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John Brockway's Blog Archive
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MLB TEAM OF THE WEEK: MIAMI MARLINS - WENT 6-1 INCLUDING ROAD SWEEPS VS GIANTS AND PADRES AND MOVED UP 10 SPOTS IN RANKINGS. WORST TEAM OF THE WEEK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS - WENT 1-6 ON THE WEEK AND DROPPED 10 SPOTS IN THE RANKINGS.
POWER RANKINGS GAMES THROUGH 5/8, PREVIOUS WEEK RANKING IN PARENTHESIS, THEN OVERALL RECORD / RECORD THIS WEEK 1 RANGERS (1) 20-10 / 3-3
Check back in next week to see how each team fared this week and where it leaves them in my power rankings. TRIVIA TIME - Send guesses to jbrockway@spadoraonsports.com or twitter @brock61184 Last week’s question: Who is the all-time leader is doubles and how many does he have? Answer: Tris Speaker, 792 This week’s question: Which three brothers played in the same outfield in the same game for the San Francisco Giants on September 15, 1963? NFL
SEAU’S SUICIDE AND IT’S LASTING EFFECTS In the wake of former 12-time NFL Pro Bowler Junior Seau’s recent suicide, the issue of the effects the game of football has on a player’s body and specifically his brain is once again being brought to light. Seau joins a growing list of former NFL players who have committed suicide in the past few years and worries have begun to grow that football is becoming too dangerous. Some former NFL players and media types including Kurt Warner have gone on record saying they will not allow their kids to play football because of the state of the game. Some pundits feel that eventually the rules will have to be altered so significantly to make the game safer that football as we know it will never be the same. Seau joins former Bear Dave Duerson (last year) and former Falcon Ray Easter ling (last month) as recently NFL player suicides. As Seau’s brain is being sent to be studied, many feel the same things that caused Duerson such mental pain may show up with Seau and that if they do changes will be coming. I have always been a proponent of safety and players being taken care of, but I do worry that the NFL is headed down a path it will not like. I believe that every instance needs to be judged separately and not as a whole. The NFL has already been making major strides in player safety over the past few seasons under Commissioner Goodell’s watch. Breaking a leg or an arm or tearing ligaments is one thing, but head injuries are something completely different and much more threatening after a player’s football life. With that said, it’s going to be virtually impossible to get rid of all head injuries in football simply because it’s in the nature of the game. It’s in tackling, it’s in hitting, it’s in running, it’s everywhere. There’s no way to know how a player you are about to hit is going to move so there’s no way to purposely avoid injury. It’s just part of the game and no matter what the league tries to do injuries are going to always exist because that is the name of the game. NFL DRAFT After months of speculation on who will land where, the NFL Draft is finally over and fans can now start looking towards the 2012 season and begin judging how their team will fare. Here are my thoughts on the NFC and each team’s draft with picks I like and dislike, sleeper picks for each team, and the team’s overall grade.
EAST NEW YORK GIANTS: LIKE - REUBEN RANDLE - BIG AND FAST WR FILLS IMMEDIATE NEED, DISLIKE DAVID WILSON - SOLID PLAYER BUT TOO SIMILAR TO BRADSHAW, SLEEPER - ADRIEN ROBINSON - STRETCH TE FILLS VOID LEFT BY INJURIES, GRADE B DALLAS COWBOYS : LIKE - MORRIS CLAIBORNE - BEST CB IN DRAFT IMMEDIATELY UPGRADES A NEED AREA, DISLIKE - KYLE WILBER - TOO RAW TO FIT INTO IMMEDIATE PLANS, SLEEPER - DANNY COALE - SOLID OVERACHIEVER WHO COULD MAKE STRONG IMPACT, GRADE B+ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: LIKE - FLETCHER COX - BIG AND PHYSICAL RUN STUFFER, DISLIKE - NICK FOLES - QB IN 3RD ROUND SEEMS TO IGNORE MORE PRESSING NEEDS, SLEEPER - BRANDON BOYKIN - SUPER ATHLETE WITH QUICKNESS WHO FEEL DUE TO INJURIES, GRADE A+ WASHINGTON REDSKINS: LIKE - ROBERT GRIFFIN III - COULD FINALLY BE THE FRANCHISE QB THEY‘VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR, DISLIKE KIRK COUSINS - GOOD PLAYER BUT OTHER NEEDS SHOULD‘VE BEEN ADDRESSED AFTER TAKING GRIFFIN, SLEEPER - KEENAN ROBINSON - LONG AND ATHLETIC WITH GOOD INSTINCTS, GRADE A- NORTH GREEN BAY PACKERS: LIKE - JEREL WORTHY - BIG AND PHYSICAL PRESENCE WILL IMMEDIATELY HELP TERRIBLE DEFENSE, DISLIKE - NICK PERRY - CLASSIC UNDERACHIEVER MAY STRUGGLE TO FIND HIS NICHE IN NFL, SLEEPER - TERRELL MANNING - PLAYMAKER WHO FLASHED DOMINANCE AT TIMES, GRADE B+ DETROIT LIONS: LIKE - RILEY REIFF - GREAT TALENT BUT FELL TO TEAM IN DESPERATE NEED OF HIS HELP, DISLIKE - RYAN BROYLES - GOOD PLAYER BUT COMING OFF MAJOR INJURY AND JOINS ALREADY CROWDED WR CORPS, SLEEPER - RONNELL LEWIS - CAN PLAY ANY D-LINE POSITION AND WILL PLAY RIGHT AWAY, GRADE B CHICAGO BEARS: LIKE - SHEA MCCLELLIN - VERSATILITY GIVES HIM CHANCE TO PLAY EVERY DOWN ON ALREADY POTENT DEFENSE, DISLIKE - ALSHON JEFFERY - GOOD SIZE FOR WR BUT ATTITUDE AND WORK ETHIC TOO MUCH IN QUESTION, SLEEPER - EVAN RODRIGUEZ - ANOTHER VERSATILE PLAYER WHO SHOULD SEE PLENTY OF ACTION, GRADE B MINNESOTA VIKINGS: LIKE - MATT KALIL - BIG AND PHYSICAL AND FILLS IMMEDIATE NEED, DISLIKE GREG CHILDS - BIG WR WHO HAD ONE GOOD YEAR IN COLLEGE, SLEEPER - JOSH ROBINSON - SUPER-ATHLETIC AND BIG TIME PLAYMAKER, GRADE A SOUTH NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: LIKE - NICK TOON - BIG WR WITH SPEED WHO FELL TO 4TH ROUND DUE TO INJURY CONCERNS, DISLIKE - AKIEM HICKS - BIG AND STOUT BUT VERY RAW, SLEEPER - COREY WHITE - HARD-HITTING SAFETY STEPS INTO TEAM IN NEED OF ONE, GRADE C+ ATLANTA FALCONS: LIKE - PETER KONZ - AT PICK 55 A 1ST ROUND TALENT WHO PLAYS RIGHT AWAY, DISLIKE - LAMAR HOLMES - BETTER O-LINE TALENT WAS AVAILABLE AT THIS POSITION , SLEEPER - BRADIE EWING - GREAT LEAD BLOCKER AND CAN CATCH BALL OUT OF BACKFIELD, GRADE B CAROLINA PANTHERS: LIKE - LUKE KUECHLY - EXCELLENT TACKLER AND PERFECT FIT FOR OFT-INJURED DEFENSE, DISLIKE - AMINI SILATOLU - SOLID PLAYER BUT TOO RAW FOR TEAM NEEDING INSTANT HELP, SLEEPER - JOE ADAMS - QUICK, NIFTY, AND EXPLOSIVE WR , GRADE B+ TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: LIKE - MARK BARRON - BIG HITTER AND LEADER AT SAFETY, DISLIKE - KEITH TANDY - NOT YET PHYSICAL ENOUGH TO CONTRIBUTE, SLEEPER - LAVONTE DAVID - SUPER SPEED AND TOUGHNESS AT LB, GRADE A+ WEST SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: LIKE - A.J. JENKINS - QUICK WR WITH GREAT HANDS, DISLIKE - LAMICHAEL JAMES - GREAT COLLEGE RB BUT JUMPS INTO CROWDED BACKFIELD, SLEEPER - JOE LOONEY - SOLID O-LINEMAN SHOULD PLAY RIGHT AWAY, GRADE B- ARIZONA CARDINALS: LIKE - MICHAEL FLOYD - PEFECT PLAYMAKING COMPLIMENT FOR FITZGERALD, DISLIKE - JAMELL FLEMING - SEEMED OTHER NEED AREAS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN ROUND 2, SLEEPER - BOBBY MASSIE - 2ND ROUND TALENT TAKEN IN 4TH ROUND, GRADE A- SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: LIKE - RUSSELL WILSON - GREAT ATHLETICISM AND TOUGHNESS FOR QB, DISLIKE - BRUCE IRVIN - ONE-DIMENSIONAL PASS RUSHER TAKEN IN 1ST ROUND , SLEEPER - ROBERT TURBIN - BIG, PHYSICAL, PRODUCTIVE RB, GRADE C ST. LOUIS RAMS: LIKE - BRIAN QUICK - FAST, ATHLETIC, BIG, AND FILLS A NEED AT WR, DISLIKE - MICHAEL BROCKERS - TOO RAW FOR A TEAM IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE HELP, SLEEPER - ISAIAH PEAD - QUICK AND EXPLOSIVE OUT OF THE BACKFIELD, GRADE B+
MLB TEAM OF THE WEEK: BALTIMORE ORIOLES - 5-2 RECORD TIED FOR BEST OF THE WEEK; INCLUDED WINS OVER BLUE JAYS AND YANKEES WORST TEAM OF THE WEEK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS - 1-5 RECORD WAS THE WORST OF THE WEEK APRIL AWARDS: NL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: KIRK NIEUWENHUIS, METS - LEADS ROOKIE WITH .325 AVERAGE; 7 EXTRA-BASE HITS AL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: YU DARVISH, RANGERS - 2.18 ERA; 33 STRIKEOUTS IN 33 INNINGS NL MANAGER OF THE MONTH: DON MATTINGLY, DODGERS AL MANAGER OF THE MONTH: BUCK SHOWALTER, ORIOLES NL CY YOUNG OF THE MONTH: STEPHEN STRASBURG, NATIONALS - 2-0 1.13 ERA; 34 K’S IN 32 INNINGS, 6 WALKS, 22 HITS ALLOWED AL CY YOUNG OF THE MONTH: JAKE PEAVY, WHITE SOX - 3-1, 1.67 ERA, 33 K’S IN 33 INNINGS, .690 WHIP LEADS AL NL MVP OF THE MONTH: MATT KEMP, DODGERS - .417 AVERAGE, 12 HR’S, 25 RBI AL MVP OF THE MONTH: JOSH HAMILTON, RANGERS - .395 AVERAGE, 9 HR’S, 25RBI, 1.182 OPS LEADS AL POWER RANKINGS GAMES THROUGH 5/1, PREVIOUS WEEK RANKING IN PARENTHESIS, THEN OVERALL RECORD / RECORD THIS WEEK
1 RANGERS (1) 17-7 / 3-3
Check back in next week to see how each team fared this week and where it leaves them in my power rankings. TRIVIA TIME - Send guesses to jbrockway@spadoraonsports.com or twitter @brock61184 Last week’s question: What three Oakland Athletics won the AL Rookie of the Year Award between 2000-2009? Answer: Bobby Crosby 2004, Huston Street 2005, Andrew Bailey 2009 This week’s question: Who is the all-time leader is doubles and how many does he have?
NFL After months of speculation on who will land where, the NFL Draft is finally over and fans can now start looking towards the 2012 season and begin judging how their team will fare. Here are my thoughts on the AFC and each team’s draft with picks I like and dislike, sleeper picks for each team, and the team’s overall grade.
EAST NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: LIKE - DON’T’A HIGHTOWER - ROUGH, PHYSICAL, AND FITS THE SYSTEM , DISLIKE - TAVON WILSON - PICKED WAY TOO HIGH, SLEEPER - JAKE BEQUETTE - LONG, ATHLETIC, AND STRONG, GRADE B+ NEW YORK JETS: LIKE - STEPHEN HILL - RAW BUT SIZE IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED IN WR, DISLIKE - QUINTON COPLES - TOO MANY QUESTION MARKS FOR A 1ST ROUNDER, SLEEPER - TERRANCE GANAWAY - BIG RB WITH SPEED, GRADE C BUFFALO BILLS: LIKE - CORDY GLENN - 1ST ROUND TALENT TAKEN MUCH LATER THAN EXPECTED, DISLIKE - STEPHON GILMORE - WORKOUT WARRIOR WHO DIDN‘T PLAY UP TO HIS SPEED, SLEEPER - ZEBRIE SANDERS - SWING TACKLE WHO CAN PLAY ALL OVER O-LINE, GRADE B- MIAMI DOLPHINS: LIKE - JONATHAN MARTIN - STRONG AND PHYSICAL AND FILLS BIG NEED, DISLIKE - RYAN TANNEHILL - NEVER BEEN SOLD ON HIS TOOLS, SLEEPER - MICHAEL EGNEW - A STRETCH TIGHT END TO FIT INTO NEW NFL, GRADE C
NORTH BALTIMORE RAVENS: LIKE - COURTNEY UPSHAW - HARD-NOSED STYLE MAKES HIM A RAVEN ALREADY, DISLIKE - TOMMY STREETER - FEELS LIKE A COPYCAT OF OTHER PLAYERS ON ROSTER, SLEEPER - BERNARD PIERCE - A GOOD COMPLIMENT FOR RAY RICE, GRADE A- PITTSBURGH STEELERS: LIKE - DAVID DECASTRO - PERFECT FIT AS STEELERS O-LINE HAS BEEN IN TRANSITION, DISLIKE - MIKE ADAMS - ANOTHER O-LINEMAN BUT HE HAS CHECKERED PAST, SLEEPER - SEAN SPENCE - PLAYED AT HIGH LEVEL IN COLLEGE, GRADE B+ CINCINNATI BENGALS: LIKE - DRE’ KIRKPATRICK - PHYSICAL CORNER IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED, DISLIKE - DAN HERRON - NEVER PLAYED UP TO POTENTIAL, SLEEPER - MARVIN JONES - ONE OF THE FASTEST WR‘S IN THE DRAFT, GRADE A+ CLEVELAND BROWNS: LIKE - TRENT RICHARDSON - FINALLY AN OFFENSIVE PLAYMAKER FOR THIS TEAM, DISLIKE - BRANDON WEEDEN - AGE IS A CONCERN BUT MAIN DISLIKE IS BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY TOOK HIM AT 22ND, SLEEPER - MANNY ACHO - QUICK OFF THE EDGE AND USED TO BIG TIME ATMOSPHERE, GRADE B SOUTH HOUSTON TEXANS: LIKE - WHITNEY MERCILUS - LOSS OF MARIO WILLIAMS MADE THIS A NEED, DISLIKE - DEVIER POSEY - TALENTED BUT NEVER A GAME-CHANGER, SLEEPER - JARED CRICK - 1ST ROUND TALENT BUT FELL DUE TO INJURY CONCERNS, GRADE B TENNESSEE TITANS: LIKE - KENDALL WRIGHT - SPEED WR FITS TEAM WITH JAKE LOCKER‘S BIG ARM WAITING, DISLIKE - ZACH BROWN - TOO COCKY AND ARROGANT HAS LOW MOTOR, SLEEPER - TAYLOR THOMPSON - A BIG TE THAT MAY FIT WELL WITH SYSTEM, GRADE B JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: LIKE - JUSTIN BLACKMON - A PLAYMAKER FOR THE OFFENSE, DISLIKE - BRYAN ANGER - I‘M ANGERED A PUNTER WENT IN ROUND 3, SLEEPER - MIKE HARRIS - LIKELY A NICKEL CORNER BUT PLAYED ALL OVER THE FIELD AT FLORIDA ST, GRADE C+ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: LIKE - ANDREW LUCK - ONE POSSIBLE FRANCHISE QB REPLACES THE OTHER, DISLIKE - DWYANE ALLEN - GOOD PLAYER BUT DISLIKE BECAUSE THEY JUST DRAFTED TE COBY FLEENER WITH PRIOR PICK, SLEEPER - T.Y. HILTON - SMALL BUT SPEEDY AND VERY PRODUCTIVE WR, GRADE A- WEST DENVER BRONCOS: LIKE - DEREK WOLFE - AN OLD SCHOOL NFL TYPE WITH GREAT SKILL, DISLIKE - BROCK OSWEILER - BACKUP NEEDED FOR PEYTON BUT COULD‘VE PICKED ONE MUCH LATER, SLEEPER - RONNIE HILLMAN - QUICK AND SHIFTY RB WITH GREAT COLLEGE NUMBERS, GRADE B- OAKLAND RAIDERS: LIKE - TONY BERGSTROM - TOUGH O-LINEMAN WAS GOOD CHOICE WITH 1ST PICK BEING IN 3RD ROUND, DISLIKE - JACK CRAWFORD - SIMILAR TO OTHER PLAYERS ON ROSTER, SLEEPER - JURON CRINER - BIG AND PHYSICAL WR RAIDERS HAVE LACKED, GRADE C+ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: LIKE - JEFF ALLEN - SOLID TACKLE FITS AREA OF WEAKNESS, DISLIKE - DONTARI POE - TOO MANY QUESTIONS ON MOTOR AND SKILL TO GO 11TH, SLEEPER - DEQUAN MENZIE - PLAYED WELL AT HIGH LEVEL AT ALABAMA, GRADE D SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: LIKE - MELVIN INGRAM - LONG AND ATHLETIC AND FITS AREA OF NEED, DISLIKE - JOHNNIE TROUTMAN - SOLID PLAYER BUT INJURED AND MAY MISS ALL OF 2012 SEASON, SLEEPER - KENDALL REYES - BIG AND PHYSICAL NT HAS BEEN A NEED FOR THIS TEAM, GRADE B+
Check back in next week for my NFC review. MLB TEAM OF THE WEEK: ATLANTA BRAVES - WENT 5-2 WITH ALL GAMES COMING AGAINST TEAMS WHO WERE OVER .500 AT THE TIME WORST TEAM OF THE WEEK: - KANSAS CITY ROYALS - THEY LOST ALL SIX GAMES THIS WEEK AND 12 STRAIGHT OVERALL GOOD STAT OF THE WEEK: WHITE SOX PITCHER PHILLIP HUMBER THREW THE 21ST PERFECT GAME IN MLB HISTORY BUT DID IT WITH THE 2ND FEWEST AMOUNT OF WINS AT THE TIME (11) AND DID IT IN ONLY 96 PITCHES. BAD STAT OF THE WEEK: TIGERS STARTING PITCHER RICK PORCELLO VS THE RANGERS - 1 IP, 10 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 1 K IN 51 PITCHES POWER RANKINGS GAMES THROUGH 4/24, PREVIOUS WEEK RANKING IN PARENTHESIS, THEN OVERALL RECORD / RECORD THIS WEEK 1 RANGERS (1) 14-4 / 5-2 Check back in next week to see how each team fared this week and where it leaves them in my power rankings. Also check in to see my award winners and losers for April. TRIVIA TIME - Send guesses to jbrockway@spadoraonsports.com or twitter @brock61184 Last week’s question: Who was the first player to win batting titles in three different decades? Answer: George Brett, Kansas City Royals (‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s) This week’s question: What three Oakland Athletics won the AL Rookie of the Year Award between 2000-2009?
NFL After months of speculation on who will land where, the NFL Draft will finally happen this weekend. As fans of any team sport know, the draft can make or break a team’s season or future based upon who they draft and how they fit into their team. Some players may be less heralded but may be a better fit for a certain team than others while other top name players may turn out to be not as good as expected because of where they ended up. No matter what happens and who a team drafts, it usually takes several years to know whether they truly made a right decision. The draft isn’t foolproof and mistakes will be made and fans of the teams are sure to let them know what they think of their choices with immediate reactions. If the draft had a simple formula then there would be no 1st and 2nd round busts or 6th and 7th round hidden gems. With that said, here is my final 1st round mock draft based on my most recent information and where the teams are slotted heading into the draft.
32. GIANTS - TE COBY FLEENER, STANFORD ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ MLB When Sports and Politics Collide The Facts: On a warm March afternoon in Florida during Spring Training, Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen felt it was the right time to contribute his thoughts on Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Guillen, never one to be shy about his comments on anything, was quoted by a Time Magazine writer as saying he loves and adores Castro and that he must be respected for being able to be in power so long. Again, Guillen is the manager in Miami, the city known for its influx of Cuban defectors whose families have been destroyed by Castro’s regime. Once the story became public knowledge, Guillen of course backtracked and said he was misquoted in the interview because he got lost in translation as he went from his native tongue of Spanish to English. Guillen said what he actually meant to say was that he couldn’t believe Castro has been in power so long when he has done so many horrible things to so many people and because so many families have been trying to kill him and he has been able to remain in power. If you read the rest of Guillen’s quotes from the Time story, he does seem to explain his earlier comments but of course only the most noteworthy pieces were revealed. The question isn’t what Guillen said or what he meant to say or if they were wrong or right. The question is what role do athletes, coaches, managers and anyone involved in the realm of sports, most of whom are looked upon as role models, deserve to have in the realm of politics? Should a manager like Guillen be wanted to contribute responses on the Cuban dictator knowing that he is viewed as a leader? Should these so called role models want to risk their standing by sharing their opinions on topics they may know little about? My Take: I think Guillen was in the wrong for what he said, but I also think he was in the wrong for even engaging such a serious topic in the first place. It’s one thing to make a comment about something minor in a field other than your own, but the topics controversial in nature should just simply be left alone. Everybody loves when President Obama picks his NCAA tournament brackets or when he invites champions of a sport to the White House, but nobody asked him who he thought should be managing the Yankees. While I’m not comparing managing a team to commenting on a dictator, the point is people should go outside of their usual realm to discuss jovial topics but leave the things they don’t really know about to the experts. Let’s check and see how each team is faring after the second week of the 2012 MLB season and where they fit into this week’s power rankings. POWER RANKINGS GAMES THROUGH 4/17, PREVIOUS WEEK RANKING IN PARENTHESIS AND RECORD THIS WEEK IN ITALICS 1 RANGERS (4) 9-2 / 5-1
Check back in next week to see how each team fared this week and where it leaves them in my power rankings. TRIVIA TIME - Send guesses to jbrockway@spadoraonsports.com or twitter @brock61184 Last week’s question: Who are the only two Heisman Trophy winners who have been major leaguers? Answer: Vic Janowicz and Bo Jackson This week’s question: Who was the first player to win batting titles in three different decades?
NFL
AFC DRAFT PREVIEW EAST
SOUTH WEST MLB After months of offseason storylines and weeks of Spring Training, the 2012 MLB season is finally underway. Let’s check and see how each team is faring after the first week of the season and where they fit into this week’s power rankings. POWER RANKINGS GAMES THROUGH 4/10, PREVIOUS WEEK IN PARENTHESIS
Check back in next week to see how each team fared this week and where it leaves them in my power rankings. TRIVIA TIME - Send guesses to jbrockway@spadoraonsports.com or twitter @brock61184 Last week’s question: In 2011, who became the first pitcher in MLB history to appear in 1,000 games with the same team? Answer: Mariano Rivera (Yankees) This week’s question: Who are the only two Heisman Trophy winners who have been major leaguers?
NFL
NFC DRAFT PREVIEW EAST GIANTS NEEDS: OL, LB, FS, RB; 1ST PICK NUMBER: 32; PICK: TE DWYANE ALLEN, CLEMSON
NORTH
SOUTH
WEST MLB The weather is warming and calendar has turned to April which means baseball season is finally here. With every team kicking things into action this week, let’s take a look at the power rankings heading into the season and a key storyline for each team. 1 YANKEES - Can the aging veterans combine with the younger stars to bring a title back to New York?
Check back in next week to see how each team started the season and where it leaves them in my power rankings. TRIVIA TIME Question: In 2011, who became the first pitcher in MLB history to appear in 1,000 games with the same team? NFL Check back in next week for the NFC draft preview!!
MLB
While most teams are putting the finishing touches on their rosters and ready for Spring Training to close, the A’s and Mariners have officially kicked off the 2012 MLB season in Japan. With the full slate of the season coming soon and the division previews complete, it’s finally time to look at my projections for the 2012 season. AL EAST AL CENTRAL AL WEST AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS: WILD CARD GAME: RANGERS OVER RAYS DIVISONAL ROUND: TIGERS OVER RANGERS 3-2 / ANGELS OVER YANKEES 3-2 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ANGELS OVER TIGERS 4-2 NL EAST
NL CENTRAL NL WEST NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS: WILD CARD GAME: GIANTS OVER MARLINS DIVISONAL ROUND: GIANTS OVER DIAMONDBACKS 3-1 / PHILLIES OVER BREWERS 3-1 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GIANTS OVER PHILLIES 4-2 WORLD SERIES: ANGELS OVER GIANTS 4-3 AWARD WINNERS: AL MANAGER OF THE YEAR: MIKE SCIOSCIA, ANGELS NFL The Facts: As part of the New Orleans Saints penalties for their bounty system scandal that the organization had been running, head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one season. While the Saints may ultimately fill his position for the season form within the organization, Payton has been consulting with longtime friend Bill Parcells about taking over the job for the 2012 season. My take: I think the NFL should step in here and not allow anyone from outside of the organization to be allowed to step in for Payton. While I think this is a shrewd and calculating move on Payton’s behalf, I think the punishment the Saints are supposed to receive would not reach its full effect by allowing a Hall of Fame caliber coach to take over during this season. For Parcells sake this is exactly the type of thing he would be interested in and is definitely something I’m sure he is seriously considering. After all, Parcells is kind of the wham bam type of coach who likes to uproot an organization, make everything go his way for awhile, and then leave the team after a few seasons. In this situation he wouldn’t have to worry about hurt feelings because everyone would know he is only coming in for a season. My gut feeling is Parcells won’t end up doing it because too many things would have to be changed overnight for him to have complete control. -----end---- MLB
As training camps around the league are now open for business and Spring Training is rapidly approaching, several hot topics are abound throughout Major League Baseball. Last week we looked at the impact all of the new managers will have on their teams. This week we will take a look at some fantasy league information by giving you some booms and busts at every position as well as some key strategies to go by. STRATEGIES:
BOOMS AND BUSTS - A boom is a guy who is being drafted later than he should and can be very valuable while a bust is a guy being drafted too highly and isn’t as good as most think.
DIVISION PREVIEW: NL WEST DIAMONDBACKS: One of the more intriguing teams in the league, Arizona comes off a division title and brings back several guys who are still very young and have more to give than what they’ve shown. Expect the rotation to be solid with the emergence of Ian Kennedy and acquisition of Trevor Cahill. The offense will always be spectacular in their home stadium but may be slowed some on the road vs. exceptional in-division pitching. GIANTS: It’s basically the same story as it has been for the past few season with this team: tremendous starting pitching, solid bullpen, and questionable offense. It’s hard to see where this team will consistently get run production, but Lincecum, Cain, and the rest of the boys should keep this team in pretty much any game they play. DODGERS: To me this team is basically a two-man show. They have reigning NL Cy Young Winner Clayton Kershaw and reigning NL MVP Matt Kemp. Other than that I’d say this team is pretty average. A healthy Andre Ethier will be a plus but I feel this team has too many similar type players that wont’ produce enough to support a rotation that is shaky behind Kershaw. ROCKIES: This team has all the talent offensively to make a push for the division, but their pitching rotation is one of the weakest in the NL. While guys like Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez are being wasted in their primes, the pitching staff has average pitchers who will play half their games at Coors Field. PADRES: The Padres are a team kind of caught in the middle of being really good and really bad, which I guess then makes them average. They have some solid pieces offensively that don’t look so good in their stats thanks to the park they play in. On the flipside of that, their pitching rotation isn’t always as good as the numbers suggest but can be decent at times thanks to the park they play in. It should be a tough year for Padres fans, but good things should come soon.
Check back next week as I take a look at my projected award winners for 2012 and how the playoffs will shake out for this upcoming season, including my predictions on the World Series.
NFL The Facts: The New Orleans Saints have been penalized for their bounty system scandal that the organization had been running. The system was run by coaches and supposedly encouraged players to injure or attack other players by giving them special rewards, most notably of which was money. Head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one full season, general manager Micky Loomis will be suspended for the 2012’s first eight games and fined $500,000, the organization was fined an extra $500,000, the team was stripped of it’s 2012 amd 2013 second round draft picks, several players are facing fines and suspensions, some assistant coaches have been suspended various amounts of games, and former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams who had recently takent he same job with the Rams has been suspended indefinitely. My take: I’ll keep this short and sweet: it’s a huge penalty but it needed to happen. While I along with most NFL fans understand that football is a dangerous and violent sport, there is no place in the game for something like this. Players play and coaches coach but there is no reason someone’s career should be jeopardized because someone is attempting to inflict pain or suffering on another player that may otherwise be lessened or outright avoided. An example I can give is on a play where a receiver may catch the ball and be heading out of bounds and the defender just lets him go. Under the bounty system, if the receiver has been designated as a guy needing to be eliminated, a cheap shot or unnecessary hit may be coming. I’m surprised the NFL went as far as it did in the punishment, but as I said, it was needed to rid this conduct from the game.
The Facts: Peyton Manning officially signs with the Denver Broncos. Entering is age 36 season, Manning signed a 5-year $96 million deal that makes him the highest paid player in the league by average salary. The contract also includes provisions to protect the Broncos if Manning were to have some setbacks with his injured neck. My Take: It’s hard for me to understand why Manning chose the Broncos over some of the other teams interested, most notably Arizona and San Francisco. Those teams seem like they would benefit Peyton much more so than the Broncos who really have average talent at most positions. I understand that Denver was #1 in rushing yards per game last season, but much of that had to do with Tim Tebow running the ball more than throwing in several games thus skewing the stats. I hope everything works out well for Peyton as I have always been a fan of his demeanor both on the field and off, but I just think he should’ve made a different choice. I guess he didn’t want to go to the NFC and rain of brother Eli’s parade because staying in the AFC still leaves the door open for a Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl.
The Facts: Tim Tebow has been traded to the New York Jets along with a 7th-round pick in exchange for a 4th and 6th-round pick this season. My take: I’m surprised and then I’m not so surprised that the Jets would do this deal. They really didn’t have to give up too much in exchange for Tebow, but I’m not sure exactly how he is going to fit into the team. My guess is the Jets are hoping Tebow comes in and brings a positive attitude and leadership to an organization and team that seems to be devoid of it. Hoping to get leadership from a backup player says pretty much everything you need to know about the Jets and where they stand. Maybe having Tony Sparano on the staff means the Jets will use Tebow in some goal line packages and even throw in the wildcat from time to time. Then again, maybe the Jets are just trying to steal some of the headlines back from the cross-town rival Giants who have been the toast of the city since winning the Super Bowl. Either way it’s going to be an interesting fit with Tebowmania in the big apple.
MLB CARDINALS: The defending champs lose longtime skipper Tony LaRussa to retirement in favor of first time manager and former Cardinal catcher Mike Matheny. Though Matheny has never managed as any level, being a former catcher bodes well for his handle on a pitching staff and team. He is a highly respected and highly though of person but inherits a team minus Albert Pujols. WHITE SOX: Robin Ventura takes over for the volatile Ozzie Guillen and is handed the reigns of a team somewhere between rebuilding and competitive. Like Matheny, Ventura too is a former player for the team he now manages and is getting his first shot at managing at any level. Ventura’s calmer demeanor could relax his team but decision making will be the biggest key. MARLINS: The aforementioned Ozzie Guillen takes over a ball club with a new name, ballpark, uniforms, and players. His fiery style should help to get the best out of players like Hanley Ramirez who has been known to be lazy at times, but for some players his explosiveness could wear thin early. RED SOX: Bobby Valentine comes back to the big leagues after a decade away to take over a team with wild tendencies and extreme talent. Bobby V’s fiery nature can get the players to step in line but could drain a little of the talent out of a possibly resentful team. CUBS: Dale Sveum is the third manager on this list making his full-time MLB managerial debut, though Sveum did have a short stint with the Brewers a few season back. As a highly respected ex-player, Sveum will try to maneuver a club with young talent and a fan base who is always on edge. DIVISION PREVIEW: NL CENTRAL CARDINALS: The defending champs lose Tony LaRussa and Albert Pujols and gain Carlos Beltran and get Adam Wainwright back from injury. This team is younger than in past years but will still rely on older veterans like Beltran, Chirs Carpenter, Lance Berkman, and Matt Holliday. If the team can blend these players together well and Mike Matheny can do half the job people expect, the Red Birds will be right back in the division hunt. BREWERS: A team with one of the most unusual offseason, the Brewers come into the season wondering what impact losing Prince Fielder and the lawsuit/testing situation will have on Ryan Braun and the rest of the team. The pitching staff is solid and the offense is still potent, though losing Fielder may have a further reaching impact than anyone can imagine. REDS: An interesting team filled with power and athleticism who comes off a disappointing season and is now two years removed from a division title. The pitching staff is solid and the offense always can rake so this team should be in the hunt in a competitive division. PIRATES: It was a tale of two season for the Pirates last year as they started off great and showed promise before falling back into their old habits late in the season. This team is flush with young position players but their pitching isn’t quite as solid as in previous seasons. Expect them to fight hard and be in the thick of things for most of the season. CUBS: The waiting for a contender never ends for Cubs fans and this year could be more of the same. Though the Cubs have new direction in the front office and on the field, they should struggle with their talent, especially in the starting rotation. ASTROS: One of the most unknown rosters in baseball, the Astros are in a complete rebuilding mode. Even in a division that’s completely up for grabs, this team should struggle breaking in several young players while employing other overpaid aging veterans. Check back next week as I take a look at the NL West and another burning topic in MLB.
The Facts: Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts have official cut ties with each other and Manning is now weighing his options as to where he will play the remaining years of his career. Rumored teams to be interested or involved in Manning talks include Miami, Arizona, Seattle, Kansas City, Denver, and Tennessee. My Take: Even though it’s been basically known for
awhile that Peyton was going to be severing ties with the
Colts, it’s still a hard thing to fully take in. The
end of this era just goes to further show that there is no
eternal bond between a player and a team, much like when Joe
Montana left San Francisco and ended up with the Chiefs or
Brett Favre left Green Bay for New York and Minnesota. The
Broncos and Cardinals seem to be the two teams highest on
Manning’s list, though Miami and Tennessee still sit
somewhat closely on the peripheral. The others I mentioned
seem to be dreaming of Peyton coming to their team much more
so than it is a reality. Tennessee would be interesting because
he played there in college, though the Titans have veteran
Matt Hasselbeck and young stud Jake Locker already on the
roster. Miami would seemingly be a good fit as the warm weather
would likely play in Peyton’s favor, though I’m
not sure Peyton is sold on the team. Arizona seems like a
great fit as they are a rising team who plays indoors and
has a superstar receiver in Larry Fitzgerald. The Broncos
are the presumed favorite at this point though I’m not
quite sure why. Though the division may be up for grabs in
the near future, the Broncos don’t have nearly the talent
as some of these other teams, though their defense could be
on the rise. Whatever the decision ends up being, it’s
still going to be interesting to see Peyton Manning in a uniform
other than the Colts and to see whether he can turn a new
team into an immediate contender. I’m guessing he can.
MLB
As training camps around the league are now open for business and Spring Training is rapidly approaching, several hot topics are abound throughout Major League Baseball. Last week we looked at the Ryan Braun situation and this week we will take a look at the effects the new collective bargaining agreement is having on the league. Without getting too much into nonsensical detail, the bottom line is MLB and its owners recently approved a new CBA that will have many impacts that will be long felt throughout the league. One of the main changes was the addition of a second wild card team to each league, which we have already discussed in a previous post. A second major change will come next season when the Houston Astros leave the six team NL Central and head for the four team AL West, thus creating a balance of 15 teams in each league for the first time. With this move, the schedules will also drastically change as interleague play will now be a year-long thing and the number of intra-division games will decrease. This will be an interesting change that will have baseball purists up in arms but was in my opinion a necessary adjustment to the game of baseball to create a newfound equality within the game. Speaking of equality, the biggest change coming from the new CBA may involve the salary cap and spending limits and penalties. Again without getting into too much inside jargon, teams will be penalized harsher for passing a certain spending limit that will increase incrementally each season. Though the new rules don’t come into play this season, they still have had an impact on the league. Several teams who otherwise wouldn’t normally get into the big pool of free agents or premium trade targets were able to do so this offseason as some habitual spenders looked towards the possible penalties in the future. Most notably, teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, and Mets didn’t make plays for major roster movement this season while teams like the Padres, Marlins, Reds, and Nationals did. Another way these new rules were felt were the lack of big deals for some premium free agents such as Ryan Madson, Edwin Jackson, and Roy Oswalt as the latter still remains unsigned and Madson and Jackson had to settle for one-year bargain deals. MLB is changing but I think it’s mostly for the better, but as usual only time will tell how these changes play into the landscape of the league.
DIVISION PREVIEW: NL EAST PHILLIES: The five-time defending division champs remain mostly the same, though they spent big on closer Jonathan Papelbon. Expect the Phillies aging offense to be slow at season’s start without Ryan Howard and struggle with consistency. The rotation may still be one of the best in baseball but the rest of the division has done some catching up. BRAVES: Coming off last season’s collapse, it’ll be interesting to see how the Braves respond. If they get off to a hot start they could be dangerous as their young pitching staff and versatile offense can give many teams trouble. MARLINS: After an unusual offseason that saw the team change it’s name, uniforms, ballpark, and several players, the Marlins are poised to strike. Their offense should be improved with a healthy Hanley Ramirez and the addition of Jose Reyes and the rotation is fortified with a returning Josh Johnson and the additions of Mark Buehrle and Carlos Zambrano. If this team stays healthy they may make a push to the postseason. NATIONALS: Another team that added several key pieces including Edwin Jackson and Gio Gonzalez and a healthy Stephen Strasburg to the rotation. The offense has lots of solid ingredients already and if super-prospect Bryce Harper gets the call this season and performs as expected, this team could make a significant improvement. METS: A team of underachieving and/or injured veterans and a crop of young talent yet to perform makes this season likely a tough one for the Mets. Ace Johan Santana is back so the rotation may be decent but the offense could really struggle against the quality pitching in this division. Check back next week as I take a look at the NL Central and another burning topic in MLB. NFL The Facts: The New Orleans Saints are under fire for employing a pay-for-play system that rewarded players for injuring or taking out players from opposing teams. General Manager Mickey Loomis and coach Sean Payton seemingly knew of the system that was put in by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and included several current and former players. Since the initial reports, Williams has admitted his role in the system and new reports have come out saying that Williams has employed such a system throughout his various stops in the NFL including in Buffalo, Tennessee, and Washington. My Take: I believe it’s going to be very hard to pinpoint everyone that was involved in this nonsense, especially when it comes to the players. Though some players who were the main culprits may be fined and/or suspended, I expect most to walk free because defining their roles in this will be difficult. I feel Coach Peyton should face a suspension and major fine, Mr. Loomis should face an even steeper fine, and the Saints organization should lose draft picks and face an even stiffer fine than the others. I believe Gregg Williams should be banned from the league forever because attempting to injure someone in an already violent game is something than cannot and should not be tolerated. Given the fact that Williams has been doing this throughout his entire coaching career, he clearly doesn’t believe it is wrong and feels no obvious remorse. While my views may seem radical and stiff, this would be the only way the NFL could clean this up and make sure it will never be allowed again in their league. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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