Fantasy Baseball: Positional Rankings - Third Baseman

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The 3rd base position is very top heavy to me. You can get a certifiable superstar if you want to choose one of the top 3 right away, but after that you have pretty good players to the 10 spot, and it really drops after that. The one thing I love about this position is the young stars on the horizon. There are some great prospects that should make their major league debut later this season.

The Top 20:

1. Alex Rodriguez - Yankees

2. Evan Longoria - Rays

3. David Wright - Mets

4. Mark Reynolds - Diamondbacks

5. Kevin Youkilis - Red Sox

6. Pablo Sandoval - Giants

7. Aramis Ramirez - Cubs

8. Jeff Zimmerman - Nationals

9. Chone Figgins - Mariners

10. Michael Young - Rangers

11. Jorge Cantu - Marlins

12. Ian Stewart - Rockies

13. Chipper Jones - Braves

14. Gordon Beckham - White Sox

15. Jhonny Peralta - Indians

16. Mark DeRosa - Giants

17. Kevin Kouzmanoff - A's

18. Garrett Atkins - Oriols

19. Alex Gordon - Royals

20. Adrian Beltre - Red Sox

The Elite:

Alex Rodriguez - We all know Arod is a super star and the best option, by far, at this position. He's about as steady as they come and really took off last year when he and Mark Teixiera became the 3-4 hitters for the Yankees.

Evan Longoria - If you know me, then you know I'm a huge fan of Evan Longoria. I'm such a huge fan that when my wife asked about naming one of my boys Evan, I immediately said yes. He's entering his 3rd full season in the bigs, so look for him to improve on his .281, 33 HR and 113 RBI this season.

The 2nd Tier:

David Wright - Citi Field absolutely killed Wrights offensive production last season. He still hit .307, but dropped way down to 10 home runs and 72 RBI, and a .447 slugging percentage in a whopping 535 at bats.

Mark Reynolds - Reynolds took great strides at the plate last season, and really put himself on the fantasy map. He doesn't hit for average (.260 last year and a career average of .257 in 3 major league seasons), but has plenty of power, 44 home runs, and drove in 102 RBI in a very weak lineup.

Kevin Youkilis - As you might know, I am no fan of the Boston Red Sox, but I certainly do respect Youkilis as a professional hitter. He's an extremely patient hitter, sometimes too patient for my liking, who can hit for average (.305), is an on base machine (.405) and has good power and the ability to drive in runs. His stats have gotten better each year and he had a career high OPS of .961 in 2009.

On the Rise:

Gordon Beckham - In about a half of season, the youngster hit .270, 14, 63. Look for him to have a solid first full season as he's settled into the big leagues. He's an intriguing player who's still learning to man the position.

Brett Wallace - Wallace, who's now with the Blue Jays will eventually get the chance to play full time later this season. He'll most likely play first for the Jays, but is also eligible at third. He's a good hitter, with the potential to hit 25+ home runs in the bigs and will be a good addition to the Jays young lineup.

Josh Bell - Bell, who was stolen from the Dodgers in the George Sherrill deal last season will most likely be a September call up, but keep an eye on this youngster. He has legitimate big league power, and is at the most a year away. He's the reason why the O's signed Garrett Atkins to a one year deal.

Pedro Alvarez - Alvaraz, the best prospect at the position, will most likely start the season at AAA, but will soon be up. He's just too good to keep down in the minors, especially since Andy Laroche is the player holding his position for him.

On the Slide:

Mike Lowell - As of right now, Lowell is relegated to the bench. He's still a good hitter, but will he be able to play full time if he gets traded? Only if he spends most of his time at first or DH.

Melvin Mora - Mora, now a utility infielder with the Rockies, is certainly on the downside. After a good 2008, he took a major step back in production in 2009. His average dropped 24 points, he hit 15 less home runs and 56 less RBI in only 63 less at bats.

Pedro Feliz - Feliz, now with the Astros will not have a power surge hitting in Minute Maid Park. Here's why. I thought he'd hit more home runs in a small field like Citizens Bank Ball Park, but he never did. Now he's three years older.

Placido Polanco - Read my second base rankings.

Make sure to for my Shortstop rankings coming either later on today or tomorrow.

Thanks for the memories Mosi

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Rest in peace Mosi Tatupu.

The former New England Patriots running back and special teams ace is one player that stood out, along with my father's all-time favorite, quarterback Steve Grogan, while I was a very young Patriots fan.

I can remember sitting in the stands in Foxboro with my dad (it was usually a Jets game, too) and having him hoist me up in the air whenever the Patriots scored a TD.

And usually during the Pats' scoring drive, Tatupu and Grogan played key roles.

It's a part of my childhood that I will always remember and can always thank my father --and Tatupu and Grogan -- for that.

So I got goose bumps when I read on ESPN.com -- take a look at the link -- that Tatupu had passed away in an Attleboro hospital.

My dad -- a blue collar guy who has always worked hard and always put his family first -- obviously respected Tatupu because he played the game of football with a workmanlike approach, doing the dirty work while always trying to outwork the other guy.

Yes, just like how my father has worked in his job since as long as I can remember.

Tatupu wasn't a superstar, but he was a guy that always came to play, and you have to respect a player that does that. Tatupu was the epitome of a team player.

I'm now looking back at the time that I had the honor -- yes, it was an honor -- to meet Tatupu. It was in Leominster at historic Doyle Field. Tatupu was an assistant coach under Ronnie Lippett -- another former Patriot -- and I went up to Tatupu outside of the locker room before his team came out for warmups and he graciously signed a newspaper article I wrote about the former Pats coming to Leominster to coach the visiting semi-pro football team. I don't remember the actual conversation I had with him, but I still, to this day, recall walking away thinking how nice of a guy he was.

While many Patriots come and go, there's no doubt I'll remember the name Mosi Tatupu for the rest of my life.

Rest in peace Mosi, and thanks for all the great memories.

It's make or break time for Merrimack

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

It's an exciting time for the Warriors. With their current hot streak, Merrimack has put itself in a position to take part in its first Hockey East tournament since the 2004-05 season. That's right, Merrimack has not been in a postseason series since before the league went to a 10-team format.

But the Warriors are unbeaten in their last five contests, all against teams jockeying for position not only in the Hockey East tourney, but the national one as well. Their latest successes came this past weekend in the form of a systematic dismantling of UMass.

Now things get interesting. Merrimack is hanging to a one-point edge over Vermont for the final playoff spot, so every point counts. The Warriors have the opportunity to put some space between themselves and the Black Bears with three games this week, but they will have to fight for every point. The battle begins with a rare Tuesday-night affair with second-place Boston College. From there Merrimack hosts Maine, who is fighting to maintain its hold onto home ice position, for a weekend set.

It's an exciting time all over the league with the potential for a lot more movement in the ranks. Just four points separate the ninth-place team from the fourth-place team. Here are the standings:

1. UNH 14-5-4, 32 points (15-10-5 overall)
2. Boston College 13-8-2, 28 points (18-10-5)
3. Maine 12-9-2, 26 points (15-12-3)
4. Boston University 11-10-2, 24 points (14-13-3)
5. Northeastern 11-11-1, 23 points (16-13-1)
T-6. UMass-Lowell 10-11-2, 22 points (16-14-2)
T-6. UMass 11-13-0, 22 points (16-15-0)
8. Merrimack 10-11-1, 21 points (13-15-1)
9. Vermont 7-10-6, 20 points (13-11-6)
10. Providence 5-16-2, 12 points (10-18-2)

UNH had to settle for a tie in the second of two with Vermont over the weekend and while the Wildcats did gain an extra point to lengthen the gap between themselves and BC, the tie means their streak of 20-win seasons will come to an end. It will be the first time since the 1995-96 season the Wildcats have less than 20 wins. Still, only four point separate them from the Eagles, so they can ill-afford to lose to a Northeastern team that is just one point away from home ice positioning.

Boston College is still working hard in its pursuit of the regular-season title and No. 1 seed in the national tournament, but disappointing splits in the Eagles' last two weekend series have kept them from gaining any ground. Luckily for the Eagles, they have an opportunity to close in or at least keep pace with Merrimack and UMass visiting Kelley Rink this week. BC holds a combined 3-1-0 record against those teams, including two dominating performances over UMass.

Speaking of the Mass Attack, that attack has been toothless this month as the Minutemen have dropped all five games in February and seven of their last eight, sliding down to a tie for sixth. It's very possible that after this week, they could be on the outside looking in.

Vermont has a lot at stake with a televised weekend series in which they host BU, who has gone from the basement to home-ice positioning in a very short period of time. Vermont has gone in the opposite direction and needs these wins in order to reverse its fortunes. Friday's game will be on NESN with Saturday's matchup on ESPNU.

Fantasy Baseball: Positional Rankings - Second Baseman

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

I have to admit that I love the transition the 2nd base position has made over the past few years. Gone are the days this fantasy position is based solely on batting average and stolen bases. Due to the influx of several stars, this is now a position you can get 20+ home runs and 90+ RBI in addition to a high batting average and stolen bases.

The Top 20:

1. Chase Utley - Phillies

2. Ian Kinsler - Rangers

3. Dustin Pedroia - Red Sox
4. Aaron Hill - Blue Jays

5. Brian Roberts - Orioles

6. Brandon Phillips - Reds

7. Robinson Cano - Yankees

8. Ben Zobrist - Rays

9. Dan Uggla - Marlins

10. Ian Stewart - Rockies

11. Howie Kendrick - Angels

12. Jose Lopez - Mariners

13. Asdrubel Cabrera - Indians

14. Rickie Weeks - Brewers

15. Placido Polanco - Phillies

16. Clint Barmes - Rockies

17. Freddy Sanchez - Giants

18. Alberto Callaspo - Royals

19. Akinori Iwamura - Pirates

20. Martin Prado - Braves

The Elite:

Chase Utley - Utley is the best option at 2nd base for fantasy. Despite his average dropping to .282 this season, he still put up 31 homers, but came short of the 100 RBI plateau with 93.

Ian Kinsler - I know Kinsler doesn't really hit for average, but he does hit homers (31) drive runners in (86) and steal bases (31). That makes him a fantasy stud at the position.

The 2nd Tier:

Aaron Hill - Hill finally put together a complete/healthy season, and he certainly fulfilled his potential. He had a "breakout" season hitting .286, 36 homers, 108 RBI and 103 runs. That is a monster season for many positions, much less 2nd base. I have him ranked 4th at the position because he's so productive at the plate.

Dustin Pedroia - Despite having his worst offensive season in 2009, Pedroia ranks #3 on my list. You know you're good when it's a down year and your average slips to .296. He'll still hit you 15 homers and drive in 75 runs, but what really helps are the 20 stolen bases and the high on base percentage.

On the Rise:

Martin Prado - Now that the Braves got rid of Kelly Johnson, Prado finally get a full time job. He was given the bulk of playing time with a career high 128 games last season, and certainly played well enough to land the starting gig. In those 128 games he hit .307 with 11 homers and 48 RBI. I would expect much of the same this season, and is a good late round pick at the position or on the bench.

Scott Sizemore - The young two bagger is slotted in as the Tigers starting 2nd basemen to start the season. Sizemore has a good bat and decent power. I also think he's in a good situation for him to succeed. I wouldn't suggest starting him in fantasy, but he's a good end of the draft pick.

Asdrubal Cabrera - The As-man had a very good 2nd half last season and rebounded from a terrible first full season in 2008. It also helps that he's eligible at both second and shortstop. He only played 131 games last year, but if he can play 145+ games, look for him to score 100 runs, hit .290 with 10 homers and 75 RBI.

Howie Kendrick - Kendrick has never played more than 105 games (last season) in his 4 seasons in the bigs. Look for that to stop after he he posted a .358 average with 6 homers, 36 RBI and 33 runs in 48 post All Start games. He was essentially a full time starter from August on and really pounded the ball during that time.

On the Slide:

Placido Polanco - While he makes the transition to a hitters park in Philly, watch out for a continued drop in his production. He may not strike out, but he's seen his average drop from .341 in 2007 down to .285 in 2009. Average really is all he brings to the table as he doesn't have much power.

Freddy Sanchez - I've never been much of a Sanchez fan, and the fact that his production has slipped in each of the past 3 years doesn't help much. I don't like him hitting in San Fran either. Unless you get really stuck, stay away.

Luis Castillo - OK, Castillo has never been a good, much less decent, fantasy player. He doesn't hit for power or drive in runs. It seems like the Mets tried desperately to trade him during the off season and were unsuccessful. According to reports, he looks slow, so his bat speed and defense have suffered.

David Eckstein - Eckstein to me is like Old Yeller. They should just take him out back and put him down. I've never been a fan. At least the Padres were smart enough to put him at 2nd base, so fans don't have to cringe every time he has to make a throw from the normal shortstop position, much less deep in the hole.

Well, stay tuned for our stroll around the diamond with the 3rd base position on Wednesday and Shortstop on Friday.

Fantasy Baseball: Positional Rankings - First Baseman

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Well, what did you think about the catching rankings? Those are pretty clear cut, but there can be a lot of debate at First Base. To me, it's the deepest of all positions.
The Top 20:
1. Albert Pujols - Cardinals
2. Mark Teixeira - Yankees
3. Ryan Howard - Phillies
4. Miguel Cabrera - Tigers
5. Prince Fielder - Brewers
6. Adrian Gonzalez - Padres
7. Joey Votto - Reds
8. Justin Morneau - Twins
9. Kevin Youkilis - Red Sox
10. Kendry Morales - Angels
11. Pablo Sandoval - Giants
12. Lance Berkman - Astros
13. Derek Lee - Cubs
14. Carlos Pena - Rays
15. Adam Dunn - Nationals
16. Bill Butler - Royals
17. Jorge Cantu - Marlins
18. Michael Cuddyer - Twins
19. James Loney - Dodgers
20. Paul Konerko - White Sox
The Elite:

The obvious is Albert Pujols. Realistically, he should be in his own category. If he can stay healthy, he'll most likely go down as the most productive hitter MLB history. Like I said above, this is the deepest position in fantasy, and there really are 5 elite first basemen. The rest are the remainder of the top 5 above.
The 2nd Tier:

It's amazing to think, but I have 6 guys that are a part of the 2nd tier. That takes up the 6-11 spots on my rankings. That alone is why this position is so deep. We're talking about the likes of Adrian Gonzalez, Joey Votto, Justin Morneau, Kevin Youkilis, Pablo Sandoval & Kendry Morales. All 6 of these guys are top 50 fantasy players going into the 2010 season.
On the Rise:

Justin Smoak - Rangers. Smoak will eventually replace Chris Davis at first base this season, or at least take over the DH spot. He's a certifiable big league hitter that has excellent plate discipline and power from both sides.

Billy Butler - Royals. Butler finally settled into the majors in the 2nd half of the season last year. His power still needs to develop, but it will with additional big league at bats. With that being said, he still hit .301, with 23 homers and 93 RBI in a bad lineup.

Joey Votto - Reds. As you can see from the rankings above, I feel that Joey Votto is poised to explode this season. I have not doubt he'll hit .300 with 30 HR, 100 RBI & 100 runs this season. Based on how good the top 5 are at this position, it's going to be tough for him to crack it, but I wouldn't be surprised.

Gabby Sanchez/Logan Morrison - Marlins. Is it time for the Marlins to insert a young first basemen into the lineup? I think so, but what do you do with Jorge Cantu? Well, Cantu should be moved back to first base and allow Sanchez and Morrison to battle it out during Spring Training. I think Sanchez, a more powerful hitter than Morrison, is the best bet to win the job.

On the Slide:

David Ortiz - Red Sox. Thanks to inter league play, Ortiz is still eligible at the position. He's really on the downside of his career, but I wouldn't be surprised if people took a look at his second half last year and he gets drafted higher than he should.

Carlos Delgado - No team. While Delgado shut me up with a pretty decent year last season, there's a reason why he hasn't signed yet. Look for him to make a second half appearance with someone, most likely the Marlins.

Lance Berkman - Astros. The Chad Garner look alike can still hit, is still in the top 12 at his position, but he has plateaued and started on the down slide. If he can stay healthy this season, he may get 30, 100 but I'm not sure. He is a good mid to late round pick at the position.

Aubrey Huff - Giants. Huff took a major hit to his production after a career year in 2008. Was 2008 a fluke? I actually think he'll have a better year this year as he'll be playing in relative anonymity.

Lyle Overbay - Blue Jays. In my opinion, Overbay has been one of the more over rated players of the decade. He's serviceable, but has never come close to fulfilling the promise he once had. I expect Overbay to be dealt by the Blue Jays at some point.

Well, keep an eye this week for the second base rankings.

Character counts for a lot in my book

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The world stopped for over 13 minutes today.

In that span, Tiger Woods was the king of the universe.

Big deal.

Woods finally came clean ...well, sort of.

He did admit to cheating, but didn't give a total body count. Was the over-under 20?

Anyway, do we really care that he's finally come clean?

Personally, it doesn't bother me either way.

What he does in his personal life is his own business, but being a pro athlete he obviously realizes that he's always on center stage.

So by coming clean, he at least let the public know what we've suspected all along -- that he did cheat.

Woods is the best -- by far -- in his sport, but you can bet he's lost a lot of fans along the way now because of his off-the-course issues.

His image has been wrecked, but we're a forgiving society, so it's only a matter of time before he's back in the good graces. Kobe Bryant was once Public Enemy No. 1 after his debacle, but now he's one of the most popular player again in the NBA.

Just like Bryant, Woods will be forgiven at some point.

But as far as I'm concerned now, Woods is no longer a role model.

What he's done is downright wrong and his character has been tarnished.

It's something I'll never forget, either.

Yes, Woods is a great athlete but somewhere along the line character must play a factor in the total athlete -- just like the Average Joe you seen on the street or at work every day.

Character counts for a lot in my book.

If you don't have character, you don't have much as far as I'm concerned.

I hope Woods gets rehabilitated and I don't wish anything bad to happen to him, but I've lost a lot of respect for Woods the man. Sports is so secondary right now.

Tiger's taken a hard fall, sort of like all his opponents have done on the course while trying to battle him for a win. But maybe one day we'll all forget about it and call him the perfect golfer, husband and father.

But not right now.

Can he now be as successful in rehabilitating as he's been at winning majors?

Woods' character is in question. The ball is on his course now.

Some want Woods to come back to golf and become a better player (if that's possible).

But I'd be more impressed with him coming back a better man ... a man of character.

Fantasy Baseball: Positional Rankings - Catchers

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
In case you didn't notice, Thursday marked the first day catchers and pitchers reported to Spring Training. With that being said, it's time for FFS to start their 2010 Fantasy Baseball Positional Rankings. We will begin the rankings today with the position of catcher.
Top 20:
1. Joe Mauer - Twins
2. Victor Martinez - Red Sox
3. Brian McCann - Braves
4. Matt Wieters - Orioles
5. Miguel Montero - Diamondbacks
6. Jorge Posada - Yankees
7. Geovany Soto - Cubs
8. Russel Martin - Dodgers
9. Benji Molina - Giants
10. Mike Napoli - Angels
11. Kurt Suzuki - A's
12. AJ Pierzynksi - White Sox
13. Ryan Doumit - Pirates
14. Chris Iannetta - Rockies
15. Yadier Molina - Cardinals
16. John Baker - Marlins
17. Ramon Hernandez - Reds
18. Kelly Shoppach - Devil Rays
19. Ivan Rodriguez - Nationals
20. Rod Barajas - Free Agent
The Elite:
Clearly, Joe Mauer is the elite of the elite at the catching position. He is a two time AL batting champ that finally added power (28 home runs last season) to his arsenal. He's hitting in a better all around lineup this year, and is entering his contract season, so look for much of the same. Personally, I see the Twins resigning him during the season. After Mauer, there is a drop off to Victor Martinez, but he's still a great option at backstop. Despite the fact that I think the Red Sox will struggle to score runs this season, Martinez is still in a better lineup than the Indians, and should be helped out by hitting in front of Kevin Youkilis as he hit .336 after arriving in Boston last season. Brian McCann rounds out the 3 truly elite fantasy catchers. He's a very consistent fantasy producer over the past few years, and is about the same value as Martinez. I put McCann at the 3rd slot due to Martinez being eligible at first base as well.
The 2nd Tier:
I would be shocked if Matt Wieters is not considered an elite fantasy catcher by next season. He struggled a bit when he was first called up, but ended the season hitting .288, 9 HR, 43 RBI in 354 at bats. That rates as pretty damn good for your first taste of the big leagues. Miguel Montero looked like he finally put it together in the 2nd half of last season. Normally, I'd be pretty cautious, but I think it's just the start of things. Jorge Posada may be getting up there in age, but he can still produce at the plate. Don't be surprised to see him get more and more time at DH, but who really cares as long as he keeps his eligibility at catcher. Geovanny Soto had a pretty awful sophomore season. I doubt he'll be a huge bargain, but you may be able to get him on the cheap a little bit. Look for a good, rebound season.
On the Rise:
Matt Weiters - Please read above
Miguel Montero - Please read above
Buster Posey - The best hitting catching prospect in baseball. Most likely a September call up unless Molina really tanks it or gets hurt.
John Baker - In 571 career at bats he has a .281 average, 14 HR & 82 RBI. He may not be young, but he can produce and is a good, late round pick.
On the Slide:
Benji Molina - Molina is certainly getting up there and had a 27 point drop in his average last season. Like I already said, keep your eye on Buster Posey
Jorge Posada - Don't get me wrong, I still like Posada, but know he's now on the down slide. He's still a border line top 5 (#6 on my ranking) fantasy catcher, just don't take him too early.
Russell Martin - As a die hard Dodgers fan, I am so disappointed in Martin. He's taken huge steps back the past two seasons. Personally, I think he's just not that good.
Dioner Navarro - With Kelly Shoppach on the team, his playing time will drastically decrease after a bad 2009 season.
Ivan Rodriguez - Pudge is old as mud, and he just isn't that good with the bat anymore.
Make sure to check in this weekend for the First Base rankings!

Big weekend could narrow Hockey East's tournament prospects

By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

There are six games remaining for most teams, but this weekend could be the decisive blows for a lot of teams could be landed this weekend in one way or another.

Two huge blows were already dealt to a couple of national tournament hopefuls before the games have even begun this week. Boston University had just started playing well and has thrust themselves into the conversation, but now will have to try to make it all the way back without their first line center, Corey Trivino after fracturing his fibula in a 5-2 win over Maine on Saturday. Vermont has been unable to put away winable games lately (1-2-3 in the last 6 games against Maine, Providence and Merrimack), is on the dangling on the edge in terms of the PairWise Rankings and just dismissed Justin Milo from the team. It was said to be in the best interest of the team, so you have to wonder what was going on to cause the coaching staff to kick the team's second-highest scorer while in the middle of the stretch run.

That will make things interesting heading into the final weeks, especially with some key matchups coming up this weekend. Let's take a look at the standings and some of those matchups.

1. UNH 13-5-3, 29 points (14-10-4 overall)
2. Boston College 12-7-2, 26 points (17-9-2)
3. Maine 11-8-2, 24 points (14-11-3)
4. Boston University 10-9-2, 22 points (13-12-3)
5. UMass 11-11-0, 22 points (16-13-0)
6. Northeastern 10-10-1, 21 points (15-12-1)
7. UMass-Lowell 9-10-2, 20 points (15-13-2)
8. Vermont 7-9-5, 19 points (13-10-5)
9. Merrimack 8-11-1, 17 points (11-15-1)
10. Providence 4-15-2, 10 points (9-17-2)

UNH and Vermont have a huge series tonight and tomorrow. The Wildcats are clinging to a three-point lead in the Hockey East standings and could use a pair of quality wins to improve their PWR. Vermont is fighing for its tournament lives. While the Catamounts are eighth in Hockey East and are not playing their best hockey at this point. Still, they're in a four-way tie for ninth in PWR with UNH (League's leader and 8th place team ranked the same nationally. Crazy, huh?), Cornell and Minnesota-Duluth. A split does neither team much good. A sweep puts one team in great position, while the other is most likely done, unless it can win the conference tournament.

UMass-Lowell is on the outside looking in and needs to sweep the series with Maine in order to have any shot outside of winning the Hockey East tournament. Lowell has been in a freefall lately, going 1-4-0 in their last five games and needs a huge spark. They have been in every game during that span, but have had a very hard time finding the back of the net, wirth the exception of the 4-1 win over Boston College. Maine has been resurgent this season and once again is an elite team in the year. They were on a tear, going 5-0-1, but has lost their last two games, giving up seven and five goals in a sweep by BU. Maine had the quandry of possibly losing ground if they swept BU because of the RPI rankings, but getting swept by the Terriers took care of that, too. Maine is ranked 17th and needs wins.

BU has also rediscovered themselves and is now in a position for home ice in the Hockey East tournament, but now must go the rest of the way without one of its leaders. It shouldn't be much of a problem against Providence, but it remains to be seen how much good a sweep of such a weak team would do for the rankings. It certainly doesn't help the strength of schedule, but given the fact the Terriers are only a game above .500 at this point, they can ill afford to lose to the Friars.

Boston College has a real shot to give themselves a No. 1 seed in the national tournament if they finish strong. Taking at least three points from Northeastern, another team fighting for a chance to play beyond the conference tournament would go a long way towards doing that. BC is possibly the hottest team in Hockey East other than BU, going 5-1-0 in their last six games, including a Beanpot championship. The Huskies have struggled all season long and really don't have much chance of tournament play beyond Hockey East, but it's all about getting hot at the right time. They are coming off a weekend sweep of UMass and have won their last four, so three or four points stolen from BC could change their prospects very quickly.

Tension building in Hockey East

By Chris Maza Fan
Fanatic Sports Staff

And down the stretch they come! The Wildcats in the lead with Newton University and Black Bears in second, neck and neck! Minutemen falling back with Boston University coming up strong!

Yep, it's getting into mid-February and there's bunching at the top of Hockey East. UNH had a commanding lead, but let it slip through its fingers by failing to record a point in a lost weekend against rival Maine last weekend and needs to rebound. Boston College is coming off a high-flying week with a commanding 7-1 drubbing of UMass and a Beanpot championship over BU. The Black Bears improved their stock with the four-point weekend and BU, other than the Beanpot championship loss, has been playing its best hockey after the holiday break.

Let's take a look at the standings:

1. UNH 12-5-3, 27 points (13-10-4 overall)
2. Boston College 11-6-2, 24 points (16-8-2)
3. Maine 11-6-2, 24 points (14-9-3)
4. UMass 11-9-0, 22 points (16-11-0)
5. Boston University 8-9-2, 18 points (11-12-3)
6. UMass-Lowell 8-9-2, 18 points (14-12-2)
7. Vermont 7-8-4, 18 points (13-9-4)
8. Northeastern 8-10-1, 17 points (13-12-1)
9. Merrimack 7-11-0, 14 points (10-15-0)
10. Providence 4-14-2, 10 points (9-16-2)

If the Wildcats want to maintain their lead, they need to pick up two points tonight as they only have one game, while both Maine and Boston College have home-and-homes.

Maine is in a very interesting situation in terms of its national tournament hopes. While a sweep of BU would be monumental for its hopes for a regular season title, it could actually hurt their USCHO PairWise Rankings as Boston University's RPI rating would drop dramatically.

In fact, having a handful of teams fighting for home ice could only help Hockey East teams in terms of national tournament seedings. If teams start falling off quickly, it could lead to fewer of the top teams in the league making the national scene. The college hockey tourney is a funny thing. After all, UNH is on top of the league, but is squarely on the bubble for the tournament at this point, thanks largely to a very difficult early schedule that didn't go so well for a very young team.

It's coming down to the wire and every point counts for each of the top eight teams. Stay tuned.

Fantasy Baseball Friday: The Top 25

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Welcome to the first Fantasy Baseball Friday edition of the 2010 MLB Season. The fantasy baseball season is among us, so we will start our season long quest for fantasy greatness today. Fan Fanatic Sports will start the positional rankings analysis starting next week, so that means today's article is going to be a bit different. I will be highlighting my personal Top 25 fantasy players for 2010 as well as creating a few, fun lists that should help you prepare for the 2010 season. Now, let's get to it.

Ingy's Top 25 Fantasy Ballplayers for 2010:

1. Albert Pujols

2. Hanley Ramirez

3. Alex Rodriguez

4. Ryan Braun

5. Matt Kemp

6. Chase Utley

7. Carl Crawford

8. Tim Lincecum

9. Miguel Cabrera

10. Evan Longoria

11. Ryan Howard

12. Mark Teixiera

13. Prince Fielder

14. Roy Halladay

15. Matt Holiday

16. David Wright

17. Joe Mauer

18. Ian Kinsler

19. Troy Tulowitzki

20. Justin Upton

21. Zack Grienke

22. Felix Hernandez

23. Victor Martinez

24. Joey Votto

25. Ichirio Suzuki

Well, I think it's safe to say everyone will have Pujols at the top of his/her list after the season he had in 2009. Matt Kemp in the top 5? Yes, you will see that Kemp will explode as a 5 tool superstar this season. He had a good breakthrough year last year and will take it to the next level in 2010. I can't believe he is still such a raw player. The only other player that might surprise you in the Top 15 is Matt Holiday. He was amazing after being traded to the Cardinals last year and I really look for him to put together a Coorsesque season hitting behind Pujols.

Ingy's 2010 Overachiever/Breakthrough Lineup:

C. Matt Wieters - BAL

1B. Joey Votto - CIN

2B. Orlando Hudson - MIN

SS. JJ Hardy - MIN

3B. Kevin Kouzmanoff - OAK

OF. Matt Kemp - LAD

OF. Adam Jones - BAL

OF. Carlos Gonzalez - COL

DH. Nick Johnson - NYY

SP - Rich Harden - TEX

CL - Mike Gonzalez - BAL

Matt Wieters had a very good 2nd half in 2009, and I really look for him and the Orioles to make great strides this season. Much like Kemp, most fans don't realize the year Joey Votto had last season. He hits in a little bandbox, and will continue to improve on his season of .322, 25, 84. I am also a big fan of the Rangers bringing in Rich Harden.

Ingy's 2010 Underachiever/Bust Lineup:

C. Benji Molina - SF

1B. Daniel Murphy - NYM

2B. Jose Lopez - SEA

SS. Marco Scutaro - BOS

3B. Adrian Beltre - BOS

OF - Manny Ramirez - LAD

OF - Mike Cameron - BOS

OF - Jason Bay - NYM

DH - David Ortiz - BOS

SP - Ben Sheets - OAK

CL - Jose Valverde - DET

Obviously, I am not high on the Boston Red Sox this year. With the exception of the John Lackey acquisition, I strongly disagreed with the rest of their moves. I don't quite understand adding 300 strike outs to your lineup in Cameron and Beltre. Both are easy outs against good pitching. Jason Bay is a very good player, but Citi Field is death to home run hitters.

Ingy's 2010 Rookies/Youngsters Lineup:

C. Buster Posey - SF

1B. Justin Smoak - TEX/ Gabby Sanchez - FLA

2B. Scott Sizemore - DET

SS. Alcides Escobar - MIL

3B. Brandon Wood - LAA

OF. Jason Heyward - ATL

OF. Colby Rasmus - STL

OF. Nolan Reimold - BAL

SP. Brian Matusz - BAL

RP. Daniel Bard - BOS

Posey, the best hitting catching prospect in the game needs more seasoning at AAA, but will soon be up. Jason Heyward is the best prospect in all of baseball, so watch out for him making the opening day roster. My honorable mention is Josh Bell of the Orioles. The O's stole him from the Dodgers in the George Sherill deal last year and will most likely just be a September call up. Watch out for him next year though.

Well, there you have it. Look for the positional rankings to begin next week. Until then, good luck and enjoy!

Will the Bruins say goodbye to Thomas?

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

At this point, no one knows what's going to happen to the Boston Bruins prior to the trade deadline. I am not even sure GM Peter Chiarelli has made up his mind yet. They could be buyers or they could be sellers. What we do know is something major is going to happen. Over the past few days, there have been rumors that Tim Thomas may be on his way out of Boston. Personally, I'd love that if it were true. Despite the fact I am a fan of Chiarelli's work, I hated the bloated deal he gave Thomas last year. There is no way a 35 year old, journeyman goalie should have been given a 4 year $20 million contract that includes a no trade clause for the first two years. Throw in the fact that you have Tukka Rask, the B's goalie of the future, and it makes the deal look even worse.

So far the rumors have involved the Chicago Blackhawks and the Washington Capitols. Both teams need an upgrade at the goaltender position. These rumors include the Bruins getting a top 6 forward and a backup goalie in return. The real question is whether or not Tim Thomas can be moved? Will another NHL team deem Thomas good enough to pick up the remainder of his contract? Will Thomas waive his no trade clause? Earlier this week it was reported Thomas may not waive the clause do to a cancer issue with a family member. Hopefully, Thomas will realize it's not wise to stay with a team that may consider you backup as soon as the end of this season. If he goes to Chicago, it gives him a legitimate chance at the Cup.

Personally, if the Bruins can trade Thomas, even just for salary cap relief, then they have no choice but to do it. With a roster freeze set to take place on Friday thank in part to the Olympics, you might see something get done in the next 24 hours. All we have to do is wait and see.

I Can Feel Manning's Pain

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Don't get me wrong, I was rooting for the Saints last Sunday, but I fully expected the Colts to win, and win big. Even trailing 24-17 late in the fourth quarter, I still felt certain that Manning would bring the Colts back, and claim a seat along side Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the greatest quarterbacks I can remember seeing.

So when Tracy Porter picked off Manning and returned it for TD to ice the game, I was stunned, although in a good way. Seeing Manning after the game however, made me think of the Patriots and Giants a few years back and how devastated I was after that game. It also made me think of other stunning defeats my teams have suffered.

Without a doubt Sunday must have been the worst defeat of Manning's career, but as a fan it made me wonder what were the worst losses I can remember. I came up with a list of five losses that have stuck with me long after the games had ended.

1. Game 6 of the 1986 World Series

I know I may be making myself look real old, but this is the mother of all loses. The pain has subsided a bit given the Red Sox recent success, but this was just such a historic loss that nothing else can compare.

I can still remember the top of the 10th when Dave Henderson hit the go ahead home run, and then Wade Boggs scored from second on a single by Marty Barrett to put the Red Sox up 5-3. Calvin Schiraldi then got 2 quick outs in the bottom of the inning. The camera showed the Red Sox dugout, and the players were just waiting to run onto the field. At that point, remember I was only 13 at the time, my parents let me get a VHS Tape to record the final out.

Instead I taped the worst sports moment of my live. After the ball went through Buckner's legs, my brother got up, took the tape out of the VCR, and threw it against the wall, breaking it into a million pieces. I did not sleep a wink that night. Game 7 did not matter. There was no way the Red Sox could bounce back from that.

2. Super Bowl XLII

The Patriots had a chance to become the greatest franchise in NFL history, and let it slip away. People point to the David Tyree catch as the biggest moment of the game, but I still think back to what happened earlier in that same play. The Patriots had Eli Manning sacked, but he escaped. If they just brought him to the ground, it would have been around 4th and 15 with about a minute left. With no timeouts, time would have likely run out on the Giants.

There are so many other plays that stick with me. Pierre Woods had a golden opportunity to recover a fumble deep inside Giants territory in the 2nd quarter. If the Pats could have added another score there, things could have been different.

There was also the decision to go for it on 4th and 13 in the 3rd quarter rather than kick a 48 yard field goal. Often overlooked is the final Patriots possession. Brady and Moss nearly hooked up for 70 bomb. Watch the replay. Brady and Moss were scary close to connecting. What makes this loss so tough is that if any of those things had happened, there would no longer be any argument about who was the best QB ever. It would be Tom Brady.

3. Game 7 2003 American League Championship Series

At the start of the bottom of the 8th, with the Red Sox ahead 5-3, my wife walked into the room, saw the score and said, "Wow, they have this one in the bag." I still blame her for the loss.

Funny thing is later when I finally went to bed that night, she asked me if they won. When I said no, she could not figured out why I was so devastated and then said, "Don't worry, they'll get them next year." We then started to argue because at that moment, I was convinced that the Red Sox would never win a World Series. Turns out my wife was right though. They did get them next year.

The Aaron Boone home run was the iconic moment of the game, but the moment I remember most is when Jorge Posada hit a little blooper to center that scored Hideki Matsui to tie the game. At that point I knew the game was lost. When Boone hit the home run, I was almost glad to be finally put out of my misery.

4. 2006 AFC Championship Game

Looking back, this is when the Patriots good fortunes really began to turn. With a 21-3 lead late in the 2nd quarter, Brady hit Ben Watson with pass for a 1st down to put Patriots inside the Colts 30 yard line. A score here would have put the game out of reach. There was a penalty called against the Patriots however (I don't remember who the call was on, or what for) that pushed the Pats back, and eventually they had to punt. Instead the Colts got the ball back and kicked a field goal right before the half. What could have been a 28-3 lead at the half was only 21-6 instead.

I won't even bring up the Reche Caldwell drop of a sure TD, or the Reggie Wayne fumble on the Colts final drive that some how popped up right back into his hands. If the Pats had won this one, and then completed the perfect season one year later, you could have easily made the argument that the New England Patriots were the best franchise in NFL history.

5. Game 4 1987 NBA Finals

Not too many people remember this game, but the Celtics really let this one get away. Trailing 2-1 in the series, the Celtics had to have this one to have a chance to repeat as champs.

The Celtics dominated most of the game, and were up by 16 points at the half. The Lakers rallied to take the lead in the final minute, but Larry Bird nailed a 3 pointer to put Boston back ahead, which at that point was the biggest clutch play I had ever seen. I was sure that the Lakers would fold. Magic Johnson had other ideas, as his baby hook over Kevin McHale gave the Lakers the win. Although they played for a few more years, this was really the end of the original "Big 3."

It time to move on however. This is starting to get depressing. Next time maybe I should write about the biggest wins. That would far more enjoyable.

Saints win the Super Bowl; MVP Brees an elite QB

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints for winning the Super Bowl and being able to hoist up the prestigious Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Well, the Saints were the underdog against the Colts, but they were clearly the big dog when the chips were on the table.

And how about Drew Brees?

While Tom Brady and Peyton Manning steal all the spotlight as the best QB's in the NFL -- and rightly so because they are both outstanding signal-callers -- but don't you think Brees should start being mentioned in that same sentence?

I know Brees hasn't has the career success as Brady or Manning, but right now -- in 2010 -- he's no doubt a top-3 QB in the league. Rank them any way you want, you can't go wrong.

But it's now time for people to start talking about Brees as an elite QB. Yes, he's now a Super Bowl champion and a Super Bowl MVP. He's got the bling, and that's how all great QB's are judged.

Brees delivered on the biggest stage, while Manning surprisingly faltered just like Brett Favre did in the NFC Championship game with a big INT that cost his team the game.

But I look at it more like the Saints won the game; the Colts and Manning didn't lose it.

How can you not be happy for the city of New Orleans? If you've got a heart at all, you've got to love the fact they are now champions.

Congrats to the Saints on a job well done.

Let the party begin.

Who dat?

Like it or not, Manning is the best QB in the NFL and he's going to win another Super Bowl title

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

So you hate Peyton Manning? Well, get ready to do a little more hating after you see him hoist up the Vince Lombardi trophy after the Colts win the Super Bowl.

Yes, it's going to happen.

And yes, Peyton Manning is that good. Believe it Patriot Nation, Manning is even better than Tom Brady.

I said it, and it pains me to say that. Two years ago I wouldn't have made that statement, but Manning just keeps getting better, while Brady isn't.

As for the Super Bowl, I'll be wearing my NFL-issued Drew Brees No. 9 jersey and rooting on the Saints and the city of New Orleans.

But I think the Colts are a better team -- in all three phases of the game.

But I don't think it's going to be a cakewalk, either.

The Saints can win this game, but they need to play flawless football to do so. And I think the Colts won't let the Saints play perfect ball, either.

Manning is so good that even if the Colts trailed by 14 points in the first three quarters -- perhaps even in the fourth -- I'm not going to go run and hide and think the Colts don't have a chance. With Manning at the helm, it's hard not to be confident in him running the show. Plus, he's got so many weapons in the passing game (Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon). I don't care if the Colts can't run the football (but they can against a poor Saints run defense), they don't need to anyway.

With that offensive line protecting Manning like a mother and father do with their newborn, it doesn't matter what the Saints throw at the Colts and Manning. He's seen it all before. The Saints physically beat up an old Brett Favre in the NFC Championship game, but Manning is stronger and his offensive line is great at identifying the blitz and picking it up. If Manning has time in the pocket, expect a completion and potentially a big play.

But if the Saints can get base pressure without leaving their corners on an island one one one because they have to blitz, they've got a chance to frustrate Manning (admit it, we all want to puke when Manning is shown shaking his head after a poor play) and get a much-needed turnover.

Forcing turnovers is the only way the Saints have a shot to win.

Plus, Drew Brees and the Saints offense -- perhaps the only offense in the league that could go score for score with the Colts -- need to sustain drives and scored TDs, and not settle for field goals.

The Saints have balance -- Brees is a master in the pocket and also has great targets (Marques Colston, Jeremy Shockey, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson), plus they also feature the X-factor, Reggie Bush, a running back that is more like a wide receiver.

Bush is also scary on special teams where he can return a punt for a TD at any time, but I think the Colts can neutralize Bush because the Colts' defense is based on pure team speed, not beef. They flow to the football and it's hard to make big plays against them (credit playing Cover 2 for that), although those corners are weak and something I'm betting Brees is going to attack.

I've seen so many Saints games this year and down the stretch, that offense sputtered at times for a multitude of reasons. Whether it was poor pass protection, receivers not getting open, or running backs (Pierre Thomas must be a factor in the run game for the Saints) not doing the job, for as good as that offense has been, they've had slight issues moving the ball down and they can't do that in the Super Bowl.

Chad's Take: Manning is going to pick apart the Saints. The Saints will dial up every blitz under the sun, but it's not going to fluster Manning and the Colts. Indy knows how to break down opponents, and chucking the ball against the Saints is the way to go, although don't be surprised to see Joseph Addai have a good game out of the backfield since the Saints will be so focused on stopping the pass.

The Colts just might run up and down the field scoring a boatload of points, but the Saints will do it, too. The Saints' defense has been opportunistic in the turnover department all season -- they are not that great as a team defense because they give up so many yards in the air and on the ground -- but don't expect to see Manning throw more than one pick. The Colts know how to protect the pigskin and they also know that's why the Saints are here because that defense is a ball-hawking unit.

This is going to be a great Super Bowl, but I think Manning steals the show. He's the best in the NFL at what he does, and he'll show everyone again that he's the best.

Expect more commercials with Manning's mug on the TV screen after he wins another Super Bowl title.

Prediction: Colts, 37-30

Bruins should pass on Kovalchuk

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The Bruins 2009-2010 season has been a disappointing bust thus far. With that being said, it doesn't mean Peter Chiarelli should trade away the young foundation of this team to bring in a rental like Ilya Kovalchuk. Yeah, yeah I know the Bruins can't put the puck in the net, but is Kovalchuk really going to take this team to the Stanley Cup, much less the Conference Finals? No, I don't think so. For the longest time, I've been an advocate of Chiarelli trading a draft pick, a young, established player and a prospect for Kovalchuk, but a conversation I had the other night has completely changed my train of thought.

The B's have been completely decimated with injuries this season, and that has been the major reason for the lackluster season so far. They've lost significant time from the likes of Marc Savard, Milan Lucic, & David Krejci. All of whom are major contributors to the Bruins offense. In my mind, Krejci has never recovered from his hip injury. He came back too soon, and it's affected his play all season. If this team is healthy, and that most likely will not happen at all this season, they're still a very good team. In addition to the injuries, they have had several players suffer through underachieving seasons. Blake Wheeler, with the exception of a recent hot streak, has not played up to par. Neither has Michael Ryder. Krejci has looked terrible recently, but I still blame that on his balky hip.

If the Bruins are going to make a move, I think they should still look to the south for a trade partner. Instead, let's take a look at the Hurricanes. Instead of Kovalchuk, why not make a move for Ray Whitney. He's netted 16 goals already, and is pretty much a sure fire 25 goals a year guy. He also will not cost you a good young player like Lucic, Krejci, Bergeron or Wheeler. While we're talking about the Hurricanes, why don't we bring back Aaron Ward. Peter Chiarelli made a major blunder by trading him away and bringing in Derek Morris. Ward would help solidify the defensive corp. Both these moves are low cost moves that would help the team now without mortgaging the team's future. I don't mind the Bruins trading their own first round draft pick, but they need to hold onto the Maple Leaf's pick that could potentially be a lottery pick. Hopefully their recent moves will not drastically improve that team.

Are you ready for some Baseball?

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Quick blog here everyone. With the NFL season wrapping up this Sunday, it's time to start focusing on the baseball season. Beginning next Friday, February 12th, you'll see the return of the Friday Fantasy article a la baseball style. It's been a very interesting off season with lots of player movements done and much more to come before Spring Training begins.