Can it really get any worse for the Cowgirls this year? With Romo down for atleast 2 months the Cowboys can't do much worse with Kitna. This team is such a disaster and with so much talent I don't see how you can only win 1 game. Apparently people thought Dallas had a defense coming into the season and they were dead wrong. They got abused by the Giants last week and I have to admit it was pretty damn funny. Without any defense it doesn't matter how many times Kitna can hit Dez Bryant for a touchdown. Im surprised it took this long to really get him in the passing game. The problem with the Cowboys offense is that if they throw it to one guy they leave the other ones out completely. Miles Austin and Roy Williams the 1 and 2 receivers combined for 3 catches 36 yards against the Giants all of which were actually to Austin. Jason Witten on the other hand had 9 catches 96 yards and a td and Dez Bryant had 2 tds reciving too. Austin has a big game Williams and Bryant aren't heard of along with the run game. Williams has a big game Witten and Austin don't do anything. The defense plays well and the offense doesnt show up. This team can't get on the same page and I think that starts with the head coach. I think Wade Phillips should be fired and they should give the job to Jason Garrett. What do they have to lose? They're already last in a division they were predicted to win by almost everyone and they've been grooming him ever since he got his offensive coordinator position. I know Jerry Jones said he wouldn't fire Phillips during the season but who really believes him? If Dallas can't get it done vs. Jacksonville on Sunday then he should be gone no doubt. Worst passing D in league should be a walk in the park for Dallas but who knows.
If anyone can win with a 1-5 team it's Jon Kitna. He got the bumbling Seahawks to the playoffs in 1999, Got the Bengals to 8-8 after being a disaster for so many years, and even though he started the season with the 07 Lions 6-2 and ended 7-9 he still got 7 wins and 4000 passing yards with the Lions and thats a tough task. It's gonna be tough for Dallas because their aschedule isn't too easy. I don't see how Wade Phillips keeps his job and I see 10 losses for Big Disapointment this year.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Kolb is Back, Vick is Out
Mike Vick is sidelined with a rib cartiledge injury and Kolb is back as the starting quarterback this week against the 49ers. I dont think the starting job is Kolbs but what if he plays well? What if Vick is out two games and he puts up the same kind of numbers he did last year filling in for McNabb? Do you then start Kolb or go back to Vick? Thats gonna be a huge dilemma for Andy Reid because he loves Kevin Kolb, he was the starter to begin the season and he lost his job because of injury which sucks. It's not right to do the same to Vick but if Kolb plays really well Andy is in a hard place. Maybe he'll end up playing both depending on the defense who knows. I would like to see Kevin Kolb play a full game this season to see if he is the same quarterback he was last year passing for over 300 yards in two games. Kolb better keep his head up and out of the turf because right guard Nick Cole is questionable. If he gets hurt again they're down to Mike Kafka and he doesnt need to be playing for another couple years.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
2010-2011 NHL Preview
The East:
It's gonna be between the Capitals and the Penguins. Both teams are way better then anyone else the east has to offer. Even though the Flyers made it to the finals last year that was only because they caught lightning in a bottle with Michael Leighton. If he plays most of a season he wont be as durable in the playoffs and he just hasn't proven he's a top goalie. There are a few other teams that could give the Caps and Pens a run for the east crown. The Devils have Ilya for a whole season now but does Brodeur have enough left in the tank? The Rangers could have a Vezina trophy winner in Lundqvist and if they can just figure out how to score on a consistent basis they could be a really good team. On the downside Glen Sather is still the GM and is bound to make a bad move. Then there is the Canadiens who have an American captain(Brian Gionta go figure) and a big question mark at goalie. Is Carey Price going to go back to All-Star form? Or is Alex Auld going to outplay him like Halak did last year. Their whole season hinges on that. The Bruins may have the best team other then Pitt and Washington but after losing like they did in last years playoffs I just don't see how you can comeback from that. I think the Pens will end up winning the east but it wont be easy.
The West:
Unlike the east, the west is full of cup contenders but no team stands out more than the Vancouver Canucks. I think they'll end up coming out of the west because they have everything a team needs to win a Stanley Cup. They have the scoring with Henrik Sedin(Hart Trophy winner) and his brother Daniel along with Ryan Kessler. They have one of the best two way defenses in the league and one of the best goalies in Robby Luongo. Even with a really good team they were very injured last year and that could kill this run. Plus with the depth in the west its going to be difficult but i think they'll get over the hump and finally beat the Blackhawks in the playoffs en route to their Stanley Cup appearance. The Red Wings will be give them a run for the best record in the west. Lidstrom making his final run and Datsyuk and Zetterberg at the top of their games they could go far but that may all depends on how good Jimmy Howard plays. San Jose is always a good team and always seem like they can make a cup run but they always hit a road block somewhere in the playoffs which i expect yet again. The Blackhawks are missing half their cup winning team. Can they really return with this one? I don't think so. I'm not a believer in Marty Turco who has been a shell of himself for the past two years. Then that leaves the L.A Kings. A team that could be 1 forward away from a cup. Look for them to make a move before the March deadline to add the immense young talent on this team. They have 2 great defensemen in Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson, An awesome 1st line of Kopitar, Brown and Ryan Smyth, and a great young goalie in Jonathan Quick. If the Kings couldve gotten Kovalchuk I'd probably have them going to the cup but theyre still one guy away. I'm anxious to see if they'll pull the trigger on something but I think the Kings will be the most exciting team to watch this year. It'd be a great thing for L.A to finally have a hockey team again.
Stanley Cup:
Canucks over Penguins. It only took 40 years but I think Vancouver will raise the cup behind stellar goal tending and the twins.
Award Winners:
Vezina- Henrik Lundqvist
Hart-Alex Ovechkin
Selke-Pavel Datsyuk
Norris-Shea Weber
Calder-Tyler Ennis
Jack Adams-Alain Vigneault
It's gonna be between the Capitals and the Penguins. Both teams are way better then anyone else the east has to offer. Even though the Flyers made it to the finals last year that was only because they caught lightning in a bottle with Michael Leighton. If he plays most of a season he wont be as durable in the playoffs and he just hasn't proven he's a top goalie. There are a few other teams that could give the Caps and Pens a run for the east crown. The Devils have Ilya for a whole season now but does Brodeur have enough left in the tank? The Rangers could have a Vezina trophy winner in Lundqvist and if they can just figure out how to score on a consistent basis they could be a really good team. On the downside Glen Sather is still the GM and is bound to make a bad move. Then there is the Canadiens who have an American captain(Brian Gionta go figure) and a big question mark at goalie. Is Carey Price going to go back to All-Star form? Or is Alex Auld going to outplay him like Halak did last year. Their whole season hinges on that. The Bruins may have the best team other then Pitt and Washington but after losing like they did in last years playoffs I just don't see how you can comeback from that. I think the Pens will end up winning the east but it wont be easy.
The West:
Unlike the east, the west is full of cup contenders but no team stands out more than the Vancouver Canucks. I think they'll end up coming out of the west because they have everything a team needs to win a Stanley Cup. They have the scoring with Henrik Sedin(Hart Trophy winner) and his brother Daniel along with Ryan Kessler. They have one of the best two way defenses in the league and one of the best goalies in Robby Luongo. Even with a really good team they were very injured last year and that could kill this run. Plus with the depth in the west its going to be difficult but i think they'll get over the hump and finally beat the Blackhawks in the playoffs en route to their Stanley Cup appearance. The Red Wings will be give them a run for the best record in the west. Lidstrom making his final run and Datsyuk and Zetterberg at the top of their games they could go far but that may all depends on how good Jimmy Howard plays. San Jose is always a good team and always seem like they can make a cup run but they always hit a road block somewhere in the playoffs which i expect yet again. The Blackhawks are missing half their cup winning team. Can they really return with this one? I don't think so. I'm not a believer in Marty Turco who has been a shell of himself for the past two years. Then that leaves the L.A Kings. A team that could be 1 forward away from a cup. Look for them to make a move before the March deadline to add the immense young talent on this team. They have 2 great defensemen in Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson, An awesome 1st line of Kopitar, Brown and Ryan Smyth, and a great young goalie in Jonathan Quick. If the Kings couldve gotten Kovalchuk I'd probably have them going to the cup but theyre still one guy away. I'm anxious to see if they'll pull the trigger on something but I think the Kings will be the most exciting team to watch this year. It'd be a great thing for L.A to finally have a hockey team again.
Stanley Cup:
Canucks over Penguins. It only took 40 years but I think Vancouver will raise the cup behind stellar goal tending and the twins.
Award Winners:
Vezina- Henrik Lundqvist
Hart-Alex Ovechkin
Selke-Pavel Datsyuk
Norris-Shea Weber
Calder-Tyler Ennis
Jack Adams-Alain Vigneault
Moss back to Min
Randys back in purple and the Patriots got a 3rd rounder so they're happy. The system that Belichick runs won't go in flames without Moss. Gives Belichick and Brady a couple towel boys and cheerleaders and he'd still throw for 3500yds and 25tds. The Patriots will be fine and theyre only looking towards the future, now with 2 picks in each of the first 3 rounds of next years draft.
Hopefully Moss could be the spark that Favre needs to get out of his slump. The Vikings need a number 1 wide reciever for Favre because Greg Camarillo just doesnt cut it. With Moss, Harvin, Rice(when he comes back) and Shiancoe Favre has all the weapons he needs along with AP and a great defense theres no reason they cant make a serious Superbowl run. I think Randy is going to have a great attitude going into this and his impact is going to be dramatic. I have a feeling Favre and Moss might be hooking up a lot in the end zone and they just might give the Packers a run for the NFC North crown. (Bears aren't gonna be there)
Hopefully Moss could be the spark that Favre needs to get out of his slump. The Vikings need a number 1 wide reciever for Favre because Greg Camarillo just doesnt cut it. With Moss, Harvin, Rice(when he comes back) and Shiancoe Favre has all the weapons he needs along with AP and a great defense theres no reason they cant make a serious Superbowl run. I think Randy is going to have a great attitude going into this and his impact is going to be dramatic. I have a feeling Favre and Moss might be hooking up a lot in the end zone and they just might give the Packers a run for the NFC North crown. (Bears aren't gonna be there)
Friday, September 24, 2010
Can the Eagles be Vicktorious?
Are the Eagles a Superbowl contender with Vick? Probably not. They lack an offensive line and have already lost Jamaal Jackson for the year. Mike Mcglynn is already having trouble filling in for him and the Eagles line is notorious for getting injured. Who's the better QB for getting away from pressure? Obviously Mike Vick but does that mean he should be starting? I'm not trying to take anything away from Vick because he has played very well(even though he should have ran that 3rd and goal in for a td week 1 but that's old news). He is a good quarterback worthy of a starting job but what is the point of starting him over Kolb? The Eagles got rid of one of the best QBs in their long history because Kevin Kolb was ready. He was prepared to be the number 1, to lead this team to the playoffs, and do what Donovan could not... Win a Superbowl. So now he's benched for the year. That's one more year he has to wait to start and he loses all that experience he could have gained. It wouldnt matter if he won 10 games or lost 10 games it's the learing he needed for next season(if there is one) where the Eagles probably would have had a better shot. I know a coaches number one goal is to win games but i'd take an 8-8 season with Kolb over a 10-6 out in 1st round with Vick to see the Eagles potentially go on a serious run next year. The Eagles very young team needs to mature a year or two. With so many young starters they don't have the experince needed to get to advance in the playoffs. Kolb now misses out on that and if he's not starting this year the Eagles best chance to win was with Donovan McNabb. Andy Reid said "Donovan is our quarterback" he gets traded. "Kolb is our quarterback" he gets benched. Are we gonna see Mike Kafka this year? I know Vick is back but can he sustain this level of play and take the Eagles to the playoffs and beyond?
Friday, April 2, 2010
NCAA Final 4 Preview
Talk about March Madness this year, damn. More emphasis on the Madness mainly because WTF and its April. Seriously wtf this year seemed to be crazier then ever and I'm sure everyones brackets are filled with red lines, lots of them. Butler in the Final 4 who wouldve thunk it. Thats why this is the greatest championship in all sports. I would not be surprised if any of these teams won it all. The way they have all played so well this year they are all deserving of being the National Champion.
What a bunch of great stories this year for all 4 teams. Butler gets to play at home and they're on a 24 game winning streak and a mid major in the Final 4. You have Tom Izzo making it for I think the 6th time in 12 years and doing it the last 2 games without the best player on the team Kalin Lucas. Then you have West Virginia making it for the first time since 1959 and Duke is finally back after being beaten for the last couple years in some very undukelike games(Nova destroying them last year, WVU a #7 in 08 beating them as a #2).
We have 2 very intriguing games tomorrow. Michigan St vs. Butler will be a very close game and should come down to the wire. These 2 teams know how to win these types of games but you have to give the edge to Michigan State and its solely based on the coaching of Tom Izzo. Butler is an odd opponent, they make you play their type of basketball with the great D they play. They force a lot of turnovers and that's something Michigan has to avoid or they will lose. That's how they beat Syracuse, Kansas State and Murray State along with rebounding. I think Tom Izzo can formulate some type of offense that can counter that amazing Butler D and beat it. That's what he does best, he makes his team play whatever style is necessary and it works. Butler is home and had an amazing run but I just don't think they can do it again. The Spartans have to handle that ball carefully and avoid the turnovers or they WILL lose. If they do that they win but it won't be by that much. My early lean is Mich St. wins 59-57.
Now for the big game of the night. Duke vs. West Virginia. Coach K vs. Bob Huggins. WVU won the last game they played against each other in the tourny but that was 2 years ago and both teams are very different. WVU will play their type of ball and try to own the boards and dish it to the cutting Kevin Jones or Desean Butler who is probably the best all around player in the final 4. Duke has the potential to be really good or just a disaster area. If they cant hit outside shots or come down with some o boards West Virginia clearly has the upper hand. But the great thing about Duke is they have 3 of the best shooters in the country in Scheyer, Singler, and Smith. If Zoubek, Plumlee and Thomas can out-rebound Butler, Jones and Ebanks and dish the ball out to those 3 shooters and if they can hit their shots Duke wins this game. If they don't hit shots and can't get those rebounds they're in trouble and the game will go the other way. This will be a high scoring game. In my heart(and in my bracket) I want to see the Mountaineers go on to face Michigan State but those Duke shooters scare the piss outta me. If they miss, WVU wins, but my early lean is Duke wins 77-69 and Richard O'Malley wins the Bracket contest :(
National Championship Michigan State-Duke.
This might sound repetetive but Duke will win if they hit their shots. If Butler somehow beats Mich State that would make it more interesting. But Duke will be the National Champs.
I just have to mention if I see a team lose a game on missed foul shots that player(s) deserve to get their hands cut off. Nothing pisses me off more then missing foul shots. There is NO EXCUSE for missing them in the final minutes and I cannot imagine how a coach feels if he loses that kind of game. Uncontrollable nausea and diarrhea? That's how I felt after Memphis choked, f****** CDR.
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What a bunch of great stories this year for all 4 teams. Butler gets to play at home and they're on a 24 game winning streak and a mid major in the Final 4. You have Tom Izzo making it for I think the 6th time in 12 years and doing it the last 2 games without the best player on the team Kalin Lucas. Then you have West Virginia making it for the first time since 1959 and Duke is finally back after being beaten for the last couple years in some very undukelike games(Nova destroying them last year, WVU a #7 in 08 beating them as a #2).
We have 2 very intriguing games tomorrow. Michigan St vs. Butler will be a very close game and should come down to the wire. These 2 teams know how to win these types of games but you have to give the edge to Michigan State and its solely based on the coaching of Tom Izzo. Butler is an odd opponent, they make you play their type of basketball with the great D they play. They force a lot of turnovers and that's something Michigan has to avoid or they will lose. That's how they beat Syracuse, Kansas State and Murray State along with rebounding. I think Tom Izzo can formulate some type of offense that can counter that amazing Butler D and beat it. That's what he does best, he makes his team play whatever style is necessary and it works. Butler is home and had an amazing run but I just don't think they can do it again. The Spartans have to handle that ball carefully and avoid the turnovers or they WILL lose. If they do that they win but it won't be by that much. My early lean is Mich St. wins 59-57.
Now for the big game of the night. Duke vs. West Virginia. Coach K vs. Bob Huggins. WVU won the last game they played against each other in the tourny but that was 2 years ago and both teams are very different. WVU will play their type of ball and try to own the boards and dish it to the cutting Kevin Jones or Desean Butler who is probably the best all around player in the final 4. Duke has the potential to be really good or just a disaster area. If they cant hit outside shots or come down with some o boards West Virginia clearly has the upper hand. But the great thing about Duke is they have 3 of the best shooters in the country in Scheyer, Singler, and Smith. If Zoubek, Plumlee and Thomas can out-rebound Butler, Jones and Ebanks and dish the ball out to those 3 shooters and if they can hit their shots Duke wins this game. If they don't hit shots and can't get those rebounds they're in trouble and the game will go the other way. This will be a high scoring game. In my heart(and in my bracket) I want to see the Mountaineers go on to face Michigan State but those Duke shooters scare the piss outta me. If they miss, WVU wins, but my early lean is Duke wins 77-69 and Richard O'Malley wins the Bracket contest :(
National Championship Michigan State-Duke.
This might sound repetetive but Duke will win if they hit their shots. If Butler somehow beats Mich State that would make it more interesting. But Duke will be the National Champs.
I just have to mention if I see a team lose a game on missed foul shots that player(s) deserve to get their hands cut off. Nothing pisses me off more then missing foul shots. There is NO EXCUSE for missing them in the final minutes and I cannot imagine how a coach feels if he loses that kind of game. Uncontrollable nausea and diarrhea? That's how I felt after Memphis choked, f****** CDR.
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010
NL East Preview
This years NL East will look like it did last year. The Phillies will win the division with their great pitching staff and awesome middle of the line up. They are a step above all the teams in the national league. What I'm looking forward to is how the Braves will play in Bobby Cox's last year, if the Marlins can somehow improve on their stellar season last year (which I did predict. see last years nl east blog) and Steven Strasburg pitching for the Nats. The Mets are a sorry excuse for a big market team and they'll be joining the Nationals at the bottom of the division.
The Phillies are the best team in the National League and there is no doubt about it. Their staff is so much better than everyone else even with the early injuries to Blanton, Lidge and Romero. With Halladay who will probably win the NL CY Young followed by Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton(when healthy), and Jamie Moyer who somehow still has something left. Kyle Kendrick should fill in for Blanton while he's out and he can be a solid 5. Meanwhile Ryan Madsen will fill in for Lidge and he does have experience closing and is a great guy in the pen. Their bullpen is injured but still above average. Brad Lidge is still an elite closer when healthy despite all the blown saves last year. The Phillies line up is very deadly. They have the ability to play small ball and use their speed to hit and run around the bases or they can belt homers left and right. This team is going to be very difficult to beat. You can't outscore them with Ryan Howard who will probably go for 50 homers and the combination of Jason Werth, Chase Utley, and Raul Ibanez will hit 20-40 home runs with around 100 RBIs each. They have the ability as a team to steal around 100 bases with the fast feet of Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, Werth and Utley. They have the pitching, the bats, the speed and the defense. How do they not win the division?
Coming in second will be the Atlanta Braves in Cox's last year. They have 5 good starters and a decent line up but that bullpen worries me. I'm not sure Billy Wagner is the same closer he was 4 years ago so I hope they have a backup plan. Tommy Hanson needs a big year if he's gonna be the ace. It's good that he has some veterans to rely on with Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson(due for a comeback year?) if he gets in trouble. They also have the other young arms in Jair Jurrjens and Kenshin Kawakami to finish out the staff. (nothing related to baseball but I just think it's funny or at least semi-odd that they have a J name with 2 J syllables in the last named followed by a K name with 2 K syllables in the last name) Ok back to baseball now if Jason Heyward is as good as everyone says he is and I think he is this team has some great potential. Along with Brian McCann, Chipper Jones, and Nate McLouth, they could pose a big threat to a lot of pitchers in the NL. Yunel Escobar is going to become one of the premier short stops in the MLB this year so watch out for him. There are some questions that need to be answered which can decide this teams fate for the wild card. Do Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus still have enough in the tank to help this team make a playoff run? Can Tommy Hanson pitch as well as he did last year and become the teams ace? Can the Melkman deliver in Hotlanta without all that protection in the line up? Does the fact that this is Bobby Cox's last year will this team into the playoffs? I think Chipper can perform well but Glaus will only be good for a .250 avg with 20 homers and 100+ strike outs and that's if he stays healthy. I believe in Tommy Hanson, maybe 16-17 wins and I think he'll only get better this year. The Melkman will deliver, but not the way he did in New York. If you had to pick a manager to make the playoffs Bobby Cox would be in the top 3 no doubt (Joe Torre, Tony La Russa would be the other 2) but this division is tough and there are so many other teams in the NL that have a chance that I'm just not sure.This is a good team but in the wrong division. They have a bright future if they can find an adequate replacement for Cox but they'll have to fight for a wild card spot with the Marlins and the other teams in the NL for it.
Josh Johnson, CY Young contender. Hanley Ramirez, MVP contender. Both are among the best at their positions but is it enough to improve on last year? Not quite sure with the players around them and the Braves getting better. They have a great left side of the infield with Dan Uggla, Hanley Ramirez, and Jorge Cantu and that right there makes a solid middle of the line up. I really like the outfield too with Chris Coghlan who is great at getting on base, Cody Ross who could become another dangerous bat and I'd like to see what Cameron Maybin can do starting all year. The starting pitching is where a lot of games need to be won though. Johnson can hold his own and I really like the acquisition of Nate Robertson. Those 2 along with Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez could be a formidable foursome. I'm not sure who the 5th will be but I love these four and their 5th will probably be better then the Mets 3rd. They're bullpen also worries me. Leo Nunez as a closer actually scares me and just like Atl I hope they have someone else that can come in. That's why they need the SP's to be great and I expect them to be neck and neck with the Braves all year and will be a fun team to watch.
The New York Metropolitans...... I mean Medicalpolitans. This team is a joke it really is. How can you spend so much money on great talent to see half of it injured(Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and David Murphy all start season on DL). If Johan Santana could pitch every single game to the 8th inning and have Francisco Rodriguez pitch the 9th they might have a chance but obviously that's not the case. Those two are the only bright spots on that pitching staff. There may be one more if the Mets decide to keep Jennry Mijia on the roster. He is a great arm in that bullpen and that is very badly needed. It's sad to see a Cy Young contender like Johan get grouped with these useless #4 starters. John Maine belongs in the bullpen. Mike Pelfry will never be as good as he should've been. Oliver Perez...just thinking about his 12 million dollar a year contract makes me laugh. I guess when you can get through spring training with just under a 9 era gives you the nod as the 5th starter on this mess of a team. Jon Niese might be the only one with any kind of potential but I doubt it. You'll probably see Bobby Parnell and Fil Nieve get thrown into the fire, and get burnt. Bad. If they bring Nelson Figueroa up from the bullpen to pitch a game send him right back there. He's 36 with 49 career starts there's a reason why he spent his whole life in the minors, He just not good enough but I guess that's the trend for all the Mets starters not named Johan. They'd be better off picking up Chad Gaudin who is better than those four scrubs. This team needs a big change and that should start with Minaya getting fired. This guy deserves the Glen Sather Award (NY Rangers president and GM, and professional team wrecker) for completely fucking up a team with stupid moves but somehow overshadowed because they made 1 or 2 great moves. This guy did get Johan which I give him credit for that it was a great move but to see the lack of pitching on this team is just disgusting. Mets fans have to be sick when they see games get killed by the pen and you see Heath Bell and Matt Lindstrom saving games left and right for other teams(great Omar trades for nada). Everyone knew the Mets needed help on the pitching staff and needed an everyday catcher. Do they get either one? Of course not. They should've got Bengie Molina but they wouldn't give him 2 years and he stayed in San Fran for less money.They got Henri Blanco and Chris Coste who isn't even on the team anymore. They shouldve got John Lackey. Nope. Take a chance on Wang? Nah. Jason Marquis. No. Then there was Joel Piniero. Negatory. I know the last three aren't that good but come on they're way better then what they have. They did get Kelvim Escobar though woo. He'll start the season on the DL what a surprise there. Jason Bay was a good pick up but what is that gonna do? Not a lot. Frank Catalanoto, Gary Matthews Jr. Henri Blanco. Why? Seriously Why? The Mets front office must've had a meeting trying to come up with some kind of plan to get players they don't need at all and piss their fans off more then they already have. It's tough enough to compete with the greatest team in sports with the Yankees but they really let their fans down this off season. On the good side David Wright should rebound and have a better year than last and when Beltran comes back he'll be good. Those two along with Johan, K Rod and maybe Mijia but those are the only bright spots in my eyes. If they ever all get healthy the medicals could have a good line up with Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Bay and Francouer but I don't think Reyes really cares since he knows this team won't make the playoffs and from what I hear is a big baby in the clubhouse. If you do for some strange reason go see a Met game don't worry about the heat because they'll be striking out so much it will feel like A/C. With 3 back up catchers, no power at 1st base, lack of a pitching staff and a slew of injuries, watch out Nationals you may be challenged for the worst team in the NL East. After the season I'd like to see a fire Minaya rally just like fed up Ranger fans did with Sather on March 7th of this year.
The Nationals had a GREAT offseason. Steven Strasburg looks like the real deal and with the moves they made should make them a lot more respectable then in years past. They got a decent closer in Matt Capps and picked up Miguel Batista and traded for Brian Bruney to buff up that bullpen. They picked up Chien-Ming Wang the toast of Taiwan who could be very good if he can get back to his old form. The Nats weren't done yet though because they signed Pudge Rodriguez, Adam Kennedy, Willy Taveras, Scott Olsen and Jason Marquis. All very good signings for this team and all will contribute to this team. With Marquis and John Lannan they have a pretty good one two combo and if Strasburg comes up thats a solid 3. My favorite part of this team is their line up. They have a nice mix of big bats and speed. If Ryan Zimmerman can give a repeat performance of last year and Adam Dunn and Pudge could try to hit above .250. Mix in some Josh Willingham who had a decent season last year and thats some big power for a team that used to be laughed at. Nyjer Morgan is very good defensively, very fast and very dangerous on the base path. He can steal at least 50 bases and their speedy shortstop Ian Desmond may be able to add some of his own. I really just can't wait til they call up Strasburg and give me a better reason to watch these guys other then when i bet against them. They do look promising in years to come but they're in the wrong division(just like every other team in this division). This team will deffinitely be better to watch this year and I'd love to see them top the Mets in the standings but that may be asking for too much. Im glad to see that they are making good moves to improve this team and make this team watchable other then on a blooper reel. Even if they finish in last National fans have something to be excited about with Strasburg and te fact that ownership cares and wants to improve the team.
Phillies 97-65
Braves 88-74
Marlins 86-76
Mets 78-84
Nationals 71-91
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The Phillies are the best team in the National League and there is no doubt about it. Their staff is so much better than everyone else even with the early injuries to Blanton, Lidge and Romero. With Halladay who will probably win the NL CY Young followed by Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton(when healthy), and Jamie Moyer who somehow still has something left. Kyle Kendrick should fill in for Blanton while he's out and he can be a solid 5. Meanwhile Ryan Madsen will fill in for Lidge and he does have experience closing and is a great guy in the pen. Their bullpen is injured but still above average. Brad Lidge is still an elite closer when healthy despite all the blown saves last year. The Phillies line up is very deadly. They have the ability to play small ball and use their speed to hit and run around the bases or they can belt homers left and right. This team is going to be very difficult to beat. You can't outscore them with Ryan Howard who will probably go for 50 homers and the combination of Jason Werth, Chase Utley, and Raul Ibanez will hit 20-40 home runs with around 100 RBIs each. They have the ability as a team to steal around 100 bases with the fast feet of Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, Werth and Utley. They have the pitching, the bats, the speed and the defense. How do they not win the division?
Coming in second will be the Atlanta Braves in Cox's last year. They have 5 good starters and a decent line up but that bullpen worries me. I'm not sure Billy Wagner is the same closer he was 4 years ago so I hope they have a backup plan. Tommy Hanson needs a big year if he's gonna be the ace. It's good that he has some veterans to rely on with Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson(due for a comeback year?) if he gets in trouble. They also have the other young arms in Jair Jurrjens and Kenshin Kawakami to finish out the staff. (nothing related to baseball but I just think it's funny or at least semi-odd that they have a J name with 2 J syllables in the last named followed by a K name with 2 K syllables in the last name) Ok back to baseball now if Jason Heyward is as good as everyone says he is and I think he is this team has some great potential. Along with Brian McCann, Chipper Jones, and Nate McLouth, they could pose a big threat to a lot of pitchers in the NL. Yunel Escobar is going to become one of the premier short stops in the MLB this year so watch out for him. There are some questions that need to be answered which can decide this teams fate for the wild card. Do Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus still have enough in the tank to help this team make a playoff run? Can Tommy Hanson pitch as well as he did last year and become the teams ace? Can the Melkman deliver in Hotlanta without all that protection in the line up? Does the fact that this is Bobby Cox's last year will this team into the playoffs? I think Chipper can perform well but Glaus will only be good for a .250 avg with 20 homers and 100+ strike outs and that's if he stays healthy. I believe in Tommy Hanson, maybe 16-17 wins and I think he'll only get better this year. The Melkman will deliver, but not the way he did in New York. If you had to pick a manager to make the playoffs Bobby Cox would be in the top 3 no doubt (Joe Torre, Tony La Russa would be the other 2) but this division is tough and there are so many other teams in the NL that have a chance that I'm just not sure.This is a good team but in the wrong division. They have a bright future if they can find an adequate replacement for Cox but they'll have to fight for a wild card spot with the Marlins and the other teams in the NL for it.
Josh Johnson, CY Young contender. Hanley Ramirez, MVP contender. Both are among the best at their positions but is it enough to improve on last year? Not quite sure with the players around them and the Braves getting better. They have a great left side of the infield with Dan Uggla, Hanley Ramirez, and Jorge Cantu and that right there makes a solid middle of the line up. I really like the outfield too with Chris Coghlan who is great at getting on base, Cody Ross who could become another dangerous bat and I'd like to see what Cameron Maybin can do starting all year. The starting pitching is where a lot of games need to be won though. Johnson can hold his own and I really like the acquisition of Nate Robertson. Those 2 along with Ricky Nolasco and Anibal Sanchez could be a formidable foursome. I'm not sure who the 5th will be but I love these four and their 5th will probably be better then the Mets 3rd. They're bullpen also worries me. Leo Nunez as a closer actually scares me and just like Atl I hope they have someone else that can come in. That's why they need the SP's to be great and I expect them to be neck and neck with the Braves all year and will be a fun team to watch.
The New York Metropolitans...... I mean Medicalpolitans. This team is a joke it really is. How can you spend so much money on great talent to see half of it injured(Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and David Murphy all start season on DL). If Johan Santana could pitch every single game to the 8th inning and have Francisco Rodriguez pitch the 9th they might have a chance but obviously that's not the case. Those two are the only bright spots on that pitching staff. There may be one more if the Mets decide to keep Jennry Mijia on the roster. He is a great arm in that bullpen and that is very badly needed. It's sad to see a Cy Young contender like Johan get grouped with these useless #4 starters. John Maine belongs in the bullpen. Mike Pelfry will never be as good as he should've been. Oliver Perez...just thinking about his 12 million dollar a year contract makes me laugh. I guess when you can get through spring training with just under a 9 era gives you the nod as the 5th starter on this mess of a team. Jon Niese might be the only one with any kind of potential but I doubt it. You'll probably see Bobby Parnell and Fil Nieve get thrown into the fire, and get burnt. Bad. If they bring Nelson Figueroa up from the bullpen to pitch a game send him right back there. He's 36 with 49 career starts there's a reason why he spent his whole life in the minors, He just not good enough but I guess that's the trend for all the Mets starters not named Johan. They'd be better off picking up Chad Gaudin who is better than those four scrubs. This team needs a big change and that should start with Minaya getting fired. This guy deserves the Glen Sather Award (NY Rangers president and GM, and professional team wrecker) for completely fucking up a team with stupid moves but somehow overshadowed because they made 1 or 2 great moves. This guy did get Johan which I give him credit for that it was a great move but to see the lack of pitching on this team is just disgusting. Mets fans have to be sick when they see games get killed by the pen and you see Heath Bell and Matt Lindstrom saving games left and right for other teams(great Omar trades for nada). Everyone knew the Mets needed help on the pitching staff and needed an everyday catcher. Do they get either one? Of course not. They should've got Bengie Molina but they wouldn't give him 2 years and he stayed in San Fran for less money.They got Henri Blanco and Chris Coste who isn't even on the team anymore. They shouldve got John Lackey. Nope. Take a chance on Wang? Nah. Jason Marquis. No. Then there was Joel Piniero. Negatory. I know the last three aren't that good but come on they're way better then what they have. They did get Kelvim Escobar though woo. He'll start the season on the DL what a surprise there. Jason Bay was a good pick up but what is that gonna do? Not a lot. Frank Catalanoto, Gary Matthews Jr. Henri Blanco. Why? Seriously Why? The Mets front office must've had a meeting trying to come up with some kind of plan to get players they don't need at all and piss their fans off more then they already have. It's tough enough to compete with the greatest team in sports with the Yankees but they really let their fans down this off season. On the good side David Wright should rebound and have a better year than last and when Beltran comes back he'll be good. Those two along with Johan, K Rod and maybe Mijia but those are the only bright spots in my eyes. If they ever all get healthy the medicals could have a good line up with Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Bay and Francouer but I don't think Reyes really cares since he knows this team won't make the playoffs and from what I hear is a big baby in the clubhouse. If you do for some strange reason go see a Met game don't worry about the heat because they'll be striking out so much it will feel like A/C. With 3 back up catchers, no power at 1st base, lack of a pitching staff and a slew of injuries, watch out Nationals you may be challenged for the worst team in the NL East. After the season I'd like to see a fire Minaya rally just like fed up Ranger fans did with Sather on March 7th of this year.
The Nationals had a GREAT offseason. Steven Strasburg looks like the real deal and with the moves they made should make them a lot more respectable then in years past. They got a decent closer in Matt Capps and picked up Miguel Batista and traded for Brian Bruney to buff up that bullpen. They picked up Chien-Ming Wang the toast of Taiwan who could be very good if he can get back to his old form. The Nats weren't done yet though because they signed Pudge Rodriguez, Adam Kennedy, Willy Taveras, Scott Olsen and Jason Marquis. All very good signings for this team and all will contribute to this team. With Marquis and John Lannan they have a pretty good one two combo and if Strasburg comes up thats a solid 3. My favorite part of this team is their line up. They have a nice mix of big bats and speed. If Ryan Zimmerman can give a repeat performance of last year and Adam Dunn and Pudge could try to hit above .250. Mix in some Josh Willingham who had a decent season last year and thats some big power for a team that used to be laughed at. Nyjer Morgan is very good defensively, very fast and very dangerous on the base path. He can steal at least 50 bases and their speedy shortstop Ian Desmond may be able to add some of his own. I really just can't wait til they call up Strasburg and give me a better reason to watch these guys other then when i bet against them. They do look promising in years to come but they're in the wrong division(just like every other team in this division). This team will deffinitely be better to watch this year and I'd love to see them top the Mets in the standings but that may be asking for too much. Im glad to see that they are making good moves to improve this team and make this team watchable other then on a blooper reel. Even if they finish in last National fans have something to be excited about with Strasburg and te fact that ownership cares and wants to improve the team.
Phillies 97-65
Braves 88-74
Marlins 86-76
Mets 78-84
Nationals 71-91
Where The Bookies Don't Stand A Chance!
Get ALL of our MLB picks for the entire 2010 Season from Opening Day Thru the World Series, with our "MLB Pass"
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