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December 21, 2008 by editor.
There was a power vacuum left at the top of the women’s rankings when Justine Henin retired earlier this year, and we all wondered who would step up and be the next dominant number one on the WTA. Truth be told, we go into 2009 with the same question. There are many suitors, but for the first time in a long time the top spot is wide open for whoever wants to step up and take it.
Jelena Jankovic finished the year as the number one ranked player on the women’s player, but you can’t help but wonder whether she really believes she is the best. She is still without a grand slam, and it makes one wonder if she is number one because of the quantity of tournaments played, as opposed to the quality of her victories.
Jankovic won in Rome on the clay for her first title of the season, and she routinely goes deep into all the draws, but the majors have been her undoing. The feeling among the tennis pundits, fans and media alike is that your number one ranking should have some (at least one) Grand Slam attached to it.
I am not saying she didn’t have good results or win titles. She had nice tournament wins in Beijing, Stuggart, and Moscow, all on the hard courts, to go along with her win on clay in Rome. She has had sucess, but what is stopping her from breaking through on the big stages?
Jankovic relies on her tennis IQ, finesse, and consistency to overwhelm her opponents rather than power. The other women at the top of the rankings rely more on power, so if she is matched with a power player late in the draw and they are on their game, she will be at a disadvantage.
This being said, I believe it won’t be long before she breaks though. She has a good time when she is playing, she is never out of a match, and she plays with confidence and intelligence.
The one player who probably made the biggest strides in 2008 was Dinara Safina. She dominated the hard-court season in winning the U.S. Open series, and has consistently contended in most of the tournaments she was in.
Safina matured as the year went on and was in control of her emotions for the most part. She played with a confidence and determination, winning a number of close matches against quality competition. She is definitely a contender for the top spot in 2009.
It will be interesting to see how Maria Sharapova bounces back after missing a good portion of last year with a rotator cuff injury. She was at number three when she got hurt, and opted not to have surgury. If her rehab went well and she can serve consistently she will definitely be in the mix. Some of Sharapova’s shortcomings have been exposed though.
If she isn’t serving well the other parts of her game go south at times. She does not move as well as many of the other women on the tour and has to take control of the points early to be effective. She doesn’t play defensive tennis well. When her ground game is on, she doesn’t have to play defense. She simply overwhelms her opponents with her power and precision. Very few on the WTA can stay in a match with Sharapova when she has everything working.
I would not label her a disappointment, but many pictured Sharapova being number one and dominating the game years ago. She does have three slams to her credit since 2004 and has plenty of time to get more, but she has either been over-hyped, or mentally doesn’t quite have what it takes to maintain the level of excellence needed to stay number one.
Sharapova needs to develop and expand her game. She needs to come forward more and become proficient at the net to get cheap points. That will be a challenge because she is not a very good athlete as far as movement goes. If she does, then she could find herself back on top of the rankings again.
Venus and Serena Williams continue to be a threat in every slam they play in, and you can’t help but think that they are ones to beat in all the slams, with the possible exception of the French Open. They are now older than all of the other main contenders on the womens side and it is a testament to them that they are still playing at the level that they are.
They have been much criticized over the years for not playing as much as the other women on tour, for their father, Richard Williams, and for handling their careers their way. They are outspoken and dance to the beat of their own drum, but after everything that has transpired on the women’s tour in the last six years, the pundits are finally admitting that they got it right.
The wear and tear mentally and physically year after year has taken a toll on many of the players on the tour and have forced top players such as Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin to retire when they were at the top of their games. The Williams sisters never played hurt and paced themselves throughout each season which is paying dividends now as they are still winning slams and seem to be enjoying themselves.
Their outside interests also seem to be not only financially rewarding, but mentally therapeutic for them as well. They have stood the test of time. There seems to be little doubt that both of them could return to the top spot in 2009. How can we forget how a sub par and out of shape Serena Williams dismantled Sharapova in the 2007 Australian Open, and how Venus Williams seems to be invincible at Wimbledon.
They have learned to cut down on their unforced errors a little, while still being aggressive and coming forward to finish points. Serena’s serve is the key to her game. When serving well she has the best in the business and it sets up her unequalled an powerful ground strokes. She is better at serving out of more tough spots against top players than any one else.
Venus’ serve is dangerous as well, but it has been known to fail in the middle of matches. Her forehand also tends to break down during matches as well, but most of the time she gets it together in time to prevail.
If you look at the top women on the tour the Williams sisters are still the best athletes, even at this stage in their careers. With all due respect to the other women, they are still the best all around tennis players on the tour. Henin was the only player that was consistently beating them, and she is gone. Venus and Serena, and rightfully so, may be more geared up for the majors more than anything else. Cementing their legacy by adding to their Grand Slam totals may trump getting the number one ranking. Who can argue with them if that is the case? We tend to measure the greatness of the players by how many slams they win any way.
If Serena is serious about getting results and commits herself to being number one, I believe she will get there, hands down. Injuries and apathy could be the only things that slow the sisters down in 2009.
It is hard to figure out Ana Ivanovic. It is obvious she has the game and the ground strokes to play with, and defeat anyone. She has proven that, but her mental colapse after winning the French and losing the finals in Australia has to make you think. Breaking through at a slam is one thing. Being number one and staying there when the bulls-eye is on your back is something else. The pressure of being in the spotlight is not easy for everyone to handle. Some thrive on it and it doesn’t affect their games, but if you can’t you can easily lose your nerve and fold under the pressure of expectations.
Ivanovic is a great tennis player, has a great personality and graciously put everything in perspective after her early round defeats in the majors. Her over-all game and tennis smarts during the matches give her the ability to beat the Williams’ and Sharapovas of the world, but until she proves she can get to the top and stay there, she won’t be a favorite in my book to maintain a number one ranking.
Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova are solid top ten players, and should stay there because their consistent play and the fact that they play a lot, but they are not serious contenders for the top spot. Kuznetsova has had problems breaking through in key matches in the slams, and even though Dementieva is an excellent athlete, she doesn’t seem to have the goods to win the slams.
I believe four women have a chance to spend most of the year in the top spot. Keep in mind that doesn’t mean they are the best. It just means that their results were consistent enough to get the ranking. Jankovic is a good example of that.
Sharapova has a shot if she is healed, ups her game, improves her movement, and her serve dominates. Safina has a shot if she builds on what she did this year and works hard to improve every facet of her game. All she needs to do is take the next step. Jankovic needs to win a slam to get her confidence going and that will propel her forward. Serena Williams just needs to put the work in and be prepared. Nothing will be handed to her so she has to prepare thinking that if she doesn’t she will be defeated by a lesser opponent. She has to have a sense of urgency if she wants to get back on top and stay there.
They only thing that is sure about 2009 is that there is no clear cut number one or dominant player. Only time will tell us who is ready to step into that role.
Posted in Tennis | Print | No Comments »
December 6, 2008 by editor.
As we enter the 2009 Tennis season, the stage is set for one of the most competitive years on the tour, especially on the men’s side. As 2008 ends it is not clear who has the momentum heading into the new year.
Roger Federer won the last major, which salvaged his year, but it was clear that Rafael Nadal was the clear number one, and not because Federer stumbled. He took it from him with his stellar play. Nadal has managed to do what Federer and Djokavic have not been able to do in the past year and a half. Consistently get better on the hard courts and grass courts. That is a tribute to his coach, Toni Nadal, (known as uncle Toni).
Instead of just dominating on clay only, he dominated on the other surfaces as well. The question is just how good can Nadal be? If he is still getting better, then the rest of the field has something to worry about. I for one, didn’t think that Nadal could take Federer down on grass, and it remains to be seen if Nadal can raise his game to a level where he can win majors on the hard courts.
If he can there is no telling how many majors he can win. We have to keep in mind that the brand of Tennis Nadal plays is not easy on his body. His strength is his speed and range, and that causes him to retrieve and hit a lot of balls that the other men on tour would not get too. The constant stopping and sliding on all the surfaces, including the hard courts takes a heavy toll on your joints and hips.
Leyton Hewitt played that way for most of his career and as a result he is battling a hip injury that could hamper him the rest of his career.
It is obvious that Federer wants his number one ranking back, and he wants to begin the season healthy, unlike his 2008 season. I believe this year will tell us whether he is on the decline, or if he has found a way to regroup, reinvent his game and take it to a higher level. Truly exceptional athletes do that, ala Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. Nadal has upped his, now Federer needs to up his.
There are two other men at the top that will push Nadal and Federer. Novak Djokovic won the year end championships and served notice that he will not stand by and watch Nadal and Federer dominate the tour. His season got off to a good start in 2008 as he won the Australian Open, beating Federer in the process. He seemed poised to do great things, but was never able to build on it and get the results he was looking for until the season ending championships.
He is ranked number three, and if Federer is not careful Djokovic will pass him and be number two. He is only ten points behind, which is nothing. Andy Murray rounds out the top four and is the third of the trio that is trying to unseat Federer and bring in a new era tennis. Murray has matured and came into his own in 2008. He got good results at Wimbledon, and followed that up with a finals appearance at the U.S. Open. He is getting better and has proved he has the game to duke it out with Nadal, Federer and Djokovic.
At times Murray seems to be his own worst enemy, but he has matured and is frustrating his opponents with his match strategy and deceptive speed and athleticism. These four men, baring injury will be at the top of the tennis world in 2009, we just don’t know in what order. Wimbledon will decide how the season goes for Roger Federer. If he can come back and win it, and win the U.S. Open again, he will serve notice that he is not going anywhere. He also has to start the season healthy and not get knocked out so many tournaments early, which happened a lot in 2008.
If Nadal wins Wimbledon, it will solidify his claim to the number one ranking and serve notice to the other young guns that the road to the top goes through him now. No one beats him on clay, and if he wins two majors no one will catch him. Djokovic needs to successfully defend his Australian Open title to make a statement. If he does that he will jump Federer in the standings. He also needs to be injury free, and show evidence that his game is getting better. Murray needs to keep improving and know that he can beat anyone on the tour. As long as he doesn’t lose confidence he will be fine.
I predict that Nadal will finish number one, Federer will be number two, with Djokovic and Murray at three and four respectfully.
Posted in Tennis | Print | No Comments »
November 29, 2008 by editor.
One of the things that is great about college football is that every week there are big games with national title implications, and it always stirs up more talk about how flawed the BCS system is. Most agree that we need a real playoff system to properly crown a national champion, but some insist that a playoff would marginalize some of the games and rivalries that mean so much now.
Others worry about the bowl games and commitments that go along with them that would be compromised as a result of a playoff as well. What we have now is the best and worst of both worlds. We are talking about the teams, the games, and the BCS rankings and how everything might play out every day, which is a good thing.
It does generate a lot of interest. On the other hand we are also talking about how justice isn’t being done with the current system in place and everyone is clamoring for a better system. There is one major factor that will always affect getting a new system in place. And that is money.
There are many commitments between conferences and bowl games that would be affected. Any time there is money involved there will always be resistance to drastic change, and rightfully so. These games represent a major source of funding for these universities.
That being said I will present a solution to this BCS system that preserves the integrety of the conferences, and would result in a more clear cut national champion than we have now. One of the first things that would have to happen is that each major conference would have a four team playoff of their own to determine who would be the conference champion, and qualify for a season ending eight team playoff.
For example, at the seasons conclusion, the SEC would rank the top four teams and they would play to determine who the conference champion is. Florida would play the fourth ranked team, Mississippi, and Alabama would play Georgia again. The winner of those games would play in the championship game. Both games would be at a neutral site.
This format would have benefited Georgia last year because they were playing their best ball at the end of the year but didn’t get a chance to compete for their conference title. Conferences that don’t have a title game would have to be realigned, but not in a way that would affect their regular season scheduling.
The Big Ten would split their conference into two divisions, and maybe add another team, such as Navy, or Notre Dame, and their four team playoff would come from that group.
The Pac 10, and the WAC are on the same side of the country, so it would be a natural fit for those two conferences to play a four team playoff featuring the top two teams from each conference. This year that would have been Oregon State, USC, Boise State, and Oregon.
The Big East, and Sun Belt conferences would square off at season’s end, and the Mountain West and Independents would combine and split into two groups. Keep in mind that this alignment is only to determine who qualifies for the final playoff. These wouldn’t be permanent conference groupings.
Each division would have to be represented by one team. For example, the WAC and PAC 10 playoff would be between Oregon State, USC, and Oregon (PAC 10) and Boise State (WAC). The three teams from the PAC 10 have better records and are ranked higher than the rest of the teams in the WAC except for Boise State. The only exception I would make to this is if the top team in any division has a losing record, then a team with a winning record in the other division would qualify for the conference tournament.
After the conference champions are determined here is what you would have competing for a national title:
ACC - 1 team, Big Twelve - 1 team, Big East/Sunbelt - 1 team, WAC/PAC 10 - 1 team, SEC - 1 team, Mountain West/Independents - 1 team, Big Ten (plus one) - 1 team, Conference USA, 1 team.
Eight teams left to play for a national title, ranked from one to eight where number 1 would play number eight, two would play seven, and so on. No team in the country would be able to claim they were left out of the equation. The only question would be what do you do with the bowl games, and what happens to the teams that are bowl eligible, but are not part of the eight team playoff?
The playoff would require seven games total, so those should be tied to bowl games. The other games would have to be populated by teams that did not qualify for the tournament. The most difficult thing with this arrangement would be getting the bowls to change their agreements with the conferences to accommodate a playoff. That is where you would get a lot of resistance. Take last year for instance. USC played Illinois in the Rose Bowl, and Georgia played Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. The better game and the one the public wanted badly was Georgia vs. USC, but because of the commitments of both venues we ended up with two bowl games that weren’t competitive.
For financial reasons, none of the bowl committee’s want to be forced to take teams where their fan base won’t travel to the game, and there are a lot of unsold tickets. They would rather stick to the way things are now. They will make deals with teams that financially make sense for them as opposed to trying to get the best game. The actual match-up is secondary to them. We as fans do have to understand that in the minds of the folks who put everything together, the financial aspect of this whole equation is most important.
The only other flaw with this system is that you may have two teams in a conference that are better than the rest of the teams in the country, but only one of them will get a chance at the end of season tournament.
We want an undisputed champion, but if it can’t be done where everyone is happy financially it will be difficult to get the system changed.
What I have outlined is a little like the NCAA Basketball Championships. They are not as concerned with whether or not teams that have played each other during the season play again in the tournament. Their main concern is getting the best teams in the mix. There may be repeat games, but they will be in neutral sites and they may be needed, ala the three teams in the Big 12.
Everyone gets a shot in this system, and you only have one extra game to decide conference champions. Only four teams will play two extra games, and 2 teams will play three, and there would be very little doubt over who the national champions are at the end of the day.
Posted in College Sports | Print | 1 Comment »
November 22, 2008 by editor.
In one day the New York Knicks managed to undo two of the major acquisitions from the Isiah Thomas era and stay on course to free up enough cap space to lure Lebron James and another all star caliber free agent.
Jamal Crawford went to Golden State for Al Harrington, and Zach Randolph went to the Clippers along with Mardy Collins for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. While this doesn’t make New York better now, Donnie Walsh is staying true to his master plan to resurrect this once proud franchise. In order to do that he had to get rid of their highest salaried players that have contracts that run past 2010.
Many Knick fans will question this move because they are tired of the Knicks being one of the laughing stocks of the league, and they will have to endure at least one more year of losing. One has to remember that New York has been mis-managed and in bad shape for so long that they needed a complete overhaul from the front office down. That doesn’t happen over-night.
They brought in Walsh to run the show. They brought in Mike D’Antoni, a high profile coach that has a track record of success, and they have a plan to not only make the Knicks competitive in the short run, but to make them perennial championship contenders. The plan is bold, but it is well calculated and better than the hit and miss strategy of Isaiah Thomas.
They hope to lure Lebron James to the Garden and make it his home and work on his legacy. He has money and fame, but he doesn’t have championships and a legacy. Resurecting the once proud Knickabocker franchise and bringing back the glory days in the city that never sleeps, the mecca of professional basketball, sounds better than languishing in Cleveland. He doesn’t have enough help there and it is time for him to move on.
The beauty of this for New York is that there is a bumper crop of all stars that are free agents aside from James. Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Steve Nash, and Amare Stoudemire will be available to name a few. Pairing James with Bosh and a good point guard and a supporting cast would ensure that you have a title contender for years to come.
Let’s say they don’t get James. There are enough studs available where they can still sign more than one of them. Keep in mind that the players know that they have a better chance at success if they are paired with another star, Ala the Boston Celtics, then they do if they go to a team by themselves.
Other teams are starting to model what Boston did in a bid to get in on free agent frenzy in 2010. Chauncey Billups was traded for Allen Iverson to get Detroit more cap flexibility and other franchises are being very careful how they spend.
The Knicks still have more work to do to completely wipe away the memory of the past regime. They have to permanently sever ties with Stephon Marbury. Many of the fans resent how Marbury has been treated, but D’Antoni as the coach has the right to play or sit whomever he choses, and it is obvious Starbury is not in the Knick’s future plans. It is unfortunate that he is not playing, but they don’t owe him anything except his salary.
They have to do what they feel is best for the team, and right now Marbury is basically an expiring contract. The culture is changing in New York and for the better. They weren’t going to contend for a championship with what they had anyway.
There is one more move that they need to make and it will be the toughest. Moving Eddy Curry and his huge contract will take some doing because he is out of shape and not playing right now. Getting that done gives New York the opportunity to not only bring in James plus another all star, but they would be in a better position to re-sign David Lee and Nate Robinson. I wouldn’t be surprised if Steve Nash takes a look at the Knicks if they snag James as well. What better way to finish his career than to be in the system he is comfortable with along with his former coach, and in position to win a championship.
If things fall right for New York they could have three all stars playing for them in 2010. Of course there is a chance none of this pans out, and the Knicks end up settling for second tier all stars, but it is worth the gamble. The elite players in the league know that their best chance to win it all is to play with each other not against each other. Boston did it, and now New York is in position to do it.
There are probably angry Knick fans because they want to win now and are tired of seeing an inferior product on the floor, especially since they have looked a lot better so far this year. Be strong of heart. This is not a step backward. They had to be torn down so they can be built up the right way, and that takes time. Don’t let impatience dim your vision. The goal is a championship, not a decent team that gets the eighth spot in the playoffs.
I think they get Lebron, and if that happens others will follow. The Cav’s will be in New York to play the Knicks on Tuesday. Think Lebron will be asked a few questions? Nah, this is just another game against another team in another city.
Posted in Basketball | Print | No Comments »
October 4, 2008 by editor.
In week five, it is already desperation time for some teams, while others just try to stay on track.
Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are coming off a physical game with the Steelers last week and they will not get a week off. The Titans are as physical as they come. Tennessee has one of the leagues best running attacks with Lendale White and Chris Johnson and make no mistake of what they want to do. Joe Flacco will try to build on his performance against Pittsburgh and manage Ravens to victory.
The Ravens defense is good enough to stuff the running game and force Kerry Collins to beat them. The Titans are ripe for their first loss.
Ravens 17 Titans 16
Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles
The Redskins are coming off a huge win against Dallas, while the Eagles came up short against Chicago. This is a classic let down game. Brian Westbrook will be a key if he plays. Donovan McNab will have to play big, because they are having problems running the ball, and the Redskins defense plays the run well.
The Eagles have to have this game, and will play like it.
Eagles 27 Redskins 21
San Diego Chargers at Miami Dolphins
Miami got their first win last weekend against the Patriots, but they will be playing a Charger team that finally got LaDainian Tomlinson on track. Even though they will be traveling across the country their defense should be able to stymie Chad Pennington and company. Especially if they stuff their running game. That will be the key.
Chargers 17 Miami 13
Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers
This could be the perfect storm for the Falcons. Aaron Rodgers may not play. Green Bay’s defense is giving up over five yards per carry, and Atlanta prefers to live and die with Michael Turner running the ball a lot. Matt Ryan has struggled on the road so far, so they would like to just pound the ball.
If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t play, this game is not only close, but the Falcons have a chance to win. Green Bay’s secondary is not in great shape either.
Packers 20 Falcons 17
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
Even though the Lions won both meetings last year, they are in disarray. They are win-less in three games so far, and Jon Kitna has been ineffective as their starting quarterback. The Bears would like to control the game by running it and making sure that Kyle Orton doesn’t have to win the game on his own. The Bears should win a close one.
Bears 23 Lions 20
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Desperation time for the Colts. They have to have this game to get back in the hunt in their division. The health of their offensive line is the key. If they can create some space for Joseph Addai, and give Peyton Manning time to throw they will be in good shape. Manning has been hit more this year than the past two years combined.
Colts 27 Texans 24
Seattle Seahawks at New York Giants
The Seahawks are coming off their bye week, but have to trave accross the country to play the Super Bowl champions. Their struggles on the road when going east have been well chronicled. Julius Jones has been suprisingly effective for them and they will need to run the ball against the Giants, but that is easier said than done.
Giants will get it done at home in spite of Plaxico Burress out due to his suspension.
Giants 27 Seahawks 17
Kansas City Chiefs at Carolina Panthers
Damon Huard has stabilized the Chiefs offense, and if their offensive line continues to improve they will be more and more competitive as the year goes on. Carolina will want to exploit the suspect run defense of the Chiefs. That will keep them honest so they don’t load up on Steve Smith.
The only way the Chiefs can win this game is for Larry Johnson to have a big game. If the Chiefs become one dimensional they will be in trouble.
Panthers 31 Chiefs 24
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Denver Broncos
This game may come down to how well Brian Griese plays against the Bronco defense. Griese has thrown six interceptions the last two weeks, but Denver’s defense hasn’t been effective stopping teams either. The Broncos fortunes have rested on the arm of Jay Cutler, who has been great.
Tampa Bay’s defense will not be easy to dissect, and if Denver insists on throwing a lot, they could be in for a long day. A balanced attack would be more in order if they want to keep Cutler healthy. Both teams are 3 - 1 so something has to give.
Denver 28 Buccaneers 20
Buffalo Bills at Arizona Cardinals
Arizona looked lost against the Jets last week and were blown out. They are having the same issues that have plagued them in previous years. They cannot run the ball with any consistency, and that puts pressure on Kurt Warner to make plays when the defenses know they have to pass.
Trent Edwards is licking his chops after looking at how Brett Favre carved up the Cardinals secondary. Turnovers will be what decides this game. Arizona is not as bad as they looked last weekend, and Buffalo may get caught looking past this game. I smell and upset.
Cardinals 27 Bills 24
New England Patriots at San Francisco 49ers
The Patriots look to get back on track after losing their first game of the year. They will have to alter their approach offensively until Matt Cassel shows he can excel in their offense. That means they will have to run the ball more and have Cassel manage the game. The 49ers will continue to depend on Frank Gore. The Patriots will have to take him away and force J.T. O’Sullivan to make plays.
The game will be close, but New England will make just enough plays to win it.
Patriots 20 49ers 10
Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys
The Bengals haven’t won this year and it will be interesting to see if Marvin Lewis can hold everything together for the rest of the year. Carson Palmer’s injury hasn’t made it easier. If he can’t go, Ryan Fitzgerald is the man, which means the Bengals will look to establish the run first, and pass second. Dallas will look to balance their attack more this week, as they went pass happy and lost to the Redskins.
Dallas has been shaky on defense and the Bengals need to exploit it. With Palmer that would not be to much to ask. Without him it will be difficult. The Cowboys will be on a mission after last week.
Cowboys 34 Bengals 14
Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags have had the Steelers number the last four times they have played. Pittsburgh’s running backs have been decimated with injuries and Ben Rothlisberger is banged up and is not a lock to play either. They may not want to play him based on the performance of their offensive line against the Ravens. They want to keep him alive.
The Jaguars will look to pound the ball and set up David Gerrard to make plays down the field. This will be another physical game, but look for the Jags to prevail again. They have Pittsburgh’s number
Jaguars 24 Steelers 17
Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints
The Saints have injury problems, and the Vikings struggle to score points. For Minnesota to win, they have to force turnovers by the Saints. They will have to pressure Drew Brees into making bad decisions while putting him in a lot of third and long situations. That can only happen if they stuff the run.
The Saints want this to be a shoot-out, because they don’t believe the Vikings can beat them at that game. If the don’t turn the ball over, the Saints should prevail.
Saints 27 Vikings 20
Posted in Football | Print | No Comments »
September 27, 2008 by editor.
It is fitting that the wild card representative for the National League come down the last game of the season. The Mets and Brewers each have an opportunity to defy the odds and make their way into the post-season, and wiping away a painful and tumultuous September.
The problem is only one of them will make it. Looking at both of these teams they are more alike than different and pretty much share the same issues. For long stretches this year they have both looked like playoff teams, dominating the competition. They have also gone long periods where they looked inept and can’t hit or pitch their way out of a paper bag. Hitting has not been the issue. Both teams have had their droughts, but are capable of scoring a lot of runs. Pitching has been the issue.
If it wasn’t for the Mets issues with their bullpen we would hear a lot more about the Brewers shortcomings. Theirs is not as bad as New York’s pen, but they have been guilty of coughing up a lot of late leads as well. Eric Gagne has been a bust as a Brewer, and even though Solomon Torres is better than anything the Mets can throw out there to finish off a game, that doesn’t excuse Milwaukee from letting their closer of a year ago, Francisco Cordero, escape to the Reds. They would have been well served to pay him what he wanted.
The Mets’ bullpen woes have been well chronicled. Billy Wagner going down with an elbow injury didn’t help, and just made a bad situation worse. New York doesn’t have a reliable long reliever, set-up guy, or closer. It’s just hit or miss. When a starter goes out for the Mets it gives confidence to their opponent because they know they will score runs. It is amazing that the Mets are in this position at all.
Aaron Heilman has no confidence left and looks lost, and their closer, Luis Ayala is a castoff from the Washington Nationals. What amazes many is the fact that the Mets didn’t really try to improve their bullpen and they knew it was an area of need. Not even at the trade deadline did they try to make a deal, which to me was absurd given the state of their relievers. How or why Omar Minaya got an extention at this time doesn’t make sense either. Maybe it is because he has shown “evident progress” like Isiah Thomas did for the Knicks, or maybe it is a New York thing. Pay the executive before the collapse.
At least Milwaukee went out and got a difference maker during the year for their staff. Adding C.C. Sabathia to the rotation has been even bigger given Ben Sheet’s injury problems.
It would be fitting for both teams to win their last game of the year, and have to decide the wild card by a one game playoff. Milwaukee has a big edge. Sabathia will pitch for the Brewers on three days rest, and Oliver Perez, who couldn’t protect a four run lead against the Cubs this week goes for the Mets. One of these teams will experience redemption, while the other will be left to figure out how they collapsed two years in a row.
Should the Mets lose to the Marlins it will be a repeat performance of last year when they had a chance to make the post season with a win and Dontrel Willis turned them away with a win. They now have a chance to erase that memory.
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September 1, 2008 by editor.
Entering Saturday night’s huge game between Alabama and Clemson there were a lot of questions that needed answering on both sides. How far has Nick Saban brought the Tide back after only one year? How good is this seemingly talented Clemson team that is highly ranked and plays in a conference that is not highly regarded?
The eyes of the other SEC teams were on this game as well. We know the conference is loaded, and if Alabama is better than expected that could shake up the conference. With so many other good teams no one was counting on Alabama being all the way back yet.
Make no mistake about the fact that everyone wanted to see how good the Tigers were, and what that would mean for the ACC. The ACC is no where near as strong as it once was, and as a conference hasn’t won a BCS bowl game in years. Many expected this to be a coming out party for Clemson.
No one expected Alabama to dominate the way it did from start to finish like they did. They dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and never let the Tigers establish anything. C.J. Spiller and James Davis were supposed to be the two headed monster on the ground that would set the tone, but Saban’s defense did an excellent job taking them away and forcing Cullen Harper to beat them with his arm.
He was under pressure most of the game, and when he wasn’t, ‘Bama’s defensive backs were all over the receivers. Harper’s receivers didn’t help him out at all by dropping passes that were right in their hands.
Clemson was completely over-powered by Alabama’s offensive line. The Tide was able to create room up the middle for their backs whenever necessary. They did an excellent job in protecting John Parker Wilson. He exploited their defense continually with short, quick passes that the Tigers had no answers for.
Surprisingly, Clemson could not generate a consistent pass rush, and their defensive backs seemed lost on some key passing downs. Alabama repeatedly converted third down and short passing plays and Clemson never adjusted their coverage to take those plays away and force Alabama to throw down the field. You got the feeling that the Tigers were out-coached as well as out-played.
The way this game played out made you think that Clemson got caught reading their press clippings and thought all they had to do was show up. Nick Saban had his team ready to play, and ready for whatever the Tigers would throw at them. Kudos to him and his staff. I have to conclude that Clemson is over-rated and will have to spend the rest of this year proving this was a fluke.
This doesn’t bode well for the ACC as a whole. With Virginia Tech losing to East Carolina on Saturday as well, a mediocre conference all of a sudden has shown itself to be weak. The Florida State’s and the Miami’s will be lumped in with the mediocre bunch as well.
Even though we can’t say that Alabama is all the way back based on beating Clemson, but things just got more interesting in the SEC. The Crimson Tide just made everyone’s schedule in the SEC look a little harder. On the whole, I think this game was more a reflection on Clemson and their conference. A few years ago you could have argued that the ACC was among the best. My how the mighty have fallen.
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August 28, 2008 by editor.
With the College Football season upon us, many eyes are on the SEC, and for good reason. Georgia is ranked number one in the pre-season polls, Florida has the reining Heisman Trophy winner, Auburn has their usual stout defense and a new offense, Alabama is looking to return to the spotlight, and Tennessee is, well, Tennessee, and represented the East in the SEC Championship game.
Lost in the spotlight of the ultra competitive SEC is the defending national champion, LSU. The Tigers got rid of Ryan Perilloux, and all of a sudden there is no more talk of LSU winning the conference.
With Perilloux, LSU was definitely in the mix to repeat as National Champions. There is no denying that he would be one of the best quarterbacks in the nation guiding one of the best teams. We can only dream of what it would have been like with him at the helm.
What we fail to realize is that LSU was never just about their former troubled quarterback. They are loaded where it counts the most. Harvard transfer Andrew Hatch talent wise is a step down, but they don’t need him to be Perilloux. They need him to manage the game and just make a few plays.
Two seniors and two juniors return to anchor a massive offensive line that will make it easy for Charles Scott and Keiland Williams to run behind. Right guard Lyle Hitt is the only starter listed under 300 pounds. They are not just big, but they are experienced, physical and good. Most games the trenches is where the game is won, and I believe they have the best offensive line in the SEC. That gives them a good chance against anyone.
On the other side of the ball, LSU continues its tradition of excellence on the defensive line. Kirston Pittman and Tyson Jackson are senior defensive ends that will get after the quarterback, and Ricky Jean Francois and Charles Alexander anchor the middle of a very solid defensive line. Even without Glenn Dorsey they are still very capable of dominating games.
They will make things a lot easier for their linebackers and defensive backs. If you can dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, you can win consistently, and LSU is definitely able to do that.
The schedule is not easy, but I think it sets up well for them. They are at Auburn on 9/20 and three weeks later they are at Florida. Georgia and Alabama are home games for the Tigers. Their last game of the season is at Arkansas and that could very well be a trap game. That loss to the Razorbacks last season almost kept them out of the championship game.
A win versus Auburn sets them up for another appearance in the SEC Championship game. There is no telling what will happen in the SEC this year, but it would be a crime to think that LSU will not be in the mix.
Appalachian State is up first. Let the fun begin!
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August 24, 2008 by editor.
The race in the National League East has heated up and will be a dogfight the rest of the way. The Marlins took the early lead but were over-taken by Philadelphia for most of the first half of the season. New York has over-taken both of them by finally playing up to their capabilities. Now, only a few games separate all three teams. They all have trouble areas on their respective teams that could keep each of them out of the post season.
To the extent they are able to overcome those weak areas will go a long way in determining whether they go to the post season.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have had problems scoring runs on a consistent basis. Even though Ryan Howard has been very productive hitting home-runs and driving in runs, but is only hitting in the .230’s. Chase Utley struggled after the All Star break, and is now starting to come around. He has still been very productive, (31 home-runs, 85 RBI), but he threatened to run away with the MVP award in the National League in the first half.
It is no surprise that they started having problems at the plate when he tailed off. Jimmy Rollins has been injured and has not performed up to his MVP status. That has hurt as well. Hitting .258 with only 8 home runs is below his standards. Jason Werth has done a pretty good job, but I believe this team misses Aaron Rowand. He got a lot of big hits for them last year, and they miss his clutch bat.
With their ballpark and the talent they have they should turn it around. The pitching is another matter. For the first half of the year their bullpen statistically was the best in the National League, but they have been vulnerable there of late. They cannot afford that because they have some serious issues with their starting pitching, and if they over use their bullpen that would be disastrous.
The pressure is on Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer to have quality starts almost every time out because Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton are wild cards. You don’t know what you are going to get from start to start. If Philadelphia doesn’t win the division it will be because of their starting pitching. Brad Lidge has to stay healthy as well. He is perfect in save opportunities and gives the Phillies a decided advantage over the Mets, who currently don’t have a closer.
Playing .500 ball as they have been lately isn’t going to cut it though.
Florida Marlins
Very few want to acknowledge that the Marlins are in this race to stay. They have fallen behind by five games in the standings, they are by no means out of it. They are currently slumping at the plate and the home run barrage by their infield has slowed down some in the second half of the season.
What also haunts the Marlins is their pitching. They have given up 633 runs so far this year, as opposed to the Mets and the Phillies who have given up 575 and 540 respectively. If Florida’s starters don’t deliver they are in deep trouble.
As the Marlins are finding out that you can’t hit your way out of every situation. The pitching inconsistencies got magnified when their torrid power hitting fell off after the All Star break. Florida is hitting .239 and slugging .398 in August as a team. Only Philadelphia and Cincinnati are hitting worse for average in the same time period.
If Florida’s bats don’t get hot soon they will find themselves out of the race. As it stands now New York and Philadelphia are very streaky and can be caught, but time is running out on the Marlins.
New York Mets
The Mets have taken over first place in the division with their stellar play in the second half. In spite of a rash of injuries to their pitching staff (Billy Wagner and John Maine) they continue to be one of the best teams in the National League over the last two months.
One reason has been the turnaround at the plate of Carlos Delgado. He has hit for power, and in key situations, which has taken the heat off of David Wright and Jose Reyes. When Delgado has it going their line-up is very formidable.
The biggest problem for New York is their very leaky bullpen. Aaron Heilman has been a disaster, and Duaner Sanchez has not been the same coming back from injury last year. Billy Wagner may not be able to close a game for the rest of the season, and the rest are up and down at best.
This is the biggest hurdle the Mets have to jump over. If you can’t depend on your bullpen to hold one or two run leads late in games, you are in trouble. It is really amazing that they have been able to overtake Philadelphia considering the amount of games they let get away in the later innings.
This really puts a lot of pressure on the starters to go late into games. The only starter who can be counted on to do that consistently is Johan Santana.
Philadelphia is probably in the best shape to overcome their issues. Their line-up should get hot and carry them at least for a stretch in September. They have a reliable closer, and their bullpen is good enough to get by in their division. They are not a lock, but if their starting pitching holds up they have the best chance.
True or not, the perception now is that the Phillies are the better all around team, even if they have not played up to their capabilities. They can’t count on New York handing it to them like last year, they have to go out and win it.
Florida will have to count on the Mets and Phillies coming down a bit, and their bats heating up to the level they were on before the All Star break. Short of that happening I don’t think they will be there at the end.
It just doesn’t make sense that New York can hold up untill the end of the season with their bull pen in shambles. Relief pitching is too important in this day and age to operate with one that actually puts confidence in the opposing team when they are called upon. They can hit, and their starting pitchers as a group are good enough. It will be a minor miricle in my view if they make it to the post season.
The Mets will have to perform well when they play Philadelphia head to head, and pad their record against teams like Atlanta and Washington if they want to put themselves in position to win the division.
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July 26, 2008 by editor.
The Yankees crept closer to Boston in the standings by beating them at Fenway 10-3. New York has won the first two games of this pivotal series and remained undefeated since the All Star break. Andy Pettitte led the way by pitching six effective innings after a rocky start where he had problems finding the strike zone.
Robinson Cano continued his torrid hitting with three hits including a home-run off of knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. He also added a two run double in the eighth inning. Four Yankee pitchers combined for three scoreless innings to to finish the game.
The Yankees added to their roster by acquiring outfielder Xavier Nady and reliever Damaso Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates for the New York’s top outfield prospect Jose Tabata and three minor league pitchers, Dan McCutchen, Jeff Karstens, and Ross Ohlendorf. Nady was in the starting line-up against Boston on Saturday and Marte faced one batter.
The move was necessitated by injuries to Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui, and it adds a right-handed presence to a lefty dominated line-up. To make room on the roster the Yankees optioned Brett Gardner to Scranton/Wilkes-Bare, and designated reliever LaTroy Hawkins for assignment.
New York pulled to within 2.5 games of first place with the win and will go for the sweep on Sunday. Sidney Ponson will take the ball for the Yankees, and Jon Lester will be on the mound for the Red Sox. Lester is 8-3 on the season with a 3.20 ERA, and Ponson is 6-1. The loss by Boston was only the third time this season they have lost two in a row at home.
Boston has reason to be worried because New York is peaking, and showing no signs of letting up. They are getting solid pitching and their bats have come alive. Bolstering their line-up and bullpen with this last trade didn’t hurt either. The race in the American League East is far from over.
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