No thanks, I'd rather play for someone else

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Some managers are player type coaches -- Boston's Terry Francona no doubt is -- and other managers do things that players just don't really like and makes them not want to play for them.

What makes a good manager?

Well, putting players in a position to succeed should top the list. Then get into game management, strategy, knowledge of how to use each player to their maximum, the ability to get players to play hard for you, etc. Those are just some of the things that should make a manager very good.

But some managers, regardless of how successful they are, will never get the proper respect from players because of their demeanor and attitude.

Look no further than Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. This guy seems to rub just about everyone the wrong way --especially his players.

He apparently is unpopular with major leaguers, according to an espn.com story.

Should it surprise anyone that players don't enjoy playing for him or that other players from around the league wouldn't want to play for him? I'm more shocked that Chicago Cubs' Lou Piniella won the poll for the manager for which players would least like to play for.

Guillen, he may be a good in-game manager, but he comes off as an arrogant you-know-what. He's clearly the cockiest manager in the game and he's always chirping about something on the television. But it's always priceless when he lays into his own players --he seems to do that at least once a week. This guy has a funny way of motivating, right?

It's one thing to get on players, but do you have to go in front of the media and minimize them-- the same guys that play for you every day?

When you do that kind of stuff --and mind you, that act is so old already --you don't tend to get much respect. 

So is it really a shock that other players would rather not player for him? No way.

You know once Guillen sees this poll in Sports Illustrated, he'll puff out his chest and crank up his act even louder because he likes for others to see how important he is.

We see you Guillen, we don't get what your act is all about and it's sad, but we get it.

Who are you going to belittle next? Maybe Jim Thome? I doubt it, you even should know better than that.

Lose the act and more people will appreciate your baseball knowledge. There is a reason why you won the World Series in 2005.

What manager would you least like to play for?

Hot corner could become a hot topic for Sox

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

June 18-19. That's the last time Mike Lowell has played on back-to-back days for the Red Sox.

It seemed only a matter of time until Lowell had problems with his surgically repaired hip. Now the fears are becoming realized. Having had his hip drained earlier today, Lowell is admitting that his hip is a problem and it doesn't just need rest. The question is this: Will this be the beginning of the end of this problem or are we be worrying about whether or not Lowell will be a the lineup every night for the rest of the year?

An if it's only the beginning of Lowell's hip issues this season, at what point do the Red Sox decide that they can't survive a postseason with Mark Kotsay the primary option at first base as Kevin Youkilis will surely move to third.

Any talk of moving a player, specifically Brad Penny, has just been spitballing to this point, but it could become a very real discussion if Lowell fails to prove he can play on a regular basis without his performance being totally hindered.

Penny is making himself an appetizing option to a lot of teams. Take a look at his June stats. 3.18 ERA, 1.34 ERA, 21 K in 28 IP. More than respectable. Toss out the blowup he had against the Rangers and you're looking at a 1.99 ERA.

The time is fast approaching when the Red Sox are going to have to take a long look at Lowell and decide if he's going to help the team. If not, they need to decide if Penny helps the team best as a Red Sox or a member of another squad. Stay tuned.

Fantasy Baseball: Chin Music

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Closers rarely get respect in fantasy circles, but getting those last three outs in a game can be a very tough job.

Once day you're a hero and the next you're a goat.

That's the life of a closer in a nutshell.

But in fantasy, the save category is sometimes volatile due to closers falling on their face and getting put in a setup role. And then you have to hope you land the replacement closer via a waiver wire. If you can't, then you just might be sitting and watching as people continue to climb in that category while you're left wondering what to do.

LEAGUE OF HIS OWN

Can you believe what Angels' lefty closer Brian Fuentes is doing? Yes, he's leading all of baseball with 21 saves. Angels fan are say K-Rod who?

Fuentes may lead in saves, but his ERA (3.91) and WHIP (1.34) aren't exactly great. But those saves sure are saving teams in that category.

San Francisco closer Brian Wilson isn't a household name and was perhaps a mid-level closer during the draft, but he's right behind Fuentes with 20 saves, along with Mr. Nasty Francisco Rodriguez and San Diego's Heath Bell. 

Bell has been a nice surprise all season long with 1.44 ERA and 0.99 WHIP --that's top-of-the-line stats.

ONE-WAY STREET

How about a big hand for Huston Street (18 saves, 3.00 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) in Colorado. Mind you, Street was terrible las year with 18 saves and a 3.73 ERA, a far cry from his 37-save effort in 2006 with the A's, but he's doing a solid job again this year.

WHO IS THIS GUY?

Seattle's David Aardsma, do you know who he is yet? If not, you've been sleeping under a large boulder. He's got a grasp on that closers job with the Mariners, that's for sure. Fifteen saves and a 1.53 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, and he's still only owned in 76 percent of standard 5 x 5 Yahoo! leagues. Get him if you can. People still aren't respecting his talents.

College Baseball Final Top 25 Poll

By Jorge Bannister
Fan Fanatic Sports

It’s been a week since the final out was registered at Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium.

And now, here’s my final Top 25:

Rank	School	Record
1	LSU	56-17
2	Texas	50-16-1
3	Arizona State	51-14
4	Arkansas	41-25
5	North Carolina	48-18
6	Virginia	49-15-1
7	Fullerton	47-16
8	Southern Miss.	40-26
9	UC-Irvine	45-15
10	Florida State	45-18
11	Florida	42-22
12	Rice	43-18
13	Mississippi	44-20
14	Clemson	44-22
15	East Carolina	46-20
16	Louisville	47-18
17	Georgia Tech	38-19-1
18	TCU	40-18
19	Oklahoma	43-20
20	South Carolina	40-23
21	Kansas State	43-18-1
22	Miami (Fla.)	38-22
23	Oregon State	37-19
24	Western Kentucky	42-20
25	Ohio State	42-19

U.S. soccer is all grown up

By Jorge Bannister
Fan Fanatic Sports

It was no secret to our readers that I thought the United States was fit for a bronze medal in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Boy, was I wrong.

For 55 minutes, the U.S. played with such aggression and desire that I thought it was going to be Upset Special No. 2 in this tournament.

(For those of you who haven’t watched any of this tournament, or have been under a rock when it comes to American sports in recent news, the U.S. defeated Spain, 2-0, to gain the Final. Brazil advanced by defeating South Africa, 1-0, on a late goal.)

Sadly, in the 84th minute, Dempsey — who scored the first goal in the 10th — lost sight of Lucio and the defender headed home the winner off an Elano corner. U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, who was named best goalkeeper of the tournament, had no chance.

U.S. players heading to the medal stand to accept their silver medals were downtrodden. Dempsey was the more emotional one, crying heavily on the pitch (that’s what they call the field in soccer) before slowly walking to the medal stand with his head hung low.

While this is great news for U.S. soccer fans, the players would’ve liked a win. Landon Donovan, who hasn’t beaten Brazil at any level, eluded to it in his post-game interviews.

If anything else, I know that I now have respect manager Bob Bradley a little more — even if his team did play tentative and scared in the second half. He proved that this group belongs among the world’s elite. However, he needs a way to get them to play a full 90-minute match every time much like they did against Spain. It seemed as though he managed the second half from the private VIP boxes rather than field level.

I know one thing for certain — if the U.S. makes the 2010 World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in South Africa as the Confed Cup was, nobody will take them lightly. Not even if they play like hell in any of the CONCACAF Cup games.

NBA Draft: Winners and Losers

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The NBA Draft was full of predictability at the top, and chaos the rest of the way down. Here's my winners and losers:

WINNERS

Blake Griffin
His knees are intact. And whether or not the Clips' medical staff screws up another pair, the big man out of Oklahoma gets his pay day. Game, set...match.

Cleveland Cavaliers
Their draft picks, to be blunt, were duds. But by making a trade for Shaquille O'Neal, they are sending a clear message to the rest of the league. No longer will they be let down by Anderson Varejao and Zydrunas Ilgauskas -- they're going to be one of the league's most physical teams. Even at 38 years old, Shaq can still put in some solid minutes.

Golden State Warriors
You have to envy Don Nelson's situation right now. On June 25, the Warriors traded Jamal Crawford to the Atlanta Hawks for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton; they followed up by drafting run-and-gun Stephen Curry -- a guy whom the run-and-gun Knicks had been salivating over for weeks. Now, Nellie's starting five looks like this: Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, Stephen Jackson, Anthony Randolph and Andris Biedrins. That's a big lineup that perfectly fits his style.

Off the bench, you have one of the class's best pure scorers (Curry), two reliable backup point guards (Claxton and Law), long-range shooting (Marco Belinelli) and reliable frontcourt bodies (Ronny Turiaf, Jermareo Davidson). Rumors have circulated about Curry going to the Suns in a deal for Amare Stoudemire, but I say to heck with it.

San Antonio Spurs
Once again, the Spurs thrived by picking up some of the draft's most underrated prospects. Last year, it was Roger Mason. This year, its Pitt's DeJuan Blair, who fell all the way to the second round after being rated as a lottery pick in some circles. His Big Baby-like game will give them a boost. Jack McClinton was one of the NCAA's deadlist shooters, and Nano De Colo will be the umpteenth "development" player to contribute nicely.

Lester Hudson
For the unheralded UT-Martin combo guard to get to this point is a story in itself. Coming from one of the nastiest neighborhoods in Memphis, he had the SEC and Memphis looking into him, but was unable to qualify academically -- check that, he didn't even graduate high school. Instead, he earned his GED in his first semester of junior college, but after two years he couldn't find anybody but UTM to take a chance on his 2.5 GPA. But the man is a scoring savant, registering over 1600 points in just two seasons and leading the nation in scoring average (27.5).

Now, he takes this feel-good comeback story to Boston, where the Celtics might have uncovered a hidden gem. How he fell to them at 58 is a quandary, and now he has the chance to disprove those doubters.

Memphis Grizzlies
For once, the Grizz played it smart. GM Chris Wallace decided to stay put, not trade the No. 2 pick, not play ball with Ricky Rubio's posse, and draft the most gifted shot-blocker since Dikembe Mutombo. Now their starting five looks like this: Mike Conley Jr., OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, Hasheem Thabeet. This is like the 06-07 Celtics without veteran leadership, but without a missing piece. Missouri gunner DeMarre Carroll was a nice late-round pickup, too.

Portland Trail Blazers
Jon Brockman has toughness issues, but the Blazers get a nod here for picking up the steal of the draft, St. Mary's point guard Patrick Mills. How the HELL did this guy fall to 55? They also freshened their Spanish pipeline -- and cemented their rep as the Spurs of the Pacific Northwest -- with their pick of Spanish shooter Victor Claver. The 6-foot-9 Spaniard is expected to stay overseas, but could make an impact in a year or two on an already deep bench.

LOSERS

Minnesota Timberwolves
The Ricky Rubio gamble is already backfiring; the Spanish point guard prodigy was a no-show at the team's introductory press conference, and it appears that Rubio might stay in Spain a few more years. So now they are stuck with Wayne Ellington, a Dutch guy who isn't ready for the NBA, and Jonny Flynn. If they manage to pull Rubio into Minneapolis, expect Flynn -- who I think would have challenged for the No. 1 spot if he wasn't 5-11 -- to be traded. And that would be a shame.

New York Knicks
The Knicks wanted Stephen Curry so bad they could taste it. So when the Warriors swooped in and stole their thunder, they responded by picking up...Jordan Hill? The 6-foot-10 underachiever from Arizona whom everyone labeled as "raw"?

Detroit Pistons
This is a turning point in the Pistons' propped-up "Dumars is a genius" bravado. First, it was Darko Milicic. Then, it was the Iverson trade and hiring Dumars' buddy Michael Curry to run the team into the ground. Now, we have this: three prospects with questions about their toughness on a franchise notorious for a bruising style of play. Austin Daye is nice, but at 195 pounds he needs to put on serious muscle if he wants to bang with the big boys. DaJuan Summers is not quick enough to defend on the perimeter, and Jonas Jerebko needs to develop his perimeter game to be effective.

Sacramento Kings
The one franchise that could play ball with Ricky Rubio's buyout clause decided to play it safe, for reasons I don't understand. They're going to get a nice player in Tyreke Evans, who will go on to enjoy a nice career in the NBA. But I'm of the camp that if you're a perennial loser, you've got to roll the dice because you have nothing to lose. If you lose, you still suck. If you win, and Rubio turns out down the line to be the European Maravich, then you're labeled a "genius".

Charlotte Bobcats
Really? You have the 12th pick, and you waste it on Gerald Henderson? Derrick Brown has an unconventional release that might actually work in a league where Kevin Martin is the face of a dwindling franchise, and Robert Vaden is the Bobcats' next "project" player (man, do I hate that term), but there were so many better players available at No. 12.

Beckett dominant again against Braves

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Josh Beckett has been dealing yet again as the Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 down in Georgia. It doesn't hurt he took to the bump against an organization he's now 6-0 in his last 7 starts. In the past month, Josh Beckett is 5-1 with a 1.48 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 43 K's. With the exception of that one clunker against the Phillies, he's been extremely dominant and looks like the '07 Josh Beckett. Add in the fact that Jon Lester is 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 44 K's and you have one of the best 1-2 tandems in baseball. Don't forget about Tim Wakefield's 9-3 record on route to what should be his first All Star game.

Realistically, the Boston Red Sox are built around pitching. They have very good starting pitching, with great depth in AAA. They also have the most consistent bullpen in the majors with the likes Jonathon Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Ramon Ramirez & Manny Delcarmen. All four of those relievers have an ERA under 2.50.

The secondary story of the game was the continued resurgence of David "Big Papi" Ortiz. He hit his 8th homer of the season last night and 7th of the month. While I may not be 100% ready to say he's back to a lesser version of his old self, I will say that I am getting close. His average is still only .269 with a .333 OBP. His slugging is .590 with an OPS of .923. Both are very respectable. He has been able to cut down on his strike outs. He does have 15 K's in 20 games in June, but compare that to May where he struck out 26 times. Big Papi is making me look terribly wrong for saying his career was over, but I don't think it's a coincidence his resurgence starting about the time he started taking those eye drops. Ortiz had been complaining about blinking too much at the plate, and the eye drops seem to have stopped that. Hitting, and confidence at the plate, is such a fragile thing even for a professional. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how he progress throughout the season.

Fantasy Baseball: Frozen Ropes

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Welcome back to the Friday FFS Fantasy Baseball article. This week's top 5 performers sees 3 players who are pretty much in the top 5 for season rankings.

The Good:

1. Hanley Ramirez - Florida Marlins .435, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 7 R, 2 SB

13 RBI in a week? Are you kidding me. What an amazing week for one of the most talented players in all of baseball. The Marlins did the right thing by moving him down to 3rd in the order this year. He's rewarded them with driving in 47 runs already this season.

2. Albert Pujols - St. Louis Cardinals .360, 3, 12, 5, 0

Albert Pujols has been imploring people to believe in him that he's never used PED's. While I wouldn't be surprised if he did them, I guess we'll give him the benefit of doubt for now. Regardless, he's still one of the best hitters in the game and a sure fire hall of famer. He's on pace for 50+ home runs and 140 RBI. Talk about a complete hitter

3. Justin Upton - Arizona Diamondbacks .435, 2, 6, 7, 1

The younger Upton continues his breakout season. On the season he's hitting .325, 14, 45, 47, 10 and is the 17th ranked player in fantasy baseball. He seems to have finally put it all together and will turn 23 in August. Wow. The Diamondbacks have got to be beside themselves with the talent he brings. I think he's finally arrived so look for him to have a great season

4. Troy Tulowitzki - Colorado Rockies .474, 3, 5, 8, 0

It's nice to see Tulo playing well again. He had a terrible start to the season, but has been fantastic the past month. It seems like he's finally gotten back to where he was his rookie season. He has great potential, so watch out for him the rest of the way.

5. Miguel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers .458, 3, 5, 7, 0

Miggy has been on fire of late, and this week is no different. Much like Pujols, he's a complete hitter who can hit for average, power and drive in runs.

The Bad:

1. Alex Rios - Toronto Blue Jays .160, 0, 3, 3, 0

After a brief stint as one the hotter players in the league, he's once again dropped back into a slump. He's way to inconsistent for me. That's why I stay away from him

2. Matt Holiday - Oakland A's .217, o, 1, 3, 2

In anticipation of another pending trade, Big Matt has gone into a slump. While I don't know if that's the reason, there's no doubt he could be on the move. It will be very interesting where he goes because of the potential ballpark he'll be playing in.

3. Rick Ankeil - St. Louis Cardinals .179, 1, 2, 6, 0

Rick has struggled since he came of the DL. He'll never hit for average, but his power should return. I wouldn't upgrade or downgrade his value too much. He should be back to normal in a week. If he does continue to struggle, he will lost playing time though.

4. Tori Hunter - Anahiem Angels .190, o, 3, 2, 1

So what, Tori's in a slump. He's been very consistent since signing with the Angels. Don't worry too much about him. Just ride the slump out. At least Big Vlad is hitting the ball right now

5. Rafael Furcal - LA Dodgers .217, 1, 2, 2, 0

As a Dodgers fan, he's frustrated me all season. As a fantasy "guru" he's frustrated me all season. I thought he was poised for a very good year after entering the season healthy. So far, I've been wrong. Luckily he hasn't been killing the Dodgers lineup. What's he doing to your fantasy lineup though?

Under the Radar:

I have been fantasy fan of Willie Harris for three years. He's not great, but he offers positional flexibility. He's a decent guy to have on the bench and is getting a ton of playing time with the Nationals right now. If you have a spot on your bench, take a flyer on him. If you're in search of a catcher, why not look for Miguel Oliva. He has 11 homers on the year and hit .276 with 8 homers and 16 RBI the past month. Pablo Sandoval and Victor Martinez are the only two fantasy catchers with better numbers during that time. In the past month, Ian Stewart is the 5th rated fantasy 2nd baseman and 6th ranked 3rd baseman in fantasy baseball. He's also owned in only 44% of leagues. If you need a solid middle infielder, check out if Asdrubal Cabrera is available. He will be activated from the DL on Saturday and is only owned in 55% of leagues. Despite the fact that Chris Davis has been better at the plate, keep an eye on the Rangers to see if they call up Justin Smoak. He's absolutely tearing it up in AA.

FFS T-shirt giveaway contest

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It's about time we unveil our latest contest for our readers. We would like to test our readers knowledge of the Fan Fanatic Sports site. Below is a 5 question quiz about the site. The first 5 readers who e-mail jjingram@bu.edu with the correct answers will receive a Fan Fanatic Sports T-shirt. Please include your mailing address and t-shirt size in your e-mail.

Fan Fanatic Sports Quiz:

1. What former FFS staff writer posted his resignation?

2. What is Ryan Durand's favorite video game?

3. What Detroit Tigers pitcher has Chad Garner been ripping of late?

4. Who were Jim Ingram's preseason picks as the AL & NL Rookie of the Year.

5. What ESPN analyst did Jim Ingram go to high school with?

Big Red's Mock Draft: First Round

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Many of the experts are calling tonight's NBA Draft class one of the weakest in memory. At the top, there are a handful of solid, potential future NBA All-Stars (i.e., Blake Griffin); but the rest of the way down, this is a class chock-full of guys who pretty much did everything except prove they're NBA-ready (B.J. Mullens, Nick Calathes...are you out of your mind?). Plenty of questions are abound overseas about whether Brandon Jennings is worth the gamble, and if Ricky Rubio's posse will put the $8 million pricetag on him as rumored.

Here's how the first ten picks should play out.

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Feel free to differ here, but there have been two consensus no-brainers in the last 12 years: LeBron James and Tim Duncan. Griffin, who has drawn comparisons to Karl Malone and is easily the most hardened and battle-tested player in this draft. Of course, Donald Sterling will find a way to screw this up.

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet, UConn
How the Grizz handle this draft pick will have a domino effect on the rest of the picks. The biggest question is whether Ricky Rubio goes here or not. His management has threatened to stamp him with an $8 million buyout if Memphis picks him; Pau Gasol speaks negatively of his time with Memphis, and keep in mind Pau is as popular as Nadal back home. When Yao Ming was entering the draft, Chinese officials warned the league that there would be complications in getting him overseas if he were taken by Memphis or Milwaukee.

Besides, they already have a solid point guard in Mike Conley, Jr., and a solid nucleus in Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo. Thabeet, the most gifted shot-blocker since Dikembe Mutombo, could be the final piece of this puzzle. For now.

3. Oklahoma City Scumbags - DeMar DeRozan, USC
With Thabeet off the board, the Two-Timers are going to take the best pure scorer available at this position. He's no OJ Mayo, but teaming up alongside Jeff Green and Kevin Durant would create yet another solid nucleus on the verge of breaking through.

4. Sacramento Kings - Ricky Rubio, Spain
If there's a hefty buyout for this dude, expect the Maloof brothers to play ball. They are Vegas high-rollers, after all. This would be a great opportunity for the Spanish point guard "prodigy" to prove his mettle alongside veteran Andres Nocioni, up-and-comer Jason Thompson, and two-guard Kevin Martin, he of the most unorthodox yet efficient jumper in the league. There's alot of raw, scrappy talent in this organization; what Rubio can do to make them better will tell you what kind of future he has in the states.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves - Tyreke Evans, Memphis
At first glance, yesterday's trade of Mike Miller and Randy Foye to the Wizards seemed perplexing. But looking at it again, it makes plenty of sense. They get the expiring contracts of Darius Songaila, Oleksiy Pecherov and Etan "Harlem Renaissance" Thomas, and the Wizards' fifth pick. Look for them to use it to fill their biggest void right now -- point guard. With the talent in the frontcourt (Al Jefferson, Kevin Love and Corey Brewer), Evans is a scoring point guard who can cause all sorts of havoc off the dribble.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - DeJuan Blair, Pitt
The girthy big man has drawn all sorts of comparisons, but I think he most closely resembles Glen Davis. Undersized, wide-bodied, and an all-out scrapper who fights for those inches. His clown-suiting of Thabeet this year is still fresh in my mind.

7. Golden State Warriors - James Harden, Arizona St.
We're entering year four of Nellyball Part Deux in Oakland, and nothing's really changed. The Warriors thrive when their guards are playing at a frenetic pace, but the one thing they've lacked since the departure of Matt Barnes is a consistent defensive stopper. Look for Harden to try and fill that role here; also look for Harden's addition to light a match under Anthony Randolph, a guy with limitless potential who is on the verge of an explosive breakout season of Monta Ellis proportions, yet is constantly in Nelly's dog house.

8. New York Knicks - Stephen Curry, Davidson
Mike D'Antoni is salivating over the prospect of coaching this guy. His game screams D'Antoni at jet engine decibels. After three years, we know now that A) this guy can go off for 30 on anybody in the country, B) he can lineup anywhere in the backcourt, and C) he has limits on defense. In D'Antoni's system, there are no limits on defense -- because there is no D required.

9. Toronto Raptors - Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
Arguably one of the most exciting players to watch this past college season, he could serve nicely in Toronto's rotation as the second or third guy off the bench, someone you can throw in late in the game and count on for a clutch three or fast-break drive. He'd serve as a much better backup to Jose Calderon than Marcus "Luis Mendoza" Banks.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Ty Lawson, North Carolina
After yesterday's moves, in which they dumped Richard Jefferson's bloated salary unto San Antonio and picked up Amir Johnson (an absolute steal), Bruce Bowen (still a defensive beast) and Kurt Thomas (meh), the Bucks's most pressing need is at the point. Sure, Ramon Sessions fills the bid here over Damon Jones and Luke Ridnour, but he's far from elite. The rankings say to take Jrue Holiday, the unpolished freshman out of UCLA who underachieved in his first season. But Lawson is faster, steadier, and more mature.

Here's how the rest of the first round should play out

11. New Jersey Nets - Jordan Hill, Arizona
Nets need a guy who can finish around the basket.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson, Duke
Strong guard with great range from the perimeter. Like Clippers, the Bobcats will find a way to screw this up.

13. Indiana Pacers - Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
Upon which he immediately becomes a fan favorite.

14. Phoenix Suns - Terrence Williams, Louisville
Long, lean and underrated. Suns don't need help at the point, but nice to know this versatile forward can play anywhere on the floor.

15. Detroit Pistons - Brandon Jennings, Italy
Joe Dumars has made a living off gambles like this.

16. Chicago Bulls - Earl Clark, Louisville
6-10 forward can play the three or four; could fill a tweener role a la John Salmons.

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Eric Maynor, VCU
Sixers need a reliable backup to Andre Miller.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves - Austin Daye, Gonzaga
Sophomore forward adds more raw upside to team already overflowing with it.

19. Atlanta Hawks - B.J. Mullens, Ohio St.
Wouldn't be the first time they've rolled the dice with an unproven one-and-done.

20. Utah Jazz - Darren Collison, UCLA
Combo guard provides depth to a bench that was lacking in the Jazz' first-round exit.

21. New Orleans Hornets - Sam Young, Pitt
Arguably more NBA-ready than Blair, could make an immediate impact.

22. Portland Trail Blazers - Omri Casspi, Israel
Power forward continues Kevin Pritchard's tradition of drafting foreign players.

23. Sacramento Kings - Wayne Ellington, North Carolina
Sharp-shooter will be utilized in a system where Kevin Martin is the alpha dog.

24. Dallas Mavericks - James Johnson, Wake Forest
Versatile forward can make an immediate impact.

25. Oklahoma City Scumbags - Chase Budinger, Arizona
There are many questions about his toughness. In a related story, there are questions abound regarding Clay Bennett's ethics.

26. Chicago Bulls - Marcus Thornton, LSU
If Ben Gordon leaves, they're going to need help in the backcourt.

27. Memphis Grizzlies - Jrue Holiday, UCLA
With the right coaching, this guy could be around for years.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Derrick Brown, Xavier
Wolves pick up yet another athletic swingman.

29. Los Angeles Lakers - Patrick Mills, St. Mary's
Tell me I have Gaels-blinders on, but this kid is going to be a steal for whoever takes him.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Nick Calathes, Florida
Because Danny Ferry would take a soft scrub like this and call himself a "genius" if he ends up averaging 15-20 minutes.

And look for these second-rounders to end up as steals:

Jeff Adrien, UConn
Ahmad Nivins, St. Joseph's
Jermaine Taylor, UCF
Jerel McNeal, Marquette
Jodie Meeks, Kentucky
Jack McClinton, Miami
Taj Gibson, USC
DaJuan Summers, Georgetown

Dempsey, defense sends U.S. to Confed Cup Final

By Jorge Bannister
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Well, this isn’t the last time I will be wrong — I can assure you of that.

In what will be known as quite possibly the darkest day in Spaniard Soccer history, the United States pulled off the previously thought of improbable upset.

The U.S. scored in the 27th minute on a goal by Jozy Altidore, then came out flat in the second half.

It almost cost them the lead until Clint Dempsey got his 15th international goal in the 73rd minute to give the U.S. a two-nil victory over Spain.

For those of you new to the soccer lingo, that’s 2-0.

The four backs — Jay DeMerit, Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu and Jonathan Spector — absolutely shut down Fernando Torres, David Villa and Xavi.

There was one situation where I thought a goal was all but assured for the Spaniards. In the 53rd minute, midfielder Cesc Fabregas lobbed a ball over Landon Donovan to Xavi inside the 18-yard box. However, Donovan bumped Xavi hard from behind taking him out of the play and referee Jorge Larrionda didn’t even make a movement to bring the whistle to his mouth to call the foul.

Soon after, the U.S. was finally able to get the ball to safety in the neutral zone and finally into its attacking zone for Dempsey’s goal.

The defense/midfield was stupendous for the U.S. and will have to be come Sunday for the final when they will no doubt face Brazil.

A phenomenal showing for the U.S. which has certainly given its fan base something to look forward to: A possible Confederations Cup championship.

LSU National Champions

By Jorge Bannister
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

For those of you who missed it, the College World Series concluded last night.

The LSU Tigers defeated the Texas Longhorns, 11-4, for the Tigers’ sixth baseball national title.

The Tigers — who I had ranked No. 1 in the country heading into the postseason, and will (obviously) keep the ranking after the title — scored 51 runs in six games, showing their power bats, while their pitching staff only allowed 26 runs.

Pure national champs, indeed.

Jared Mitchell, who hit a three-run homer in the first inning, won the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Mitchell, drafted by the Chicago White Sox in Major League Baseball’s first-year player draft earlier this month, was a member of the 2007 football team which won the BCS Championship.

Somehow, Larry Templeton, the head of the NCAA Division 1 Baseball Committee and Mississippi State’s athletic director, seemed to have gotten the national seeds right — I don’t think anyone can argue a 1-3 matchup in the finals.

CWS Recaps
In Game 1, the Longhorns had a 6-4 lead heading into the top of the ninth before Taylor Jungmann blew the save and LSU went on to win, 7-6, in 11 innings.

Jungmann shrugged everything off for Game 2, though, as the freshman tossed a complete-game in Game 2, allowing an unearned run on five hits.

Trailing, 4-2, early in Game 3, Texas’ Kevin Keyes hit a two-run homer on the fourth pitch of the fifth inning for LSU’s Anthony Ranaudo (win; 5-1/3 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 4 Ks). Without missing a beat, however, the Tigers answered with five runs in the top of the sixth before adding a run in the eighth and ninth innings.

Trade Penny?

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

For those of you with the common sense not to have your car stereo's presets on Howie Carr and Dale & Holley, you're missing out on one of the city's biggest much-ado-bout-nothing controversies. And no, I'm not talking about the Rondo and Allen to the Pistons nonsense that has no substance to it.

Every time Brad Penny pitches and isn't brilliant, expect to hear a plethora of table-topped trade scenarios for the head-bopping, Marilyn Manson-loving, Watertown-dating, occasional TMZ casualty from Blackwell, Oklahoma.

With that in mind, take a look at tonight's pitching line: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 112 pitches, 68 strikes.

Solid stuff. Not fantastic, not terrible, but enough to get the job done in a no-decision tonight, an 11-3 Red Sox win over the godawful Nationals. That extends the Sox' AL East lead to five games, brings his ERA to a marginal 4.93 and his WHIP to a mundane 1.55.

Meanwhile, the Sox sport the league's best bullpen (a combined 2.84), and two starters waiting in the AAA wings -- John Smoltz and Clay Buccholz -- have made strong cases for a call-up. Smoltz will get the ball Thursday night, and there has been talk of going to a six-man rotation. To which I say...you people are out of your minds. This isn't Japan.

Every time you bring up Smoltz or Buccholz for starting duty, or if you choose to put Smoltz in the bullpen, you have to bring somebody down. Is it the flamethrowing Daniel Bard? Manny Delcarmen? Lefty assassin Takashi Saito? Hideki Okajima? Do you break up a good thing just to appease the wealth of pitching talent on the front end?

Or, do you field trade offers for Brad Penny, seeking out a shortstop more effective than Julio Lugo (which at the moment is a decent-sized pool)?

As long as there is an abundance of starting talent, and a menacing bullpen, Penny's name will continue to surface in trade rumors, no matter how little substance there is to back up the claims. Just know this: Penny, like most power pitchers these days, has a recent history of injuries. He is 31 years old, which means he is coming out of his peak years and must learn to adjust accordingly. Sure, Smoltz still has some heat, but now it's about where he's locating his low-90's fastball that's making all the difference for him.

There are alot worse guys you can have at the bottom of your rotation (this guy would be at the top of the Nats', don't you think?). But keep in mind that this is a guy that could end up on the Disabled List tomorrow, with no rhyme or reason. If and/or when Theo Epstein decides to act on a trade, he must do it swiftly. Don't drag it out, just push the button.

If you're going to do it, do it now before it's too late.

A Dodgers Fan's take on Manny Ramirez

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

First and foremost, I want to let everyone know I am a die hard LA Dodgers fan. In response to what Chad wrote this morning, I'd like to counter a few things as well as bring to light the view from a die hard Dodgers fan. Manny Ramirez has been an absolute beast at bat in his career. What we don't know is if he's been a beast because of long term steroid/PED use or not. I would bet on the fact this isn't the first time he's used an illegal substance to help further his career. You can argue all you want about steroids and PED's not being against the rules for Major League Baseball, but it's a simple fact that steroids were illegal to use in the United States. Therefore it's is, and always has been cheating in my eyes.

I do agree with Chad that everyone in the country will be eagerly awaiting the return of Manny come July 3rd. A good number of people will be watching to see if he can return to his former self, or if he falls on his face without the use of PED's. Most Dodgers fans can't wait because they love him and think he can do no wrong. That's pretty much what I expect from one of the worst group of fans for any Major League team. Yes, I say this despite being a huge LA Fan. Personally, I'd rather just forget about him and move on with the team I have. I know this sounds stupid, but I'd rather take my chances with Juan Pierre and the rest of the Dodgers team than potentially winning it all with Manny in left field. I have real concerns that his return will upset the chemistry of the team. It's not like he's ever done that before. Luckily for the Dodgers organization, Manny still needs to be on his best behavior, play hard and perform as best as he can.

Is he good for the game of baseball? No, he's not. Even before being suspended for 50 games he was bad for the sport. It's not good when a sure fire hall of famer can shoot his way out of Boston. It's not good for baseball when a player says his 14th grandmother has passed away so he can miss parts of spring training, or create a fake injury to miss time because he's mad at an organization. It's also not good for baseball when a player pushes down a 65 year old club attendant and is not reprimanded for it. I say all this and haven't even mentioned the time last season when he protests pinch hitting against the New York Yankees by keeping his bat on his shoulder and takes three straight pitches down the middle.

Manny Ramirez is a no good scumbag who just happens to be the best right handed hitter of his generation and one of the best of all time. My question now is can he still be that hitter without help? Only time will tell.

Are you on Manny's side?

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Manny Ramirez is a cheater, but he's still a big draw.

Is that a bad thing?

Granted, getting suspended from Major League Baseball for 50 games for violating the drug policy doesn't help his image --not that that hasn't been wrecked over the years with his lack of hustle, needing days off, faking injuries, etc. -- but there's no arguing that he's one hell of a hitter. 

That's what he is, he's a freak --just like Randy Moss catching touchdowns -- with a bat in his hand.

It's not my problem if you forgive him for all that's he's done with tarnishing his image, but that baseball talent that he has still makes us want to watch.

He can homer at any time, in any count, in a game, plus you get the added bonus of what will Manny do next? Will he hustle out a ground ball? Will he loaf it in the outfield? Will he even show up at the ballpark? It's the great mystery of Manny Being Manny.

Now, even though he's suspended from the Dodgers and isn't eligible to be reinstated until July 3, fans are flocking to the ticket booths in Albuquerque, N.M., in hopes of seeing Manny suit up and play in some minor league games to get ready for his return to the Dodgers.

Those fans probably don't agree with Manny's choices which got him suspended in the first place, but they obviously want to see the talented Manny on the field. 

There's no doubt that Manny can put on a show when he's got his uniform and spikes on and digs into the batter's box.

He's got the star power that makes people want to watch him.

Is he good for the game? That's debatable (post your comments, I'd like to hear what you think!), but he's a box office draw.

There's a reason the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes' tickets for this week's series versus Nashville --where Manny may be suiting up to shake off some of the rust from serving a hefty suspension --are selling faster than hot cakes.

Yes, he's cheated the game, but he doesn't ever get cheated in the batter's box.

What's more important to the fans --being a clean ballplayer or hammering a homer to win a game?

You make the call!

Q&A with Ryan Durand

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

(This is the second of several question and answers with Tennessee Titans 7th-round draft pick Ryan Durand. If you have a question for Durand, please email me at cgarner.fanfanaticsports@gmail.com and I'll try to get your question into the next edition).

FFS: Best advice you've ever received?

Durand: Play every down like it's your last because you never know which play will be your last.

FFS: Do you trash talk to opposing players?

Durand: Rarely

FFS: You went to St. Bernard's Central Catholic High School, which mascot do you like better -- Saints or Bernardians?

Durand: Saints

FFS: What are you a fan of?

Durand: Red Sox

FFS: What team did you think was going to draft you?

Durand: Cleveland Browns

FFS: Do you like country music yet?

Durand: Yes, I started listening to it in college

FFS: Favorite video game?

Durand: Metal Gear Solid

FFS: Biggest difference from college to pros?

Durand: You are not on scholarship anymore and do not automatically make the team

FFS: How many people have gotten in contact with you since you were drafted that you hadn't spoken to in years?

Durand: Many have said congrats via facebook

FFS: Who is Tennessee's starting quarterback -- Vince Young or Kerry Collins?

Durand: I don't know, I'm just a lineman

FFS: What gets you fired up to play football?

Durand: Listening to Metallica

FFS: What are the facilities like as a member of the Titans?

Durand: Fantastic, they are top notch

FFS: Have you had a "Welcome to the NFL" moment yet?

Durand: Not yet but I'm sure there will be one

FFS: Do you like signing autographs?

Durand: I do, but I don't think anyone knows who I am ... ha, ha

Soccer should be in your hearts, too

By Jorge Bannister
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

What’s a sports Web site without futbol? Excuse me — soccer.

The 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup — the second biggest soccer tournament in the world, behind only the World Cup — has been relatively nondescript.

Brazil has done what it’s supposed to in Pool B — namely, a 3-0 record with a goal differential of plus-7 in its pool. The South American powerhouse blew past two opponents (it defeated both the United States and Italy, 3-0), but that was after struggling with Egypt. (A Kaka penalty-kick goal in injury time lifted the Brazilians in a tough match.) Clearly, Brazil overlooked its first opponent and clearly it didn’t make the same mistake twice in pool play.

The United States lucked out that Italy was blanked by the Brazilians on the last day of pool play. That same day, the U.S. defeated Egypt, 3-0. By virtue of a goals-for tiebreaker, the U.S. (four) advanced while Italy (three) packed its bags.

Actually, the only surprise of this tournament, at least to many casual fans, has been South Africa in Pool A. Being the host country, RSA had an automatic bid and it has not disappointed its local faithful. After going 1-1-1 in pool play, RSA is the No. 2 team in Pool A, behind undefeated Spain (3-0-0).

Speaking of Spain, Fernando Torres has been on a tear. He had a hat trick against New Zealand, and David Villa scored one goal in each of the next two games in this tear. Spain’s goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, has been one of the best goalkeepers in the tournament. He’s made eight saves, including five against New Zealand in the opening match.

When Spain won UEFA Euro 2008, Casillas was one of three goalkeepers on the Team of the Tournament (which is what they called their All-Tournament team), while Villa (four goals) won the Golden Boot (given to the person who scored the most goals) and Xavi (a midfielder) won Player of the Tournament.

All four of those players are still on the club and carry with them more international experience.

Semifinals
Wednesday, the United States will face off against Spain, while on Thursday Brazil will go against South Africa.

Spain’s 2-4-5 tactical lineup (two strikers, four midfielders and five defensemen) has been its staple and many teams have had a difficult time stopping them. The U.S. had a difficult time stopping Brazil’s 2-4-5 attack, and could be in trouble stopping the Spaniards, too.

The U.S. may be able to stymie the Spaniards for a bit, however offensive powers Torres and Villa, and stellar defense and goalkeeping puts Spain in the final.

Brazil should continue its steamrolling ways past RSA setting up a Spain-Brazil final.

Finals
Brazil-Spain should be one for the ages. The Spaniards are still young and may get caught up in the moment. However, if Spain plays its game — as it’s done this whole tournament — we’re in for one great final.

Spain could win this thing, but you certainly cannot count out Brazil. The Brazilians are probably the favorites at this stage of the tournament, especially the way they’re playing.

So, what’s my prediction? Spain. It’s going to be a rock fight, but the Spaniards take it.

Fantasy Baseball: Chin Music

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Everyone knows the fantasy season is like a roller coaster ride, featuring many ups and downs. One week a player is hot, the other he's as cold as an ex-wife. 

But when he's on, there's nothing better to watch. It's also pretty sweet to see how quickly you move up in the pitching standings, while others just keep on slipping.

In the last month, many pitchers have risen to the challenge and if you have them on your roster, enjoy these stats because we all know they won't last ... well, maybe a few of these guys will.

Nobody can hit Boston's Josh Beckett right now -- nobody. The Red Sox ace has 4 wins, 1.44 ERA and an 0.82 ERA in the last month and is ranked No. 1 overall in standard Yahoo 5x5 leagues. He's also nearly averaged a strikeout an inning (42 Ks in 43 2/3 innings).

While Beckett has been nasty, so has Mr. Injury Chris Carpenter (3 wins, 2.06 ERA, 0.69 ERA) and is ranked No. 4. While Carpenter hasn't been injury free in some time, he's sure paying off for whoever drafted him late -- we all know nobody took a shot really early with the injury concerns so don't try to fool me or anyone else.

KEEP ON WINNING

The wins just keep piling up for these arms in the last month with Matt Cain and Kevin Slowey locking down five wins in that span. Can you say impressive? While Cain and Slowey headline the five-win list, four isn't too shabby either, led by Marlins' Josh Johnson and Angels' Jered Weaver.

ERA KING

While he's been forgotten since he plays in Seattle, it's hard to ignore what Felix Hernandez has done in the last month with a mind-boggling 0.72 ERA. In his last four starts, the King has yielded only two earned runs in 29 2/3 innings, winning two games and getting two no-decisions. In is last start on June 16, Felix fired a complete-game two-hit shutout with four walks and six strikeouts in a win over the San Diego Padres.

For the season, Hernandez is 7-3 with 2.77 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He's fanned 90 and walked 29. If he wasn't in Seattle, would just about everyone appreciate him?

FROM HERO TO ZERO

How can you not be mad at Detroit's Armando Galarraga? Well, I'm still fuming. And to think I had him as a top-25 guy. If you listened to me and actually got someone to trade for him for a REAL top-25 guy, great job. I'm glad I could help you. Once he hit his skid --and he hasn't recovered, mind you -- I dropped him like a sack of potatoes. If you took a flyer on him, thinking he'd recover, think again and thank him for killing your pitching statistics. Through the month, Galarraga hasn't got a win and is boasting --rather, hiding from his 5.63 ERA and 1.72 WHIP. And to think he's still in the Tigers' rotation with an overall line of 3-7 record, 5.62 ERA and 1.64 WHIP. 

So what have I learned? Answer: I'll never have Galarraga on any one of my four fantasy teams ...ever. I sure was a zero with that pick.

Ortiz still has a lot more to prove

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Another home run for David Ortiz.

That makes six on the year and five in June with eight games left in the month.

So as the weather gets hotter, will Ortiz's bat follow suit? His recent production would suggest yes, but this is one fan that remains skeptical.

The Red Sox need Ortiz to produce in the DH spot for one reason more than any - they don't have anyone to replace him with. No one on the bench or in Pawtucket could provide the kind of offense you desire at the designated hitter position, otherwise, you have to think they at least you have been given a look at this point.

So many fans have come to the conclusion that the Red Sox don't need Ortiz because the team has managed to be successful thus far without him. Jason Bay has been an RBI machine. Kevin Youkilis has thrived in the three spot. Most importantly, the Red Sox are in first place and still winning.

But what happens if things go wrong? Mike Lowell, who has played a major part in helping people forget Ortiz's struggles, now has sat out two games with discomfort in his surgically repaired hip. Losing a valuable guy has to make you start thinking, "What if?"

What if Bay hits a prolonged slump? What if Youkilis goes down or Lowell needs to miss significant time? Or there are other less dramatic questions. For instance, what if Nick Green remembers he's the guy who didn't have a job this time last year? What if the Red Sox will need offensive production from other means.

Ortiz has to be that guy. The DH cannot be a hole in the batting order.

His recent success has to give you hope, but at the same time, can we count on Ortiz to be David Ortiz when it really counts? He's connecting when he was missing and he's hit some mistakes out of the ballpark. But when it comes down to it, can Ortiz still hack it against the best of the best as he'd be called upon to do if/when the Red Sox make the postseason?

He's still late on a good fastball and still looks confused at times. You have to hope if you're a Sox fan that this will continue to improve as he gets more comfortable. But at the same time, you have to realize that all season this has not looked like the David Ortiz fans have come to know and love. Something is off and sometimes big, aging ballplayers just lose something, especially ones coming off of injury. He just might not make it back to become "our" David Ortiz ever again.

Magazine Season is here...Preseason All-America picks

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

They say there are three seasons in college football: the fall season, the spring season, and magazine season. All the annual college football previews hit newsstands this month, and if you're like me you are eating it up. I'm one of those guys who could look at Street and Smith's for hours on end; heck, I even get the conference-specific ones.

I don't know why, but I love that feeling you get coming away from reading it, feeling like any team has the potential to run the table for reasons that escape us -- that is, until the cruel, harsh reality of the BCS sets in around Week 3.

Let's face it, there's not a whole lot of mystery with this year's Heisman race. In no particular order, the top three are going to be Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy. The two darkhorses are Jahvid Best from Cal and Jevan Snead from Ole Miss. Period.

With that in mind, I've devised my picks for first and second team All-Americans. I've got some wild cards in this deck:

First Team Offense

QB - Tim Tebow, Sr., Florida
RB - Jonathan Dwyer, Jr., Georgia Tech
RB - Jahvid Best, Jr., Cal
WR - Julio Jones, So., Alabama
WR - Arrelious Benn, Jr., Illinois
TE - Jermaine Gresham, Sr., Oklahoma
OL - Anthony Davis, Sr., Rutgers
OL - Adam Ulatowski, Sr., Texas
OL - Kris O'Dowd, Jr., USC
OL - Ciron Black, Sr., LSU
OL - Russell Okung, Sr., Oklahoma State
ATH - Javier Arenas, Sr., Alabama
PK - Kai Forbath, Jr., UCLA

First Team Defense

DL - Jerry Hughes, Sr., TCU
DL - George Selvie, Sr., South Florida
DL - Terrence Cody, Sr., Alabama
DL - Arthur Jones, Sr., Syracuse
LB - Brandon Spikes, Sr., Florida
LB - Mark Herzlich, Sr., Boston College
LB - Sean Weatherspoon, Sr., Missouri
DB - Taylor Mays, Sr., USC
DB - Eric Berry, Jr., Tennessee
DB - Kyle Wilson, Sr., Boise State
DB - Trevard Lindley, Sr., Kentucky
Ret - Brandon James, Sr., Florida
P - Derek Epperson, Jr., Baylor

Second Team Offense

QB - Colt McCoy, Sr., Texas
RB - Noel Devine, Jr., West Virginia
RB - Jacquizz Rodgers, So., Oregon State
WR - DeAndre Brown, So., Southern Miss
WR - Dez Bryant, Jr., Oklahoma State
TE - Dennis Pitta, Sr., BYU
OL - Trent Williams, Sr., Oklahoma
OL - Zane Beadles, Sr., Utah
OL - Rodney Hudson, Jr., Florida State
OL - Stefen Wisniewski, Jr., Penn State
OL - Mike Johnson, Sr., Alabama
ATH - C.J. Spiller, Sr., Clemson
K - Matt Bosher, Jr., Miami

Second Team Defense

DL - Sergio Kindle, Sr., Texas
DL - Ndamukong Suh, Sr., Nebraska
DL - Gerald McCoy, Jr., Oklahoma
DL - Brandon Graham, Sr., Michigan
LB - Stevenson Sylvester, Sr., Utah
LB - Rennie Curran, Jr., Georgia
LB - Greg Jones, Jr., Michigan State
DB - Syd'Quan Thompson, Sr., Cal
DB - Darrell Stuckey, Sr., Kansas
DB - Morgan Burnett, Jr., Georgia Tech
DB - Barry Church, Sr., Toledo
Ret - Mardy Gilyard, Sr., Cincinnati
P - Travis Baltz, Jr., Maryland

And for kicks, here's my All-Breakthrough team. As in, guys who are going to explode onto the scene and become household names this year:

ATH - Ray Ray Armstrong, Fr., Miami
RB - Jordan Todman, So., Connecticut
RB - Toby Gerhart, Sr., Stanford
RB - Christine Michael, Fr., Texas A&M
QB - Bo Levi Mitchell, So., SMU
QB - Joe Webb, Sr., UAB
WR - Jock Sanders, Jr., West Virginia
OL - Brandon Carter, Jr., Texas Tech (seriously, he'll be a household name)

Dice-K, Rotation not a fit for Bo Sox

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Daisuke Matsuzaka has been incredibly consistent so far this season. Consistently bad really, and last night was no different versus the Atlanta Braves. You'd think facing off against a fellow Japanese player would get his blood pumping, right. No. He threw 4 + IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 2K and 106 pitches. Not good at all. In fact, it's down right awful. Daisuke is now 1-5 with an 8.23 ERA. He's allowed 53 hits in 35 innings pitched. He's allowed a .378 batting average against.

On the flip side, Kenshin Kawakami was clearly ready for this game. He pitched 6 innings and allowed only 2 hits, 2 runs and struck out 5. Kawakami is not nearly as heralded in his home country as Matsuzaka. This is a game that was still anticipated in Japan, but not nearly as much as the first time Ichiro faced Daisuke three years ago. The Braves dominated last night in the 8-2 trouncing of the Red Sox. Garret Anderson, a long time Sox killer, went 3 for 3 and drove in 4 of the 8 runs.

Now back to Daisuke. In my opinion, there are three things you can do with him. Either come up with a phantom injury so he can spend some time on the DL, send him down to Pawtucket and let him pitch every 5 days and work through his problems down there, or send him back to Florida for extended Spring Training. I think this is the best option. Let him get away from game action for a little while and try to work with a pitching instructor to break down what he's doing wrong. He has a full no trade clause, so there's virtually no way you can deal him. After winning 18 games last season, I doubt the Sox will want to get rid of him. Especially since his problems really stem from the World Baseball Classic he pitched so well in prior to the season. He'll be back to his usual self next season after he's allowed his dead arm to rest. I've heard people mention putting him in the bullpen. That will certainly not work because he walks to many people. That would be a disaster.

It shouldn't be too long before we find out the Sox's plans for Dice-K. John Smoltz is scheduled to pitch on June 25th. Brad Penny has pitched well enough to stay in the rotation and Tim Wakefield should be going to the All Star game for the first time. The only real option is removing Dice-K from the rotation. I guess we'll just have to see what Boston decides.

Stay tuned....

Fantasy Baseball: Frozen Ropes

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Welcome once again to the FFS Friday fantasy article known as Frozen Ropes. Try saying that 3 times fast. In the effort to make this article a bit better every week, I am going to try and change the format a little bit for easier reading.

The Good:
1. Alex Rios - Toronto Blue Jays. .440, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 4 SB

It's seems like Rios is starting to bust out of his season long slump. He's an immensely talented player who, like Vernon Wells, is way too inconsistent. The power and stolen bases this week are both good signs. The Blue Jays don't run that often, but Rios should. He has his average up to .277 for the year.

2. Jacoby Ellsbury - Boston Red Sox. .364, 2, 5, 5, 6

Dare I say he's living up to the potential he showed during the 2007 World Series. Yes, I will say that. He's a very exciting player to watch. If only he could become more patient, and bunt a little more his OBP would might inch closer to .400 than .300.

3. Cory Hart - Milwaukee Brewers. .440, 3, 9, 7, 0

Like Rios, the two-time all star is finally turning his season around. He make look funky at the plate, but he can certainly hit. This may be a good time to trade him. His value hasn't been higher this season, and depending on what you need, you may get good return.

4. Mark Reynolds - Arizona Diamondbacks. .360, 3, 10, 6, 1

I still can't quite believe the year he's having. He's hitting .275 with 18 home runs, 47 RBI and 44 runs. The craziest thing of all is the 13 stolen bases. He's a top 5 fantasy player right now. If I had to guess, which I'll do right now, there's no way he keeps this pace up. I never trust someone who strikes out as much as he does, so I would put feelers out and see what you can get for him.

5. Robinson Cano - New York Yankees. .500, 3, 7, 6, 0

Cano can flat out rake. He hits for average, power and drives in runs. He's also a 2nd baseman which makes him so much more valuable. This is the first season he actually started off strong, so there's no doubt this great second half player will continue his great year.

The Bad:
1. Jorge Posada - New York Yankees. .154, 0, 0, 1, 0

Damn that's a bad week. The Yankees backstop, otherwise having a decent year, has been struggling of late. As the years go by, don't be surprised to see him tail off at the end of the year. It's only natural unless he's allowed to DH from time to time.

2. Mike Cameron - Milwaukee Brewers. .115, 0, 1, 2, 0

After starting off great this season, he's been struggling for the better part of a month. His average is now down to .250 on the season. If only you traded him at the start of the year you might have gotten something for him.

3. Jermaine Dye - Chicago White Sox. .167, 0, 0, 1, 0

I've always been a fan of Jermaine Dye since he broke into the majors. He's always around 30 homers and 100 RBI. He's on pace for the same type of season as always, so don't worry about a bad week or two. Just ride it out until he turns it around.

4. Aaron Rowand - San Francisco Giants. .063, 0, 0, 2, 0

He's been pretty darn good this season, especially after being moved to the top of the order. Unfortunately he's been about as cold as Hoth this week going 1 for 16. His average is still around .290.

5. Russell Martin - Los Angeles Dodgers. 095, 0, 0, 1, 0

Russell "The Love Muscle" as Chad calls him, has been god awful all year, so this week's numbers are not surprising. I couldn't have been more wrong about him this year. After he spent the off season getting in shape, and changing his eating and partying habits, I thought he was primed for a great year. It's been the exact opposite so far. I have him in two of my leagues, and wish I could get something for him. Unfortunately, I can't.

Players under the radar:

1. Michael Bourn - Houston Astros. .295, 1, 15, 38, 23 (season)

If you need steals, Bourn has been great so far. He'll never hit for power or drive in runs, but he does score runs and steal bases. He's also hit .295 so far this season. Did you know that he's the 88th ranked player on Yahoo? I didn't until I did some research. He's a good 3rd OF to have on your team.

2. Juan Rivera - Anaheim Angels. .358, 7, 23, 11, 6 (last month)

Have you seen what Rivera's done over the last month. During that time he's the 38th ranked Yahoo player and has been amazing. He's also owned in 27% of leagues. If you need some power in the OF or Utility spot, go grab him and ride him for now. We all know he can't stay healthy all year

3. Adrian Beltre - Seattle Mariners. .327, 3, 15, 14, 4 (last month)

After a terrible start, the Belt man is kicking it into high gear. He's in his walk year, so has a ton of motivation to finish the year strong. He's also available in about 50% of leagues.

4. Casey McGehee - Milwaukee Brewers. .500, 1, 5 , 5, 0 (last week)

Welcome to the bigs Casey. Great last night by the way! He's been tearing it up for the Brewers in place of Rickie Weeks. He's owned in only 3% of leagues so it might be time to take the youngster.

5. Chris Coghlan - Florida Marlins. .458, 0, 3, 4, 1 (last week)

Now that the Marlins have removed him from 3B, which was a complete disaster, he looks pretty comfortable in LF. The move also seems to settle him down at the plate as well. He's eligible at both 2b & OF and has some decent pop. He's only owned in 5% of leagues, but is a good pick up for deep mixed leagues as well as NL only.

Tough Titan: It's like Groundhog Day

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The same old, same old might get boring to some, but not Ryan Durand.

Durand, a rookie 7th-round draft pick by the Tennessee Titans, is once again going through the same routine during Organized Team Activities (OTAs).

"It's been the same setup ... it's pretty standard," Durand said. "You get used to a routine which is nice. It's very exciting."

Durand and the Titans have participated in OTAs on Tuesday and Wednesday and will do it again today. They'll do it all over again next week, before getting a nice break in preparation for Training Camp on July 31.

When OTAs finish next week, Durand will head back home. He won't be sitting around and doing nothing, however.

The offensive guard will train four days a week for roughly 2 1/3 to 3 hours per day at Mike Boyle's Strength & Conditioning in Boston, and also do extra running on the side. 

"I started working out with him in December," Durand said.

Since Durand was drafted, he's been impressed with how quick everyone is on the football field.

"The speed of the game is much higher than in college, and I'm getting used to it," Durand said. "That's the biggest difference I've seen -- everyone is quick."

Plus the competition level has risen in the NFL.

"It's been good," Durand said. "The competition is good; I really enjoy it."

It may be the same routine, but Durand is just fine with it. 

His main concern is simply making the team.

Red Sox bullpen willing to be called on

By Jorge Bannister
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Sure, starting pitching isn’t what it used to be.

Then again, if you have the bullpen that the Boston Red Sox do, well, who cares?

Five of the seven current members of the Red Sox bullpen boast ERAs below 3.00; Jonathan Papelbon (0-1, 16 saves, 1.86 ERA), Ramon Ramirez (4-2, 1.97), Manny Delcarmen (1-1, 2.25), Takashi Saito (2-0, 2.31) and Hideki Okajima (3-0, 2-40). The only two members with an ERA over 3.00 are rookie Daniel Bard (0-0, 3.29) and Justin Masterson (2-2, 3.81).

Masterson’s numbers are a bit skewed, though, because of his stint as a starter when Daisuke Matsuzaka went on the disabled list with arm fatigue. Masterson made six starts in that time. As a starter, the Jamaican’s numbers are pedestrian, at best (2-2, 4.59 ERA). In 12 games as a reliever, though, Masterson is 0-0 with an ERA of 2.37.

The big question is, can the bullpen continue on its torrid pace?

There’s only so many times that Terry Francona can make the call to the bullpen before something gives, right?

Maybe not.

The combination of young arm/veteran presence of Delcarmen, Papelbon and Masterson, the young arm of Daniel Bard and the even keel presence of Saito and Okajima, this bullpen has been the best in baseball and could very well be the reason the Red Sox are still playing come late October.

Moving an American team to Hamilton is a no-brainer to everyone...except Americans

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

On Monday, an Arizona bankruptcy court blocked the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to billionaire and BlackBerry CEO Jim Balsillie, a man Hell-bent on bringing a seventh NHL team back to Canada. For the umpteenth time, this is going end up a lose-lose situation for the league.

At this point, nothing should surprise us with these clowns. This is the same league that has a 15-year contract on an unproven, raw goalie from Winthrop; a Director of Hockey Operations job to a 25-year-old kid whose previous job was covering the Red Sox for the Globe; and just two years ago -- at the same time Balsillie was trying to move the Nashville Predators to the Kitchener/Waterloo area -- was contemplating expansion into Las Vegas and Kansas City (you obviously didn't see how that worked the first time, knuckleheads).

(Quick side-note...my favorite sports conspiracy theory has to be this: In the early 90's, when the NHL was beating out the NBA in ratings, hockey was looking for a new commissioner. David Stern recommended his worst assistant -- Gary Bettman -- for the job, and the rest is history.)

Make no buts about it. Even in these times of recession, Bettman is firmly enveloped in his idea of making hockey an "American" sport. Even as these southern "hotbed" markets show no interest in a sport they can't play in the winter time. No matter that south Florida and southern California have more teams with minimal fanfare than a hockey hotbed like Wisconsin -- which is dying for a professional hockey team -- Bettman is fixaded on keeping square pegs in round holes. Even if the said peg has lost $60 million in the last two years.

Americans can sweat all they want about how "devoted" and "passionate" they are about their team, but at the end of the day they will never hold a stick to Canada’s hockey culture. Other parts of the world have "futbol". Canada has one sport among all others, and it is treated with religious zeal -- hockey. Unlike Nashville, Atlanta, or Phoenix, Canada has the world’s best grassroots system.

If and when the Coyotes move, about seven people will cry. Do you know how many Winnipeg fans are still pissed-off about the Jets' move?

(Another side-note…came across a column on About.com a few weeks back claiming the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs only selling 5-6,000 seats a night means an NHL team wouldn’t sell well there. This is akin to saying Los Angeles isn't a football town because the Avengers don't sell out; and for all intents and purposes we’re going to pretend there aren’t humans on Earth this stupid, and ignore this argument. On a related note, I'm never going to About.com again.)

The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't made the playoffs in five seasons, yet they sell out every game at the Air Canada Centre. If you were to put a team back in Quebec City, Quebec-Montreal would be the most intense rivalry in hockey -- think Celtic-Rangers, not Red Sox-Yankees.

Bettman ignores all this because he wants to appeal to large demographics like Phoenix. First off, Arizona is Suns country, followed by Arizona State football and U of A basketball. The Cardinals are catching up, now that they're operating like professionals, as are the Diamondbacks, if not for simply its (you guessed it) grassroots baseball culture. Coyotes tickets invokes the same reaction as Clippers tickets -- "who they playing?"

Secondly, if market size is what he's going for, let's look at population. Phoenix has a metro of roughly 4.5 million. Southern Ontario, over a larger landscape, has a collective population of seven million.

But how many people would be willing to travel a great distance to see a professional hockey team? A good chunk, as it turns out. A few months ago, Balsillie canvassed deposits of between $50-150 on season tickets for a potential NHL team in Hamilton, and within days had 12,000 deposits. That's just based on RUMORS.

Even in these times of recession and the Flying Loon, Bettman ignores a gold mine in an effort to stay true to his mission of "Americanizing" hockey. At this point, that's just plain wrong.

Something tells me Balsillie will eventually get his way. Hopefully by then, Bettman will be out of office.

On the March: Life on the recruiting trail

(Editor's note: Scott Marchand is the pitching coach at the Air Force Academy. His journal about life in baseball will appear at Fan Fanatic Sports on a weekly basis)

Friday, Saturday, Sunday Night Lights

For college baseball coaches, these are the days that mark the true beginning of another summer. With regular college baseball seasons over, coaches and high school players disperse throughout the country; the former to find new players to carry on the traditions of their programs and the latter to showcase their talents for the seemingly countless keepers of radar guns and stopwatches.

There are many ways for coaches and players to connect during NCAA recruiting periods: personal inquiries, colleague recommendations, and a review of yearly statistics are only a few.
Don’t be fooled.
Every college program has a long list of players that they would like to get to know a whole lot better once they become eligible to receive mail, email, and phone calls. Summer tournaments and showcases put on by organizations such as Perfect Game and Premier Baseball provide the perfect venue for these two parties to begin a courtship that ultimately leads to a player’s signing a National Letter of Intent (NLI) during one of the official signing periods.

Our Air Force coaching staff had already visited northern California, Florida, and Minnesota, before I touched down in Houston, Texas, last week. Armed with a list of potential candidates for our program, I prepared to attend the annual Houston Heat Invitational Baseball Tournament, held just outside of the metro area in Brenham, Texas. The tournament officially ran from Friday through Sunday, and included 20 teams from Houston and surrounding areas. Texas is not lacking in baseball talent, and it is heavily recruited as such. It amazes me every year how many kids are already verbally committed to schools before they enter their senior year of high school. Coaches really need to have their fingers on the pulse of Texas high school baseball to be sure that they give themselves a chance at landing a few blue chip players.

At most tournaments, each day begins early, around 8 in the morning, when the first teams begin to stretch and throw before the first game. Parents are usually the first in the stands, as travel weary coaches and scouts amble into the park and exchange handshakes and laughs and prepare for a competition of their own.
Coaches either settle into a seat behind home plate, or stake their claim on a patch of chain-link fence near an on-deck circle. Then, the game begins, and everybody watching, watches. Some watch intently and scratch notes about every player they see, and some focus on those players they know will be a good fit for their school and program. Those coaches are the ones that have done their homework. With so many players to evaluate, there is really no such thing as being over-prepared. The more coaches know about guys before they see them, the better.

As the first games end, coaches scatter to attend games scheduled at other sites. The Heat tournament used three fields located within a five mile radius. This arrangement was atypical, but convenient, as most large tournaments use multiple fields that are often spread far apart. The late morning and early afternoon games took on a character identical to that of the first of the day, with more coaches, more players, more sun, and more bottled waters purchased from the concession stands. The late afternoon game represents the time of day when most everyone hits a wall. But as the sun fades and field lights begin to burn for the late evening and night games, coaches and players seem to get a second wind. There is something mystical about summer baseball at night, especially in Texas.

Henry Kissinger compared our country to others in pursuit of utopia. He felt that, “for other nations, utopia is a past never to be recovered; for Americans it is just beyond the horizon.” Baseball perfection is found, for some, beneath the buzzing light standards towering above diamonds on summer nights in America.

Is Ortiz finally getting it?

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports

After not hitting a home run in the first five weeks of the season, David Ortiz now has four in the last nine games, including his solo shot into the Marlins' bullpen tonight. Big Papi's shot started a six-run fourth inning, and then his two-run single finished it. He's now batting .210, after stumbling below the Mendoza line earlier this season.

Is this finally the moment we've been waiting for since last August? Is Papi finally out of his mecha-slump?

I tend to believe so. Earlier this season, reports surfaced that claimed Ortiz was actually 35, which with more substance might be a solid answer to why he's gone through such a slump. I tend to think the problem with his slump was two-fold.

First, when you're a power hitter carrying that much weight, staying in shape is imperative once you're over 30 years old. Just ask Cecil Fielder or Mo Vaughn. I'm not saying the man sits on his butt when the season's over, but at the same time I'm not convinced Papi endures an off-season regimen as brutal as Kevin Youkilis or Dustin Pedroia.

Second, sluggers like Papi are inevitably going to lose their power as they grow older, and in turn need to adjust their approach at the plate to stay competitive. Just ask Frank Thomas.

Those two elements, in my opinion, led to such a long slump for No. 34.

Will he stay out, now that he's on a tear?

Turkoglu makes sense, but do the Celtics have the cents?

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Making the rounds on the airwaves and blogs this morning is the news that Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu will opt out of his contract and become a free agent on July 1. That's nothing but music to the ears of Celtics fans, who would no doubt love to have a quintessential Celtic-killer in Celtics colors next season.

Believe me, I'm all for it -- in the tradition of Wes Welker, if you can't beat 'em, sign 'em. Having a guy like Turkoglu in your arsenal is win-win. This is a guy who can fill multiple spots in the frontcourt, can create plays on the wing, and has a deadly shot from long range. You can also run an offensive set through him -- can you imagine Rajon Rondo and Turkoglu in transition together? You could honestly run a secondary break.

But it's not that simple. The Celtics are going to have to clear some serious room for this guy.

With some help from HoopsHype.com, here's how the salaries break down next season...

-- Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are on the books next year for more than $55 million combined. Garnett is signed through 2011-12, Ray Allen comes off the books in 2010, and Pierce has a player option for 10-11.

-- Kendrick Perkins is on for $4.5 million, while Brian Scalabrine and Tony Allen are on for 3.4 and 2.5, respectively. All three come off the books in 2010.

-- Eddie House has a player option for 2.8 million. Rajon Rondo is on for 2.6, with a qualifying offer of 3.7 for 10-11.

-- J.R. Giddens is on for 1 million, while Bill Walker is on for 730,000. Both have team options for 10-11 and 11-12.

-- With Stephon Marbury, Leon Powe, Glen Davis and Mikki Moore all entering free agency, that brings the payroll to $73 million.

Turkoglu's option was set to pay him $7.3 million next season. I predict he's going to want somewhere in the 10-millon-a-year range at least.

Let's assume the Celtics aren't braindead and decide to part ways with Marbury and Moore. Should the Celtics go after Turkoglu, either Davis or Powe now becomes expendable. The question is, is it worth it? Davis had a breakthrough season, enough that he should command starter value on his contract. Powe showed alot of promise before his season-ending knee injury. Scalabrine isn't going anywhere, because he will draw minimal trade value.

If you stick with Davis, and land Turkoglu, you could be looking at a payroll of close to $90 million, which is Knicks-like in luxury tax damage. Powe might be more cost-efficient, but at this point, what's the difference between five and 10 million? And aren't the Celtics one of the five most lucrative franchises in the league? If there's any franchise out there that defines "recession-proof" in this city, it's the C's. If you disagree, you haven't been to a game since 2007.

Seven bona fide starters on your roster? Sounds good to me.

A Penny saved is...a bargaining chip earned?

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Red Sox and Theo Epstein have a problem most general managers would kill to have - more pitchers than rotation spots. Let's face it, in an ideal world, that's what Theo was hoping to be faced with at this point in the season. And while everyone talks about six-man rotations and moving Dice-K to the bullpen, let's talk for real for a second here and realize what the Red Sox have right in front of them - a major trading tool in Brad Penny.

Is the Bronson Arroyo situation all over again? Nope. The Red Sox are not going to settle for Wily Mo this time around. If they make a move, they're going to get real value.

A couple of things make Brad Penny expendable. The first, obviously, is the fact that John Smoltz is ready to return to Major League baseball as his 30-day rehab stint ends on Friday. He's expected to pitch that day and if it's with the big Sox, it will be against the Braves of all teams. The second is his contract. Penny is a one-year gamble by Theo that seems to have worked out for the best so far. It will be smart for the Red Sox to wait and see what happens with Smoltz, that is, does he still have it and it's doubtful the team will jump into a deal involving Penny. But on top of Smoltz, the Red Sox have a rejuvenated Clay Buchholz mowing down AAA'ers as he waits for a chance to redeem himself after his 2008 choke job. Not to mention Michael Bowden has a 2.48 ERA and has held opponents to a .207 ERA down at Pawtucket.

What makes Penny valuable also lies in two things. The first is his performance. He had a rocky start to his Red Sox career, as short as it may turn out to be. Penny had a horrendous April, but has improved every month so far this season, dropping his ERA almost 3.5 runs since the beginning of May. In his last five starts, he's gone 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA, and that's even after a sub-par outing two starts ago against Texas. The most important thing he did for his stock was dominate the Yankees for six inning to out-duel C.C. Sabathia on June 11. With the way he's pitching right now, Penny could be considered a No. 2 or No. 3 starter for a lot of teams, and I'm talking contenders.

The second key lies in the rest of the league. Penny became a much bigger commodity because the amount of healthy pitching on the trading block has dwindled just within the past week with the two biggest names on the list going down. Roy Halladay left his start in the third inning with a groin injury. Jake Peavy, who utilized his no-trade clause to block a move to the Chicago White Sox is out 8-12 weeks with a torn ankle tendon. On top of that, there are several teams battling injuries that would love to have an arm like Penny's. Are you going to try to tell me the Phillies wouldn't take Penny to fill Brett Myers' spot?

To this point the Red Sox seem to be far from making a move, which shows they realize the size of the chip they possess. In Penny they have a decent chip that could help them get some talent to help for the stretch run without the team having to give up some of the young talent they covet so much.