Consistently one of the most competitive divisions in baseball, the American League Central will not disappoint in 2011. The Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox both added power to their line-ups. The Minnesota Twins had very little off season activity and have basically the same look as last year. Yet, most experts still consider the Twins to be the favorite. The Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals will once again be battling it out for fourth place.
*Teams listed in order of predicted finish.
The Detroit Tigers
The Tigers possess a tremendous mix of young talent and proven veterans on both sides of the ball. The Tigers worked quickly in the off season to re-sign fan favorites, perennial .300 hitter, Maggilo Ordonez and defensive specialist, Brandon Inge. They also brought in free agent bat of Victor Martinez at $50 million over four years. Martinez is expected to share time behind the plate with young catcher Alex Avila and he will DH on days he doesn't wear the armor.
Detroit also added to their already impressive pitching staff, signing flame thrower, Joaquin Benoit to a three year deal. Benoit will be the setup man for the charismatic and now healthy closer, Jose Valverde. Joel Zumaya, whose fast ball has reached 104 MPH, says he too is healthy. Hopefully he can make it through the year without a trip to the DL, a feat he has been unable to accomplish in the first four years of his career. The Tigers were also able to add depth to the starting rotation, signing veteran starter and former World Series Champion, Brad Penny, who will anchor the staff as the fifth starter. We already know Justin Verlander is a stud and will continue to dominate hitters in 2011. The rest of the starting rotation should be solid assuming three things. First, Rick Porcello bounces back from a sophomore slump. Word is, he has added a curve ball and a sinker to go along with his effective change-up, if true, Porcello should be back to the winning form that allowed him to finish third in his rookie of the year voting two seasons ago. Second, that at age 26, Max Scherzer continues to strike guys out and keeps improving.
Lastly, and possibly the biggest if of all, can Phil Coke transition from the bullpen into the starting rotation. Coke throws hard, he also plays with a lot of emotion. Emotion works in the bullpen because a pitcher will only throw for an inning or two. Starters are expected to pitch between 5 and 7 innings every fifth day. If he can pace himself, good things are in store for the flamboyant Coke.
Their line-up looks to be the best, 1 thru 9 among the AL Central. Their pitching staff could rank with the elite if everything goes perfect. If the Tigers can stay healthy and if Miguel Cabrera stays off the sauce, the Detroit Tigers are the team to beat in the division.
The Chicago White Sox
Of course, Alex Rios disagrees with me on who the team to beat in the central is, as he was quoted saying, "Oh yeah, definitely, we're the team to beat." Can't argue with his confidence. The White Sox did sign slugger Adam Dunn in the off season. Dunn should be good for at least 40 home runs and probably more since he is moving to U.S Cellular Field, which is more conducive for left-handed hitters than his previous home in Washington.
The Sox signed young outfielder Lastings Milledge, who has yet to live up to expectations, but at age 25 there is still plenty time. A change of scenery and playing for a team that can actually contend may prove to be just what the young man needs to get motivated and play to his potential.
The White Sox pitching is intriguing. Matt Thornton takes over in the closers role, with Bobby Jenks moving to the Boston Red Sox. This is a case of addition by subtraction for the Sox. Jenks was shaky at best last season recording a career low in saves and seeing his ERA balloon to 4.44. Thornton has a powerful arm that just strikes people out, 81 strikeouts in 60.2 innings a year ago. He should be ready for the challenge of being an everyday closer. The starting rotation is good, not great. It will be interesting to see how former Cy Young candidate, Jake Peavy returns from surgery. He hasn't pitched since July and hasn't been dominate since 2008, it's doubtful he'll ever be the lights out pitcher he once was.
The White Sox lack depth, it will be difficult to contend if they lose guys to injury. GM Kenny Williams is always wheeling and dealing around the trade deadline, so you can never rule out a trade. It will be a question of how many prospects are left in their farm system if it were to come to that. The White Sox spent many of their resources over the past few years and may be running out.
The Minnesota Twins
The Twins have more red flags than a Thanksgiving sale at Macy's. At the top of the list of concerns is Twins first baseman and 2006 MVP, Justin Morneau. Morneau missed half of last season and hasn't played since suffering a concussion while sliding into second and taking a knee to the dome on July 7th, 2010. Spring Training is underway and doctors have yet cleared Morneau to participate in game activity - seven months later! That's one hell of a concussion. Minnesota should be worried that this may be perminate.
The injury concerns continue with $184 million, 2009 MVP catcher, Joe Mauer. Mauer has tried to down play his nagging knee issues and the recent reports that he received a lubricant shot, designed to help cushion the joints. All catchers go through knee troubles and this is not uncommon, but with 7 years left on that contract, it could be a cause for concern. Mauer has said he wants to remain a catcher and wouldn't want to change positions to say, first base. If the Twins want to keep the four-time all-star in their line up, something has to give.
Francisco Liriano made an improbable return to the mound last year after a dismal season in 2009, in which many thought his days as a big league pitcher were over. In 2010, Liriano racked up career highs in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. Carl Pavano also made a surprising comeback in 2010, recording 17 wins and an ERA of 3.75, best totals since 2004 when he played for the Florida Marlins. The Twins will need Liriano and Pavano to prove that 2010 was no fluke and they will need their MVPs to get and stay healthy, if they plan on keeping up with the Tigers and White Sox.
The Kansas City Royals & The Cleveland Indians
The last time the Royals made the playoffs, Justin Bieber was negative ten. 26 years later and the Royals still aren't going to make the playoffs anytime soon. Especially since they traded their top pitcher, former Cy Young award winner, Zach Greinke to the Milwaukee Brewers for four prospects. With the addition of those prospects the Royals have become the number one ranked farm system in baseball, which means they are loaded with young talent. Hopefully the organization can develop and keep their stable of youthful players, so that in four to five years from now, the action on the field will be just as entertaining to watch as the waterfalls found beyond the outfield walls at Kauffman Stadium.
The Cleveland Indians are another young team with not much to look forward to in 2011. The brightest note for the Indians this offseason was learning that the South Korean government granted military exemption to their best player, Shin Soo Choo. South Korea requires all male citizens serve two years of military duty before they turn 30. Choo, who turns 30 in 2012, helped South Korea win a Gold Medal at the 2010 Asian Games, as a reward South Korea dismissed his military obligations.
Indian fans will also see Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner returning to the line-up as they have healed from their respective injuries, for now that is. Nonetheless, even with Choo, Sizemore, and Hafner, the Indians have little hope of being a realistic contender in 2011.
The AL Central will come down to Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota. As for Cleveland and Kansas City, there is always next year.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Strike Two
After giving it some time to set in, it's time to comment on the unfortunate incident that involved the 2010 MVP runner-up. If you haven't heard, Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers was arrested last week after police found him intoxicated on the side of the road, sitting in his Range Rover with the engine smoking about 100 miles away from the Tigers spring training facility.
He was cited for a DUI and 2 counts of non-violent resisting of arrest. Police stated, Cabrera said, "Do you know who I am? You know nothing of my problems." After which, the Tigers superstar took a swig from his bottle of scotch. You may remember Cabrera was detained and held over night following a domestic disturbance in 2009, the night before the Tigers played the most important game of the season, game 162 with a playoff berth on the line. The Tigers would go on to lose the game and the eventual tiebreaker, game 163 and miss the playoffs. Miggy did all that he could on the field, defiantly hitting a 2-run homer as Twins fans chanted, "Al-co-hol-ic". The arrest did not distract Cabrera on the field as he went 3-5 in one of the greatest games I have ever watched. And I don't expect Cabrera to be distracted on the field this year. Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press called Miguel Cabrera, "a public menace" in an article he wrote last week. "Public menace" is a little extreme and dramatic even for the overzealous, Mitch Albom. Did Miguel mess up? Yes. Was he irresponsible in driving drunk? Of course. But a public menace? He wasn't "making it rain" in the strip club. He didn't shoot himself in the leg or any one's leg for that matter and he definitely wasn't training pit bulls to fight and kill each other. Compared to some of the trouble other superstar athletes have gotten into in recent years, Cabrera's offense is child's play and deserves nothing more than a spanking and a ten minute timeout in the corner.
Don't think I am taking this lightly, because I'm not... As a Tigers fan, I know we need him to be on the field if we are going to win in the tough AL Central. As a human being, I don't want to see someone hurting, especially someone whom I admire. Not everyone can handle the fame and fortune that comes with being one of the greatest players in the game. Some individuals turn to the bottle as a way to escape from their problems. Unfortunately, alcohol only seems to escalate the difficulties one may be having. Miguel needs help, and hopefully the Tigers front office are aware that this is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. I expect the organization will do whatever is possible in order to protect their $100+ million investment and help Miggy get his head straight and keep him on the field.
This was strike two for Cabrera, luckily in baseball, it's three strikes and you're out. Don't disappoint Miggy.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
American League East Preview
Spring training is underway and this fan is feeling warm and fuzzy inside because next season, is now. As always many big names have changed jerseys and the pecking order of many divisions has changed. The most notable changes may have taken place in the American League East. Despite these changes the AL East will come down to the usual suspects. Without further delay, the AL East Preview.
*Teams in order of predicted finish.
The Boston Red Sox
After a disappointing 2010 season in which they finished 3rd in the AL East, the Boston Red Sox revamped their offense acquiring first baseman Adrian Gonzalez from the San Diego Padres and signing top free agent, outfielder Carl Crawford.
Over the last four years, Gonzalez has averaged 34 home runs and 105 RBIs while playing half his games at pitcher friendly Petco Park. Moving to Boston and the sandbox sized dimensions of Fenway Park, Gonzalez should have no trouble improving on those already impressive slugging stats. Crawford, who signed a 7-year $142 million contract with the Red Sox, will bring some much needed speed to the line-up. Crawford swiped 47 bases last season and has stolen 50 or more bags 5 times in his career. The Red Sox on the other hand totaled 68 stolen bases as an entire team in 2010, good for 25th in all of baseball.
Last season the Red Sox were plagued by injuries, if Kevin Youkilis and former American League MVP Dustin Pedroia can stay healthy, if starting pitchers Josh Beckett and John Lacky can rebound from an off year and regain their past brilliance, if the new additions of Gonzalez and Crawford continue with their amazing all star careers, the Red Sox should find themselves in the driver seat of the AL East all season long.
The Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays parted ways with some big names this past off season. Besides the forementioned Carl Crawford, the Rays lost Carols Pena, Jason Bartlett, and a few of their top bullpen guys to free agency. They also traded pitching ace Matt Garza to the Cubs for 3 prospects.
In hopes of offsetting the departure of key players who helped the team win the division in 2010, the Rays signed former World Series Champion teammates, outfielders Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon. Depending on which Manny Ramirez shows up to the field, the Rays could of made a tremendous steal in getting him for one year at $2 million, some $40 million less than the last contract Ramirez signed two years ago. Chances are Manny is just looking to collect a paycheck and relax in the warm weather Tampa Bay has to offer, if that is the case, the Rays did not invest too much money on the gamble and have a lot of young talent waiting to breakout.
The most important factor of the Rays season will be rookie pitcher Jeremy Hellickson. He is the reason Tampa Bay felt they could trade Matt Garza. If "Hellboy" lives up to his nickname and the hype the Rays will have one of the strongest pitching staffs in the AL and will no doubt be contending for at least a wild card berth.
The New York Yankees
Pitching, pitching, pitching. Besides ace C.C. Sabathia, the Yankees starting rotation has caution signs everywhere. AJ Burnett is coming off a horrifying season in which he went 10-15 with a laughable ERA of 5.26. Not exactly the numbers a team wants their 5th starter to posses let alone their number 2. Futhermore, young gun Phil Hughes sputtered down the stretch, going 7-6 over the second half of the season, this after starting the year with a solid 11-2 record. Rounding out the Yankees rotation will be first time every day starters, Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre, don't expect teams to duck and cover when these two unknowns take the mound. On the bright side, the Yankees can still hit and score runs. The big bats of Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, and Mark Teixeira all return. And while the Yankees were unable to sign any big free agents, ala Pitcher Cliff Lee or Carl Crawford, they did manage to outbid themselves and over pay for the depleting skills of aging superstar, Derek Jeter, giving him $17 million a year for the next three.
I understand Jeter is an icon in New York and has done a lot for the Yankees organization over the last 15 years, but baseball is a business. If any franchise should know this, it's the Yankees. With or without Jeter, the fans were still going to come out to the ballpark, buy Yankee hats and T-Shirts, and cheer on New York with the same passion they always have. The New York Yankees sells itself. They don't need a face or name of the franchise, hell the Yankees don't even put names on the back of their jerseys! And with Jeter coming off career lows in home runs, hits, and batting average, (seasons in which he's played at least 85% of the games) I just don't see spending 51 million on a shortstop who numbers compare to Marco Scutaro and Ryan Theriot. Who is Ryan Theriot, you ask? Exactly.
Jeter aside, this game comes down to pitching, and the Yankees just don't have the strength in starting pitching, right now. Check back at the All-Star break when I'm sure the Yankees will have made some trades in order to right the ship.
The Baltimore Orioles
The O's were busy this off season and made a cannonball like splash with the signings of power hitting veterans Derek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero, as well as Mark "I'll strike out or hit it out" Reynolds. More importantly, after a season in which the team had 27 blown saves, the most in the major leagues, Oriole's fans can be a little less nervous when the 9th inning rolls around as the O's acquired closer Kevin Gregg, who had 37 saves in 2010 and four straight seasons of at least 23.
These new birds should make the O's much more entertaining to watch in 2011, but with depth lacking in the bullpen and in the starting rotation, the Orioles won't be competing for a pennant this year, although they are a very young team and are making steps in the right direction.
The Toronto Bule Jays
Like the Orioles, the Blue Jays are a young team. The farm system is impressive and the moves they made in the off season only added youthful talent to the franchise. The Jays traded Vernon Wells and his Andre the Giant size contract to free up some cash. That extra money will surely be used to ink the 2010 home run king, Jose Bautista, to a long term deal. Giving the Jays a superstar for years to come. They also dealt their strongest starting pitcher, Shawn Marcum, in exchange for a young hitting prospect. The theme here is the Blue Jays are rebuilding and won't be in the mix to win it at all this year.
Don't worry Blue Jay fans, all ten of you, the future is bright. 33 year-old GM, Alex Anthopoulos, is committed to building a contender the old fashioned way, through scouting and development. The Blue Jays can't out spend the Red Sox and Yankees, but maybe they can out think them. This model has worked for the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays in the past, whether or not this philosophy will work in Toronto remains to seen, but Jays fans should feel encouraged that their front office isn't content on rolling over and taking their beating from the bullies out east.
*Teams in order of predicted finish.
The Boston Red Sox
After a disappointing 2010 season in which they finished 3rd in the AL East, the Boston Red Sox revamped their offense acquiring first baseman Adrian Gonzalez from the San Diego Padres and signing top free agent, outfielder Carl Crawford.
Over the last four years, Gonzalez has averaged 34 home runs and 105 RBIs while playing half his games at pitcher friendly Petco Park. Moving to Boston and the sandbox sized dimensions of Fenway Park, Gonzalez should have no trouble improving on those already impressive slugging stats. Crawford, who signed a 7-year $142 million contract with the Red Sox, will bring some much needed speed to the line-up. Crawford swiped 47 bases last season and has stolen 50 or more bags 5 times in his career. The Red Sox on the other hand totaled 68 stolen bases as an entire team in 2010, good for 25th in all of baseball.
Last season the Red Sox were plagued by injuries, if Kevin Youkilis and former American League MVP Dustin Pedroia can stay healthy, if starting pitchers Josh Beckett and John Lacky can rebound from an off year and regain their past brilliance, if the new additions of Gonzalez and Crawford continue with their amazing all star careers, the Red Sox should find themselves in the driver seat of the AL East all season long.
The Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays parted ways with some big names this past off season. Besides the forementioned Carl Crawford, the Rays lost Carols Pena, Jason Bartlett, and a few of their top bullpen guys to free agency. They also traded pitching ace Matt Garza to the Cubs for 3 prospects.
In hopes of offsetting the departure of key players who helped the team win the division in 2010, the Rays signed former World Series Champion teammates, outfielders Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon. Depending on which Manny Ramirez shows up to the field, the Rays could of made a tremendous steal in getting him for one year at $2 million, some $40 million less than the last contract Ramirez signed two years ago. Chances are Manny is just looking to collect a paycheck and relax in the warm weather Tampa Bay has to offer, if that is the case, the Rays did not invest too much money on the gamble and have a lot of young talent waiting to breakout.
The most important factor of the Rays season will be rookie pitcher Jeremy Hellickson. He is the reason Tampa Bay felt they could trade Matt Garza. If "Hellboy" lives up to his nickname and the hype the Rays will have one of the strongest pitching staffs in the AL and will no doubt be contending for at least a wild card berth.
The New York Yankees
Pitching, pitching, pitching. Besides ace C.C. Sabathia, the Yankees starting rotation has caution signs everywhere. AJ Burnett is coming off a horrifying season in which he went 10-15 with a laughable ERA of 5.26. Not exactly the numbers a team wants their 5th starter to posses let alone their number 2. Futhermore, young gun Phil Hughes sputtered down the stretch, going 7-6 over the second half of the season, this after starting the year with a solid 11-2 record. Rounding out the Yankees rotation will be first time every day starters, Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre, don't expect teams to duck and cover when these two unknowns take the mound. On the bright side, the Yankees can still hit and score runs. The big bats of Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, and Mark Teixeira all return. And while the Yankees were unable to sign any big free agents, ala Pitcher Cliff Lee or Carl Crawford, they did manage to outbid themselves and over pay for the depleting skills of aging superstar, Derek Jeter, giving him $17 million a year for the next three.
I understand Jeter is an icon in New York and has done a lot for the Yankees organization over the last 15 years, but baseball is a business. If any franchise should know this, it's the Yankees. With or without Jeter, the fans were still going to come out to the ballpark, buy Yankee hats and T-Shirts, and cheer on New York with the same passion they always have. The New York Yankees sells itself. They don't need a face or name of the franchise, hell the Yankees don't even put names on the back of their jerseys! And with Jeter coming off career lows in home runs, hits, and batting average, (seasons in which he's played at least 85% of the games) I just don't see spending 51 million on a shortstop who numbers compare to Marco Scutaro and Ryan Theriot. Who is Ryan Theriot, you ask? Exactly.
Jeter aside, this game comes down to pitching, and the Yankees just don't have the strength in starting pitching, right now. Check back at the All-Star break when I'm sure the Yankees will have made some trades in order to right the ship.
The Baltimore Orioles
The O's were busy this off season and made a cannonball like splash with the signings of power hitting veterans Derek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero, as well as Mark "I'll strike out or hit it out" Reynolds. More importantly, after a season in which the team had 27 blown saves, the most in the major leagues, Oriole's fans can be a little less nervous when the 9th inning rolls around as the O's acquired closer Kevin Gregg, who had 37 saves in 2010 and four straight seasons of at least 23.
These new birds should make the O's much more entertaining to watch in 2011, but with depth lacking in the bullpen and in the starting rotation, the Orioles won't be competing for a pennant this year, although they are a very young team and are making steps in the right direction.
The Toronto Bule Jays
Like the Orioles, the Blue Jays are a young team. The farm system is impressive and the moves they made in the off season only added youthful talent to the franchise. The Jays traded Vernon Wells and his Andre the Giant size contract to free up some cash. That extra money will surely be used to ink the 2010 home run king, Jose Bautista, to a long term deal. Giving the Jays a superstar for years to come. They also dealt their strongest starting pitcher, Shawn Marcum, in exchange for a young hitting prospect. The theme here is the Blue Jays are rebuilding and won't be in the mix to win it at all this year.
Don't worry Blue Jay fans, all ten of you, the future is bright. 33 year-old GM, Alex Anthopoulos, is committed to building a contender the old fashioned way, through scouting and development. The Blue Jays can't out spend the Red Sox and Yankees, but maybe they can out think them. This model has worked for the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays in the past, whether or not this philosophy will work in Toronto remains to seen, but Jays fans should feel encouraged that their front office isn't content on rolling over and taking their beating from the bullies out east.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Jerry Sloan Steps Down
It's a sad day in the NBA as reports have been confirmed that longtime Utah Jazz coach, Jerry Sloan, is resigning. Sloan, was the longest tenured coach in all of professional sports, having coaching the Jazz for the past 23 years.
In a time in which teams change coaches like Manny Pacquiao changes weight classes, that's saying something. The society we live in is obsessed with flash and Hollywood stars, many people have probably never heard of Jerry Sloan nor do they appreciate what he has been doing in the NBA for the past couple of decades. This is not surprising since Sloan coached in Salt Lake City, a city not exactly on top of the list for the next season of MTV's Real World.
Truth is, Sloan was never fully appreciated among those who follow the NBA. During his time in Utah, Sloan became 3rd all-time in coaching wins. He racked 1,221 total victories before he resigned. Despite only one losing season, 8 division titles and two trips to the NBA Championship while with the Jazz, Sloan never won a "NBA Coach of the Year" award. Jerry Sloan was able to create a culture of winning in Utah even after high-profile superstars Karl Molone and John Stockton had left. This is impressive because NBA free agents aren't necessarily jumping at the chance to take their talents to Utah. Sloan took the players he was given and turned them into winners.
Now it seems this old school coach may no longer fit in with the new age, pampered athletes we see today. Apparently, Sloan and all-star point guard Deron Williams got into an argument after Wednesdays loss to the Chicago Bulls. It is rumored that Sloan called a play and Williams ignored his coaches orders and ran his own play.
Unfortunately, today's athletes believe they are bigger than the game and lack respect for their coaches and those who came before them. In Sloan's press conference he stated, "my time is up". When your players won't let you do your job, I suppose it is. Sloan resigned, he did not retire. This leaves a chance for a comeback. I hope to see him pacing down the sidelines in the future and if we as fans are lucky enough to see Jerry Sloan coach again, hopefully this time we'll appreciate the accomplishments we are witnessing and show this hall of fame coach the respect he deserves.
If you're interested in learning a little more about Jerry Sloan, ESPN has a great article about him.
In a time in which teams change coaches like Manny Pacquiao changes weight classes, that's saying something. The society we live in is obsessed with flash and Hollywood stars, many people have probably never heard of Jerry Sloan nor do they appreciate what he has been doing in the NBA for the past couple of decades. This is not surprising since Sloan coached in Salt Lake City, a city not exactly on top of the list for the next season of MTV's Real World.
Truth is, Sloan was never fully appreciated among those who follow the NBA. During his time in Utah, Sloan became 3rd all-time in coaching wins. He racked 1,221 total victories before he resigned. Despite only one losing season, 8 division titles and two trips to the NBA Championship while with the Jazz, Sloan never won a "NBA Coach of the Year" award. Jerry Sloan was able to create a culture of winning in Utah even after high-profile superstars Karl Molone and John Stockton had left. This is impressive because NBA free agents aren't necessarily jumping at the chance to take their talents to Utah. Sloan took the players he was given and turned them into winners.
Now it seems this old school coach may no longer fit in with the new age, pampered athletes we see today. Apparently, Sloan and all-star point guard Deron Williams got into an argument after Wednesdays loss to the Chicago Bulls. It is rumored that Sloan called a play and Williams ignored his coaches orders and ran his own play.
Unfortunately, today's athletes believe they are bigger than the game and lack respect for their coaches and those who came before them. In Sloan's press conference he stated, "my time is up". When your players won't let you do your job, I suppose it is. Sloan resigned, he did not retire. This leaves a chance for a comeback. I hope to see him pacing down the sidelines in the future and if we as fans are lucky enough to see Jerry Sloan coach again, hopefully this time we'll appreciate the accomplishments we are witnessing and show this hall of fame coach the respect he deserves.
If you're interested in learning a little more about Jerry Sloan, ESPN has a great article about him.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Baseball Preview, Preview
Football is over, and that means only one thing... February, 14th, Valentine's Day, the day to show that special someone how you feel, or more importantly, that is the day pitchers and catchers report for the start of spring training, which means we'll be six weeks away from opening day!
The 2011 MLB season gets under way when the Detroit Tigers visit the New York Yankees. The game will showcase two of the best hurlers in the game, Detroit's $100 million man, Justin Verlander, and New York's ace, C.C. Sabathia. Tigers owner, Mike Ilitch, wasn't shy in opening his wallet this off-season as the Tigers added power to their line-up, signing C/DH Victor Martinez, and some much needed depth to their pitching staff with the acquisitions of veteran players like reliever Jaoquin Benoit and starter Brad Penny. The Yankees on the other hand, had an uncharacteristically quiet off-season. Unable to sign the big free agents they had hoped, in particular pitcher Cliff Lee, and with the retirement of Andy Pettitte, the Yankees may find themselves unable to keep up with bitter rival and newly stacked Boston Red Sox...
Starting next week and continuing until opening day, I will be breaking down all six divisions in baseball and giving my post-season picks and award winners.
BASEBALL!!!!!!!!!!
The 2011 MLB season gets under way when the Detroit Tigers visit the New York Yankees. The game will showcase two of the best hurlers in the game, Detroit's $100 million man, Justin Verlander, and New York's ace, C.C. Sabathia. Tigers owner, Mike Ilitch, wasn't shy in opening his wallet this off-season as the Tigers added power to their line-up, signing C/DH Victor Martinez, and some much needed depth to their pitching staff with the acquisitions of veteran players like reliever Jaoquin Benoit and starter Brad Penny. The Yankees on the other hand, had an uncharacteristically quiet off-season. Unable to sign the big free agents they had hoped, in particular pitcher Cliff Lee, and with the retirement of Andy Pettitte, the Yankees may find themselves unable to keep up with bitter rival and newly stacked Boston Red Sox...
Starting next week and continuing until opening day, I will be breaking down all six divisions in baseball and giving my post-season picks and award winners.
BASEBALL!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Super Bowl XLV, a Game for the Ages
On Sunday, Febuary 6th, over 100 million Americans will pack into bars and living rooms to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. The most anticipated sporting event of the year draws interest from the face painting fanatics and the guys who couldn't tell what a safety means just the same. It is a time for nachos, hot dogs, and of course beer. You can wager on everything from the score, to the color of the Gatorade that gets poured onto the winning coach. And at a cost of $2.5 million per 30 second spot, lets not forget about the highly popular Super Bowl ads. For some, the commercials will be the highlight and most talked about theme around the water coolers on Monday, but not here.
Super Bowl XLV will bring us two of the most storied franchises in all of sports. Two fan bases whose passion for their teams is unmatched. Straight out of the heartland of America, these cities help build our country with a blue collar work ethic and a tough as steel attitude. It is only fitting that the demeanor of these teams represent the soul of their hometowns. Ranked as the number one and two defenses during the regular season, the Packers and Steelers play football the way it was meant to be played, hit 'em hard and hit 'em often. The games defensive player of the year, Steelers Safety Troy Polamalu will be hounding the offense and Aaron Rodgers every chance he gets, while runner up to the award, Packers Linebacker Clay Matthews will be wreaking his own havoc as he tries to get after the elusive "Big" Ben Roethlisberger. People love touchdowns, but keep an eye on these talented defenses on Sunday and you'll see the team without the football is just as entertaining as the team with the football.
The Steelers are looking for their third Championship in seven years and seventh over all, adding to their record. The key to success for the Steelers will fall on the wide shoulders of their quarterback, the 6'5, 240lbs Ben Roethlisberger. Put all of Roethlisbergers off the field troubles aside, and you'll find a competitor who can get the job done. Roethlisberger isn't as flashy as Peyton Manning or as well liked by the ladies as Tom Brady, but he's as strong as a grizzly bear. He already has two Super Bowl rings and he's still in his twenties.
The Steelers win in some of the ugliest ways imaginable - low scoring battles in which they turn the ball over, give up leads, and eventually come from behind. When the game is on the line, Ben Roethlisberger makes plays. That is why I consider him this generations Brett Favre. He may throw two or three interceptions, but with the game in the balance, he'll make one throw that will have you scratching your head and you'll temporally forget about the off field non-sense and appreciate the presence of a champion. That's exactly how I see it going down on Sunday. Pittsburgh wins 24-17, after a late touchdown strike from Roethlisberger to Mike Wallace with three minutes left in the game and the Steelers defense holding strong and fending off the Green Bay Packers final attack.
Super Bowl XLV will bring us two of the most storied franchises in all of sports. Two fan bases whose passion for their teams is unmatched. Straight out of the heartland of America, these cities help build our country with a blue collar work ethic and a tough as steel attitude. It is only fitting that the demeanor of these teams represent the soul of their hometowns. Ranked as the number one and two defenses during the regular season, the Packers and Steelers play football the way it was meant to be played, hit 'em hard and hit 'em often. The games defensive player of the year, Steelers Safety Troy Polamalu will be hounding the offense and Aaron Rodgers every chance he gets, while runner up to the award, Packers Linebacker Clay Matthews will be wreaking his own havoc as he tries to get after the elusive "Big" Ben Roethlisberger. People love touchdowns, but keep an eye on these talented defenses on Sunday and you'll see the team without the football is just as entertaining as the team with the football.
The Steelers are looking for their third Championship in seven years and seventh over all, adding to their record. The key to success for the Steelers will fall on the wide shoulders of their quarterback, the 6'5, 240lbs Ben Roethlisberger. Put all of Roethlisbergers off the field troubles aside, and you'll find a competitor who can get the job done. Roethlisberger isn't as flashy as Peyton Manning or as well liked by the ladies as Tom Brady, but he's as strong as a grizzly bear. He already has two Super Bowl rings and he's still in his twenties.
The Steelers win in some of the ugliest ways imaginable - low scoring battles in which they turn the ball over, give up leads, and eventually come from behind. When the game is on the line, Ben Roethlisberger makes plays. That is why I consider him this generations Brett Favre. He may throw two or three interceptions, but with the game in the balance, he'll make one throw that will have you scratching your head and you'll temporally forget about the off field non-sense and appreciate the presence of a champion. That's exactly how I see it going down on Sunday. Pittsburgh wins 24-17, after a late touchdown strike from Roethlisberger to Mike Wallace with three minutes left in the game and the Steelers defense holding strong and fending off the Green Bay Packers final attack.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Waiting on the King to Return
Golf, the ultimate mental game. Someone once said that golf is 30% mental, 60% physical, and 10% luck. Any golfer will tell you that the mental part plays a way bigger part than 30%. Tiger Woods is the prime example of the great amount the mind plays in golf. Woods is undoubtedly the greatest golfer of all-time. He has made shots no other man could come close to duplicating. He has destroyed his competitors for years and has been renowned as the best in the sport ever since eradicating the field at the Masters in 1997.
Things have been very different since Tiger's return to golf, following a brief hiatus after the well publicized sex-scandal that came about in November of 2009. Tiger wasn't the same competitor last season. For the first time in his career, he failed to win a single golf tournament and has since dropped to the number 3 ranked golfer in the world. What happened to the future hall of famer? Did his skill and determination simply vanish? Not exactly. Tiger had numerous stressors consuming him and the scrutiny of the public eye was upon him in a way he had never known. These stressors were effecting his focus and he simply wasn't in the game mentally. In a sport such as golf that demands high levels of mental strength, even the world's number one golfer couldn't offset the cognitive strain that was damaging his game. The golf course was no escape and he couldn't hide from his impending divorce or the circus that had become his life.
The 2011 golf season is just underway and Tiger Woods made his debut at the Farmers Insurance Open, played at a familiar venue, Torrey Pines. If you look at the scorecard it didn't appear to be a successful weekend. Tiger finished tied for 44th and 15 strokes behind the event's winner, Bubba Watson. What wasn't shown on the scorecard was the massive gallery that stalked Woods on Sunday. Even when he is not in contention, Tiger is still the most important golfer on the course. Fans want to see Tiger Woods and they want to see him succeed. Another variable you can't measure from a scorecard is emotion and Tiger's emotion is back! You can see the fuel beginning to burn in his eyes. Something that was missing last year. Slamming his clubs, cussing, yelling "TIGER!" is apart of his game. A part that made him genuine. Last week we saw some club slamming and a little yelling. These are steps in the right direction. Tiger is not back yet, he is the first to admit that, but he is rejuvenated and determined. With most of his troubles seemingly in his rear view mirror, winning is just around "Amen's Corner" for the greatest golfer to ever step up to a tee box. In 2011 the "King of Golf" returns.
Things have been very different since Tiger's return to golf, following a brief hiatus after the well publicized sex-scandal that came about in November of 2009. Tiger wasn't the same competitor last season. For the first time in his career, he failed to win a single golf tournament and has since dropped to the number 3 ranked golfer in the world. What happened to the future hall of famer? Did his skill and determination simply vanish? Not exactly. Tiger had numerous stressors consuming him and the scrutiny of the public eye was upon him in a way he had never known. These stressors were effecting his focus and he simply wasn't in the game mentally. In a sport such as golf that demands high levels of mental strength, even the world's number one golfer couldn't offset the cognitive strain that was damaging his game. The golf course was no escape and he couldn't hide from his impending divorce or the circus that had become his life.
The 2011 golf season is just underway and Tiger Woods made his debut at the Farmers Insurance Open, played at a familiar venue, Torrey Pines. If you look at the scorecard it didn't appear to be a successful weekend. Tiger finished tied for 44th and 15 strokes behind the event's winner, Bubba Watson. What wasn't shown on the scorecard was the massive gallery that stalked Woods on Sunday. Even when he is not in contention, Tiger is still the most important golfer on the course. Fans want to see Tiger Woods and they want to see him succeed. Another variable you can't measure from a scorecard is emotion and Tiger's emotion is back! You can see the fuel beginning to burn in his eyes. Something that was missing last year. Slamming his clubs, cussing, yelling "TIGER!" is apart of his game. A part that made him genuine. Last week we saw some club slamming and a little yelling. These are steps in the right direction. Tiger is not back yet, he is the first to admit that, but he is rejuvenated and determined. With most of his troubles seemingly in his rear view mirror, winning is just around "Amen's Corner" for the greatest golfer to ever step up to a tee box. In 2011 the "King of Golf" returns.
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