Big East Matchup in the NCAA Finals

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
March Madness is here! To be perfectly honest, March and April are the only two months of the year I watch College Basketball. Of the four major sports, basketball is the one I enjoy and know about the least. With that being said, I absolutely love the NCAA Basketball Tournament. This is the best thing the NCAA does.

It's the time of year college basketball fanatics, casual fans, and the the women at work who picks the team with the prettiest colors or cutest mascot fill out their brackets. Of course I am not different. I have filled out 3 brackets this year, but will only be talking about the Final Four from the bracket that can fill my pockets the most.

The Final Four
Connecticut vs. Louisville
Many people are saying that UCONN has a chance to be bounced, and become the first #1 seed to lose to a #16. I won't have anything to do with that. I also like them because so many "experts" think they won't make it that far in the tournament. As someone you loves to do the opposite of most people, I actually think they'll beat Louisville and make it to the Finals. The Huskies took down Louisville in the regular season and will do so again in the Tournament. Sorry Slick Rick.

Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina
This is Jamie Dixon's year. While I like the talent of UNC, I am not sure Ty Lawson will have that triumphant a return to take them to the finals. Pitts is a strong, physical team that has battled Big East teams all year to this point. As long as the referees don't hand UNC the game, I think the tough, physical style of Pitt will be too much for them to handle.

Championship Game
Connecticut vs. Pittsburgh
The Panthers won the two previous meetings this year during the regular season. While it's hard to beat someone three times in a season in any sport, I predict Pitt will once again top the UCONN Huskies.

Maybe next year I'll fill out my brackets with a dart board and even blindfolded. I bet I could do just as well as I've done in previous years.

Here's to hoping the Pitt Panthers make me look like a genius!

Louisville will cut down the nets

By Chad Garner
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
The NCAA Tournament is one of pure excitement, this year will be no different. Is there a clear-cut favorite? No. Probably about a handful of teams really can win this thing, but you just never know. That's why they play the games.

Here are my Final Four teams (if you use my picks to gamble in Vegas, don't blame me when you lose your shirt!):

Final Four

Louisville vs. Memphis -- The Cardinals, winners of 10 straight games, have one of the best coaches in the country in Rick Pitino, who makes sure his team is prepared to play at a high level every single night. The Cards don't feature one true scorer, they're just a balanced bunch who likes to run the floor. But defense is where they really shine and wear down opponents. They are one of the best pressure defenses in the tournament and that's where they really flusters teams. I hate to say it, but Memphis will run all over my beloved UConn Huskies to reach the Final Four.

Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina -- Man, Pitt just likes to punch you right in the face with bulldozer DeJuan Blair (15.6 ppg). You just can't move him in the paint, that's why the Panthers always have a distinct advance down low with Blair. You get him in foul trouble, however, and things change slightly. The also handled UConn twice in the Big East, so they are legit. 

UNC has great balance, it can beat you from the perimeter or from the post. Make no mistake, forward Tyler Hansbrough (21.4 ppg) makes this team go. He's an instant spark for the Heels and a tough matchup for anyone. An injury to point guard Ty Lawson (15.9 ppg) worries me a little, but my gut says he's plays later in the tournament. If he's at least 75 percent, watch out. The uptempo style will be too much for Pitt to contend with in the end. Wayne Ellington (15.2 ppg), Danny Green (13.3 ppg) and Deon Thompson (11.2 ppg) give the Heels 5 players who average in double figures.

Championship game

Louisville vs. North Carolina --- Defense, defense, defense. It could be a track meet game, but Louisville's pressure from the opening tip to the final buzzer will eventually leave the Heels huffing and puffing for air. 

National Champion

Louisville -- Will Pitino cry like a little baby. We did after he ruined the Boston Celtics.

Fantasy Baseball (Third Base) with Arod hurt, David Wright takes the top spot for 2009

By Jim Ingram
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The staff at FFS continues our trip around the diamond looking at the top 20 players at each position. Today we'll be covering Third Base. When I look at the top crop of third basemen for 2009, I think of one thing: Multi-position eligibility. Half of my top 20 third basemen are eligible for more than one position. As you'll come to know, there is nothing I like better in fantasy baseball than position flexibility. The more positions you can play, the more likely you'll end up on my team. Thanks to the depth the position has, and the flexibility in eligibility, you should be able to find yourself a good third basemen in any of the first 7 rounds.

Any other year Alex Rodriguez would be the #1 overall draft pick, not just the best option at third base. I am not convinced with the current prognosis that he'll be back in May. His injury is very similar to Mike Lowell's, and he's just now getting back into the swing of things. Now don't get me wrong I still think he'll be back to his usual self come mid to late June. With that being said, I have dropped him to 5th in the third basemen rankings due to his injury and wild off season. In my opinion, you can't draft a guy in the first round if you know he's going to miss a month or two. Even if he comes back in June, you should still expect him to hit .300, 20+ homers and 85+RBI.

The man who now sits a top my third basemen rankings is David Wright. By all accounts, he put up a fantastic year, and is just now entering his prime. It's hard to think he'll put up better numbers than .302, 33 HR, 124 RBI, 115 R, and an OPS of .924, but you should be more than happy to take him so early in the draft and get the same output. He's a top 5 pick overall, and I wouldn't hesitate to take him 3rd if both Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes are off the board.

The next two guys on my board are eligible at both first and third base. Miguel Cabrera is a first rounder in my opinion and will offer you great fantasy points across the board. I am not a Red Sox fan, but I firmly believe Kevin Youkilis is primed for a better year than last when he hit .312, 29 HR, 91 R, 115 RBI & had an .959 OPS. He's on the verge of becoming an elite fantasy player, and is entering the year with a chip on his shoulder after David Ortiz recently voiced concerns about his perceived lack of protection behind him in the order.

Evan Longoria, the rising superstar, is a late second rounder in my opinion. He hit .272 with 27 HR, 84 RBI, 67 R & a .874 OPS last season in only 448 at bats. He's more likely to get about 600 at bats this season so you can bank on 30+ homers, 100+ RBI and more runs scored. I loved having him on several of my teams last year, and already have him one. Since I have three more drafts coming in the next two weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if ended up on at least one of them.

The next tier at the hot corner has a drop off at production, but not a drastic one. Based on stats from 2008 the following list of players will offer you a .300+ average, 20+ homers & 90+ RBI. Aubrey Huff (also eligible at 1B), Aramis Ramirez, Chippers Jones and Garret Atkins. Ramirez should go before the 5th round, but the rest of the mentioned players should be taken in the 6th round or later. Many people have a tendency to forget about Melvin Mora, but you shouldn't. You might not realize it, but he did have 104 RBI, and has been putting up decent numbers for years

Don't get old on me/On the down slide:

Despite the good early stats this spring, I would watch out for Mike Lowell. He's had several good seasons in Boston, but he could be starting to show his age after the torn labrum in his hip late last season. If you're looking for a 3rd basemen later in the draft, I would suggest taking a younger player with more upside. I wouldn't feel comfortable going into the season with Lowell as my starting fantasy 3rd baseman. You might also want to be wary of Chone Figgins. He just turned 30 and is entering his 9th season. His average dropped 54 points last season as he hit .276, down from a career high .330 in 2007. He also hasn't played in more than 116 games and had more than 453 at bats the past two seasons.

Up and Comers:

It seems like everyone is naming Chris Davis as the big mover in fantasy baseball this year. I happen to agree, and expect him to drive in at least 25+ homers and have close to 100 RBI. It will be interesting to see what he does now that you can expect him to get at least 600 plate appearances. The next youngster that intrigues me this season is Ian Stewart. He cam out hot and heavy when the Rockies put him in the lineup last season while Todd Helton was hurt. He did settle down, hitting on .254 in 266 at bats, but also showed good pop (10 HR) and the ability to drive in runners (41 RBI). If you don't think he's that impressive, take into account that he's also eligible at 2nd base.

Before I sign off today, I want to quickly throw out a few names who fall outside of the top 20, but should be considered late in the draft. Josh Fields, Chase Headley, Alex Gordon, Ryan Zimmerman, Brandon Wood and Mat Gamel are all guys that are worth more than a flyer later on. I also like the long term prospects of Pedro Alvarez, but don't think he'll be rushed to the bigs this season. If he is, then he could be another Evan Longoria at the plate.

(Coming tomorrow: Outfield rankings by Josh Bremberg)

TOP 20 THIRD BASEMEN

1. David Wright (NYM)
2. Miguel Cabrera (DET)
3. Kevin Youkilis (BOS)
4. Evan Longoria (TB)
5. Alex Rodriguez (NYY)
6. Aramix Ramirez (CHI)
7. Aubrey Huff (BAL)
8. Chipper Jones (ATL)
9. Garett Atkins (COL)
10. Chris Davis (TEX)
11. Jorge Cantu (FLA)
12. Mark DeRosa (CLE)
13. Melvin Mora (BAL)
14. Adrian Beltre (SEA)
15. Chone Figgins (ANA) * I refuse to use LAA
16. Mark Reynolds (ARI)
17. Troy Glaus (STL)
18. Kevin Kouzmanoff (SD)
19. Casey Blake (LAD)
20. Ian Stewart (COL)