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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

NL Central: Will this be the year for the Cubs?


By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff


Pitching, pitching, pitching. You can never have enough of it, and nearly every team is always on the look out for more of it. The National League Central is riddled with substandard starting rotations, so it's safe to assume the team with the best staff is likely to take the division crown.

The Chicago Cubs are the team with the best starting rotation. They have four solid starters in Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden, Ryan Dempster and Ted Lilly. Carlos Zambrano, the ace of the staff, was much better in the 2nd half of the season after his contract issues were resolved. Rich Harden was electric going 5-1 with a 1.77 era after the trade, but you always need to be concerned about his health. All Lilly and Dempster did was rack up 17 wins apiece. The bullpen should be deep as well. Lou Pinella just announced that Kevin Gregg will be the opening day closer. If he fails, Carlos Marmol can alwasy step in. Don't sleep on Jeff Smardzja. The former Notre Dame wide receiver had a 2.72 era in 27 2/3 innings. The Cubs offense should be on par with last season despite the trade of Mark DeRosa. Derek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano are all back. Geovany Soto will try to do his best against a sophomore jinx. The off season move I like the most is the addition of Milton Bradley. Despite his frequent off, and on, field problems, he can still hit. He hit .321, 22 HR & 77 RBI in only 126 games last season. I also like this move because Koske Fukudome can move back to centerfield where he is more comfortable.

The St. Louis Cardinals are a better team than most people realize. That doesn't mean you should hand them a spot in the playoffs, but they should be in the wild card race. They also have a lot of questions on offense. Can Ryan Ludwick come close to the .299, 37 HR & 113 RBI from last season? Can Rick Ankiel continue to improve at the plate? Will Skip Shumaker be able to make the defensive transition to second base while not suffering at the plate? Can the Cardinals get some help from youngster like Colby Rasmus and Joe Mather. What type of player will Kalil Greene be? Based on the spring many of these players are having, all signs point to yes. When Adam Wainright was healthy last year he was the ace of the staff, and should continue his improvement on the mound. Dave Duncan continued his great work with the staff as both Kyle Lohse and Todd Wellemeyer surprised everyone to combine for 29 wins. Luckily for the Cardinals it looks like Chris Carpenter is in the midst of another comeback as he's look sharp this spring (2-1, 1.52 ERA 23.2 IP). The back end of the bullpen is what concerns me. The bullpen blew 31 saves last season. Ryan Franklin (16 saves), Chris Perez and Jason Motte are all in line for save chances. If one of the three can win the job and be consistent, it will allow the rest of the bullpen to settle into their roles.

After losing their two aces, The Milwaukee Brewers will be taking a step back this season. Yovanni Gollardo is back healthy, but has looked shaky this spring. He's supposed to be the staff ace, but Dave Bush looks amazing this spring and may end up at the front. After them Manny Parra looks to improve over his 10-8 record last season. Jeff Suppan has looked decent this spring, but how much more does he have. If Trevor Hoffman can be even a shadow of himself, then he should finally bring some consistency to the bullpen. On offense, the Brewers have their entire lineup returning. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder continue to provide the pop in the middle of the order. Cory Hart is one of the most undervalued players in the NL, and J.J. Hardy should at least hit .280, 20 HR, 80+RBI. He may also be the best trade chip they have midseason if they fall out of the race. If that's the case Brewers fans will be happy to see Alcides Escobar finally hit the bigs.

As you'll see below, I have picked the Cincinnati Reds to finish 4th in the NL Central. Despite that, you should see a marked improvement in the team in 2009. I like the addition of Ramon Hernandez behind the plate, but am not sure about Willy Tavares. The last time I checked, it's still impossible to steal first. Joey Votto (.297, 24 HR, 84 RBI) is on the verge of being a star and should continue to improve. It's also important for Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion to take the next step. Both players have the ability to be all stars, but Encarnacion is still dealing with maturity issues. Bruce struggled after his meteoric start, but looks to be more at ease this spring. Aaron Harang should be better than the dismal season he had last year, Bronson Arroyo is a decent 4th starter, but is slotted as #3, and Micah Owings has been pretty good this spring. I would still caution anyone on how effective these pitchers can be. The Reds need Edison Volquez to be as brilliant as he was last year. What they need the most is vast improvements in Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey. The Great American Ballpark is a tough park to pitch in, so I wish them all good luck.

Somehow the Houston Astros had an 86-75 record last year. Don't look for them to repeat with another winning season. Outside of Roy Oswalt they don't have a dependable starter, and continue to struggle in the bullpen. Mike Hampton is once again attempting a comeback, Brandon Backe and Wandi Rodriguez are serviceable, but that's about it. Jose Valverde racked up 41 saves, but would never be in the discussion as the most reliable closer. They still have a decent lineup that benefits playing in a band box of a field. Lance Berkman continues to be one of the most productive bats in the game. Carlos Lee has struggled this spring, but should be back the his usual self after a wrist injury ended a great season (.314, 28 HR, 100 RBI in 115 games) too early. What does Miguel Tejada and Ivan Rodriguez have left? That's a good question. Rodriguez seems to be invigorated after a great World Baseball Classic, but Tejada has had a wild off season. Can you really expect much out of a man on parole? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Once again The Pittsburgh Pirates should bring up the rear in the National League Central. Paul Maholm had a very good second half of '08, and has carried that over to the spring. Russ Ohlendorf, obtained from the Yankees in the Xavier Nady deal, has been brilliant this spring (allowing only 2 ER in 20.1 innings) but shouldn't be counted on for too much. The rest of the rotation contains former prospects unable to make the transition to the big leagues from the minors. On the positive side, Nate Mclouth and Ryan Doumit emerged as very good players last season. Adam Laroche looks to continue with an awful first half followed by a scorching second half. Freddy Sanchez is a nice player who would make a very good utility player on a good time. The rest of the lineup features prospects with great potential and Eric Hinske,and Craig Monroe. Hinske should see time at his usual 3 or 4 positions, while Monroe continues to impress with 6 HR and 13 RBI this spring. Adam Laroche, Andy's little brother, is having another great spring. This is a make or break year for the former Dodger's farmhand who has a history of hot springs followed by an injury or prolonged slump. Will this be the year Andrew MCutchen finally gets time in the bigs? He's raking this spring, and should get time in right field due to Brandon Moss's season ending injury.

PREDICTION
1. Cubs
4. Reds
(Coming tomorrow: NL West preview by Jim Ingram)

Monday, March 30, 2009

Tiger's Back on the Prowl

By Matt Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff



What a crazy weekend in sports! Spring training is wrapping up, as are the NHL and NBA regular seasons, and how about the last second wins in the NCAA Basketball and Hockey tourneys. Still with all that going on, the most exciting moments this weekend happened in Orlando at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. As you well know by now, Tiger is back, which means the PGA Tour is watchable again.


Although Tiger wasn't at his best on Saturday, he was able to put himself into the last group for Sunday which meant everything. The youthful Sean O'Hair never had a chance once the two were paired together for Sunday, even with a five shot lead. Don't get me wrong, O'Hair had his chances to wrap it up during the round but consistently shot himself in the foot. You can't expect to have four bogies in the final round of a tournament and beat the best golfer of all-time, and yes, Tiger is the best ever.


The backbreaking shot happened on the par-5, 16th when Tiger had to layup from a bad tee shot landing in the deep rough. O'Hair's biggest moment would come when he had a choice; he could lay up short of the water surrounding the green or increase his one shot lead and put it on in two. He and his caddie decided to end it on the 16th; after all it was only 175 yards to the hole. He did "end it" when his ball landed in the water short of the green. After the ball became alligator bait, O'Hair was bent over ready to bring his lunch up. At that point everyone knew that Tiger's pressure got to him and he was all done. If that wasn't bad enough Tiger lined up a 16 footer on the 18th green in the twilight to win it. In Tiger's dramatic fashion he put the ball right in and O'Hair was finished with a fist pump.

Even though Tiger is only three events in since surgery and is a little rusty, he still has the intimidation factor on his side. In a couple of weeks at the Masters, he will need that intimidation as well as a more overall consistent game if he wants to beat a full PGA field. Not to take away the accomplishments of Sean O’Hair, but the skills and mental fortitude of Tiger’s competitors at the Masters will surpass that of what he experienced this past weekend at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

NCAA Men's Hockey: BU only #1 seed to the Frozen Four

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Can you say upset city? Forget the NCAA basketball tournament. This was the craziest weekend in hockey that I've seen in some time. If you want to have a good laugh, go back to my NCAA preview and look at my predictions. BU is the only Frozen Four team I got right, and I am a whopping 3 of 12 in my game picks thus far. Not pretty, but I am just one of many who had no idea what was to take place this weekend.

The weekend started off with a bang when Michigan was shutout by Air Force. Then came Miami of Ohio's thrashing of Denver. Two #1 seeds, two losses. The final upset of Friday came when Vermont beat Yale 4-1 practically in their home town.

Saturday wasn't much different. BU may have rolled over Ohio State 8-3, but no one saw Notre Dam losing to Bemidji State 5-1. Even though UNH played at home, I was very surprised to see them beat North Dakota in a thrilling overtime game. Later in the Day Vermont and Miami punched their tickets to the Frozen Four.

Sunday brought us the final two games of the regionals. BU won a game they shouldn't have with :15 seconds left. They were vastly outplayed by UNH, and were only in the game thanks to freshman goalie Kieran Milan. I couldn't tell you how many times ESPN's John Buccigross went nuts after a save. Bemidji State and Cornell played the late game. Bemidji State easily beat Cornell to complete the Frozen Four.

The Frozen Four has two #4 seeds, a #3, and a#1 in Boston University. While I believe BU will win the championship, it's not as easy a path as you'd think. BU will face Vermont in the opener. Vermont is the only Hockey East school to have a winning record against BU and swept them at Agganis Arena early in the season. The Catamounts know how to disrupt the BU's flow of play. They make it much harder for the Terriers to complete their cross ice passes which is their bread and butter. Ultimately, hockey playoffs come down to goal tending, and you won't find a better goalie in college than Keiran Millan. He is the main reason BU is heading to the Frozen Four. BU fans just need to hope the two week layoff doesn't hurt his momentum.

Predictions:
BU vs. Bemdji State in the finals

NCAA Champs:
Boston University Terriers

NL East Preview: Watch out for the Mets

By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Can the Philadelphia Phillies repeat?
It's easier said than done.
While the Phillies possess a loaded lineup with Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth that shouldn't have an problems with producing runs, I'm a little concerned about the Phillies' pitching.
Ace southpaw Cole Hamels (wasn't he outstanding in the postseason?) has had arm issues in the preaseason and that really worries me. He's tested it out and reports no problems, but you just never know. After Hamels, the Phils don't really scare you. Tough guy Brett Myers has a nasty right-cross and occasionally features great stuff, while old man Jamie Moyer keeps you guessing with a slow -- I'm mean Little League slow -- changeup. Yes, he's still winning at 100 years old, but this has got to be the year he finally becomes the Crypt Keeper, right? Then there's Joe Blanton, big deal. So, see, it's not a very impressive staff. Are Philly fans confident in that rotation?
This is why I think the New York Mets finally have a real shot at winning the National League East. Well, if they don't collapse in September ... again!
The Mets shouldn't be able to blame their bullpen this year. They went on and landed setup man J.J. Putz (he can still close on a lot of teams) and Francisco Rodriguez, better known as K-Rod, who notched 62 saves last year. The bullpen is now a strength.
Johan Santana leads the staff ... he's still nasty but not as overpowering as in years past. The Mets are also iffy in the rotation with Oliver Perez and John Maine. But they also have the offensive goods with third baseman David Wright (.302 BA, 33 HRs, 124 RBIs), shortstop Jose Reyes (.297 BA, 16 HRs, 113 R, 56 SBs), and center fielder Carlos Beltran.
I think the Mets have all the pieces to overtake the Phils, finally. How many times can the Mets get kicked in the stones before they finally stick up for themselves?
The Florida Marlins are littered with young talent -- shortstop Hanley Ramirez is a complete 5-tool stud -- but don't have enough juice to contend in the division. They should finish third just like last year.
Florida, however, does have the best rotation in the division in Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco (15-8 record, 3.52 ERA, 186 Ks, 1.10 WHIP ... I'm starting to believe, but need to see another highly productive year), Chris Volstad, Anibal Sanchez and Andrew Miller. I'm also interested in watching center fielder Cameron Maybin develop. He's got the pieces to become a very nice player in the upcoming years. Dan Uggla can rake, but it'd be nice to see him hit for a little average, too.
The Atlanta Braves did some nice things in the offseason -- signed Mr. Consistent Derek Lowe and also helped out the staff by trading for Javier Vazquez. Is this Kenshin Kawakami any good? I'll hold judgement until I see more footage. Add Jair Jurrjens to the rotation, and the Braves will be competitive on the mound. Problem is they only have Chipper "Stop Crying About The World Baseball Classic" Jones to spearhead the offense. I'll bet Larry gets hurt again this year -- ribs, wrist or back ... bank on it.
The Washington Nationals don't have a chance. This team really stinks -- sort of like an overused Port-A-Pottie on a hot day. I like the signing of outfielder Adam Dunn (he'll hit his complimentary 40 HRs again and bat .220) and I like closer Joel Hanrahan's stuff. I'm also looking forward to watching top prospect, Jordan Zimmermann, pitch at some point this year. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is an above average player, and outfielder Lastings Milledge should keep improving. But you'll still need your homemade Ninja mask to watch these guys play. Only go to games if the tickets are free.
PREDICTION 
1. Mets
2. Phillies
3. Marlins
4. Braves
5. Nationals
(Coming tomorrow: NL Central preview by Jim Ingram)

Friday, March 27, 2009

What's Bruin? The Home Stretch Edition

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff


The Boston Bruins have had a fantastic season thus far. With 9 games remaining in the regular season, they are not just playing to hold on for the #1 seed in the East and home ice advantage. Yes, that is hugely important, but what matters more is not having to face the New Jersey Devils or the Washington Capitols until the conference finals.

The Bruins currently have a 5 point lead over both teams which is not a comfortable lead with only 9 games left. The Bruins and Devils have played the same amount of games, but the Capitols have played 2 more games than both teams. Washington is finishing the season very strong as they've won 14 points going 6-2-2 over the past 10 games. Washington also has the easiest remaining schedule of the three teams.

While Washington may be the Bruins biggest threat to overtake them in the standings, the New Jersey Devils are the team I would fear the most in the playoffs. The Devils have Marty Brodeur back healthy for the playoffs, an amazing defense, and finally have some bonafide scorers in Zach Parise, Jamie Langenbrunner and Patrik Elias.

Despite that, I fully expect the Boston Bruins to enter the playoffs as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. They had an inspired win last Sunday against the Devils, nearly a week of of rest since that game, and are relatively healthy at this point. I wouldn't be too worried about Phil Kessel missing a few games this weekend. If the playoffs started today, they would face off against the hated Montreal Canadians. Many people may look back to the last time they've faced off in the first round of the playoffs, and be a little worried. This team is too gritty and too hard working to fall in the first round.

If the Bruins can secure the #1 seed, then anything short of making the Conference Finals is a disappointment in my opinion.

Please check back for much more hockey coverage as the season wraps up, we all start to grow our playoff beards and get ready to hoist the Stanley Cup!

Defending champions still dangerous

By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff


Can the Celtics repeat?
After beating the L.A. Lakers in last year's NBA Finals, it seemed like it was a very good possibility if, and only if, the Celtics could avoid injury.
Well, the dreaded injury bug has struck in Beantown and struck real hard.
Who hasn't been hurt for the Celtics this season? These guys sure know how to dress since we've seen them in street clothes on the bench for much of the season.
While Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and Tony Allen have all missed time, there's no bigger blow to a team than when the heart and soul of your club misses significant time.
It happened to the Celtics with Kevin Garnett going down with a knee injury. He missed 13 games, and is just starting to work his way back into the lineup. In four games since his return, Garnett has scored only 10-10-12-4 points, while averaging around 14-16 minutes per game.
Those stats are nothing to brag about, but the key is he's back and trying to get as close to 100 percent as possible before the start of the playoffs sometime in late April.
No need to push the limits big fella, we need you primed and ready for the playoffs.
Boston needs Garnett. Not for one second does any Celtiics fan think they can repeat without the complete package Garnett. His play and his leadership and intensity were missed greatly. Defensive production was down and so was scoring.
Boston is only 5-5 in its last 10 games, and lost to Orlando on Wednesday, 84-82, to drop to 3rd in the Eastern Conference standings.
But championships aren't won in March or during the regular season.
Cleveland sits in first, followed by Orlando and Boston. Don't forget about the Lakers in the Western Conference. They all can take down the Celtics in the playoffs.
But with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen (so much for being washed up, huh!), Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Eddie House, Leon Powe, Glen Davis and Stephon Marbury ... oh, I forgot the Great White Hope Brian Scalabrine ... the Celtics, if healthy, can do this.
Yes, they are the hunted this year, but nothing really rattles this veteran group -- Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen wouldn't let it anyway.
I like how everyone is talking about Cleveland, Orlando and the Lakers as the next champion.
Go ahead and bury the Celtics, I'm not.
Here's to good health and hopefully another championship banner!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Preview - Go BU!


By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

There is more than one Sweet Sixteen happening this weekend. Yes, I am talking about the NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament, and I totally agree when my cousin, and loyal FFS reader, said "In my opinion, playoff hockey, college or pro, is the most exciting time of the year in all sports". As I sit down to right this, I need to keep reminding myself to be as unbiased as possible. To be honest, I have a huge routing interest in the tournament. I am an employee of the Agganis Arena at Boston University, home to the #1 ranked BU Terrier men's hockey team, and have watched them play over half of their games this season. With that being said, allow me to provide some analysis as I give you a tour through the four regionals being held in Minneapolis, Grand Rapids, Bridgeport and Manchester.

Minneapolis: Miami vs. Denver/Princeton vs. Minn.-Duluth

Regional final: Minnesota-Duluth vs. Denver
Winner: Denver

Grand Rapids: Bemidji State vs. Notre Dame/Cornell vs. Northeastern

Regional final: Notre Dame vs. Northeastern
Winner: Notre Dame

Bridgeport: Air Force vs. Michigan/Vermont vs. Yale

Regional final: Yale vs. Michigan

Manchester: Ohio State vs. Boston University/North Dakota vs. New Hampshire

Regional final: North Dakota vs. Boston University

Frozen Four: Michigan vs. Boston University/Denver Notre Dame

NCAA final: Notre Dame vs. Boston University
NCAA Champion: Please read on

The 2009 tournament is once again filled with great teams from around the company. 7 of the 10 Hobey Baker Finalists are a part of the NCAA Tournament, so there's a great chance the winner will already be in attendance when the award is announced the Saturday in between rounds. Just in case you didn't realize it, I do have all four #1 seeds advancing to the Frozen Four.

Even though UMD comes in a little hotter than Denver, it's my opinion they will not be able to handle the considerable firepower of Denver. Denver has 7 players with at least 10 goals. While I believe Northeastern will make it to the regional finals, they have not been playing well enough to handle Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have been a force all season. They have a phenomenal defense that should easily handle the Huskies. Northeastern has had trouble from behind all season long and will have serious trouble playing from behind. Air force has been playing fantastic, but have drawn Michigan in the opener. That is unfortunate for them, and should prove a much tougher game for the Wolverines than the regional final against Vermont or Yale.

The final region, and the most interesting to me should is in Manchester. Despite the fact that BU holds the #1 overall seed in the tournament, they reside in the toughest of the 4 regions. I have put my BU love aside for this one, and truly believe that. Ohio State is no slouch, as they now reside at #14 in the country. The Terriers do have a stacked team. The lead the nation in scoring, with 180 goals, have a solid defense, and have a freshman goalie that is 25-2-3 on the season. Not bad for the guy most people thought was the backup goalie to fellow freshman Grant Rollheiser.

The key to BU winning the NCAA this year is scoring early and establishing the lead. They have lost only 1 game when leading after the 1st period, and are undefeated when leading after 2. That is phenomenal! They don't have a bad record, 3-4-1, when they trail after the 2nd period so even if they're down, it doesn't mean they're out.

Well, I've tried to be as objective as possible, but my prediction still stands. The BU Terriers will win the 2009 NCAA Men's Hockey Championship.

Make sure to check back in two weeks for the preview leading up to the actual Frozen Four down in Washington DC!

Holy Cross baseball pulls off big upset against powerful Boston College

By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

WORCESTER -- I couldn't believe my eyes.
I had just watched the Holy Cross baseball team play sloppy baseball while not getting much pitching or hitting at all in a loss to Yale on Saturday, but the Crusaders looked like a totally different team on Wednesday night in Worcester at Fitton Field.
With powerful Boston College in town, the only people who thought Holy Cross had a chance to win were wearing purple (well, I'm willing to bet many of those fans didn't think they stood a chance, either).
But that's the beauty of sports -- anything can happen on any given day.
Guess what, Holy Cross pulled off an amazing upset win, 8-2.
Holy Cross entered with a 5-14 record, while the Eagles were 14-6 with impressive wins on their resume. Boston College took 2 of 3 from Florida State in Tallahassee and 2 of 3 at Maryland. Needless to say, they're legit.
Boston College has owned Holy Cross over the years -- the Crusaders hadn't won since 1994.
There were several lessons to be learned: never take an opponent lightly, have confidence and always believe you can win even if you don't, and lay it all on the line and play hard each and every inning.
What an upset!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Let Gonzalez play for a winner

By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Tony Gonzalez is a great football player.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end will go down as one of the best tight ends in NFL history when he's retired, but something's missing in his career -- a Super Bowl ring and another sniff at the playoffs.
Gonzalez is 33 years old and he doesn't have many good years left on those worn down tires.
He's done anything and everything for the Kansas City organization since he was drafted out of California in 1997. This guy's had four 1,000-yard seasons as a tight end.
Yes, a tight end.
He also hauled in a 102 passes in 2004 ... remember, this is a tight end.
No doubt about it, his production is more like a wide receiver.
Gonzalez is still getting it done on the field, too. He had 96 catches for 1,058 yards and 10 TDs last season for the hapless 2-14 Chiefs.
Changes are on the way in Kansas City with new GM Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley, but how long will it take for the Chiefs to become a playoff team?
Gonzalez probably doesn't have that much time left in his career.
He wants to be traded, but he's not demanding one. That's the way Tony Gonzalez is. He wants the Chiefs to get a good deal before they trade him, but he wants a shot at winning a title. He knows KC isn't the place to do that.
So what should KC do?
He's a fan favorite in KC, but with new leadership comes change.
Why can't KC show Gonzalez the same respect that Gonzalez has shown the organization for the last 12 years?
See if you cant' snag a second-rounder for Gonzalez, or a third at the worst.
This guy deserves a change of scenery and a chance to be a part of a winner.
You know when he's inducted into the Hall of Fame he's going in as a Chief, anyway.
What more can he do to help the Chiefs become a playoff-caliber team? He's not a QB and he's not a defensive player, all he does is catch passes and blocked when asked to.
Set Gonzalez free, it's the right thing to do.
I know he's property of the Chiefs and he's under contract, but sometimes doing the right thing is the only thing to do.
Start over Chiefs and let Gonzalez start over.
He's earned that right!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Curt Schilling: Hall of Fame or not?

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Curt Schilling was a very good major league pitcher. He was even better in the post season, as you can see from his numbers: 11-2, 2.23 ERA and 4 complete games. Tremendous, amazing and big game pitcher are all ways to describe Curt Schilling's playoff career. If there was a Hall of Fame for the playoffs, then Curt Schilling would be a unanimous, first ballot Hall of Famer. There is just one problem. There is no playoff hall of fame. You need to take into account a player's entire career, including regular and post season.


Schilling's career numbers are very good. His 216-146 record, 3.46 ERA, 3,116 strikeouts are all impressive. If you take a closer look at his 162 game average, a 14-9 record, 3.46 ERA and 210 strikeouts don't exactly shout Hall of Famer. Yes, his 3,116 strikeouts put him 20th overall, but how many of those came against an opposing pitcher. I'm a huge National League fan, so I am not trying to bag on the NL, but some concessions need to be made when someone plays 13 1/2 years in the NL.

www.baseball-reference.com is one of my favorite websites. I often go there for stats that aren't burned into my brain. If you look at Curt's page, which the link above will take you directly to, there is a list of comparable pitchers. That list is below.
  1. Kevin Brown
  2. Bob Welch
  3. Orel Hershiser
  4. Freddie Fitzsimmons
  5. Milt Pappas
  6. Don Drysdale
  7. Dazzy Vance
  8. Jim Perry
  9. Catfish Hunter
Only three of that list are hall of famers (Don Drysdale, Catfish Hunter, Dazzy Vance). While John Smoltz will be a hall of famer, he's also a far superior pitcher in my estimation. The rest really shouldn't even be in the discussion.

I appreciate all he's done in the game considering the era he's played in. He's had to go up against the likes of Barry Bonds, Mark Maguire, Sammy Sosa, etc. That is not an easy thing to do. Is he one of the best playoff competitors of all time? Yes, but Reggie Jackson also had a great regular season career. Kirk Gibson didn't make the Hall of Fame for his World Series home run, and neither did Joe Carter.

Living in the Boston area, many people may say that I am just writing this to make a splash. While I might not be a Red Sox fan, I am also not a Red Sox Hater or Yankees fan. To be perfectly honest, I like Curt Schilling. I may not agree with some of his personal views, but enjoy listening to him speak on the radio. I just happen to be very conservative when it comes to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I am the person who thinks Cal Ripken shouldn't be in there either, but that is a discussion for another time.

McDaniels, are you a man or a mouse?

By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Are you kidding me?
New Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels is now saying that cry baby Jay Cutler is his quarterback.
For now.
But for how long?
McDaniels don't you wish you were back in New England with the protection of guru Bill Belichick?
Joshy boy, it's your chance to put a stamp on this team right away.
We know Cutler isn't your boy and you wanted one-year-wonder Matt Cassel to be your quarterback, but Uncle Bill wanted you to earn your keep so he traded him to the Chiefs and good friend Scott Pioli.
Now it's your move rookie!
Lets see, I think it's a no-brainer, you need to kick Cutler to the curb and develop your own guy.
Why don't you come out and just be honest -- you like Cutler's arm (he can make every tough NFL throw) but you don't like his decision-making and his inability to read a defense. But most importantly, you don't like his attitude. He's shown he's not a leader. Chalk it up to youth, but it appears from a distance that Cutler is about himself and his stats. Maybe he's a great locker room guy, but on the field his leadership qualities don't come though.
Big deal, he threw for over 4,000 yards. Denver always seemed to trail in games and Cutler's stats were inflated because he had to throw just about every down to try to get back into the game. He's a fantasy producer, but in real football he's a mediocre quarterback with a bad attitude.
Do it Josh, cut bait.
Cutler's bashed the organization (isn't he suppose to be the franchise?), and basically called you a liar. People are laughing at you Josh, we're all laughing at you!
You better trade him before or during the draft or you'll forever be labeled as a pushover.
Your credibility as a head coach is being questioned. You're better than that. Everyone in New England realized you had a great football mind, but perhaps you're in over your head as a head coach?
Maybe you've got us all fooled and have a plan to trade him?
I hope so.
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but don't take the banana in the tailpipe.
Do the right thing -- the only thing -- ship Cutler to Detroit so he can get his head beat in like he did back in college.
But you better not trade him to the Jets.
Bill taught you better than that!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

How are your brackets doing?

By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Is your bracket busted yet?
Not me.
I'm going to credit it more to luck than skill, but I can honestly say my team -- National Chump -- in the private Yahoo! league Fan Fanatic BBall Challenge is alive and kicking.
For how long, who knows? Yes, it could be over very soon. Perhaps in the next round.
So enjoy it while it lasts.
But has this tournament gone basically according to plan? It appears like it ... so far.
All four No. 1 seeds are still chasing March Madness glory. Of the four -- North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Louisville and UConn -- only the Huskies have easily cruised in the first two rounds. Pittsburgh hasn't look good at all, however, with close games vs. East Tennessee State and Oklahoma State. Perhaps their so-so guard play will bite them soon. Maybe against UNC in the Final Four (that's my prediction)?
The Tar Heels shook off LSU in the second round, while Louisville just snuck by Siena. Siena, come on, who are these clowns? ... oops, I mean the Saints. So sorry.
While many people like the underdog, I really hate them. I like to see the best teams advance in this tournament so two elite powers can face off in the Elite 8, Final Four and National Championship Game. These low seeds really don't have a shot at a title, so their title is knocking off a national power.
Big deal, it still doesn't do it for me.
I want to watch the best teams play, not Siena, Western Kentucky, Northern Iowa, etc. I'd rather welcome them to the tournament, give them their free goody bag and send them on their way back home with a quick blowout loss.
Power to the elite programs!
What joke of a team will break my bracket now?
Probably no one because all 16 teams left standing are legit in my book (well, Xavier's probably the weakest so they'll beat Pitt).
Isn't this stat great: The top 3 teams in each region make Sweet 16 for the first time in history.
Take that underdogs. Have fun watching the real programs play now!!!
I really love the tourney this year.
Bye-bye underdogs.