NL East, 3 week in

We are now about 3 weeks into the season, still early, but the division is starting to shape up. Surprisingly, the Fish are at the top with the Braves, Mets, and Phillies looking up. Here is my take on the start of the season for the Braves and some predictions.

The Braves have been somewhat digital this year when it comes to their offense. We tend to score in bunches, and mostly off the long ball. Garrent Anderson has been everything but impressive, and now he is injured. I hope he can make a comeback, but to be frank, I think the team will be better served with a platoon of Blanco and Diaz. Jeff Francour may be our best hitter this season, but one thing is for sure, to win we need Chipper to be healthy. McCann is having eye surjery, but I expect him to come back stronger then ever. Kelly is finding his groove, if only he can stop making errors. Our young stud Schaffer is starting to get found out, hoepfully he can adjust as pitchers adjust to him.

The pitching staff has been unsurprisingly deep, but it seems Glavine may be retiring. No worries, there is plenty of young talent to fill in. Derek Lowe has shown himself to be the number 1 starter, and Jair Jurjjens picked up where he left off, striking out batters and pitching quality starts. The bullpen has seemed shakey at times, and it may just be a closer by comittee between Soriano and Gonzalez. Blain Boyer is out there, and Peter Moylan is slowly finding his stide.

I am more convinced now then ever that this team can play above 500 this season and has a good chance to make the playoffs. But, this is the kind of team that is prone to skids. When the bats aren't hitting, everything seems to fall apart quickly. Baseball is sport of minimizing the damage, when we are down, Bobby has got to find a way to pick the team up. The bullpen may be our weakest point, but lets hope the starting pitching picks up the slack.

It is going to be a tight race, a three or four team race in the east. The "Natinals" have no chance, and have shown themselves to be the worst franchise in baseball. Don't count out the central division to take the wild card. The Cubs and Cards look good, but don't forget about those pesky Pirates. Out west, the Dodgers should take the division, but the Diamondbacks or the reloaded Padres may be looming. Once the Padres fall out of it, Jake Peavy may be on the move (sound familiar).

My prediction for the playoffs:

National League
Division Winners - Cards, Dodgers, Fish
Wild Card - Atlanta Braves (yes I am a homer)

American League
Division Winners - BoSox, ChiSox, Mariners
Wild Card - Yankees (but watch out for the Tigers)


World Series: BoSox vs Cardinals
Champions: Cardinals

That's right, my team to beat is the Cardinals. I reserve the right to be wrong, but that team is good. They hit well and pitch well (with some recent injuries). They have a top notch manager, and the Cards are a kind of team that can sneak into the playoffs and cause a lot of damage. As much as I want to believe that the Braves are the team to beat, I just don't see it yet. Maybe I will change my mind come all-stat time.

What do you think?


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Cycle, Cycle, Cycle!!!!

Last week I was stymied in fantasy baseball, not by my own choices, but by a single player, Ian Kinsler. Let's take a peak at the stats as they relate to my fantasy league:

9 R 6 RBI 6 SB 3 BB 4 K .556 AVG 1.600 OPS

His numbers alone were the cause of my demise. More so, he hit for the f*ing cycle. That happened on monday or tuesday (i forget), then on friday, Jason Kubel of the Mariners hit for the cycle, topping it off with a game winning grand slam homer. Then, on the following monday Orlando Hudson hit for the cycle. In a 7 day span that is 3 cycles. Something that is a pretty rare occurance, 2 or 3 times a season, has now occurred so close togeather. Does this mean that there won't be any more cycles? Maybe, I hope not.

Kubel and Kinsler were the fifth pair of players to hit for the cycle in a 3 day span. Then Kubel and Hudson became the sixth. And, I bet this is the first time 3 cycles occured in this time period (didn't do the reasearch, so don't quote me). Thank goodness I only had to play Kinsler in fantasy, and I pitty the openent who had to face all three. 

On the homefront, if the Braves could get a few cycles, looking at you Kelly (you've been so close), maybe we would start a winning streak and stop loosing to the pirates (and the 'Natinels'). 

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Lowe and Schafer Cruise By the Champs on Opening Day

The Atlanta Braves opened 2009 with a bang, beating up on the World Series Champion Phillies 4-1 in the season opener. Free agent acquisition Derek Lowe threw eight shutout innings, allowing only two baserunners, and rookie center-fielder Jordan Schafer hit his first major-league home run in his first at-bat. A sign of good things to come for Atlanta? I think so.

Now let's get one thing straight, I don't believe this game means we're a better team than Philadelphia. Their lineup is one of the top three in baseball and their bullpen is incredible. Last year they beat up on Atlanta 14-4 in the season series. They didn't blow one save last year, never losing when up after eight. That's almost perfect. And they need to be perfect with a subpar pitching rotation. Cole Hamels was bumped from last night's start due to injury, and while it may be the only start he misses, the Phillies have to rely on him to get them to another division title. Hamels won't face Atlanta in this series, meaning more matchups in Atlanta's favor this week. Jair Jurrjens and Javier Vazquez will pitch Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, against Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer. I don't blame you for not shaking in your boots when hearing Blanton and Moyer's names.

Sport Illustrated picks the New York Mets to win the wild card and then go on to win the World Series this year. And given how often the Mets have underachieved the last couple of seasons, its not a bad pick for them to finally pull it all together for a full season. But again, its a team with plenty of holes in the rotation. The Braves might not have the power of either the Phils or Mets, but we will be able to out-pitch them any day of the week. For once the Braves pitching staff is healthy, durable and, most importantly, deep.

Lowe, Jurrjens, Vazquez, Kenshin Kawakami and Tom Glavine make up the rotation. Tommy Hanson, Kris Medlen, Jorge Campillo, Jojo Reyes, and Charlie Morton will likely get some starts throughout the season as well. And Tim Hudson is on track to return in August. That's eleven pitchers. Eleven pitchers who would make the Mets or Phillies rotation without even trying. Sure it gives us plenty of trading chips should the time come, but it gives us enough depth to not have to worry about anyone getting injured. It gives us enough arms to limit opposing offenses, and give our hitters a chance every game of the year. We may only average four runs a game this year, but if our starters keep the ball on the ground and in the park, we'll have a chance.

The addition of Jordan Schafer had an immediate effect last night as he reached base three times, including a solo home run. Over the entire season, the more important effect will be his defensive presence (and if you saw Brad Lidge's slider humiliate Schafer, you'll know to temper your offensive expectations). Since Andruw Jones left, center field hasn't quite been the same. And with a slow left fielder (either Garrett Anderson or Matt Diaz), the center fielder will have to pick up some of the slack on fly balls and hits in the gap. Schafer can do that. He's a gold-glove caliber player with speed, power and confidence and he's someone we're gonna get used to seeing in center field for years to come.

Another item of note was the performance of Jeff Francoeur. Sporting a new batting stance and less of a football-conditioned body, Frenchie blasted the first pitch he saw into the left field seats. Does it surprise anyone that it was the first pitch he saw? The new stance ought to give Francoeur a better chance at making solid contact at every pitch he flails at. Think of it as a way to exploit his notorious impatience at the plate. If he's going to swing at everything anyway, might as well figure out a way to make it work. So far so good, but let's hope he can keep it up for an entire season. Without consistent run production from Francoeur, the Braves may have serious problems scoring this year.

Last night's victory ought to make Frank Wren look good, ought to help give fans some ammunition to use against the Phillies, and ought to give us hope that last year will not be repeated. The Braves are one step closer to a return to form. Does it get any better?
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Why You Shouldn't Care that Tommy Hanson Was Sent to the Minors

He won the Arizona Fall League MVP. He dominated major league hitters in Spring Training. But Atlanta pitching phenom Tommy Hanson will start 2009 in the minor leagues.

Don't worry though. This is normal.

With a stacked pitching rotation, and no immediate need to rush Hanson into the majors (remember, he's never pitched above AA ball), the Braves made the right call by leaving him off the roster. Lowe, Vazquez, Jurrjens, Kawakami and Glavine is a stout rotation. Campillo, Reyes and Morton are solid, experienced alternates should Glavine miss some starts (also are great trade bait). No the Braves' real problem is whether they will score runs, not whether the pitching will hold up.

For the first time in a while, the Braves have legitimate pitching depth. With Hanson and Kris Medlen dominating the minor leagues, and the 7+ options at starter at the Major League level, Atlanta finally has an opportunity to return to the form of its 90's dynasty. A clear focus on quality, durable pitching makes them an interesting contender for a playoff spot. GM Frank Wren saw the free agent market and realized that even with a subpar offense, we would get nowhere without a deep pitching staff. Last year we were decimated by injuries, seeing four-fifths of our opening day rotation each miss a significant number of games. Wren is determined to not let that happen again. Glavine gets hurt? Campillo fills in. Kawakami goes down too? Okay call up Hanson, then. Glavine's healthy again? Move Campillo back to the bullpen.

You can never have too many quality arms, and the Braves know that better than anyone. So don't worry too much about Tommy Hanson being sent to the minors. He needs time to develop more control while he works his way up the ladder, anyway. Just be thankful that unlike the Dodgers (rushing Clayton Kershaw) and Yankees (rushing Joba, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, etc.), we actually have the major league pitching depth to give our minor league studs some time to develop. When Hanson and Medlen and the others finally do solidify their spot in the rotation, it will be well worth the wait.

And let's not forget, Tim Hudson is due back in late August.
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WBC is here to stay

In all the other major sports, minus the NFL, the American stars have a chance to wear USA on their uniforms. All I hear about when I watch the NBA is how close Lebron, Kobey, and D-Wade have become since they won gold together at the summer olympics. The NHL stars get to go to the winter games and compete (watch out for the Czech team next winter). But in baseball, the olympics are in the middle of the season, and there was no way MLB teams would let their players compete while they are in the middle of a playoff race. Conversely, futball leagues yield play to the all mighty world cup.

I am not saying that MLB should stop play for the olympics. Well that can't happen anymore because baseball is no longer an olympic sport, which is why we need the WBC. International baseball now has legitamacy with MLB stars. Players who never get a chance to compete for an international crown before, finally get that chance. And, they are making the most of it.

Tell me you didn't almost cry with joy watching (the hated Met) David Wright game winning hit. I hate Wright, like really despise, but I loved him in that moment because he was playing for my team, the USA. It is not only the players, but it is the fans like me, who have also never got that opportunity.

And perhaps the best thing about it, the US is not really the best team. The competition is tough, and victory is far from assured. Every game is tense, or a blow out, and I can't wait for tonights duel against baseball powerhouse Japan. The matchup is a dream, Dice-K and Oswallt. That's something you probably won't get to see this season.

The WBC is here to stay, and I can't wait for the 2013 classic. Although, if I have one suggestion, it needs to be played faster; less days off and more like a baseball series. There should be at most 1 day off for every 5 games. Players get cold, thats why they get hurt. Then they can also finish this thing up before March Maddness starts, and the players can get back to their teams faster and get ramped up for the season.

Other then that. Keep up the good work Selig, and your right this thing is only going to get "bigger and bigger." (source mlb.com)

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Dirty A-Rod

Perhaps this has not been the greatest of off-seasons for Alexander Emmanuel Rodriquez, injuries and a little steriods scandal. Baseball could have done without more steroids-related news, especially from one of its top players.

On this day, things just got a little more interesting for the Yankee third baseman. The New York Daily News is reporting that Alex Rodriquez was supplied call-girls by the same New York madam as former governor Elliot Spitzer. To go even further, Rodriquez successfully went as far as to court the madam, Kristen Davis herself.

"Throughout the years, there were a number of clients that I befriended and it was not uncommon for them to want the women they can't have whether it be the phone bookers or the madam," Davis said. "In regard to Alex, all I can say is our paths have definitely crossed personally and professionally."

If this turns out to be true, this is sure to generate more news in the coming days. One thing we have learned thus far is this gives a whole new spin on the nickname "A-ROD"
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Braves Hold Spring's Best Record, But is it Meaningful?

The Atlanta Braves made a lot of changes over the offseason, from bringing three new starting pitchers to losing John Smoltz. Fans are going to see a different team take the field this summer, but given their performance this spring - it'll be a damn good team.

So far the Braves hold the league's best Spring Training record (12-3). Clutch hitting and stellar pitching performances have paced the new-look Braves to this point, seeming to answer questions as to how this team could win ballgames. At the plate, hitters have focused on driving in runs over driving the ball over the fence. Outfielders Matt Diaz, Brandon Jones and Jeff Francoeur are among the team leaders in RBI, alongside first-base phenom Freddie Freeman. With Chipper at the WBC (and injured) along with McCann, it's been a great testament to the depth of this lineup that they've been able to continue winning without their two best players. The pitching helps too.

While Javier Vazquez mows down hitters as part of a strong Puerto Rican ballclub, newcomers Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami have been proving their worth in a Braves uniform. Lowe's sub-three ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 11 innings have earned him a 2-0 record in three starts. Kawakami, at 2-1, has an ERA under two. Flamethrowing phenom Tommy Hanson has made his push for an opening day spot (which he won't get unless Glavine's injured), striking out more than one batter an inning and sporting a solid 3.38ERA. Combined, our starting pitchers have thrown 54 innings, allowing 17 earned runs (that's a 2.83 ERA) while holding a 39:16 strikeouts-to-walks ratio. These are solid numbers, these are numbers to get excited about. And don't worry, Javy's done pretty well in a Puerto Rican uniform too: 2-0, 0.96 ERA, 1ER and 1BB in 9.1 innings.

It all starts with pitching for the Braves, and it always has. We have good enough bats to spark some rallies, score some runs and keep us alive, as long as the starting pitching can keep it close. So far so good. Is it a great indicator for the season? Not completely, as most spring rosters aren't 100% (especially given the number of players off in the WBC), but its good to see our pitchers throwing with a purpose and a passion to make this a winning franchise once again. They all seem excited for the season, to prove their worth and to take on the league's best players in 2009.
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5 Tips to Help You Win Your Fantasy Draft

Ahhh, can you smell it? The fresh cut grass, the hot dogs grilling, spring is coming and baseball season is here. It smells wonderful. What's that? You don't smell it? Must be because you're stuck in front of your computer playing fantasy baseball! Well don't fret, there's plenty of ways to make the most of your spring and summer indoors. It all begins with the draft: win your draft and you win your league. Take some tips from me, he who's won a regular season title each of the last two years. Some may credit my recent success to an overwhelming amount of time spent researching online, exploiting hot streaks, or negotiating blockbuster trades... but without drafting as well as I did, I wouldn't have stood a chance.

1. Jog Your Memory: Who was that first baseman in Texas last August? What about that Cleveland outfielder who hit .350 down the stretch? Didn't the Dogers call up some hyped-up flamethrower? Can't quite recall the young studs and blue chips who caught your eye at the end of 2008? Well its time to refresh your memory with a few names worth considering: Chris Davis, Shin-Soo Choo, Clayton Kershaw, are just a handful of players to draw interest down the stretch. They'll be cheap picks in the draft, with plenty of upside, and there's players like these all over the league. So did you miss out on Pujols? Morneau? Even Adrian Gonzalez? Don't worry, I'm sure Chris Davis' monster power bat is still available.
2. Don't Think Too Early: Ryan Braun or Ryan Howard? Grady Sizemore or Carlos Beltran? The first two or three rounds might pose such questions, but they rarely require any thought to answer. In the beginning, take the best available player. Don't like Braun or Beltran for any particular reason? Fine, get Howard and Sizemore and move on. Either way you've got 40HR's and a 30/30 guy. Don't waste a first or second round pick on a guy who should be available in the sixth or seventh. Last season someone in one my leagues drafted Jimmy Rollins first overall. Needless to say he did not win the league.
3. Draft Stats You Want: So say you really like hitters who hit lots of home runs, and pitchers who amass a ton of strikeouts - and you could care less about other categories. Then how come you drafted Jose Reyes, Shane Victorino and Chien-Ming Wang? There's plenty of types of players you can use to build a winning team, as long you're consistent in your drafting of them. Don't draft high-average, high-runs for seven rounds and then grab Adam Dunn and Jack Cust because of their homers. You just ruined your team's average anyway, so why bother with the high-average guys to begin with?
4. Know the Positions: Don't get so upset that the top-tier shortstops are all gone after two rounds that you turn around and draft Rafael Furcal in the third round. Bad move. How much better is Rafael Furcal (fantasy-wise) than Jhonny Peralta (likely to get drafted after the 8th round)? Not much. Be aware of positional scarcity going in. There's three outstanding shortstops, maybe four outstanding second basemen, corner infielders are known for their power (so don't settle for a James Loney), and there's hordes of outfielders with 20/20 potential. As long as you don't end up with a 1B who hit ten homers last year, a shortstop who stole 6 bases and zero outfielders who hit 25HR, your roster is probably headed in the right direction.
   
5. Finish the Draft: Its after midnight, most of the other managers have logged off and gone to sleep or to watch Chelsea Lately on E!.. but not you. No you've still got players in your queue, sleeper guys you targeted a month ago who you knew would be available come round 20. Maybe its a veteran coming off injury, or a prospect likely to be called up later in the season, or maybe just a guy who can fill in and give you 20 steals. There's quality picks until the very last round, even if they're not the sexiest. Stay until the end, and you'll be the one laughing when you end up trading your 21st round pick for someone else's 3rd rounder. It happens.

So go prepare yourself, make a list, keep a few notes on under-the-radar guys you want for your team, and most importantly go into the draft with a plan. As long as you draft a well-rounded, balanced roster, you will be competitive this season - I guarantee it!
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Colonel Sanders Haunts Japan

Everyone is familiar with the Curse of the Bambino and the Curse of the Billy Goat. Those are really bad curses. The red sox finally shrugged the babe from their soldiers in 2004, 86 years after they traded their young pitcher for cash. The Billy Goat still haunts the Chicago Cubs, who even when good, seem so ba-a-a-a-ad.

Across the Pacific, our baseball loving friends of Japan have their own curses. Most notably the Curse of the Colonel. In 1985, the Hashin Tigers won their only Japanese baseball championship, thanks in part to their star American player, Rand Bass, whose facial hair was strikingly similar to the chicken toting mascot Colonel Sanders. Enthralled, the fans celebrated their victory by stealing a statue of the Colonel, hoisting it in the air, and promptly throwing it into the river. Woa be to KFC. The Tigers have yet to repeat in the championships blaming their futility on the creator of the original recipe.

Good news is now being reported. Workers have rediscovered the statue, and have hauled it out of it's watery tomb. Has the curse been removed? Will the Tigers finally beat their arch-nemesis, the Giants of Tokyo? Who knows. If the Sox can win two world series, and the ChiSox can win as well after long droughts, then anything is possible.

All I know is that there is one person I don't want rooting against me, and he is the Colonel because that triangle beard and white hair is only a horn or two away from being Satan. And, everyone knows that Satan is a baseball fan. That's why they sacrifice chicken (by eating KFC) to remove curses from error prone gloves (watch Bull Durham if you don't believe me). So thank goodness the Colonel is back on dry land, and who wants to split an 8 piece with me and watch some baseball?

Even npr covered the storey.

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Sports Scenes from Europe, pt 2

The faces on the football (fußball/fussball or soccer) fans were solemn with a quiet focus on what was important. People were not screaming or cursing at the giant projector screens. Hell, they rarely stood up to fetch beer at the bar. Football was on which put everything else on hold.

Today all the teams involved in the Bundesliga were playing. Every city in Germany has a team represented at some level of the Bundesliga with the major cities having the best teams in the highest level. Munich, the rival, is the powerhouse of Germany and even participates in the Champions League. Today, however, we pull for Berlin without exception.

The sports bar in Berlin has a different look and feel to it than what we might find here in America. But there was one peculiar standout in the way the games were broadcasted. In America, a few screens broadcast the major sporting events of that day. In Berlin at this sports bar, ONE screen broadcasts ALL the games simultaneously. Let me explain.

One of the sports channels broadcasts what is translated as “conference programming” whereby all games rotate every few minutes. This keeps viewing the games moving and always exciting. If you have ever complained about football being boring, this is your remedy. Every few minutes a goal is scored in some game. After a goal is announced, the game is immediately switched for all to see. Think of this as a highlight reel in real time. If you wanted to watch just one game, they had those TVs in other rooms.

Later in the week, we went to a local bar to watch the Munich vs Lisbon game for the Champions League. We pulled for Munich this time (think of it as pulling for the SEC in out-of-conference games). Munich finally broke out of its shell with a 5-0 rout over Portugal team. It was a quality ass whooping and entertaining sport.

Criticize soccer all you like, but this is quality sport that is both entertaining and engaging. The talent pool is truly global and when the world gathers next year in South Africa you will see a true World Series. It these reasons which warmed me in Barcelona when every night when you get home, there will always be multiple football match-ups on the tube for your sports enjoyment. The action transcends any cultural or language barrier.


WRudolph is not on assignment but has decided to recount his sports encounters on a recent trip to Barcelona and Berlin.
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Cox Speaks

Braves manager/guru/deity Bobby Cox sat down with Mark Bowman for an interview. It is is a good read, but what is most interesting is this very simple exchange.

MLB.com: What do you like about your new-look pitching staff?

Cox: One of the biggest things for us is how [Peter] Moylan and [Rafael] Soriano bounce back from their elbow surgeries. They are two key pieces in our bullpen. If they throw like we know they can, that's going to really help our starting rotation, because you can cover three easy innings with them and [Mike] Gonzalez. If they are all healthy, that would be a huge plus, because our rotation has a chance to be really good.

Cox was asked about his pitching staff, that includes starters and bullpen, but Cox only talks about the bullpen. This is why he does what he does, and I don't. I was certain Cox would say something about Lowe or Vazquez or Kawakami (i.e., starters), but instead he likes the bullpen. Cox ran his bullpen out there a lot last year, b/c of some bad starting pitching, but Bobby knows that a staff starts from the back forward. If you can't finish a game, then it doesn't matter what happened in the previous 8 or 7 innings. I like this attitude, and I have to agree. If we go Soriano, Moylan and Gonzalez for 7, 8, and 9th inning (and they all stay healthy), we are going to win a lot of games.

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Sports Scenes from Europe, pt 1

I just saw my second Chicago White Sox jacket within 5 minutes here on the streets of Barcelona. There must be a big White Sox contingent in Barcelona or perhaps Antoni Gaudi was a baseball fan? Neither are likely and both are incorrect.

I have noticed most of the Catalan people in Barcelona are progressively, often fashionably, dressed. This is a culturally vibrant city after all. The jeans are ripped by designers and the belts stand out. Their shirts are worn to draw attention to either a design or certain body parts. [“Quit starring at the girl’s breasts, Billy”].

One item of clothing you will not find is a baseball hat. Ball caps are seldom worn, at least not in the winter months. This does not stop people from supporting their favorite sports team. (FC Barcelona is THE team, religion, sports symbol of Barcelona. The Gods of Messe and Henry rule this town, but I’m not here to point this point out.) Percentage-wise, the people in Barcelona wear just as many U.S. sports jersey’s as fans back in the States.* I have seen shirts and jackets from teams ranging from the Packers, Yankees, Red Sox, Lakers, Bulls, Cubs, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

I chalked this up as just America exporting its culture and a foreign nation adopting this as cool. I also thought they liked these teams because they saw a game once or liked a certain player. Perhaps they even liked the sport and just wanted to show support. I own a FC Barcelona jersey for this reason.

It was in Berlin that I discovered a few insights into the European fascination with U.S. sports regalia. In Berlin, I found more Berliners wearing hats of their favorite teams. Here the I found Yankees and Braves hats popular, among other teams. On my first night, I asked Joe, a metal guitar player, why he wore a Yankees cap. (seen here not in hat)

“[Joe,] I noticed your Yankees hat. Are you a fan of the Yankees?”

“No.” He said. “I like the city. I want to visit [New York] one day, something I have always wanted to do.”

There you have it. Joe and many other Europeans know nothing of baseball or [American] football, but use the symbols of our sports teams to hold on to their desire to visit America one day.** This sentiment was echoed but I still do not see it ringing true.

Seeing the Braves hats et al. worn on the heads of both East and West Berliners brought me comfort in knowing that we not only have a kick-ass baseball team, but we export the shit out of it as well. Even if we as baseball fans in America are not buying into the sport like in the past, at least our friends in the rest of the world are supporting our local clubs.


*I am not checking facts I make up
**As a representative European, I will generalize Joe’s opinion to be true of all Europeans


WRudolph is not on assignment but has decided to recount his sports encounters on a recent trip to Barcelona and Berlin. Stay tuned for more updates
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Falcons and Brooking Part Ways as Free Agent Pool Opens

Long-time Falcons LB Keith Brooking and the Atlanta Falcons have finally parted ways after contract negotiations broke down prior to the midnight deadline - making Brooking a free agent.

Brooking is just the latest veteran player to be let go by Atlanta, following S Lawyer Milloy. The combination of big-money contracts, declining ability and quality young talent has led to their release. Its safe to argue that they weren't released at the same time as Alge Crumpler and Warrick Dunn last season because the team needed some veteran holdovers to help facilitate a smooth transition. Now a year later, the veterans are gone, and the pressure now squarely lies on the young players, mostly in their second and third seasons. That's not to say GM Thomas Dimitroff won't acquire new talent via free agency or the draft, but overall its clear that the team is going younger.

LB Michael Boley, CB Domonique Foxworth and DE Chauncey Davis also became free agents.

Looking around the league, Brooking wasn't the only high-profile name to become a free agent last night. Former Falcons Pro-Bowl CB DeAngelo Hall will return to the Washington Redskins for an estimated $54M over six years. This makes Hall one of the highest paid cornerbacks in the NFL. This is the second time in two years that Hall has struck a monster deal, following his disastrous half-season with the Raiders. Oakland released Hall after eight games, and he was picked up by Washington a week later. He tallied two interceptions with the 'Skins in seven games, tied for the team lead. Hall put aside his personal conduct problems when he arrived in Washington, but his history of off-field distractions in Atlanta and in Oakland (coupled with his declining on-field production) certainly doesn't warrant one of the largest contracts in the league. Typical Redskins.

Speaking of which, the 'Skins threw even more money at DT Albert Haynesworth. The All-Pro tackle was the center of a flurry of rumors by Falcons fans about whether owner Arthur Blank would open the checkbook to sign him. Last week the team made it clear they wouldn't be writing any $100M checks, which kept Haynesworth out of the picture. Now he'll suit up alongside DeAngelo Hall, Jason Taylor and a high-priced Redskins team that started last year on fire before fading away by December. Haynesworth was signed this morning to a 7-year deal worth $100M (or up to $115M including performance bonuses). $41M is guaranteed, the bulk of which he'll earn in the next calendar year. Certainly too rich for many teams, Haynesworth landed exactly where many analysts predicted.

The free agent signing period has only been open for nine hours, and the Redskins have already agreed to spend over $150M. Owner Dan Snyder has built a reputation of over-paying for veteran players, something he stepped away from last season by largely keeping the checkbook closed (they traded for Jason Taylor). But this offseason, and during a recession, he seems bent on becoming the Yankees of football by spending the cash he thinks will put his team over the top and come out of the best division in the NFL. I think their success still relies on the ability of Jason Campbell and the health of Clinton Portis. If their offense clicks next season, they could certainly be a threat to the Giants, Eagles and that other team.
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The Braves Can Be Competitive This Year, Barring Setbacks

This afternoon at 1pm, the Atlanta Braves will head to Lakeland, Florida to take on the Detroit Tigers in their Spring Training opener. Sophomore sensation Jair Jurrjens will face his former club as he makes the start.

There are plenty of new faces in the clubhouse after a flurry of activity this offseason. With new acquisitions comes new expectations for a Braves team now three full seasons removed from the playoffs. While the general idea of Frank Wren's moves was to bridge the gap between the present and the highly-talented future, he's managed to shape a club that has a chance to be competitive now - in the National League's toughest division.

Let's rundown what must happen if the Braves have any chance of becoming a winning franchise once more:


Starters Must Eat Innings. New guys Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez and Kenshin Kawakami were brought in mainly because of their reputation as innings eaters. With little to no injury history for any of them, at least two-hundred innings pitched is a reasonable expectation. Last season as one starter after another fell to injury, the bullpen had to pick up the slack and fill in those middle innings early in the season. By August they had no arms left. This year it'll take four healthy starters (Jurrjens should be a 200+ IP guy too) to keep the fragile bullpen from breaking down.

Relievers Must Stay Healthy. Speaking of the bullpen, the final three innings look rather menacing if Moylan, Soriano then Gonzalez take the mound. But that's a huge "if". Soriano's string of injuries and health problems seems to get more ridiculous and neverending (his upper-respiratory problem this spring doesn't bode well). Moylan is ten months removed from Tommy John surgery, so don't expect him to pitch until May - but even then, he likely won't be 100%. Gonzo says he's in the best shape of his life, and I don't doubt him. He looked great last year, and its safe to assume that the farther removed from his Tommy John operation, the better he will be. All that said, the Braves have an opportunity to line up three dominant-closer-like pitchers at the end of every ballgame. Game over.

Someone Must Drive in Runs. Yunel, Chipper and McCann are going to get on base, there's no doubt. But who's going to drive them in? The biggest knock against the Braves this offseason is who is going to drive in runs (besides the All-Stars)? We lack any true power hitters now, bundling together a group of solid 15-25 HR guys. While driving the ball over the fence may come at a premium, landing one in the gap will be quite common. This is a doubles team. The question becomes whether Francoeur can overcome a terrible 2008 and step up with runners on, whether Garret Anderson can continue being a top-tier run producer in a new lineup, and whether the top of the order can get on base in front of Chipper and McCann. Gone are the days of waiting for the big home-run from Andruw or Tex, its time for the Braves to play small ball, move runners over, and sustain rallies.

Prospects Must Live Up to Potential. Jordan Schafer might come out of Spring as the starting center-fielder, Tommy Hanson might be in the rotation come July, and the future of the lineup rests on the bat of young Jason Heyward. These top prospects and others (see Freddie Freeman, Gorkys Hernandez, Kris Medlen, etc.) have to live up to their potential if the Braves stand any chance at sustaining a winning franchise. All of the new faces this year will serve as the bridge until the young guns can be called up. If they're brought up and disappoint, it's back to the drawing board for the front office.

The Battery Must Work Together. Brian McCann leaves this weekend to start practicing with his USA World Baseball Classic team (along with Chipper Jones). That leaves the three new starting pitchers with two to three weeks of not practicing with their everyday battery-mate. Derek Lowe has spoken out that its a big adjustment for new pitchers and catchers to get on the same page. McCann's decision (and the Braves' decision to let him) to play in the WBC greatly limits his ability to establish a report with his new pitchers. Even worse is the addition of Kawakami, who likely will need to establish an elaborate series of signs and key phrases that both players will understand (unless McCann already knows Japanese). If there's any lack of strong communication between the battery mates going into the regular season, it might lead to setbacks in making the pitchers comfortable.

Legends Must Retire as Braves. Though not directly impacting the wins and losses, the fans of Atlanta deserve to see their local legends retire as Braves. After John Smoltz jumped ship for Boston, its become more apparent that the fanbase needs its heroes to stay in town. Chipper is beginning negotations on a long-term extension that should keep him here until he retires. Tom Glavine signed a one-year deal to return home, for likely his last season. Should 2011 come around and Chipper, Glavine, and Hudson are all gone (through either retirement or free agency), fans are going to need reasons to stick with the team. Player loyalty breeds fan loyalty, and Frank Wren did a good job of repairing the damage caused by Smoltz's departure. Let's hope the front office realized what it means to keep our heroes in a Braves uniform in the future.

I know Braves fans are hesitant to jump back on the wagon, expecting another down season for their hometown team. But things are looking up, and barring a few setbacks, this could be a surprising year for Atlanta. Despite the Phillies, Mets and Marlins standing in our way, its not out of the question to be playing meaningful games come August and Septemeber.
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Can Lightning Strike Twice? Falcons to Build Through Draft

Last year Thomas Dimitroff came over from the New England Patriots to become the new General Manager for the Atlanta Falcons. That meant hiring a new coach and staff, finding a new quarterback, and a new running back, and improve the team just enough to win more than one or two games. One year later, Dimitroff is Executive of the Year, his coach won Coach of the Year (Mike Smith), his new quarterback won Rookie of the Year (Matt Ryan), his new running back was a Pro Bowler and MVP Runner-up (Michael Turner) - oh, and the Falcons won eleven games and went to the playoffs.

So can lightning strike twice for the young GM? Can he drastically improve his club for a second straight offseason? Maybe. But if he does, it'll be through the draft.



Since mid-season, Atlanta fans have been buzzing with thoughts of Albert Haynesworth sporting red and black. The former Titan became a free agent at season's end, and there was no doubt that Arthur Blank and the Falcons would make a run at the 2-time All-Pro defensive tackle. But last week things changed. Dimitroff spoke out saying there would be no run at Haynesworth, too rich for our gold-laced blood. There is a fear that a high-paid Haynesworth may become too relaxed, enjoy his money, and become the latest in a long list of athletes to enjoy Atlanta nightlife a bit too much. No, Dimitroff is saying, we need to stick with building from within. We may go through free agency to fill a couple of needs, but there will be no monster contracts handed out.

That leaves us with one way to improve this team (besides cutting dead weight): the draft. And wouldn't you know it, the combine is this week! That's right folks, check out NFL Network to see the college stars of last year jump through hoops and run really fast in front of pro scouts unwilling to watch game film. So what revelations does Dimitroff except to occur in Indianapolis this week? Nothing. He, unlike some GM's on some teams, uses the combine as a supplement. He comes in knowing which players he likes, which positions he needs, and uses the combine more as a "highlight to revisit," Dimitroff told the AJC.

“In the end, it’s how the player performs on the field. It’s production. Is he a football player? I would much rather take a guy who is a half-inch short or a quarter of a step slow who is a passionate, tough, smart football player.”

This should come as good news to Falcons fans. Not just his approach to the combine, but his approach to free agency and team-building in general. We're beginning to see a trend in Atlanta sports: go cheap. Ever since Ted Turner and Michael Vick skipped town, its been rare to see record-breaking contracts in Atlanta. Braves GM Frank Wren has shaped a ball club reliant on the potential of top prospects (while the Yankees give Mark Teixeira $22.5M). Hawks GM Rick Sund kept a young core of talented players to keep his team competitive (while the Mavericks trade their future for an over-the-hill Jason Kidd). Thomas Dimitroff follows this new-found Atlanta philosophy by not only keeping a modest team budget, but also by keeping a young, talented core of players to build around.

Does keeping Keith Brooking or Lawyer Milloy at a high price make more sense than drafting a faster, equally physical player who makes the league minimum? Does bringing in Haynesworth or Ray Lewis on top-dollar deals make more sense than spending the same amount on an entire defensive line?

I think Dimitroff has the right idea here, but only time will tell if lightning has struck at all for the young GM. If the Falcons don't post their first back-to-back winning seasons, it will be hard for fans to accept this approach - especially with Arthur Blank's wallet behind the scenes.
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Braves Sign Anderson, Fill Void in Left Field

After losing out on signing Ken Griffey, the Braves have moved on and brought in veteran LF Garret Anderson. The reported deal is worth $2.5M for one year.

Naturally this is being reported by AJC.com, so you might think, "did we really sign him?" Well don't be too shocked that its likely true. Since Anderson was our second option after Griffey, it makes sense that we'd bring in the life-long Angels lefty on the cheap. Anderson is a three-time all-star, averaging over 20HR and 100RBI in each of his fifteen Major League seasons.

Its probably safe to assume that Anderson would assume the same platoon role planned for Griffey: Matt Diaz will start against lefties while Anderson starts against righties.

This all sounds like a safe way to hold the fort until top prospect Jason Heyward can take the reins. It follows the trend GM Frank Wren appears set to follow: sign veterans on the cheap as a stop-gap until the prospects can take over. I love this trend. You have to assume that enough GMs out there (who don't have $100M to spend every winter) have seen teams like the Dodgers and Yankees sink way too much money into overpaid veterans while sacrificing their farm system for short-term gains. Sure the Braves haven't made the playoffs in three years now, but we're finally developing the top-tier farm system that helped build a dynasty nearly twenty years ago. We've locked in a strong core of Chipper, McCann, and Lowe while prospects Heyward, Tommy Hanson, Jordan Schaefer and Freddie Freeman wait in the wings.

The future is bright for Atlanta, and after struggling early in the offseason it appears that Frank Wren has found his stride. Its time to get excited about Atlanta Braves baseball again.

The first game of Spring Training is this Wednesday.
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AJC got it wrong, Hudson has words!

I really can't help myself, and I know I have written about Griffey a lot this week, but there is more Braves/Griffey news to tell. Rumors have it, that
the recent miss fire by beat write Dave O'Brien in the AJC may have aided Griffey's decision to go to Seatle.

Tim Hudson seems to be of this mind. Yahoo sports is reporting:

... there was clearly some bitterness over the turn of events, some of it directed at media outlets that reported Griffey had decided to play for Atlanta. Pitcher Tim Hudson got into a heated argument in the clubhouse with a newspaper reporter, claiming his story angered Griffey and led him to back out of dealings with the Braves. A team official had to step in and lead Hudson to a back room.

We can only presume, since the Braves have only two beat writers, O'Brien and Bowman, and since only one of them writes for a 'newspaper' then these 'heated words' were directed at Mr. O'Brien.

Dave O'Brien defends himself on his blog (b.t.w. that title is strikingly similar to my last post):

But let’s be clear: What we wrote was a story that said Griffey told a close friend that he had decided to play for the Braves over the Mariners. We wrote it, because that’s what the close friend told our Terry Moore, who goes back a long way with them (Moore is from Cincy, like Griffey).

We did not write that Griffey had agreed to a contract, or that he’d even told the Braves he was going to sign with them. We wrote that Griffey told his good friend that he had decided to play for the Braves.

Now, as for the headline in today’s paper, I knew nothing of it until tonight, when someone at the paper informed me that it said “Griffey to play for Braves.” Folks, I’m in Florida, and I send my stories to the paper, not headlines. I have absolutely no control over headlines in the paper.

...

If we’d written something that was erroneous, if I’d written that Griffey had agreed to terms with the Braves, that’d be one thing. We did not write that, at least I don’t think we did.

Hudson has a right to be upset - we all wanted griffey - but I find it hard to believe that someone would choose to move accross the country (Griffey lives in Orlando) because of one idiot report.

I have read the AJC my entire life, and never can I remember such a failing by the sports desk. I haven't read a formal contraction, correction, or for that matter an apology. Don't apologize to Griffey. The AJC and Dave O'Brien owe an apology to the paper's loyal readers and to Braves fans everywhere for simply screwing up.

That's right, you blew it, so fess up!
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Griffey To Atlanta, Not. He's going to Seatle.

All week long, I have read headlines about Griffey and the Braves. Even one that said he has already picked from our home town paper, the AJC.

NOW! Jerry Crasnick over on espn.com is reporting that Griffey has finally chosen Seatle.

The Braves were hoping to sign Griffey as a platoon partner for Matt Diaz in left field, and Griffey appeared energized by the prospect of playing so close to home and spending spring training in Orlando.

But the Griffey-to-Atlanta momentum hit the skids Tuesday afternoon, when the sentimental lure of Seattle apparently began to tug at him. One person close to Griffey said he had an "agonizing'' 24 hours trying to decide between the Braves and Mariners.

That's right, the long wait is over, we finally know. Griffey will not be a Brave this year, so sad. But with the reporting on this storey being so poor, there is still a chance Crasnick may be wrong, but I really doubt it.

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Late to the Party, ESPN Steals My Article

Eight days ago after, A-Roid was exposed, I wrote an article (HERE) about baseball MVP's in the steroid era, and re-awarded many of them to the non-alleged-cheaters. Albert Pujols got four to add to his two, Moises Alou got one, Frank Thomas another, and so on.

Today, ESPN's Rick Reilly was given a front page article on their website - one that says the exact same things. Its in their magazine too. It proclaims him as being special for looking back and taking away those awards wrongfully given to those we now call cheaters (Bonds, Juan Gone, A-Rod, etc.). Hundreds of thousands of people are going to read this column, between the website and the magazine - hell maybe even a million or two. It'll probably get talked about on Sportscenter and Baseball Tonight and that thing they show in the daytime with pizza or whatever.

So kudos to you Rick Reilly and your massively heightened exposure, because without you I might not have gotten worked up and suddenly a quest to find you in a dark alley behind the seediest strip club in the most drug-riddled town in America - and smack you in the face.

Here's the link, Rick: http://www.dirtysouthsports.com/2009/02/dirty-stats-delves-into-mvp-voting-in.html

Here it is again: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/122301-dirty-stats-delves-into-mvp-voting-in-the-steroid-era

Written and published February 10, 2009. I'll take your article as a compliment to the strength of my ideas. Thank you.
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I want Griffey

I want him. That's right, he should be a brave. No doubt about it.

Well now that you know my opinion on the subject, let me tell you why. I present my arguments fourfold.

Point number one. Ken Griffey Jr. has been in a braves uniform before (as a ball boy). See this picture courtesy of talkingchop.com (and wherever he got it from). Looks pretty good if I say so myself.


Point number two. his father was a Brave. Coming from the New York Yankees in 86 and and again in 88.

Point number three. His father, Ken Griffey Sr., has also played for Cincinati and Seatle. I see a trend. Hey Jr. must be thinking, "if I play for the Braves, next stop must be the Yankees, or worst case Toronto ... and then the Yankees."

Point number four. Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball was the greatest sports video game ever ... so he should play for the Braves.

I rest my case.
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VICTORY!

After starting 0-9 in the SEC and riding the longest losing streak for UGA in over three decades, the Georgia finally stepped up and defeated the hated Gators. All I can say is it's about time. We finally have something to cheer about with the 88 -86 victory.

The Georgia Bulldog basketball team, heavy underdogs to the Gators (who defeated them by 26 in the first meeting) finally got a SEC win. Led by Terrance Woodbury's career high 32 points, UGA won in a game that went down to the last second.
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Falcons Finally Looking to Dump Vick

The Falcons are looking to trade Michael Vick. Yeah, technically he is still a part of the team, but currently under suspension. Now that the suspension period is coming to an end, as well as his jail term, it's finally time to say good bye - forever!

I think I speak for many when I say, good riddance. Vick has no excuse for his actions, and I am happy he paid the price. We talk about Michale Phelps smoking marijuanna, but we should remember that there are real criminals in sports. Thos who purpetrate crimes against people (Packman Jones) and against animals. Crimes with real victims. We should never forget what Vick did, to himself, his pets, and the city of Atlanta. He is a felon, and I hope he never plays again.

Then again, when you can run like that, someone in the league will eventually take him.
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Ten Things to Watch For As Pitchers and Catchers Report

A-Rod cheated when? Tejada lied to who?? Alomar did what???!? Baseball's offseason has taken a turn for the worse and the wacky this week. Luckily for us fans, the offseason is finally over.

This weekend MLB pitchers and catchers will report to spring training camps in Florida and Arizona. That means we've got CC Sabathia headed to Tampa for Yankees Camp, K-Rod to Port St. Lucie for the Mets, and Derek Lowe trucking to Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando. Yes after a relentless wave of one distressing news item after another, its good to start talking about something that matters - baseball.


So to help get you all excited about the upcoming season, let's run down 10 things to watch for (in no particular order) as batteries around the league begin to suit up:

1) Sabathia and Burnett in Pinstripes
The new-look Yankees rotation heads to Tampa hoping to prove they're worth the monster contracts. A year after injuries decimated their staff, the Yankees pin their playoff hopes on a younger, stronger core, as well as on the health of backstop Jorge Posada. With Abreu and Giambi removed from the middle of the order, the switch-hitting catcher will need to prove he's healthy for long haul.

2) Lowe, Vazquez and Kawakami in Atlanta
Speaking of injury-decimated staffs, the Braves will move on from Smoltz/Hudson/Glavine and start fresh with a trio of durable new arms. There's a chance they could come out of Spring Training with 7 or 8 potential starters, which would provide great relief to the bullpen. Set-up men Rafael Soriano and Peter Moylan are coming off major injuries, and closer Mike Gonzalez is less than two years removed from Tommy John surgery. A healthy bullpen could gloss over the likely lack of run support.

3) Old Closers in New Cities
Free agent departures such as K-Rod (NYM), Kerry Wood (CLE), Trevor Hoffman (MIL), Brian Fuentes (LAA) and Takashi Saito (BOS) means new roles for established set-up men around the league. How Carlos Marmol (CHC), Jonathan Broxton (LAD) and Heath Bell (SD) take to being the closer ought to heavily impact the playoffs hopes of their teams.

4) Jake Peavy Staying in San Diego?
Its been a couple of months since we last heard Jake Peavy's name associated with trade rumors, but as the seasons draws near its becoming more likely that if the Padres are still going to move him - its going to be soon. Possible trade partners Cubs and Braves appear to be set in their rotations now, leaving San Diego GM Kevin Towers with having to search for new suitors. Will Peavy be a Padre on opening day? Its likely. Will the trade talks impact his relationship with the ball club? It remains to be seen.

5) The Young Guns in Miami and Tampa
The two teams down in Florida will travel short distances this week to get to camp, bringing with them a cast of talented young pitchers. Tampa Bay will move David Price into the rotation alongside Kazmir, Shields and Garza. The Rays' front four might just be good enough to hang with any rotation in the league, including those highly paid Yankees. Meanwhile the Marlins' staff may not have the big names or national spotlight, but their front five could help them be the dark horse in the NL East. Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, Andrew Miller, Chris Volstad and Anibal Sanchez are as green as can be, but all appear ready to make their mark in the bigs.

6) Rehab Projects in Boston
Rather than signing massive contracts like the Yankees, the Red Sox signed multiple players to smaller deals, banking on them to return from injury successfully. John Smoltz, Takashi Saito and Brad Penny join the pitching staff, and should they all be healthy by mid-season the Red Sox may as well throw out a six-man rotation and rotate closers between Jonathan Papelbon, Smotlz and Saito and save everyone's arms for the postseason. The best part of the signings is that the Red Sox have great pitching depth without the newcomers, putting little pressure on them to come out of Spring Training looking like spring chickens.

7) Three Cy Young's in San Francisco
The 'freak' Tim Lincecum will show up with his first Cy Young trophy this week. Meanwhile overpaid and over-the-hill Barry Zito will already be polishing his trophy, and newly signed Randy Johnson will lug his four trophies into the locker room. Suddenly the Giants have established winners in the rotation (not to mention young stud Matt Cain), its just too bad they wont be expecting Zito or Johnson to be on the pedestal again. Watch for the Big Unit's health as well as Zito's stuff, as getting a moderately productive season out of either of them is paramount to the Giants success this season.

8) Geovany Soto vs. The Sophomore Slump
The days of the one-year wonder Rookie of the Year are all but gone after a wave of superstars has flooded the league. Geovany Soto had a huge year for the Cubs, but fizzled out by September and limped into the playoffs. In his second season, Soto ought to be stronger and more prepared for the long haul, just as pitchers and scouts will be more prepared on how to attack the young backstop. A slight dropoff in production wouldn't hurt the loaded Cubs lineup too much, but keep an eye on Soto as he's expected to be a top-tier catcher for years to come.

9) Matt Wieters vs. The Hype
Last season the hype was on Soto, this season its on Matt Wieters. Pegged by scouts as a mix between Joe Mauer and Mark Teixeira, Wieters could be the savior for baseball in Baltimore. Fantasy players will be keeping a close eye on him throughout the spring, for sure, ensuring he makes enough of an impact to be a starter on day one. Veteran catcher Gregg Zaun was signed in the offseason, likely as insurance.

10) Ivan Rodriguez Faces Unemployment
Pudge is a first ballot Hall of Famer and the best catcher to play in our generation (if you take Piazza's defense into account) - so why hasn't anyone signed him? Many may cite he's over the hill or past his prime, but it seems like every new (and young) team he lands with instantly improves. He anchored the Marlins to a World Series title in 2003, and helped the Tigers win a pennant in 2006. My guess is that the Marlins would enjoy a reunion, letting Pudge work with their young arms is far from a bad idea (take note, Tampa Bay).

Also let's not forget that fellow first-ballot Hall of Famers Manny Ramirez and Ken Griffey Jr. have still yet to land anywhere. There are still deals to be made and rosters to be shuffled as the Spring Training schedule draws closer.
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Abreu, Dunn Off the Board as Braves Stand Pat

Two more slugging outfielders have just dropped off the big board, and neither are heading to Atlanta. Bobby Abreu is off to Los Angeles to play with Vlad Guerrero and the Angels, while Adam Dunn will be manning first base on a full-time basis in Washington. Abreu signed a one-year deal worth $5M plus incentives, while the terms of Dunn's two-year deal have yet to be disclosed.

What this means for the Braves is that Matt Diaz better be ready to man left field. Pat Burrell, Bobby Abreu, Adam Dunn, Milton Bradley, Andruw Jones and Rocco Baldelli have all signed with new teams. None of them signed particularly rich (or long-term) contracts. This all leads us to believe that Frank Wren and company are either satisfied with the current personnel (Matt Diaz, Brandon Jones, Josh Anderson, Gregor Blanco, and Jordan Schafer) or were never interested in these hitters to begin with. I can tell you this much, as unattractive as our franchise may have seemed lately, we are definitely more appealing than the Nationals.

So who are the Braves' remaining options? Either sign Garrett Anderson, trade for Nick Swisher or Xavier Nady, or go after a couple guys named Manny and Griffey.
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Joe Johnson to Shoot H-O-R-S-E

In case you missed it, Atlanta's own Joe Johnson was named a participant in the first annual H-O-R-S-E competition at the NBA All-Star Game. His competitors are young guns O.J. Mayo (MEM) and Kevin Durant (OKC). If I was a betting man, I would put my money on Johnson. He looks like he has played a lot more H-O-R-S-E than the other two, but then again, it will be played outside and the elements may play a factor. It is going to be cold and windy in Arizona (yes, it does get cold in the desert), and this competition may well be an old-school throw back to school yard horse games. I really can't wait to see all the craziness that is sure to ensue.

On another note in a horrible decision by the NBA, the competition will not count up to H-O-R-S-E as we are all used to. Corporate sponsorship has prevailed, and instead the competition will count up to G-E-I-C-O. What bullcrap is that? Why can't it be, "The H-O-R-S-E Competition Sponsored by Geico?" Who are the ad-wizards that came up with that one? They should be fired.
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Dirty Stats Delves into MVP Voting in the Steroid Era

Its our second edition of Dirty Stats and this week we tackle steroids. With all the talk swirling around A-Rod's allegations and subsequent confessions, I think its safe to say most people are going to write off that 2003 MVP award. The man admitted he was taking banned substances, and he was awarded for doing so. Shouldn't Carlos Delgado (MVP runner-up) be incredibly upset? Shouldn't we look back and say that the Blue Jays slugger (unless any new allegations come out) rightfully deserves the award? What about in the NL that year, when Barry Bonds topped Albert Pujols in the voting. Surely these runners-up have a case to make that they are the rightful MVP's of their league in 2003, right?

Let's look back at the steroid era as a whole (1995-2004), and see how different some players' Hall of Fame credentials might look if these awards were re-awarded.


National League Most Valuable Players
1995: Barry Larkin (CIN) 11 first place votes
He's clean. Moving on.

1996: Ken Caminiti (SD) 28 first place votes, unanimous
Caminiti admitted using, so lets give it to Mike Piazza, the runner-up with 0 first place votes, 36HR, 105RBI, .336AVG.
Re-Awarded to Mike Piazza (LAD)

1997: Larry Walker (COL) 22 first place votes
Walker is a very open advocate against steroids use in baseball, was inducted into Canada's Baseball Hall of Fame, and was the first Canadian to win the MVP. Too bad for Piazza, runner-up again.

1998: Sammy Sosa (CHC) 30 first place votes
Though never proven to be a user, the amount of speculation around Sosa, McGwire (runner-up) and the 1998 home-run chase is enough to bump them both off the list, giving Moises Alou the award: 3rd place, 0 first place votes, 38HR, 124RBI, .312 AVG.
Re-Awarded to Moises Alou (HOU)

1999: Chipper Jones (ATL) 29 first place votes
If he's not clean, then no one is. As far as baseball goes, at least.

2000: Jeff Kent (SF) 22 first place votes
Again we have a middle infielder winning the award, and its hard to believe Kent bested teammate Barry Bonds (49HR) in the voting, but Kent was as solid all-around as anyone that year. No steroids allegations or speculation though, again too bad for Piazza (finished 3rd behind Kent and Bonds).

2001-2004: Barry Bonds (SF)
Now this gets fun. Bonds won four straight MVPs to round out the steroid era, beginning with his monstrous 73HR season in 2001. He never hit more than 46HR after that, but he still took home the hardware and the all-time home-run record to boot. Clearly there's plenty of reason to knock these four (what about his other three?) awards off the mantle, so here's who we are left with:

In 2001 Bonds was followed by Sammy Sosa, Luis Gonzalez and Albert Pujols in the voting. Now let me say up front that Luis Gonzalez has never tested positive, despite multiple allegations of using. Let me also say that Gonzalez' 57 home runs that season was more than he hit in the following two seasons COMBINED. Something is clearly wrong here. I'm giving it to Pujols (4th place, 37HR, 130RBI, .329AVG, won Rookie of the Year) - although I'm sure people will come out accusing him soon enough, but until then...

Speaking of Pujols, he finished second in the MVP voting the following two seasons. But wait there's more! In 2004 the runner-up was Dodgers' third-baseman Adrian Beltre. Beltre's league-leading 48HR was 25 more than his previous season best (23HR in 2003 and he played in more games). Also it was a contract year, which won him a handsome multi-year deal with Seattle netting him $11-13M per season. He's averaged about 24HR and 88RBI in four years with the Mariners. Its the same speculative logic that knocked Luis Gonzalez off our 2001 list, so guess we'll have to move down the list to third place: Albert Pujols.

Effectively we've just awarded Albert Pujols four MVPs to go along with the trophies he won in 2005 and 2008. Six MVPs in eight major-league seasons ain't too shabby - unless any new allegations start to spring up...
Re-Awarded to Albert Pujols (STL), all four of them

Moving on to the American League, we now have a new man to knock off the list in Alex Rodriguez. Despite not having the notable names like Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire, there's a heck of a lot of reshuffling to be done here, almost every single year has to be re-examined.

American League Most Valuable Players
1995: Mo Vaughn (BOS) 12 first place votes
Vaughn popped up in the Mitchell Report, which we are hereby using as grounds for award redistribution. Runner-up Albert Belle may as well have been a juicer for how much people disliked him, but until anyone implicates or accuses him, enjoy the trophy: 2nd place, 11 1st place votes, 50HR, 126RBI, .317AVG.
Re-Awarded to Albert Belle (CLE)

1996: Juan Gonzalez (TEX) 11 first place votes
He's been implicated by a few people as to have a juicer, including being on Jose Canseco's list of 'people he personally injected'. A-Rod was the runner-up in his rookie season, and despite claiming he only used from 2001-2003, I don't believe he's earned our trust yet. So in third place is that sketchy Albert Belle character again, same logic applies - another trophy for Belle.
Re-Awarded to Albert Belle (CLE)

1997: Ken Griffey Jr. (SEA) 28 first place votes, unanimous
No way, no how this goes to anyone else.

1998: Juan Gonzalez (TEX) 21 first place votes
Juan Gone again. Moving down the list to 2nd place we have Nomar Garciaparra, who's horrific legacy of injuries and early deteroriation might lead the cynics to speculate that Nomar was using. I just say he's a heck of a ballplayer. Nomar was 2nd place with 5 first place votes, 35HR, 122RBI, .323AVG.
Re-Awarded to Nomar Garciaparra (BOS)

1999: Ivan Rodriguez (TEX) 7 first place votes
Pudge never tested positive and is likely immune from any steroid talk when the Hall of Fame voters examine his career. Nonetheless he was mentioned in Juiced (honestly, has Jose Canseco been wrong yet?) and in Game of Shadows and had quite a jump in his numbers this year, thus its enough speculation and uncertainty to move down the list to the runner-up: Pedro Martinez. Actually Pedro got more first place votes than Pudge, which tends to happen when you're the unanimous choice for the Cy Young, go 23-4 with a 2.07ERA and 313Ks. He may have been robbed anyway.
Re-Awarded to Pedro Martinez (BOS)

2000: Jason Giambi (OAK) 14 first place votes
He was caught, he admitted, etc. etc. The runner-up was Frank Thomas, a two-time winner already. Giambi edged The Big Hurt in the voting, who received 10 first place votes and totaled 43HR, 143RBI, .328AVG.
Re-Awarded to Frank Thomas (CHW)

2001: Ichiro (SEA) 11 first place votes
I think we can safely skip this year...

2002: Miguel Tejada (OAK) 21 first place votes
He was implicated by Canseco, Mitchell, and my word does Oakland have a tainted history of juicers. Yikes. A-Rod was the runner-up, and Alfonso Soriano finished third (the two were actually swapped in a blockbuster trade after the 2003 season). Soriano is a stud, and clean - give it to him: 3rd place, 2 first place votes, 39HR, 102RBI, .300AVG.
Re-Awarded to Alfonso Soriano (NYY)

2003: Alex Rodriguez (TEX) 6 first place votes
Finally we come back to what prompted the discussion, A-Rod's juicy MVP. As previously stated, Carlos Delgado was the runner-up this season despite driving in more runs and posting a higher batting average and OPS than A-Rod. Basically, he's earned it: 2nd place, 5 first place votes, 42HR, 145RBI, .302AVG.
Re-Awarded to Carlos Delgado (TOR)

So what are we left with? Instead of Barry Bonds dominating the era, it was Albert Pujols. Instead of Juan Gonzalez winning two MVP's that most people forgot about, it was Albert Belle. Pedro Martinez became the 19th pitcher in history to win the MVP. And Mike Piazza scratched his way to finally have something for the mantle. It all sounds great doesn't it? No asterix, no complicated debates over Hall of Fame credentials. These men played the game the right way, the clean way, and as such should not be punished for playing during an era destroyed by the poor decisions of few.

*In case you're wondering who would take Clemens' Cy Youngs...
1986: Teddy Higuera (MIL): 20-11, 2.79ERA, 207Ks
1987: Jimmy Key (TOR): 17-8, 2.76ERA, 161Ks
1991: Scott Erickson (MIN): 20-8, 3.18ERA, 108Ks
1997: Randy Johnson (SEA): 20-4, 2.28ERA, 291Ks
1998: Pedro Martinez (BOS): 19-7, 2.89ERA, 251Ks
2001: Mark Mulder (OAK): 21-8, 2.45ERA, 153Ks
2004: Randy Johnson (ARI): 16-14, 2.60ERA, 290Ks
It would be a shame for Randy Johnson if he didn't win 5 Cy Youngs on his own.
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Yes, it's that bad for UGA Basketball

What are we to do? Ten losses in the SEC, no coach, lack of playmakers, and no BONECRUSHER (note: BONECRUSHER, pictured to the left is David Bliss). Simply put the Bulldogs have not won a game this year. The last win came from against lowly Kennesaw State on December 31st, 2008. The Bulldogs are winless in the SEC and give up more points on average then they score. After ten straight losses, clearly all the blame is on Felton. Just kidding. We will look on to next year, ignoring this year ever happened -- hey, similar to football! Hopefully we can get a good coach, one that will bring publicity to a much maligned program. If we get a good coach, I think things will fall into place. Unlike football, basketball teams can turn around in one year with a great recruiting class. UGA has the ability to offer these talented youngsters what they want -- a guaranteed opportunity to play right away. Lord knows we can't floor a good team now. I ask this team only one thing: Don't go winless in the SEC and try not to go winless in the east. That would be disappointing.
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