By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
I’ve been sitting around today in a fog, and started dreaming about the baseball Dream Team I’d assemble if I were GM of Team MLB. Here’s my dream team (subject to debate, of course), which includes eight positional players, a right-handed starter, left-handed starter and closer. They are all current MLB players, too.
Do you agree or disagree with me?
1B – Mark Teixeira (NYY) While Tex hasn’t currently gotten hot yet with the stick, the one aspect of his game that is always steaming is on defense. He’s got a great glove, yes he’s a Gold Glover, and saves the rest of that infield so many errors with great plays. He’s the best defensive first baseman, no doubt.
2B – Chase Utley (PHI) – Utley might not be the best defender in the world, but he’s a legit Hit Dog with plus power, especially at the second base position.
SS – Derek Jeter (NYY) – Go ahead and call me a homer, but Jeter can still get it done on offense and defense (I know his range has diminished a tad). But what separates him from most, is his ability to lead a ballclub. He’s my captain without a doubt.
3B – Evan Longoria (TB) – The 24-year-old can already do it all at a high level. He hasn’t even hit his prime yet. Now that’s scary.
C – Joe Mauer (MIN) – Is there a sweeter swing in the game right now that the Twins’ backstop? What’s so impressive is the grind that catchers have to battle through, and Mauer still manages to hit over .300 every year.
LF – Carl Crawford (TB) – Man, I just love Crawford’s speed. Five out of the last seven years, Crawford has swiped at least 50 bases. On my team, he’s got the green light to run whenever he wants.
CF – Matt Kemp (LAD) – He’s the best young player in baseball. He’s got all five tools, and he’s on the verge of stardom. Kemp is welcome on my team any day.
RF – Jason Heyward (ATL) – I know it might be a little early to crown Heyward, but the rookie has caught my eye with an above average OF arm and a great bat. I’d feel more comfortable if he put up great numbers for a few years, but I’ll roll the dice and say he’s going to be an All-Star very soon.
LHP – Jon Lester (BOS) – You probably thought I’d say CC Sabathia, but I’ll take Lester. The southpaw is a lot younger and I feel he still has upside, while we’ve already seen the best CC has to offer. If Lester didn’t stink so much the first month of every season, imagine the numbers he’d put up?
RHP – Roy Halladay (PHI), Tim Lincecum (SF) – I took the easy way out and selected two guys. Well, here’s my reasoning. If I want a premier veteran, Halladay is my choice hands-down. But if I want youth and power, Lincecum is my man. Either way, I can’t lose.
Closer – Mariano Rivera (NYY) – Rivera could be 90 years old, and if he’s still in the majors closing, I’m taking him. He’s a big game pitcher, having proven to do the job on the biggest stage many times, and not many still enjoy hitting that potent cutter. Really, is there anyone even close to Rivera? No way.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Will Moss negotiate with the Patriots?
By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Randy Moss not only catches touchdown passes, but he’s also an agent, too.
Well, he’s his own agent now.
According to Moss’ former agent , Tim DiPiero, the New England Patriots wide receiver will now be a completely one-man show when it comes to future negotiations.
Moss is a smart man, perhaps, saving millions of dollars if he doesn’t have an agent. And really, does Randy need an agent to negotiate his next deal? I don’t think so, considering his football resume speaks for itself.
The question is: Will Moss strike up a deal with Bill Belichick and the Patriots after his current deal runs out at the end of this coming season?
But the REAL question is: Will the Patriots want him back after the year?
Let the negotiations begin!
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Randy Moss not only catches touchdown passes, but he’s also an agent, too.
Well, he’s his own agent now.
According to Moss’ former agent , Tim DiPiero, the New England Patriots wide receiver will now be a completely one-man show when it comes to future negotiations.
Moss is a smart man, perhaps, saving millions of dollars if he doesn’t have an agent. And really, does Randy need an agent to negotiate his next deal? I don’t think so, considering his football resume speaks for itself.
The question is: Will Moss strike up a deal with Bill Belichick and the Patriots after his current deal runs out at the end of this coming season?
But the REAL question is: Will the Patriots want him back after the year?
Let the negotiations begin!
Enough already: Stop crying about the soccer ball
By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
The World Cup is right around the corner. The World Cup is right around the corner!
That’s the buzz circulating throughout the country.
But it’s becoming a negative buzz …and quick.
Well, here’s a perfect example of why the sport isn’t as popular here in the U.S. (because we don't like crying in any sport) like it is in other parts of the world.
Can you believe that the major headlines regarding the World Cup right now is the new ball designed by Adidas, dubbed, “Jabulani.”
Everyone, I mean everyone, from goalies, to strikers to midfielders are stomping their feet and crying about how this new ball is so different …in a bad way of course.
The players are saying that they ball “changes trajectory” in flight, sort of like a dancing knuckleball, perhaps, in baseball terms.
This ball is creating quite a stir. I guess change can be bad, but how much different can a round ball be? This whole “issue” with the ball is just baffling. It seems to me like complaining just for the sake of complaining.
But if the ball is THIS bad, then the World Cup committee better go back to an old ball, and quick. Because we don’t want the overall play to be affected in a negative way. That would be bad, I mean very bad for soccer.
Seriously, players, adjust to the new ball. Granted, it may feel and play a tad different than the old one – I get that – but get over it and move on. It’s too bad that now the best story line to come out of the World Cup is going to be about this stupid new ball.
One thing I do know is: I’m even more excited for the World Cup to begin now (honestly, joking, if you didn’t know). I can’t wait to see this new ball unveiled, and see all these players verbally assault the ball during a match and blame it on the reason why they lost.
This World Cup might be the best ever!
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
The World Cup is right around the corner. The World Cup is right around the corner!
That’s the buzz circulating throughout the country.
But it’s becoming a negative buzz …and quick.
Well, here’s a perfect example of why the sport isn’t as popular here in the U.S. (because we don't like crying in any sport) like it is in other parts of the world.
Can you believe that the major headlines regarding the World Cup right now is the new ball designed by Adidas, dubbed, “Jabulani.”
Everyone, I mean everyone, from goalies, to strikers to midfielders are stomping their feet and crying about how this new ball is so different …in a bad way of course.
The players are saying that they ball “changes trajectory” in flight, sort of like a dancing knuckleball, perhaps, in baseball terms.
This ball is creating quite a stir. I guess change can be bad, but how much different can a round ball be? This whole “issue” with the ball is just baffling. It seems to me like complaining just for the sake of complaining.
But if the ball is THIS bad, then the World Cup committee better go back to an old ball, and quick. Because we don’t want the overall play to be affected in a negative way. That would be bad, I mean very bad for soccer.
Seriously, players, adjust to the new ball. Granted, it may feel and play a tad different than the old one – I get that – but get over it and move on. It’s too bad that now the best story line to come out of the World Cup is going to be about this stupid new ball.
One thing I do know is: I’m even more excited for the World Cup to begin now (honestly, joking, if you didn’t know). I can’t wait to see this new ball unveiled, and see all these players verbally assault the ball during a match and blame it on the reason why they lost.
This World Cup might be the best ever!
Friday, May 28, 2010
BRING ON THE LAKERS!!!
By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
No need to panic Celtics fans.
The Boston Celtics ARE NOT the Boston Bruins.
There's no choke in these C's.
Now, it's bring on those hated Lakers, if they can get by those pesky Suns.
But now the Celtics are back in the NBA Finals, for the second time in three years.
And this trip has been worth every single bump in the road.
Just think about the road to get here. Boston beat the Heat (with superstar Dwayne Wade), the Cavs (LeBron James) and now the Magic (Dwight Howard).
Nothing was handed to these guys, they earned every single win and deserve to have a chance to win another NBA championship.
Man, the Celtics were so frustrating during the regular season -- you can thank injuries for that -- but they are playing some great basketball right now. At the biggest time of the season, no less.
There's got to be something said for veteran leadership. The Big Three, despite showing their age at times, are still delivering and don't look old and slow at all right now. Now, add Rajon Rondo -- you can make a case that he's the biggest star on the team at this moment -- into that mix, and the Celtics are tough to stop with four legit scorers.
Great job little used guard Nate Robinson, who was a very good scorer with the Knicks. Robinson proved a spark that had the home crowd going into a frenzy. Robinson pumped in 13 points, including two 3-pointers, and the Celtics rode Robinson's coat tails and never looked back.
Yes, the C's have that knockout punch, unlike the Bruins.
Believe in the Boston Celtics. Hard to imagine they only need four more wins to win the NBA championship.
Bring on those Lakers. We want to beat the best the NBA has to offer.
Say it with me, "Beat L.A., Beat L.A."
Here's What I Have to Say
By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Here are 10 quick-hitters in the weekly, “Here’s What I Have to Say” column.1. The Boston Celtics better bring their ‘A’ game tonight at home or they will lose this series.
2. The Celtics and Bruins are not the same type of franchise. The Bruins have been dubbed ‘losers’ for years (I don’t call them that even though they’ve had such a long drought of winning the Stanley Cup) while the Celtics have to be considered ‘winners’ for all the banners hanging from the rafters.
3. Show your pride and start getting excited for the World Cup. Go USA!!!
4. Rajon Rondo has quickly developed into a superstar with his early playoff round performances, but where has he been vs. the Magic? Big-time players don’t go to sleep in big situations. I expect a big game from him tonight. Or maybe he’s hurting and that’s affecting his production?
5. How bad do you want a Celtics-Lakers matchup in the NBA Finals? It brings back the good old days in the 1980s when that series was so volatile …and I loved it as a young buck!
6. I said it before, the Red Sox are not dead. While I’m not a fan – at all – they just don’t die. And now they’re getting the pitching (Jon Lester has been lights out) and now David Ortiz is raking, they are a dangerous ballclub once again. The AL East should be a fun race to watch with the Big 3 of Boston, New York and Tampa Bay.
7. Don’t expect the Yankees to play great baseball until they start getting healthy. The Bronx Bombers are the walking wounded right now (starters Curtis Granderson, Nick Johnson, Jorge Posada are all on the DL).
8. Is it football season yet? This offseason is dragging. But isn’t it like this every year?
9. How can you not like NASCAR? Cars going 180-plus miles-per-hour, crashes and on- and off-the-track altercations. There’s always some kind of action going on in that sport.
10. Hey, it looks like Brett Favre is going to come back and play for the Vikings this year. Wow, shocking. This guy likes the spotlight, and we all can’t get enough of him throwing interceptions when the game is on the line.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The top shelf and the bottom of the barrel
By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
The top shelf
Tampa Bay Rays
They still have the best record in the majors, so it's hard to argue with them being in this spot. Other than a 2-1 loss to Houston, it's been a pretty solid week for the Rays, including sweeping a quick two-game series with the Yankees. The Rays are 15-6 overall this month.
New York Yankees
It's been a while since the Yankees have been able to string a series of wins together. In fact, after Sunday's loss, the Yankees have now lost five of their last seven, including three straight to AL East teams. Still, they're in second place in the best division in baseball and still holds the second-best record in baseball.
Philadelphia Phillies
The last two days were rough on the Phillies, who were almost no-hit by Daisuke Matsuzaka, then shut down for eight innings by Tim Wakefield. That capped a pretty pedestrian week for the Phils, who split two-game sets with the Pirates and Cubs before losing two of three to the Red Sox. Jayson Werth is having a freakishly good year. He's a career .269 hitter who is batting .327 this season and is on pace for 124 RBI. His previous high was 99 last year.
Boston Red Sox
Pitching and defense is finally showing up for the Red Sox. Yes, they are in fourth place in the AL East, but they have now won five of their last seven games against the Yankees, Twins and Phillies. Everyone has been talking about David Ortiz' re-awakening, but Kevin Youkilis is doing his part as well, batting .390 with a 1.316 OPS in the month of May.
San Diego Padres
Who would have though the Padres would be in this position? Pretty much everyone figured the Adrian Gonzalez sweepstakes would be heating up by now, but now there seems to be even more of a reason for him to stay. Sure, part of the reason they are in first place in the NL West is because of how bad the division is, but an NL-leading 3.03 ERA helps as well. The huge ballpark helps at home, but the Pads still have one of the lowest road ERAs in the league.
The bottom of the barrel
Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona has the best offense in the National League when it comes to scoring runs, but it's hard to win games when the pitching staff isn't up to snuff. The D-Backs have the absolute worst ERA in the majors at 5.65 and the bullpen has blown 10 of the team's 20 save opportunities.
Baltimore Orioles
After winning a few games against good teams to start the month and some weak opponents to begin in the middle of May, the Orioles have gotten back to losing, going 3-7 against the likes of Cleveland, Kansas City, Texas and Washington. Baltimore has the worst run differential in the American League at minus-62.
Cleveland Indians
A 4-3 win over Cincinnati halted a six-game losing streak. Cleveland has failed to score more than four runs in each of its last seven games, which is not a good thing when your pitching is giving up more than six runs per game. Grady Sizemore has been invisible, batting .211 with zero home runs.
Seattle Mariners
It's been a nightmarish Month for the Mariners, who have a 5-16 mark in May. What's even more telling is the team's inability to win close games. Seattle was 2-7 in one-run games in that month.
Houston Astros
Eight quality starts for Roy Oswalt and just two wins to show for it. Carlos Lee's batting everage is hovering around the .200 mark and only two players qualified for the batting title are hitting more than .250.
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
The top shelf
Tampa Bay Rays
They still have the best record in the majors, so it's hard to argue with them being in this spot. Other than a 2-1 loss to Houston, it's been a pretty solid week for the Rays, including sweeping a quick two-game series with the Yankees. The Rays are 15-6 overall this month.
New York Yankees
It's been a while since the Yankees have been able to string a series of wins together. In fact, after Sunday's loss, the Yankees have now lost five of their last seven, including three straight to AL East teams. Still, they're in second place in the best division in baseball and still holds the second-best record in baseball.
Philadelphia Phillies
The last two days were rough on the Phillies, who were almost no-hit by Daisuke Matsuzaka, then shut down for eight innings by Tim Wakefield. That capped a pretty pedestrian week for the Phils, who split two-game sets with the Pirates and Cubs before losing two of three to the Red Sox. Jayson Werth is having a freakishly good year. He's a career .269 hitter who is batting .327 this season and is on pace for 124 RBI. His previous high was 99 last year.
Boston Red Sox
Pitching and defense is finally showing up for the Red Sox. Yes, they are in fourth place in the AL East, but they have now won five of their last seven games against the Yankees, Twins and Phillies. Everyone has been talking about David Ortiz' re-awakening, but Kevin Youkilis is doing his part as well, batting .390 with a 1.316 OPS in the month of May.
San Diego Padres
Who would have though the Padres would be in this position? Pretty much everyone figured the Adrian Gonzalez sweepstakes would be heating up by now, but now there seems to be even more of a reason for him to stay. Sure, part of the reason they are in first place in the NL West is because of how bad the division is, but an NL-leading 3.03 ERA helps as well. The huge ballpark helps at home, but the Pads still have one of the lowest road ERAs in the league.
The bottom of the barrel
Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona has the best offense in the National League when it comes to scoring runs, but it's hard to win games when the pitching staff isn't up to snuff. The D-Backs have the absolute worst ERA in the majors at 5.65 and the bullpen has blown 10 of the team's 20 save opportunities.
Baltimore Orioles
After winning a few games against good teams to start the month and some weak opponents to begin in the middle of May, the Orioles have gotten back to losing, going 3-7 against the likes of Cleveland, Kansas City, Texas and Washington. Baltimore has the worst run differential in the American League at minus-62.
Cleveland Indians
A 4-3 win over Cincinnati halted a six-game losing streak. Cleveland has failed to score more than four runs in each of its last seven games, which is not a good thing when your pitching is giving up more than six runs per game. Grady Sizemore has been invisible, batting .211 with zero home runs.
Seattle Mariners
It's been a nightmarish Month for the Mariners, who have a 5-16 mark in May. What's even more telling is the team's inability to win close games. Seattle was 2-7 in one-run games in that month.
Houston Astros
Eight quality starts for Roy Oswalt and just two wins to show for it. Carlos Lee's batting everage is hovering around the .200 mark and only two players qualified for the batting title are hitting more than .250.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Here's what I have to say
By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Here's what I have to say about 10 topics in the world of sports.
1. I'm buying the Celtics. The only question is: Where do I sign?
Boston looked uninterested in the regular season and they didn't play great vs. Miami in the first round of the playoffs, but they are a legit squad right now. Yes, they are playing their best basketball at the right time of the season. The C's swatted away LeBron James and the Cavs, and now they're up 2-0 vs. the Magic in the best-of-7 series. Just bring on the Lakers. L.A. wants Boston, and Boston wants L.A. Brings back the good old days in the 1980s.
2. The Tampa Bay Rays are for real. I've admitted it finally. I'm still not sold on closer Rafael Soriano, who gets an arm injury every season, but this team can hit, play defense and they get great starting pitching just about every night. Have you seen them play? They are fun to watch. Good luck Yankees and Red Sox trying to catch that ballclub. Better start thinking Wild Card.
3. The Red Sox are not dead. Just when you write them off -- add David Ortiz in that mix, too -- they come to life and give you reason to believe.
4. The World Cup is right around the corner. Are you excited?
5. Is bass fishing a sport? Very debatable. In a tournament, yes, during a recreational activity, no way.
6. Cyclist Floyd Landis needs to keep his mouth shut. The fraud admitted to doping, and now he's trying to bring the entire cycling world down with him. Hope you can finally get a good night's sleep since you finally got that lie off your chest. You are not believable, I don't care what you say now. Is your name really Floyd?
7. Are you over the Bruins' major collapse? Start thinking franchise player with the No. 2 overall pick. Good times ahead in Beantown with the Bruins.
8. Man, I really can't wait for the NFL season to start. I also can't wait for Fantasy Football. Isn't the fantasy draft the best time of the year. It's a close second behind Christmas.
9. Boy, Kevin Garnett looks pretty darn healthy now. Do you think that has anything to do with the Celtics' recent success? You better believe it.
10. I'll make it easy on the Arizona Cardinals on who to give the starting quarterback job to. Matt Leinart. He's sat and watched Kurt Warner work his magic, now it's time to see if the lefty sinks or swims calling the signals. Derek Anderson is not the answer. Why do you think he's no longer in Cleveland? Exactly.
Fantasy Baseball Friday: May 21st
By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Well, I really blew it last week by not posting my weekly column. I apologize. I will offer no excuses. Now onto the article. We are almost two months into the season, and this is where you start to find out who's for real, and who's not.
Top 10 Hitters of the Week:
1. Jose Bautista (Blue Jays) - It's very hard for me to believe, but Bautista might just be a good pick up this season. He'll never hit for average, but his power numbers and run production have been consistent so far this season. Just be careful if you're in a league with strikeouts. He has a k rate of nearly 25%.
2. Dan Uggla (Marlins) - Weren't we just speaking about a hitter who k's a ton. Forget about that right now. While I'm skeptical about him keeping his average around .290 (30 points higher than his career average) he's on pace for a 30/100/100 season. That's nothing to scoff at especially at the 2nd base position.
3. Alex Rodriguez (Yankees) - What can you say about Arod that hasn't already been said.
4. Shane Victorino (Phillies) - If you know me, then you know I can't stand the Flyin' Hawaiian, but it looks like he starting to turn his season around. He's on pace to easily surpass his career high of 14 homers and 62 RBI.
5. David Ortiz (Red Sox) - Maybe I was wrong? I'm not sure, maybe he's back on his super shakes, but the one thing I know is you need to ride Big Papi for everything he has now. If you have him, I'd try and sell him high.
6. Kevin Youkillis (Red Sox) - I may not like him personally, but I respect the heck out of him as a ball player. He's about as complete a hitter out there as you'll find and is on pace for his first 30/100 season.
7. Luke Scott (Orioles) - As long as he's facing right handed pitchers, he'll rake for power and drive in runs. The Orioles are very good with his playing time and understand what he can and cant' do. He's a good guy for an extra outfielder or the utility position.
8. Nelson Cruz (Rangers) - I'm not sure people realize how productive this guy is. If he can stay healthy, he'll be a top 10 outfielder in fantasy production.
9. Justin Upton (Diamondbacks) - I'm a big fan of J-Up. It's nice to see him raise his average 30 points the past two weeks as he's been hot. It now looks like he's righted the ship after a bad start.
10. Corey Hart (Brewers) - If you need a good 4th OF, then Hart's your guy. He'll never light the world on fire for an entire season, but is a solid bench guy.
Top 10 Pitchers of the Week:
1. Joe Saunders (Angels) - He's put up two great starts after staring the season 1-4 with a 7.04 ERA. This is a good time to buy low on him if you know his current owner is frustrated.
2. Ricky Romero (Blue Jays) - I think it's safe to say he's a legitimate starter now. The former 6th overall pick is dealing again after struggling for a few starts.
3. Anibel Sanchez (Marlins) - Is he finally healthy again? It looks like it. He's owned in only 5% of Yahoo leagues so he's available.
4. Ubaldo Jiminez (Rockies) - The beast keeps rolling, and I don't see him slowing down for a while.
5. Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers) - Finally the kid goes 7+ in 3 straight starts. This just might be the start of something magical, but I'm pretty biased. His long term potential is scary good.
6. Jonathon Broxton (Dodgers) - It was only a matter of time before he started accumulating saves as he's had 4 this week and 7 straight.
7. Edwin Jackson (Diamondbacks) - One good start does not turn around a bad year. Keep an eye on him
8. Jon Lester (Red Sox) - I may not be a Sox fan, but I'm a big fan of Lester. He's won 4 in a row and is back on track. There is a reason why he's one of the best left handed starters in the bigs.
9. Jeremie Guthrie (Orioles) - He has a 3.86 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and a 3 to 1 K to BB rate. Pretty decent numbers. Too bad he's on 2-4. I still think he's worth a pick up though.
10. Clay Buchholz (Red Sox) - It's hard to think he's been the most consistent Bo Sox starter thus far, but that's the truth. He also leads the staff with a 3.26 ERA.
Cut em' or Claim em':
1. Ian Kennedy (Diamondbacks) - He's no Phil Hughes, but has been pretty darn good for the D-Backs so far. I say Claim him.
2. Randy Wolf (Brewers) - Cut him, cut him, cut him. He's made the Brewers look foolish so far this year.
3. Gordon Beckham (White Sox) - My gut says hold onto him, but he's been so god awful that he can no longer take a spot on my bench. Cut em'!
4. John Ely (Dodgers) - Maybe I'm just being a Dodgers fan here, but so far I'm impressed. So impressed that I say Claim em'. In 25.2 innings pitched he has 25 K's and only 3 walks. That is nice!
5. Jonny Gomes (Reds) - He's getting at bats in Cincy, and has done the absolute most with them. If you absolutely need an outfielder or utility guy, then claim him. I just don't buy the start he's had. He has to come back to reality.
6. Rod Barajas (Mets) - Catching is so thin that you need to claim him if you can. I'm not sure it will last, but the guy has an .893 OPS and 10 home runs, and is currently the #1 fantasy catcher according to Yahoo.
7. James Loney (Dodgers) - If only he could hit for power. What helps is his average, and the fact that he's stolen 6 bases already at the 1st base position. I'd claim him and use him as a solid bench player and occasional starter
8. Carlos Quentin (White Sox) - Cut him! I think his amazing 2008 is a fluke. Of course he can still hit a home run, but overall he's just not that good.
Well people, until next week
Monday, May 17, 2010
The top shelf and the bottom of the barrel
By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
The top shelf
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays still remain the team with the best record in the majors and therefore remain at the top of the list. Probably most impressive is the fact that Tampa Bay has four starters with an ERA of 3.00 or lower. No other team in the majors can say that.
New York Yankees
It wasn't a very good start to the week for the Yankees last week as they lost three of four to the Tigers, including two shutouts. They rebounded, however, taking two of three from Minnesota. Andy Pettitte remains terrific with a 5-0 record and 1.79 ERA. In fact, the Yankees are 7-0 in his starts this year.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies hold the best record in the National League and have gone 11-3 in the month of May thus far. What will be interesting to watch is how they respond to losing both of their top options in the bullpen in Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson. Jose Contreras is now the closer by default.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins have been a pretty ho-hum team over the past week, but Justin Morneau has been doing his best to keep things interesting for Minnesota. Morneau leads the league in hitting at .362 and his 1.142 OPS is also tops in the league.
Toronto Blue Jays
They are in third place in the AL East and if the season ended today would not be a playoff team, but I can think of two or three divisions that this team could be dominating. The Jays lead the league in homers and headed into Monday with a four-game winning streak. Ricky Romero is having a terrific second season after a solid rookie campaign. Opponents are batting a paltry .210 against him.
The bottom of the barrel
Milwaukee Brewers
As if a six-game losing streak isn't bad enough, the Brew Crew just lost one of its starters in a very startling manner. Doug Davis was placed on the DL on the 16th after being diagnosed with Pericarditis, which is an inflamation of the heart's tissue lining. On the plus side, Casey McGee, who has an awesome baseball name, by the way, has built upon his rookie year with an even better sophomore season.
Seattle Mariners
No team in the American League scores fewer runs, gets on base less frequently and hits fewer home runs than the Mariners. Their pitching staff has been able to keep them in some games, but last time I checked, the team that scores more runs wins most games.
Arizona Diamondbacks
You'd be hard-pressed to find a bullpen quite this bad. There are a lot of ERA's with sixes, sevens and even eights and nines in front of the decimal point. A win over Atlanta snapped a seven-game losing streak, but a 13-1 loss the following night got things back on the wrong track for the D-backs.
Kansas City Royals
Zach Greinke finally won a game and then manager Trey Hillman promptly lost his job. In the 15 games the Royals have played this month, they have scored no more than two runs in seven of them - all of those games were losses.
Houston Astros
The Astros are in dead last in the weakest division in baseball. Things seemed to be turning around, especially after the Stros swept the Cardinals, knocking them out of the top spot in the division and out of the top shelf. But it all went back to business as usual against San Francisco as they lost three straight. Roy Oswalt took one of those losses and dropped to 2-5 on the season, despite a 2.52 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 55 innings.
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
The top shelf
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays still remain the team with the best record in the majors and therefore remain at the top of the list. Probably most impressive is the fact that Tampa Bay has four starters with an ERA of 3.00 or lower. No other team in the majors can say that.
New York Yankees
It wasn't a very good start to the week for the Yankees last week as they lost three of four to the Tigers, including two shutouts. They rebounded, however, taking two of three from Minnesota. Andy Pettitte remains terrific with a 5-0 record and 1.79 ERA. In fact, the Yankees are 7-0 in his starts this year.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies hold the best record in the National League and have gone 11-3 in the month of May thus far. What will be interesting to watch is how they respond to losing both of their top options in the bullpen in Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson. Jose Contreras is now the closer by default.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins have been a pretty ho-hum team over the past week, but Justin Morneau has been doing his best to keep things interesting for Minnesota. Morneau leads the league in hitting at .362 and his 1.142 OPS is also tops in the league.
Toronto Blue Jays
They are in third place in the AL East and if the season ended today would not be a playoff team, but I can think of two or three divisions that this team could be dominating. The Jays lead the league in homers and headed into Monday with a four-game winning streak. Ricky Romero is having a terrific second season after a solid rookie campaign. Opponents are batting a paltry .210 against him.
The bottom of the barrel
Milwaukee Brewers
As if a six-game losing streak isn't bad enough, the Brew Crew just lost one of its starters in a very startling manner. Doug Davis was placed on the DL on the 16th after being diagnosed with Pericarditis, which is an inflamation of the heart's tissue lining. On the plus side, Casey McGee, who has an awesome baseball name, by the way, has built upon his rookie year with an even better sophomore season.
Seattle Mariners
No team in the American League scores fewer runs, gets on base less frequently and hits fewer home runs than the Mariners. Their pitching staff has been able to keep them in some games, but last time I checked, the team that scores more runs wins most games.
Arizona Diamondbacks
You'd be hard-pressed to find a bullpen quite this bad. There are a lot of ERA's with sixes, sevens and even eights and nines in front of the decimal point. A win over Atlanta snapped a seven-game losing streak, but a 13-1 loss the following night got things back on the wrong track for the D-backs.
Kansas City Royals
Zach Greinke finally won a game and then manager Trey Hillman promptly lost his job. In the 15 games the Royals have played this month, they have scored no more than two runs in seven of them - all of those games were losses.
Houston Astros
The Astros are in dead last in the weakest division in baseball. Things seemed to be turning around, especially after the Stros swept the Cardinals, knocking them out of the top spot in the division and out of the top shelf. But it all went back to business as usual against San Francisco as they lost three straight. Roy Oswalt took one of those losses and dropped to 2-5 on the season, despite a 2.52 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 55 innings.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
I really, really, really, REALLY hate to say I told you so
By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
This is one of those times when I really hate being right.
Game 7 was a microcosm of the entire series, right down to the too many men on the ice penalty that ultimately cost them the game.
Boston played outstanding hockey through most of the first period, executing on power plays and throwing pucks on net while controlling the majority of the play. Then, just like in the series, everything fell apart.
They stopped forechecking. They stopped pressuring Michael Leighton. Tuukka Rask allowed a soft goal and the momentum swung. Then, with the game in the balance, a penalty that can only come from lack of concentration. At a time when a team should be most focused, 3-3 in the third period of a game 7, the Bruins lost theirs and ultimately it cost them.
I wish I could say I was surprised the Bruins lost in such a fashion, but given the character of this team all season, I'm really not. It was a team that at the end of the day could never figure out how to win. Injuries played a role, sure, but the Bruins were not the only team dealing with them.
Now Bruins fans must look to the future, which looks bright with the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft, but also has some question marks, such as the futures of Mark Recchi, Miro Satan and Tim Thomas.
Does Recchi retire? Did the Bruins see enough from Satan when he shared a line with David Krejci to bring him back in that capacity next season? Will Thomas waive his no-trade clause and free up some cap space to go after a quality scorer?
These are just a few things the Bruins fans will get to mull through their now extended offseason as they try to shake of the sting of forever being associated with the New York Yankees.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Bruins better not choke
By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Those darn Boston Bruins better not choke.
Is there really any excuse in the world to justify why they squandered a 3-0 series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers, if they lose Game 7 tonight?
No way.
You don't lose four straight games and get a free pass. Especially not in Boston.
Boston fans are already drawing comparisions to this potential choke job to the Yankees vs. the Red Sox in the playoffs years ago.
I'm not going there, however.
But it's rather mind-boggling to me why they haven't closed out the series yet.
Well, when you have your foot on someone's throat, you better step on it even more to deliver the TKO. If not, well, you see what happens.
I know the injuries have piled up on the Bruins, in particular David Krejci's season-ender is a complete killer.
But this is a T-E-A-M, and no one man should hold the key to winning and losing.
So, it's time for the Bruins to man up, play as one, put on a show for the Boston fans, and finally put the Flyers out to pasture.
If not, there's going to be some major problems in Boston tonight.
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Those darn Boston Bruins better not choke.
Is there really any excuse in the world to justify why they squandered a 3-0 series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers, if they lose Game 7 tonight?
No way.
You don't lose four straight games and get a free pass. Especially not in Boston.
Boston fans are already drawing comparisions to this potential choke job to the Yankees vs. the Red Sox in the playoffs years ago.
I'm not going there, however.
But it's rather mind-boggling to me why they haven't closed out the series yet.
Well, when you have your foot on someone's throat, you better step on it even more to deliver the TKO. If not, well, you see what happens.
I know the injuries have piled up on the Bruins, in particular David Krejci's season-ender is a complete killer.
But this is a T-E-A-M, and no one man should hold the key to winning and losing.
So, it's time for the Bruins to man up, play as one, put on a show for the Boston fans, and finally put the Flyers out to pasture.
If not, there's going to be some major problems in Boston tonight.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Are the Bruins skating into a perfect storm?
By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Hey, I'm not saying it's definitely going to happen, but I think we all need to start bracing for the possibility that the Bruins could become part of history.
Only three teams in the three major sports that have seven-game playoff series have ever come back from a three-game deficit. The Flyers could very well become the fourth. I made the statement that Game 5 was a must-win for the Bruins. Some scoffed. Some said that it wasn't possible because the teams that had completed the comeback were "special" teams and the Flyers were not.
I will agree that the Maple Leafs in 1942 were special. They were the second-best team in the league in the regular season and had already beaten the top team in the first round of the playoffs. But what made those other teams special? It wasn't that they were the most talented teams. What made them special was the fact that they were written off as done for and then came back to win. It was the fact that they refused to say die.
Nobody thought the Red Sox - a wild card team - would beat the Yankees - a team that won 101 games in 2004. And certainly no one thought the Islanders - a team that was just a few seasons old - would beat a Pittsburgh Penguins from the powerful Norris division.
Throw on top of that the fact that the Flyers have already proven that they are a plucky team that can come back. Remember that this was a team that was on the outside looking in at the playoff picture after a huge swoon and took win-or-go-home game against the New York Rangers to beat them out by one point for a playoff berth.
Add to that the fact the Flyers got Simon Gagne back and therefore now have the most talented player on the ice. Meanwhile, the Bruins have lost two guys from their top two lines, including their overall most talented forward and their top scorer from the regular season.
The Bruins are back in a familiar situation. People spent all season saying how good this team could be if all its difference makers were healthy. They were, for all of a few moments and yes, the Bruins looked good. But now the injury bug has bitten again and the Bruins are back where they were all season - looking inept in the offensive zone and scrambling to figure out how to keep the puck out of their own.
Sometimes it's not just about being a talented team. Sometimes it's about the circumstances and this could become a perfect storm for the Flyers.
I'm not saying it's a lock, but watch out, Bruins fans. It's not as far-fetched as you might think.
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Hey, I'm not saying it's definitely going to happen, but I think we all need to start bracing for the possibility that the Bruins could become part of history.
Only three teams in the three major sports that have seven-game playoff series have ever come back from a three-game deficit. The Flyers could very well become the fourth. I made the statement that Game 5 was a must-win for the Bruins. Some scoffed. Some said that it wasn't possible because the teams that had completed the comeback were "special" teams and the Flyers were not.
I will agree that the Maple Leafs in 1942 were special. They were the second-best team in the league in the regular season and had already beaten the top team in the first round of the playoffs. But what made those other teams special? It wasn't that they were the most talented teams. What made them special was the fact that they were written off as done for and then came back to win. It was the fact that they refused to say die.
Nobody thought the Red Sox - a wild card team - would beat the Yankees - a team that won 101 games in 2004. And certainly no one thought the Islanders - a team that was just a few seasons old - would beat a Pittsburgh Penguins from the powerful Norris division.
Throw on top of that the fact that the Flyers have already proven that they are a plucky team that can come back. Remember that this was a team that was on the outside looking in at the playoff picture after a huge swoon and took win-or-go-home game against the New York Rangers to beat them out by one point for a playoff berth.
Add to that the fact the Flyers got Simon Gagne back and therefore now have the most talented player on the ice. Meanwhile, the Bruins have lost two guys from their top two lines, including their overall most talented forward and their top scorer from the regular season.
The Bruins are back in a familiar situation. People spent all season saying how good this team could be if all its difference makers were healthy. They were, for all of a few moments and yes, the Bruins looked good. But now the injury bug has bitten again and the Bruins are back where they were all season - looking inept in the offensive zone and scrambling to figure out how to keep the puck out of their own.
Sometimes it's not just about being a talented team. Sometimes it's about the circumstances and this could become a perfect storm for the Flyers.
I'm not saying it's a lock, but watch out, Bruins fans. It's not as far-fetched as you might think.
Monday, May 10, 2010
The top shelf and the bottom of the barrel
By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
This will hopefully be the first in a weekly series where I break down the best and worst five teams in the MLB. Hopefully we'll stir up some conversation because my picks won't always be the popular ones. So let's get down to it.
Top shelf
Tampa Bay Rays
Sure, Dallas Braden just made history against them, but that's exactly what makes Braden's accomplishment that much more impressive. No one has even thrown a no-hitter against a team with a better winning percentage than the Rays have, let alone a perfect game. Only one team in baseball is in the top 3 in both pitching and runs and that's Tampa Bay.
New York Yankees
Much like Tampa Bay, the Yankees have been dominant against the toughest division in baseball at 11-2. They won five in a row, including two games in which they blasted the Red Sox at Fenway Park before losing the last game of the three-game series last night. Robinson Cano is having the kind of season people have been waiting for since he came up to the bigs and that could result in an MVP award at season's end.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies had a rough end of April, losing five of its last seven games against teams that frankly they shouldn't have lost to, but have righted the ship early in May. Roy Halladay has been an absolute animal, winning six of his seven starts. He's gone the distance in three of those starts and twice he finished those complete games with a shutout.
Minnesota Twins
I seriously thought about putting St. Louis ahead of Minnesota because of the fact that 14 of the Twins' 21 wins have come against a weak AL Central. But the fact that Minnesota has played as well outside their new friendly confines as they have at Target Field made me reconsider. The Twins have been getting consistent efforts from their starting pitchers, from one to five with Francisco Liriano regaining the ace-like form he lost a year ago. And while Ron Gardenhire blew smoke at the beginning of the season about a bullpen by committee, Jon Rauch has filled the void Joe Nathan left behind.
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis was cruising until it ran into a buzz saw called the Philadelphia Phillies last week. After winning the first game, 6-3, St. Louis was held to three runs over the next three games, all of which were losses. Granted, two of those losses came against Cole Hammels and Roy Halladay. Still, the Cardinals need to find more consistent offense to back what has to be considered one of the strongest rotations in baseball. Jaime Garcia has proved to be a nice addition to a rotation that already includes Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter. With a 1.18 ERA and .195 batting average against, Garcia has been far better than his 3-2 record would indicate. In his two losses, he has given up one run and struck out 12 in 13 innings, but only received one run's worth of support from his offense.
Bottom of the Barrel (The absolute worst is, of course, at the bottom)
Pittsburgh Pirates
They're dead last in the league in pitching and haven't done enough with the bat to make up for their shortcomings. Garrett Jones is the only Pirate on pace to drive in more than 100 RBI this season and that's not likely to keep with him sporting a .230 average and .396 slugging percentage.
Seattle Mariners
Seattle finally won its first game of the month of May on Sunday, snapping an eight-game losing streak. Seattle is batting a paltry .229 as a team on the season and is tied for second to last in all of baseball in runs scored.
Cleveland Indians
Only one team has scored fewer runs than the Indians this season. As mentioned above, they are second to last in that category, but fall below Seattle in the rankings because the Indians' pitching has an ERA nearly a run worse.
Kansas City Royals
You need look no further than Greinke to find an example of how bad the Royals are. Greinke is ninth in the league in ERA at 2.51 after six starts, but currently sits at 0-4 on the season.
Baltimore Orioles
While they have the worst record in baseball, there are enough reasons not to put the O's dead last. Baltimore won just five games in the month of April, but have already won four this month and have won two of their last three series against some decent teams in Boston (whom the O's swept) and Minnesota.
Houston Astros
Houston lost 11 of its last 13 games and hasn't won consecutive games since it swept a three-game series against Pittsburgh on April 23-25. Lance Berkman has offered to waive his no-trade clause in an attempt to get out of dodge. There is not one thing going right for this team. The guys the Astros were hoping to lean on, namely Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence and Berkman, have hit for a combined .213 with seven homers and 26 RBI in 286 at-bats. If things don't perk up soon, some people may be finding their way towards the door.
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
This will hopefully be the first in a weekly series where I break down the best and worst five teams in the MLB. Hopefully we'll stir up some conversation because my picks won't always be the popular ones. So let's get down to it.
Top shelf
Tampa Bay Rays
Sure, Dallas Braden just made history against them, but that's exactly what makes Braden's accomplishment that much more impressive. No one has even thrown a no-hitter against a team with a better winning percentage than the Rays have, let alone a perfect game. Only one team in baseball is in the top 3 in both pitching and runs and that's Tampa Bay.
New York Yankees
Much like Tampa Bay, the Yankees have been dominant against the toughest division in baseball at 11-2. They won five in a row, including two games in which they blasted the Red Sox at Fenway Park before losing the last game of the three-game series last night. Robinson Cano is having the kind of season people have been waiting for since he came up to the bigs and that could result in an MVP award at season's end.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies had a rough end of April, losing five of its last seven games against teams that frankly they shouldn't have lost to, but have righted the ship early in May. Roy Halladay has been an absolute animal, winning six of his seven starts. He's gone the distance in three of those starts and twice he finished those complete games with a shutout.
Minnesota Twins
I seriously thought about putting St. Louis ahead of Minnesota because of the fact that 14 of the Twins' 21 wins have come against a weak AL Central. But the fact that Minnesota has played as well outside their new friendly confines as they have at Target Field made me reconsider. The Twins have been getting consistent efforts from their starting pitchers, from one to five with Francisco Liriano regaining the ace-like form he lost a year ago. And while Ron Gardenhire blew smoke at the beginning of the season about a bullpen by committee, Jon Rauch has filled the void Joe Nathan left behind.
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis was cruising until it ran into a buzz saw called the Philadelphia Phillies last week. After winning the first game, 6-3, St. Louis was held to three runs over the next three games, all of which were losses. Granted, two of those losses came against Cole Hammels and Roy Halladay. Still, the Cardinals need to find more consistent offense to back what has to be considered one of the strongest rotations in baseball. Jaime Garcia has proved to be a nice addition to a rotation that already includes Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter. With a 1.18 ERA and .195 batting average against, Garcia has been far better than his 3-2 record would indicate. In his two losses, he has given up one run and struck out 12 in 13 innings, but only received one run's worth of support from his offense.
Bottom of the Barrel (The absolute worst is, of course, at the bottom)
Pittsburgh Pirates
They're dead last in the league in pitching and haven't done enough with the bat to make up for their shortcomings. Garrett Jones is the only Pirate on pace to drive in more than 100 RBI this season and that's not likely to keep with him sporting a .230 average and .396 slugging percentage.
Seattle Mariners
Seattle finally won its first game of the month of May on Sunday, snapping an eight-game losing streak. Seattle is batting a paltry .229 as a team on the season and is tied for second to last in all of baseball in runs scored.
Cleveland Indians
Only one team has scored fewer runs than the Indians this season. As mentioned above, they are second to last in that category, but fall below Seattle in the rankings because the Indians' pitching has an ERA nearly a run worse.
Kansas City Royals
You need look no further than Greinke to find an example of how bad the Royals are. Greinke is ninth in the league in ERA at 2.51 after six starts, but currently sits at 0-4 on the season.
Baltimore Orioles
While they have the worst record in baseball, there are enough reasons not to put the O's dead last. Baltimore won just five games in the month of April, but have already won four this month and have won two of their last three series against some decent teams in Boston (whom the O's swept) and Minnesota.
Houston Astros
Houston lost 11 of its last 13 games and hasn't won consecutive games since it swept a three-game series against Pittsburgh on April 23-25. Lance Berkman has offered to waive his no-trade clause in an attempt to get out of dodge. There is not one thing going right for this team. The guys the Astros were hoping to lean on, namely Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence and Berkman, have hit for a combined .213 with seven homers and 26 RBI in 286 at-bats. If things don't perk up soon, some people may be finding their way towards the door.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Game 5 is a must win for the B's
By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Sure, technically they still need to lose three more before they're eliminated, but if the Bruins don't win Game 5, they could be done like dinner.
Consider everything the Flyers have going for them at this point. They just got one of their best offensive players back in Simon Gagne. They just won a dramatic overtime game with that player leading the team in shots and scoring the game-winning goal. Sound familiar?
Yes, it's true that while the Bruins are still up 3-1 in the series, the momentum has shifted. Now at least Boston has home ice on its side and now must capitalize on that fact. If not, it could be bad news for the B's.
Given the momentum and confidence that surely would build from beating the Bruins on their ice and the fact that the Flyers have one of the loudest arenas in hockey (behind Montreal and Calgary and right on par with Chicago), Boston cannot want to play another game in Philadelphia.
Imagine the scenario: Facing elimination on their opponents' ice the Flyers capture another win and travel back to Philly for Game 6. They beat Boston at home to send it to a game seven. In that scenario, even with home ice, how confident can the Bruins be in their ability to knock off the Flyers?
Not very, that's for sure, especially without one of its best offensive players in David Krejci. While Krejci hasn't been the most effective players in the season overall, he is still one of the most talented players on the Bruins and has started to prove it in the playoffs with eight points in nine games. In fact, he proved at the Olympics he's one of the most talented players in the world.
The Bruins did return Mark Stuart, which will help, but they lost a huge impact player whom they won't have anyone to replace with. The bench is getting short for the Bruins and they need to end this series on Monday and give themselves some rest. If not, the momentum, confidence and fresh legs could carry Philly right past them.
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Sure, technically they still need to lose three more before they're eliminated, but if the Bruins don't win Game 5, they could be done like dinner.
Consider everything the Flyers have going for them at this point. They just got one of their best offensive players back in Simon Gagne. They just won a dramatic overtime game with that player leading the team in shots and scoring the game-winning goal. Sound familiar?
Yes, it's true that while the Bruins are still up 3-1 in the series, the momentum has shifted. Now at least Boston has home ice on its side and now must capitalize on that fact. If not, it could be bad news for the B's.
Given the momentum and confidence that surely would build from beating the Bruins on their ice and the fact that the Flyers have one of the loudest arenas in hockey (behind Montreal and Calgary and right on par with Chicago), Boston cannot want to play another game in Philadelphia.
Imagine the scenario: Facing elimination on their opponents' ice the Flyers capture another win and travel back to Philly for Game 6. They beat Boston at home to send it to a game seven. In that scenario, even with home ice, how confident can the Bruins be in their ability to knock off the Flyers?
Not very, that's for sure, especially without one of its best offensive players in David Krejci. While Krejci hasn't been the most effective players in the season overall, he is still one of the most talented players on the Bruins and has started to prove it in the playoffs with eight points in nine games. In fact, he proved at the Olympics he's one of the most talented players in the world.
The Bruins did return Mark Stuart, which will help, but they lost a huge impact player whom they won't have anyone to replace with. The bench is getting short for the Bruins and they need to end this series on Monday and give themselves some rest. If not, the momentum, confidence and fresh legs could carry Philly right past them.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Fantasy Baseball Friday: May 7th
By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Welcome back for another week of fantasy baseball review. Beginning next week we'll finally start looking toward the week ahead.
Weekly Top 10: Hitters
1. Andre Ethier (Dodgers) - He has a line of .480, 5, 13 this week. Wow! It's nice to see the ankle healthy.I really never thought he was going to be that good, but it looks like I was wrong. It doesn't hurt he's also one of the most clutch hitters in baseball.
2. Alfonso Soriano (Cubs) - Is he back from the dead? He might be, but he still doesn't steal bases anymore. My suggestion is to trade him while he's hot and get the most you can. He will get hurt sometime soon.
3. Brett Gardner (Yankees) - In case you haven't noticed, the young lefty is having a stellar season so far. He has a .430 OBP and 13 stolen bases. Looks like he'll stick in the Yankees outfield
4. J.D. Drew (Red Sox) - Ho hum. He has one good week, he has one bad week. He might even get you two good weeks and then hit the DL. Stay away
5. Hanley Ramirez (Marlins) - Hanley has been his usual self with the bat, but only has 2 steals so far. Really? H-Ram has got to start using his legs.
6. James Loney (Dodgers) - He's off to a very good start this season, and even has some people using him as a starter in deep leagues at first. I am a huge fan of his, but do not expect power numbers.
7. Evan Longoria (Rays) - As you may know, he's one of my favorite players and a fantasy baseball star. Why else would one of my sons be named Evan.
8. Jason Heyward (Braves) - I am very impressed with the rookie. He's been able to adjust after seeing opponents a second time. He's shown patience, and is driving the ball to all fields. There is no doubt he'll be a fantasy super start for the next 12 years.
9. Jayson Werth (Phillies) - Talk about getting ready for a big payday. It looks like he won't get it from the Phillies, but he'll get it from someone. He keeps getting better and better.
10. Denard Span (Twins) - Is turning around after an awful start. He's getting on base more, scoring more runs recently, but needs to start snagging more bags.
Weekly Top 10: Pitchers
1. Roy Hallady (Phillies) - What can you say about the man. In his first 3 starts at Citizens Bank Ballpark he's only allowed 1 homer. That will surely keep him in the Cy Young race all year
2. Neftali Perez (Rangers) - The young phenom has solidified the closer situation in Texas. He should have no trouble doing that the rest of the year.
3. Matt Cain (Giants) - While I certainly hate the Giants, I've always been a fan of Cain. After a breakout season last year, he's keeping it up so far this season.
4. Scott Olsen (Nationals) - While he may be a DB, apparently he can actually pitch. He's allowed only 2 runs (1 earned) over his past 20.1 innings pitched amassing two wins in those three games. Keep an eye on him.
5. Rich Harden (Rangers) - Don't look now, but Harden is pitching pretty well so far. I still would be scared of his history of injuries.
6. Brett Cecil (Blue Jays) - 2.61 ERA, 21 K, 4 BB, .77 WHIP & a .167 OBA? Damn, I might just have to pick him up myself.
7. Andrew Bailey (A's) - I have to admit when I'm wrong. After he was injured in Spring Training I declared he'd be somewhat of a bust this season. Boy was I wrong as he hasn't allowed a single run so far along with a perfect 5 for 5 in saves
8. Robinson Tejeda (Royals) - Tejeda has been one of the best middle relievers in the game in 2010. If you need one, he's a pretty good one to pick up as he already has 15 appearances.
9. Jeff Neimann (Rays) - I'm pretty sure every member of the Rays has a horseshoe stuck up you know where. This kid has been stellar, especially in his last two starts where he's allowed just one run in 14 innings.
10. Justin Verlander (Tigers) - He seems to be turning things around after a rough start. He's a true ace, so don't panic too soon.
The David Ortiz Disappointments of the Season (so far):
Gil Meche (Royals) - Wait, how much does this guy make? Ouch. His WHIP 2.28 would be a might nice ERA. In his 5 starts he's allowed 26 earned runs.
Edwin Jackson (Diamondbacks) - In his last two starts he's allowed 18 runs in just 6.2 innings. Not really worth the trade if you ask me.
Javier Vasquez (Yankees) - Speaking of bad trades. It didn't work the first time round in the Bronx, and it looks like it wont work this time either.
Chris Coghlan (Marlins) - The 2009 Rookie of the Year is having a serious sophomore slump. Is he Jerome Walton? I doubt it.
Aramis Ramirez (Cubs) - Is he the NL version of David Ortiz? In half of a season in 2009, he did put up very good numbers, so I don't think so. I hope you have a backup 3rd basemen until he returns to form.
Gordon Beckham (White Sox) - Beckham is a very good ball player. He will turn around the season, and I specifically look at Dustin Pedroia's rookie season as a parallel.
Here's what I have to say
By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
- Please tell me it’s not true, L.T. I’m talking about the real L.T., too, Lawrence Taylor. While he was a superstar on the field – he’s one of my all-time favorite players and the reason why I wore No. 56 in high school football – he’s a real loser off the field. After a career with run-ins with the law, he’s now being accused of raping a 16-year-old. I love L.T. the player, but I really hate the person (if he’s found guilty).
- Kudos to the Oakland Raiders for making a great decision by cutting No. 1 pick and franchise QB JaMarcus Russell. Can you say one of the all-time biggest busts in the NFL?
- Adam “Pacman” Jones to the Bengals. Are we really surprised that they took another gamble on another low-character player? The Bengals are an NFL franchise and rehabilitation center.
- What a huge blow to the Bruins: David Krejci out of the rest of the season. If you thought the B’s had a chance to win it all before, do you have a difference of opinion now? A great playoff run will end in the conference finals if the B’s have to play the Penguins. But here’s hoping Montreal and Pittsburgh play an epic 7-game, physical series with a few double-OT games sprinkled in. I never wish for injuries, but (watch out Crosby)….
- Celtics, Bruins, Red Sox. Regardless of what game you’re going to watch, I’m betting the Sox are the No. 3 choice right now. They just don’t have any star power.
- LeBron James and that fake injury to his elbow. Are you taking the bait on this so-called injury?
- The World Cup is fast approaching, are you excited? Do you even know when it starts? Didn’t think so.
- How hot are the Tampa Bay Rays? Well, they lead all of baseball with a 21-7 record going into tonight, but what’s more impressive is they are 12-1 on the road. Yes, only one loss on the road which is absolutely amazing. I’m still not buying that they are the best team in baseball, or even the AL East, because I don’t think that bullpen will hold up. Rafael Soriano will get hurt and then it will be a closer-by committee (which never works). They are much better than Boston, however. Everyone should agree with that.
- A boxing fans’ dream: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. Make it happen. I’d be rooting for “Money” Mayweather no doubt!
- Thumbs up or thumbs down with this weekly column?
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Bruins continue dodging bullets
By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Whew. Another close one.
Let's face it folks, this has not been a pretty series for the Bruins thus far. While the end results have been positive, the B's have left a lot to be desired in this series thus far.
Luckily for the Bruins, Milan Lucic and Marc Savard came through with dramatic goals that were not necessarily textbook, more just throwing the puck at the net in hopes that something might come of it.
But the fact of the matter is after playing extremely well in the series against Buffalo, the Bruins have played a very sloppy series thus far against the Flyers and very easily could be heading into Philadelphia down, 0-2.
While at times they have appeared to dominate the play, like the first period and overtime of game one, they have yet to play a complete, 60-minute hockey game in a solid fashion, let alone a dominating one.
And, of course, just like there always is with the Flyers, there's a controversy. Apparently Dan Carcillo, the man who decided to go high with a hit after the whistle on Savard, took issue with Savard's actions during the altercation. Yes, I'll say that again. The guy who too a shot at the head of the other guy who just came off a two-month holiday because of a life-threatening cranial injury is whining about what went down.
Carcillo alleges that Savard bit him. What's more, he says he has marks to prove it. On the other side, Savard accused Carcillo of trying to pull out his teeth. Who do you believe? The guy whose nickname is "Car Bomb" and had the fourth-most penalty minutes in the league, despite playing in fewer games than two of the three guys in front of him, or the guy who hasn't been in a fight since the 2002-03 season?
Trying to look at this as objectively as possible, the biggest question I have is this: How did Savard manage to bite down hard enough on Carcillo's fingers to leave marks if he had gloves on? Kind of hard to believe. And if the glove was off, then why wasn't there a fighting major?
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Whew. Another close one.
Let's face it folks, this has not been a pretty series for the Bruins thus far. While the end results have been positive, the B's have left a lot to be desired in this series thus far.
Luckily for the Bruins, Milan Lucic and Marc Savard came through with dramatic goals that were not necessarily textbook, more just throwing the puck at the net in hopes that something might come of it.
But the fact of the matter is after playing extremely well in the series against Buffalo, the Bruins have played a very sloppy series thus far against the Flyers and very easily could be heading into Philadelphia down, 0-2.
While at times they have appeared to dominate the play, like the first period and overtime of game one, they have yet to play a complete, 60-minute hockey game in a solid fashion, let alone a dominating one.
And, of course, just like there always is with the Flyers, there's a controversy. Apparently Dan Carcillo, the man who decided to go high with a hit after the whistle on Savard, took issue with Savard's actions during the altercation. Yes, I'll say that again. The guy who too a shot at the head of the other guy who just came off a two-month holiday because of a life-threatening cranial injury is whining about what went down.
Carcillo alleges that Savard bit him. What's more, he says he has marks to prove it. On the other side, Savard accused Carcillo of trying to pull out his teeth. Who do you believe? The guy whose nickname is "Car Bomb" and had the fourth-most penalty minutes in the league, despite playing in fewer games than two of the three guys in front of him, or the guy who hasn't been in a fight since the 2002-03 season?
Trying to look at this as objectively as possible, the biggest question I have is this: How did Savard manage to bite down hard enough on Carcillo's fingers to leave marks if he had gloves on? Kind of hard to believe. And if the glove was off, then why wasn't there a fighting major?
Monday, May 3, 2010
Savard's heroics mask a big problem
By Chris Maza
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Say what you will about whether or not Marc Savard should be playing this postseason. You can have your opinion. Mine is that the Bruins pay some guys a lot smarter than me a lot more money than I make to make those kinds of decisions.
Regardless, Savard's goal was beautiful. Not just because of the fact he was returing after the two month injury on a cheap shot. Not because he snuck it past Brian Boucher through an opening most couldn't hit a ping pong ball through. It's because in most cases Savard passes up that shot and looks for a pass. But being the intelligent player he is, he realized the golden rul of playoff hockey: In overtime, just get the puck on net and good things will happen.
But while all of that is true and all's well that ends well, Savard's overtime winner has made people forget one major thing: the Bruins were outplayed for most of that game. After a beautifully played first period, the B's fell apart in the second and third periods and did the exact opposite of what they did in the first.
They were not aggressive. They did not play well in the neutral zone. They didn't take the body. They didn't forecheck. They didn't backcheck.
The Flyers are still by my estimation an inferior opponent and if the Bruins are planning on relying on that kind of shoddy play to win, they may still beat the Flyers, but what about the Penguins if they come calling in the next round? Or even Montreal, who have been playing possibly the best hockey of the playoffs thus far?
I can tell you this: It won't be good.
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
Say what you will about whether or not Marc Savard should be playing this postseason. You can have your opinion. Mine is that the Bruins pay some guys a lot smarter than me a lot more money than I make to make those kinds of decisions.
Regardless, Savard's goal was beautiful. Not just because of the fact he was returing after the two month injury on a cheap shot. Not because he snuck it past Brian Boucher through an opening most couldn't hit a ping pong ball through. It's because in most cases Savard passes up that shot and looks for a pass. But being the intelligent player he is, he realized the golden rul of playoff hockey: In overtime, just get the puck on net and good things will happen.
But while all of that is true and all's well that ends well, Savard's overtime winner has made people forget one major thing: the Bruins were outplayed for most of that game. After a beautifully played first period, the B's fell apart in the second and third periods and did the exact opposite of what they did in the first.
They were not aggressive. They did not play well in the neutral zone. They didn't take the body. They didn't forecheck. They didn't backcheck.
The Flyers are still by my estimation an inferior opponent and if the Bruins are planning on relying on that kind of shoddy play to win, they may still beat the Flyers, but what about the Penguins if they come calling in the next round? Or even Montreal, who have been playing possibly the best hockey of the playoffs thus far?
I can tell you this: It won't be good.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Here's what I have to say
- Just like every year, my NFL Mock Draft held up (if by only one pick, I might add) against fellow Fan Fanatic Sports staffer Jim Ingram. Lunch will taste oh-so good, once again!
- Just because you’ve never heard of some of the players that New England Patriots drafted, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good draft. Do some research before you shoot your mouth off about how Bill Belichick and the Patriots blew it. Obviously, I still trust in Bill, still.
- Anyone else feel a little better knowing that the Bruins don’t have to play the Penguins in the second round of the playoffs? Pittsburgh is just too fast and skilled. But now the B’s have to play tough and physical against the cheap-shotting Flyers. With Tuukka Rask in net, fans should be cautiously optimistic that the Bruins can advance. I love Marc Savard, but is now the right time to come back? Why mess with chemistry some might say, or will he give his teammates a bigger motivational boost in this series?
- Do the Celtics really have a shot at beating the Cavs in a 7-games series? I’m picking the Cavs in six games, but the C’s have been turning it on lately. Let’s hope that this aging team has one final championship run in their tired legs. Time to step it up Big 3 because this triple-threat won’t be together much longer.
- Hey, Red Sox fans have returned. See, they start winning a few games (well, they took a step back last night) and everyone is back on the bandwagon. Typical pink hat fans coming out of the woodwork, as we speak.
- Who’s going to have a better season at QB, Kevin Kolb or Donovan McNabb? I’m taking McNabb, he’s a proven veteran while Kolb is still learning on the job.
- Wouldn’t Dirk Nowitzki look good in a Boston Celtics uniform next season? Even though I love Ray Allen, I’d rather have Dirk (but then we’d need a real shooting guard). So it’s not that cut and dry.
- Early-season report: New York second baseman Robinson Cano for MVP.
- So the NCAA OK’d changing the March Madness field from 64 to 68 teams. That’s fine, but I’m more concerned with a college football playoff system.
- Who do you take with the top pick in a fantasy football draft in 2010? Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans. That’s even if he holds out to start the season because of contract issues. But he also could be the next Jamal Anderson. Remember the former Dirty Bird from the Atlanta Falcons who was a workhorse in the backfield, but blew out his ACL and never returned to form. That's the risk you take when you continually work a guy into the ground.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
