So I didn't get the chance to blog in depth yesterday (had to study for my last final of the year), but two dominant starts deserve to be touched on, as do how I feel about the team they affect.
Brad Penny and the Los Angeles Dodgers (19 - 14)
First things first, Brad Penny's performance on Monday was nothing short of masterful. 7 innings pitched, 5 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and 14 strikeouts. For a guy that walks a lot of batters and doesn't strike out many, this game was certainly uncharacteristic; in a great way for Dodger fans.
I have mixed feelings from what I've seen from the Dodgers. The team that was a popular World Series pick before the season started just doesn't do it for me. They are a good team. They have a good offense, a good pitching staff, a good bullpen. Good. Not great. I think that good/consistent may very well win them the race in the NL West, where the teams with great pitching also have BAD offenses (San Fransisco, San Diego). But at this point if I were picking teams out of the NL West, I would definitely put the Mets ahead of the Dodgers, and you could make a case for the Braves. But one team I'd definitely take over the Dodgers right now is...
Chris Capuano and the Milwaukee Brewers (23 - 10)
Monday's 8 innings pitched, 7 hits, o runs, and 9 strikeouts improved Capuano's season to 5 - 0. I've gotten into a few arguments over the last few days over the Brewers and whether or not they are legit. Get used to them, because they are.
Needless to say, they can't keep up this torrent pace, or they will win 113 games. They will, however, take the NL Central.
I knew coming into the year that this team would have one of the best pitching staffs in the league. Ben Sheets is a true ace that when healthy is nearly impossible to hit. Capuano is almost as good. Rounding out the rotation are Jeff Suppan, a veteran that may not have the best stuff, but is a leader and a winner, Dave Bush, who I still feel will improve as this season goes on and pressure is taken off of him, and Claudio Vargas, who is a more than able 5th pitcher. If anyone goes down with injury, young Carlos Villanueva (currently in the bullpen) will make an excellent replacement starter.
My question was on offense... who does this team have? Well, it seems that young guns Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder, and JJ Hardy are ready to be key players RIGHT NOW. The offense is young and explosive. You could argue that Hardy will cool down, but I would then argue that Weeks and Bill Hall are due to heat up. A couple of capable veterans round off the lineup of a team that I think will take the NL Central.
No? Who will? The Cards will have a tough time doing it with their aging bats and without Chris Carpenter. The Astros don't have the talent. The Pirates don't have the offense. The Reds don't have the bullpen. The Cubs? Well, somehow they've been blowing fantastic pitching; and I don't
think Lilly and Marquis can keep it up, anyways.
Look out; the Brew Crew just might be legit.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Tonight's the night
I haven't shut up about him for about a month, so why not bring him up once (who am I kidding, probably twice) more tonight?
Some guys you might remember from last year, and their most recent year in Triple A.
Fransisco Liriano: 91.1 IP, 9 - 2, 1.78 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 122 Ks
Jered Weaver: 77.0 IP, 6 - 1, 2.10 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 93 Ks
Cole Hamels: 23.0 IP, 2 - 0, 0.39 ERA, 0.48 WHIP, 36 Ks
(Justin Verlander did not pitch in Triple A).
It was no wonder why I was so excited about Cole Hamels and Jered Weaver's mid-season call ups, especially Cole Hamels. Look at those numbers. And, after a rocky start, he settled down and pitched brilliantly in his last 10 games. He is one of my top 5 favorite pitchers, and will be a top 10 pitcher in the league very, very soon.
Did I mention he is pitching for the Phillies tonight?
Any time Cole Hamels is pitching, and its televised nationwide on ESPN, you should watch. It is masterful.
But then, of course, there's the other guy going for the Giants tonight... was it Tim Lincecum?
Was it Triple A: 31.0 IP, 4 - 0, 0.29 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 46 Ks?
Yes, it was.
Please read that line one more time before you continue . There aren't any typos.
On display tonight are two brilliant young arms, and two guys that have all the makings to be stars in the league for a long, long time.
ESPN, 5:05 PM pacific time. You really shouldn't be watching anything else.
Bonds who?
Some guys you might remember from last year, and their most recent year in Triple A.
Fransisco Liriano: 91.1 IP, 9 - 2, 1.78 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 122 Ks
Jered Weaver: 77.0 IP, 6 - 1, 2.10 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 93 Ks
Cole Hamels: 23.0 IP, 2 - 0, 0.39 ERA, 0.48 WHIP, 36 Ks
(Justin Verlander did not pitch in Triple A).
It was no wonder why I was so excited about Cole Hamels and Jered Weaver's mid-season call ups, especially Cole Hamels. Look at those numbers. And, after a rocky start, he settled down and pitched brilliantly in his last 10 games. He is one of my top 5 favorite pitchers, and will be a top 10 pitcher in the league very, very soon.
Did I mention he is pitching for the Phillies tonight?
Any time Cole Hamels is pitching, and its televised nationwide on ESPN, you should watch. It is masterful.
But then, of course, there's the other guy going for the Giants tonight... was it Tim Lincecum?
Was it Triple A: 31.0 IP, 4 - 0, 0.29 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 46 Ks?
Yes, it was.
Please read that line one more time before you continue . There aren't any typos.
On display tonight are two brilliant young arms, and two guys that have all the makings to be stars in the league for a long, long time.
ESPN, 5:05 PM pacific time. You really shouldn't be watching anything else.
Bonds who?
How the West was(n't) won
Lets go over the FACTS of these NBA playoffs. Not predictions. Go back and read anything anyone wrote. 99% agree on these simple facts.
Detroit Pistons will win the East.
Mavs, Suns, Spurs, Rockets move on to the second round.
Mavs face the Rockets and win.
Suns/Spurs play a great series. Winner of that series plays the Mavs.
Winner of the Mavs VS. Suns/Spurs series beats the Pistons.
World Champion crowned.
Hmmmm...
Well, the Pistons, Suns, and Spurs have held up their end of the deal. Give the Spurs the most credit, as they had to fight off a pretty pesky Denver Nuggets team to get to where they are now. But, granted, now they play the Suns; and worry about the Mavs later.
Wait a second.
Golden State Warriors VS. Utah Jazz?
I'm sorry, what?
Isn't this the West? Where big men dominate? Where dominating inside the key is the only way to succeed? Where Shaq and Duncan won so many championships doing exactly that?
Why is Yao Ming at home?
And why, oh why, even if they ARE a perimeter team, are the Dallas Mavericks golfing in the first week of May?
It isn't THAT crazy that you can't say that the winner of the Spurs/Suns series is going to win it all with any amount of confidence.
What is crazy about it, however, is that the Jazz and the Warriors might actually be scarier than the Mavericks and Rockets. Not just because they beat them, but because they play a style of basketball that when clicking and when hot; there just really isn't much of a way to stop.
Hats off to you, NBA. The country's most predictable sport has thrown two huge curve balls early in these playoffs. Suns/Spurs VS. Jazz/Warriors can't just be chalked up as a 5 game series anymore. The underdogs are actually showing up to play, and for probably the first time in basketball history, I'd say the NBA's first round was madder than the NCAA's.
May Madness, anyone?
Anyone?
Detroit Pistons will win the East.
Mavs, Suns, Spurs, Rockets move on to the second round.
Mavs face the Rockets and win.
Suns/Spurs play a great series. Winner of that series plays the Mavs.
Winner of the Mavs VS. Suns/Spurs series beats the Pistons.
World Champion crowned.
Hmmmm...
Well, the Pistons, Suns, and Spurs have held up their end of the deal. Give the Spurs the most credit, as they had to fight off a pretty pesky Denver Nuggets team to get to where they are now. But, granted, now they play the Suns; and worry about the Mavs later.
Wait a second.
Golden State Warriors VS. Utah Jazz?
I'm sorry, what?
Isn't this the West? Where big men dominate? Where dominating inside the key is the only way to succeed? Where Shaq and Duncan won so many championships doing exactly that?
Why is Yao Ming at home?
And why, oh why, even if they ARE a perimeter team, are the Dallas Mavericks golfing in the first week of May?
It isn't THAT crazy that you can't say that the winner of the Spurs/Suns series is going to win it all with any amount of confidence.
What is crazy about it, however, is that the Jazz and the Warriors might actually be scarier than the Mavericks and Rockets. Not just because they beat them, but because they play a style of basketball that when clicking and when hot; there just really isn't much of a way to stop.
Hats off to you, NBA. The country's most predictable sport has thrown two huge curve balls early in these playoffs. Suns/Spurs VS. Jazz/Warriors can't just be chalked up as a 5 game series anymore. The underdogs are actually showing up to play, and for probably the first time in basketball history, I'd say the NBA's first round was madder than the NCAA's.
May Madness, anyone?
Anyone?
Major sports take the back seat for a day
National Football League.
National Basketball Association.
Major League Baseball.
National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing.
National Hockey League.
Not today.
Sure, the NBA had an exciting Game 7 between the Rockets and the Jazz which I'll cover in another post. They also got their 1st 2nd round series under way, as the Pistons easily handled the Bulls at home. But the nation wasn't really watching.
Yeah, the NHL had a few cruicial Game 5s . One sent the New Jersey Devils home packing, and the other gave the Red Wings a key 3 - 2 series lead over the Sharks. Even less people were watching then usual.
Baseball had a whole day's worth of action, but they aren't even in the playoffs. They stood no chance.
Today, it was all about horses and boxers.
The Kentucky Derby, the greatest tradition in horse racing and step one towards winning the elusive Triple Crown, was the main focal point of the afternoon.
One of the race's favorites, Street Sense, did not disappoint, racing all the way from the 19th position to beat out the rest of the pack and win it all. It was an exciting race, especially due to the race Hard Spun ran. I picked Hard Spun before the race to do some damage, and very early on in the race, he jumped out to an early lead. Front runners almost always fade, especially in a race of this magnitude; but not Hard Spun. He got such good separation from the rest of the pack and somehow kept his pace that it actually looked like he had a shot to win right down to the wire; it took a great effort by Street Sense to beat him. Horse racing really is an incredible sport, and it is ashame that it had to take the undercard today to the big fight.
I picked Mayweather, but I never got around to blogging about it; which is probably good, because judging how the rest of my predictions went today, I probably would have made him lose. You can't ever count De La Hoya out of any fight; his good looks sometimes distract people from how excellent of a boxer he is. And he has fought any and all comers; and those who have beaten him have certainly had their hands full while doing so. He's got heart, smarts, and a world of talent; but Floyd Mayweather really is THAT good.
He doesn't box spectacularly; he doesn't need to. With technique, speed, defense, and patience, he can outwill and outlast any boxer he faces. Neither boxer got knocked down, and De La Hoya fans (and somewhat ridiculously Judge Tom Kaczmarek) obviously wanted to believe De La Hoya won the fight, but look no further than the stats; Mayweather landed more punches while throwing over 100 less (207 of 481 to De La Hoya's 122 of 587), and landed more power punches (138) then De La Hoya landed punches all together (he had 82 registered power punches).
Love him or hate him, Mayweather is damn good. I love him. I love that he embraces the villain reputation. Everyone hates Barry Bonds, but Barry doesn't go around ripping his opponents to shreds verbally. Barry doesn't talk about how Hank Aaron is old and week and how he's going to snatch that old man's record from his hands. Barry is a villain because of his actions. Mayweather is a villain because he can be. What better picture to use as the first image to grace the Dime;
The man came out wearing the colors of the Mexican flag and a huge sombrero. Are you kidding me? He loves every minute of it; and he can back it up, too. He's a perfect character for the sport of boxing; and if it could be saved, he'd have something to do with it.
But after tonight, I'm beginning to think it can't be. As much as people were hyped for this fight, plenty of people I talked to weren't going to get to see it; they weren't going to order it for $55, and they didn't have any friends willing to, either. The fact that they have to charge for the larger fights; because boxing doesn't gross enough to survive without pay-per-view; absolutely kills any chance that it can raise in popularity.
On top of that, the amount of time off a boxer needs to prepare for his next fight is also a buzz-kill of sorts for the sport. It can't really be avoided, but lets say a ton of people got pumped up for this fight, and are now either huge Mayweather fans OR they can't wait to see him get beat. How long do they have to wait until his next fight? And unlike De La Hoya, his next fight likely won't be nearly as big or exciting of a name. So after this fight, the one that would supposedly "save boxing", one of the stars is facing retirement, and the other is facing a year or more off before we get to see him in the ring again; against someone who isn't as fun to watch as De La Hoya was.
The last reason boxing is beyond saving? The heavyweight division. Greats of the sport come in all shapes and sizes and are of all weight classes, no one is denying that. But heavyweight boxing really is boxing at its best; the biggest, the strongest, and the simple fact that one punch can always end it. Lennox Lewis was great, but he had no one to fight. Nowadays...
World Champion Wladimir Klitschko, Ray Austin, Samuel Peter, Lamon Brewster, and Chris Byrd are the top 5 ranked heavyweights.
Who, who, who, who, and who?
I'm exaggerating slightly; I knew who Klitschko was before I looked it up. But the point remains, not only does boxing need some great talent/character combos like Mayweather (and by character I don't mean great guy, I mean like personality), but it needs lots of them. And they need to fight each other and create some exciting rivalries. How do you take a sport that no one cares about with a bunch of guys you can't market and make it into the great sport it once was?
If you find out, give the NHL a call too. Thanks.
National Basketball Association.
Major League Baseball.
National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing.
National Hockey League.
Not today.
Sure, the NBA had an exciting Game 7 between the Rockets and the Jazz which I'll cover in another post. They also got their 1st 2nd round series under way, as the Pistons easily handled the Bulls at home. But the nation wasn't really watching.
Yeah, the NHL had a few cruicial Game 5s . One sent the New Jersey Devils home packing, and the other gave the Red Wings a key 3 - 2 series lead over the Sharks. Even less people were watching then usual.
Baseball had a whole day's worth of action, but they aren't even in the playoffs. They stood no chance.
Today, it was all about horses and boxers.
The Kentucky Derby, the greatest tradition in horse racing and step one towards winning the elusive Triple Crown, was the main focal point of the afternoon.
One of the race's favorites, Street Sense, did not disappoint, racing all the way from the 19th position to beat out the rest of the pack and win it all. It was an exciting race, especially due to the race Hard Spun ran. I picked Hard Spun before the race to do some damage, and very early on in the race, he jumped out to an early lead. Front runners almost always fade, especially in a race of this magnitude; but not Hard Spun. He got such good separation from the rest of the pack and somehow kept his pace that it actually looked like he had a shot to win right down to the wire; it took a great effort by Street Sense to beat him. Horse racing really is an incredible sport, and it is ashame that it had to take the undercard today to the big fight.
I picked Mayweather, but I never got around to blogging about it; which is probably good, because judging how the rest of my predictions went today, I probably would have made him lose. You can't ever count De La Hoya out of any fight; his good looks sometimes distract people from how excellent of a boxer he is. And he has fought any and all comers; and those who have beaten him have certainly had their hands full while doing so. He's got heart, smarts, and a world of talent; but Floyd Mayweather really is THAT good.
He doesn't box spectacularly; he doesn't need to. With technique, speed, defense, and patience, he can outwill and outlast any boxer he faces. Neither boxer got knocked down, and De La Hoya fans (and somewhat ridiculously Judge Tom Kaczmarek) obviously wanted to believe De La Hoya won the fight, but look no further than the stats; Mayweather landed more punches while throwing over 100 less (207 of 481 to De La Hoya's 122 of 587), and landed more power punches (138) then De La Hoya landed punches all together (he had 82 registered power punches).
Love him or hate him, Mayweather is damn good. I love him. I love that he embraces the villain reputation. Everyone hates Barry Bonds, but Barry doesn't go around ripping his opponents to shreds verbally. Barry doesn't talk about how Hank Aaron is old and week and how he's going to snatch that old man's record from his hands. Barry is a villain because of his actions. Mayweather is a villain because he can be. What better picture to use as the first image to grace the Dime;
The man came out wearing the colors of the Mexican flag and a huge sombrero. Are you kidding me? He loves every minute of it; and he can back it up, too. He's a perfect character for the sport of boxing; and if it could be saved, he'd have something to do with it.But after tonight, I'm beginning to think it can't be. As much as people were hyped for this fight, plenty of people I talked to weren't going to get to see it; they weren't going to order it for $55, and they didn't have any friends willing to, either. The fact that they have to charge for the larger fights; because boxing doesn't gross enough to survive without pay-per-view; absolutely kills any chance that it can raise in popularity.
On top of that, the amount of time off a boxer needs to prepare for his next fight is also a buzz-kill of sorts for the sport. It can't really be avoided, but lets say a ton of people got pumped up for this fight, and are now either huge Mayweather fans OR they can't wait to see him get beat. How long do they have to wait until his next fight? And unlike De La Hoya, his next fight likely won't be nearly as big or exciting of a name. So after this fight, the one that would supposedly "save boxing", one of the stars is facing retirement, and the other is facing a year or more off before we get to see him in the ring again; against someone who isn't as fun to watch as De La Hoya was.
The last reason boxing is beyond saving? The heavyweight division. Greats of the sport come in all shapes and sizes and are of all weight classes, no one is denying that. But heavyweight boxing really is boxing at its best; the biggest, the strongest, and the simple fact that one punch can always end it. Lennox Lewis was great, but he had no one to fight. Nowadays...
World Champion Wladimir Klitschko, Ray Austin, Samuel Peter, Lamon Brewster, and Chris Byrd are the top 5 ranked heavyweights.
Who, who, who, who, and who?
I'm exaggerating slightly; I knew who Klitschko was before I looked it up. But the point remains, not only does boxing need some great talent/character combos like Mayweather (and by character I don't mean great guy, I mean like personality), but it needs lots of them. And they need to fight each other and create some exciting rivalries. How do you take a sport that no one cares about with a bunch of guys you can't market and make it into the great sport it once was?
If you find out, give the NHL a call too. Thanks.
What was going on with pitchers Saturday?
Here is a fun game. Even more fun if you didn't see yesterday's box scores.
Multiple Choice:
1) Who does this line belong to: 7.1 IP, 3 hits, 1 walk, 0 runs, 2 strikeouts, and the win
a) Scott Kazmir VS. Oakland Athletics
b) Matt Albers @ St. Louis Cardinals
c) Rich Hill VS. Washington Nationals
2) Who brought a perfect game into the 8th inning (retired 22 straight batters to start the game) and finished up with the win and this line: 8.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 4 strikeouts?
a) Johan Santana VS. Boston Red Sox
b) Tim Hudson VS. Los Angeles Dodgers
c) Chien-Ming Wang VS. Seattle Mariners
3) Which of the following did not give up 4 or more runs today?
a) John Lackey VS. Chicago White Sox
b) Roy Halladay VS. Toronto Blue Jays
c) Brandon Webb VS. New York Mets
d) Aaron Harang VS. Colorado Rockies
e) None of the above
Answers:
1) b) Matt Albers @ St. Louis Cardinals
Rookie Matt Albers was masterful against a struggling Cardinals team, earning himself a spot among the best outings of the day.
2) c) Chien-Ming Wang VS. Seattle Mariners
Huh? Well, more power to him. The problem with a perfect game is that you have to be perfect; and one mistake pitch to Ben Broussard in the eighth broke up the perfect game, the no-hitter, and the shutout in one foul swoop; a home-run. Look out Yankee haters; the team has gone through its annual slump to start off the season; now it will start its annual rise back into contention.
3) e) None of the above
Not surprising that on one of the unluckiest days of my life (highlighted by losing a $100 poker tournament, my fantasy team blowing a huge lead, losing 8 of my 9 picks of the day, getting confirmation that I failed a class, and of course, having my tire slashed by someone for no good reason), 4 of the league's aces would struggle; 3 of them I picked to win their respective games (Lackey 4 runs, Harang 5 runs, The Doc 9 runs) and 1 of them is on my fantasy team (Webb 5 runs).
Guess thats why you actually play the games, huh?
Multiple Choice:
1) Who does this line belong to: 7.1 IP, 3 hits, 1 walk, 0 runs, 2 strikeouts, and the win
a) Scott Kazmir VS. Oakland Athletics
b) Matt Albers @ St. Louis Cardinals
c) Rich Hill VS. Washington Nationals
2) Who brought a perfect game into the 8th inning (retired 22 straight batters to start the game) and finished up with the win and this line: 8.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 4 strikeouts?
a) Johan Santana VS. Boston Red Sox
b) Tim Hudson VS. Los Angeles Dodgers
c) Chien-Ming Wang VS. Seattle Mariners
3) Which of the following did not give up 4 or more runs today?
a) John Lackey VS. Chicago White Sox
b) Roy Halladay VS. Toronto Blue Jays
c) Brandon Webb VS. New York Mets
d) Aaron Harang VS. Colorado Rockies
e) None of the above
Answers:
1) b) Matt Albers @ St. Louis Cardinals
Rookie Matt Albers was masterful against a struggling Cardinals team, earning himself a spot among the best outings of the day.
2) c) Chien-Ming Wang VS. Seattle Mariners
Huh? Well, more power to him. The problem with a perfect game is that you have to be perfect; and one mistake pitch to Ben Broussard in the eighth broke up the perfect game, the no-hitter, and the shutout in one foul swoop; a home-run. Look out Yankee haters; the team has gone through its annual slump to start off the season; now it will start its annual rise back into contention.
3) e) None of the above
Not surprising that on one of the unluckiest days of my life (highlighted by losing a $100 poker tournament, my fantasy team blowing a huge lead, losing 8 of my 9 picks of the day, getting confirmation that I failed a class, and of course, having my tire slashed by someone for no good reason), 4 of the league's aces would struggle; 3 of them I picked to win their respective games (Lackey 4 runs, Harang 5 runs, The Doc 9 runs) and 1 of them is on my fantasy team (Webb 5 runs).
Guess thats why you actually play the games, huh?
Saturday, May 5, 2007
And I thought 34 seconds was bad...
Try 8 seconds.
The New York Rangers certainly did.
And, unlike the Shark game which only tied the series up at 2 - 2, this game was the pivotal game 5.
How pivotal? Well, when two teams head into Game 5 with the series tied up at 2 apiece, the winner of it goes on to win the series 80% of the time.
That is a real stat, not just one of my made up percentages for dramatic effect.
The Rangers broke a scoreless game and grabbed a 1 goal lead with less then 5 minutes to go. The home Buffalo crowd was stunned silent. This series would end in 6; the Rangers would close it out at home.
Chris Drury, who is not only my favorite non-King hockey player but also happens to be one of the most clutch players in the NHL come playoff time, buried a game tying goal with 8 seconds left, also burying the Rangers in 6 theory.
Maxim Afinogenov made it official in overtime, scoring the game winner just a few minutes in.
How quickly the tides can turn. One minute you are cruising to victory, not only in the game, but likely in the series; and the next, you are on the brink of elimination.
Please try and tell me there is anything better than playoff hockey?
The New York Rangers certainly did.
And, unlike the Shark game which only tied the series up at 2 - 2, this game was the pivotal game 5.
How pivotal? Well, when two teams head into Game 5 with the series tied up at 2 apiece, the winner of it goes on to win the series 80% of the time.
That is a real stat, not just one of my made up percentages for dramatic effect.
The Rangers broke a scoreless game and grabbed a 1 goal lead with less then 5 minutes to go. The home Buffalo crowd was stunned silent. This series would end in 6; the Rangers would close it out at home.
Chris Drury, who is not only my favorite non-King hockey player but also happens to be one of the most clutch players in the NHL come playoff time, buried a game tying goal with 8 seconds left, also burying the Rangers in 6 theory.
Maxim Afinogenov made it official in overtime, scoring the game winner just a few minutes in.
How quickly the tides can turn. One minute you are cruising to victory, not only in the game, but likely in the series; and the next, you are on the brink of elimination.
Please try and tell me there is anything better than playoff hockey?
Friday, May 4, 2007
It's Lincecum time!
If you didn't read when I put you on prospect watch, click here.
Update: He is 4 - 0 with a 0.29 ERA and 46 Ks in Triple A ball this year.
And now, Russ Ortiz has finally hit the DL, and Lincecum will make his major league debut Sunday night against the Phillies.
If you play fantasy baseball, go pick him up. If you have plans for Sunday night, cancel them.
This kid will be fun to watch.
That is all.
Update: He is 4 - 0 with a 0.29 ERA and 46 Ks in Triple A ball this year.
And now, Russ Ortiz has finally hit the DL, and Lincecum will make his major league debut Sunday night against the Phillies.
If you play fantasy baseball, go pick him up. If you have plans for Sunday night, cancel them.
This kid will be fun to watch.
That is all.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
When Roy Oswalt is on the mound, why does Cincinatti even show up?
Very few teams in sports are simply manhandled by one man the way the Cincinatti Reds are simply manhandled by Roy Oswalt.
The fact that it is Roy Oswalt isn't too embarrassing. I've made the argument countless times that Roy Oswalt is in the top 3 pitchers in baseball. I rank him behind Johan Santana, but ahead of everyone else in the league; with the exception of MAYBE "The Doc" Roy Halladay. But those are definitely the top 3 pitchers in baseball in my opinion; yes, ahead of Chris Carpenter.
If you want to argue with me about that, go check the stats yourself. If you see a compelling argument, make it. But I'm not here to argue where Roy Oswalt ranks in the league today, I'm here to point out where he ranks against the Reds.
That is no argument. He is number one.
Oswalt's outing on Wednesday; 8 innings pitched, 4 hits, 1 walk, 1 run, 2 strikeouts; was simply methodical. The Astros got 2 runs in the first inning. That was all they needed. They went on to win the game 3 - 1.
Over the course of his career, Roy Oswalt's numbers are very impressive;
1251.1 innings pitched, 102 wins, 49 losses, 1045 strikeouts, 3.05 ERA, 1.18 WHIP.
Over the course of his career AGAINST THE REDS, Roy Oswalt's numbers are just silly;
150.0 innings pitched, 18 wins, 1 loss, 129 strikeouts, 2.46 ERA, 1.06 WHIP.
18 - 1?
If Roy Oswalt got to face the Reds every game, people wouldn't argue with me when I named him as the league's elite.
The fact that it is Roy Oswalt isn't too embarrassing. I've made the argument countless times that Roy Oswalt is in the top 3 pitchers in baseball. I rank him behind Johan Santana, but ahead of everyone else in the league; with the exception of MAYBE "The Doc" Roy Halladay. But those are definitely the top 3 pitchers in baseball in my opinion; yes, ahead of Chris Carpenter.
If you want to argue with me about that, go check the stats yourself. If you see a compelling argument, make it. But I'm not here to argue where Roy Oswalt ranks in the league today, I'm here to point out where he ranks against the Reds.
That is no argument. He is number one.
Oswalt's outing on Wednesday; 8 innings pitched, 4 hits, 1 walk, 1 run, 2 strikeouts; was simply methodical. The Astros got 2 runs in the first inning. That was all they needed. They went on to win the game 3 - 1.
Over the course of his career, Roy Oswalt's numbers are very impressive;
1251.1 innings pitched, 102 wins, 49 losses, 1045 strikeouts, 3.05 ERA, 1.18 WHIP.
Over the course of his career AGAINST THE REDS, Roy Oswalt's numbers are just silly;
150.0 innings pitched, 18 wins, 1 loss, 129 strikeouts, 2.46 ERA, 1.06 WHIP.
18 - 1?
If Roy Oswalt got to face the Reds every game, people wouldn't argue with me when I named him as the league's elite.
Oh what a difference 34 seconds makes...
Just ask the San Jose Sharks.
The Sharks had the Red Wings right where they wanted them. With under a minute left in regulation and a one goal lead, all the Sharks had to do was hang on. They would then hold a 3 - 1 series lead over the #1 seeded Red Wings, spelling certain doom for the Wings; very few teams have come back from 3 - 1 deficits, and this Sharks team doesn't look like the kind of team that would allow that to happen.
I was already looking ahead to the next series, Sharks VS. Ducks, when Robert Lang scored a goal with 34 seconds left on the clock to tie the game. The San Jose crowd was stunned silent. So was I.
In a hard fought overtime with plenty of chances both ways, Mathieu Schneider scored, and the Detroit Red Wings prevailed.
The series is now tied 2 - 2, and there are only 3 games left to be played; 2 of them in Detroit.
34 seconds separated the Sharks from needing only 1 win in 3. Now they need two.
And quite frankly, I'm not sure they are going to be able to pull it off. The series is definitely leaning in Detroit's favor.
This, of course, isn't the first time the Sharks have had a single moment (potentially in this case) break their season. Look no further than the 2006 playoffs. San Jose beat Edmonton twice at home, bringing the series to 2 - 0. They then traveled to Edmonton, where they were locked up in a 2 - 2 tie. The game headed into double overtime, where with 7 minutes left in the second OT period, the league's highest goal scorer had a glorious chance to end it;
(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOYjXD31DsE)
Roloson robbed Cheechoo, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. In triple overtime, Edmonton scored to win the game.
They also won the next 3, and sent San Jose home packing.
IF Cheechoo scores that goal, the Sharks win that series.
IF Robert Lang doesn't get that bounce, the Sharks win that series.
IF the refs weren't a bunch of cheating bastards, Tom Brady's tuck would have been ruled a fumble, and the Raiders win that game.
Sorry about that last one... my mind wanders from time to time.
Point being, the Red Wings are laden with veterans that have been through the Stanley Cup playoffs many times, have championship rings, and know how to handle the ups and downs of a tough battle to the finals. I'm not so sure about the Sharks. Have they learned from last season, and not allow one moment to take a series away from them?
Or will they fall, and enter the countless other "What if?" cases the sports world has to offer?
The Sharks had the Red Wings right where they wanted them. With under a minute left in regulation and a one goal lead, all the Sharks had to do was hang on. They would then hold a 3 - 1 series lead over the #1 seeded Red Wings, spelling certain doom for the Wings; very few teams have come back from 3 - 1 deficits, and this Sharks team doesn't look like the kind of team that would allow that to happen.
I was already looking ahead to the next series, Sharks VS. Ducks, when Robert Lang scored a goal with 34 seconds left on the clock to tie the game. The San Jose crowd was stunned silent. So was I.
In a hard fought overtime with plenty of chances both ways, Mathieu Schneider scored, and the Detroit Red Wings prevailed.
The series is now tied 2 - 2, and there are only 3 games left to be played; 2 of them in Detroit.
34 seconds separated the Sharks from needing only 1 win in 3. Now they need two.
And quite frankly, I'm not sure they are going to be able to pull it off. The series is definitely leaning in Detroit's favor.
This, of course, isn't the first time the Sharks have had a single moment (potentially in this case) break their season. Look no further than the 2006 playoffs. San Jose beat Edmonton twice at home, bringing the series to 2 - 0. They then traveled to Edmonton, where they were locked up in a 2 - 2 tie. The game headed into double overtime, where with 7 minutes left in the second OT period, the league's highest goal scorer had a glorious chance to end it;
(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOYjXD31DsE)
Roloson robbed Cheechoo, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. In triple overtime, Edmonton scored to win the game.
They also won the next 3, and sent San Jose home packing.
IF Cheechoo scores that goal, the Sharks win that series.
IF Robert Lang doesn't get that bounce, the Sharks win that series.
IF the refs weren't a bunch of cheating bastards, Tom Brady's tuck would have been ruled a fumble, and the Raiders win that game.
Sorry about that last one... my mind wanders from time to time.
Point being, the Red Wings are laden with veterans that have been through the Stanley Cup playoffs many times, have championship rings, and know how to handle the ups and downs of a tough battle to the finals. I'm not so sure about the Sharks. Have they learned from last season, and not allow one moment to take a series away from them?
Or will they fall, and enter the countless other "What if?" cases the sports world has to offer?
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Clutch enough for you?
Dirk doesn't deserve MVP!
So what that he dominates the regular season! True MVP's step up in the playoffs, too, and this guy is nothing but a big-time no show!
Right?
If only he would have held true to those whispers for one more night. The Golden State Warriors would be moving on to the next round of the NBA playoffs.
I'll be honest. Since they completely embarrassed my pride and exposed me as the basketball knowledge-less fool that I am, I've stopped rooting for Dallas and have done what any neutral sports fan would do in this situation; root for the underdog.
And so, when Golden State took a 9 point lead with very little time left in the game, I was pretty excited. The underdog was going to win, and the behemoth Dallas team would fall; leaving my pre-season bet of Phoenix Suns to win it all in great shape.
Dirk casually strolled up the court and drained a 3-pointer. He didn't look to anyone else. He just got the ball, picked his spot, and nailed it. Lead cut to 6.
The Warriors ran the clock down as much as they could and then put up a bad shot. Mavs got the rebound. Got the ball to Dirk. Calmly, effortlessly, like it was shooting practice, Dirk picked his spot from 3-point land once again, and drained it. Lead cut to 3.
After the lead was cut to 1, Golden State began to panic, and turned the ball over. Dallas put the nail in the coffin; and guess who it was attacking the basket to draw the foul to put the Mavs up for good?
Dirk Nowitzki.
For a guy that was beginning to challenge Marty Turco for his spot as biggest choke-artist in Dallas come playoff time, Dirk certainly didn't play like a choke; he played like an MVP.
Now, Golden State needs to win Game 6 at home. If they don't, there just isn't any way they are going back to Dallas and winning Game 7 there. So if the Warriors look up at the scoreboard at the end of Game 6 and see a higher number under DALLAS on the jumbotron, they'll have to shake their heads in disgust at the 9 point lead they gave away.
The give away that was about 25% their fault for bad shot selection and lackluster defense...
and the take away that was 75% Dirk Nowitzki.
So what that he dominates the regular season! True MVP's step up in the playoffs, too, and this guy is nothing but a big-time no show!
Right?
If only he would have held true to those whispers for one more night. The Golden State Warriors would be moving on to the next round of the NBA playoffs.
I'll be honest. Since they completely embarrassed my pride and exposed me as the basketball knowledge-less fool that I am, I've stopped rooting for Dallas and have done what any neutral sports fan would do in this situation; root for the underdog.
And so, when Golden State took a 9 point lead with very little time left in the game, I was pretty excited. The underdog was going to win, and the behemoth Dallas team would fall; leaving my pre-season bet of Phoenix Suns to win it all in great shape.
Dirk casually strolled up the court and drained a 3-pointer. He didn't look to anyone else. He just got the ball, picked his spot, and nailed it. Lead cut to 6.
The Warriors ran the clock down as much as they could and then put up a bad shot. Mavs got the rebound. Got the ball to Dirk. Calmly, effortlessly, like it was shooting practice, Dirk picked his spot from 3-point land once again, and drained it. Lead cut to 3.
After the lead was cut to 1, Golden State began to panic, and turned the ball over. Dallas put the nail in the coffin; and guess who it was attacking the basket to draw the foul to put the Mavs up for good?
Dirk Nowitzki.
For a guy that was beginning to challenge Marty Turco for his spot as biggest choke-artist in Dallas come playoff time, Dirk certainly didn't play like a choke; he played like an MVP.
Now, Golden State needs to win Game 6 at home. If they don't, there just isn't any way they are going back to Dallas and winning Game 7 there. So if the Warriors look up at the scoreboard at the end of Game 6 and see a higher number under DALLAS on the jumbotron, they'll have to shake their heads in disgust at the 9 point lead they gave away.
The give away that was about 25% their fault for bad shot selection and lackluster defense...
and the take away that was 75% Dirk Nowitzki.
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