Fantasy Baseball Friday: April 30th

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Weekly Top 10: Hitters

1. Austin Kearns - Indians. Remember when he was a prized prospect? Don't expect more than a one good week at a time.

2. Kelly Johnson - Diamondbacks. I'd keep an eye on him. I didn't expect much pre season, but he's been very consistent so far. The one thing that will not last is the power numbers

3. Carlos Gonzalez - Rockies. I was high on him before the season, and am an even bigger believer now. This kid is legit.

4. Ryan Braun - Brewers. What can you say about the Hebrew Hammer. He's a stud, that's all.

5. Miguel Olivo - Rockies. If the Rockies didn't have Iannetta, I'd be all over him.

6. Dexter Fowler - Rockies. Very inconsistent, but he's still stealing bases.

7. Bobby Abreu - Angels. He may not be the prettiest looking athlete, but he's a proven, consistent run producer.

8. Robinson Cano - Yankees. Is this the year he wins the batting title? Me thinks yes

9. Ryan Theriot - Cubs. Poor man's David Eckstein my you know what. He's a far better player.

10. Adrian Gonzalez - Padres. Putting up the numbers prior to a trade?

Weekly Top 10: Pitchers

1. Ubaldo Jimenez - Rockies. It's nice to see he didn't fall off after the no hitter. Young stud putting it together

2. Jon Lester - Red Sox. If only he wasn't terrible to start the season every year. When on, one of the best lefties in the game. Look for him to keep it going now.

3. Tim Lincecum - Giants. Hands down best pitcher in the game.

4. Josh Johnson - Marlins. JJ has it going after a slow start

5. David Price - Rays. I don't mean to brag, but I did predict a breakout season for the youngster.

6. Francisco Rodriguez - Mets. Puts up good numbers, but I'd never trust him.

7. Matt Capps - Nationals. The save machine. I guess that is what happens when you have team play in a tone of close games.

8. Francisco Liriano - Twins. It's nice to see him healthy and return to form. Could be dominant again.

9. Barry Zito - Giants. I don't buy it. He's just too hittable.

10. Johan Santana - Mets. Maybe the Mets bullpen won't ruin his season again.

Early Season Pleasant Surprises:

Kelly Johnson - Diamondbacks. See above

Vernon Wells - Blue Jays. Here is where I have to eat crow. I killed him prior to the season. I was wrong. He obviously feels like he has something to prove

Mike Pelfrey - Mets. What a great start for a team that really needs a #2. Looks like he'll fill in nicely.

Brad Penny - Cardinals. Dave Duncan is the best pitching coach in the history of baseball. One of these days I'll get around to my article about his reclamation projects.

Matt Capps - Nationals. See above

Early Season Disasters a.k.a. The David "Big Papi" Ortiz portion of the blog:

David Ortiz - Red Sox. We all know about my hatred for Ortiz. He is done.

Trevor Hoffman - Brewers. I love the Hoff, but it looks like his days are almost done. Better keep an eye on LaTroy Hawkins

Carlos Zambrano - Cubs. If he's unhappy, anything could happen. Bad I mean

Chris Davis - Rangers. In order to stay in the bigs, you need to make consistent contact. It didn't help Justin Smoak was behind him.

Nate McClouth - Braves. This was not a good trade for the Braves. I was never a believer in the first place.

Jake Peavy - White Sox. Poor guy. He has no control right now. If he wasn't on the White Sox, I'd probably root for him.

Well, that's all for this week. See you next.

Savard set to return in Round 2

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

I love being right about something! In case you didn't read my round 1 preview, I predicted the Bruins to win the series in six games. Most prognosticators, including myself, are wrong so often, one needs to relish the times they're correct. Enough of that, now onto the news at hand. On Monday, Mark Savard was given clearance to play in the 2nd round. If he's OK, he provides a huge boost to the Bruins offense they desperately need.

The real question is whether or not he should be allowed to play. My answer is no. Sports fans are well aware of what a sever concussion can do, and Bruins fans especially have recent experience thanks to Patrice Bergeron. I'd love the see the Bruins make a serious run for the Stanley Cup, but I'm taking the long term view for Savvy and the Bruins organization. Wasn't it just a month ago, Savard could barely walk outside into the sun without having serious problems? It's amazing story he can make a dramatic turnaround in such a short amount of time, but he needs to think about his career and quality of life after he retires.

Now that you know my opinion on Savvy's return to the lineup, what will happen in this series. Thanks to the Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins have home ice (who would have thunk that?) against the Philadelphia Flyers. They enter this round as the favorites, but the two teams did split the 8 games played this season. The Bruins did dominate the final regular season game against the Flyers, beating them 5-1 the last week of the regular season.

The B's - Flyers series should be a good one. The Flyers, also have a hot goalie in Brian Boucher. In 5 games against the Devils, he had a 1.59 GAA and a .940 save percentage. You can never underestimate a hot goalie, so the Bruins could be in trouble if he maintains that level of play. The Flyers bring a physical style of play that should make for an entertaining series between the two teams. They have a certified star in Mike Richards, along with proven goal scorers Jeff Carter, Daniel Briere, and Simon Gagne. There's just one problem with that statement, both Carter and Gagne will be out for all, if not most, of this series and the remainder of the playoffs. In order for them to win this series, they will need to rely on some of their young stars like UNH product James Van Reimsdyk.

On a side note, how crazy is it that the #1, #2 & #3 seeds in the Eastern Conference were all upset and bounced from the first round of the playoffs. That is why I love the NHL playoffs. Anything can happen.

My prediction: Bruins win series in 6 games again.

Here's what I have to say (New England Patriots Draft Edition)

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Here's what I have to say about the New England Patriots 2010 draft.

1. You may get ticked when the Patriots are constantly trading, usually down, but Bill Belichick is simply a master at maneuvering the board. He added extra picks in this year's draft, and also traded a third-rounder this year for a 2011 second-round pick next season. Genius, I say.
2. I'm so sick of hearing how the Patriots blew their first-round pick by selecting Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty. I haven't heard one fan complain about the skill level of the player -- not that many had heard of him -- but more about drafting a corner because it wasn't a "need" or because WR-with-issues Dez Bryant was still on the board. You have to love that the coach was sold on McCourty after his film session with the cornerback. McCourty isn't a sexy pick, but actually corner is a need because they basically have two with talent (Bodden, Butler).
3. Tight end was a major need and the Pats landed one of the best in the draft in Rob Gronkowski. He's big, physical, catches everything and has excellent speed for a tight end. When you hear comparisons to Jason Witten, you've got to get pumped and jacked.
4. We desperately needed someone to put some heat on the QB, and the Pats found their man in another second-rounder (Florida OLB Jermaine Cunningham). He made a name for himself by attacking the quarterback, and he's going to be expected to do the same in the NFL. Nice pick, and a need pick.
5. A tie for the top selection for the Patriots in the draft is Florida inside linebacker Brandon Spikes (Spikes and Gronkowski are my fav selections), a smart, tough monster in the middle that buries running backs into the turf. He ran a slow 40 and slipped in the draft. But when you watch tape of him, he's always making plays. He's going to fit in nicely alongside Jerrod Mayo in the middle of that 3-4 defense.
6. I don't like the Florida Gators or coach Urban Myer one bit, but hats off to Belichick and Meyer for being real good friends. That friendship obviously helps come draft time. I bet Belichick got more insight on Cunningham and Spikes from Meyer than many NFL teams did.
7. I usually don't get too giddy about punters or kickers, but when the Pats tabbed Michigan punter Zoltan Mesko in the fifth round, I'm pumped my fist in excitement. Field position is so important in football, and with Mesko's booming leg, the Pats should be able to win that field position battle in just about every game with Mesko.
8. Florida TE Aaron Hernandez adds more depth for the Pats. Hernandez isn't a physical beast at all, but he could create matchup problems vs. other teams with solid speed, great route running and great hands. I'd say the TE position is all set for a few years now!
9. Every team loves to have a deep threat that torches defenses, and the Pats might have found their man in third-round pick Taylor Price. I'm not familiar with the kid out of Ohio, but everything I've read I love, including that he's got top-end speed and he's a versatile playmaker.
10. I really did love this draft, and my grade for the Pats is a 'B'.

ESPN has Kiper & McShay, Fan Fanatic Sports counters with Ingram & Garner

By Jim Ingram

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

JIM INGRAM'S MOCK DRAFT

(See Chad Garner's Mock Draft blog below)

Pick	Team	Player	Position
1	Rams	Sam Bradford	QB
2	Lions	Ndamukong Suh	DT
3	Bucs	Gerald McCoy	DT
4	Redskins	Russell Okung	OT
5	Chiefs	Brian Balaga	OT
6	Seahawks	Trent Williams	OT
7	Browns	Eric Berry	S
8	Raiders	Anthony Davis	OT
9	Bills	Jimmy Clausen	QB
10	Jaguars	Earl Thomas	S
11	Broncos	Rolando McClain	LB
12	Dolphins	Derrick Morgan	DE
13	49ers	CJ Spiller	RB
14	Seahawks	Jared Odrick	DT
15	Giants	Brandon Graham	OLB
16	Titans	Jason Pierre-Paul	DE
17	49ers	Joe Haden	CB
18	Steelers	Demaryius Thomas	WR
19	Falcons	Jerry Hughes	OLB
20	Texans	Kareem Jackson	CB
21	Bengals	Dez Bryant	WR
22	Patriots	Sergio Kindle	DE/OLB
23	Packers	Mike Iuputi	G
24	Eagles	Maurkice Pouncey	C
25	Ravens	Taylor Mays	S
26	Cardinals	Dan Williams	DT
27	Cowboys	Bruce Campbell	OT
28	Chargers	Ryan Matthews	RB
29	Jets	Everson Griffin	DE
30	Vikings	Brian Price	DT
31	Colts	Charles Brown	OT
32	Saints	Sean Witherspoon	LB

Chad Garner's Mock Draft

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

CHAD GARNER'S MOCK DRAFT

1. St. Louis – Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma – Rams can’t even screw this one up.

2. Detroit – Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska – Suh is a dominant force on the D-line.

3. Tampa Bay – Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma – McCoy should get paid big Bucs.

4. Washington – Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State – ‘Skins got McNabb, now need to protect him.

5. Kansas City -- Eric Berry, S, Tennessee – Chiefs always need help on D. Berry could be a superstar.

6. Seattle – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma – Seattle would be wise to address a weak O-line.

7. Cleveland – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State – Bryant will play with a chip on his shoulder.

8. Oakland -- Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame – Al Davis will make another mistake drafting a QB.

9. Buffalo – Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa – Finally, someone who can block for the Bills.

10. Jacksonville – Joe Haden, CB, Florida – No, Jags aren’t drafting Tim Tebow here.

11. Denver – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama – A stud on the inside.

12. Miami – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee – Will be hard to run on the Dolphins.

13. San Francisco – Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas – Kindle’s motor is impressive.

14. Seattle – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson – Pete Carroll loves backs than can run & catch.

15. New York Giants – Mike Iupati, G, Idaho – G-Men get tougher up front in a hurry.

16. Tennessee – Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida – Titans desperate for an edge rusher.

17. San Francisco -- Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers – Solid tackles don’t come around often.

18. Pittsburgh – Maurkice Pouncey, C/G, Florida – Steelers like to pound the football.

19. Atlanta – Earl Thomas, S, Texas – Falcons welcome a ball hawks in secondary.

20. Houston – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State – Texans need help at corner.

21. Cincinnati – Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma – Carson Palmer finally get a TE that can catch.

22. New England – Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri – Fits Patriot way: Smart, versatile, tough & good tackler.

23. Green Bay – Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech – Watch him attack the quarterback.

24. Philadelphia – Kareen Jackson, CB, Alabama – Eagles always looking for value.

25. Baltimore – Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech – Flacco loving all these weapons.

26. Arizona – Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU – Cards get their outside pass rusher.

27. Dallas -- Charles Brown, OT, USC – Not a headline-stealing pick, but a necessary one.

28. San Diego -- Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno State – If he falls this far, fans will be “Super Charged”.

29. New York Jets -- Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan – Another toy for Rex Ryan to play with.

30. Minnesota – Taylor Mays, SS, USC – Mays is a hard hitter who will knock you out.

31. Indianapolis -- Jared Odrick, DE/DT, Penn State, -- He’s relentless on the line.

32. New Orleans – Everson Griffen, DE, USC – Last pick in Round 1, consider that a steal.

Patriots have one tough schedule

By Chad Garner

Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

The NFL released the entire schedule for the upcoming 2010 season.

I quickly jumped onto patriots.com and got my first view of the Patriots' master schedule.

Here, take a look.

The first thing that comes to mind is are you kidding me?

Chew on this for a moment. The Pats have to play the Jets and Dolphins twice in tough AFC East battles, but also must play solid clubs like the Bengals, Ravens, Chargers, Vikings, Steelers, Colts and Packers. So, if I'm counting correctly, New England plays 11 games vs. some of the better teams in the NFL.

Just based on the opponents itself, it seems like the Patriots are going to have a hard time making the playoffs.

An 8-8 season could be a good possibility. Just sayin'.

Yes, I said it.

But we all know you don't win anything on paper.

And in the NFL, we all should know by now that one team will be good and make the playoffs one season and the next they are close to the bottom of the barrel.

Parity in the league keeps things interesting, I guess.

So while I sit here and complain about how tough New England's schedule, maybe it won't be after all.

Either way, the schedule is out and now it's time to start preparing for another long journey in hopes of hoisting up the Lombardi Trophy once again.

It all starts when the Pats host the Bengals at 1 p.m. on September 12.

So Far, So Bad for the Red Sox

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

I know we are only a dozen games into the season, but so far the Red Sox have looked average at best.

After ignoring offense and focusing on "run prevention" this off season, the Red Sox have not been good at either.

Case in point, take Mike Cameron. Cameron dropped an easy line drive against the Rays on Saturday, an error which quickly led to 4 unearned runs. Need another example? Look at Marco Scutaro. His throwing error against the Yankees in the opening series helped the Bronx Bombers get out of town with the series win.

Weren't guys like Cameron and Scutaro brought in to solidify the defense? They have done just the opposite. Couldn't have Jason Bay and Alex Gonzalez done just as well?

Outside of John Lackey, the pitching has also been pretty inconsistent. Beckett looked good Friday night, so that is a positive sign, but John Lester has once again been brutal in the month of April.

The bullpen has not been much better. Jonathan Paplebon looks like he has picked up where he left off last year, walking guys and putting runners on base. Okajima seems to always struggle with inherited runners, and Ramon Ramirez has looked nothing like the guy he was last year.

If the Sox are going to get going, it will still have to be with their pitching. The offense will not help out much. Outside of Dustin Pedroia, no one is hitting. Youklis is fine, and Victor Martinez will hit at some point, but after that, does anybody in that line up scare you? The offense reached a low point on Saturday. Bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the 11th and you can't get a run home? Yikes.

Plus it doesn't look like the offense will get much better. Forget about the Red Sox getting Adrian Gonzalez anytime soon. Gonzalez is under the Padres control until after the 2011 season. Gonzalez may be moved at the deadline, but he has a very affordable contract for the Padres. Gonzalez is the Padres only star, and they struggle to sell tickets as it is. Why trade your best player until you absolutely must do so?

There is some good news on the horizon for The Nation however. Baltimore is on the schedule next week. After the Red Sox beat up on the Orioles, at least fans can talk themselves back into thinking that this team is a contender.