Leading Off
Right off the bat, I have to tell you that this will be a pretty no-frills column. I am getting set to close on a new townhouse next week, which would be fun and exciting if my condo that I own now were already sold, which it isn’t. As a result, I’m left with a feeling somewhat similar to what a 19 year old guy who accidentally knocked up his girlfriend feels a week before she goes into labor. What’s coming is beautiful and great and wonderful, but at the same time you can’t help feeling like you f-ed up royally. As a result my creative juices have been sapped and I am feeling somewhat drained.
So this week we are all about bidness here. We’ll be reviewing the 2005 Draft for the AFC South, checking in with the state of the NL thru May, and I’ll toss my two cents in on the NBA Finals.
Yes, this week’s column will be largely devoid of the fun and whimsy you have come to expect from me, but I promise you next week Trump comes back, and things will be so fun you will need surgery to fully recover. In the meantime, I offer you meat and potatoes sports knowledge. And of course, late 70s-early 80s 8 track icon, 2XL.
“Your brain…must be so big…It is A-mazing that you can hold up your head!!”
And how can we have a sports column without the Intellivision Blackjack dealer?
Ok, now we can finally get started.
The denizens of the AFC South are, with the obvious exception of the Colts, faced with the unenviable task of figuring out some way to slow down record setting QB Peyton Manning. So far, it seems only one team, the New England Patriots, has been able to figure out how to do that. They’ve won 3 out of the last 4 Super Bowls. How did the Jaguars, Texans, and Titans use the 2005 draft to try and plot against the “Cut That Meat” man? What was the Colts strategy to try and get over the New England hump? Read on, and find out.
Indianapolis Colts
Day 1
1st round, 29th pick- Marlin Jackson, CB, Michigan
Corner was a top need for the Colts going into the draft, and they hope to have filled that need by taking Jackson with their first pick. Jackson is a physical corner who may not have the speed for man coverage, but is ideal for Tony Dungy’s cover 2, which calls for the corner to funnel plays toward the safety. Jackson has the size and physical style of play to slide over to safety, should the need arise. Jackson was a two time first team All American in Ann Arbor, and brings great leadership qualities and knowledge of the game.
2nd round, 60th pick- Kelvin Hayden, CB, Illinois
The Colts went back to the well for another corner in the second round, taking another guy who projects to fit ideally into Dungy’s cover 2. Hayden was a wide receiver in Champaign his first three college seasons. He converted to corner last year and played well on a very bad team. The Colts like him because, much like Marlin Jackson, he brings a physical style of play. A cover 2 defense has, in essence, 4 safeties, and requires a corner that can tackle like a safety. Hayden has that ability. He also brings excellent speed, which helps cover for some of his inexperience as a DB. He is somewhat of a project, but his athletic ability is certainly there.
3rd round, 92nd pick- Vincent Burns, DT, Kentucky
Defense, defense, defense continued to be the order of day 1 for the Colts, as they made their third straight selection on that side of the ball in the third round. Taking Burns in the third round will either be remembered as a big time reach, or a big time steal, as he didn’t even show up on a lot of draft boards. The reason for this is that he stands under 6 feet tall, not exactly your prototype body for a defensive lineman. He has shown good run stopping ability though, and is a surprisingly good pass rusher for a man of his comparatively small stature.
And the rest…
G Dylan Gandy (4th round, Texas Tech) has good athleticism and has played both guard and center in college. He does have an angular frame which allows opposing lineman to knock him off balance sometimes. He should be a useful utility interior lineman. FS Matt Giordano (4th round, Cal) is a smart player who tackles well. The Colts find themselves protecting leads a lot and a guy like him could be a useful dimeback. DE Jonathan Welsh (5th round, Wisconsin) is another smallish (233 lbs) defensive lineman who survives on quickness. He could be used as a pass rushing specialist who can line up on the line or from the linebacker spot. C Robert Hunt (5th round, N. Dakota St.) is on the small side but has good quickness, fitting the mold of what the Colts like on both lines. OLB Tyjaun Hagler (5th round, Cincinnati) is small at 6-0 239, but has tremendous speed. K Dave Rayner (6th round, Michigan St.) will try and stick as a kickoff specialist. RB Anthony Davis (7th round, Wisconsin) is a 5-6 scatback who throws defenses offstride.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Day 1
1st round, 21st pick- Matt Jones, WR, Arkansas
You either love this pick or you hate this pick. Jones is 6-6, 242, and runs a 4.37 40 yard dash. He played quarterback in college for the Razorbacks, and is probably the most athletic player to come out of this year’s draft. On the downside, he has a whole lot to learn about playing receiver, and he has already been battling a hamstring injury suffered in the Jags’ post-draft minicamp. He has the ability to be the best player ever to wear a Jaguars uniform. There also is every possibility that the ceiling for him is that he will be a poor man’s Jeremy Shockey. One thing is certain, he’s a white guy who doesn’t play like a white guy (eg Brian Urlacher, Shockey), and that means he will get a lot of publicity and his rookie season will be highly scrutinized.
2nd round, 52nd pick- Khalif Barnes, OT, Washington
Barnes crossed over from the defensive line to the offensive line in college, and he is still learning the position. If and when he becomes a skilled offensive lineman, he has the physical tools (6-6, 305, 4.92 40) to be a very good one. He will need to redefine his body as part of his transformation. He lacks lower body mass and strength, making him not as difficult for a defensive lineman to push around as you might imagine a man of his size would be. Much like Matt Jones, there is a heap of potential here. We just have to see how it develops.
3rd round, 87th pick- Scott Starks, CB, Wisconsin
Much like Skee-lo, Starks probably wishes he were a little bit taller. If he were (he is 5-8) he probably would have been drafted in the 1st or 2nd round. As packaged, he does bring great quickness and the ability to stay with any receiver. He runs a 4.37 40 which is very, very fast. Pacman Jones and Antrell Rolle are corners who were both taken in the first round that do not come close to Starks’ 40 time. He fills a need for the Jaguars though, because you need a lot of fast corners to cover the wideouts the Colts put on the field against them twice a year. Starks will match up well with a Brandon Stokley or a Reggie Wayne.
And the rest…
RB Alvin Pearman (4th round, Virginia) is a versatile player who can line up in the backfield or as a receiver. He also will get a chance to return kicks. He is a true all-purpose back. SS Gerald Sensabaugh (5th round, N. Carolina) has outstanding leaping ability and good athleticism. The Jags like athletes. WR Chad Owens (6th round, Hawaii) is short at 5-7, but he can return kicks and he caught 102 passes for the Rainbow Warriors last year. OLB Pat Thomas (6th round, NC State) could be another special teams contributor. CB Chris Roberson (7th round, E. Michigan) will get a look because of his 4.3 40 yard dash time.
Houston Texans
Day 1
1st round, 16th pick- Travis Johnson, DT, Florida St.
The Texans traded down from the 13th pick, along with trading their second round pick. Johnson was only a starter for one year in Tallahassee, but he did perform well in his one season in the lineup. He is solid but unspectacular, utilizing good technique to make himself an effective run stopper. He is not seen as somebody who will be a pass rushing threat. The Texans have had trouble generating a pass rush, so it is interesting that they would take somebody who’s sole forte is stopping the run with their first round selection. Last year he began taking medication for ADD, and it coincided with a big improvement in his play. The Texans hope he continues to develop.
3rd round, 73rd pick- Vernand Morency, RB, Oklahoma St.
Houston traded away its second round pick (along with a third round pick) for former Raiders CB Philip Buchanon. With its remaining 3rd round pick, the Texans selected the 25 year old Morency. Morency was a minor league baseball player prior to dedicating his career to football. Morency scored 12 touchdowns with Oklahoma St. last year. His running style is a jitterbug, stop and start style, so he will be used primarily as a change of pace back.
And the rest…
WR Jerome Mathis (4th round, Hampton) saw his stock rise after the combine thanks to a blazing 4.26 40 yard dash time. His hands are question marks, but the man can run faster than almost anybody in the league. He can also return kicks. C Drew Hodgdon (5th round, Arizona St.) is a bit slow but is still good in pass protection. SS Ceandris Brown (6th round, UL Lafayette) is aggressive and has good speed, two key components in being a good special teams performer. OLB Kenneth Pettway (7th round, Grambling) is big and fast but must prove himself against top competition.
Tennessee Titans
Day 1
1st round, 6th pick- Pacman Jones, CB, W. Virginia
My policy is, beware of guys with catchy names, because they probably get more press than they deserve and thus are not as good as advertised. Guys like “Peerless” Price or “A Train” Anthony Thomas or “Frogger McDonkeykong”, you know the type. That said, the Titans needed a corner badly after the loss of both of their 04 starting corners (Samari Rolle and Andre Dyson). The Titans chose Jones over now Arizona Cardinal corner Antrel Rolle, and the two will no doubt be compared to each other for a long time. Jones is more of a speed player, and not as big or physical as Rolle. He has great anticipation and uses it to create interceptions. His tackling is shaky though, and receivers have gotten behind him for the occasional big play. Jones can also return punts. He didn’t get off to a good start in his first minicamp. He was pulled from practice with tightness in his lower body a half hour into the session. The Titans obviously hope this is not an omen of things to come.
2nd round, 41st pick- Michael Roos, OT, E. Washington
Roos saw his stock rise prior to the draft thanks to great performance at the combine and at the Senior Bowl. He obtained the stamp of approval of the NFL O-line coach cabal and presto, he’s drafted in the second round after toiling in obscurity in division I-AA for four years. He is big and quick and has all the ability needed to be an NFL left tackle. He is still very much a work in progress though. He was actually born in Estonia, which would make him the first NFL player from the Baltic state. I have not confirmed this, but I’m just going to go ahead and make that call.
3rd round, 68th pick- Courtney Roby, WR, Indiana
Roby is tall and lean and has speed to burn. After playing at a dismal college program though, he will have to prove that he is a gamer that can make the tough catch when needed. He runs a good 40, but on the field he is really not much of a deep threat. Some say he will be used as a possession receiver, but then others say he is not very strong, which is a prerequisite to be a possession receiver. To me, he looks like a guy who has good measurables, but nobody has quite figured out how to use yet.
3rd round, 96th pick- Brandon Jones, WR, Oklahoma
New offensive coordinator Norm Chow got another potential target for his offense as the Titans grabbed a second wide receiver in the third round. Jones has the size and bulk that Roby lacks, but is not quite as fast as he is. He was the third receiving option on the Sooners behind Mark Clayton and Mark Bradley, and will be in a similar position with the Titans behind Drew Bennett and Tyrone Calico. He will fit a niche as a possession receiver and could be a nice fit for this offense.
And the rest…
FS Vincent Fuller (4th round, Virginia Tech) was a three year starter with a top college program. He has the speed to play corner as well as play safety. He will provide secondary depth. OT David Stewart (4th round, Miss State) is a tenacious player, even if he is lacking quickness. He won the Bulldog Award for showing the best work ethic on his college team, which shows that the character is definitely there. WR Roydell Williams (4th round, Tulane) has good size but lacks speed. He refused to run for scouts, so he’s a little touchy about that. He was All-Conference USA all 4 seasons in college despite missing the 2002 season with a broken leg, which might explain why he is a shade slow. RB Damien Nash (5th round, Missouri) runs low to the ground at 5-9 and is tough to bring down. OT Daniel Loper (5th round, Texas Tech) comes from a pass happy system, so we know he can pass block. TE Bo Scaife (6th round, Texas) is a pure receiver, not a blocker. He was at Texas for 6 years due to injuries. CB Reynaldo Hill (7th round, Florida) was a juco transfer who showed he could cover big time receivers at Florida.
MLB MAY MONTAGE- NL
If you think of the MLB season as a big poker game, with 30 people sitting at the table, April and May are the months where the players are dealt their hole cards. So now that the cards have been dealt, who should fold, who should check, and who should go all-in in the National League? Let’s deal ourselves in.
ALL IN
St. Louis Cardinals 38-21, 1st NL Central, 6.5 games up
In this card game, it is the Cards that hold aces. Just as they were in 2004, they are far and away the class of the National League. Nobody doubted going into the season that the lineup would be very productive, and indeed it has been. Albert Pujols (.330 AVG, 14 HR, 47 RBI) continues to stake his claim to being the best player in baseball. David Eckstein (.311 AVG, .785 OPS) and Mark Grudzielanek (.818 OPS) have been great as the new double play combination. Jim Edmonds (.919 OPS) and Reggie Sanders (.875 OPS) have bashed the ball like they always do, and the lineup will be even more fearsome when Scott Rolen returns from injury.
The question mark going into the season was whether the starting rotation was as good as it looked in 04, and at least to this point, it most certainly has been. Chris Carpenter (8-4, 3.49 ERA) has pitched like an ace, and Matt Morris (7-0, 3.43, 1.10 WHIP) has put to rest any and all concerns about his health. Jason Marquis (7-3, 3.50) has been rock solid. Jeff Suppan (5-5, 4.28 ERA) and big acquisition Mark Mulder (4.17 ERA, .275 BAA) have struggled by comparison, but have still been very good by any other standards. The bullpen has been rock solid, with Julian Tavarez (1.07 WHIP), Al Reyes (0.86 WHIP) and Randy Flores (1.10 WHIP) providing a reliable bridge to lights out closer Jason Isringhausen (17 saves, .209 BAA).
The Cardinals don’t have any discernible weaknesses, and are as sure a bet as any at this point to be one of the teams playing in the 2005 World Series.
San Diego Padres 34-25, 1st place NL West, 3 games up
The hiring of former A’s honcho and Billy Beane mentor Sandy Alderson has brought a much needed sense of urgency to this franchise. Things had gotten a little too cozy and clubby in San Diego, with manager Bruce Bochy and GM Kevin Towers both being around for a long time despite not really accomplishing much of anything, save for a trip to the World Series with a steroid bloated roster in 1998. Alderson has served notice that he wants the Padres to be the best baseball organization in the world, and they have responded thus far.
The key to the Padres’ success has been a great performance by their bullpen. Scott Linebrink (1.11 WHIP, .188 BAA), Akinori Otsuka (.255 BAA), Rudy Seanez (1.18 WHIP, .235 BAA), Dennys Reyes (2.78 ERA), and Chris Hammond (5-0, 0.85 WHIP, .190 BAA) have all been stellar, setting up closer Trevor Hoffman (17 saves, 1.06 WHIP), who is enjoying a resurgent season.
The performance of the bullpen has been key because the rotation has not lived up to expectations. Jake Peavy (5-1, 2.67 ERA) and Adam Eaton (8-1, 3.48 ERA) have both pitched like Cy Young Candidates. But after the top two, things have not gone as well as expected. Brian Lawrence (3-6, 4.78) has struggled. New acquisition Woody Williams (2-3, 4.46) has been injured much of the year. The fifth spot has also been problematic, as Tim Stauffer (1-2, 4.45), Darrell May (0-1, 5.35) and Tim Redding (0-5, 8.76) have all had results ranging from inconsistent to horrible.
The lineup has been generating just enough offense to win games. Brian Giles (.928 OPS) has been outstanding, and Ryan Klesko (11 HR, .879 OPS) has also had a good start. Phil Nevin has 42 RBI, doing a great job bringing home a lineup that knows how to get on base.
Washington Nationals 33-26, 1st place NL East, 1.5 games up
Somebody eventually will get some separation from the rest of the pack in the NL East, and I’ll be damned if it doesn’t look like it’s going to be the Nats. They’re doing it with a young, mashing lineup that is the envy of a lot of other teams.
How bad do you think the Yankees would like to have Nick Johnson back? He is batting .341 and has an OPS of 1.007. As crazy as it sounds, at this point in the season he’s got to be considered an MVP candidate (although just a candidate, nobody comes close to Derek Lee right now). Ryan Church (.336 AVG, .916 OPS) has come out of nowhere to be a revelation in center field. Jose Vidro (.875 OPS), Jose Guillen (.821 OPS), Vinny Castilla (.796 OPS), and Brad Wilkerson (.793 OPS) have all been solid as well.
The rotation has been absolutely rock solid, helped by the benefit of RFK Stadium seeming to be a favorable haven for pitchers. Livan Hernandez (9-2, 3.35 ERA) is a Cy Young candidate. Esteban Loaiza (3.48 ERA) has eaten innings, and Tomo Ohka (3.33 ERA) and John Patterson (2.70 ERA) have been better than expected. Once the game gets into the late innings, Luis Ayala (1.10 WHIP), Gary Majewski (1.13 WHIP), and Hector Carrasco (1.12 WHIP) have done a good job getting the ball to all-world closer Chad Cordero (17 saves, 1.20 ERA).
CHECK
Philadelphia Phillies 32-28, 2nd Place NL East, 1.5 games back
The Phillies seemed to be hopelessly mired in their traditional malaise for much of the beginning of the season, but in recent weeks have pulled it together to vault themselves into contention.
The rotation is unspectacular, but consistent and dependable. Cory Lidle, Randy Wolf, and Jon Lieber are all veterans who know how to keep themselves in the ballgame and give their team innings, and they’ve all done that. Brett Myers (5-3, 2.24 ERA, 21 BB/82 K) has emerged as the Phillies’ first true ace since Curt Schilling. Billy Wagner (17 saves, 1.01 WHIP) is a premier closer, but the rest of the bullpen is suspect.
The Phillies’ continued success will depend on their lineups’ ability to stay hot. Bobby Abreu (.327 AVG, 15 HR, 44 RBI, 15 SB, 1.035 OPS) is enjoying a superstar season, and Pat Burrell (.321 AVG, 12 HR, 51 RBI) has not been far behind. The team anxiously awaits the return of 1B Jim Thome, and his ability to perform at a high level probably holds the key to the rest of the team’s season.
Chicago Cubs 31-27, 2nd place NL Central, 6.5 games back
The lovable losers were a team that looked like it was about ready to flatline a couple of weeks ago, but a 6-1 roadtrip to Chavez Ravine and Petco Park has saved the season and has the ever hopeful Cub fans thinking playoffs.
The Cubs’ universe always revolves around the health of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood. They have both been out most of the year, and are both expected back soon. However, the Cubs actually seem to play better when those two are injured than when they are healthy. The team has a tendency to think it is better than it really is when those two are in uniform, and it leads to mental lapses, lazy play, and losses. It remains to be seen if that will be the case when they come back, but that’s been the pattern in the past.
There aren’t enough superlatives in the dictionary to heap on the way Derek Lee (.378 AVG, 17 HR, 52 RBI, 1.157 OPS) has played this year. He has simply been out of his mind and has single handedly kept this team afloat. Neifi Perez (.311 AVG, 7 HR, 26 RBI) has actually been an upgrade over Nomar Garciaparra at shortstop since Nomar went down with an injury. The rest of the lineup has been anemic, and the Cubs really need Aramis Ramirez (.271, 12 HR, 30 RBI, .855 OPS) to continue to break out of his funk. The Cubs will not catch the Cardinals in the NL Central, so they’ll have to better than the 7 NL teams that can realistically say they are in wild card contention at this point in the season. That’s not a good spot to be in.
Atlanta Braves 31-28, 3rd place tie NL East, 2 games back
The Braves are in a bad way injury wise right now. 2/5 of the starting rotation (Mike Hampton, John Thomson) are on the DL, along with 3B Chipper Jones (.923 OPS), who has been the Braves’ best hitter this year.
That said, you know that the Braves will find a way to stay in contention. That’s how you win 74 consecutive division titles or whatever it is that they’ve won. They will have to find some way to generate some offense though. The Bravos are batting .245 as a team, and no amount of history will win you a division title with that kind of production.
The rotation has been good, as you would expect a group that includes Hampton, John Smoltz, and Tim Hudson to be. The closer situation is a disaster though, as Dan Kolb (7.36 ERA, 2.18 WHIP, .308 BAA) bombed spectacularly in the role, and his replacement, Chris Reitsma, is unproven in the role.
The Braves look like they are in need of some more offense, and a closer if they are to continue their streak of playoff appearances. If not, this could finally be the year someone else wins the NL East.
LA Dodgers 31-28, 2nd place NL West, 3 games back
After a red hot start, the Dodgers have come crashing down to Earth. In a complete 180 from what the Dodgers have been in recent years, it is the pitching, not the offense, that is keeping this team from succeeding.
Derek Lowe (5-5, 3.35 ERA) and Brad Penny (3-2, 3.67 ERA) have been more or less dependable as the top two starters, but after that, things get really iffy. Jeff Weaver (5.27 ERA) and Odalis Perez (4.50) have been not so good. Don’t even ask about the fifth starter slot.
The shaky pitching has offset some good production from the lineup. Jeff Kent, JD Drew, and Milton Bradley all have an OPS above .800 (the benchmark in this day and age for being good). If the Dodgers can add another starter, or get better performances from Weaver and/or Perez, they may be able to replicate their early season success.
NY Mets 31-28, 3rd place tie NL East, 2 games back
Coming into the season, I thought the Mets would contend solely on the strength of having Carlos Beltran. I was wrong. They are contending solely on the strength of Pedro Martinez. Pedro (7-1, 2.45 ERA, .151 BAA) has been back in top form after a subpar 2004. His performance is reminiscent of another pitcher the Red Sox let get away because they thought he was in irreversible decline, Roger Clemens. He seems like a shoo-in for the NL Cy Young at this point in the season.
Without Pedro, the Mets rotation would be in very bad shape. Tom Glavine (4-5, 4.56 ERA) has slipped into being an ordinary pitcher, while Victor Zambrano, Kaz Ishii, Kris Benson, and Aaron Heilman have been average to slightly below in filling out the back end of the rotation. Braden Looper (12 saves) has been better than expected as the closer, but his .284 BAA suggests his luck will run out sooner or later.
The Mets’ weak rotation has been bolstered by a lineup that’s been producing. Carlos Beltran hasn’t played like a superstar (.300 AVG, 7 HR, 29 RBI), but hasn’t been bad either. David Wright (.933 OPS) is one of the game’s brightest young stars, and Cliff Floyd (14 HR, 39 RBI, .890 OPS) puts fear into opposing pitchers.
Arizona Diamondbacks 31-29, 3rd place NL West, 3.5 games back
As overhauled as this team is, they did lose 111 games last year. In their recent 1-7 stretch, they’ve looked a lot more like that team than the bunch that has turned it around in 2005.
In April, all of the D-backs offseason acquisitions were performing well, and it looked as if they had made all the right moves to rebuild their team. Lately, all those acquisitions have cooled off. Troy Glaus was among the league home run leaders for the first two months, but in June he has been scuffling with a .179 AVG. On the mound, Javier Vazquez has posted a 9.90 ERA in two June starts, after having a fantastic May. Russ Ortiz (4-5, 5.62 ERA), has just been bad all year, as has Shawn Green (.259, 4 HR, 26 RBI).
The team also has a big problem at closer, as Brandon Lyon couldn’t stay healthy after a wildly successful stint as the closer. Brian Bruney has taken over, and despite notching 6 saves, his 6.04 ERA does not inspire a lot of confidence. A continuing bright spot has been the performance of young starters Brandon Webb (7-2, 3.44 ERA), and Brad Halsey (4-3, 3.48 ERA), who could provide the D-Backs with a 1-2 punch for years to come if their emergence is not a mirage.
Florida Marlins 29-27, 5th place NL East, 2.5 games back
On paper, the Marlins should be running away with the NL East. Their rotation boasts 4 guys with ERAs right around or below 3.00 (Josh Beckett, Dontrelle Willis, AJ Burnett, and Brian Moehler). They are hitting a healthy .271 as a team and have 2 guys who have been absolutely murdering the ball in Miguel Cabrera and Carlos Delgado. The bullpen was a concern going into the season, but 37 year old Todd Jones has emerged from the depths of the bullpen to post 10 saves and a 1.37 ERA.
So what’s the problem? They just seem to be lacking a spark right now. The rest of the division has been painfully mediocre, and they seem to be playing down to the level of their competition. Nobody in the NL East comes close to this team talentwise, and they seem like a team that is just waiting to kick it into gear and bury everyone else. There have been lots of teams like that though, that found themselves still waiting to kick it into gear, only to find they are out of time to do that (last year’s Cubs team comes to mind). Will the Marlins find their groove and get it going? My guess is they will, because Jack McKeon is a good manager.
FOLD
Pittsburgh Pirates 28-30, 3rd place NL Central, 9.5 games back
Milwaukee Brewers 28-31, 4th place NL Central, 10 games back
Both of these teams are making progress. The Pirates, in particular, have showed character by rebounding from a terrible start to get themselves near .500. They both have too many teams in front of them to be serious wildcard contenders, but they both have a realistic chance to have winning seasons, which would be tremendous steps forward for both of these organizations.
San Francisco Giants 24-33, 4th place NL West, 9 games back
Cincinnati Reds 23-35, 5th place NL Central, 14.5 games back
Houston Astros 22-35, 6th place NL Central, 15 games back
All three of these teams were expected to contend, and all three are terrible. The Giants are a little less guilty than the others, because they are so heavily reliant on Barry Bonds, and his absence sunk their season from the beginning (losing closer Armando Benitez to injury didn’t help either). The Reds and Astros have no excuse though, and both teams need to be blown up and rebuilt. The Astros have a lot of bargaining chips with a rotation boasting Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite, while the Reds have a talented but underachieving cadre of outfielders who they still might be able to get some value for if they act now.
Colorado Rockies 19-39, 5th place NL West, 14.5 games back
There is a lot of young talent here. Unfortunately none of it is on the pitching staff. SS Clint Barmes looked like a slam dunk NL Rookie of the Year, but he broke his collarbone carrying groceries up the stairs, at three in the morning or thereabouts. And Cubs fans think THEY are cursed.
NBA PLAYOFF PEEP SHOW
Spurs v. Pistons is a pretty uninspiring matchup. ABC can’t be happy with it and the NBA probably isn’t either. Let’s face it, it’s not as easy to market Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili as it is to sell Shaq and Dwayne Wade to the viewership. People would probably much rather see the Suns run and gun than the Pistons play defense.
That said, I do find this series interesting, and I’ll tell you why. If the Spurs win, then Tim Duncan will have cemented his status as one of the top players of the modern era (by modern I mean Magic/Larry and after). There’s some elite company there. In that group, at this point I think you would obviously have to include Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan as your top three. In the next three you have Hakeem Olajuwon (the best center in the NBA for a long, long time), and Shaquille O’Neal, and then I think you would have to include Duncan, if you’re not including him already. He’s been the best player on a team that is working on its third NBA championship, and if that doesn’t gain you membership in the club I don’t know what does.
PIMPS UP HOS DOWN
Well that’s all I’ve got for ya this week. Check out the rest of the IP Sports Crew for more good times:
Eugene Tierney interviews minor league ballplayer Dave Matranga
Aaron Cameron has a DVD review that should interest Dodger fans or Dodger haters
Patrick Nguyen is awesome as always
Next week TRUMP is back! And boy is he pissed. As for me I have to escape the city before the gayness of the Cubs and Red Sox playing in the same stadium at the same time destroys the space/time continuum. I just don’t think it can handle that much maudlin, masturbatory, overblown self-indulgent bullshit at one time. Bye!
