29 March 2009
The Season Starts Sunday - This is How It Will End
04/03/09 21:31 Filed in: Baseball
AL 2009
Boston - A healthy Beckett and a return to form from Brad Penny, and the BoSox won't be caught.
Tampa - Last year was no fluke, but not enough with Boston in their division.
New York - More bucks, more losses. Girardi may not last the season. Pressure on Teixeira won't be pretty.
Toronto - Could have been vastly improved but for injuries to Marcum and McGowan.
Baltimore - By July, theHoundDawg may be their fourth starter.
Cleveland - Healthy Martinez, Hafner, and Pavano, and the Tribe is back.
Minnesota - Baker, Bonser and Neshek - too many injured pitchers.
Chicago - Would need BIG comebacks from too many to challenge.
Detroit - Best thing going is no more Sheffield, but pitching is too suspect
Kansas City - They seemed to be building on their young starters, but sending down Bannister and Hochevar while giving spots to Ramirez and Ponson are major steps backward.
Los Angeles - Second Best team in AL when healthy, and starting season with injuries to three starters should not effect division runaway.
Oakland - Much improved but too much depends on totally inexperienced starters.
Texas - As always, questionable pitching, but no longer the offensive machine of past few seasons.
Seattle - Ten more wins still means last place. Outfield was a disaster before Ichiro got sick.
Division series - Los Angeles over Tampa and Boston over Cleveland
Championship Series - Boston over Los Angeles
NL 2009
Los Angeles - Top-notch offense, defense, bullpen, but will go only as far as their starters will take them.
Arizona - Pretty much the same as with LA, but D'Backs have no Manny.
San Francisco - Reverse of division's top teams - starting pitching and lots of question marks. OF and catching are set, but that infield?
San Diego - Improved from last year, but young talent not ready to compete for top three spots.
Colorado - Not the power-laden team of the past, and questionable pitching depth, but biggest problem is no more Matt Holliday, plus Jeff Francis gone for the season.
Milwaukee - Outstanding offense and despite loss of Sabathia and Sheets, staff has good mix of savey, dependable vets and young talent.
St. Louis - Return of Chris Carpenter solidifies starters, but big voids in bullpen, and infield looks like Pujols and three guys from central casting. Glaus return from injury is always tenuous.
Chicago - No team depending on Milton Bradley and Rich Harden will ever win anything.
Houston - Only health, depth of starting staff keep then behind Cubs.
Cincinnati - Overrated pitching staff won't keep up with up-and-coming offense, plus too many questions in outfield.
Pittsburgh - Lots of young talent on the field, but lack of same on staff will keep them in cellar, unless Karstens and Ohlehdorf suddenly become major league pitchers.
Philadelphia - Improved pitching from start of season and except for Ibanez for Burrell, same team on field as last year's champs.
New York - Addition of great closer more than offset by signing of worst person in baseball, G. Sheffield.
Atlanta - Will go as far as totally revamped pitching will take them, plus rookie CF Jordan Schafer must be for real.
Florida - Health of returning starters, poor defense, big question marks at 3B and entire outfield, all point to disappointing season.
Washington - Addition of Adam Dunn not nearly enough.
Division series - Los Angeles over Milwaukee and Philadelphia over Arizona
Championship Series - Philadelphia over Los Angeles
Boston over Philadelphia in World Series
theHoundDawg
Boston - A healthy Beckett and a return to form from Brad Penny, and the BoSox won't be caught.
Tampa - Last year was no fluke, but not enough with Boston in their division.
New York - More bucks, more losses. Girardi may not last the season. Pressure on Teixeira won't be pretty.
Toronto - Could have been vastly improved but for injuries to Marcum and McGowan.
Baltimore - By July, theHoundDawg may be their fourth starter.
Cleveland - Healthy Martinez, Hafner, and Pavano, and the Tribe is back.
Minnesota - Baker, Bonser and Neshek - too many injured pitchers.
Chicago - Would need BIG comebacks from too many to challenge.
Detroit - Best thing going is no more Sheffield, but pitching is too suspect
Kansas City - They seemed to be building on their young starters, but sending down Bannister and Hochevar while giving spots to Ramirez and Ponson are major steps backward.
Los Angeles - Second Best team in AL when healthy, and starting season with injuries to three starters should not effect division runaway.
Oakland - Much improved but too much depends on totally inexperienced starters.
Texas - As always, questionable pitching, but no longer the offensive machine of past few seasons.
Seattle - Ten more wins still means last place. Outfield was a disaster before Ichiro got sick.
Division series - Los Angeles over Tampa and Boston over Cleveland
Championship Series - Boston over Los Angeles
NL 2009
Los Angeles - Top-notch offense, defense, bullpen, but will go only as far as their starters will take them.
Arizona - Pretty much the same as with LA, but D'Backs have no Manny.
San Francisco - Reverse of division's top teams - starting pitching and lots of question marks. OF and catching are set, but that infield?
San Diego - Improved from last year, but young talent not ready to compete for top three spots.
Colorado - Not the power-laden team of the past, and questionable pitching depth, but biggest problem is no more Matt Holliday, plus Jeff Francis gone for the season.
Milwaukee - Outstanding offense and despite loss of Sabathia and Sheets, staff has good mix of savey, dependable vets and young talent.
St. Louis - Return of Chris Carpenter solidifies starters, but big voids in bullpen, and infield looks like Pujols and three guys from central casting. Glaus return from injury is always tenuous.
Chicago - No team depending on Milton Bradley and Rich Harden will ever win anything.
Houston - Only health, depth of starting staff keep then behind Cubs.
Cincinnati - Overrated pitching staff won't keep up with up-and-coming offense, plus too many questions in outfield.
Pittsburgh - Lots of young talent on the field, but lack of same on staff will keep them in cellar, unless Karstens and Ohlehdorf suddenly become major league pitchers.
Philadelphia - Improved pitching from start of season and except for Ibanez for Burrell, same team on field as last year's champs.
New York - Addition of great closer more than offset by signing of worst person in baseball, G. Sheffield.
Atlanta - Will go as far as totally revamped pitching will take them, plus rookie CF Jordan Schafer must be for real.
Florida - Health of returning starters, poor defense, big question marks at 3B and entire outfield, all point to disappointing season.
Washington - Addition of Adam Dunn not nearly enough.
Division series - Los Angeles over Milwaukee and Philadelphia over Arizona
Championship Series - Philadelphia over Los Angeles
Boston over Philadelphia in World Series
theHoundDawg
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Broncos and Bears Really Help Each Other
04/02/09 23:22 Filed in: NFL
Today's trade between Denver and Chicago is one that,
though one sided when considering value for value,
does figure to really help each team.
Chicago gave up way to much for a young, unproven, QB - their own established NFL starting QB, and four draft choices, two number ones, a three and a five - but they got the quarterback they've been looking for for twenty years, a young, talented star-in-the-making, who could lead them back to the Super Bowl, perhaps even winning one.
Denver made out like a bandit, getting a competent starter to replace Cutler, and all those high draft choices they can use to build a great young defense, and maybe find another talented young QB for the future.
theHoundDawg
Chicago gave up way to much for a young, unproven, QB - their own established NFL starting QB, and four draft choices, two number ones, a three and a five - but they got the quarterback they've been looking for for twenty years, a young, talented star-in-the-making, who could lead them back to the Super Bowl, perhaps even winning one.
Denver made out like a bandit, getting a competent starter to replace Cutler, and all those high draft choices they can use to build a great young defense, and maybe find another talented young QB for the future.
theHoundDawg
NOT So Fast
04/02/09 23:14 Filed in: College
Basketball
Bye-Bye, Timmie
04/02/09 08:34 Filed in: College
Basketball
On this great day in SoCal for college sports, we
celebrate the run across the California-Arizona
border by the brain surgeon's slimeball t floyd. May
he continue his questionable recruiting, blind-eye to
supporter and agent payoffs, and on-court thug
mentality in SoAz.
I'm sure Arizona students, alumni, and supporters are just itching to see who will be the Wildcat's version of Leonard Washington, assaulting opposing players on the court with reckless abandon, and who will furnish his dorm with the best and biggest entertainment center agents' money can buy, besting even the pro complex oj mayo flaunted in front of the sc coaching staff. Oh, and will floyd's hooks carry along Renardo Sidney, or will he just find some other 300 pound pay-me-and-my-family NOW rent-a-stud in time for his first season in the desert?
So many questions to answer before next fall.
One other question: Does his getting out of town perhaps signal that the NCAA is finally getting something done on their multiple brain surgeons investigations?
theHoundDawg
I'm sure Arizona students, alumni, and supporters are just itching to see who will be the Wildcat's version of Leonard Washington, assaulting opposing players on the court with reckless abandon, and who will furnish his dorm with the best and biggest entertainment center agents' money can buy, besting even the pro complex oj mayo flaunted in front of the sc coaching staff. Oh, and will floyd's hooks carry along Renardo Sidney, or will he just find some other 300 pound pay-me-and-my-family NOW rent-a-stud in time for his first season in the desert?
So many questions to answer before next fall.
One other question: Does his getting out of town perhaps signal that the NCAA is finally getting something done on their multiple brain surgeons investigations?
theHoundDawg
Four Left
03/29/09 22:08 Filed in: College
Basketball
It isn't exactly Duke, Oklahoma, Missouri and
Louisville (March 17 post), but a Final Four of
Michigan St., Villanova, North Carolina and
Connecticut still isn't four number ones, or three
and a number two as the "experts" picked.
The Bruin loss to Villanova doesn't look quite so bad a week later, and combine that with seeing daily NBA box scores with the names Love, Westbrook and Mbah a Moute all pro starters as rookies, this should have been the year.
There isn't a great team anywhere out there, and the "I want it NOW" attitude of 19 year old millionaire wanna-bes, driven by corrupt agents and fueled by NBA money, has made the Tournament a CBS and ESPN media extravaganza, rather than a competition of great amateur basketball. As Dave Letterman has said about Stupid Human Tricks, "It's an exhibition, not a competition, no wagering, please."
theHoundDawg
The Bruin loss to Villanova doesn't look quite so bad a week later, and combine that with seeing daily NBA box scores with the names Love, Westbrook and Mbah a Moute all pro starters as rookies, this should have been the year.
There isn't a great team anywhere out there, and the "I want it NOW" attitude of 19 year old millionaire wanna-bes, driven by corrupt agents and fueled by NBA money, has made the Tournament a CBS and ESPN media extravaganza, rather than a competition of great amateur basketball. As Dave Letterman has said about Stupid Human Tricks, "It's an exhibition, not a competition, no wagering, please."
theHoundDawg