Archive for January, 2010

Congratulations to Andre Dawson for getting into the Hall of Fame, and as always after the Hall of Fame voting a few short sided characters (who seem to know nothing about baseball) start griping that Mark McGwire isn't in the Hall of Fame. First of all, I want to give a disclaimer that I DO think that he should be in the Hall of Fame...eventually. I think he is deserving of ...
People often forget how rare it is to find a truly great switch hitter. In general, the switch hitter himself is not all that rare of a commodity, you see them in nearly every game. But once in a great while you will find one that is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to utilizing this special skill. I have compiled a list of, who I consider to be, ...

Missed It by That Much: NFL Teams Falling Just Shy of the Playoffs

Posted: 7th January 2010 by Paul Preibisius in NFL
One of the great aspects to this yearÆs regular season was the number of teams with playoff aspirations late in the season.á Some were pipe dreams cobbled together by distant hope (Miami holding on despite injury), some were late surges that came up short (Tennessee), but several teams were a few bounces away.á HereÆs a look at just why they are spending the postseason on the sidelines. Houston stands ...

Carson Palmer’s Passing Precision Perfectly Fine

Posted: 7th January 2010 by Eric Ball in NFL
The popular consensus this week is that Bengals QB Carson Palmer has dropped a peg on the quarterback hierarchy. "He was beyond awful in Sunday's Jets game." "He is throwing the ball away consistently on blitzes." "He doesn't look like the same quarterback that he was in '05." Well nobody can argue with the first two statements. He hasn't been very good at handling pressure and he has had some questionable ...

JaMarcus’ Back FootùOne Big, Baby Step

Posted: 7th January 2010 by Tim Fitzgerald in NFL
UPDATED:á I started writing this after the win in Denver.á After the Baltimore game, I made a few updates and figured I'd still put it up.á But now the news of JaMarcus going to Vegas after skipping the last team meeting has put a damper on the little bit of optimism I had left for the guy.á I try to put something positive about him out ...

Welker Done, Will Pats Be Next?

Posted: 7th January 2010 by sheldon hunt in NFL
The New England Patriots could only watch as their hopes for a long playoff run may have been dashed when Wes Welker crumbled to the turf with a torn ACL and MCL against the Houston Texans this past Sunday. Welker, in my opinion, is one of the top 5 receivers in the league, and is the security blanket for Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots. At the time of his ...

NFL Mock Draft Top Five: Feel Free to Mock

Posted: 7th January 2010 by Benjamin Klein in NFL
While it's insane to think its possible to predict an entire NFL draft, it might be within the realm of possibility to figure out the first five picks. Below is the best estimation of the first five picks of the 2010 NFL draft based upon scouting reports, team needs, coaches' philosophical styles and gut instinct. Enjoy and feel free to rip me a new one in the comments section.á á St. Louis Rams: ...

Oakland A’s In 2010: Power of Impact

Posted: 7th January 2010 by Joseph Lopez in MLB
What impact doesáthe A's resigning Jack Cust, their main source of power for the past three seasons, have on players like Jake Fox, Eric Chavez, Chris Carter and other DH-eligible players? What if (and I know it's a huge if) Chavez does comes back next season and is able to at least swing the bat? Or what about the one-in-a-million possibility that Chavez returns to the hot-corner next season? What happens ...

Jack Zduriencik, the Mariners, and How To Win the 2010 World Series

Posted: 7th January 2010 by Eli Nachmany in MLB
Casey Kotchman, his hands in his lap, waits patiently as his plane lands in Seattle. The Emerald City is particularly resonant today, the horizon shimmering blue in the Pacific Northwest as the chill of winter bites at the coastline. But there's still that sparkle, that tiny gleam that you can only see if you're looking for it. It's the hope embodied by the entire city of Seattle. It's the hope of a ...

Boston Red Sox Roster Mostly Set with Latest Moves

Posted: 7th January 2010 by Sean Kennedy in MLB
Getting Adrian Beltre for a guarantee of just one year and $10 million has to be viewed as a steal for the Red Sox. It's a huge come-down from Scott Boras's early demands of four years and $40 million, or more. Beltre earned $12 million last season and would have received a bump up in arbitration, which he declined. Perhaps he was just desperate to get out of the expansive Safeco ...