Bleacher Report - Articles by Kyle

Strasburg Vs Harper: Who Would Be the Better Franchise Player?

Kyle — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:17:13 -0400

Both of these kids aren't even old enough to drink. One is barely old enough to legally drive by himself. Stephen Strasburg, 20, and Bryce Harper, 16, are baseball's future. Strasburg, a starting pitcher out of San Diego State University, and Harper, a catcher out of Las Vegas High School, have both been called baseball's saviors.

In this article, I'll get an in-depth analysis of each player's strengths, and then give my opinion of which player I'd rather build a franchise around.

Stephen Strasburg

The incredible pitcher out of SDSU. And by using the word incredible, that might not be a word that praises him enough.

Strasburg is the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft. He stands 6'4" on the mound, and his fastball has been clocked at 103 miles per hour. Though typically his fastball will range in the 95-98 mph zone, Strasburg is an absolute force on the mound.

He also has a good Uncle Charlie curveball, and a slider that is comparable to a Randy Johnson slide piece when Johnson was in his prime.

In 2008, Strasburg went 8-3 for the Aztecs, posting a 1.27 ERA, and striking out nearly two batters per inning. In one game, he struck out 23 Utah Ute batters.

This year, Strasburg went 13-1, with a 1.32 ERA, and 195 strikeouts in 109 innings pitched. Strasburg also pitched a no-hitter in his final home start against the Air Force Falcons.

Strasburg also pitched for team USA in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Strasburg went 1-1 for the Americans, and left with a 1.64 ERA in the Olympics.

He one-hit the Netherlands over seven innings, but lost to the Cuban team.

Strasburg has a never ending list of achievements, including a 2009 preseason All-American selection from Louisville Slugger and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. He was also the first collegiate player to be named to the USA National Team ever, and was SDSU's No. 1 starter since he was a sophomore.

When in the Majors, Strasburg will likely be a strikeout king, like Tim Lincecum or a younger Randy Johnson. His ERA should hover around 3.50.

The 20 year old Strasburg will be the Washington National's first selection in the 2009 draft, and can possibly pitch in the majors when the September call-ups are made.

Bryce Harper

He's 16, and he's already accomplished more than you will in your whole life.

The sophomore baseball player out of Las Vegas High School has hit home runs 570 feet, been clocked at 96 mph, set the record for longest hit home run at Tropicana Field, and has been called the LeBron James of baseball.

Oh, and that 570 foot home run he hit, yeah he did than when he was a 15 year old freshman.

Harper is so good, that at age 16, a National League scout said he would go No. 2 overall in this year's draft behind Strasburg.

He's just that good. The left handed hitter plays in 100 degree heat in southern Nevada, and is the most talked about 16 year old in the nation.

Harper, who crouches behind the plate at 6'3", is a natural born catcher. He weighs 205 pounds, and swings the bat faster than Mark McGwire.

Take Justin Upton's speed, Alex Rodriguez's bat, Joe Mauer's defense, and combine them together and you get this kid. Bryce Harper.

Harper has been described as Mauer's clone. Mauer and Harper are both similarly framed, and both are left handed catchers.

When in the majors, Harper seems to be a guy who can hit .300, hit 25-35 home runs, and drive in 100 RBI yearly. However, this information is hard to predict at such a young age.

Harper is going to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft, barring any major injuries. His parents are even trying to get him eligible for the 2010 draft, with help of Harper's adviser, Scott Boras.

Now, if I had to pick one of these players to build a franchise around, assuming these players are the same age, it would be Harper.

Why? Because it's so difficult to find a prospect as good as Harper. Much less, he's a catcher, which is even harder to find.

Harper has been called a once-in-a-lifetime prospect, and you just can't miss him. Despite Harper's 16 year old body, I think Harper would be the better pick above Strasburg.

One major thing I like Harper over Strasburg is because unlike Strasburg, Harper could play almost every day. With Strasburg, you get to see him play once every five games. Harper could start nearly every day at catcher.

Harper is playing nearly 125 games of baseball year-round, so he's only getting better.

But I have to emphasize the point that Harper will be playing 150 games a year in the majors. Strasburg will be playing 34. That has got to be enough reason to franchise Harper over Strasburg.

Harper has so much time to mold into the perfect catching prospect too. He's only been on this planet for 16 years, and he could probably have a decent level of success in the Majors if he were to play today.

Clearly you now know some of the two biggest prospects to ever hit baseball. Strasburg and Harper, both who will be perennial all-stars once they make the show. If you are a baseball fan, or if you have a pulse, you can't wait for either of these two to make it to the big leagues.

Thanks to Sports Illustrated for the information

Lebron James Should Not Be Fined For Not Talking to Reporters

Kyle — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:14:33 -0400

When I first heard about King James not being fined for not talking to reporters, the first thing I thought was: why would he be?

Talking to reporters after a game should be optional, if anything. Why make the leader of a team talk if he doesn't want to?

LeBron put up arguably the best numbers in a playoff series, ever. He averaged 44 minutes per game, 38.5 points per game, 8.3 boards per game, and eight assists per game, including a 49-point Game One. He played his heart out, and lost because he had virtually no help. What do you expect him to do?

He had one of the best triple doubles in recent playoff memory, when he had a stat line of 37/14/12. If that's what it takes for Cleveland to beat the Magic, then Cleveland needs to get King James more help.

James had every right not to talk to the press. He would only get questions about if he's leaving Cleveland, or how he reacted to the lack of help. Why would a player who left everything he had on the court want to answer those questions?

Now maybe if LeBron had a sidekick that would actually remove some double teams, or if LeBron didn't have to carry the entire team on his shoulders, he should answer some questions. But he didn't have either of those.

If anything, the press should view interviewing players after a loss as a privilege. Why should players who just lost a tough game have to talk to the press? Ask the NBA. Fining LeBron James for not talking to the media would be the last thing the NBA should've done.

Overall, when you play with the intensity and have the must-win attitude LeBron possesses, falling short just because a lack of help would frustrate you. And then being criticized because not talking to reporters would make you more angry, in my opinion.

LeBron James not shaking hands with the Orlando Magic wasn't okay, though. I believe he should've showed good sportsmanship by looking Dwight Howard in the eyes and saying, "Great job, you beat me."

But, he didn't. Again, I can understand the intensity LeBron plays with, and how he doesn't like to lose. It's just his competitive nature. But he should've been able to shake hands with his victor.

Even though the Cavaliers have been called the most overrated 60-game winner in NBA history, it's because of LeBron. Without the city's icon, the Cavaliers are a lottery team. LeBron would be out of his mind not to be upset with Cleveland. They need to give him more help.

A tough series loss for the Cleveland LeBrons. Even though I can understand James not talking to the media after game six, I still think James should've shook hands with the Magic.

Trevor Ariza: How the Ex-Orlando Player Will Alter the 2009 NBA Finals

Kyle — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:33:38 -0400

Meet Trevor Ariza. Ariza, originally drafted by the New York Knicks, played in New York for justt one and a half years, before being traded with Penny Hardaway to Orlando, for Steve Francis

But, he wasn't the nightly highlight reel he is today when he was with Orlando or New York. Just your average role player, Ariza averaged about 17 minutes per game with the Magic, and started in 22 total games with New York.

Ariza played in just 11 games in his last year with Orlando, before being traded to Los Angeles for players Brian Cook and Maurice Evans. Ariza would play in just 24 games for the Lakers in the 2007-2008 season.

However, this year as a part-time starter, Ariza blossomed in Los Angeles. Ariza played in all 82 games for the first time in his career, and started in 20 of them. Ariza averaged 8.9 points per game, shot 46 percent from the floor, and averaged 1.7 steals per game.

Ariza's athleticism and great defense granted him his 24.4 minutes per game with the Lakers this year. The former UCLA Bruin also scored a career high of 26 points, against the Mavericks earlier this year.

The small forward, who was drafted in the second round by the Knicks in 2004, has played exceptionally well in the 2009 NBA Playoffs. Ariza is averaging 30 minutes per game, 11.4 points per game, and 1.5 steals per game.

In his first playoff game of this year, Ariza dropped 21 points on the Utah Jazz, shooting eight for ten, and three for four from the three point line. Later in game against the Denver Nuggets, Ariza scored 20 points and had four steals.

In the 2009 NBA Finals, Ariza will be facing his former team. In a surprising matchup, the Lakers will take on the Orlando Magic.

It is surprising, because the number three-seed Orlando Magic upset LeBron James' one-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. Surprising, because the NBA seemed to "want" a LeBron vs. Kobe NBA Finals. It's surprising that the Magic just smacked Cleveland in the mouth, and easily took the series.

However, Los Angeles will certainly not take Orlando lightly. Ariza will likely be guarding Turkey's pride and joy, Hedo Turkoglu.

Turkoglu averaged nearly 17 points per game with Orlando this year, but also averaged 2.7 turnovers per game, something Trevor Ariza will be able to exploit.

Trevor Ariza has started every single game for the Lakers this postseason, and has been nothing short of spectacular. The high-flying Ariza will certainly be the Los Angeles Lakers' X-Factor in the NBA Finals, and will likely be taking home his first championship ring ever.

Why Manny Ramirez Should Sit Out of the All-Star Game

Kyle — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:41:51 -0400

Major League Baseball posted an update for the top National League vote receivers on its Web site on May 26. Everything seemed right, except for who occupied the fourth spot for NL outfielders.

It was suspended Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Manny Ramirez.

Man-Ram was suspended 50 games for violating MLB's drug policy, but for some reason he is just 34,000 votes away from starting in the All-Star game.

Ramirez is eligible to come back on July 3 against the Padres. This would mean Ramirez could play a maximum of 36 games before the All-Star game.

Unless he hits 20 home runs in the nine games before the midsummer classic, Ramirez shouldn't even be in the same sentence as the All-Star game.

Dodgers manager Joe Torre commented on the status of Ramirez, saying he should skip the game altogether if he's voted in.

I can see where fans are coming from in voting for him. In the 27 games Ramirez played this season, he hit .348 with six home runs and 20 RBI.

But I'm sure the closer we get to July, the more he'll slip off the radar of receiving All-Star game votes.

Instead of Ramirez, it should be Raul Ibanez starting in left for the National League. Ibanez is leading the NL in RBI, runs scored, slugging percentage, and is second in home runs.

But he is just sixth in the voting.

If Ramirez were to sit out of the game, he would gain a little more respect from me, since it would show a little bit of integrity to miss a game he doesn't deserve to be in in the first place.

Colorado Rockies' Manager Clint Hurdle to Be Fired on Friday?

Kyle — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:54:51 -0400

Following Thursday's 8-6 loss to the division leading Los Angeles Dodgers, several Rockies players speculated this would be one of Hurdle's last games as the Colorado Rockies manager.

The Rockies are 18-28, last in the National League West by two games, which is why this firing would be long over due.

The Rockies are 11th in the NL in batting average, 14th in ERA, and dead last in opponent's batting average, giving up a .284 average.

The Rockies were swept by the Dodgers again this year, and have lost seven of their last 11 games. The team has given up 31 runs to the Dodgers in their latest three game series, including a 16-run blowout in the first game.

I think firing Hurdle would be the best move for the franchise. Other than the Rockies' 2007 postseason run, Hurdle hasn't done much to secure his job security with the Rockies.

Hurdle has managed 1159 games for the Rockies, and has won just 534 of them, posting a .460 win percentage. He has also finished fourth or worst in the NL West five times out of the seven seasons he's been with the club.

No candidates for the Rockies' interim manager have sprouted.

Why the 2009 Arizona Cardinals Will Repeat Their 2008 Season's Success

Kyle — Sun, 24 May 2009 20:57:06 -0400

Experts are asking, "Can the Cardinals repeat last year's success?"

My short answer: Yes.

My long answer: See below.

The 2008 Arizona Cardinals football team answered the 2007 Colorado Rockies', and 2008 Tampa Bay Rays' magic with a little of their own. The underdogs who had never claimed birth to a Super Bowl appearance proved every single critic in America wrong when the team out of Glendale made the Big Game.

The Arizona Cardinals started off last year's NFL season with a record of 7-3, and took claim to an NFC West title. The Cardinals finished the regular season just 2-4, but were the second NFL team ever to finish the season with a 9-7 record and make the Super Bowl.

The Arizona Cardinals played the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC bracket of the playoffs, in that order. The Cardinals won by a combined 32 points.

The Cardinals lost the Super Bowl to the heavily favored Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-23. However, they put up one of the hardest fought games in recent memory, and participated in one of the greatest games I've ever witnessed. A 16-point comeback in the fourth quarter led by Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner kept us all on the edge of our seats.

However, the seven-point favor Steelers team prevailed, and won by just four points, thanks to a late Santonio Holmes touchdown to seal the victory.

Led by veteran and ex-Super Bowl winning quarterback Kurt Warner, as well as two Pro-Bowl wide receivers, the Arizona Cardinals hit their opponents hard in the mouth, as the offensive-based team was second in the NFL in yards per game, with 373.2.

Three of the five starting offensive "skill" positions in the 2009 NFC Pro Bowl were Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals also had a 12,000 yard rusher in Edgerrin James, and a goal-line threat with Tim Hightower.

The Cardinals didn't make the Super Bowl solely around a good offense. They had two time All-Pro safety Adrian Wilson, 2007 Pro Bowl defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, and 2005 Pro Bowl defensive end Bertrand Berry, just to name a few notables.

The team was filled with stars, but received no credit.

One setback the team had was Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt, who had only coached in one season prior to the 2008 season. Whisenhunt led the team to an 8-8 record in 2007, and made his first postseason birth with the Cardinals last year.

Needless to say, he didn't disappoint.

Now, all the players I noted are returning to the Cardinals for this upcoming season. However, the Cardinals lost Defensive Coordinator Clancy Pendergast to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Cardinals also lost Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley, who will join Pendergast, but this time Haley will be the Chiefs' Head Coach. Quite the promotion.

Kurt Warner, the two time NFL MVP will look to finish business the Cardinals left behind in Super Bowl XLIII. Warner, who will be 38 in June, and coming off of hip surgery. However, he is expected to be ready for the start of the season.

Larry Fitzgerald, 25, and Anquan Boldin, 28, are both in the primes of their careers. One can expect at least 1200 yards and 10 touchdowns from both of them.

NFL Sophomore Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie can expect a much better season than he posted while playing as a rookie. Rodgers-Cromartie had 42 tackles, as well as four interceptions last year.

The Cardinals also signed ex-Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden to their squad. McFadden, who was on the team who beat the Cardinals in last year's Super Bowl, is a two time world champion and will certainly add stability to the Cardinals' secondary.

Safety Adrian Wilson is back as well. Wilson is 29, and also in the prime of his career. The two time All-Pro safety will certainly lead a strong defense under the new Defensive Coordinator.

The Cardinals have a mix of easy and hard games in their upcoming schedule. They face the Indianapolis Colts in week three, at the New York Giants in week seven, the Carolina Panthers in week eight, and the Vikings in Week 13. At least three out of those four games are in Glendale, AZ.

The Cardinals also face the winless Detroit Lions in Detroit in Week 15, and host the St. Louis Rams the following week, who held the number two pick in the draft. Should be two easy wins for Arizona.

Overall I see the same success the Cardinals had last year. Maybe not another Super Bowl birth, but I can see them winning 10 games this year, another NFC West title, and making a strong case for an NFC Championship game.

Rocco Baldelli: The Story of the Gifted Minded Athlete Gone to Hell

Kyle — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:52:30 -0400

Let's start this article off by saying one thing. Rocco Baldelli is not only athletically gifted, but pretty damn smart as well.

He attended the Gifted and Talented student program while at La Salle Academy in Rhode Island, and then switched to a normal high school by the name of Bishop Hendrickson High School, also in Rhode Island.

While at BHHS, the baseball stud posted a 4.25 grade-point average. He played baseball, indoor track, basketball, and even volleyball, and was a four-star athlete at those sports.

Baldelli was selected in the first round of the 2000 Amateur Draft. Had he not signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Baldelli said he would've signed with Wake Forest.

Baldelli spent three years in the minors in the Devil Rays' system. When he finally made his MLB debut on Opening Day of 2003, Baldelli looked to win the American League Rookie of the Year award.

That award would be snatched up by Kansas City Royals' third baseman Angel Berroa. However, Baldelli hit .289 that year, with 11 home runs, and 78 RBI.

Baldelli avoided the "sophomore slump," and had very similar numbers that he posted in his first year with the Devil Rays. He played in 20 less games, but had five more home runs, and 40 less strikeouts than he did the year before.

Baldelli would miss his entire 2005 season with an ACL injury, as well as an elbow injury. He needed surgery on his knee, and Tommy John surgery on his elbow.

Rocco Baldelli would finally return to the Devil Rays in June 2006, after missing nearly 210 games. Despite playing in just 92 games that year, Baldelli had arguably his best season of his career, hitting .302, with 16 home runs.

Another bad break for Baldelli, in 2007 he had a recurring hamstring injury that would keep him out for most of the season. He only played 35 games that year.

His case for a 2008 return was cut short by more injuries. However, doctors didn't have much of a clue to what was wrong with the Devil Rays' right fielder. Baldelli was again placed on the disabled list, and played in just 28 games in 2008, his lowest of his career.

On Aug. 10th, 2008, Rocco Baldelli made his return to baseball. In the game against the Mariners, Baldelli had an RBI single before being pulled from the game in the fifth inning.

In the 2008-2009 off season, doctors agreed that Baldelli had a case of channelopathy, which are diseases that are caused by disturbed function of ion subunits, or the proteins that regulate them.

In non-medical terms, it basically meant that once Baldelli would suffer from injury, his body would sustain it for longer than normal.

In the 2009 season, Baldelli found a home with the Boston Red Sox, who signed him on Jan. 8.

Since his rookie season, Baldelli has played in fewer games in each of his five seasons. Overcoming all of his medical obstacles while still possessing a positive attitude has made Rocco Baldelli one of my favorite athletes.

Troy Tulowitzki Benched after Grounding into Double Play—Seriously?

Kyle — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:30:08 -0400

Troy Tulowitzki comes up to the plate in the eighth inning in last night's game against the Atlanta Braves.

Down 8-1 already, Tulo swings at a high strike, and grounds into a double play.

What does manager Clint Hurdle decide to do? Bench one of the only bright spots on the team.

News flash, Clint: If the City of Denver could fire you as easily as you benched Tulo, we would've done it earlier.

The Rockies are 15-23, and 11-and-a-half games out of the first-place Dodgers' grasp.

Tulowitzki has five home runs, 13 RBI, and had an on-base percentage of .336.

Hurdle started shortstop Omar Quintanilla in place of Tulowitzki. A slumping Garrett Atkins also received the start at third, despite a .192 batting average.

Another great idea, Hurdle. Let's start Atkins over a guy who has seven home runs and 20 RBI in Ian Stewart.

Honestly, this move baffles me. Tulowitzki wasn't trying to be a rebel, or be a me-first thinker, if that's what Hurdle was thinking.

Hurdle has been teaching the premise of swinging at smart, hittable pitches, and Tulowitzki's pitch wasn't even that bad.

This is the last thing the struggling Rockies needed. Hurdle has gotten more than enough time here in Colorado. It's time for change.

An In-Depth Look At The Three New Denver Broncos' Coaches

Kyle — Sun, 17 May 2009 01:06:42 -0400

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen went in crazy mode this offseason. He fired head coach Mike Shanahan, and hired former New England Patriots' offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to replace the two-time Super Bowl winner.

With Shanahan gone, defensive coordinator Bob Slowik was asked to find another place to coach. Slowik would be replaced by former San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Nolan.

And last but not least, Rick Dennison, the former offensive coordinator, was demoted to the Broncos' offensive line coach. Mike McCoy was hired in Dennison's place.

So now we know how they got here, let's take a look at who they are, and what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Josh McDaniels - Head Coach (33)

McDaniels was at one point the fifth-youngest NFL head coach ever. McDaniels has been called Bill Belichick's protégé, and will look to lead the Broncos back to the playoffs.

McDaniels spent most of his coaching career with the New England Patriots. At the beginning of his career he was a graduate assistant at Michigan State, but other than that McDaniels has spent the rest of his career under Belichick.

McDaniels spent the 2001 season as a personal assistant for the Patriots. Not much, but he got his name out there. For the next two seasons, he was a defensive coaching assistant. For the next five years, he was the Patriots' quarterbacks coach. And for the last three years, McDaniels was the offensive coordinator under Belichick.

All of that coaching experience for the world champion Patriots proved to be important in the Broncos' hiring process, as McDaniels was named the newest Broncos head coach on January 11.

One thing I really like about McDaniels is how good he is with working with quarterbacks. Matt Cassel is who he is today because of McDaniels' coaching. Without McDaniels, Cassel probably would've broken under the insane amount of pressure that was given to him when Tom Brady went out in the first week of the 2008 season.

Now I know a lot of Bronco fans don't like McDaniels. He is the reason why Jay Cutler is in the Windy City right now. However, I think he was just doing what he thought was best for the team. He knew how good Cassel was, and that's why he went out and tried to acquire him from New England before the draft. Subsequently, that angered Cutler, and Jay was driven out of Denver.

McDaniels has made a lot of bold moves this offseason. Along with Cutler, McDaniels decided to go with Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno with the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. While most experts thought the Broncos needed to go defense in the first round, McDaniels ignored those expectations and drafted the stud Bulldog.

Mike McCoy - Offensive Coordinator (36)

Mike McCoy was also brought into the Denver Broncos' youth movement. McCoy, who was formerly the Carolina Panthers' quarterbacks coach, will look to improve upon the Broncos' offense this season.

McCoy, like McDaniels, spent all of his coaching career with just one team, the Carolina Panthers. McCoy was an offensive assistant to then Carolina Panthers' head coach George Seifert in 2000. The next year, McCoy was promoted to the Panthers' wide receivers coach, the same year Steve Smith came into the league.

The next season, with Seifert out as head coach, John Fox was hired as the new Panthers' head coach. McCoy was an offensive assistant to the team again. From 2003 through 2008, McCoy jumped around from jobs such as offensive assistant, to quarterbacks coach, to wide receivers coach.

McCoy was hired as the Broncos' offensive coordinator on January 19, just a little over a week after McDaniels was hired.

I like a few things about McCoy. He was one of Steve Smith's main lifelines as his coach. Smith is one of the top 10 receivers in the league, and Broncos' wide receiver Eddie Royal looks like he could be just as successful as Smith. Royal and other Broncos' receiver Brandon Marshall should thrive with McCoy's experience with All-Pro receivers.

I also like that, like McDaniels, McCoy came in from just one team, and can take his experience to Denver. He's still young, so he has a great learning curve, and I really believe McCoy will contribute to the Broncos' offense.

Mike Nolan - Defensive Coordinator (50)

Unlike the two coaches above him, Nolan has bounced around to pretty much every team imaginable. Nolan has coached everywhere from the west coast (Stanford Cardinals) to the east coast (Baltimore Ravens), and from the north (Oregon Ducks) to the south (LSU Tigers). Simply put, he's been on the road more than you have.

Nolan has a ton of coaching experience. Starting in 1981, Nolan has more experience than McDaniels and McCoy have combined. Though his most recent job with the 49ers was his first head coaching job at any level, Nolan should be extremely versatile for the Broncos.

Nolan started the most recent season with the 49ers 2-5, before being fired midway though the season. During his time in San Francisco, Nolan went 18-37, and never finished above third in the NFC West standings. It doesn't seem like head coaching is Mike Nolan's gig.

Nolan will be making one big change in Denver, and that is implementing the 3-4 defensive scheme. Denver, who usually plays the 4-3, didn't have much success in 2008, as they allowed 28 points per game, which was 30th in the league. They also finished in the bottom half of most of the key defensive categories, including yards allowed, passing yards allowed and rushing yards allowed.

This will be Nolan's 10th defensive-related coaching job, and his fifth different NFL team he was a defensive coordinator for. Nolan has coached 10 different teams in his career.

Overall I'm pretty excited for this upcoming season. I think owner Pat Bowlen did a great job hiring great coaches for the Broncos. Only time will tell for the success factor each coach brings to the table.

10 Questions I Would Ask Denver Broncos' Running Back Knowshon Moreno

Kyle — Sat, 16 May 2009 13:54:02 -0400

Knowshon Moreno, the 12th overall pick in the draft, is likely going to be the starting running back for the Denver Broncos this season. If I had the once in a lifetime chance to sit down with him, I would ask him the following questions:

How do you think playing football in the SEC will help you transit into the NFL?
Was it a surprise to hear your name get called to the Denver Broncos? Was there anything that only you knew that helped you predict this?
What was the first thing you're going to do with the signing bonus of your contract?
What do you like about new head coach Josh McDaniels?
How much of an impact do you think the team will lack without Jay Cutler?
To fans of the Broncos who haven't seen you play, how would you describe your running style?
What are your realistic individual goals for this upcoming season?
What do you think the team can do, in terms of record?
How do you think Broncos' fans will react to you wearing number 27?
What do you think you need to improve upon most, as a running back?

Why the Washington Redskins Will Win the NFC East

Kyle — Fri, 15 May 2009 22:55:07 -0400

To start this article off: I am not a Skins fan. I never have been and never will be.

Nonetheless, I really love what the Redskins did in the off season.

The Skins, who finished the season 8-8, and fourth in the NFC East, easily made the most noise in the 2009 NFL off season.

Signings of All-Pro nose tackle Albert Haynesworth, superstar corner back DeAngelo Hall, and star guard Derrick Dockery capped off a great off season for the Redskins. Drafting Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo in the first round of the draft helped the cause, too.

Lets not forget the All-Pro running back that was already on the team, Clinton Portis. Portis, at age 27 and in his prime, will look to carry the load for the Redskins.

Also, another Pro Bowler on the Redskins' roster is Chris Cooley. Cooley, a tight end out of Utah State, has been selected to the last two Pro Bowls, and started every game at tight end for the Redskins in the last four years.

There's one under the radar star that most people forget about. LaRon Landry, the 2007 NFC Pro Bowl alternate, made 65 tackles and forced two fumbles last year for the Redskins.

So we have all these stars on the Redskins, as well as some that were unnamed. Now how's the general doing?

In a division with super stars by the names of Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb, and Eli Manning, Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell often gets overlooked.

In the midst of trade talks this spring, Campbell started all 16 games for Washington this last year, threw for 3245 yards, and threw more than twice as many touchdowns as interceptions. Campbell also holds a Redskins record for most consecutive throws without an interception, with 252.

Though head coaching great Joe Gibbs retired two seasons ago, new Redskins head coach Jim Zorn has filled his shoes nicely. An offensive-minded head coach, Zorn led the Redskins to just one less win than Gibbs did in his last season, but Zorn surpassed many expectations that were given to him.

So not only have the Redskins improved this off season, but many teams have also fallen short in their progression.

The Cowboys, who were third in the NFC East last year with a 9-7 record, lost their best wide receiver in Terrell Owens. Owens, though not necessarily an offensive leader, will make a huge difference for the Cowboys, since defenses won't have to double team him.

Another wide receiver problem in the NFC East is Giants' wide receiver, Plaxico Burress. Burress, who was suspended by the Giants until the end of the season last year due to illegal gun charges, will certainly be a key factor to the Giants' success this season. Media will follow him wherever he goes, and Burress was also mentioned in trade talks this off season.

The Eagles had a good off season. They filled up their needs in the draft with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, and corner back Ellis Hobbs.

Overall I can see another very tight race for the NFC East division title this year. My predictions will be:

Redskins - 11-5
Eagles - 11-5
Giants - 11-5
Cowboys - 9-7

With the Redskins winning the division title, and both the Eagles and Giants getting in the playoffs as with a Wild Card birth. This season in the NFC East has the potential to be just as good as last year's, if not better.

How the Native-Born Chauncey Billups Has Changed the Denver Nuggets' Franchise

Kyle — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:24:10 -0400

Early November, 2008. Think the Nuggets can win it all? No way. With Iverson and Anthony, there's just not enough chemistry.

November 3, 2008. Think the Nuggets can win it all? Possibly. With the new acquisition Chauncey Billups, and Iverson out, there's certainly a chance.

And that chance becomes a little bit more of reality, after every passing game that the Nuggets have been playing in the playoffs.

Billups, 32, returned to the Nuggets for the second time in his career at the beginning of the 2008-2009 season. After being traded for the fifth time in his career, to six different clubs, Billups showed why he was the 2004 NBA Finals MVP in his first recent season with the Nuggets.

Billups brought some things to the table Allen Iverson couldn't. Leadership, passing ability, and experience.

Leadership is what everyone loves about Billups. He's a selfless point guard, who can still drop 25 points on opponents. But, almost no matter what, Billups will always look for the open man, and do what's best for the team. Something "The Answer" certainly lacked.

Iverson could be a decent passer, in some games. But on most nights, Iverson would think he's the only player on the Nuggets roster.

Sure, Iverson has experience. He's 33, and has an NBA Most Valuable Player award.

Billups has been to the Conference Finals for seven straight years now. Clearly more experience, in terms of playoff basketball.

In Billups' return to Denver, numbers one and four were both taken by JR Smith, and Kenyon Martin, respectively, so Billups decided to wear number seven, in honor of Denver Broncos' great John Elway. Elway introduced Billups when the Nuggets came to Denver in the series against the Mavericks.

Billups, who went to the University of Colorado, was drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics in 1997. In a draft that featured three all stars, Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, and Billups, Billups has arguably been the best selection in the draft.

Billups has made the All Star team in four straight seasons, and was the only Denver Nugget in this year's battle of the best.

This year, Billups averaged 17.9 PPG in the regular season, along with 3 RPG and 6.4 APG. Certainly not overwhelming stats, but the impact Billups made on the court is what fueled the Nuggets into the number two seed in the West.

This year, Billups was selected to the All-NBA third team, along with NBA Sportsmanship Award.

In the battle of the point guards—Chris Paul vs. Chauncey Billups—Billups showed just how valuable playoff experience is. The Nuggets got past the Hornets in just five games, and went on to defeat the Mavericks in five games.

Up next for Billups will either be the Los Angeles Lakers, or the Houston Rockets. Though the Nuggets have gone just 1-3 against both this year, I believe Billups can carry the load for Denver and definitely have them ready for either opponent.

Carlos Gonzalez: When Are The Rockies Going To Call This Slugger Up?

Kyle — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:23:48 -0400

Who has won the Matt Holliday trade?

If one were to look at just one of the prospects the Rockies received in the trade, Carlos Gonzalez, and viewed his Triple-A Colorado Springs stats, one could argue either way.

Gonzalez, an outfielder in the Rockies' farm system, has been absolutely tearing it up for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. And when I mean tearing it up, that might be an understatement.

The undrafted free agent who originally signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks is just 23 years old, but has already been in three different Major League Baseball organizations.

In 2007, he, along with five other Arizona Diamondbacks, was traded to the Oakland A's organization for ace pitcher Dan Haren. Gonzalez spent limited time in the Diamondback's organization and never reached the major league level.

In November 2008, there was a trade between the Oakland A's and the Colorado Rockies. The deal, which sent Matt Holliday to Oakland for Gonzalez, closer Huston Street, and pitcher Greg Smith, was Gonzalez's second trade of his career.

Gonzalez saw a little bit of major league action last year with the Athletics. After being called up to the majors half way through the season, Gonzalez played 85 games with the Athletics. He batted just .242, and drove in 26 RBI on four home runs. But that little bit of major league experience proved crucial for Gonzalez.

This year, the outfielder started the season in Triple-A, and has won the hearts of many Rockies fans.

Through 29 games, Gonzalez is batting .313 with three home runs, 31 RBI, and 16 extra base hits, including six triples. Gonzalez has 35 hits on the year and has an OBP of .414.

With 26 runs scored and four stolen bases, Gonzalez easily took home the Rockies' minor league batter of the month in April this year.

With his incredible first month in the minors, Gonzalez is a sure September call up, if not earlier for the struggling Colorado Rockies.

However, he might find it hard to get some playing time with the great play of outfielders Dexter Fowler, Brad Hawpe, Ryan Spilborghs, and Ian Stewart.

Why Matt Ryan Will Be This Year's NFL Most Valuable Player

Kyle — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:10:02 -0400

Matt Ryan burst into the national spotlight in 2007.

At the start of that season, Ryan was named to the 2007 All-ACC team and did not disappoint. During his senior season at Boston College, Ryan led the Eagles to an 8-0 start, and beat the likes of No. 15 Georgia Tech and No. 9 Virginia Tech. Ryan led his team to the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl and beat Michigan State easily, with a 41-24 victory.

Backtrack a few years. In Ryan's senior season at high school, he was named captain of the baseball, basketball, and football teams.

Matt Ryan got in his first NCAA game in his freshman year, and completed 35 of 71 passes for 350 yards and a touchdown. He also played a little in Boston College's bowl game that year.

His sophomore season, Ryan was not immediately named the starter. Being a second stringer to quarterback Quinton Porter, Ryan finally got the starting job midway through the season, in a game against North Carolina. Matt Ryan would never look back.

In Ryan's junior year, Ryan was named the starter. Starting in 11 out of 12 games, Ryan threw for nearly 3000 yards and 15 touchdowns. Decent numbers, but not nearly as good as his senior season's stats.

The next year, Ryan exploded. He threw for 4507 yards, 31 touchdowns, and has a passer efficiency rating of 127.04. Also, while leading the Eagles to their 8-0 start, Ryan got his name out to the NFL scouts.

The next year, while entering the draft, Ryan was taken third overall to the Atlanta Falcons. Despite not having the best NFL combine drills (5.07 40 yard dash time), Atlanta knew they had the right kid in mind.

That year, Matt Ryan had arguably the best rookie season in the NFL's recent memory. Ryan threw for 3440 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just 11 interceptions. Ryan was only the second rookie ever to throw for 3000 yards in his first season in the league, Peyton Manning was the first.

Oh yeah, he also led the Falcons to the playoffs, while starting all 16 games. Not bad, for a rookie.

This year, Ryan will have some of the highest expectations in the entire league. Ryan will be expected to win his first playoff game, at least, and will set the bar high for rookies of this year's draft, like Matt Stafford and Mark Sanchez.

Also this year, Matt Ryan has a new weapon to throw to. His name? Tony Gonzalez. Yeah, the best tight end to ever play the game of football will be catching balls from the best sophomore quarterback in the NFL. Clearly Matt Ryan will have an amazing year at quarterback.

So we have an amazing rookie season from Ryan, a for sure future Hall of Famer in Tony Gonzalez, but what else do we have? We have an all-pro running back by the name of Michael Turner and a great possession receiver in Michael Jenkins.

Michael Turner is probably one of Matt Ryan's biggest assets. Turner will run all over defenses, resulting in safeties and line backers to start to creep in to help stop the run. Then Ryan will throw over the top and really tack on some yardage.

Jenkins, who had a career high in receiving yards in 2008 with 777, is sure to breakout this year with the emergence of Gonzalez.

Honestly, I would be surprised if Matt Ryan doesn't win the NFL's MVP award this year. I doubt Tom Brady will be back to his old form, and Manning will be without one of his favorite targets in Marvin Harrison.

Troy Tulowitzki Finally Finds His Stroke for the Rockies

Kyle — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:59:05 -0400

2007—The month that Troy Tulowitzki burst into the national spotlight with the Colorado Rockies en route to their first World Series birth in franchise history.

In his rookie year, Tulo had arguably the best season ever by an NL rookie shortstop. His 99 RBIs broke the old NL rookie shortstop record, previously held by Nomar Garciaparra.

Tulo even completed an unassisted triple play that year, and helped lead the Rockies to a record .989 fielding percentage.

He finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, and also second in NL Gold Glove voting. Tulo looked to be the Rockies' next great arm at shortstop.

In 2008, things fell apart. Coming off an of offseason where he signed a six-year, $31 million dollar deal, Tulowitzki missed 60 games, and batted just .263—a pretty disappointing season after fans developed such high expectations for him.

2009 seemed like it would be just as miserable as 2008. After hitting home runs in three of his first five games, Tulo went on a three-week homer-less streak.

However, this last series against the Marlins was the most encouraging we've seen so far. Tulowitzki raised his batting average 39 points, and drove in four RBI in the three game series.

Tulowitzki also hit two home runs, in the first and last games of the series. He had six total hits in the series, and reached base eight times. He struck out only once, and his home run today propelled the Rockies to their first one-run victory of the year.

Despite his poor batting average of .237, Tulowitzki has been caught on fire lately. He's getting on base 34% of the time, making up for his poor average.

Overall a very encouraging weekend series for Tulowitzki. Hopefully he can keep up his streaky play against the Houston Astros in the upcoming series in Colorado.

Denver Strikes Gold Again: Recapping Three Lucky Calls in Denver Sports

Kyle — Sun, 10 May 2009 14:31:07 -0400

After watching the Nuggets—Mavericks game yesterday, and seeing the call that shouldn't have been, I had to do a write up.

This will be an article in chronological order of the three controversial calls that Denver sports fans have received in the last two and a half years. Each covering the three "main" sports, except for hockey.

10/01/07, Colorado Rockies—If you live in Denver, you know the significance of this date. The first date in Rocktober for Rockies' fans, and the first NL Wild Card Tiebreaker since 1999.

The Rockies, who at the time had won 13 of their last 14 games, would be up against the 2007 Cy Young winner Jake Peavy. On the mound for the Rockies was the "Dragon Slayer" Josh Fogg.

How would Fogg earn such a nickname?

When you beat the likes of Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, Brandon Webb, Mike Mussina, and Roy Oswalt all in one year, that's how you get such a nickname.

The game, which was held in Denver by way of a coin toss, was the greatest game ever played at Coors Field, hands down. The Rockies would score three runs in the first and second innings, only to have the Padres explode in the third, with an Adrian Gonzalez grand slam.

The Padres scored five runs in the third. The Rockies would go on scoring runs in every inning through the sixth, excluding the fourth inning.

With the Rockies up 6-5 going into the eighth inning, Matt Holliday misjudged a linedrive to left, and with the ball soaring over his head, Brian Giles would drive in a run.

The game would go into the 13th inning.

Thanks to a Scott Hairston two-run home run, the Padres were up by two, and Rockies' fans were disheartened. With one of baseball's best closers Trevor Hoffman on the mound for the Padres, the season looked to be over as the future Hall of Famer would look to end the Rockies' season.

However, the Rockies didn't get the memo that they were supposed to lose.

Stringing off three consecutive extra base hits by Kaz Matsui, Troy Tulowitzki, and a triple by Matt Holliday, the Rockies had tied the game up. With no outs, the Padres intentionally walked slugger Todd Helton.

It was up to Jamey Carroll.

Striking a line drive to right fielder Brian Giles, the Rockies' Holliday looked to tag up. Hustling as fast as he could to home plate, there was a play at the plate which would decide the season for the Rockies. After hesitation, umpire Tim McClelland slowly ruled Holliday safe.

The Rockies instantly gathered around Carroll as the game's hero, but Holliday was on the ground, with a nasty road rash on his chin. Hoffman would earn his fifth loss of the season, and the Rockies would be playing more games in October.

However, this call didn't come without controversy. Coming into home, did Holliday touch the plate?

Sliding to the right of the plate, Holliday extended his left hand and appeared to swipe the plate. However, no cameras could clearly overturn the call, and still today it remains a mystery as to whether or not Holliday touched home plate or not. As a Rockies' fan, I obviously believe McClelland made the right call, but to anyone who's a Padres' fan, it would be tough to base a decision around such disputable evidence that could go either way.

9/14/08, Denver Broncos—It's time for the Broncos' turn.

The infamous Ed Hochuli call.

Coming off a division win against the Oakland Raiders, the Chargers headed into Denver to play their week two game.

Scoring 31 points in the first half, and 24 in the second quarter, the Broncos looked well into starting the season off 2-0. However, the Chargers would surge, scoring 21 unanswered points in the second half.

Down by seven points, the Broncos capped off an, at the time, 79 yard drive. With 1:17 left in the game, quarterback Jay Cutler looked to have fumbled the ball. Chargers linebacker Tim Dobbins recovered the fumble, and it looked as if the Bronco's would lose the game.

However, referee Ed Hochuli blew the whistle dead as the ball came out of Cutler's grasp. Hochuli thought Cutler's fumble was an incompletion. The game, which should've been over, due to San Diego's recovered fumble, would still be in reach for the Broncos as they received their luckiest break of the season. After a third down draw play, Jay Cutler threw a strike to wide receiver Eddie Royal, to put the Broncos down by one on fourth down.

Not satisfied with the call either, Broncos' coach Mike Shanahan went for a two-point conversion. He felt like if the Broncos were to get such a call, they should deserve the win by going for two, instead of taking it into a potential overtime.

With the same call that the Broncos used to score the touchdown, Denver used that same play on the conversion. An exact replica, Eddie Royal caught the ball in the end zone, and the Broncos would take the game, 39-38. As you can imagine, San Diego Chargers' head coach Norv Turner was unhappy.

"Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection – I failed miserably," Ed Hochuli said.

Official Ed Hochuli admitted his wrong doing on the play, but couldn't turn possession over to San Diego, since he blew the play dead. Hochuli received criticism from everyone around the league, and Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones was fined $25 thousand dollars for criticism given to Hochuli.

5/09/09, Denver Nuggets—This is the most recent of the calls. The Denver Nuggets were up 2-0 in their series against the Dallas Mavericks.

Game 3 was a tough, physical game where 61 fouls were called against both of the teams. There were more free throws made than field goals. There was an average of 1.5 free throws made per minute.

So, it was a non-call that would make this list.

Fast forward to five seconds left in the fourth quarter. Up by two, the Mavericks had a foul to give. They knew what was going to come if they didn't foul, a three pointer. Carmelo Anthony, who was being guarded by Antoine Wright, received the inbound pass. Wright appeared to bump Anthony twice, but no foul was called. Anthony pulled up a three pointer, and sunk it with one second left in the game.

Down by one the Mavericks had a desperation three by Dirk Nowitzki that fell short, and the Nuggets' bench would storm the court as if they had won the NBA Championship.

The Mavericks, who fell to 0-7 against the Nuggets this season, were displeased. Owner Mark Cuban was instantly on the court, whining to the officials about how there should've been an intentional foul, which would've sent Anthony to the free throw line for two shots.

Dirk Nowitzki said it was one of the toughest losses he's ever played in in his entire 11 year NBA career.

Antoine Wright made comments toward the officiating that would normally get him either fined, or suspended, but the NBA agreed with him.

Just two hours after the game ended, the NBA issued a statement that said that there should've been an intentional foul called on Wright on the second to last play of the game.

Jason Kidd was quoted saying, "The game didn't come down to the last play, you've got to make plays down the stretch, and we just didn't do that."

The Nuggets, who have won two games on the road in the playoffs this year, had won just two games on the road in the playoffs in the last five years before this, a very encouraging stat.

Meet The Second Piece Of Denver Broncos' Next Corner Tandem, Alphonso Smith

Kyle — Sun, 10 May 2009 01:21:41 -0400

Pictured above is all-pro corner back Champ Bailey on the left, and aspiring rookie Alphonso Smith.

Smith, taken with the fifth overall pick in the second round in the NFL Draft three weeks ago, came out of Wake Forest. Smith holds the ACC record for most interceptions in a career, with 21.

Coincidentally, Smith broke the record of former Broncos' corner back Dre Bly.

Alphonso Smith was on the 2007 All-ACC team, and a third-team 2007 All-American.

The Broncos traded their first round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft to get Smith.

Originally, when I saw this trade go down, I thought the Broncos were going to pick up USC linebacker Rey Maualuga for sure. I, like many others, was surprised when we saw this scenario not happen.

Alphonso Smith is 5'9", and weighs 193 pounds. He ran a 4.51 40-yard dash time, which was just .05 seconds off of the best corner in the draft's best time.

What Smith lacks in size, he gains in athletic ability. With his 21 interceptions and 174 tackles in his NCAA career, Smith is likely the most underrated corner back in the draft.

With 15 of his 21 interceptions coming in his junior and senior football seasons, Smith has shown his potential as an NFL corner back.

Smith also scored three touchdowns in his junior season, and has forced four fumbles in his career.

A tandem of Champ Bailey and Alphonso Smith could be very dangerous in years to come. With Champ's raw, aggressive covering style and Smith's pure athletic ability covering up wide receivers, I see no reason why these two can't match up with the likes of the Patriots' or Colts' receivers.

Alphonso Smith will likely be competing for a starting cornerback job when training camps open later this summer.

Jorge De La Rosa Throws Another Gem, but Rockies Find Another Way to Lose

Kyle — Sat, 09 May 2009 22:53:11 -0400

Want to hear a pretty good stat line?

Here's one: An eight inning, four-hitter. To go with that, 12 strikeouts with just one walk.

Want to hear a disappointing stat line?

See above, but tack a loss onto it.

That was Jorge De La Rosa's stats for Saturday night's game versus the Florida Marlins. If you read my article before this, you would know that the Rockies can't seem to score runs when De La Rosa takes the hill.

The Rockies lost 3-1 against the Fish, and managed eight hits. De La Rosa broke his personal record of strikeouts, with his previous record being 10 strikeouts in one game.

The Marlins managed to score runs in the first and fourth inning, both of which were on account of Marlins' shortstop Hanley Ramirez.

In the first, Jorge Cantu singled to left field with two outs, which scored Hanley Ramirez.

In the fourth, Dan Uggla tripled to lead the inning off, and Ramirez singled to left.

In the eighth inning, the Rockies had runners on first and third with one out, and with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki up to bat, Tulo grounded out to first to score the first run of the game. This would be the only run the Rockies would score in the nine innings they played.

Jason Grilli relieved De La Rosa in the ninth. If anyone would've known De La Rosa gave the performance he did, and Grilli came in to close out the game, one would think the Rockies won due to a fantastic a pitching performance. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

In the top of the ninth, Hanley Ramirez scored off of a Cody Ross line drive single to center field.

When it was the Rockies' turn to try to savor De La Rosa's spectacular pitching performance, the Rockies made some noise in the ninth. With a single by Ryan Spilborghs with one out, Atkins subsequently walked to get runners on first and second.

Atkins would be replaced by Clint Barmes as a pinch runner. With Ian Stewart up, Stewart would strikeout looking for the third time in the game. After Spilborghs stole third base, pinch hitter Chris Ianetta grounded out to third.

De La Rosa threw 106 pitches, 70 of them being strikes. Of the 29 batters he faced, only 11 of them either flew out, or grounded out.

Jorge De La Rosa is no stranger to losing games he should've won. De La Rosa has pitched in four games where the Rockies lost by two runs or less.

So, with the best performance the Rockies' pitching staff has seen in recent memory, De La Rosa has dropped to 0-3. Disappointing, really. Overall, a tough loss for the Rockies. With pitching being one of our only problems, seeing a game like this without any hitting is disheartening.

With Jorge De La Rosa on the Mound, the Colorado Rockies are Always in the Game

Kyle — Sat, 09 May 2009 19:08:45 -0400

Jorge De La Rosa's stats are deceiving. His 0-2 record in five starts may look like he's struggling early on in the year. He's posting a 3.90 ERA, and a 1.37 WHIP. He's only owned in 0.8% of ESPN fantasy baseball leagues. However, De La Rosa is doing much better than what his stats are saying.

In his five starts on the year, De La Rosa has pitched 27.2 innings, and has struck out 23. He's walked just 12 batters, and has given up just one home run in that span, in his last start vs the Padres.

De La Rosa has gotten the short end of the stick, in terms of runs scored while he's pitching. The Rockies, who are just 1-4 when De La Rosa is on the mound, have scored just 19 runs when De La Rosa has been given the start.

In a three game stretch in late April, De La Rosa gave up just four earned runs in three starts. He pitched a shutout through 5.1 innings against the Dodgers, but in the span De La Rosa went 0-1 through the three games he pitched in.

Run production has been the Rockies' weak spot when De La Rosa has been pitching, clearly. Every time De La Rosa is on the hill, the Rockies always have a chance to win. Subsequently, whenever he's on the hill, the Rockies don't get the memo that they need runs to win the game.

De La Rosa pitched for the Mexican team in the World Baseball Classic, and is on Mexico's National Baseball team.

De La Rosa was traded to the Rockies in April of last year. During his tenure with the club, he's 10-10 with 151 strikeouts in 157.2 innings.

Colorado is 11-17 on the year, but there's no way anyone could blame De La Rosa. His 0-2 record may seem poor to those who haven't watched the Rockies play, but for those who have watched them, they know that De La Rosa's stuff has been raw this year, and just needs some simple run support to backup his pitching efforts.

The left handed pitcher gets the start for the Rockies later tonight against the Florida Marlins. Hopefully the left handed pitcher will get his first win of the year for the struggling Rockies.

Alex Rodriguez: The Off-Season From Hell

Kyle — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:40:26 -0400

How has Alex Rodriguez's off-season been? Pretty damn good. Coming off an American League Most Valuable Player, he signed a 10-year, $275 million dollar contract.

Oh wait, that was 2007's off season. This year's? A polar opposite from the previous year.

In February, 2009, Rodriguez's life was turned upside-down when writer Selena Roberts of Sports Illustrated published a breaking news article which stated Rodriguez used anabolic steroids in his 2001-2003 baseball seasons, when he hit 156 home runs in the time period, the best three-year streak of his career.

Rodriguez admitted to steroid use from just 2001-2003, stating he was under "extreme pressure" to perform well. However, A-Rod also stated that during his tenure with the Yankees, he has been "completely clean."

On March 5th, Alex Rodriguez announced he will be out until at least May with a cyst on his hip. It was later revealed that he also had some torn cartilage in his hip. Rodriguez has been doing the majority of his training in Colorado.

Rodriguez is nearing his return from his hip injury. He could be back as early as Friday against the Baltimore Orioles, but Yankees' skipper Joe Girardi wouldn't comment on when he thinks his third baseman would be back.

As if that wasn't enough, Rodriguez has one more thing going against him. The same writer who published the original Sports Illustrated article stating that Rodriguez did steroids has just released a book on Rodriguez.

In the book, entitled A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez, Selena Roberts states Rodriguez has been taking steroids since his junior year in high school.

She reports that Rodriguez went from "barely benching 100 pounds" in his sophomore year to benching 315 in his junior year. Also, according to Roberts, Rodriguez gained 25 pounds of muscle between his sophomore and junior seasons at Westminster Christian High School in Miami, Florida.

Rodriguez's high school teammate, Doug Mientkiewicz, came to Rodriguez's rescue earlier, when he said he never saw Rodriguez taking steroids. He also asked, "You're basically accusing every kid that's gone through puberty that they're on steroids too, huh?"

Roberts also states that Rodriguez took steroids while with the Yankees too, as well as the stories she broke about him taking 'roids with the Texas Rangers.

In Robert's book, she also accused A-Rod of tipping pitches. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's when A-Rod, in lopsided games, would tell opponents what type of pitch is coming next, hoping for the same favor when he comes up to the plate.

As if taking the steroids to try to cheat himself isn't bad enough, Rodriguez put himself before the team by tipping pitches if this is true.

Overall, I'm sure Rodriguez would have liked to have a better off season than this. Rodriguez can come back to his first game of the season as early as Friday, and we should see then how he handles all the pressure that will travel with him this entire season.

Recapping the 2005 MLB Draft: Who Were The Winners and Losers?

Kyle — Sat, 02 May 2009 15:18:29 -0400

The 2005 MLB Draft class is regarded as one of the best in recent memory. With six of the first seven picks being on MLB rosters today, there are almost no players that teams could've gone wrong with.

What were some of the notable picks in the draft? Let's check them out.

No. 1 - Arizona Diamondbacks - Justin Upton

Upton was the first overall pick of the draft. Originally drafted a shortstop, Upton moved to center field because of the Diamondbacks' other shortstop, Stephen Drew.

Upton is just 21 years old, and is the brother of Tampa Bay Rays' center fielder B.J. Upton.

On August 2nd, 2007, Justin Upton made his MLB debut. At the age of 19, Upton didn't play much in the 2007 season. In 2008, Upton played his first full season in the Big Leagues, hitting 15 home runs in 108 games.

Looking at his frame, one would assume Upton is more of a speedy center fielder, but he has stolen only four bases in his 170-game career.

Pick Grade

B. Upton probably has the most unrealized potential out of anyone in the draft, and should be able to shine in Arizona.

No. 2 - Kansas City Royals - Alex Gordon

Gordon was the first collegiate player taken in the draft. Out of the University of Nebraska, Gordon earned first-team All-American honors twice during his tenure in Lincoln, Neb.

He was named the best collegiate player by Baseball America, and was a member of the 2004 US National Team. In Double-A Wichita, the third baseman hit 29 home runs and stole 20 bases in his first year with the Wranglers.

Gordon, who has played two full seasons as a big-leaguer already, has a batting average of .250, but has hit 32 home runs and stolen 24 bases.

Struggling at the beginning of the 2009 season, Gordon injured his right hip against the Yankees, and won't be back until around June.

Pick Grade

B. Gordon has been given comparisons to another Royals' third baseman, who goes by the name of George Brett. If Gordon can be even half as good as the Hall of Famer, one could call his career a success.

#3 - Seattle Mariners - Jeff Clement

Clement, a catcher out of the University of Southern California, was the first of the top eight picks to be called up to the majors and then get sent back down.

Jeff Clement showed promise while up with the Mariners, though. Clement played 75 games and had an on-base percentage of .295. Clement likely won't be getting much playing time with catcher Kenji Johjima playing for the Mariners.

Pick Grade

C. Clement would be getting much more playing time if not for the exceptional play of Johjima. Maybe he could get a spot on the roster as an outfielder if/when Ken Griffey Jr. gets hurt?

No. 4 - Washington Nationals - Ryan Zimmerman

Zimmerman has had probably the toughest road into the major Leagues. Zimmerman's mother, Cheryl, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1995, and has been in a wheel chair since 2000.

Zimmerman says his mom has been one of his greatest inspirations, and one of his greatest tools in his development into a big-league ballplayer.

At the University of Virginia, Zimmerman started in every game he appeared in, and was named an All-American by Baseball America.

Zimmerman made his MLB debut in 2005, and played 20 games that year, substantial time for a 20 year old at the time. Since then, Zimmerman has played three full seasons, and has hit .282, with 63 home runs and 274 RBI.

In 2009, Zimmerman has been nothing short of fantastic, hitting .289, with five home runs and 16 RBI.

Pick Grade

A. Zimmerman will have a great career, as he has already showed what he is capable of.

No. 5 - Milwaukee Brewers - Ryan Braun

It's no surprise that Braun is going to have a successful career. Braun, who won the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year award, is the only 2005 draftee to make an appearance in an All-Star Game. He did so in 2008 in New York.

Braun, who didn't make his debut until 2007, played in only 113 games as a rookie, but still edged the Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki for the Rookie of the Year. His nickname—the "Hebrew Hammer," after his Jewish decent—fits Braun well.

Hitting .302 for his career, and hitting 76 home runs through April of 2009, Braun has been the best pick of the 2005 draft, without question. Braun is well on his way to a likely second All-Star appearance in 2009, since he's hitting .317 this year, with five home runs and 16 RBI.

Pick Grade

A+. The Brewers couldn't have made a better pick with Braun. Simple as that.

No. 6 - Toronto Blue Jays - Ricky Romero

For a while, Romero was considered the bust of the 2005 draft. With the likes of Troy Tulowitzki drafted behind him, the Blue Jays general manager has been under some criticism of the pick.

However, as of late, Romero has turned out to be quite the nice pick. After spending four years in the minors battling with injuries, Romero won one of the two open spots in the Blue Jays' pitching rotation at the end of Spring Training this year.

Romero has filled that spot well, with a 2-0 record and a 1.71 ERA in three starts. However, after straining an oblique muscle, Romero will try a bullpen session today to gauge the extent of the injury.

Pick Grade

B-. Romero spent quite a long time in the minor leagues, but after his hot start it looks as if Romero wasn't a bust in the draft.

No. 7 - Colorado Rockies - Troy Tulowitzki

Tulowitzki, drafted seventh overall out of Long Beach State in California, has been one of the best picks in the draft. The hard-throwing short stop went 15-1 as a pitcher in high school, as well as batting .585.

Tulo has been playing in the big leagues since 2007, and was in the running for both NL Rookie of the Year and an NL Gold Glove at shortstop.

His 24 home runs as a rookie were the best for an NL rookie shortstop ever. Tulowitzki helped lead the team on their 2007 "Rocktober" postseason run, where the team won 20 of 21 games in September and October, and took home an NL Pennant, the first in Rockies' history.

Tulowitzki had been battling injuries his 2008 season, but appears to be fine in 2009.

Pick Grade

A. Tulowitzki will be a member of the Rockies for a long time, and his hard-nosed style is exactly what the Rockies need.

Overall the 2005 draft was one of the best in a while. With one All-Star so far, and potentially up to four in just the first seven picks, it was hard for GMs to go wrong on draft day 2005.

Dexter Fowler: Why the Center Fielder Should Be NL Rookie of the Month

Kyle — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:17:29 -0400

What has been so impressive about Rockies' rookie center fielder Dexter Fowler?

Well, to start off, he played in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics before he ever even set foot on a Major League field.

Fowler, who was drafted in the 14th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft, rejected offers to play at the University of Miami to sign straight with the Colorado Rockies' organization. He was selected to play in the All-Star Futures game in Yankee Stadium last year.

So we know this kid is athletic, but what else makes him special?

He's also got the brains. In addition to being offered to play at Miami, Fowler was also offered to play baseball at the University of Harvard.

Yeah, dude's smart.

In the 2008 season for Double-A Tulsa, Fowler was batting .337 with nine dingers, 61 RBI, and 20 stolen bags before he left for Beijing. After winning a bronze medal in the Olympics, he returned to make his Major League debut.

On September 2, Fowler was called in to pinch-run to make his debut. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Fowler was picked off.

The next day, Fowler made his first at-bat in his Major League career, and on September 10, Fowler got his first base hit, an infield single off the Nationals' Will Ohman.

Fast forward to this year. With a slender 6'4", 175-pound body, Fowler batted lead-off in the Rockies' home opener against the Phillies. Then, on April 8, he hit his first career home run, helping his team to a 9-2 victory over the Diamondbacks.

Fowler has two home runs so far this campaign, is batting .290, and has nine stolen bases, the best in the Major Leagues.

What's even more impressive is that he stole five bases in one game, when the Rockies beat the Padres on April 27.

And the switch-hitting 23-year-old has been on a tear as of late. On April 25, Fowler was batting .244, but now he's 46 points higher and is getting on base 36.6 percent of the time.

The epitome of a lead-off batter, Fowler has exceeded in his role with the Rockies. This young man, who seems to be a likely 30-30 candidate later in his career, is easily the Rockies' best prospect and should be a team leader for years to come.

Bulls And Celtics: The Best Playoff Series We Will See In a Long Time

Kyle — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:15:54 -0400

After watching the fifth match up between the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics in the last week, I must say I am mesmerized by this series.

Everyone thought that the Celtics, the number two seed in the east, would easily take care of the Bulls.

However, without a power forward who goes by the name of Kevin Garnett, that has clearly not been the case. Without Garnett, the Celtics miss the big man and his incredible, show stopping defense.

The Bulls have certainly been playing their hearts out, and this match up is truly the best in the playoffs so far.

Chicago, led by young phenom point guard Derrick Rose out of the University of Memphis, won 21 less games than the Celtics did this season. However, if someone who has never watched an NBA game in their life were to watch this series, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

The series, which has been easily the most intense, and jaw dropping that I have ever seen, will likely go into game seven, which would be held in Boston on Saturday.

The two teams have played seven overtimes so far in the series. In a six game series, with the added extra 35 minutes, it's like the teams have already played seven games.

For those who have been living in a cave for the last 12 days, excluding game three of the series, the two teams have both scored 573 points. That's right, both teams have scored the same amount of points excluding last Thursday's game between the two teams. It doesn't get much more even than that.

As a Denver Nuggets fan, I must admit that I have been more interested in this series than that of the Nuggets.

It's just impossible to change the channel. Under five minutes of each and every game other than game three, I realized that my jaw had dropped numerous times. Every single play is ran as if it was each team's last, and the intensity is unmatchable.

No team wants to see their season end.

The match up of young point guards Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose has probably been the most entertaining of the series. Both young point guards have helped lead their respective teams into the playoffs, and the recent play of both point guards have shown their true leadership with their teams as well.

Overall I'm very proud to say I am a witness to this series. The Chicago crowd was ecstatic with every point scored for the Bulls. The Celtics crowd can say the same thing. An amazing series will conclude with an amazing finish for game seven.

Head coaches Doc Rivers of the Celtics and Vinny Del Negro of the Bulls have been coaching their hearts out. Neither coaches deserve a loss in the series; that's how good this series is.

Even though Rondo has had two controversial fouls in this series, I think it only adds to the entertainment value of the seeds 2 and 7 match up. Heading into a game seven is something no expert could predict, and this just shows why the NBA Playoff basketball season is so entertaining.

Colorado Rockies' April Team Grades: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Kyle — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:27:28 -0400

Through 20 games in April, the Rockies have been good in some areas, but they could use some improvement in others.

They've won three of their last four, raising their record to 8-12 and putting them five games behind the division-leading Dodgers. Their offense has scored the second-most runs in the division, but the pitchers allow more runs than any other team in the division.

The Good: Individual Performance

Among the few bright spots on the team, you can look at the individual performances. Starter Jason Marquis is 3-1, while reliever Jason Grilli's 1.08 ERA is second-best on the team. Batting-wise, there is right fielder Brad Hawpe, who's .328 batting average with 16 runs driven in has bolstered the offense. Todd Helton and Garrett Atkins also have 15 and 11 RBI, respectively.

Individual Performance Grade: B+

If players who are playing good baseball can continue their performances throughout the season, the team should be okay. However, it's the players who aren't contributing as much, like Troy Tulowitzki, and Chris Ianetta, who are hurting this team. If each player contributed equally, the Rockies would be a much better team.

The Bad: Late inning pitching

Other than Jason Grilli, the Rockies' relievers' ERA is very poor. Closers Huston Street and Manny Corpas both boast ERA of 6.10, and Matt Belisle has an ERA of 11.25 in eight appearances. Street, who leads the team in pitching appearances, is 0-1 with just two saves, and Corpas is 0-2 with a 1.74 WHIP.

In the Rockies' latest game against the Padres, the Rockies were up 7-0 in the seventh inning, but ended up barely winning, 7-5. They are 0-5 in one-run games this year, and 1-8 in two-run games this year, with their only win in a two-run game coming against the Padres on Wednesday.

Late Inning Pitching Grade: D+

If Jason Grilli can get more appearances, and pitchers Huston Street and Manny Corpas can pitch to their ability, this grade can easily raise up.

The Ugly: Pitching and scoring inconsistencies

The Rockies had, at one point in the season, lost 10 of 12 games in mid-April, including games at home against the Phillies, at Chicago, at Los Angeles, at Arizona, and at home against the Dodgers.

In the first four games and last four games of the month, the Rockies are 6-2.

In every other game, they are 2-10.

During the Rockies' big losing stretch, they compiled -26 run differential in 12 games. If the Rockies want to play October baseball, they must start scoring runs consistently, and keep themselves in games by not allowing runs.

Inconsistency Grade: C

The Rockies have shown promise in their last four games of April, but they need to carry that consistency into May.

Awards

Best Rockies Hitter: Brad Hawpe

.328 batting average, two home runs, 16 RBI, 29 times on base in 17 games played.

Best Rockies Pitchers: Jason Marquis and Jason Grilli

Marquis owns over 37% of the team's wins in just four starts, and has struck out 13 in 26.1 innings pitched. Grilli has 11 strikeouts in 8.1 innings pitched, posting a 1.08 ERA.

Overall Rockies Team Grade: C-

Not bad, but not good. Showed signs of improvement as of late, but improvement from the bullpen and offense.

Brad Hawpe Released From Hospital After Terrifying Play at Second Base

Kyle — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:19:54 -0400

Rockies' outfielder Brad Hawpe is alright.

After a horrifying scare that left the .328-, two-home-run hitter stunned on the ground last night, the Rockies' right fielder was released from the hospital earlier Tuesday.

Hawpe, who was on second base at the time, was beamed with a throw from Padres' catcher Nick Hundley. He was hit right below the helmet and right above the shoulder; the ball seemed to make contact with his neck.

Hawpe laid on the ground for what seemed like hours until the Rockies' medical staff carted him off the field in a neck brace. At the time, Hawpe was already moving all of his limbs, and didn't need much assistance walking to the cart, but Colorado fans were still holding their breath.

Apparently it was just a stinger, as Hawpe's CT scans were negative at Rose Medical Center in Denver, Colorado. But even though he'll be in uniform for tonight's game against the Padres, Hawpe is listed as day-to-day and will likely return on Wednesday or Thursday.

Nick Hundley, the Padres' catcher who fired the throw, instantly felt terrible. After he released the ball, he knew it was a little off-line and cringed his teeth when he saw it hit Hawpe.

Brad, who has been the Rockies' MVP thus far in the season, has hit two balls out of the park, driven in 16 runners, and posted .586 slugging percentage. He was officially diagnosed with just a bruise on his neck, though it was originally thought that he might have a concussion.

Willie Tuitama: Why Coach Josh McDaniels Needs To Give This Kid a Shot

Kyle — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:48:07 -0400

Willie Tuitama against Kyle Orton, what's going in Tuitama's favor?

Tuitama, a senior out of the University of Arizona, has never taken an NFL snap. However, Tuitama, who is five years younger than Orton, has the potential to be a decent starter in the NFL, and great value for being an unsigned, undrafted free agent.

Tuitama stayed all four years at Arizona, and passed for over 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons. The Stockton, California native has thrown for 51 touchdowns in his last two years, compared to just 20 interceptions. He also threw for over 3000 yards in the PAC-10 twice, Tuitama seems to have a great arm and great pocket poise.

Tuitama, who was fifth in passing efficiency while trailing after halftime with a 132.5 rating, Tuitama trailed only Graham Harrell, Chase Daniels, Andre Woodson, and some guy named Matthew Stafford. He remains calm under pressure, and performs in the clutch better than he does when he has a lead.

While being a starter in his freshman year at Arizona, Tuitama posted a passer efficiency rating of 137.

In Arizona's first game this season against Idaho, Tuitama was 17 for 21, 179 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Against the USC Trojan tough defense however, Tuitama was just 14 for 30, 88 yards, and an interception. Inconsistent at times, but he showed what he's capable of doing against the Vandals.

Tuitama, who has a nice frame at six-foot-three, and weighing about 220 pounds, has great inside accuracy. He isn't the fastest quarterback available (4.78 40 yard dash time), and can sometimes be inaccurate and have mistimed throws.

Even though the Broncos drafted Tom Brandstater out of Fresno State, I believe the Broncos should at least give Tuitama a spot on the roster, since thus far they haven't even signed an undrafted free agent at the quarterback position yet.

Overall, throwing for 9,216 yards and 67 touchdowns for his career at Arizona isn't bad, and I really think the Broncos should take a chance on him. Though he may take some time to work out his flaws in his mechanics, I would much rather give him a chance than have Orton the outright starter, with no decent backup behind him when he throws 20 interceptions by December.

San Diego Chargers Fans: Meet Your Newest Stud Running Back, Gartrell Johnson

Kyle — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:57:42 -0400

Gartrell Johnson's dream came true earlier today, when his name showed up on the bottom of his television screen on ESPN. Johnson, a senior running back out of Colorado State, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, was picked 135th overall in the draft.

Johnson, who came out of Miami Springs High School in 2003, rushed for 1649 yards, and 18 touchdowns his senior season, which is a Dade County record. He earned both all-conference and all-state awards for his senior season.

Coincidentally, Gartrell Johnson holds the record over another NFL back who went to the same high school Johnson went to. His name? Willis McGahee.

Gartrell Johnson signed with Colorado State to play football in 2003. Johnson was red shirted his first year, and barely played his freshman year.

Johnson started seven games in his sophomore year, thanks to an injury from other Colorado State running back, Kyle Bell. Bell, who tore his ACL in the preseason of the 2006 season, allowed Johnson to get his foot in the door. In Johnson's sophomore year, he scored six times, and rushed for 305 yards on 109 carries, a 2.7 average.

His junior year was much better, though. In 2007, Johnson started seven games, again, but this time he rushed for 957 yards on 181 carries, which translates to a 5.7 average. He also had two more touchdowns than he had in his sophomore season.

Johnson's senior year is where he exploded. In his first year as the outright starter, Johnson rushed for 1476 yards, and 12 touchdowns. He had the same average as his junior year, but Johnson was running much harder.

Johnson also had nearly twice as many receptions as he had in his junior, sophomore, and freshman years combined.

Johnson clearly worked very hard between his junior and senior seasons at Colorado State.

However, the game where scouts really noticed him, was his last at CSU. In the 2008 New Mexico Bowl, Gartrell Johnson had the greatest game of his career. Johnson rushed for 286 yards and two touchdowns, and caught five passes for 90 yards.

Johnson sealed the deal with a 77 yard touchdown with 1:46 left in the game. Colorado State won the game 40-35 over the Fresno State Bulldogs. Johnson won the Offensive MVP award.

Overall, I really like Johnson. He's one of the hardest rushers I've ever seen. He's comparable to Dallas Cowboy's running back Marion Barber III. If he gets the opportunity to play in the NFL, like he did with CSU, I really think Johnson can have a successful career.

For more, visit: http://www.otrbasketball.com/forums/

Rockies Roll As Colorado Crushes Dodgers Thanks to a Huge Fifth Inning

Kyle — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:33:58 -0400

The Colorado Rockies have been struggling. In case you haven't been watching baseball, they've lost 10 of their last 12. However, as deceiving as that stat may be, their last three games they've lost by a combined four runs.

The Rockies, who started 3-1, have been disappointing this season. After being swept by the Dodgers earlier this season, and losing their first two in their latest series, it looked as if the Rockies were going to get swept by Los Angeles again.

However, Jason Marquis was on the hill today. Marquis, who was traded from the Cubs in January, has been arguably the Rockies' best starter this year. Marquis was 2-1 entering today's game, and has been easily been the most consistent.

Today, the Rockies came into the game with a must win attitude. Entering today's game against the Dodgers, Colorado is already seven games back through just 16 games.

When the game started today, it looked as if it'd be the same old, same old for the Rockies. Marquis had runners on first and second base with two outs, but got catcher Russell Martin to ground out to second. After a 1-2-3 inning for Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, the first inning was over.

In the second inning, both pitchers retired the side in order, with a strike out on both sides from Rockies' third baseman Garrett Atkins, and Dodgers' outfielder Matt Kemp.

In the third inning, Marquis walked both Clayton Kershaw and Juan Pierre, putting runners on first and second with no outs. After Orlando Hudson grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, Andre Ethier flied out to center fielder Dexter Fowler. Marquis got out of the jam with no damage done.

In the bottom of the third inning is when the Rockies started to score their runs. After Chris Iannetta drew a lead-off walk, Clint Barmes hit a two-run home run to left field, his second homer in three days.

After another walk, this time to Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Spilborghs hit another home run to left field. Rockies up 4-0.

Another inning retired without any runners getting on base for Marquis, but Kershaw matched Marquis by doing the same thing. Another perfect fifth inning for Marquis, in the bottom half of the inning is where the Rockies would strike.

The inning started with Barmes grounding out to Kershaw. Then pitcher Jason Marquis singled to center, and Dexter Fowler singled to right. Thanks to a great hustle play by the pitcher, Marquis advanced to third base.

This would be a key play that would lead to extra runs in the fifth. After Tulo struck out swinging, the Rockies would pull off five runs without recording a single out in the inning.

Spilborghs, who hit the home run in the third inning, singled in Marquis, and advanced Fowler to second. After a wild pitch, runners would be on second and third base.

Garrett Atkins was intentionally walked, and Brad Hawpe was unintentionally walked with the bases loaded.

After Clayton Kershaw was pulled from the game, Jeff Baker, who was hitting .095 at the time, tripled over Matt Kemp's head and drove in three runs. Kershaw would be on the hook for nine earned runs.

After a five-run fifth inning, the Jason Marquis lost the shutout after a James Loney double, where Juan Pierre and Orlando Hudson scored.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Barmes hit a lead off single, was advanced with a sacrafice bunt by Marquis, and was driven in thanks to a single by Dexter Fowler. This is Fowler's first career three-hit game.

In the top of the seventh, Marquis struggled just a bit. After having runners on first and third with two outs, Marquis escaped the jam without giving up any runs.

When Will Ohman relieved Scott Elbert, Ohman retired the side in order, and struck out one.

In the eighth inning, with Marquis still pitching, Andre Ethier flew out to right, and with that Marquis became the first Colorado Rockies pitcher this season to pitch past the seventh inning.

However, after giving up back-to-back doubles, Marquis gave up the baseball to Huston Street, and received a standing ovation from the fans in attendance. After Street walked Matt Kemp, he retired the rest of the Dodgers en route to a 10-3 lead through the eighth inning.

In the last inning Manny Corpas came in for Street. Corpas struggled as he gave up two consecutive singles with no outs. Thanks to a great play by center fielder Dexter Fowler where he robbed Orlando Hudson of a double, Corpas recorded his first out. After an infield single, the bases would be loaded for James Loney with one out. Loney, who hit two doubles and a single earlier in the game, grounded out to first and scored a run. With two outs and Russell martin up to bat, Martin struck out to end the game.

Overall, the Rockies played an excellent game and thrashed the NL West leading Dodgers.

With a 10-run, 11-hit performance, and a pitching gem thanks to Marquis where he pitched eight innings and gave up just two runs, Marquis really gave the Rockies the opportunity to take home the victory. This was just the fourth time a pitcher for the Rockies has gone seven or more innings this year.

Analyzing The Denver Broncos First Day of the 2009 NFL Draft

Kyle — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:08:26 -0400

The Denver Broncos shocked the NFL world today by selecting Knowshon Moreno with the 12th pick in the NFL Draft today.

Moreno, a former sophomore running back out of the University of Georgia, rushed for over 1000 yards in each of his two seasons against the tough SEC defenses, and scored 33 touchdowns in 26 games at the collegiate level. Even though he's under six feet tall, he weighs 207 pounds, and is a very explosive runner.

In a win against Florida in 2007 as a freshman, Moreno rushed for 188 yards, and three touchdowns against the Gators. With that game, Moreno shows he can perform under pressure, and against good defenses, like that of the Gators.

If Moreno can transfer the explosiveness that he possessed in college into the NFL, he should have a very successful career.

Broncos fans wanted Moreno, but thought he would be a long shot selection, since the Broncos are mainly going for defense in this year's draft.

Moreno was a Heisman Trophy candidate entering his sophomore season, and won the Georgia Bulldogs' Offensive MVP, finished second in the Doak Walker award voting, which is college football's award for the best running back, and was All-SEC for the second time in two years.

I really like the pick of Knowshon Moreno. With the Broncos finishing the year 8-8, and having seven running backs finish the year on the injured reserve, we needed a durable running back to get the job done.

Moreno, who hasn't missed a game in his college career, seems to be the guy who can carry the work force for the Broncos.

Entering the season, other than Moreno, the starting running back position could've been up for grabs. With many "average" running backs, anyone could've won the job. However I think Moreno will sweep up the Broncos' running back mess, and could star under the Broncos' running system.

Our second pick of the day, and 18th overall in the draft, was Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers.

Ayers, who played in the SEC with Moreno, has had 112 tackles in his collegiate career. Even though he's never forced a fumble, Ayers has recorded nine sacks, despite barely playing in his freshman year.

Ayers, a senior, weighs 272 pounds, but Denver Broncos' head coach Josh McDaniels likes the fact he can perform just as well if he weighed 292 pounds, which means the Broncos might try to bulk up the defensive end.

Ayers' best game probably came in his second to last game of his career, against Kentucky. He recorded six tackles, and two sacks, en route to a 20-10 win over the Wildcats.

The Broncos also selected corner back Alphonso Smith out of Wake Forest, and safety Darcel McBath out of Texas Tech. Picking up two hard hitters out of two conferences should really help the Broncos' secondary this year. And with the last pick of the day, the Broncos picked up tight end Richard Quinn out of North Carolina.

Overall we picked up two players from the SEC, two from the ACC, and one from the Big 12 conference. All big conferences that know how to play football and should offer a little more experience than other conferences.

Overall, I really like what the Denver Broncos did with the 12th and 18th overall picks in the draft. Even though I would've rather had the Broncos pick Southern California inside linebacker Rey Muauluga instead of Robert Ayers, I can't be complaining. They picked up the big defensive end that they needed, without having to trade up for Boston College end B.J. Raji.

Denver Broncos First Day Draft Grade: B+

NFL Mock Draft: Expect Four USC Trojans in the First 23 Picks

Kyle — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:04:33 -0400

1. Lions - Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

2. Rams - Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

3. Chiefs - Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

4. Seahawks - Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia Tech

5. Browns - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

6. Bengals - Brian Orakpo, OT, Texas

7. Raiders - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

8. Jaguars - Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California

9. Packers - Aaron Maybin, LB, Penn State

10. 49ers - Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

11. Bills - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Miami

12. Broncos - BJ Raji, DE, Boston College

13. Redskins - Brian Cushing, LB, Southern California

14. Saints - Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State

15. Texans - Malcom Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

16. Chargers - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

17. Jets - Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State

18. Broncos - Rey Mualuga, LB, Southern California

19. Bucs - Everette Brown, DE/LB, Florida State

20. Lions - Perla Jerry, DT, Mississippi

21. Eagles - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

22. Vikings - Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

23. Patriots - Clay Matthews, LB, Southern California

24. Falcons - Evander Hood, DT, Missouri

25. Dolphins - Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee

26. Ravens - Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

27. Colts - Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State

28. Bills - Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

29. Giants - Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

30. Titans - Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

31. Cardinals - Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut

32. Steelers - Eric Wood, C, Louiseville

Five of my biggest under-the-radar NFL Draft Headlines:

Why the Raiders will select Maclin over Crabtree, if given the opportunity.

One of Owner Al Davis' main priorities in this draft is a fast wide receiver. Other than speed, Maclin and Crabtree are about even. But, including speed, Maclin gets the edge over the Texas Tech receiver comparable to Lions' receiver Calvin Johnson.

Clay Matthews, a for sure pick if still available for the Patriots?

Matthews' dad, also named Clay, was coached under former Browns' assistant coach, Bill Belichick, from 1991-1995. Now in New England, Belichick shouldn't hesitate to pick Matthews' son in the NFL Draft.

Broncos go defense with both picks?

It's no secret Denver needs help on their line, and in their line backing corps. With selections of Raji and Mualuga, the Broncos fill up those two voids in their defense, and can try to find a more legit starting running back in rounds two through four.

Chris Wells and Knowshon Moreno: The only two running backs?

In a class that's not deep in running backs, the Saints and the Chargers both score by drafting the only two starter-worthy running backs in the draft.

Kenny Britt and Hakeem Nicks over Darius Heyward-Bey?

Heyward-Bey, out of Maryland, has a big frame, and decent speed, but that's not enough as the Terp can't find his way into the first round.