I couldn't think of a better title than Jim Mora's way too famous quote. Forgive me for being trite. Those Coors Light commercials are so terrible that they make me laugh anyway. NBA....playoffs....hm....
Western Conference
1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. 8 Oklahoma City Thunder
I would absolutely LOVE to see the Thunder beat the Lakers, but quite simply, it just won't happen thanks to higher powers. Led by the NBA's youngest scoring champion in history (and, naturally, a former Texas Longhorn) Kevin Durant, I think OKC should put up a nice fight but...sigh...I don't see these playoffs shaking out like the NCAA tournament. Upset? Sadly, no.
Lakers in 5
2 Dallas Mavericks vs. 7 San Antonio Spurs
It feels so strange to see the ever-consistent Spurs all the way down at number 7, but truthfully, their stars are aging. I think the rematch of last year's first round playoff series will end up with the same result, but expect San Antonio to put up a better fight.
Maveicks in 6
3 Phoenix Suns vs. 6 Portland Trail Blazers
I always forget that the Blazers even exist. But they have a very nice potential in this year's playoffs, particularly with Brandon Roy playing so well. However, I simply cannot bet against the Suns, seeing as Amare Stoudemire is lights out right now, and any athlete (Steve Nash) that's referenced in a Nelly Furtado song should not be bet against. This one will be close though.
Suns in 7
4 Denver Nuggets vs. 5 Utah Jazz
Both of these teams could potentially beat anyone, and YES I mean you Lakers, in the Western Conference. I think the Denver experience and depth makes it a relatively easy series for them. Let's hope J.R. Smith throws down some more sick dunks.
Nuggets in 6
Eastern Conference
1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 8 Chicago Bulls
Ok, ok everyone wants to predict the Bulls making this series another spectacular one, a la 2009 vs. Boston Celtics. However, if anyone had a relatively nice amount of money to bet, I KNOW they would not put it on Chicago. This is the only sweep I'm calling. Bye bye Vinny Del Negro.
Cavaliers in 4
2 Orlando Magic vs. 7 Charlotte Bobcats
Michael Jordan is not going to be able to play for Charlotte in the playoffs, so let's stop talking about him. That being said, the Cats will sure miss the traded Emeka Okafor when they have to bang down low with the likes of Dwight Howard. I'll give them one game to be nice.
Magic in 5
3 Atlanta Hawks vs. 6 Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks have been the surprise team of the year, led by the surprise player of the year, Brandon Jennings. There will be a good fight for this series, but I like the stronger and faster Hawks, with JOSH SMITH to take down Milwaukee.
Hawks in 6
4 Boston Celtics vs. 5 Miami Heat
My only upset of these entire playoffs might shock some out there, but it's really a logical pick. The Celtics are aging, Miami is young, and Dwyane Wade will be motivated to show that Miami should get the first shot at re-signing him. Unless Kevin Garnett throws down 3 million points, watch Miami's speed.
Heat in 7
LOOKING AHEAD:
My finals pick.
Yes, I'm serious.
Suns vs. Cavaliers
Cavs in 6
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
4 Downs
Copying Peter King can never really be a bad thing. Just make sure there's no copyright infringement problems. Add another number, perhaps.
4 Downs (NOT Three Things I Think I Think)
1. The Pittsburgh Steelers are truly stupid and the New York Jets are truly lucky. As if adding LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Cromartie weren't enough, the Jets acquired Steelers reciever Santonio Holmes for a mere fifth round draft pick. I understand that Holmes has had his share of off-field troubles and that star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has tainted the Pittsburgh image. But c'mon people. A fifth-rounder? Even Tim Tebow won't be available then. A player of Holmes' caliber should never be let go for essentially nothing, even if there is a 4-game suspension is in his pocket. Think the Jets moves are risky? Watch them make it to the Super Bowl next year.
2. The Philadelphia Eagles are another team that has made a huge mistake. I take personal joy criticizing the Eggles, as I am a die-hard Dallas fan, but any NFL novice could see how silly this whole Donovan McNabb situation was. Let's think. This guy was perennially a top 5 quarterback, and led the team to 2 NFC championship games in the time that he was in the city of "brotherly love". These fans are unforgiving, to be sure, but let's not jump the gun. Trading him to an in-division rival for essentially nothing and throwing in the "promising" and "feisty" Kevin Kolb who played at the UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON is not going to end up being the best move this franchise has ever made. I heard they even tried to acquire Albert Haynesworth in the deal. Meaning: they tried to acquire a ridiculously large and long contract along with an underachieving primadonna. Way to go Philadelphia. Lucky you have the Phillies.
3. I'm sad that the old Texas Stadium is gone. I have a friend who said that she recently flew into Dallas and said that she "never realized just how close the old stadium was to the airport". Later that day, they blew it up. How gut-wrenching. Many great memories and championship teams have been built in that stadium. The brand new Jerryworld is fantastic, but gaudy doesn't always translate into good. Just look at the Nationals.
4. I think that Jake Delhomme, if he chooses not to retire, will not be out of work for too long. He is a true leader and one of the real good guys in the NFL. He's a role model to kids, and would be a great backup anywhere in the league, mentoring an up-and-coming youngster.
4 Downs (NOT Three Things I Think I Think)
1. The Pittsburgh Steelers are truly stupid and the New York Jets are truly lucky. As if adding LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Cromartie weren't enough, the Jets acquired Steelers reciever Santonio Holmes for a mere fifth round draft pick. I understand that Holmes has had his share of off-field troubles and that star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has tainted the Pittsburgh image. But c'mon people. A fifth-rounder? Even Tim Tebow won't be available then. A player of Holmes' caliber should never be let go for essentially nothing, even if there is a 4-game suspension is in his pocket. Think the Jets moves are risky? Watch them make it to the Super Bowl next year.
2. The Philadelphia Eagles are another team that has made a huge mistake. I take personal joy criticizing the Eggles, as I am a die-hard Dallas fan, but any NFL novice could see how silly this whole Donovan McNabb situation was. Let's think. This guy was perennially a top 5 quarterback, and led the team to 2 NFC championship games in the time that he was in the city of "brotherly love". These fans are unforgiving, to be sure, but let's not jump the gun. Trading him to an in-division rival for essentially nothing and throwing in the "promising" and "feisty" Kevin Kolb who played at the UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON is not going to end up being the best move this franchise has ever made. I heard they even tried to acquire Albert Haynesworth in the deal. Meaning: they tried to acquire a ridiculously large and long contract along with an underachieving primadonna. Way to go Philadelphia. Lucky you have the Phillies.
3. I'm sad that the old Texas Stadium is gone. I have a friend who said that she recently flew into Dallas and said that she "never realized just how close the old stadium was to the airport". Later that day, they blew it up. How gut-wrenching. Many great memories and championship teams have been built in that stadium. The brand new Jerryworld is fantastic, but gaudy doesn't always translate into good. Just look at the Nationals.
4. I think that Jake Delhomme, if he chooses not to retire, will not be out of work for too long. He is a true leader and one of the real good guys in the NFL. He's a role model to kids, and would be a great backup anywhere in the league, mentoring an up-and-coming youngster.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
There's a Reason They Have a Star on Those Caps
My 1st annual Houston Astros season preview will commence in 3...2...1...
I would consider myself a conformist mainstream writer if I broke down each position player separately, but hey, I have to get a job in a couple years and being Howard Roark isn't exactly going to help my case. Individual breakdowns also means that I'll be employing one of my favorite (and perhaps most annoying) literary techniques: short paragraphs! Let's get going.
Pitching wins championships. Even though it really doesn't. Last time I checked, the team with the most RUNS on the board at the end won the game. But I guess you can say it's important. Luckily for you, Houston fan/random blog follower, the Astros' pitching has improved this offseason, mainly because of the acquisition of former Phillies hurler Brett Myers. Roy Oswalt will once again take the number one spot in the rotation, followed by the ever-inconsistent but steadily improving Wandy Rodriguez at the two. Myers will most likely be the number three pitcher in the rotation, making Houston pretty strong in the top pitching spots. I pray to God that manager Brad Mills puts the young phenom Bud Norris at number four and finds anyone in the world to pitch in the five hole, but most likely the dreaded Brian Moehler will pitch four and Bud Norris five. I'm predicting Mills will quickly see the error of his ways after a couple of starts from the aging and ineffective Moehler.
Grade: B
The bullpen looks relatively weak this year. Not that it has looked any better in recent years. The 'Stros lost the mediocre middle reliever LaTroy Hawkins and let the fiery albeit crappy closer Jose Valverde (Dr. Strangeglove) walk to Detroit. They countered these losses by signing the young and talented Matt Lindstrom from the Marlins and the largely unproven Brandon Lyon. I'm thinking Mills will hand the closer spot over to Lindstrom, which will be a huge success. (I'd like to note that he's Mormon. Thank you, thank you). Lyon will probably prove to be a fluke in the pen, and will likely be gone by the end of the year. Tim Byrdak, Jeff Fulchino, Wesley Wright, and Chris Sampson are all a motley group of unproven athletes with raw talent. I don't project them to be a top-flight bullpen, but I don't see them being overly terrible either.
Grade: B-
Now to the position players. The catcher on opening day will most likely be JR Towles, which worries me. He's young, inexperienced, and hits like he's swinging a toothpick. Problem is, his only plausible replacement, Humberto Quintero, is a minor league lifer, overweight, and prone to defensive errors. This is easily the Astros weakest position, and I expect a trade or a signing sometime in the season. Oh, how I'll miss Ivan Rodriguez.
Grade: D
Lance Berkman is still one of the best first basemen out there. Call me a homer (punny punny), but I still believe he has the stuff to be an All-Star. The big bat is still there, and Berkman is one of the smartest players in the league. My only question is, does he still want to play? Lance seems to emulate Roy Oswalt, and everyone knows that Oswalt plans to leave the game relatively early. Barring significant injury, the Big Puma should put in a quality year, and will stay at the number 3 spot in the lineup the whole season.
Grade: A-
Kazuo Matsui? I'm just not sure about that. He's 35, injury-prone and slumping. However, he's still fast, he can still lace hits into the large gaps at Minute Maid Park, and he's an above-average glovesman. I would rather have Jeff Keppinger out there, simply for consistency, but Kaz's ups during the season will entice Mills to start him most of the way. Injury is likely though. Look for a 2B by committee this season.
Grade: C+
The Astros are taking the risk and most likely handing the reins of the shortsop position to the rookie Tommy Manzella. Having only seen him on MLB 2010: The Show, I can't say I know all that much about him. However, he is a pretty crappy hitter in the game. I'm thinking this will probably reflect into his real life play as well. Batting be damned, the word around town is that he's the next Adam Everett, a hard worker who may not swing a big stick but can save a lot of runs with his stellar defense. I like Manzella, and he should stay here the whole season. If not, look for Chris Johnson (not to be confused with the Titans running back who ran a 4.2 40), Geoff Blum, or Matt Kata to come in and help out.
Grade: C+
Pedro Feliz was my favorite off-season acquisition. He was a scrappy player with Philadelphia, and I feel that he was the most underrated contributor to their back to back World Series appearances. We won't have him for long, since he's 35, but I'm rolling the dice on a very effective year for Feliz, with solid contributions by Blum when relief is needed.
Grade: B+
Carlos Lee is lazy. I'll just say that right now. I mean, the man seriously needs a golf cart to come fetch him from left field between innings. That being said, I still think he's a great hitter, and I sure am happy the Astros locked him up for as many years as they did with a no-trade clause. El Caballo has a cult following, and I'm projecting him to hit around .310 this year. Put in some solid home run and RBI numbers, and he can visit Panama as much as he wants.
Grade: B+
Michael Bourn is going to be the star this year. He won his first ever Gold Glove Award last season, and he definitely deserved it. Who can forget the catch on Tal's Hill when he was falling down. The little black man has stolen his way into a lot of fans' hearts throughout the area, and I look for his BA, RBIs, and stolen bases to go up this year. I love hearing him say "inning".
Grade: A
Hunter Pence (Captain Underpants) is probably my personal favorite on this team. Entirely homegrown, he has earned his way into the starting rightfield spot simply by playing hard, really really unconventional baseball. Who's complaining? The hunk of most female (and perhaps male) Astros fans' hearts is sure to put up another big year with the bat and the glove. Doubters, beware.
Grade: B+
Last but not least, we have Brad Mills. I sure as heck am glad they picked him over Manny Acta, who has yet to manage a winning team. General manager Ed Wade was right in firing Cecil Cooper, who simply lacked the intenstity to manage a major league team. Mills has experience with winning clubs, having been the Red Sox bench coach before accepting the Houston job. I'm not sure he's the second coming of Scrap Iron Phil, but Houston fans have hope, and there's no stopping this team after the All-Star break.
Grade: B+
Overall projection: 85-77 Missing the playoffs this year due to stiff competition from St. Louis and Chicago, but prospects are definitely looking up. Watch out, 2011.
I would consider myself a conformist mainstream writer if I broke down each position player separately, but hey, I have to get a job in a couple years and being Howard Roark isn't exactly going to help my case. Individual breakdowns also means that I'll be employing one of my favorite (and perhaps most annoying) literary techniques: short paragraphs! Let's get going.
Pitching wins championships. Even though it really doesn't. Last time I checked, the team with the most RUNS on the board at the end won the game. But I guess you can say it's important. Luckily for you, Houston fan/random blog follower, the Astros' pitching has improved this offseason, mainly because of the acquisition of former Phillies hurler Brett Myers. Roy Oswalt will once again take the number one spot in the rotation, followed by the ever-inconsistent but steadily improving Wandy Rodriguez at the two. Myers will most likely be the number three pitcher in the rotation, making Houston pretty strong in the top pitching spots. I pray to God that manager Brad Mills puts the young phenom Bud Norris at number four and finds anyone in the world to pitch in the five hole, but most likely the dreaded Brian Moehler will pitch four and Bud Norris five. I'm predicting Mills will quickly see the error of his ways after a couple of starts from the aging and ineffective Moehler.
Grade: B
The bullpen looks relatively weak this year. Not that it has looked any better in recent years. The 'Stros lost the mediocre middle reliever LaTroy Hawkins and let the fiery albeit crappy closer Jose Valverde (Dr. Strangeglove) walk to Detroit. They countered these losses by signing the young and talented Matt Lindstrom from the Marlins and the largely unproven Brandon Lyon. I'm thinking Mills will hand the closer spot over to Lindstrom, which will be a huge success. (I'd like to note that he's Mormon. Thank you, thank you). Lyon will probably prove to be a fluke in the pen, and will likely be gone by the end of the year. Tim Byrdak, Jeff Fulchino, Wesley Wright, and Chris Sampson are all a motley group of unproven athletes with raw talent. I don't project them to be a top-flight bullpen, but I don't see them being overly terrible either.
Grade: B-
Now to the position players. The catcher on opening day will most likely be JR Towles, which worries me. He's young, inexperienced, and hits like he's swinging a toothpick. Problem is, his only plausible replacement, Humberto Quintero, is a minor league lifer, overweight, and prone to defensive errors. This is easily the Astros weakest position, and I expect a trade or a signing sometime in the season. Oh, how I'll miss Ivan Rodriguez.
Grade: D
Lance Berkman is still one of the best first basemen out there. Call me a homer (punny punny), but I still believe he has the stuff to be an All-Star. The big bat is still there, and Berkman is one of the smartest players in the league. My only question is, does he still want to play? Lance seems to emulate Roy Oswalt, and everyone knows that Oswalt plans to leave the game relatively early. Barring significant injury, the Big Puma should put in a quality year, and will stay at the number 3 spot in the lineup the whole season.
Grade: A-
Kazuo Matsui? I'm just not sure about that. He's 35, injury-prone and slumping. However, he's still fast, he can still lace hits into the large gaps at Minute Maid Park, and he's an above-average glovesman. I would rather have Jeff Keppinger out there, simply for consistency, but Kaz's ups during the season will entice Mills to start him most of the way. Injury is likely though. Look for a 2B by committee this season.
Grade: C+
The Astros are taking the risk and most likely handing the reins of the shortsop position to the rookie Tommy Manzella. Having only seen him on MLB 2010: The Show, I can't say I know all that much about him. However, he is a pretty crappy hitter in the game. I'm thinking this will probably reflect into his real life play as well. Batting be damned, the word around town is that he's the next Adam Everett, a hard worker who may not swing a big stick but can save a lot of runs with his stellar defense. I like Manzella, and he should stay here the whole season. If not, look for Chris Johnson (not to be confused with the Titans running back who ran a 4.2 40), Geoff Blum, or Matt Kata to come in and help out.
Grade: C+
Pedro Feliz was my favorite off-season acquisition. He was a scrappy player with Philadelphia, and I feel that he was the most underrated contributor to their back to back World Series appearances. We won't have him for long, since he's 35, but I'm rolling the dice on a very effective year for Feliz, with solid contributions by Blum when relief is needed.
Grade: B+
Carlos Lee is lazy. I'll just say that right now. I mean, the man seriously needs a golf cart to come fetch him from left field between innings. That being said, I still think he's a great hitter, and I sure am happy the Astros locked him up for as many years as they did with a no-trade clause. El Caballo has a cult following, and I'm projecting him to hit around .310 this year. Put in some solid home run and RBI numbers, and he can visit Panama as much as he wants.
Grade: B+
Michael Bourn is going to be the star this year. He won his first ever Gold Glove Award last season, and he definitely deserved it. Who can forget the catch on Tal's Hill when he was falling down. The little black man has stolen his way into a lot of fans' hearts throughout the area, and I look for his BA, RBIs, and stolen bases to go up this year. I love hearing him say "inning".
Grade: A
Hunter Pence (Captain Underpants) is probably my personal favorite on this team. Entirely homegrown, he has earned his way into the starting rightfield spot simply by playing hard, really really unconventional baseball. Who's complaining? The hunk of most female (and perhaps male) Astros fans' hearts is sure to put up another big year with the bat and the glove. Doubters, beware.
Grade: B+
Last but not least, we have Brad Mills. I sure as heck am glad they picked him over Manny Acta, who has yet to manage a winning team. General manager Ed Wade was right in firing Cecil Cooper, who simply lacked the intenstity to manage a major league team. Mills has experience with winning clubs, having been the Red Sox bench coach before accepting the Houston job. I'm not sure he's the second coming of Scrap Iron Phil, but Houston fans have hope, and there's no stopping this team after the All-Star break.
Grade: B+
Overall projection: 85-77 Missing the playoffs this year due to stiff competition from St. Louis and Chicago, but prospects are definitely looking up. Watch out, 2011.
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