Ask Me Anything! (#1)

Thanks go out to Joshua for officially getting this new segment of my blog underway. Here goes;

"Here's a question that I don't get...

You, Vegas, are my go-to source when I want to try to understand the ice-capades *cough* i mean the NHL. (sorry, but football is king. anything else is merely a court jester)"

Well, I think baseball and hockey deserve spots as maybe princes or cousins as opposed to court jesters, but I won't argue against football being king.

"You've picked against the Senators in the last two rounds, and even tho they dropped today's game to the once-mighty Buffalo Sabres, they are still in a great position to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

I have two questions for ya:
1. How have the Ottawa Senators been able to fly past the Sabres after a taxing series against the Devils? Other than today's game, Buffalo hasn't even shown up. Is this more the Sabres being overrated or are the Senators just "that team" that gets hot at the right time?"

Well before I answer this, let me just point out that this series actually isn't over yet. Granted, I know it sounds cliche - but in this case its true. Usually when a team takes a 3 - 0 lead, it is because they are the significantly better team. Not quite the case here; Buffalo is certainly evenly matched if not better than Ottawa. This series had all the makings of a 7 game series. Buffalo taking game 4 sends them back to Buffalo for game 5, which they dropped the first two there, but they could easily win. All of a sudden game 6 is a bit of a must win for the Senators. I'm not calling the comeback, but I'm not ruling it out either. To answer one part of your question, the Sabres ARE the real deal and are not overrated.

So why is it the Sens are cruising? Well, first of all, the series against the Devils wasn't all that "taxing". It only took 5 games and most of the time the Senators were in command. There was little doubt about who the better team was out there. In fact, it has been that way these entire playoffs for the Sens. So are they "just that hot team"? Actually, no. Since December 23rd (when the team was 18 wins - 18 losses - 1 overtime loss), including these playoffs, the Senators are 41 - 9 - 9. If that doesn't speak towards their legitimacy, nothing will. They have the talent to beat anyone.

The biggest knock on them has been their physical game, which I didn't think was addressed this off-season or at the trade deadline. Also, goaltending was a question mark; could Ray Emery really outshine the likes of Marty Brodeur or Ryan Miller? The answer to that question has been an emphatic yes. As for physicality, they don't need it against similar-styled Buffalo and Pittsburgh. And as for the Devils series, in that instance, skill trumped toughness. And don't get me wrong... they haven't been playing like a bunch of pansies. They simply have had the good fortune of being able to play to their strengths.

But the real reason they are beating Buffalo so bad is special teams. The New York Rangers threw off the Sabres' rhythm on the power play with their stern defense, and it took the Sabres 19 chances to get their first power play goal of the series Wednesday night. When two evenly matched teams face off, special teams is key; and the Sabres have been ice cold. Credit also the Senators' penalty killers.

"2. You haven't picked Ottawa to win a series since the first round. If the Ducks advance to the finals to play the Senators, will you pick the Ducks in the hopes that your anti-Sens picks will turn out in Ottawa's favor, thus smighting the hated Anaheim Quack-Attackers? Or will you pick against Anaheim, picking with your heart but also with the knowledge that the Ducks - as you've been sayin for some time - will probably win it all?"

As of right now, believe it or not, that is a pretty big if. The Detroit Red Wings not only took back home ice by beating the Ducks 5 - 0 in Anaheim, but they also planted a seed of doubt and put a crack in the Ducks-are-invincible mentality. Even more importantly, superstar defenseman Chris Pronger got suspended for elbowing Detroit's Tomas Holmstrom in the back of the head into the boards. This leaves a gaping hole in the Ducks' defensive corps, and the Wings could very easily win game 4, leaving the Ducks in very, very bad shape. After all, the Wings are 35 - 5 - 9 at home this season.

But to answer your question, I will very likely be picking against the Senators in the finals. As I said above, I don't think they have really been physically tested yet; and both the Ducks and the Wings play a very tough physical brand of hockey. And, unlike the Devils, they also have the talent to back it up. Not to mention, the team in the West will have the more experienced goaltender AND home ice advantage. I will certainly be rooting for the Senators - I hate the Wings and Ducks AND I have money riding on a Sens' victory; but I will likely pick against them.

I know your answer will probably have to wait until we have a set Stanley Cup Finals, but the question stands; WHO YA GOT?!

Indeed we do need to wait, but if I had to give an answer at this very moment in time;

The Detroit Red Wings.

(To have your question answered, email me any questions you've got at socaltrojan31@aol.com OR simply leave a comment here and your question will be addressed in a new post. Don't be shy. "Anything" is a pretty broad topic. Sports related, of course.)

Robert Horry makes the most clutch shot of his career; a CHEAPSHOT.

Robert Horry has been known to make clutch plays at the end of the game. He always seems to bury the shot when it matters.

This time, he buried his shoulder into an unsuspecting Steve Nash.

And it turned out to be amply rewarding.

I certainly won't be the first or last person to blog about this.

Robert Horry (who average 3.9 points per game this season... note the dot. Not 39 points. 3 POINT 9) was suspended for two games for his blatant cheap shot. He was clearly frustrated and clearly intended to injure.

Boris Diaw (9.7 PPG), who was the closest player to the shot, charged after Horry. Amare Stoudemire (20.4 PPG) jumped off the bench in disgust and started walking briskly towards Horry, but he was held back.

ALL THREE OF THEM HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED.

This is one of the biggest shams I have ever seen in my entire life. I can not be professional about this. Every positive thing I have said about how David Stern runs his league, I take back. This is a complete and utter joke.

Diaw did exactly what anyone - ANYONE - would have done in that situation. If you have any sense of camaraderie or friendship, you can understand how you would respond if your team captain was maliciously slammed to the ground.

And Stoudemire didn't even get to Horry!

"This is a very unfortunate circumstance. No one here at the league office wants to suspend players any game, much less a pivotal game in the second round of a playoff series. But the rule, however, is the rule, and we intend to apply it consistently," said NBA executive vice president Stu Jackson.

The rule, of course, refers to "leaving the immediate vicinity of the bench".

Lets recap.

A bench player (Horry) takes a ridiculous cheapshot (obviously called a flagrant foul) on the team's leader and MVP, Steve Nash, who has already had his nose cut open and been kneed in this series. A starter (Diaw) jumps in to defend his teammate. Another starter (Stoudemire, who happens to completely change the dynamics of a game when he is involved) reacts out of emotion and jumps up and heads towards the offender. Both starters are suspended.

San Antonio now has a very good chance to beat the depleted Suns in game 5, and go on to win the series.

The response from the league? Rules are rules, and no exceptions can be made.

This entire situation completely disgusts me. I've lost what little respect I had for basketball, and I can't even begin to imagine what Phoenix Suns fans must be feeling right now.

NOT MAKING AN EXCEPTION AND PENALIZING THE SUNS SENDS THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE: When you need a boost in a best of 7 series, send in your worst bench player; hell, even sign a thug off of the streets. Right in the key next to the opposing bench, take their best player by the shoulders and kick him squarely in the groin. When he keels over, punch him in the jaw and send him down to the floor, than turn to the opposing team, flick them off, and say "What are you going to do about it?" They all spring up and attack; and they are all suspended in the next game.

Right? I mean after all, according to Bulls' coach Scott Skiles;

"A rule is a rule, and in the past handful of years since they put that in, there have been I think less than five, maybe less than three, but there have been a couple occasions where someone just put one foot on the floor and got suspended. So if you're going to have a hard and fast rule like that, I think you've got to abide by it, and you can't make any exceptions."

Basketball teams should start hiring enforcers like hockey has. Go ahead and attack the Kobes, LeBrons, and Nashs of the league. If anyone dares step up and defend them, they'll be suspended for it.

What a disgrace.

Ask Me Anything!

I'd like to blog every day, or at least very often, but trouble comes in the form that often I try so hard just to get something out that quality takes a bit of a hit. Many nights I just highlight the great performances of the day; but I'm sure you all can find those on your own, or by simply turning on Sportscenter. So, I'm only going to blog when issues arise that I actually have something unique or genuine to add. Such as analysis on a series, or a big game, or opinion on something.

In the meantime, this is where you come in. I'd like to make this blog interactive. From here on out, I will answer any and all sports questions thrown my way. If you have a question about your fantasy team, about how I think a player or team will do, how I feel about a certain call or rule or game, anything you don't know and want clarity on, best player at a position of all time, WHATEVER. Anything sports related!

If no one asks anything, this blog will be a bit quiet. If you all have fun with this; and why not, you can ask anything; it could make for some great material. And of course after I've answered the question, you can always agree or disagree with me using the comments page. I'll be more than happy to argue/clarify any point.

So, email me any questions you've got at socaltrojan31@aol.com OR simply leave a comment here and your question will be addressed in a new post. Don't be shy. "Anything" is a pretty broad topic.

King Felix returns to his throne!

Remember that guy?

Season -

Game 1: 8 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 0 R, 12 Ks?

Game 2: 9 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 0 R, 6 Ks?

Then of course he went down with injury in game 3.

Tonight as a precaution, he will be held to only 70 - 80 pitches, so don't expect his "normal" 8+ inning outing.

Still, those 75 some-odd pitches should all be a thing of beauty. Catch this game if you get the chance.

Lincecum gets his first win in the bigs, and a couple of others flourish, too.

Tim Lincecum's first big league start wasn't a total disaster, but it was certainly far from a triumph.

He looked right at home in his 2nd outing, going 7 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, and 6 Ks. He also picked up the win, outlasting Josh Fogg who had brought a no-hitter into the 6th inning.

Jarrod Washburn makes his second surprisingly strong start of the season, going 8 strong innings against the Yankees, allowing only 6 hits and 1 walk and not a single run. He also struck out 6.

Randy Wolf was also a bit of a surprise. He's been good this season; but not this good. 7 IP, only 4 hits, no walks, and an eyebrow-raising 11 strikeouts.

A couple of guys that shouldn't surprise anyone, though, were Brandon Webb and Jake Peavy.

Webb went the distance, using 118 pitches and allowing only one run off of 6 hits and 1 walk, striking out 10 while he was at it.

Jake Peavy has re-emerged as one of the top 5 pitchers in baseball. After last season's pitching through injury lowered his numbers and made him look very pedestrian, a lot of people forgot that this guy had an ERA well under 3.00 in his two previous years, and also strikeout totals well above 200. Today's 7 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, o ER, 10 K performance improved his season numbers to 5 - 1 with a 1.52 ERA and 66 Ks over 53.1 innings. Make no mistake about it; a healthy Peavy won't be bested by many.

A Few Unlikely Pitching Duels

Great pitching performances happen virtually nightly.

But much more rarely, you get a chance to see a game where both pitchers have their stuff working, and hitters just can't seem to do anything about it. They are mesmerizing to watch, especially if you are a fan of good pitching; and two such games played out tonight.

THE UNDERCARD:

Chicago Cubs 1 - Pittsburgh Pirates 0

Tom Gorzelanny made a single pitch he'd love to get back. It was in the first at bat of the bottom of the first, and Alfonso Soriano homered to deep left field.

That would be the only run of the game.

Gorzelanny only gave up 5 more hits and walked 2 batters over the 7 innings he worked. Soriano's HR was his only blemish.

Jason Marquis, who I still can't figure out but somehow continues to defy all odds and pitch brilliantly, was almost blemish-free. Marquis retired the first 16 batters he faced, having his perfect game snapped by a base hit in the top of the 6th. It was one of only three hits he allowed in the entire game as he cruised to a complete game shutout.

Both pitchers struck out 5.

THE MAIN EVENT:

Tampa Bay Devil Rays 0 - Baltimore Orioles 1 (Final in 10 innings)

After 9 full innings of play, this game had only yielded 11 base runners.

So each time a team came up to bat, they averaged .611 batters reaching base in their half inning.

That is just silly.

Eric Bedard went 7 innings for Baltimore, giving up 3 hits, 3 walks, and no runs. He struck out 10 while he was at it.

James Shields went a full 9 innings, giving up 3 hits, 1 walk, and no runs with 4 strikeouts. Unfortunately, as soon as he handed the ball over to Brian Stokes in the bottom of the tenth, he delivered a HR pitch to Aubrey Huff.

Cheers to both of these pitchers on their great performances, even if neither actually factored into the decision at the end.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Washington Nationals 1 - Milwaukee Brewers 3

Jason Bergmann: 6 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 2 K
Claudio Vargas: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 4 K

Houston Astros 3 - Cincinnati Reds 2

Woody Williams: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 3 K
Matt Belisle: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 7 K

A FEW NOT-SO-UNLIKELY ONES, BUT STILL WORTH CREDITING:

Oakland Athletics 2 - Kansas City Royals 3

Dan Haren: 6 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 7 K
Gil Meche: 6 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 1 ER, 7 K

San Diego Padres 2 - Atlanta Braves 3

Greg Maddux: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 4 K
John Smoltz: 7 IP, 7 H, 0 BB, 2 ER, 7 K

Great pitching match ups today, hope some of you got the chance to enjoy these!

Hockey: Conference Finals Preview; The East

THE EAST

Series Result: Ottawa Senators over New Jersey Devils in 5
My Prediction: New Jersey Devils over Ottawa Senators in 7

I admitted that the Senators were the more talented team, but that I felt the Devils were the more "playoff-savvy" team, and they also had Marty Brodeur. None of that seemed to matter; talent prevailed, and Ottawa certainly didn't look like a team that will be fazed by anyone in these playoffs. New Jersey needs to start figuring out how they are going to put pucks in the net next year; especially if they lose Scott Gomez.

Series Result: Buffalo Sabres over New York Rangers in 6
My Prediction: Buffalo Sabres over New York Rangers in 6

I should be typing up right now how I was wrong about the Sabres, and how legitimate of a team the Rangers were. I knew they had scoring depth but had no idea they had such a stingy defense until I watched them play. But alas, with 8 seconds left in Game 5, Chris Drury tied the game up at 1 apiece, and the Sabres went on to win it in overtime. They carried their momentum into game 6 and took care of business. This Ranger team is very good, but it is getting quite old. If they can add some young talent, they could be a threat as soon as next year. And they've already got a definite keeper in Henrik Lundquist.

Conference Final:
#1 Buffalo Sabres VS. #4 Ottawa Senators

Two teams that play very similar styles; fly up and down the ice, and score a lot of goals. Both teams got to play their game in the first round, but the Rangers and Devils, who each play much more Eastern-style-gritty-defensive hockey, forced these teams to slow down the pace a bit and play a lot more defense and take a lot less chances. Ottawa and Buffalo survived, though, and now they will get the chance to play the explosive style hockey that got them to this point, because neither of these teams will be afraid, and both will encourage the high tempo. I believe that the Sabres do it all just a little bit better... and that they've got a bit better goaltender in Ryan Miller. That being said, though, there is a lot of bad blood between these teams and they are very evenly matched. It should be an excellent series that just might take all 7 games to decide. I'm just proud to have picked both of these teams in the pre-season to win the cup; pretty cool that I'll have one of them representing me making money in the Stanley Cup Finals. As if I needed a reason to root against two of the King's biggest rivals, anyway?

BUFFALO IN 7.

Hockey: Conference Finals Preview; The West

THE WEST

Series Result: Detroit Red Wings over San Jose Sharks in 6
My Prediction: San Jose Sharks over Detroit Red Wings in 6

The series certainly lived up to its expectations. Both teams fought hard, goals were hard to come by, and it easily could have gone either way. But the bounces went in Detriot's favor. Don't get me wrong; they deserved to win this series and did at points in the series outplay the Sharks (look no further than games 5 and 6) - but a little luck never hurt anyone, either, and the Wings made the most of it.

Series Result: Anaheim Ducks over Vancouver Canucks in 5
My Prediction: Anaheim Ducks over Vancouver Canucks in 5

What can I say that I haven't already said? Did I not say that the Ducks were the better team, and that Luongo would steal one (and only one) game in this series? Did I not say that the Ducks are the best team in the West? The Wild turned out to be no match for them, and then they got Vancouver, who was the weakest team left in the West. Give one of the league's most talented teams easy match-ups, and this is how they will turn out.

Conference Final:
#1 Detroit Red Wings VS. #2 Anaheim Ducks
Well, one thing appears pretty clear; I underrated the Red Wings. I really didn't think they'd be able to step up to the challenge of beating the Sharks, but they certainly did, and they didn't even need all 7 games to do it, swiping two games on the road from them. And now they find themselves with home ice; something the Ducks haven't had to face until this point. I predicted that a long series against the Sharks might do some damage, and it sure did - losing Mathieu Schneider, who not only gets the job done on defense but more notably has a blast from the point that bolsters Detroit's powerplay. The Ducks meanwhile are completely healthy. In the Wings, the Ducks will face an offense like they haven't seen before; TWO (not just one, Minnesota and Vancouver) very capable scoring lines, and two gritty checking lines that were built for playoff hockey. They also face a team that has waited a long time to get back to this point; knocking on the door of another Stanley Cup final. This will be the Ducks' hardest challenge yet; and I think they will overcome it. With Neidermayer and Pronger healthy, there is never a hole in their defense; with Giguere in net, the tone is always very calm and reliable; and with an offense full of young guns that can pitch in, especially on the power play, this Duck team will be a little too fast up front - and a little too strong down low - for the Red Wings to handle.

ANAHEIM IN 6.

Baseball Reflections (Monday)

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.

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?