could construct. These games have lasting memories too but they lost their novelty over time. I still consider them creative and inventive ways to utilize time. But baseball is a timeless game. Baseball is that toy that never wears out, gets old or stops electrifying and stimulating. Every year, the game brings out the kid in me like no manufactured product can. Baseball is best described as something that is indescribable. It sets off emotions that cannot be duplicated by constructing a Lego house or winning at jacks. It is the best game because it has tangible and intangible qualities.
These days, the first thing I do when I wake up is scan the box scores in the newspaper. I keep score during games on a piece of notebook paper just for fun. I attend any game on any sandlot in any town just for the game’s sake.
Baseball on the major league level is still my passion. Steroids hasn’t ruined the game itself for me and I doubt it ever will. Where else can you see Pirates and Indians smacking the ball around and clashing on the same turf? Outside the ballpark, who gets away with mismatching Red and White Sox? How often do Marlins chase after Tigers or Bluejays and Orioles fly to meet each other in the summer? When do Cardinals really ever look forward to facing Cubs? How do sea-faring Mariners learn to play with forest-protecting Rangers? Why would a Diamondback be threatened by an Angel in the desert? Royals and Padres compete for supremacy, Yankees and Nationals make their pitches for pride, and Braves battle it out with Reds without the use of bow and arrow? Mets, Astros, Dodgers and Phillies? They all try to challenge each other every year Whether there are Twins or Giants seldom matters to me. Rockies build up and Brewers distill on my precious field. Where there’s an Athletic, there’s a Ray. The sun always shines brighter when baseball is on its way.
Parting points: Keeping with the birthday theme, I hope two of my favorites celebrate in style. Happy birthday to #21 Paul O’Neill and 98 degrees crooner, Justin Jeffre today.
Let the sanctimonious, smug screeches and screams begin. The fundamentals of baseball never change. The cadence and tempo of nine innings is enticing, fascinating and captivating. The game is played throughout the world by people of all races, colors, ethnicities and nationalities. Girls, boys, men and women all participate in America’s pastime yet the game and rules remain the same.
Baseball is one of the few things I cherish most in life. The thought of a ballgame gets me up in the morning. It has since I first discovered the game and owned my first Yankees shirt. The shirt was white with blue pinstripes and a Yankee symbol on the left breast side. I even had matching navy blue shorts. I still have my first baseball bat and I still remember the joy of swinging it for the very first time. My favorite toys growing up were Legos and jacks. I loved bouncing the rubber ball then quickly scraping up the metal pointed stars called jacks. Legos were endless fun because of the endless possible figures I could construct. These games have lasting memories too but they lost their novelty over time. I still consider them creative and inventive ways to utilize time. But baseball is a timeless game. Baseball is that toy that never wears out, gets old or stops electrifying and stimulating. Every year, the game brings out the kid in me like no manufactured product can. Baseball is best described as something that is indescribable. It sets off emotions that cannot be duplicated by constructing a Lego house or winning at jacks. It is the best game because it has tangible and intangible qualities.
These days, the first thing I do when I wake up is scan the box scores in the newspaper. I keep score during games on a piece of notebook paper just for fun. I attend any game on any sandlot in any town just for the game’s sake.
Baseball on the major league level is still my passion. Steroids hasn’t ruined the game itself for me and I doubt it ever will. Where else can you see Pirates and Indians smacking the ball around and clashing on the same turf? Outside the ballpark, who gets away with mismatching Red and White Sox? How often do Marlins chase after Tigers or Bluejays and Orioles fly to meet each other in the summer? When do Cardinals really ever look forward to facing Cubs? How do sea-faring Mariners learn to play with forest-protecting Rangers? Why would a Diamondback be threatened by an Angel in the desert? Royals and Padres compete for supremacy, Yankees and Nationals make their pitches for pride, and Braves battle it out with Reds without the use of bow and arrow? Mets, Astros, Dodgers and Phillies? They all try to challenge each other every year Whether there are Twins or Giants seldom matters to me. Rockies build up and Brewers distill on my precious field. Where there’s an Athletic, there’s a Ray. The sun always shines brighter when baseball is on its way.
Parting points: Keeping with the birthday theme, I hope two of my favorites celebrate in style. Happy birthday to #21 Paul O’Neill and 98 degrees crooner, Justin Jeffre today.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Spring Spotlight
The 81st Academy Awards took place Sunday evening as Hollywood honored the best of the motion picture industry. There are no film reels in the Cactus or Grapefruit Leagues of Major League Baseball, unless you consider the countless tapes of the sports’ scouts. Players often break down their own film and I am sure most of them go to the movies every now and then. Spring training games begin tomorrow and here are my nominees for baseball’s version of the Oscars. I doubt any of the nominees will deliver a memorable acceptance speech anytime soon, but they deserve mentioning. I think White Sox Manager, Ozzie Guillen, or perhaps Commissioner Bud Selig, would make the best host.
Best Pitcher (Picture):
Cole Hamels- The World Series MVP from last year is younger than I am but has the red carpet experience needed. He could be the next Tom Hanks if he continues to put up numbers like the 14-10 record, 3.09 ERA and 4-0 playoff mark with 13 strikeouts in the LCS alone.
Johan Santana- This lefty had a 16-7 2008 record and possesses all the poise and presence of a Brad Pitt type. He has grace and star power to go along with the New York bright lights he has to endure. Without Santana, I shudder to think where the Mets would have finished the season. Without Pitt, I don’t want to think what Hollywood would be missing.
CC Sabathia- The hefty hurler dropped the periods after his initials but carried the load down the stretch for the Brewers last year. He is only 28 and struck out 251 hitters. CC is the big man for the Yankees, kind of like the fun loving actor John Candy was in his day.
Roy Halladay- Roy is a mysterious and quiet veteran, and also a 20 game winner. Roy’s repertoire is resounding but playing in Canada certainly spoils his stock. Halladay and Dan Akroyd, the Canadian born actor, have much in common.
Tim Lincecum- Tough Tim’s celebrity is only beginning to be on display. He has stage appeal because of his ripeness. The reigning NL CY Young winner is one of the top three pitchers in baseball. His 18-5 record is even more impressive because he throws for a losing Giants team. Lincecum is like the young and gifted, James Franco.
Best music
Barry Zito- This laid-back surfing lefthander still throws one of the game’s most beautiful 9-5 curveballs. Zito is as easygoing as any rocker but he is also very vulnerable. It’s too bad Barry’s gigantic contract hasn’t paid off for San Francisco. But the guy knows his music and has an incredible interest in that. Zito likes to get jiggy with it just like Will Smith.
Jimmy Rollins- Rollins has swagger and rhythm on and off the field. Jimmy makes things happens, and oh yeah, he also has a World Series ring. The slugger is a team leader and owns a music label. J-Roll, as he likes to be called, loves Samuel L. Jackson, and even
recorded his own hip-hop single.
Bronson Arroyo- The former Red Sox has a CD called, “Covering the Bases” in which he covers popular rock tunes. He pitches for Cincinnati now and is looking for another solid 15 win season. Arroyo threw 200 innings for the Reds in 2008. He seems to be as cool as Ben Stiller is on baseball’s biggest stage too.
Best Cinematography
The ballfield is a stage where players perform and show their skills. These parks rank as the cream of the crop.
PNC Park- The precious Pittsburgh Pirates may not be able to hit the broad side of a barn, but give the organization an ovation for a stellar stadium. PNC is no Slumdog Millionaire. You would be hard-pressed to find trash heeps, gangsters or urban violence in this venue. The delicious delicacies, family-oriented and friendly atmosphere, and awesome amenities are modern and ritzy.
Wrigley Field- What better way to take in a day game than Wrigley’s friendly confines? Decked in ivy, this fantastic feature is unlike anything else in professional sports. It doesn’t matter how hapless the hometown team plays. The Chicago field has practically aged backwards like Benjamin Button did in the flick. And, the ancient ballpark compares just as well to the length of the epic Oscar nominee.
Yankee Stadium- The grandiose arena of them all is located in New York. The new stadium will never live up to the original. In that sense, Yankee Stadium is the Dark Knight of baseball. The film was filled with adventure, a haunting tale and plenty of memorable scenes, but it just was not the same as the first Batman movie. Yankee Stadium II will be a popular tourist trap this year for all baseball fans. They will want a glimpse and a game in the new venue, but will soon realize the old park is majestic and missed.
Best Actor
Albert Pujols- Year in and year out, the 29 year old finds himself contending for league MVP. He never wilts under pressure and rarely breaks down. Pujols his a startling .357 with 37 homers last year for St. Louis. He is athletic, and the Russell Crowe of baseball. He plays huge roles but receives little recognition or fame, perhaps because people take his ability for granted. Crowe hides out Australia mostly, and Albert frequent his birthplace in the Dominican Republic.
Alex Rodriguez- The Yankees 3B is baseball’s most well-known. No, he isn’t being nominated for his ability to act naïve in numerous steroid press conferences. Sean Penn said Sunday how hard he makes it for the media to appreciate him. The same goes for Rodriguez. Arod and Penn are super talented at what they do, but no very well-liked. Penn portrayed a controversial role in the hit, Milk. Arod plays a controversial ballplayer everyday.
John Smoltz- Smoltz may have nothing on Mickey Rourke, but both were inspired to re-invent themselves this year. Smoltz is a former starter and closer with a storied history in Atlanta. He has a new outlook and new home in Boston. Rourke came back to play a remarkable role as an athlete in The Wrestler.
Best Director
Terry Francona-Ron Howard was nominated for Frost/Nixon this year. The famous director is charming and comical and very much a part of pop culture. Francona quickly made a name for himself around the country by restoring the Red Sox to glory and nixing the curse of the Bambino. That was no easy task. His team is now a contender every season and like Howard, whenever he is in the director’s seat, people tune in and take notice.
Joe Maddon- The miracle turnaround in Tampa Bay is one of the best stories from last season. Maddon catapulted the young Rays in the game’s toughest division. He used the cards he was dealt and did not skip a beat along the way. The team has a clear chip on their shoulder now that they’ve tasted the post-season for the first time. David Fincher received his first Best Director nomination for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button after years of hit-or-miss, take-it-or-leave-it work. The nod reminds me of Maddon because he played 31 years of minor league baseball. Joe never reached the majors but ended up in the World Series anyway. He won 2008 manager of the year.
Jerry Manuel- Jerry is a tough choice and may not be the best. But, if Manuel can somehow get the Mets to play to their level, he deserves the award. He has overcome some early setbacks already and is very well-liked by his players. It’s clear he’s in the driver’s seat. Manuel is a player’s manager in every sense of the phrase. Steven Speilberg is gifted at directing but is often criticized for being too sentimental at the expense of other aspects. Manuel could fall into that same category. If he does, he will find himself out of a job like Willie Randolph. Both Speilberg and Manuel know how to deal with big budgets too.
Supporting Actor
Dustin Pedroia- The aggressive, scrappy and self-sufficient infielder has heart and unpresumptuous power for his size. He isn’t very reserved but his confidence is not of the cocky kind either. The league and team MVP in Boston last year, Dustin plays a supporting role to bigger stars, David Ortiz and Jason Varitek. He’s like Casey Affleck in he has his own identity while still being associated with more talented teammates.
Magglio Ordonez- Expect a standout year for Mags as Detroit anticipates a better season. Last year, Ordonez drove in over 100 runs and clubbed a .317 batting average. He’s been an all-star for the Tigers and lies somewhat in the shadows of Miguel Cabrera and Gary Sheffield. Ordonez mans a mean right field and sports a sweet right-handed swing. His approach to the game compares to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s. Both have diverse and impressive resumes to distinguish their not-so publicized careers.
Lance Berkman- The switch-hitting Houston 1B has played a supporting role for 10 seasons. He’s consistently good at hitting for a high average and extra-baggers. Lance is just as brilliant, if not better, in the playoffs during his career (162 games). Berkman seems like one of the “boys”. He reminds me of a Billy Bob Thornton character. Lance is not as eccentric but still has major moments. Berkman is a former College Player of the Year and Thornton actually was a decent HS player. He even tried out for the KC Royals. Thornton was raised a Methodist and The Berk is an outspoken Christian.
Costume Design
Manny Ramirez- for his dreadlocks
Derek Jeter- for his overall fashion and cologne line
Francisco Rodriguez- for the glasses he wears on the mound
Foreign (Film) Player
Hiroki Kuroda- pitcher for the Dodgers, from Japan
Ichiro Suzuki- RF for the Mariners, from Japan
Daisuke Matsuzaka- pitcher for the Red Sox, from Japan
Kosuke Fukudome- RF for the Cubs, from Japan
Parting points: Happy birthday to someone who deserves an Academy just for being herself-my mother! Love ya mom!
Best Pitcher (Picture):
Cole Hamels- The World Series MVP from last year is younger than I am but has the red carpet experience needed. He could be the next Tom Hanks if he continues to put up numbers like the 14-10 record, 3.09 ERA and 4-0 playoff mark with 13 strikeouts in the LCS alone.
Johan Santana- This lefty had a 16-7 2008 record and possesses all the poise and presence of a Brad Pitt type. He has grace and star power to go along with the New York bright lights he has to endure. Without Santana, I shudder to think where the Mets would have finished the season. Without Pitt, I don’t want to think what Hollywood would be missing.
CC Sabathia- The hefty hurler dropped the periods after his initials but carried the load down the stretch for the Brewers last year. He is only 28 and struck out 251 hitters. CC is the big man for the Yankees, kind of like the fun loving actor John Candy was in his day.
Roy Halladay- Roy is a mysterious and quiet veteran, and also a 20 game winner. Roy’s repertoire is resounding but playing in Canada certainly spoils his stock. Halladay and Dan Akroyd, the Canadian born actor, have much in common.
Tim Lincecum- Tough Tim’s celebrity is only beginning to be on display. He has stage appeal because of his ripeness. The reigning NL CY Young winner is one of the top three pitchers in baseball. His 18-5 record is even more impressive because he throws for a losing Giants team. Lincecum is like the young and gifted, James Franco.
Best music
Barry Zito- This laid-back surfing lefthander still throws one of the game’s most beautiful 9-5 curveballs. Zito is as easygoing as any rocker but he is also very vulnerable. It’s too bad Barry’s gigantic contract hasn’t paid off for San Francisco. But the guy knows his music and has an incredible interest in that. Zito likes to get jiggy with it just like Will Smith.
Jimmy Rollins- Rollins has swagger and rhythm on and off the field. Jimmy makes things happens, and oh yeah, he also has a World Series ring. The slugger is a team leader and owns a music label. J-Roll, as he likes to be called, loves Samuel L. Jackson, and even
recorded his own hip-hop single.
Bronson Arroyo- The former Red Sox has a CD called, “Covering the Bases” in which he covers popular rock tunes. He pitches for Cincinnati now and is looking for another solid 15 win season. Arroyo threw 200 innings for the Reds in 2008. He seems to be as cool as Ben Stiller is on baseball’s biggest stage too.
Best Cinematography
The ballfield is a stage where players perform and show their skills. These parks rank as the cream of the crop.
PNC Park- The precious Pittsburgh Pirates may not be able to hit the broad side of a barn, but give the organization an ovation for a stellar stadium. PNC is no Slumdog Millionaire. You would be hard-pressed to find trash heeps, gangsters or urban violence in this venue. The delicious delicacies, family-oriented and friendly atmosphere, and awesome amenities are modern and ritzy.
Wrigley Field- What better way to take in a day game than Wrigley’s friendly confines? Decked in ivy, this fantastic feature is unlike anything else in professional sports. It doesn’t matter how hapless the hometown team plays. The Chicago field has practically aged backwards like Benjamin Button did in the flick. And, the ancient ballpark compares just as well to the length of the epic Oscar nominee.
Yankee Stadium- The grandiose arena of them all is located in New York. The new stadium will never live up to the original. In that sense, Yankee Stadium is the Dark Knight of baseball. The film was filled with adventure, a haunting tale and plenty of memorable scenes, but it just was not the same as the first Batman movie. Yankee Stadium II will be a popular tourist trap this year for all baseball fans. They will want a glimpse and a game in the new venue, but will soon realize the old park is majestic and missed.
Best Actor
Albert Pujols- Year in and year out, the 29 year old finds himself contending for league MVP. He never wilts under pressure and rarely breaks down. Pujols his a startling .357 with 37 homers last year for St. Louis. He is athletic, and the Russell Crowe of baseball. He plays huge roles but receives little recognition or fame, perhaps because people take his ability for granted. Crowe hides out Australia mostly, and Albert frequent his birthplace in the Dominican Republic.
Alex Rodriguez- The Yankees 3B is baseball’s most well-known. No, he isn’t being nominated for his ability to act naïve in numerous steroid press conferences. Sean Penn said Sunday how hard he makes it for the media to appreciate him. The same goes for Rodriguez. Arod and Penn are super talented at what they do, but no very well-liked. Penn portrayed a controversial role in the hit, Milk. Arod plays a controversial ballplayer everyday.
John Smoltz- Smoltz may have nothing on Mickey Rourke, but both were inspired to re-invent themselves this year. Smoltz is a former starter and closer with a storied history in Atlanta. He has a new outlook and new home in Boston. Rourke came back to play a remarkable role as an athlete in The Wrestler.
Best Director
Terry Francona-Ron Howard was nominated for Frost/Nixon this year. The famous director is charming and comical and very much a part of pop culture. Francona quickly made a name for himself around the country by restoring the Red Sox to glory and nixing the curse of the Bambino. That was no easy task. His team is now a contender every season and like Howard, whenever he is in the director’s seat, people tune in and take notice.
Joe Maddon- The miracle turnaround in Tampa Bay is one of the best stories from last season. Maddon catapulted the young Rays in the game’s toughest division. He used the cards he was dealt and did not skip a beat along the way. The team has a clear chip on their shoulder now that they’ve tasted the post-season for the first time. David Fincher received his first Best Director nomination for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button after years of hit-or-miss, take-it-or-leave-it work. The nod reminds me of Maddon because he played 31 years of minor league baseball. Joe never reached the majors but ended up in the World Series anyway. He won 2008 manager of the year.
Jerry Manuel- Jerry is a tough choice and may not be the best. But, if Manuel can somehow get the Mets to play to their level, he deserves the award. He has overcome some early setbacks already and is very well-liked by his players. It’s clear he’s in the driver’s seat. Manuel is a player’s manager in every sense of the phrase. Steven Speilberg is gifted at directing but is often criticized for being too sentimental at the expense of other aspects. Manuel could fall into that same category. If he does, he will find himself out of a job like Willie Randolph. Both Speilberg and Manuel know how to deal with big budgets too.
Supporting Actor
Dustin Pedroia- The aggressive, scrappy and self-sufficient infielder has heart and unpresumptuous power for his size. He isn’t very reserved but his confidence is not of the cocky kind either. The league and team MVP in Boston last year, Dustin plays a supporting role to bigger stars, David Ortiz and Jason Varitek. He’s like Casey Affleck in he has his own identity while still being associated with more talented teammates.
Magglio Ordonez- Expect a standout year for Mags as Detroit anticipates a better season. Last year, Ordonez drove in over 100 runs and clubbed a .317 batting average. He’s been an all-star for the Tigers and lies somewhat in the shadows of Miguel Cabrera and Gary Sheffield. Ordonez mans a mean right field and sports a sweet right-handed swing. His approach to the game compares to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s. Both have diverse and impressive resumes to distinguish their not-so publicized careers.
Lance Berkman- The switch-hitting Houston 1B has played a supporting role for 10 seasons. He’s consistently good at hitting for a high average and extra-baggers. Lance is just as brilliant, if not better, in the playoffs during his career (162 games). Berkman seems like one of the “boys”. He reminds me of a Billy Bob Thornton character. Lance is not as eccentric but still has major moments. Berkman is a former College Player of the Year and Thornton actually was a decent HS player. He even tried out for the KC Royals. Thornton was raised a Methodist and The Berk is an outspoken Christian.
Costume Design
Manny Ramirez- for his dreadlocks
Derek Jeter- for his overall fashion and cologne line
Francisco Rodriguez- for the glasses he wears on the mound
Foreign (Film) Player
Hiroki Kuroda- pitcher for the Dodgers, from Japan
Ichiro Suzuki- RF for the Mariners, from Japan
Daisuke Matsuzaka- pitcher for the Red Sox, from Japan
Kosuke Fukudome- RF for the Cubs, from Japan
Parting points: Happy birthday to someone who deserves an Academy just for being herself-my mother! Love ya mom!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Armed and Athletic
The alluring Oakland A’s acquired one of the off-seasons’ most sought-after free agents, Matt Holliday. Historically, Oakland has relied heavily on the arms of their rotation to carry the load for the team. They have been anemic on offense yet have had some success in the playoffs because of their pitching prowess. How will the West be won this season? Not with arms. The A’s need Holliday, homerun giant, Jason Giambi and oft-injured Eric Chavez to bash the ball like the 1980’s Bash Brother A’s. The Athletics cannot simply skate by with their pitching because they lack the star power they formerly enjoyed.
The 29 year old righty Holliday is a career .319 hitter who plays an lustrous left field. The former Colorado Rockie appreciated and took pleasure in the hitter-friendly Corrs Field for five seasons. He joins the Bay Area A’s and switches over to the American League. Holliday slugged 128 homeruns in those five years and drove in 483. As Oakland looks to return to the playoffs, the team will definitely expect Matt to provide many a scoring opportunity with his big bat.
Manager, Bob Geren, is searching for his first winning season as Oakland skipper. Geren’s coaching staff embodies changes at they embark on a new season and break camp this Spring. Tye Waller is slotted as the new bench coach. Waller moves over from that same role at third base. Replacing Tye is former A’s infielder, Mike Gallego. Jim Skaalen is the new Oakland hitting coach.
As far as the roster goes, Oakland returns most of the position players from a year ago and they are a mediocre set. The team has a mix of young and old professionals in the arms department. The starting rotation lacks experience, even though the projected Opening Day starter made the all-star team in 2008. Justin Duchscherer is Oakland’s number one righty as long as he’s ready to throw by April. His 2008 season was cut short because of a hip injury. The four other starters are all under age 25. They included lefty, Dana Eveland, righty, Sean Gallagher and lefty, Dallas Braden. Jose Outman and Gio Gonzalez are competing for the fifth starter. Gonzalez had an over 7 ERA in 2008 in just 10 games. Outman went 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA in only 6 appearances, so both are novices with little expected in their first full years at the helm. Brad Ziegler is the team closer and he is a participant in the World Baseball Classic for team USA. The rest of the bullpen includes Joey Devine, Russ Springer, Jerry Blevins, Michael Wuertz and Santiago Casilla. Newcomers who could pan out as either starters or relievers are prospects, Vin Mazzaro, Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill. Devine will likely close games in place of Ziegler the sidewinder too. Both relievers could be setup men or star as saviors. Blevins is only in his second year and it’s hard to forecast what he will bring. Casilla is inconsistent and sometimes incompetent. Springer is a surefire and reliable right hander who pitched well in the National League for the Reds last year. A switch to American League ball won’t do anything to help his ERA (an impressive 2.32 in 2008) but he still looks to be a good fit here.
Holliday’s bat is guaranteed to contribute positively at the three hole in the lineup. His outfield mates, CF Ryan Sweeney and RF Jack Cust, will probably hit safely before him. DH Giambi returns to the team where he earned an MVP and was a fan favorite. Giambi hits cleanup and could play some first base. Jason might switch to the 3rd or 5th spot depending on the pitcher and other player streaks. Cust and Holliday are both capable of cleaning up and Geren might use that as motivation for them. 3B Chavez returns from an injury-plagued year to find himself batting 5th, while emerging all-star, Mark Ellis, is pegged for 6th. Ellis is an original Oakland Athletic and has been through the ringer as their second baseman. He does not play sloppy. In fact, his glove is a nifty one, especially alongside the flashy shortstop, Bobby Crosby. Crosby’s potential is enormous but the front office is losing patience with him. They seem to still be waiting for Crosby to explode at the plate. Instead, he continues to stock up strikeouts and hit into double plays. Bobby worked with Holliday and former slugger, Mark McGwire, to re-tool his swing this winter. In any case, he will probably find himself batting 9th. With only 7 homeruns and a .237 average, Crosby needs to start strong and cream the ball or he could be riding the pine come May. The A’s have expressed interest in signing Orlando Cabrera at shortstop. Catcher, Kurt Suzuki and 1B Daric Barton, land at the 7th and 8th spots, respectively, for the Oakland offense.
25 year old, Travis Buck, will see time in RF. Buck has had successful power streaks but it too fickle to play everyday. Infielders, Jack Hannahan and Cliff Pennington are quality reserve players. Both could replace Chavez if he needs downtime or is overworked and tired. Jeff Baisley is another infield backup showing promise, and Ben Copeland has a chance to produce form an outfield position. Copeland was picked up from San Francisco in the Rule 5 draft.
The A’s waved goodbye to their stud closer, Huston Street, in a trade with Colorado. They also parted ways with pitcher Dan Meyer, who started to come around last season but will not be missed. LHPs Greg Smith and Alan Embree, and outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Matt Murton, were also traded to the Rockies.
The A’s biggest asset is their ability to win at home. The Coliseum is their home for now, as news of a move to Fremont were squashed just yesterday. The 2009 A’s do not have much depth pitching-wise. Pitching has been their ace in the hole for years but they have to depend more on their heart of the order to compete this year. They do have patience at the plate, walk a lot, and are pesky on the bases. That is going to play to their advantage in the AL West. The division is overall very weak. Overall, I think the A’s will finish with a winning record and possibly a division crown. However, they are still a far cry from the Bash Brother days.
Parting points: “Hello, I’ve waited here for you…everlong
The 29 year old righty Holliday is a career .319 hitter who plays an lustrous left field. The former Colorado Rockie appreciated and took pleasure in the hitter-friendly Corrs Field for five seasons. He joins the Bay Area A’s and switches over to the American League. Holliday slugged 128 homeruns in those five years and drove in 483. As Oakland looks to return to the playoffs, the team will definitely expect Matt to provide many a scoring opportunity with his big bat.
Manager, Bob Geren, is searching for his first winning season as Oakland skipper. Geren’s coaching staff embodies changes at they embark on a new season and break camp this Spring. Tye Waller is slotted as the new bench coach. Waller moves over from that same role at third base. Replacing Tye is former A’s infielder, Mike Gallego. Jim Skaalen is the new Oakland hitting coach.
As far as the roster goes, Oakland returns most of the position players from a year ago and they are a mediocre set. The team has a mix of young and old professionals in the arms department. The starting rotation lacks experience, even though the projected Opening Day starter made the all-star team in 2008. Justin Duchscherer is Oakland’s number one righty as long as he’s ready to throw by April. His 2008 season was cut short because of a hip injury. The four other starters are all under age 25. They included lefty, Dana Eveland, righty, Sean Gallagher and lefty, Dallas Braden. Jose Outman and Gio Gonzalez are competing for the fifth starter. Gonzalez had an over 7 ERA in 2008 in just 10 games. Outman went 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA in only 6 appearances, so both are novices with little expected in their first full years at the helm. Brad Ziegler is the team closer and he is a participant in the World Baseball Classic for team USA. The rest of the bullpen includes Joey Devine, Russ Springer, Jerry Blevins, Michael Wuertz and Santiago Casilla. Newcomers who could pan out as either starters or relievers are prospects, Vin Mazzaro, Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill. Devine will likely close games in place of Ziegler the sidewinder too. Both relievers could be setup men or star as saviors. Blevins is only in his second year and it’s hard to forecast what he will bring. Casilla is inconsistent and sometimes incompetent. Springer is a surefire and reliable right hander who pitched well in the National League for the Reds last year. A switch to American League ball won’t do anything to help his ERA (an impressive 2.32 in 2008) but he still looks to be a good fit here.
Holliday’s bat is guaranteed to contribute positively at the three hole in the lineup. His outfield mates, CF Ryan Sweeney and RF Jack Cust, will probably hit safely before him. DH Giambi returns to the team where he earned an MVP and was a fan favorite. Giambi hits cleanup and could play some first base. Jason might switch to the 3rd or 5th spot depending on the pitcher and other player streaks. Cust and Holliday are both capable of cleaning up and Geren might use that as motivation for them. 3B Chavez returns from an injury-plagued year to find himself batting 5th, while emerging all-star, Mark Ellis, is pegged for 6th. Ellis is an original Oakland Athletic and has been through the ringer as their second baseman. He does not play sloppy. In fact, his glove is a nifty one, especially alongside the flashy shortstop, Bobby Crosby. Crosby’s potential is enormous but the front office is losing patience with him. They seem to still be waiting for Crosby to explode at the plate. Instead, he continues to stock up strikeouts and hit into double plays. Bobby worked with Holliday and former slugger, Mark McGwire, to re-tool his swing this winter. In any case, he will probably find himself batting 9th. With only 7 homeruns and a .237 average, Crosby needs to start strong and cream the ball or he could be riding the pine come May. The A’s have expressed interest in signing Orlando Cabrera at shortstop. Catcher, Kurt Suzuki and 1B Daric Barton, land at the 7th and 8th spots, respectively, for the Oakland offense.
25 year old, Travis Buck, will see time in RF. Buck has had successful power streaks but it too fickle to play everyday. Infielders, Jack Hannahan and Cliff Pennington are quality reserve players. Both could replace Chavez if he needs downtime or is overworked and tired. Jeff Baisley is another infield backup showing promise, and Ben Copeland has a chance to produce form an outfield position. Copeland was picked up from San Francisco in the Rule 5 draft.
The A’s waved goodbye to their stud closer, Huston Street, in a trade with Colorado. They also parted ways with pitcher Dan Meyer, who started to come around last season but will not be missed. LHPs Greg Smith and Alan Embree, and outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Matt Murton, were also traded to the Rockies.
The A’s biggest asset is their ability to win at home. The Coliseum is their home for now, as news of a move to Fremont were squashed just yesterday. The 2009 A’s do not have much depth pitching-wise. Pitching has been their ace in the hole for years but they have to depend more on their heart of the order to compete this year. They do have patience at the plate, walk a lot, and are pesky on the bases. That is going to play to their advantage in the AL West. The division is overall very weak. Overall, I think the A’s will finish with a winning record and possibly a division crown. However, they are still a far cry from the Bash Brother days.
Parting points: “Hello, I’ve waited here for you…everlong
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thursday Take Twos
The time between President’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day is long, laborious and lazy in sports. I long for Easter eggs and Memorial Day BBQs already. Spring Break is looking good and splendid, especially if a beach is involved. But we have to endure a few more winter weeks before Spring escalates into summer baseball season.
Here are a few things that went down this week:
Big East basketball is one thing you can count on being great. You cannot belittle this year’s crop of high profile players and teams. Monday’s strenuous showdown between Uconn and Pitt painted a pretty picture of the most powerful conference in college basketball. The Panthers played to their own strengths and came up big down the stretch to win convincingly over the number one Huskies. Uconn tipped off with their big man, Hasheem Thabeet, but lost 68-76 at home. It was only the second time the Huskies went down for Jim Calhoun. The team is now 24-2, suffering their first loss back in December, also on a Monday at home, to Georgetown. The XL Center crowd was delighted because a powerful and physical Pitt team put on a prodigious display. The Panthers forced the Huskies into foreign land, according to the Uconn Head Coach. Pitt was the smarter team, penetrating the paint and using every opportunity to dismantle the frazzled Huskies. Uconn committed 19 fouls to Pittsburgh’s 18 and were outrebounded for the first time all season. Pitt’s Levance Fields was the unsung star, notching two key 3-pointers to put the game away late. Jamie Dixon’s visiting number 4 team should rise in the next rankings. They were also led by DeJuan Blair and the versatile, Sam Young. The win was Pitt’s 6th straight victory and enabled the team to stand dead even with the Huskies at the top of the Big East. It’s still early yet for a clear cut favorite but May 7th will be the next time these two teams play. The game will be in Pittsburgh this time. Thabeet may be the best overall player in the conference but Pitt has such a talented starting team. The decadent and deliberate DeJuan debilitated Thabeet and gave all he had against the all-star center. The Panthers seem to always find a way to dominate the conference tournament. It will be extra difficult with the talent all around this year for Pitt to make a solid run at the crown. Even if they do win out, will they have anything left to steamroll through the NCAA tournament field?
Ken Griffey, Jr. snubbed the Atlanta Braves (thankfully) and signed on with the team he established his career with, the Seattle Mariners. I’m happy Ken is back in Seattle, minus the dome. I always loved Junior. The centerfielder could be one of the truly clean players left in his era of steroid using baseball players.
Today is the NBA trade deadline. Rumors were swirling that Vince Carter could be dealt. NJ was looking to move Carter and the Rockets were potential candidates to pick up his contract. Tracy McGrady was in the trade discussion. I couldn’t see Houston trading Tmac to any team after news came down about his season ending knee surgery. It is such a shame Tmac is out. I remember the top-tier talent Tracy’s pre-Rocket days when he was slamming and shooting for Orlando in 2003. He was the league leading scorer that year.
The Hornets and Thunder had a deal in place for Tyson Chandler to join Chris Paul in New Orleans. That deal fell through late yesterday when Chandler failed a physical.
Finally, can this steroids thing just go away? You can’t start retracting records because there is no way to quantify how each record was affected by a particular player’s use of steroids. There is no real solution. I mean, when did steroids in baseball begin? And, how can there be an honest assessment of the drug’s overall impact? Which numbers would be different if players had not used them? Even if PEDs or HGH make a person stronger, hit the ball further or see pitches better, how can you go back an analyze each and every game? How many changes would there have been numerically? It’s anybody’s guess, just like which players are using and which aren’t is anybody’s guess.
Here are a few things that went down this week:
Big East basketball is one thing you can count on being great. You cannot belittle this year’s crop of high profile players and teams. Monday’s strenuous showdown between Uconn and Pitt painted a pretty picture of the most powerful conference in college basketball. The Panthers played to their own strengths and came up big down the stretch to win convincingly over the number one Huskies. Uconn tipped off with their big man, Hasheem Thabeet, but lost 68-76 at home. It was only the second time the Huskies went down for Jim Calhoun. The team is now 24-2, suffering their first loss back in December, also on a Monday at home, to Georgetown. The XL Center crowd was delighted because a powerful and physical Pitt team put on a prodigious display. The Panthers forced the Huskies into foreign land, according to the Uconn Head Coach. Pitt was the smarter team, penetrating the paint and using every opportunity to dismantle the frazzled Huskies. Uconn committed 19 fouls to Pittsburgh’s 18 and were outrebounded for the first time all season. Pitt’s Levance Fields was the unsung star, notching two key 3-pointers to put the game away late. Jamie Dixon’s visiting number 4 team should rise in the next rankings. They were also led by DeJuan Blair and the versatile, Sam Young. The win was Pitt’s 6th straight victory and enabled the team to stand dead even with the Huskies at the top of the Big East. It’s still early yet for a clear cut favorite but May 7th will be the next time these two teams play. The game will be in Pittsburgh this time. Thabeet may be the best overall player in the conference but Pitt has such a talented starting team. The decadent and deliberate DeJuan debilitated Thabeet and gave all he had against the all-star center. The Panthers seem to always find a way to dominate the conference tournament. It will be extra difficult with the talent all around this year for Pitt to make a solid run at the crown. Even if they do win out, will they have anything left to steamroll through the NCAA tournament field?
Ken Griffey, Jr. snubbed the Atlanta Braves (thankfully) and signed on with the team he established his career with, the Seattle Mariners. I’m happy Ken is back in Seattle, minus the dome. I always loved Junior. The centerfielder could be one of the truly clean players left in his era of steroid using baseball players.
Today is the NBA trade deadline. Rumors were swirling that Vince Carter could be dealt. NJ was looking to move Carter and the Rockets were potential candidates to pick up his contract. Tracy McGrady was in the trade discussion. I couldn’t see Houston trading Tmac to any team after news came down about his season ending knee surgery. It is such a shame Tmac is out. I remember the top-tier talent Tracy’s pre-Rocket days when he was slamming and shooting for Orlando in 2003. He was the league leading scorer that year.
The Hornets and Thunder had a deal in place for Tyson Chandler to join Chris Paul in New Orleans. That deal fell through late yesterday when Chandler failed a physical.
Finally, can this steroids thing just go away? You can’t start retracting records because there is no way to quantify how each record was affected by a particular player’s use of steroids. There is no real solution. I mean, when did steroids in baseball begin? And, how can there be an honest assessment of the drug’s overall impact? Which numbers would be different if players had not used them? Even if PEDs or HGH make a person stronger, hit the ball further or see pitches better, how can you go back an analyze each and every game? How many changes would there have been numerically? It’s anybody’s guess, just like which players are using and which aren’t is anybody’s guess.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Pipp’s Pull Proves Purposeful
Wally Pipp is best remembered as the man who lost his starting first base job to Lou Gehrig. The most famous headache in sports history occurred June 2, 1925. Pipp took himself out of the Yankee lineup that day due to a nagging noggin. The young, gifted Gehrig replaced him. Lou went on to play a record 2,130 consecutive games from that second day in June and Wally never saw another game at first base for New York.
It is funny how Pipp is part of the American lexicon. Nobody wants to be “a Wally Pipp” and have a permanent replacement simply because they miss a day of work. Today is Pipp’s birthday. It is also Michael Jordan’s birthday. Most of us would rather “be like Mike” than like Pipp.
Walter Clement Pipp was born in 1893. That seems like eons ago to me. He grew up near Kalamazoo, Michigan, like Derek Jeter. The Detroit Tigers signed the hometown boy in 1912 and he went 0-3 in his 1913 major league debut against the St. Louis Browns. Wally became a Yankee after being signed in the 1915 off-season. He singled in his first at-bat Opening Day. The opposing pitcher was Walter Johnson.
Tall and lanky, Pipp produced plenty of pop as part of the pinstripes’ famous, Murder’s Row team. His minor pitfall was being a free swinger and often leading the American League in strikeouts. Still, Wally held home run titles in back to back years (1916 & 1917) and was known for walloping his way triumphantly. Pipp matured at the plate in later years and became a disciplined hitter. In the 1920s, his strikeout totals dropped dramtically and his batting average climbed to as high as .329 in 1922. Double plays and putouts were his specialty at first base. Pipp possessed soft hands, a good glove and sizable range for a slick fielder. Wally had surprising speed and could fly around the bases brilliantly. He held the record for consecutive games before the Iron Horse set the standard. Ironically, Pipp recommended the Columbia University standout, Gehrig, to Miller Huggins and the Yankees. Pipp played for the Bronx Bombers from 1915 through 1925 before finishing his career in Cincinnati.
Wally’s headache on June 2 is how most baseball fans remember the former Yankee. He actually suffered such headaches throughout his life. Players in Pipp’s days were supposed to play through injuries and pain. Gehrig was ten years younger than Wally when Huggins installed him as Wally’s replacement and probably did not expect the move to be so impact. What would have happened if Wally’s world at first base in NY had not come to a crashing conclusion that summer afternoon? What a Pipp that Wally was to remove himself!
Parting points: “I don’t want to be your monkey wrench”
It is funny how Pipp is part of the American lexicon. Nobody wants to be “a Wally Pipp” and have a permanent replacement simply because they miss a day of work. Today is Pipp’s birthday. It is also Michael Jordan’s birthday. Most of us would rather “be like Mike” than like Pipp.
Walter Clement Pipp was born in 1893. That seems like eons ago to me. He grew up near Kalamazoo, Michigan, like Derek Jeter. The Detroit Tigers signed the hometown boy in 1912 and he went 0-3 in his 1913 major league debut against the St. Louis Browns. Wally became a Yankee after being signed in the 1915 off-season. He singled in his first at-bat Opening Day. The opposing pitcher was Walter Johnson.
Tall and lanky, Pipp produced plenty of pop as part of the pinstripes’ famous, Murder’s Row team. His minor pitfall was being a free swinger and often leading the American League in strikeouts. Still, Wally held home run titles in back to back years (1916 & 1917) and was known for walloping his way triumphantly. Pipp matured at the plate in later years and became a disciplined hitter. In the 1920s, his strikeout totals dropped dramtically and his batting average climbed to as high as .329 in 1922. Double plays and putouts were his specialty at first base. Pipp possessed soft hands, a good glove and sizable range for a slick fielder. Wally had surprising speed and could fly around the bases brilliantly. He held the record for consecutive games before the Iron Horse set the standard. Ironically, Pipp recommended the Columbia University standout, Gehrig, to Miller Huggins and the Yankees. Pipp played for the Bronx Bombers from 1915 through 1925 before finishing his career in Cincinnati.
Wally’s headache on June 2 is how most baseball fans remember the former Yankee. He actually suffered such headaches throughout his life. Players in Pipp’s days were supposed to play through injuries and pain. Gehrig was ten years younger than Wally when Huggins installed him as Wally’s replacement and probably did not expect the move to be so impact. What would have happened if Wally’s world at first base in NY had not come to a crashing conclusion that summer afternoon? What a Pipp that Wally was to remove himself!
Parting points: “I don’t want to be your monkey wrench”
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Amusing Amazins
The 2009 New York Mets coached by the personable, Jerry Manuel, and led by four core players. David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado make up the nucleus of the team. The Mets are structured around these players and dependent on their production as well as the team’s starting pitching.
In New York, everything is magnified. The media frenzy is especially insane because the Mets are coming off back-to-back late season collapses. The Mets are under a microscope now that GM, Omar Minaya, failed to find a right-handed bat (Manny Ramirez). Minaya shored up the biggest blunder, the defective and deficient bullpen, so positive results are expected. NY was awful in relief pitching and closing out tight games last year. The team needs to turn that around as they embark on Spring Training 2009. The Mets cannot level the playing field with the defending World Series champions occupying the same division if they continue to appear amiss and ambiguous as a team.
The starting infield finds five returning position players. Delgado bares the burden at base one. Luis Castillo attempts to play second base, and Jose Reyes and David Wright complete the infield. Reyes and Wright are close to being considered the NL’s best left side. David’s defense has improved since he came up and he even earned a Gold Glove. His .302 batting average with 124 RBIs and 33 Hrs last year provided punch and power from the three or four hole at the plate. Wright’s defensive skills are sound but his image as a premier third baseman have also taken a hit. Reyes is the better infielder of the two and without question an exciting leadoff hitter. The speedy Jose will flash his #7 orange and blue jersey in CitiField come opening day as the first Met to take an at-bat. Or will he? Manuel is now flirting with the idea of moving Reyes down in the order and having Castillo hit first. His logic is that Castillo needs something to jump-start him. I disagree. When Reyes is playing well, he makes things happen. There are no better leadoff men in baseball than Jose. He is a free swinger who would not play well if moved to the two or three slot because he might try to hard to hit the long ball. Jose came close to hitting .300 in 2008, but only produced 68 RBIS. His 113 runs scored are the most important digits to digest. As Reyes goes, so go the Mets.
Delgado has Hall of fame credentials already and he rebounded from a horrendous Spring last year to cement himself team MVP by September. The former Bluejay and Marlin saved the Mets after the all-star break. It will be a challenge for Carlos to play up to that level and match the magic again in 2009. The pressure is on the lefty and he commands attention because he is one of the best bats in Manuel’s lineup. Second base is the weakest link on the Mets. Castillo is not the all-star caliber fielder he was for Minnesota. Omar should have tried to acquire a replacement. Orlando Hudson would have fit in so well and created a nice double play combo with Reyes. Luis’ knees pose a problem for the Mets. There is no real reason to think Castillo will perform any better than a year ago, despite what the player says. The only saving grace is backup, Daniel Murphy possibly coming of age after and impressive first season. Murphy’s .313 average will drop off once he sees more pitchers. But, he is slated to platoon in the outfield with Fernando Tatis. Brian Schneider squats behind home plate, with Ramon Castro claiming second string catcher again. They are very similar backstops offensively, and both are 32 years old.
Ryan Church returns to RF and Beltran conquers CF. Beltran covers a ton of ground and should continue to put up big numbers. He is the best player on the team from both sides of the ball. Church suffered a staggering concussion in the middle of last season. Ryan’s rebound leaves plenty of puzzling presumptions. Before being knocked out May 20, Church was crushing the ball as well as he had in his career. The former National says he is not suffering post-concussion symptoms anymore. Church has no competition for the RF job. Outfielders Jeremy Reed, Marlon Anderson, Cory Sullivan, Nick Evans and Angel Pagan are penned on NY’s roster. Evans is the youngest of the bunch, but probably the best option as a backup. The bench also includes recently signed, Alex Cora. Cora is a useful utility player and could see some time at both second and shortstop. His value will prove worthwhile if Castillo is injured for a long time.
Starting pitching-wise the Mets are close to being better than a year ago. Johan Santana, Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey and John Maine are the top four arms. Competing for the final piece of the rotation are young lefty, Johnathan Niese, veteran rightys, Tim Redding and Freddy Garcia, and Livan Hernandez. Hernandez was just signed yesterday. He and Garcia have the best chances but Livan gives up more runs even though he pitches plenty of innings. Pedro Martinez is gone but the team remains pretty much in tact. RHPs, Seth Green and JJ Putz arrive inspired from a dismal season in which Seattle lost over 100 games. A change of league might make a difference for Green who only went 9-7 the past three years. He is only 29 years old. Putz closed games for the Mariners and looks to play a major set-up role for Francisco Rodriguez. Krod is Billy Wagner’s replacement and will secure any late inning Met leads with his high heat.
The Mets addressed their most pressing need this off-season but still have gaps in certain areas. The September swoons are still fresh in the memories and minds of these guys. Reliever, Joe Smith is gone and lefty, Scott Schoeneweis also departed. Angry Aaron Heilman and beloved Endy Chavez are two players from the 2006 playoff team also out. Santana returns from a repaired knee as the team’s top gun. The re-signing of Perez was questioned but if the up-and-down lefty can remain focused, NY will be dressed for success. The familiar combo of LHP, Pedro Feliciano and RHP, Duaner Sanchez adds a good enough reliever core to compete in the NL East. Clearly the bottom of the Mets order needs retooling because it is evidently vulnerable. But, I am ready to dive head first (like Jose Reyes) into Mets baseball no matter what.
Parting points: Song of the day: “Champagne Supernova” by Oasis
In New York, everything is magnified. The media frenzy is especially insane because the Mets are coming off back-to-back late season collapses. The Mets are under a microscope now that GM, Omar Minaya, failed to find a right-handed bat (Manny Ramirez). Minaya shored up the biggest blunder, the defective and deficient bullpen, so positive results are expected. NY was awful in relief pitching and closing out tight games last year. The team needs to turn that around as they embark on Spring Training 2009. The Mets cannot level the playing field with the defending World Series champions occupying the same division if they continue to appear amiss and ambiguous as a team.
The starting infield finds five returning position players. Delgado bares the burden at base one. Luis Castillo attempts to play second base, and Jose Reyes and David Wright complete the infield. Reyes and Wright are close to being considered the NL’s best left side. David’s defense has improved since he came up and he even earned a Gold Glove. His .302 batting average with 124 RBIs and 33 Hrs last year provided punch and power from the three or four hole at the plate. Wright’s defensive skills are sound but his image as a premier third baseman have also taken a hit. Reyes is the better infielder of the two and without question an exciting leadoff hitter. The speedy Jose will flash his #7 orange and blue jersey in CitiField come opening day as the first Met to take an at-bat. Or will he? Manuel is now flirting with the idea of moving Reyes down in the order and having Castillo hit first. His logic is that Castillo needs something to jump-start him. I disagree. When Reyes is playing well, he makes things happen. There are no better leadoff men in baseball than Jose. He is a free swinger who would not play well if moved to the two or three slot because he might try to hard to hit the long ball. Jose came close to hitting .300 in 2008, but only produced 68 RBIS. His 113 runs scored are the most important digits to digest. As Reyes goes, so go the Mets.
Delgado has Hall of fame credentials already and he rebounded from a horrendous Spring last year to cement himself team MVP by September. The former Bluejay and Marlin saved the Mets after the all-star break. It will be a challenge for Carlos to play up to that level and match the magic again in 2009. The pressure is on the lefty and he commands attention because he is one of the best bats in Manuel’s lineup. Second base is the weakest link on the Mets. Castillo is not the all-star caliber fielder he was for Minnesota. Omar should have tried to acquire a replacement. Orlando Hudson would have fit in so well and created a nice double play combo with Reyes. Luis’ knees pose a problem for the Mets. There is no real reason to think Castillo will perform any better than a year ago, despite what the player says. The only saving grace is backup, Daniel Murphy possibly coming of age after and impressive first season. Murphy’s .313 average will drop off once he sees more pitchers. But, he is slated to platoon in the outfield with Fernando Tatis. Brian Schneider squats behind home plate, with Ramon Castro claiming second string catcher again. They are very similar backstops offensively, and both are 32 years old.
Ryan Church returns to RF and Beltran conquers CF. Beltran covers a ton of ground and should continue to put up big numbers. He is the best player on the team from both sides of the ball. Church suffered a staggering concussion in the middle of last season. Ryan’s rebound leaves plenty of puzzling presumptions. Before being knocked out May 20, Church was crushing the ball as well as he had in his career. The former National says he is not suffering post-concussion symptoms anymore. Church has no competition for the RF job. Outfielders Jeremy Reed, Marlon Anderson, Cory Sullivan, Nick Evans and Angel Pagan are penned on NY’s roster. Evans is the youngest of the bunch, but probably the best option as a backup. The bench also includes recently signed, Alex Cora. Cora is a useful utility player and could see some time at both second and shortstop. His value will prove worthwhile if Castillo is injured for a long time.
Starting pitching-wise the Mets are close to being better than a year ago. Johan Santana, Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey and John Maine are the top four arms. Competing for the final piece of the rotation are young lefty, Johnathan Niese, veteran rightys, Tim Redding and Freddy Garcia, and Livan Hernandez. Hernandez was just signed yesterday. He and Garcia have the best chances but Livan gives up more runs even though he pitches plenty of innings. Pedro Martinez is gone but the team remains pretty much in tact. RHPs, Seth Green and JJ Putz arrive inspired from a dismal season in which Seattle lost over 100 games. A change of league might make a difference for Green who only went 9-7 the past three years. He is only 29 years old. Putz closed games for the Mariners and looks to play a major set-up role for Francisco Rodriguez. Krod is Billy Wagner’s replacement and will secure any late inning Met leads with his high heat.
The Mets addressed their most pressing need this off-season but still have gaps in certain areas. The September swoons are still fresh in the memories and minds of these guys. Reliever, Joe Smith is gone and lefty, Scott Schoeneweis also departed. Angry Aaron Heilman and beloved Endy Chavez are two players from the 2006 playoff team also out. Santana returns from a repaired knee as the team’s top gun. The re-signing of Perez was questioned but if the up-and-down lefty can remain focused, NY will be dressed for success. The familiar combo of LHP, Pedro Feliciano and RHP, Duaner Sanchez adds a good enough reliever core to compete in the NL East. Clearly the bottom of the Mets order needs retooling because it is evidently vulnerable. But, I am ready to dive head first (like Jose Reyes) into Mets baseball no matter what.
Parting points: Song of the day: “Champagne Supernova” by Oasis
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Love-Love
The score signifies the start
First impressions are indicative and evocative
Strong servers set up strict schemes
As first dates demand dapper dispositions
Each player like each partner carves and carries a clean slate
No points purports a perfect score
An unmarked game gives gumption to fresh foes
As past slip-ups seem slight to single sweethearts
Tender tosses and telling touches are interwoven
Polished, potent and powerful pats propagate
In tennis and in life love lingers and latches on
Hanging on every word or every serve
It looks like laconic love
But in time, a longer lasting passion prevails
Parting points: One of the best love songs: “Here and Now” by the late Luther Vandross
First impressions are indicative and evocative
Strong servers set up strict schemes
As first dates demand dapper dispositions
Each player like each partner carves and carries a clean slate
No points purports a perfect score
An unmarked game gives gumption to fresh foes
As past slip-ups seem slight to single sweethearts
Tender tosses and telling touches are interwoven
Polished, potent and powerful pats propagate
In tennis and in life love lingers and latches on
Hanging on every word or every serve
It looks like laconic love
But in time, a longer lasting passion prevails
Parting points: One of the best love songs: “Here and Now” by the late Luther Vandross
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Thursday Take Twos
Move over Michael Phelps. An Olympic gold medal swimmer can’t assume the sports spotlight MLB’s stylish slugger is signaled out for steroid use. Arod leads all headlines in this week’s installment of sports stories. His pathetic admission and cowardly confession Monday of juicing in Texas during the 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons is top dog everywhere. Disappointed baseball aficionados can’t take enough shots at the third baseman. The new nicknames such as Aroid, Alex Roidriguez, A-fraud, etc, are endless. And so is this story. It will continue to haunt baseball for a long time. The apologetic Arod comes off as a phony. Does Rodriguez expect us to believe he needed to subject himself to steroids in order to prove he deserved a gigantic contract? Does any player really deserve to be paid as much as they are being paid, even with god-like athletic talent? Rangers fans must be proud Arod decided to take performance-enhancing drugs to help him win an MVP for Texas. He lied in front of thousands of Americans. What a hero. As if Texas doesn’t have enough to worry about with their continuous pitching woes and inability to make the playoffs. They haven’t sniffed the post-season since their steroid-abusing slugger said sayonara. Now a Yankee, the New York fans have to root for cheater. We have put up with his smug and smiling face at the hot corner for at least nine more seasons. Michael Phelps’ bong photo can’t compete with that. Phelps’ saga won’t vanish but he’s lucky a woman SI reporter uncovered Arod’s name from a list of 104 when she did. The timing was good for Phelps at least.
The 2009 ProBowl came and went. It was short on excitement once again and no one will remember much from the game itself. It was the final ProBowl played in Hawaii and next year’s annual allstar game will take place the weeks in between the conference championships and the Superbowl. Perhaps the game was even more neglected last Sunday due to the Arod bombshell the day before. It was overshadowed indeed but it’s usually hard to get so revved up for it anyway. Most of the players are either dogging it or injured. It was bittersweet to see Larry Fitzgerald win the MVP though. He has been gaining more and more recognition as the best player in football. I wish Eli Manning could throw to him all of 2009, but that is unlikely.
I am irked by the NBA. Do they even teach players to play defense anymore? The Knicks-Warriors game Tuesday night is only one example of how defensively-deficient today’s players are. It was almost unbearable to watch. I used to have posters plastered and positioned perfectly over my bedpost of David Robinson, Shawn Kemp, Charles Barkley and Grant Hill. The former NBA ball handlers knew how to defend. Where are these players in today’s game? The only defensive genius I can think of is Tim Duncan.
Finally, the Jets are ready to move on without number four. It was definitely time for the washed up Favre to call it a career. How excruciating and torturous would it have been to see him attempt to be the Gang Green quarterback next season? I think New York should build up a defensive and great offensive line. Then, try one of the young quarterbacks and see what happens.
Parting points: I never knew President Nixon was such a huge Ohio State fan. I am learning a lot from the book about Woody Hayes, War as they Knew It.
The 2009 ProBowl came and went. It was short on excitement once again and no one will remember much from the game itself. It was the final ProBowl played in Hawaii and next year’s annual allstar game will take place the weeks in between the conference championships and the Superbowl. Perhaps the game was even more neglected last Sunday due to the Arod bombshell the day before. It was overshadowed indeed but it’s usually hard to get so revved up for it anyway. Most of the players are either dogging it or injured. It was bittersweet to see Larry Fitzgerald win the MVP though. He has been gaining more and more recognition as the best player in football. I wish Eli Manning could throw to him all of 2009, but that is unlikely.
I am irked by the NBA. Do they even teach players to play defense anymore? The Knicks-Warriors game Tuesday night is only one example of how defensively-deficient today’s players are. It was almost unbearable to watch. I used to have posters plastered and positioned perfectly over my bedpost of David Robinson, Shawn Kemp, Charles Barkley and Grant Hill. The former NBA ball handlers knew how to defend. Where are these players in today’s game? The only defensive genius I can think of is Tim Duncan.
Finally, the Jets are ready to move on without number four. It was definitely time for the washed up Favre to call it a career. How excruciating and torturous would it have been to see him attempt to be the Gang Green quarterback next season? I think New York should build up a defensive and great offensive line. Then, try one of the young quarterbacks and see what happens.
Parting points: I never knew President Nixon was such a huge Ohio State fan. I am learning a lot from the book about Woody Hayes, War as they Knew It.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Cameron Claims College’s Central Clash
College basketball’s greatest rivalry rears its riveting head tonight at Cameron Indoor Stadium’s home of the Duke Blue Devils. The ACC bragging rights are at stake when the 20-3 home team drops the ball against 21-2 North Carolina. Both blue teams come into the game with identical 7-2 conference records and each wants the prize presented to them tonight. N.C. and Duke have both been ranked in the top 5 this season. The game will be played at the highest level considering the circumstances and meaning of the matchup.
In recent years, the Tar Heels have come out on top, including four consecutive contests. North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough, the defending national player of the year, will play his final rivalry game as a senior this evening. Hansbrough has not lost at Cameron in his college career. North Carolina might have the upper hand again this season as the Tobacco Road showdown beckons. They are more well-balanced than Coach K’s Duke crew. The Blue Devils dwell and thrive on hitting the outside shot. Duke banks 35% from the 3 point range and really is a one-dimensional team in that aspect. They do have the home court advantage and are looking to bounce back after two discouraging defeats to the hands of Wake Forest and Clemson. The Devils need to defend against the powerhouse Carolina team. They also should try to control the tempo of the game while keeping turnovers to a minimum. Duke can compete and stay in this game against the strength of the Tar Heels if they are successful rebounding the ball. The Blue Devil’s intense perimeter shooter, Greg Paulus, needs to come up big for Coach K. The entire Duke squad is small and may struggle against Carolina’s Ed Davis and Dean Thompson. Davis and Thompson’s sheer size will impact and dictate the offense for Roy William’s winning team. The senior shooter, Danny Green, and point guards Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson bring their best each and every time out. All three N.C. stars are grinders and Ellington may be the best of the bunch. He has been playing exceptionally well lately. Look for key substitutes, Bobby Frasor and Will Graves to also make a difference for the men in powder blue.
The visiting team faces their own challenges however. The majority of the crowd will be rooting for Duke. I am sure some N.C. faithful will take the eight mile trip to Cameron but the Tar Heels are up against history tonight. Whenever Duke meets N.C., there are bound to be clashes. The 2008/09 Duke team can catch teams off guard with their aggressive attacking style. They are well-coached and have one of the best juniors in the nation in point guard, Jon Scheyer.
With first place on the line in this rivalry-week, a thrilling game is probable. The schools have a hatred for each other unlike any other NCAA basketball rivalry. It’s the rich Duke kids against the N.C. boys. Sometimes it’s hard to believe how close in proximity the institutions really are. They seem worlds apart off the court, even if Coack K and Roy Williams recruit a lot of the same players. That only amplifies the annual game. I always enjoy a heated rival college game and Duke-UNC is as good as February basketball with Final Four implications gets. Both teams are number one seed material, but that will not be the case after tonight’s outcome. The tournament committee will not select two ACC teams as top seeds come Selection Sunday. I’m geared up for a goosebump game-winning, buzzer-beater tonight. Those are the moments that make college basketball special and worthwhile. This game is no rinky dink rivalry; it’s the real deal. Will Hansbrough pull of the UNC senior sweep?
Parting points: It’s nice to see Troy Aikman is going to graduate UCLA with a degree in Sociology. Congrats to my boy Troy.
It’s also nice to see Brett Favre retire…well, we will see how long he will stay retired anyway.
In recent years, the Tar Heels have come out on top, including four consecutive contests. North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough, the defending national player of the year, will play his final rivalry game as a senior this evening. Hansbrough has not lost at Cameron in his college career. North Carolina might have the upper hand again this season as the Tobacco Road showdown beckons. They are more well-balanced than Coach K’s Duke crew. The Blue Devils dwell and thrive on hitting the outside shot. Duke banks 35% from the 3 point range and really is a one-dimensional team in that aspect. They do have the home court advantage and are looking to bounce back after two discouraging defeats to the hands of Wake Forest and Clemson. The Devils need to defend against the powerhouse Carolina team. They also should try to control the tempo of the game while keeping turnovers to a minimum. Duke can compete and stay in this game against the strength of the Tar Heels if they are successful rebounding the ball. The Blue Devil’s intense perimeter shooter, Greg Paulus, needs to come up big for Coach K. The entire Duke squad is small and may struggle against Carolina’s Ed Davis and Dean Thompson. Davis and Thompson’s sheer size will impact and dictate the offense for Roy William’s winning team. The senior shooter, Danny Green, and point guards Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson bring their best each and every time out. All three N.C. stars are grinders and Ellington may be the best of the bunch. He has been playing exceptionally well lately. Look for key substitutes, Bobby Frasor and Will Graves to also make a difference for the men in powder blue.
The visiting team faces their own challenges however. The majority of the crowd will be rooting for Duke. I am sure some N.C. faithful will take the eight mile trip to Cameron but the Tar Heels are up against history tonight. Whenever Duke meets N.C., there are bound to be clashes. The 2008/09 Duke team can catch teams off guard with their aggressive attacking style. They are well-coached and have one of the best juniors in the nation in point guard, Jon Scheyer.
With first place on the line in this rivalry-week, a thrilling game is probable. The schools have a hatred for each other unlike any other NCAA basketball rivalry. It’s the rich Duke kids against the N.C. boys. Sometimes it’s hard to believe how close in proximity the institutions really are. They seem worlds apart off the court, even if Coack K and Roy Williams recruit a lot of the same players. That only amplifies the annual game. I always enjoy a heated rival college game and Duke-UNC is as good as February basketball with Final Four implications gets. Both teams are number one seed material, but that will not be the case after tonight’s outcome. The tournament committee will not select two ACC teams as top seeds come Selection Sunday. I’m geared up for a goosebump game-winning, buzzer-beater tonight. Those are the moments that make college basketball special and worthwhile. This game is no rinky dink rivalry; it’s the real deal. Will Hansbrough pull of the UNC senior sweep?
Parting points: It’s nice to see Troy Aikman is going to graduate UCLA with a degree in Sociology. Congrats to my boy Troy.
It’s also nice to see Brett Favre retire…well, we will see how long he will stay retired anyway.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Your Yankees
Baseball season can’t come soon enough. I’m really anticipating an incredible year in New York, especially on the AL side. The Yankees assembled a club this winter with unlimited potential. The Bombers are my preseason AL champion favorites. I do think this year’s version of the pinstripes will excel and return to the playoffs after being absence in 2008. I am going to try to break down each team position-by-position throughout the next month. I begin with my favorite team. The Yankees will tackle the task of downplaying distractions surrounding the steroid saga this summer.
The starting lineup options for manager, Joe Girardi couldn’t be any more enticing really (unless perhaps Manny were manning the outfield instead of Melky). The most puzzling predicament for the second-year skipper will be creating the batting order, especially the first five. A stable lineup is crucial because too many different arrangements could result in inconsistent efforts. I always considered Derek Jeter an ideal leadoff man, but he isn’t really the team’s true table-setter. Derek hits well and is good in getting on base but he works well out of the two slot best because of his knack for run production. He can advance the leadoff man effectively and usually avoids being doubled up. LF, Johnny Damon should bat first because he is an experienced and patient player. Damon struck out more often than he walked in 2008, but still managed a .303 average at the plate. On the field, Damon’s arm is uninspiring and poses problems at times. He is a veteran, however, who can still run down fly balls and get to hard-hit grounders efficiently enough Jeter is a solid, sure-handed and slick shortstop. He does lack range and gets knocked for his defense but still has that signature spin move unmatched in all of baseball. Derek’s bat more than makes up for any defensive lapses he will endure. The captain obviously isn’t going anywhere and boasts a career 1,002 RBIs as a Bomber He is responsible for being the leader on and off the field.
Alex Rodriguez or the newly acquired, Mark Teixeria, will hit third. I think Girardi will go with Teixeria because Mark will be protected and see better pitches with Alex hitting behind him. The addition of Teixeria to the infield will have immeasurable affect on NY’s defense. He makes all the plays at first base and will make other infielders look good by stopping errant throws. Mark can scoop any bad hops heaped his way. A switch hitter, he nailed 33 homeruns last year for two teams and those totals warrant a huge winter contract. I’d love to see #25 hit the first Yankee Stadium long-ball. Arod is going to go yard more than any other slugger on the team, so placing him at cleanup makes perfect sense. It would be nice if he cleaned up off the field too. Alex will be facing a different type of distraction as the takes the field in pinstripes this year. Rodriguez’s skills shouldn’t be questioned no matter how often he used PEDs in the past. His mental game and ability to handle pressure are another story entirely. Unfortunately he will likely face questions about it for the rest of his career and his teammates will suffer and struggle to defend him.
Robinson Cano, the starting 2B, might figure into the number 5 spot, but it would not be a surprise if he hit lower. Cano is playing in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic. Rumors about his off-season conditioning are notable. He supposedly dropped some weight and his hitting and seeing the ball better than ever. I expect his .271 average to climb as the pressure is shifted to other players and the new starting pitchers. He scored only 70 runs last year. Cano should cross the plate 100 times in 2009. Jorge Posada’s health concerns me. The catcher’s bat is the reason the Yankees need him in the lineup though. Posada stubbornly wants to remain the NY backstop but isn’t going to be the same catcher he was earlier in his career when Giradi was schooling him. Jose Molina makes a sufficient backup for Posada, but he is too slow and sluggish offensively.
Xavier Nady is not an everyday LF. He will see the majority of the time in left and is a consistent bottom-of -the-order bat for NY. Nady quietly hit 97 RBIs for a .305 average in limited at-bats during the past year. He earned a one year $6.65 million deal to return for the Bombers in 2009. The X-man comes back mostly as an insurance policy if young Brett Gardner doesn’t pan out or if Nick Swisher decides to go in a slump. Swisher was signed this off season as one of the Yankees’ first moves. I am sure he will ride the pine or see most of his appearances as a late-game fill in or pinch hitter. He can makes things happen and is better than average off the bench, so I like his presence. He’s good enough to be considered a starter on any other team but after Teixeria was signed, those plans were squashed. The Yankees committed to Cabrera as their CF. Melky bats ninth in this impressive NY lineup. As far as CF goes historically for the Yankees, Cabrera does not deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as past players. But the Yankees do not need him to be great and do not want to give up on this very average player.
The Yankee rotation is set and well-rounded. C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain and Andy Pettitte are the starters. Phil Hughes could be a spot starter or compete for a spot, but will pitch from the pen. He joins fellow righty relievers, Alfredo Aceves, Humberto Sanchez, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, David Robertson and Ian Kennedy. Damaso Marte and Phil Coke are the only left-handed specialists. I cite that as the main pitching weakness if all the starters are healthy. The Yankees should sign another lefty and maybe another backup catcher.
Mariano Rivera returns as the shut-down closer and Hideki Matsui completes the Yankees as the DH and occasional outfielder.
Parting points: “Hate Me” by Blue October
The starting lineup options for manager, Joe Girardi couldn’t be any more enticing really (unless perhaps Manny were manning the outfield instead of Melky). The most puzzling predicament for the second-year skipper will be creating the batting order, especially the first five. A stable lineup is crucial because too many different arrangements could result in inconsistent efforts. I always considered Derek Jeter an ideal leadoff man, but he isn’t really the team’s true table-setter. Derek hits well and is good in getting on base but he works well out of the two slot best because of his knack for run production. He can advance the leadoff man effectively and usually avoids being doubled up. LF, Johnny Damon should bat first because he is an experienced and patient player. Damon struck out more often than he walked in 2008, but still managed a .303 average at the plate. On the field, Damon’s arm is uninspiring and poses problems at times. He is a veteran, however, who can still run down fly balls and get to hard-hit grounders efficiently enough Jeter is a solid, sure-handed and slick shortstop. He does lack range and gets knocked for his defense but still has that signature spin move unmatched in all of baseball. Derek’s bat more than makes up for any defensive lapses he will endure. The captain obviously isn’t going anywhere and boasts a career 1,002 RBIs as a Bomber He is responsible for being the leader on and off the field.
Alex Rodriguez or the newly acquired, Mark Teixeria, will hit third. I think Girardi will go with Teixeria because Mark will be protected and see better pitches with Alex hitting behind him. The addition of Teixeria to the infield will have immeasurable affect on NY’s defense. He makes all the plays at first base and will make other infielders look good by stopping errant throws. Mark can scoop any bad hops heaped his way. A switch hitter, he nailed 33 homeruns last year for two teams and those totals warrant a huge winter contract. I’d love to see #25 hit the first Yankee Stadium long-ball. Arod is going to go yard more than any other slugger on the team, so placing him at cleanup makes perfect sense. It would be nice if he cleaned up off the field too. Alex will be facing a different type of distraction as the takes the field in pinstripes this year. Rodriguez’s skills shouldn’t be questioned no matter how often he used PEDs in the past. His mental game and ability to handle pressure are another story entirely. Unfortunately he will likely face questions about it for the rest of his career and his teammates will suffer and struggle to defend him.
Robinson Cano, the starting 2B, might figure into the number 5 spot, but it would not be a surprise if he hit lower. Cano is playing in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic. Rumors about his off-season conditioning are notable. He supposedly dropped some weight and his hitting and seeing the ball better than ever. I expect his .271 average to climb as the pressure is shifted to other players and the new starting pitchers. He scored only 70 runs last year. Cano should cross the plate 100 times in 2009. Jorge Posada’s health concerns me. The catcher’s bat is the reason the Yankees need him in the lineup though. Posada stubbornly wants to remain the NY backstop but isn’t going to be the same catcher he was earlier in his career when Giradi was schooling him. Jose Molina makes a sufficient backup for Posada, but he is too slow and sluggish offensively.
Xavier Nady is not an everyday LF. He will see the majority of the time in left and is a consistent bottom-of -the-order bat for NY. Nady quietly hit 97 RBIs for a .305 average in limited at-bats during the past year. He earned a one year $6.65 million deal to return for the Bombers in 2009. The X-man comes back mostly as an insurance policy if young Brett Gardner doesn’t pan out or if Nick Swisher decides to go in a slump. Swisher was signed this off season as one of the Yankees’ first moves. I am sure he will ride the pine or see most of his appearances as a late-game fill in or pinch hitter. He can makes things happen and is better than average off the bench, so I like his presence. He’s good enough to be considered a starter on any other team but after Teixeria was signed, those plans were squashed. The Yankees committed to Cabrera as their CF. Melky bats ninth in this impressive NY lineup. As far as CF goes historically for the Yankees, Cabrera does not deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as past players. But the Yankees do not need him to be great and do not want to give up on this very average player.
The Yankee rotation is set and well-rounded. C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain and Andy Pettitte are the starters. Phil Hughes could be a spot starter or compete for a spot, but will pitch from the pen. He joins fellow righty relievers, Alfredo Aceves, Humberto Sanchez, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, David Robertson and Ian Kennedy. Damaso Marte and Phil Coke are the only left-handed specialists. I cite that as the main pitching weakness if all the starters are healthy. The Yankees should sign another lefty and maybe another backup catcher.
Mariano Rivera returns as the shut-down closer and Hideki Matsui completes the Yankees as the DH and occasional outfielder.
Parting points: “Hate Me” by Blue October
Monday, February 9, 2009
Nifty Nine
I’m mixing it up a little this MLB season. Instead of playing fantasy baseball online, I am going to follow the seasonal statistics of several players loosely chosen by me. The criteria for selection was quite simply. I chose one player from each of the nine positions. They all have one thing in common. Their first and last names begin with the same letter. Thus, I present my All Alliteration Team for 2009:
1B: Billy Butler (Kansas City Royals)
2B: Placido Polanco (Detroit Tigers)
3B: Edwin Encarnacion (Cincinnati Reds)
SS: Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado Rockies)
RF: Gabe Gross (Tampa Bay Rays)
CF: Alfredo Amezaga (Florida Marlins)
LF: Skip Schumacher (St. Louis Cardinals)
C: Taylor Teagarden (Texas Rangers)
P: Boof Bonser (Minnesota Twins)
I will be checking in with my team throughout the year, so stay tuned for some updates.
Parting points: Arod comes clean, the reeling Rangers play the Devils tonight and football season is finally over. Bring on March madness.
1B: Billy Butler (Kansas City Royals)
2B: Placido Polanco (Detroit Tigers)
3B: Edwin Encarnacion (Cincinnati Reds)
SS: Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado Rockies)
RF: Gabe Gross (Tampa Bay Rays)
CF: Alfredo Amezaga (Florida Marlins)
LF: Skip Schumacher (St. Louis Cardinals)
C: Taylor Teagarden (Texas Rangers)
P: Boof Bonser (Minnesota Twins)
I will be checking in with my team throughout the year, so stay tuned for some updates.
Parting points: Arod comes clean, the reeling Rangers play the Devils tonight and football season is finally over. Bring on March madness.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Arod Accused
I don’t know why I’m surprised, but I am. This morning, reports came out that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003. The arrogant ARod always acted as if he could never be associated with steroid use, and I was foolish enough to believe him. It is so disappointing to hear another player I respected for his talent to be a cheater. Besides Alex, Derek Jeter is the only other player I never would have suspected succumbed to steroids.
Rodriguez earned the MVP in 2003 while he slugged his way through the American League as a Texas Ranger. The fallout from these reports are going to be enormous. Arod has had hard enough a time playing for the Yankees and is one of the most hated players in baseball. This will only add to the hatred and he is sure to hear more boos than he has in the past. Not only is this bad news for the Yankees, but it’s bad publicity for Major League Baseball. One of the game’s biggest stars and most talented athlete is a cheater and a liar. Steroid use during this era has ruined baseball for everybody. I considered Alex a true player with God given ability. His workout regime and daily grind in the gym was admirable. No one could ever knock Alex for his work ethic. Only now can we see he is really a fraud and a fake. Steroid use, however little or much, is wrong. I am against any type of performance-enhancing substance in any sport. If you need an edge to get ahead, you should not be playing the game.
I am not sure how often he used or to what extend he abused steroids, but it doesn’t matter. Arod might shatter a number of baseball records and he is already a future Hall of Famer. Of course there were no penalties for steroid use in 2003, this morning’s report about the Yankee third baseman is still damaging. Alex hasn’t made any comments yet. He only stated to the press that he has nothing to say about the matter. I would advice him to be honest right away before this issue progresses into a massive mess. Alex should learn from Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro. The repressions are going to be a distraction all season for the Yankees, and that is what concerns me most. It’s one thing for Rodriguez to under perform. It’s entirely different for him to be considered a liar. Who is going to trust the man now that he’s been linked to the never-ending steroid abusers.
Today I learned my lesson. You cannot put your faith and trust in anyone. I know nobody is perfect, but I really believed Alex to be a clean player. The joke’s on me and I am sure hundreds of other former Arod supporters.
Parting points: “Nightswimming” by R.E.M. in my CD player and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” by Charles Dickens on my bookshelf.
Rodriguez earned the MVP in 2003 while he slugged his way through the American League as a Texas Ranger. The fallout from these reports are going to be enormous. Arod has had hard enough a time playing for the Yankees and is one of the most hated players in baseball. This will only add to the hatred and he is sure to hear more boos than he has in the past. Not only is this bad news for the Yankees, but it’s bad publicity for Major League Baseball. One of the game’s biggest stars and most talented athlete is a cheater and a liar. Steroid use during this era has ruined baseball for everybody. I considered Alex a true player with God given ability. His workout regime and daily grind in the gym was admirable. No one could ever knock Alex for his work ethic. Only now can we see he is really a fraud and a fake. Steroid use, however little or much, is wrong. I am against any type of performance-enhancing substance in any sport. If you need an edge to get ahead, you should not be playing the game.
I am not sure how often he used or to what extend he abused steroids, but it doesn’t matter. Arod might shatter a number of baseball records and he is already a future Hall of Famer. Of course there were no penalties for steroid use in 2003, this morning’s report about the Yankee third baseman is still damaging. Alex hasn’t made any comments yet. He only stated to the press that he has nothing to say about the matter. I would advice him to be honest right away before this issue progresses into a massive mess. Alex should learn from Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro. The repressions are going to be a distraction all season for the Yankees, and that is what concerns me most. It’s one thing for Rodriguez to under perform. It’s entirely different for him to be considered a liar. Who is going to trust the man now that he’s been linked to the never-ending steroid abusers.
Today I learned my lesson. You cannot put your faith and trust in anyone. I know nobody is perfect, but I really believed Alex to be a clean player. The joke’s on me and I am sure hundreds of other former Arod supporters.
Parting points: “Nightswimming” by R.E.M. in my CD player and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” by Charles Dickens on my bookshelf.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Signs of Spring’s Swings
"The Germans wore gray, you wore blue”- Rick Blaine, Casablanca
The doldrums of winter are slowly ending and the blue and gray boys of summer are ready to bring their signature swings. Signs of Spring are around the corner. I can almost hear the crack of the bat and the cheers of the crowds.
Eight days from now pitchers and catchers report for Spring ball. In 20 days, the Yankees will play their first Spring training game against Toronto. 25 men will compete to make the final rosters and be a part of history on Opening Day at the new stadium. Whether they are returning, refined mainstays in pinstripes or novices vying for a spot, players assume the same annual assignment. Shiny baseballs will spin and be tossed with ease. Fresh-cut grass will take on the familiar feel of a fine Spring afternoon. Dugout discussions will involve intimate intonations. The sandlot shadows will situation seductively as silhouettes shag flies in the outfield. Rosin bags will be released and relegated to round mounds, batting gloves broken in, leathers laced and bases placed. Ballplayers will start the daily drudgery of energetic and endless exercise and wind sprints. Jumping jacks, leg lunches, stretches, sit-ups and crunches will become an everyday affair once again.
I love baseball when the games count in the standings and have meaning most of all. But to truly grasp the greatness of the game at its most beautiful, the unreal essence of baseball is unleashed during Spring training.
The Yankees should make it to the 2009 Fall Classic. On paper, they have the best team in the league. Here are five things I think need to occur for the Bombers to be in the World Series:
1. The pitching staff must be healthy. Winning teams do so because they have a strong and enduring starting rotation. The Yankees went out of their way this off-season to spend money on quality arms. The staff is solidified but the names and stats mean nothing if they are not healthy. Injuries are inevitable in baseball and the Yankees are not immune to them. They must keep their pitchers in prime condition throughout the summer. Wang is coming off an injury and Burnett has a reputation for being on the DL annually. Hopefully both can avoid a DL stint in 2009. C.C. Sabathia is the team’s number one but it may take time to get him acclimated and comfortable with pitching in N.Y. He should be able to settle down by the early Spring into a routine and familiar setting. It’s hard to predict the kind of year Andy Pettitte will provide in pinstripes. Joba Chamberlain has no prior seasons to compare to. Both pitchers could very well determine which direction the Bombers are headed early in the year. The number four and five starters, Chamberlain and Pettitte need to give an all out effort and win double digit games if the Yankees expect to be a force in the competitive AL East.
2. Coaching is huge. People say coaching in baseball is overrated. I tend to think it is highly undervalued. Managers do make a difference even if they are not the ones hitting or fielding the ball. The mere presence of a leader in the dugout and a decision maker is just as important as the players’ skills when push comes to shove in the post-season. Baseball players cannot always motivate themselves to perform at their highest levels. They often tire out late in the season and need a manager to pick them up. The role of Joe Girardi will be vital during the final stretch and he has to keep the players focused on their long-term goals.
3. Back to basics should be the team motto. The Yankees of the 90’s could beat you in so many different ways. From bunting to base-stealing, they rediscovered the fundamentals. The tactics and maneuvers used by those championship teams were not rocket science and they did work best when executed correctly. The Yankees need to concentrate on fielding and hitting the cutoffs correctly on defense. They should not rely solely on the long ball when at the plate. Base hits count for production too. There was nothing more splendid than a Paul O’Neill line drive to score the go-ahead run in the 90’s.
4. Robinson Cano has to play better and smarter baseball. Mistakes are expected but Robinson has too much potential being wasted. He could be the team MVP if he stopped slacking off. Cano came around late in 2008 and I think he will bounce back with a more productive season this year. It is time for him to revive himself and emerge as a mature player. The absence of Larry Bowa may have hurt him, but Jeter is a role model he could look to for support. He needs someone to ignite that fire he showed his first year here.
5. Mark Texeira needs to be the player we expect he will. Everyone has high expectations for the new first baseman. I think he will exceed them and be a fine player for a long time in N.Y. I figured out he reminds me a lot of Robin Ventura for some reason. Both seem to embody class and pure talent. Tex has a snappy glove like Robin did at third base. Both are not flashy with the bat but are capable of big hits. Jorge Posada isn’t going to be the same player so I think Tex will make up for some of his production. He will definitely be better than Giambi in the field and at the plate, I am sure pitchers will try to avoid throwing him anything he can drill.
Parting points: “Mad, bad and dangerous to know. That was him and that is me”- Dylan McKay
Song of the day: “Santa Monica” by Everclear
The doldrums of winter are slowly ending and the blue and gray boys of summer are ready to bring their signature swings. Signs of Spring are around the corner. I can almost hear the crack of the bat and the cheers of the crowds.
Eight days from now pitchers and catchers report for Spring ball. In 20 days, the Yankees will play their first Spring training game against Toronto. 25 men will compete to make the final rosters and be a part of history on Opening Day at the new stadium. Whether they are returning, refined mainstays in pinstripes or novices vying for a spot, players assume the same annual assignment. Shiny baseballs will spin and be tossed with ease. Fresh-cut grass will take on the familiar feel of a fine Spring afternoon. Dugout discussions will involve intimate intonations. The sandlot shadows will situation seductively as silhouettes shag flies in the outfield. Rosin bags will be released and relegated to round mounds, batting gloves broken in, leathers laced and bases placed. Ballplayers will start the daily drudgery of energetic and endless exercise and wind sprints. Jumping jacks, leg lunches, stretches, sit-ups and crunches will become an everyday affair once again.
I love baseball when the games count in the standings and have meaning most of all. But to truly grasp the greatness of the game at its most beautiful, the unreal essence of baseball is unleashed during Spring training.
The Yankees should make it to the 2009 Fall Classic. On paper, they have the best team in the league. Here are five things I think need to occur for the Bombers to be in the World Series:
1. The pitching staff must be healthy. Winning teams do so because they have a strong and enduring starting rotation. The Yankees went out of their way this off-season to spend money on quality arms. The staff is solidified but the names and stats mean nothing if they are not healthy. Injuries are inevitable in baseball and the Yankees are not immune to them. They must keep their pitchers in prime condition throughout the summer. Wang is coming off an injury and Burnett has a reputation for being on the DL annually. Hopefully both can avoid a DL stint in 2009. C.C. Sabathia is the team’s number one but it may take time to get him acclimated and comfortable with pitching in N.Y. He should be able to settle down by the early Spring into a routine and familiar setting. It’s hard to predict the kind of year Andy Pettitte will provide in pinstripes. Joba Chamberlain has no prior seasons to compare to. Both pitchers could very well determine which direction the Bombers are headed early in the year. The number four and five starters, Chamberlain and Pettitte need to give an all out effort and win double digit games if the Yankees expect to be a force in the competitive AL East.
2. Coaching is huge. People say coaching in baseball is overrated. I tend to think it is highly undervalued. Managers do make a difference even if they are not the ones hitting or fielding the ball. The mere presence of a leader in the dugout and a decision maker is just as important as the players’ skills when push comes to shove in the post-season. Baseball players cannot always motivate themselves to perform at their highest levels. They often tire out late in the season and need a manager to pick them up. The role of Joe Girardi will be vital during the final stretch and he has to keep the players focused on their long-term goals.
3. Back to basics should be the team motto. The Yankees of the 90’s could beat you in so many different ways. From bunting to base-stealing, they rediscovered the fundamentals. The tactics and maneuvers used by those championship teams were not rocket science and they did work best when executed correctly. The Yankees need to concentrate on fielding and hitting the cutoffs correctly on defense. They should not rely solely on the long ball when at the plate. Base hits count for production too. There was nothing more splendid than a Paul O’Neill line drive to score the go-ahead run in the 90’s.
4. Robinson Cano has to play better and smarter baseball. Mistakes are expected but Robinson has too much potential being wasted. He could be the team MVP if he stopped slacking off. Cano came around late in 2008 and I think he will bounce back with a more productive season this year. It is time for him to revive himself and emerge as a mature player. The absence of Larry Bowa may have hurt him, but Jeter is a role model he could look to for support. He needs someone to ignite that fire he showed his first year here.
5. Mark Texeira needs to be the player we expect he will. Everyone has high expectations for the new first baseman. I think he will exceed them and be a fine player for a long time in N.Y. I figured out he reminds me a lot of Robin Ventura for some reason. Both seem to embody class and pure talent. Tex has a snappy glove like Robin did at third base. Both are not flashy with the bat but are capable of big hits. Jorge Posada isn’t going to be the same player so I think Tex will make up for some of his production. He will definitely be better than Giambi in the field and at the plate, I am sure pitchers will try to avoid throwing him anything he can drill.
Parting points: “Mad, bad and dangerous to know. That was him and that is me”- Dylan McKay
Song of the day: “Santa Monica” by Everclear
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Committed Class
Today is National Signing Day for high school football players declaring for college next season. Twenty two players were committed to Ohio State by July 4th. Five of the incoming freshman are defensive backs. It’s clear Jim Tressel recruited for a strong and speedy secondary defense. The Buckeyes boast the best of this year’s recruits. Here’s a look at a few of the verbal commitments heading for the Horseshoe.
Corey Brown- CB/WR, Gateway SHS, Monroeville, PA
Brown is the number one recruit in my opinion. It will be fascinating to see how Tressel will use the 6’1 smooth, sound Pennsylvania native. He will likely install him as a supportive defensive back because of Brown’s physicality and usefulness as a tackle. Corey knows how to use his body to defend against the pass, breakup throws and intercept the ball. Offensively, he is also good because he can gain separation on most routine routes and play calls. He is somewhat limited with speed but projects to be a force in college like he was for Gateway.
Dorian Bell- LB, Gateway SHS, Monroeville, PA
Bell was Brown’s teammate in high school and both will play in Ohio next season. Bell is a very athletic lineback with great tackling technique. He is an experienced blitzer with capabilities from all three line backing positions. Dorian’s lateral speed, finesse and blocking knowledge allow him to be adaptable. He knows the basics of the position and can attack the quarterback in a hurry. Because he can get to the quarterback quickly, he’s a threat but scouts worry about his durability. Bell led Gateway in tackles and sacks as a junior. Western Pennsylvania fans are familiar with his greatness as an incredible high school football player who could have chosen to play for any BCS team.
Marlon Brown- WR, Harding Academy, Memphis, TN
Marlon has good size and strength. He’s an explosive receiver with good hands. Scouts are impressed and like his concentration but feel he needs to work on blocking ability. The PARADE All-American should improve his 2008 numbers as a Buckeye. Brown has 1,785 all purpose yards and 19 touchdowns last year. Ohio State lost a few good seniors to the NFL so they should be able to use Brown on a limited basis.
Duron Carter- WR, St.Thomas Aquinas HS, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The son of former NFL star, Cris Carer, Duron is similar in size and skills to his father. I am excited about him playing for Ohio State. He should also be of help in filling the WR void left over from 2008. Carter is not a deep threat but is competitive and clever. He is a smart player with intangible tools. The receiver played for an elite program in Florida. St. Thomas Aquinas won back-to-back state titles. In 2007, Duron led the all wideouts in Class 5A. His Raiders finished last season with a perfect 15-0 regular season. He scored 13 touchdowns totaling 726 yards.
Jaamal Berry- RB, Miami Palmetto
Berry has power, toughness and vision. Those three reasons are guaranteed to make him a true Buckeye. He is the state of Florida’s top rated rusher. Jaamal takes short strides for big gains, especially after contact. He can get down field in a hurry with his quickness and upper body strength. The soft-handed back injured his wrist during his senior year but claims he is healthy. Berry is a the total package with the ability to beat you outside and between tackles. I think he will be a stronger back than Beanie Wells, although used less often because of his built. Without Berry in the backfield, Miami Palmetto was stymied so he is clearly a game changer and playmaker.
Jamie Wood- DB/WR, Pickerington Central, OH
Wood can play on both sides of the ball. He was the team captain for Pickerington and I like that he will stay in Ohio. The 190 lb, 6’2 dual-threat caught 25 passes for 548 yards and 8 touchdowns in his junior season. He also had 65 tackles, broke up 12 passes and snatched one interception.
Adam Bellamy- DT/OG, Aurora, OH
The massive offensive star can open up holes for rushers and is projected as mostly an offensive lineman for Ohio State. Even though he has played on defense, Bellamy is best in the guard position on offense. He was ranked number 23 nationally at the position with his 6’4 frame amassing 275 lbs. Tressel intends to utilize Adam as a run stopper.
Parting points: Kobe had some night at MSG with those 61 points Monday. Can LeBron top him tonight?
Congrats to Adam Graves. The Rangers finally retired his number 9 jersey last night.
Corey Brown- CB/WR, Gateway SHS, Monroeville, PA
Brown is the number one recruit in my opinion. It will be fascinating to see how Tressel will use the 6’1 smooth, sound Pennsylvania native. He will likely install him as a supportive defensive back because of Brown’s physicality and usefulness as a tackle. Corey knows how to use his body to defend against the pass, breakup throws and intercept the ball. Offensively, he is also good because he can gain separation on most routine routes and play calls. He is somewhat limited with speed but projects to be a force in college like he was for Gateway.
Dorian Bell- LB, Gateway SHS, Monroeville, PA
Bell was Brown’s teammate in high school and both will play in Ohio next season. Bell is a very athletic lineback with great tackling technique. He is an experienced blitzer with capabilities from all three line backing positions. Dorian’s lateral speed, finesse and blocking knowledge allow him to be adaptable. He knows the basics of the position and can attack the quarterback in a hurry. Because he can get to the quarterback quickly, he’s a threat but scouts worry about his durability. Bell led Gateway in tackles and sacks as a junior. Western Pennsylvania fans are familiar with his greatness as an incredible high school football player who could have chosen to play for any BCS team.
Marlon Brown- WR, Harding Academy, Memphis, TN
Marlon has good size and strength. He’s an explosive receiver with good hands. Scouts are impressed and like his concentration but feel he needs to work on blocking ability. The PARADE All-American should improve his 2008 numbers as a Buckeye. Brown has 1,785 all purpose yards and 19 touchdowns last year. Ohio State lost a few good seniors to the NFL so they should be able to use Brown on a limited basis.
Duron Carter- WR, St.Thomas Aquinas HS, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The son of former NFL star, Cris Carer, Duron is similar in size and skills to his father. I am excited about him playing for Ohio State. He should also be of help in filling the WR void left over from 2008. Carter is not a deep threat but is competitive and clever. He is a smart player with intangible tools. The receiver played for an elite program in Florida. St. Thomas Aquinas won back-to-back state titles. In 2007, Duron led the all wideouts in Class 5A. His Raiders finished last season with a perfect 15-0 regular season. He scored 13 touchdowns totaling 726 yards.
Jaamal Berry- RB, Miami Palmetto
Berry has power, toughness and vision. Those three reasons are guaranteed to make him a true Buckeye. He is the state of Florida’s top rated rusher. Jaamal takes short strides for big gains, especially after contact. He can get down field in a hurry with his quickness and upper body strength. The soft-handed back injured his wrist during his senior year but claims he is healthy. Berry is a the total package with the ability to beat you outside and between tackles. I think he will be a stronger back than Beanie Wells, although used less often because of his built. Without Berry in the backfield, Miami Palmetto was stymied so he is clearly a game changer and playmaker.
Jamie Wood- DB/WR, Pickerington Central, OH
Wood can play on both sides of the ball. He was the team captain for Pickerington and I like that he will stay in Ohio. The 190 lb, 6’2 dual-threat caught 25 passes for 548 yards and 8 touchdowns in his junior season. He also had 65 tackles, broke up 12 passes and snatched one interception.
Adam Bellamy- DT/OG, Aurora, OH
The massive offensive star can open up holes for rushers and is projected as mostly an offensive lineman for Ohio State. Even though he has played on defense, Bellamy is best in the guard position on offense. He was ranked number 23 nationally at the position with his 6’4 frame amassing 275 lbs. Tressel intends to utilize Adam as a run stopper.
Parting points: Kobe had some night at MSG with those 61 points Monday. Can LeBron top him tonight?
Congrats to Adam Graves. The Rangers finally retired his number 9 jersey last night.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Harrison, Holmes Hoist History
Santonio’s Snag Seals Steelers’ Sixth Superbowl
Happy Steelers fans are celebrating with pride and grandeur today in Steelernation. I am sure the streets are lined with black and gold following perhaps the most exciting Superbowl ever. Superbowl 43’s fourth quarter was unquestionably the most breath-taking, best of all time.
The former Buckeye, Santonio Holmes, burned and bruised the birds with the deciding blow in the game’s final 35 seconds. Ben Roethlesberger and the Steelers were heavily favored but found themselves suddenly trailing by three points late in the erratic final quarter. The Terrible Towels of Tampa tentatively were turned down as fans held their breath waiting for Ben to lead Pittsburgh back. He delivered with a 78 yard drive into the Cardinal Red Zone. Holmes quickly and quietly clawed his way to the end zone. His six yard snatch on second and goal was astounding. As Holmes stabbed his feet into the turf and fell forward with lunging limbs, Raymond James Stadium erupted. The Steelers held a 27-23 lead in another surprising turn of events in an evening featuring several.
What more could we football fans desire than the combination of incredible plays, remarkable runs and unforgettable catches that embodied Superbowl 43? The fames Fitzgerald was great. Holmes was even better. Fitzgerald, the talented receiver for Arizona, was held scoreless and was almost as invisible as a good Superbowl commercial in the first three quarters. Only in Arizona’s awesome fourth quarter did Kurt Warner hook up with his favorite target. Warned showed why he deserves to be in Canton someday. He outperformed Roethlesberger even though he suffered the loss. Warner’s biggest mistake was a sloppy and costly one. The interception before halftime was a miscue and James Harrison took advantage of it by returning the pick 100 yards. The Superbowl record is one for the ages and one I will definitely remember for years to come.
The Cardinals defense kept their team in the game in the second half, especially the third quarter. The held Pittsburgh in check by limiting them to a field goal and giving Warner’s offense a chance in the last fifteen minutes. Things unraveled for Pittsburgh’s number one rated defense. The secondary was exposed down the middle and Warner took advantage by using the entire field to find his receivers. Kurt’s quick releases, good protection and keen eyesight allowed Arizona to get ahead for what looked like the franchise’s first Superbowl. Ike Taylor was beaten on a Fitzgerald slant route and before anyone knew what was happening, the Cardinals were winning the game.
But, this is where Ben stepped up and the Steelers offense deserves the most credit. They capitalized on an opportunity to take over the game for good. Holmes shifted into the highest gear of any player on the field. Roethlesberger was his relentless self. Either player could have been awarded the MVP but it was the wide receiver who eventually took home the honor with a career game. Ben shuffled through defenders and averted the pass rush with the grit and grace of a seasoned quarterback. Holmes and Roethlesberger were able to connect the dots and reach the end zone when it mattered most. Holmes’ extension on the final catch was a true treat. Ben’s escapability behind center is unlike any other in his position, even if he isn’t the swiftest looking.
Before the game, everyone was picking the Steelers to have a ho-hum win. The hasty Cardinals humbled the Pittsburgh defense and gathered themselves together to ignite a comeback. Arizona was not the better team but they showed they were no pushovers either. Their magic season came to an end but they have a lot to be proud of. Had the Cardinals won the game, it would have been the greatest comeback in Superbowl history. Warner was the gifted play caller who garnered and gained ground gradually in the fourth quarter. I thought for sure the Steel curtain would crash and collapse in the end, but the dramatic drive declared a six-time Superbowl champion.
The Steelers delusional defense disappointed me and I was shocked Willie Parker was a non-factor as a running back. In fact, both running games were almost absent. Last night’s game produced the lowest rushing yards in any Superbowl. I do not even recall seeing Tim Hightower on the field and if Edgerran James was handed the ball more than a dozen times, I would be surprised. The running game was clearly the glaring component missing. Parker was shut down and could not penetrate the Cardinal defense with any success. James never was able to permeate the solid Pittsburgh line either. Because they were forced to abandon the run, the Steelers had to rely on the pass. That makes the win even more impressive to me. Ben was well-positioned, strong and drilled the perfect throw to his best weapon in the end.
Parting points: Song of the day- “Push
Happy Steelers fans are celebrating with pride and grandeur today in Steelernation. I am sure the streets are lined with black and gold following perhaps the most exciting Superbowl ever. Superbowl 43’s fourth quarter was unquestionably the most breath-taking, best of all time.
The former Buckeye, Santonio Holmes, burned and bruised the birds with the deciding blow in the game’s final 35 seconds. Ben Roethlesberger and the Steelers were heavily favored but found themselves suddenly trailing by three points late in the erratic final quarter. The Terrible Towels of Tampa tentatively were turned down as fans held their breath waiting for Ben to lead Pittsburgh back. He delivered with a 78 yard drive into the Cardinal Red Zone. Holmes quickly and quietly clawed his way to the end zone. His six yard snatch on second and goal was astounding. As Holmes stabbed his feet into the turf and fell forward with lunging limbs, Raymond James Stadium erupted. The Steelers held a 27-23 lead in another surprising turn of events in an evening featuring several.
What more could we football fans desire than the combination of incredible plays, remarkable runs and unforgettable catches that embodied Superbowl 43? The fames Fitzgerald was great. Holmes was even better. Fitzgerald, the talented receiver for Arizona, was held scoreless and was almost as invisible as a good Superbowl commercial in the first three quarters. Only in Arizona’s awesome fourth quarter did Kurt Warner hook up with his favorite target. Warned showed why he deserves to be in Canton someday. He outperformed Roethlesberger even though he suffered the loss. Warner’s biggest mistake was a sloppy and costly one. The interception before halftime was a miscue and James Harrison took advantage of it by returning the pick 100 yards. The Superbowl record is one for the ages and one I will definitely remember for years to come.
The Cardinals defense kept their team in the game in the second half, especially the third quarter. The held Pittsburgh in check by limiting them to a field goal and giving Warner’s offense a chance in the last fifteen minutes. Things unraveled for Pittsburgh’s number one rated defense. The secondary was exposed down the middle and Warner took advantage by using the entire field to find his receivers. Kurt’s quick releases, good protection and keen eyesight allowed Arizona to get ahead for what looked like the franchise’s first Superbowl. Ike Taylor was beaten on a Fitzgerald slant route and before anyone knew what was happening, the Cardinals were winning the game.
But, this is where Ben stepped up and the Steelers offense deserves the most credit. They capitalized on an opportunity to take over the game for good. Holmes shifted into the highest gear of any player on the field. Roethlesberger was his relentless self. Either player could have been awarded the MVP but it was the wide receiver who eventually took home the honor with a career game. Ben shuffled through defenders and averted the pass rush with the grit and grace of a seasoned quarterback. Holmes and Roethlesberger were able to connect the dots and reach the end zone when it mattered most. Holmes’ extension on the final catch was a true treat. Ben’s escapability behind center is unlike any other in his position, even if he isn’t the swiftest looking.
Before the game, everyone was picking the Steelers to have a ho-hum win. The hasty Cardinals humbled the Pittsburgh defense and gathered themselves together to ignite a comeback. Arizona was not the better team but they showed they were no pushovers either. Their magic season came to an end but they have a lot to be proud of. Had the Cardinals won the game, it would have been the greatest comeback in Superbowl history. Warner was the gifted play caller who garnered and gained ground gradually in the fourth quarter. I thought for sure the Steel curtain would crash and collapse in the end, but the dramatic drive declared a six-time Superbowl champion.
The Steelers delusional defense disappointed me and I was shocked Willie Parker was a non-factor as a running back. In fact, both running games were almost absent. Last night’s game produced the lowest rushing yards in any Superbowl. I do not even recall seeing Tim Hightower on the field and if Edgerran James was handed the ball more than a dozen times, I would be surprised. The running game was clearly the glaring component missing. Parker was shut down and could not penetrate the Cardinal defense with any success. James never was able to permeate the solid Pittsburgh line either. Because they were forced to abandon the run, the Steelers had to rely on the pass. That makes the win even more impressive to me. Ben was well-positioned, strong and drilled the perfect throw to his best weapon in the end.
Parting points: Song of the day- “Push
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