Bleacher Report - Articles by Adam Greuel

Colorado Avalanche 2009-'10 Fantasy Hockey Preview

Adam Greuel — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:43:19 -0400

We are now less than a month away from the start of the 2009-'10 NHL regular season, and I think it's a great time to start publishing my fantasy preview articles for each NHL team.

When looking at a player and predicting how he will fare offensively this season, there are many things to consider: Is the player at an age where he will improve or decline? Is he playing with new line mates this year? Did his team acquire some players who may push them down the depth chart?

Those are just a few of the questions needed to be asked and I believe I can accurately predict a player's point totals for the upcoming season. Of course, things like injuries are impossible to predict, so these are best case scenarios.

2009-'10 Depth Chart

Forwards

Wojtek Wolski-Paul Stastny-Milan Hejduk
T.J Galiardi-Matt Duchene-David Jones
Cody McLeod-T.J Hensick-Marek Svatos
Darcy Tucker-Ryan Stoa-Chris Stewart

Defense

Kyle Quincey-Adam Foote
John Michael Liles-Scott Hannan
Brett Clark-Ruslan Salei

Goalies

Craig Anderson
Peter Budaj

Sure Bet: Paul Stastny

Managing 36 points in 45 games last season, Stastny is back to full health this season and I think he will eclipse his career high in points.

Dark Horse: Wojtek Wolski

Wolski's point production has slipped in each of his first three NHL seasons, but he is only 23 years old and he has the offensive ability to produce much more then he has been lately.

2009-10 Scoring Projections

Player                      GP-G-A-P
1. Paul Stastny          77-31-54-85
2. Wojtek Wolski        80-22-38-60
3. Milan Hejduk          82-28-30-58
4. Matt Duchene        76-17-24-41
5. John-Michael Liles   78-9-30-39
6. Marek Svatos         76-21-17-38
7. TJ Hensick            72-12-20-32
8. David Jones           80-12-19-31
9. Kyle Quincey         78-7-22-29
10. Ruslan Salei        82-6-18-24
11. TJ Galiardi          76-9-12-21
12. Chris Stewart     64-10-10-20
13. Cody McLeod    77-12-7-19
14. Brett Clark          81-4-14-18
15. Darcy Tucker      60-5-12-17
16. Adam Foote        66-3-11-14
17. Ryan Stoa          61-6-7-13
18. Scott Hannan      73-1-7-8

Goalies
1. Craig Anderson 27-26-6 .914 SVP 2.76 GAA
2. Peter Budaj 7-13-3 .896 SVP 2.90 GAA

Chicago Blackhawks 2009-10 Fantasy Hockey Preview

Adam Greuel — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:32:20 -0400

We are now less than a month away from the start of the 2009-10 NHL regular season, and I think it's a great time to start publishing my fantasy preview articles for each NHL team.

2009-10 Depth Chart

Forwards

Patrick Sharp-Jonathan Toews-Marian Hossa
Andrew Ladd-David Bolland-Patrick Kane
Kris Versteeg-John Madden-Dustin Byfuglien
Ben Eager-Tomas Kopecky-Troy Brouwer

Defense

Duncan Keith-Brent Seabrook
Niklas Hjalmarsson-Brian Campbell
Brent Sopel-Cam Barker

Goalies

Cristobal Huet
Corey Crawford

Sure Bet: Jonathan Toews

Would have scored 40 goals last year if not for his extremely slow start. I have a feeling that Toews will break out this year with over a point per game.

Dark Horse: David Bolland

A former junior star with the London Knights of the OHL, Bolland had a break through season last year with 47 points and he is definitely on the way up.

2009-10 Scoring Projections

Player                       GP-G-A-P
1. Jonathan Toews      81-40-46-86
2. Patrick Kane           82-29-53-82
3. Patrick Sharp         78-32-32-64
4. David Bolland          80-25-35-60
5. Marian Hossa          57-22-33-55
6. Brian Campbell        82-9-43-52
7. Cam Barker            76-7-40-47
8. Duncan Keith         81-10-35-45
9. Kris Versteeg         78-20-20-40
10. Andrew Ladd        80-15-25-40
11. Dustin Byfuglien    76-17-19-36
12. Brent Seabrook    82-9-23-32
13. Troy Brouwer       70-12-15-27
14. John Madden       76-6-19-25
15. Ben Eager           71-8-8-16
16. Niklas Hjalmarsson 78-1-9-10
17. Tomas Kopecky    69-3-6-9
18. Brent Sopel         61-2-7-9

Goalies
1. Cristobal Huet 36-19-7 .917 SVP 2.39 GAA
2. Corey Crawford 11-6-3 .905 SVP 2.58 GAA

Carolina Hurricanes 2009-10 Fantasy Hockey Preview

Adam Greuel — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:26:28 -0400

We are now less than a month away from the start of the 2009-10 NHL regular season, and I think it's a great time to start publishing my fantasy preview articles for each NHL team.

2009-10 Depth Chart

Forwards

Ray Whitney-Eric Staal-Erik Cole
Sergei Samsonov-Jussi Jokinen-Tuomo Ruutu
Chad Larose-Matt Cullen-Zach Boychuk
Tom Kostopoulos-Rod Brind'Amour-Scott Walker

Defense

Tim Gleason-Joe Corvo
Joni Pitkanen-Aaron Ward
Andrew Alberts-Niclas Wallin

Goalies

Cam Ward
Michael Leighton

Sure Bet: Eric Staal

Only 24 years old, Staal has scored 153 goals in the last four years combined. He is also very durbale as proven by the fact that he has played all 82 games in a season for the last four years.

Dark Horse: Erik Cole

Struggled last year after being traded to Edmonton, but picked up his play after being traded back to Carolina before dropping off in the play-offs. He should have a good year playing with Staal the entire season.

2009-10 Scoring Projections

Player GP-G-A-P

1. Eric Staal 82-44-45-89

2. Ray Whitney 80-22-43-65

3. Tuomu Ruutu 76-20-32-52

4. Erik Cole 79-24-26-50

5. Matt Cullen 77-19-27-46

6. Jussi Jokinen 80-15-27-42

7. Joni Pitkanen 78-9-31-40

8. Sergei Samsonov 77-14-24-38

9. Joe Corvo 78-10-25-35

10. Rod Brind`Amour 63-12-22-34

11. Chad Larose 82-17-15-32

12. Tim Gleason 80-3-19-24

13. Zach Boychuk 42-6-16-22

14. Tom Kostopoulos 76-7-14-21

15. Scott Walker 60-5-15-20

16. Niclas Wallin 74-2-11-13

17. Aaron Ward 76-1-11-12

18. Andrew Alberts 80-1-8-9

Goalies

1. Cam Ward 37-24-7 .918 SVP 2.39 GAA

2. Michael Leighton 5-6-3 .903 SVP 2.86 GAA

Calgary Flames 2009-10 Fantasy Hockey Preview

Adam Greuel — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:51:24 -0400

We are now less than a month away from the start of the 2009-10 NHL regular season, and I think it's a great time to start publishing my fantasy preview articles for each NHL team.

When looking at a player and predicting how he will fare offensively this season, there are a many things to consider. Is the player at an age where he will improve or decline? Is he playing with new line mates this year? Did his team acquire some players who may push them down the depth chart?

2009-10 Depth Chart

Forwards

Rene Bourque—Olli Jokinen—Jarome Iginla
David Moss—Daymond Langkow—David Moss
Curtis Glencross—Craig Conroy—Fredrik Sjostrom
Eric Nystrom—Jamie Lundmark—Brandon Prust

Defense

Dion Phaneuf—Jay Bouwmeester
Robyn Regehr—Cory Sarich
Adam Pardy—Mark Giordano

Goalies

Miikka Kiprusoff
Curtis McElhinney

Sure Bet: Jarome Iginla

Was there ever any doubt? Jarome Iginla can score goals, is a great passer, and never has a second thought when sticking up for a teammate.

Dark Horse: Olli Jokinen

Olli Jokinen put in an extremely disappointing performance in his first season with the Phoenix Coyotes and finished with just 57 points. Expect a lot more from him now that he is playing with Iginla for a full season.

2009-10 Scoring Projections

Player                      GP-G-A-P
1. Jarome Iginla         82-41-51-92
2. Olli Jokinen            80-35-43-78
3. Daymond Langkow 77-26-40-66
4. Dion Phaneuf         80-15-40-55
5. Jay Bouwmeester   82-13-36-49
6. Rene Bourque        74-21-25-46
7. David Moss           81-20-21-41
8. Dustin Boyd          76-16-22-38
9. Curtis Glencross    79-15-20-35
10. Craig Conroy       81-10-25-35
11. Mark Giordano     82-6-23-29
12. Fredrik Sjostrom   76-6-16-22
13. Adam Pardy         79-3-17-20
14. Eric Nystrom       80-5-15-20
15. Jamie Lundmark   60-3-9-12
16. Cory Sarich         77-3-9-12
17. Robyn Regehr      82-1-9-10
18. Brandon Prust     57-1-6-7

Goalies
1. Miikka Kiprusoff 40-22-11 .913 SVP 2.55 GAA
2. Curtis McElhinney 4-4-3 .896 SVP 3.09 GAA

Buffalo Sabres 2009-10 Fantasy Hockey Preview

Adam Greuel — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:16:46 -0400

We are now less than a month away from the start of the 2009-10 NHL regular season, and I think it's a great time to start publishing my fantasy preview articles for each NHL team.

2009-10 Depth Chart

Forwards

Thomas Vanek-Derek Roy-Drew Stafford
Clarke MacArthur-Tim Connolly-Jason Pominville
Nathan Gerbe-Paul Gaustad-Jochen Hecht
Dan Paille-Adam Mair-Patrick Kaleta

Defense

Andrej Sekera-Toni Lydman
Chris Butler-Craig Rivet
Henrik Tallinder-Steve Montador

Goalies

Ryan Miller
Patrick Lalime

Sure Bet: Thomas Vanek

Only 25 years of age, Vanek is a pure goal scorer, as evidenced by the fact that he scored 119 goals in the last three seasons combined. He scored 40 goals last season, despite missing nine games with a broken jaw.

Dark Horse: Tim Connolly

A very talented player, Connolly scored at a point per game pace last season. There is just one problem: injuries. This guy has only played in 100 games over the last three seasons and is always a concern.

2009-10 Scoring Projections

Player                       GP-G-A-P
1. Thomas Vanek        80-44-36-80
2. Derek Roy              82-27-48-75
3. Jason Pominville      79-28-45-73
4. Tim Connolly          68-21-44-65
5. Drew Stafford        81-23-35-58
6. Clarke MacArthur    75-19-23-42
7. Dan Paille              77-13-21-34
8. Craig Rivet            79-4-30-34
9. Jochen Hecht        74-10-23-33
10. Andrej Sekera      80-7-24-31
11. Paul Gaustad       75-10-19-29
12. Toni Lydman       81-5-22-27
13. Nathan Gerbe      76-10-13-23
14. Adam Mair          74-5-13-18
15. Henrik Tallinder    77-3-10-13
16. Chris Butler         78-5-7-12
17. Patrick Kaleta      68-3-8-11
18. Steve Montador   79-1-10-11

Goalies
1. Ryan Miller 39-25-6 .920 SVP 2.47 GAA
2. Patrick Lalime 4-5-3 .903 SVP 2.86 GAA

Boston Bruins 2009-10 Fantasy Hockey Preview

Adam Greuel — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:13:37 -0400

We are now less than a month away from the start of the 2009-10 NHL regular season, and I think it's a great time to start publishing my fantasy preview articles for each NHL team.

When looking at a player and predicting how he will fare offensively this season, there are a many things to consider. Is the player at an age where he will improve or decline? Is he playing with new linemates this year? Did his team acquire some players who may push them down the depth chart?

2009-10 Depth Chart

Forwards

Marco Sturm-Marc Savard-Michael Ryder
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Chuck Kobasew
Mark Recchi-Patrice Bergeron-Blake Wheeler
Shawn Thornton-Steve Begin-Byron Bitz

Defense

Zdeno Chara-Dennis Wideman
Andrew Ference-Mark Stuart
Matt Hunwick-Derek Morris

Goalies

Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask

Sure Bet: Marc Savard

One of the best play-makers in the entire league, Savard has notched an amazing 63 assists in each of the past two seasons. He also showed people he has the ability to score goals by notching 25 last season.

Dark Horse: Patrice Bergeron

Did not perform very well offensively last season due to head injuries suffered both last year and the one prior. However, Bergeron is just 24 years of age and I still believe he has the ability to rebound.

2009-10 Scoring Projections

Player                      GP-G-A-P
1. Marc Savard         82-21-65-86
2. Michael Ryder       79-32-31-63
3. David Krejci         77-20-41-61
4. Milan Lucic          80-23-32-55
5. Patrice Bergeron   76-11-39-50
6. Zdene Chara        79-15-34-49
7. Marco Sturm        75-20-26-46
8. Dennis Wideman   80-11-33-44
9. Chuck Kobasew    74-18-24-42
10. Mark Recchi       75-21-20-41
11. Blake Wheeler     73-16-20-36
12. Matt Hunwick     77-7-27-34
13. Derek Morris       82-7-20-27
14. Andrew Ference 72-2-16-18
15. Byron Bitz          60-3-10-12
16. Mark Stuart        80-1-11-12
17. Shawn Thornton 77-2-8-10
18. Steve Begin        69-4-5-9

Goalies
1. Tim Thomas 37-19-7 .922 SVP 2.18 GAA
2. Tuukka Rask 10-6-3 .911 SVP 2.42 GAA

Atlanta Thrashers' 2009-10 Fantasy Hockey Preview

Adam Greuel — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:09:26 -0400

We are now less than a month away from the start of the 2009-10 NHL regular season, and I think it's a great time to start publishing my fantasy preview articles for each NHL team.

When looking at a player and predicting how he will fare offensively this season, there are a many things to consider. Is the player at an age where he will improve or decline? Is he playing with new linemates this year? Did his team acquire some players who may push them down the depth chart?

2009-10 Depth Chart

Forwards

Ilya Kovalchuk—Nikolai Antropov—Bryan Little
Slava Kozlov—Todd White—Rich Peverley
Evander Kane—Marty Reasoner—Colby Armstrong
Eric Boulton—Jim Slater—Chris Thorburn

Defense

Pavel Kubina—Zach Bogosian
Ron Hainsey—Tobias Enstrom
Anssi Salmela—Boris Valabik

Goalies

Kari Lehtonen
Johan Hedberg

Sure Bet: Ilya Kovalchuk

A pure sniper, Kovalchuk is the best goal scorer in the league after fellow countryman Alexander Ovechkin. He is playing for a big contract after this season and many people are wondering if he will be in Atlanta next year.

Dark Horse: Evander Kane

Will he even make the team? I'm guessing that the Thrashers will give him his nine game "try-out" at the very least. What happens beyond that is anybody's guess, but one injury among the top six forwards and he could flourish.

2009-10 Scoring Projections

Player                     GP-G-A-P
1. Ilya Kovalchuk      82-50-46-96
2. Bryan Little          78-27-34-61
3. Nikolai Antropov   74-26-34-60
4. Slava Kozlov        77-20-34-54
5. Rich Peverley        80-15-37-52
6. Pavel Kubina         80-10-35-45
7. Todd White          82-17-26-43
8. Zach Bogosian      77-13-29-42
9. Evander Kane       74-15-23-38
10. Colby Armstrong 81-13-24-37
11. Ron Hainsey        82-9-28-37
12. Tobias Enstrom   76-6-29-35
13. Marty Reasoner   79-10-15-25
14. Jim Slater            72-8-13-21
15. Chris Thorburn    78-5-9-14
16. Anssi Salmela      71-2-10-12
17. Eric Boulton        79-1-9-10
18. Boris Valabik       80-1-6-7

Goalies

1. Kari Lehtonen 31-22-6/.919 SVP/2.62 GAA
2. Johan Hedberg 9-11-3/.898 SVP/3.19 GAA

Anaheim Ducks 2009-'10 Fantasy Hockey Preview

Adam Greuel — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:10:59 -0400

We are now less than a month away from the start of the 2009-'10 NHL regular season, and I think it's a great time to start publishing my fantasy preview articles for every single team.

When looking at a player and predicting how he will fare offensively this season, there are a lot of things to look for. Is the player at an age where he will improve or decline? Is he playing with new line mates this year? Did his team acquire some players who may push them down the depth chart?

2009-10 Depth Chart

Forwards

Bobby Ryan-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry
Joffrey Lupul-Saku Koivu-Teemu Selanne
Erik Christensen-Andrew Ebbett-Mike Brown
Evgeny Artyukhin-Todd Marchant-George Parros

Defensemen

Scott Niedermayer-Ryan Whitney
James Wisniewski-Nick Boynton

Sheldon Brookbank-Luca Sbisa

Goalies

Jonas Hiller
Jean-Sebastian Giguere

Sure Bet: Ryan Getzlaf

The 24-year-old hit 91 points last year and is a candidate to hit 100 points this time around. Expect more than the 25 goals he scored last season as well.

Dark Horse: Saku Koivu

Koivu wasn't bad last year, getting 50 points in 64 games, but he is now playing with his fellow countryman and friend Teemu Selanne. I think he can come close to the 60s this year.

2009-10 Scoring Projections

Player                       GP-G-A-P
1. Ryan Getzlaf       82-32-67-99
2. Bobby Ryan           79-36-35-71
3. Corey Perry           77-34-36-70
4. Teemu Selanne      71-29-30-59
5. Saku Koivu            72-20-39-59
6. Joffrey Lupul         79-28-21-49
7. Scott Niedermayer 77-11-38-49
8. Ryan Whitney        80-7-37-44
9. Erik Christensen     78-11-27-38
10. James Wisniewski 76-5-29-34
11. Andrew Ebbett     77-7-24-31
12. Nick Boynton       80-3-16-19
13. Todd Marchant    75-6-12-18
14. Luca Sbisa          78-2-16-18
15. Evgeny Artyukhin 72-7-10-17
16. George Parros      68-3-8-11
17. Mike Brown         59-1-6-7
18. Sheldon Brookbank 66-1-5-6

Goalies
1. Jonas Hiller: 28-22-7 .916 SVP 2.40 GAA
2. Jean-Sebastian Giguere: 13-7-5 .905 SVP 2.62 GAA

The NHL's Top 15 Goalies

Adam Greuel — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:17:09 -0400

I have decided to do a top 15 players list for each position. The entire player's career will be looked at, with more emphasis put on how they have played in the last two or three years. Now that the NHL Entry Draft and Free Agent frenzy are behind us, the next three months are the most painful time of year for hockey fans around the world. I mean, what better time to do this than now, right?

Begin Slideshow

The Top 15 Defensemen in the National Hockey League

Adam Greuel — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:05:58 -0400

I have decided to do a top 15 players list for each position. The entire player's career will be looked at with more emphasis put on how they have played in the last two or three years. Now that the NHL entry draft and Free Agent frenzy are behind us, the next three months are the most painful time of year for hockey fans around the world. I mean, what better time to do this than now, right?

Begin Slideshow

The Top 100 Hockey Players of All Time: No. 50-41

Adam Greuel — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:57:45 -0400

I consider myself a student of the game of hockey. I learn something new about it every day, whether it be through the hockey history books I read, the Web sites I go to, or the discussions that I have with other people. I like to think that I am very knowledgeable about the game and I have decided to put my knowledge to the test. Over the course of the next month or two, I am going to rank the top 100 players in hockey history. It will be very challenging and a lot of research will be done in order to get the best rankings possible. This list will include more than just NHL players, as I will be also focusing on international, pre-NHL, and WHA stars. I hope this will spark a lot of discussion amongst the hockey experts at this wonderful site. Any opinions are welcome, and don't be afraid to speak up!

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The Top 15 Right Wingers in the National Hockey League

Adam Greuel — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:33:43 -0400

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The 10 Best Seasons in Toronto Blue Jays` History

Adam Greuel — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:56:55 -0400

The Toronto Blue Jays have had a storied history since the franchise's inception in 1977. The Jays were MLB's best franchise from 1983-1993, and the rosters included numerous star players. These players ranged from Dave Stieb to Jack Morris, Jimmy Key to Tom Henke, Joe Carter to Roberto Alomar, and many more. The Jays brought life to baseball fans in Toronto with their amazing play during the early 1990s, a period that saw them win two consecutive World Series championships in 1992 and 1993. In this list, I count down the ten best seasons in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays franchise.

Begin Slideshow

The Toronto Blue Jays' Top 10 Individual Pitching Seasons in Franchise History

Adam Greuel — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:09:22 -0400

The Toronto Blue Jays have had a storied history since the franchises inception into the league in 1977. The Jays were the best franchise from 1983-1993 and the rosters included a numerous amount of star pitchers. These players ranged from Dave Stieb to Jack Morris, Jimmy Key to Tom Henke and many more. The Jays brought life to baseball fans in Toronto with their amazing play during the early 1990s, a period that saw them win two consecutive world series championships in 1992 and 1993. In this list I countdown the top 10 best individual pitching performances in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Begin Slideshow

The 10 Flyest Offensive Displays in Toronto Blue Jays History

Adam Greuel — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:08:12 -0400

The Toronto Blue Jays have had a storied history since the franchises inception into the league in 1977. The Jays were the best franchise from 1983-1993 and the rosters included a numerous amount of star players. These players ranged from Roberto Alomar to Joe Carter, John Olerud to Devon White and many more. The Jays brought life to baseball fans in Toronto with their amazing play during the early 1990s, a period that saw them win two consecutive world series championships in 1992 and 1993. In this list I countdown the top ten best individual offensive performances in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays.

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The Top 100 Hockey Players of All Time: Nos. 40-31

Adam Greuel — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:15:56 -0400

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The Top 15 Left Wingers in the National Hockey League

Adam Greuel — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:22:12 -0400

I have decided to do a top 15 players list for each position. The entire players career will be looked at with more emphasis put on how they have played in the last two or three years. Now that the NHL entry draft and Free Agent frenzy are behind us, the next three months are the most painful time of year for hockey fans around the world. I mean, what better time to do this then now, right?

Begin Slideshow

Despite BJ Ryan's Complaints, Toronto Blue Jays To Stick To Their Plan

Adam Greuel — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:42:15 -0400

BJ Ryan has come out recently with his disapproval of being under-worked. He believes he needs to pitch on a consistent basis in order to get back to where he used to be.

However, I believe that Ryan is just a shell of his former self, and will never again be able to regain his All-Star form.

BJ Ryan has had an up and down stint with the Toronto Blue Jays ever since signing a five year, $47 million deal in 2006 to become the Jays' closer and shore up the bullpen.

His first season went exactly the way the Jays hoped it would go, as Ryan saved 38 games in 42 opportunities with a 1.37 ERA in 72 and one-third innings pitched.

Then, after appearing in just five games during the 2007 season, the bad news was announced: BJ Ryan needed Tommy John Surgery and would not pitch again that season.

He would come back earlier then expected and took over the closer's role once again during the first month of the 2008 season. He ended up pitching well, saving 32 games in 36 opportunities and finishing with a 2.95 ERA in 58 innings of work.

However, there were signs that Ryan would never again be the dominating closer he once was.

Ryan was never a guy that was going to blow his fastball by a hitter and he had lost three MPH on his fastball—alarming at the time, but not yet a catastrophe.

Also alarming was Ryan's lack of control. He walked eight more batters in 2008 than in 2006 despite pitching 14 fewer innings.

These two things made sure that Ryan never made it easy on Jays fans when he came in for his inning of work. There was never a save where Ryan could just go one-two-three. By the time the third out was recorded, there would be two guys on base and Ryan would be sweating bullets.

Which leads us to this year. Ryan had lost a couple of more MPH on his fastball at the beginning of spring training, and his control had gotten even worse then the prior season.

This was alarming to many, but the Jays still decided to use him as the closer to begin the season. It didn't last long, as Ryan blew two of his first four save opportunities—looking absolutely brutal in the process.

Ryan was actually put on the disabled list after an April in which his ERA ballooned to 11.12. Scott Downs took over and looked great in the process, meaning that Ryan would not close upon his return.

We are now closing in on the All-Star break and Ryan is looking no better. In 20 and one-third innings, his ERA sits at 6.53, and he has walked an amazing 17 batters.

It is beyond me how Ryan actually believes he deserves more pitching opportunities to get back in a groove. Is it going to help him with his control or throw faster? I highly doubt it.

Haven't the Jays given him plenty of chances this season, including his last appearance in which he gave up three runs and cost the Jays another win?

Thankfully, Cito Gaston feels the exact same as me, and will only use Ryan in mop up duty.

Sorry, Ryan. Your time has passed and you will no longer be a viable option for any team that has thoughts of contending.

The Top 15 Centers in the National Hockey League

Adam Greuel — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:32:50 -0400

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Toronto Blue Jays: Grading the First Half

Adam Greuel — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:29:48 -0400

Well, we are finally at the midway point of the 2009 regular season and it is very easy to describe the Toronto Blue Jays so far. The season has been up-and-down and the Jays are extremely inconsistent.

With the injuries and struggles this team has had, 11 different pitchers have started a game for this years team and 22 pitchers have appeared in a game this year.

After starting the season 27-14, the Jays have gone 15-27 since May 19, the beginning of a brutal nine-game losing streak. While this season turned from great to severely disappointing, there has still been many positives this year to look forward to.

Position Players

Rod Barajas- .267 AVG, .303 OBP, 8 HR, 39 RBI

Grade: B

Barajas has been better then expected this year and had an average above 300 not to long ago. He handles the pitching staff extremely well, as evidenced by the fact that the pitchers ERA is half a run better when Barajas catches then when Michael Barrett or Raul Chavez catch.

Lyle Overbay- .264 AVG, .384 OBP, 9 HR, 41 RBI

Grade: B-

He looked like he was finally starting to turn the corner after breaking his hand two years ago, but he has slowed down a bit in the last couple of weeks. He has given the Jays superb defense at first base and has been a lot better this year then last year.

Aaron Hill- .299 AVG, .340 OBP, 19 HR, 56 RBI

Grade: A

Hill was a mystery heading into this season due to the fact that he missed most of last year with a bad concussion after colliding with former Jays short stop David Eckstein. His play this season has answered all doubters as he has been the best hitting second basemen in the entire American League.

Marco Scutaro- .282 AVG, .382 OBP, 6 HR, 33 RBI

Grade: A

Many people doubted that Scutaro would be able to get the job done as the lead-off hitter and every day shortstop, but he has proved many people wrong. He is among the league leaders in walks and has even provided some pop in the leadoff position. He has also provided some good defense and speed on the base paths.

Scott Rolen- .332 AVG, .392 OBP, 6 HR, 30 RBI

Grade: A

Scott Rolen has been a pleasant surprise this season and has made trading Troy Glaus for him before the 2008 season easier to handle. While he doesn't have the power he used to, Rolen's high average and good defense is great to have. He just recently extended his hit streak to 21 games.

Adam Lind- .310 AVG, .385 OBP, 17 HR, 55 RBI

Grade: A-

Lind has emerged this season as a young slugger that will be a force to reckon with for years to come. Linds surge has been great for the Jays and if Snider can turn things around, they will have a nice one-two punch for an extremely long time.

Vernon Wells- .252 AVG, .303 OBP, 8 HR, 37 RBI

Grade: F

Wells season has been extremely disappointing this year as he has struggled to just keep his on-base percentage above 300. Despite being the highest paid player on the team, he has had the worst season of any starting position player so far this year.

Alex Rios- .260 AVG, .318 OBP, 9 HR, 38 RBI

Grade: D

Rios has been another huge disappointment this season, but he still has been better then Wells. He is maddeningly inconsistent and has been able to show some flashes of brilliance. He still may be able to turn it around during the second half of the season.

Rotation

Roy Halladay- 10-2, 2.56 ERA

Grade: A

Halladay is well on his way to once again being a top contender for the AL Cy Young award, but might not win it due to an injury that has cost him four starts and at least a couple of wins. I don't know what the Jays would do without this guy!

Brian Tallet- 5-6, 4.38 ERA

Grade: B

Tallet started the season in the bullpen, but was moved to the rotation after a season ending injury to Jesse Litsch. Tallet has been inconsistent as a starter, throwing a gem one night and then getting rocked in his very next start. Control has been a big issue with him.

Scott Richmond- 6-5, 3.69 ERA

Grade: B

Richmond started off the season extremely well, even winning rookie of the month award in April. Although he has slowed down considerably, he has proved to be a good option for the Jays and has shown that he still can have a good start every now and then.

Ricky Romero- 6-3, 2.85 ERA

Grade: B Plus

Another rookie regular on the Jays pitching staff, Romero has excelled at the major league level this year despite never being able to put together a good season during his time in the minors. Romero has been a nice surprise and will be a fixture in the rotation for years to come.

Bullpen

Jesse Carlson- 37.1 IP, 5.06 ERA

Grade: D

After last seasons emergence, Carlson was expected to be a huge part of our bullpen, but he has really struggled. Teams have started to pick up on his funky delivery, and I am not sure if he will reutrn to last years form.

Brandon League- 36.1 IP, 5.45 ERA

Grade: D

League has great stuff and untapped potential, but he has never been able to put it together and he is another reliever who has struggled mightily this season. He has the stuff to turn it around though.

Shawn Camp- 35 IP, 4.11 ERA

Grade: C Plus

Camp will never be a top reliever in the major leagues but he has been pretty good for the Jays this season. He has done good in long relief situations and his ERA right now is the best he has had in any season throughout his career.

Jason Frasor- 27.2 IP, 1.95 ERA

Grade: A

Frasor came into this season with a new pitch in his arsenal- a changeup. It has turned him from one of the worst relievers in the bullpen to the one Cito Gaston likes to turn to most. Frasor has been absolutely dominant this season and a great surprise for the Jays this year.

Scott Downs- 27.1, 1.98 ERA

Grade: A

Scott Downs has been absolutely filthy this season, especially after taking over the closers role from the struggling BJ Ryan. Unfortunately, Downs rolled his ankle while batting in an inter league game and hasn`t pitched for a while. But, when healthy, Downs and Frasor are the best one-two punch in the Majors.

The Top 100 Hockey Players of All Time: Nos. 30-21

Adam Greuel — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:52:58 -0400

I consider myself a student of the game of hockey. I learn something new about it every day whether it be through the hockey history books I read, the web sites I go to, or the discussions that I have with other people. I like to think that I am very knowledgeable about the game and I have decided to put my knowledge to the test. Over the course of the next month or two, I am going to rank the top 100 players in hockey history. It will be very challenging and a lot of research will be done in order to get the best rankings possible. This list will include more then just NHL players, as I will be also focusing on international, pre-NHL, and WHA stars. I hope this will spark a lot of discussion amongst the hockey experts at this wonderful site. Any opinions are welcome, don't be afraid to speak up!

Begin Slideshow

Toronto Blue Jays: Statistical Position-by-Position Analysis

Adam Greuel — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:12:56 -0400

As we approach the middle of the season and the All-Star break, I thought it would be a good idea to see how our position players stack up against the rest of the league.

To be eligible for the batting average and on-base percentage category, a player must have 150 at-bats or more up to this point in the season.

Catchers: Out of 21

Rod Barajas

AB: 214 (8th)
OBP: .303 (16th)
BA: .266 (8th)
HR: 7 (T-10th)
RBI: 37 (3rd)
R: 23 (T-11th)
OPS: .728 (15th)
Average Rank: 10.1

First Basemen: Out of 29

Lyle Overbay

AB: 185 (26th)
OBP: .402 (7th)
BA: .276 (T-18th)
HR: 9 (T-20th)
RBI: 41 (17th)
R: 26 (26th)
OPS: .921 (12th)
Average Rank: 18

Second Basemen: Out of 30

Aaron Hill

AB: 334 (1st)
OBP: .344 (16th)
BA: .305 (4th)
HR: 19 (1st)
RBI: 56 (1st)
R: 48 (T-5th)
OPS: .856 (4th)
Average Rank: 4.6

Third Basemen: Out of 32

Scott Rolen

AB: 243 (18th)
OBP: .397 (5th)
BA: .333 (3rd)
HR: 5 (T-19th)
RBI: 29 (T-18th)
R: 41 (T-8th)
OPS: .883 (T-7th)
Average Rank: 11.1

Shortstops: Out of 29

Marco Scutaro

AB: 308 (1st)
OBP: .386 (3rd)
BA: .286 (10th)
HR: 6 (T-8th)
RBI: 32 (7th)
R: 58 (1st)
OPS: .808 (7th)
Average Rank: 5.3

Outfielders: Out of 93

Vernon Wells

AB: 314 (1st)
OBP: .302 (79th)
BA: .248 (70th)
HR: 7 (T-44th)
RBI: 36 (32nd)
R: 46 (T-14th)
OPS: .694 (74th)
Average Rank: 44.9

Alex Rios

AB: 312 (2nd)
OBP: .321 (64th)
BA: .263 (48th)
HR: 9 (T-29th)
RBI: 37 (31st)
R: 38 (T-33rd)
OPS: .744 (53rd)
Average Rank: 37.1

Designated Hitters: Out of 11

Adam Lind

AB: 290 (1st)
OBP: .385 (2nd)
BA: .307 (2nd)
HR: 15 (1st)
RBI: 52 (1st)
R: 45 (1st)
OPS: .930 (2nd)
Average Rank: 1.4

As you can see from these numbers, nearly every hitter on our team is somewhat close to the top and pulling there weight except for the outfielders.

The numbers look a lot better this year then last, and I can't help but wonder what would happen if we combined this year's hitting with last year's pitching. One can only dream.

Detroit Red Wings 2009 Draft Review

Adam Greuel — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:04:59 -0400

As the 2009 draft commenced on June 27, my thoughts were that the Detroit Red Wings had an amazing draft. They got two great players with the second-round picks they had, and they rounded out their prospect pool with some good players.

Pictured above are new Detroit Red Wings Landon Ferraro (left) and World Junior Championship star Tomas Tatar.

First Round, 32nd Overall:

Landon Ferraro—C, Red Deer (WHL). 5'11", 168 lbs.

The son of former NHL star Ray Ferraro, Landon was expected to go in the first round, but he fell to the Detroit Red Wings, and I couldn't be happier. Landon played for an abysmal team in Red Deer and still scored 37 goals while playing with a bunch of scrubs.

He factored into the majority of Red Deer goals, and next year will be playing with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who is the best 15 year-old in the country and managed over a point per game in his five-game trial. Expect Ferraro to near the 50-goal plateau next season.

Strengths: His skating is a huge asset and he has an amazing work ethic. His shot is NHL-caliber already and he has one of the quickest releases in the WHL. He is not afraid to go into the corners despite his size.

Weaknesses: His size is a concern and like most young players he needs to improve on the defensive side of the game. Fortunately, you can teach a player to play defensively, Ferraro`s offensive game is what can`t be taught.

Potential: Scoring line center

Second Round, 60th Overall:

Tomas Tatar—C, Zvolen HKm (Slovak). 5'11", 176 lbs.

Tomas Tatar first got the hockey worlds attention with his incredible World Junior Championship performance, leading Team Slovakia to a fourth-place finish and a higher rank then the United States

Many see him as being a few years away from making an NHL impact, and he may come over next year to play in the Canadian Hockey League.

Strengths: Like Ferraro, Tatar has an incredible shot and extremely quick release. He also has great hockey sense and is always in the right spot to score goals. He is defensively responsible and plays on the PP and PK.

Weaknesses: He is also a small player and must put on some weight to make an impact with the Wings. His foot speed isn't the best, but he can accelerate fast and I can't see it being to much of a problem for him.

Potential: Scoring line center

Third Round, 70th Overall:

Andrej Nestrasil—C, Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL). 6'2", 200 lbs.

Another player who played on a weak team, Nestrasil came over from the Czech Republic to play in the QMJHL. He showed flashes of brilliance this year, but was also benched in December for a lack of work ethic.

Strengths: Has great size and a goal scorer's touch. Another player with great hands and a nose for the net. He is also not afraid to get physical with the opposing players.

Weaknesses: He has slow foot speed because he has a large upper body, but his legs are extremely thin. His technique is good though so expect him to get faster once he works on his legs this summer.

Potential: Scoring line center

Third Round, 90th Overall:

Gleason Fournier—D, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL). 6'0", 176 lbs.

Fournier is supposed to be an offensive defensemen but only scored three goals this year in the wide open QMJHL. The talent is there, but he is a huge project that needs to improve on many areas of the game. At the very least, he is probably four years away or more.

Strengths: Has extreme offensive potential and is a good power-play quarterback. He can move the puck quickly and can make great outlet passes to his forwards.

Weaknesses: Not very good in his own zone and is pushed around easily. His shot needs improvement and he needs to put on more weight.

He also has trouble making the right decisions with the puck and doesn`t have very good hockey sense.

Potential: Power play quarterback/third pairing defensemen

Fifth Round, 150th Overall:

Nick Jensen—D, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL). 6'1", 187 lbs.

Another offensive defensemen, Jensen also has a reliable defensive side to his game as well. He will continue to play with the Gamblers next year and will head to St. Cloud State University for the 2010-11 season. He seems to be at least as good as the defensemen we picked two rounds earlier.

Nick's dad, Jeff Jensen, was a 10th round pick of the Colorado Rockies in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.

Strengths: Already has a pretty decent two way game that will improve with age. He also has a nice, effortless stride and is a good puck handler.

Weaknesses: Needs to be more offensively involved. He also could put on more strength and his lack of competition for next year is troubling.

Potential: Fourth/fifth defensemen

Sixth Round, 180th Overall:

Mitchell Callahan—RW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL). 5'11", 175 lbs.

A tough as nails kid from California, Callahan backs down from no one and is the exact opposite of the entire Wings team in that he loves to fight and agitate. Callahan never stops working and could reach the 20-goal, 200 PIM plateau next season.

Strengths: A pretty good skater who has a never quit attitude. Callahan fought everybody this year, from the 20-year old veterans to the 16-year old rookies and he always fights when challenged, there is none of this talking stuff as far as he is concerned. He can also chip in offensively and is also a decent penalty killer.

Weaknesses: Another guy who needs to put on weight and there is worry that he won't be able to play his grinding style against the big men of the NHL unless he does add more muscle to his frame.

Potential: Third line grinder who can chip in offensively

Seventh Round, 210th Overall:

Adam Almqvist—D, HV 71 J20 (Swe-Jr). 5'10", 169 lbs

A Detroit Red Wings draft just isn't complete without selecting a player from Sweden. Some believe that this could be another late round gem by the Wings Swedish based scout, Hakan Andersson.

Almqvist is seen as another huge project and is likely five years away from making an NHL impact, something along the lines like Jonathon Ericsson, who the Wings drafted last overall in the 2002 draft and is just now making a significant NHL impact.

Strengths: Under the radar player, his two way game is very good and he possesses amazing hockey sense. He also can make great outlet passes and knows the game very well for a player his age.

Weaknesses: Another player with an obvious size issue, Almqvist did add 20 pounds during the season, so that is very encouraging. He also needs to work on his skating some more and should add more upper-body strength this summer.

Potential: Power play quarterback/fourth or fifth defensemen

Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Report

Adam Greuel — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:09:59 -0400

This is my second Minor League report, and I hope it will keep you updated on all the latest that is going on with the very best Toronto Blue Jay prospects.

Las Vegas 51's (AAA)- (33-44, last in PCL Pacific South Division)

Things have not been going well for the 51's in their first year of being affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays as they have the second worst winning percentage in the entire league. There have been only a few positives on this team so far.

One of them has been recent signing David Dellucci. Although he has only had 52 at-bats, Dellucci is hitting .288 with three home runs and six RBI's.

Another pleasant suprise has been Russ Adams, who was just recently called up by the Toronto Blue Jays. He has hit .319 in 72 at-bats, with just one home run and nine RBI's. If Adams does not produce at the MLB level, expect Dellucci to be called up in his place.

Meanwhile, there has been plenty of huge disappointments in Las Vegas. After being sent down, top prospect Travis Snider has only hit .258 in 31 at-bats and has been on the disabled list since May 31st.

In the last minor league report I reported that JP Arencibia was starting to turn the corner, but he has been hitting poorly for most of June. Overall this season his batting average is at .236 and he has hit eight home runs to go with 40 RBI's.

Things appear to be going even worse for the pitchers on the team. After his extremely good start, Fabio Castro has finally fell back down to earth. He has a 4.31 ERA in his last ten starts and has actually walked (24) more batters then he has struck out (23) during that span.

David Purcey is still struggling with his control as well, the reason why he was sent down is because of his lack of control. He is 0-2 with a 4.08 ERA in the minors this season and has walked 36 batters in only 64 innings.

The recently sent down Brad Mills was still struggling at the time the Jays called him up, he was only called up because the Jays had no one else to turn to. Mills is 1-8 on the season with a dismal 4.48 ERA and he finished with a 14.09 ERA in two starts at the MLB level.

Brett Cecil is lucky that he is still pitching for the Jays after his last start. He has fared no better in the Minors this year as the promising lefty has gone just 1-5 with an ugly ERA at 5.69.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)- (32-43, Fifth in EAS Northern Division)

The Fisher Cats have gone from first place to second last since my last Minor League report, definitely not a good sign.

The best player for the Fisher Cats has been 25-year old Brian Dopirak. He has hit .311 with an amazing 18 home runs and 57 RBI's. He doesn't project to be a major leaguer though, as indicated by the fact that he is already 25.

Meanwhile, Brian Jeroloman, another catcher that the Jays are high on, has hit a disappointing .252 with only four home runs and 16 RBI's.

Top prospect David Cooper has also disappointed with a minuscule .243 average and just three home runs to go along with only 19 RBI's.

Fortunately, there has been two pitchers that have been great for the Fisher Cats this year since Fabio Castro has been promoted to AAA Las Vegas.

The best has been Reidier Gonzalez, who has gone 3-5 with an amazing 3.18 ERA in 79 and one-third innings. He only has 55 strike outs, but opposing batters are hitting only .238 off of him.

Another good pitcher for the Fisher Cats has been Luis Perez. Perez is 4-6 on the year with a nifty 3.41 ERA and a team leading 89 and two-thirds innings. Hitters are hitting only .220 against him and he has struck out 72 batters.

Unfortunately, World Baseball Classic sensation Leon Boyd has been awful since being promoted from Dunedin. In 14 appearances he has a 9.88 ERA in 13 and two-third innings and has walked 14 batters.

Dunedin Blue Jays (A)- (36-35, Fourth in FSL South Division)

Things have improved for the Dunedin Blue Jays since my last report as they are now above 500 and have climbed out of last place for the time being.

They have been led by three players offensively, with Darin Mastroianni leading the way. He has hit .325 this season with 26 RBI's and has just recently been called up by AA New Hampshire.

Eric Thames has also been a pleasant surprise down in Dunedin. He has hit .308 with two home runs and 30 RBI's. Moises Sierra has been another good hitter for Dunedin as he has a .311 batting average with four home runs and 36 RBI's.

It hasn't been all good though as a couple of top prospects have been struggling all year. Justin Jackson is hitting just .237 with no home runs and just 15 RBI's. Meanwhile, Kevin Ahrens is hitting just .233 with two home runs and 22 RBI's.

A couple of players are standing out on the pitching side of things, especially Kenny Rodriguez. Rodriguez has a 6-2 record with a tiny 1.97 ERA and 52 strikeouts in just 59 and one-third innings.

Tim Collins is still going strong as he has struck out 63 batters in just 42 innings and he has a 6-3 record to go along with a 2.57 ERA.

As you can see, there are a lot of good things to go along with the bad things. Lets hope the struggling prospects can turn things around and that the players currently playing well can keep it up.

The 10 Most Underrated Players in the National Hockey League

Adam Greuel — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:27:59 -0400

There are 600 players or more in the NHL, so that leaves many players who are not recognized for their high level of play. There are many players who do their job extremely well, but don't get the recognition they deserve at the end of the day. The purpose of this slide show is to show you guys who the ten most underrated players in the NHL are. This is purely my opinion, feel free to disagree in the comments section! The players are in no particular order.

Begin Slideshow

Blue Jays-Phillies: Toronto Gets the Sweep in Crazy 8-7 Victory

Adam Greuel — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:08:54 -0400

The Toronto Blue Jays completed the sweep Thursday in Philadelphia with a crazy 8-7 victory.

Why was it crazy? Well, let me tell you.

The Jays used every single reliever they had in order to preserve the win and the only player on the roster that did not get the chance to play was John McDonald.

It all started off with a bad pitching performance by Jays rookie Brad Mills, who was making his first appearance ever in the Major Leagues.

Mills became the 11th pitcher to start for the Jays this year and the fourth to make his debut.

Unfortunately for him, his debut was not a pleasant one. He had command issues throughout his outing and gave up four runs on six hits and four walks in just 3 2/3 innings.

The Jays kept themselves in the game though, with a two-run homer from Raul Chavez in the second and RBI double from Vernon Wells that helped make the score 5-3 after five innings. Dirk Hayhurst gave up a solo shot in the fifth inning.

Adam Lind started off the comeback with a solo home run in the sixth, his 14th of the season. Scott Rolen tied it in the seventh inning with a single and the Jays were back in business.

The Jays then scored two in the eighth inning to take the lead for the first time all game, but it would not last long.

Brandon League was determined to make things interesting. He gave up a solo home run and a double that later scored with Jason Frasor on the mound, tying the game once again.

With Jason Frasor set to lead off the inning, Rod Barajas was sent to the plate to pinch hit for him and things could not have gone any better.

Barajas took a high pitch and deposited it over the wall at the deepest part of the ball park. It was Phillies' closer Ryan Madson's second blown save of the series.

BJ Ryan walked the first batter in the bottom of the ninth inning, but then got Ryan Howard to strike out. Recent call-up Jeremy Accardo came in for the last two outs, his first appearance in the majors this year and his first save.

Up Next: Brian Tallet (4-4) starts off a series against Jordan Zimmermann (2-3) and the lowly Washington Nationals.

The 2009 NHL Award Predictions

Adam Greuel — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:47:15 -0400

With the 2009 NHL Awards show coming up tomorrow in Las Vegas, Nevada, I think it is time give everyone my predictions for the 2009 NHL Awards. This is the first time the event has been held in Las Vegas, the inaugural event in a three year agreement with Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. This year's event will bring together more players, celebrities, business partners and fans than ever and will provide more opportunities for all to participate in the celebration.

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Blue Jays-Phillies: Toronto Wins Their First Interleague Game in Extras

Adam Greuel — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:20:38 -0400

It took them seven games, but the Jays finally won their first interleague game of the season in an ugly 8-3, extra-innings victory at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Why was it ugly? Well, for starters, the Jays managed to load the bases in the sixth inning with nobody out, and twice in both the second and eighth innings with one out, scoring zero runs in all three situations.

Another reason for the ugly term is that Phillies relievers walked an amazing seven batters in the last three innings, two of them coming with the bases loaded.

With the Jays down 3-2 in the ninth and Phillies closer Ryan Madson coming on to save the game, it appeared to be over for the Jays after blowing so many bases-loaded chances.

Fortunately, Madson exhibited about as much control as JC Romero, the Phillies set-up man who walked three in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded, Madson walked Lyle Overbay to force in the tying run and send the game into extra innings.

It was an ugly tenth inning for the Phillies, as the Jays would score five runs, capped off by an RBI double from the bat of Rod Barajas. However, it was not all good for the Jays, as reliever Scott Downs was sent to the plate because they wanted him to pitch the tenth inning as well.

With the Jays up by five and two out, all Downs had to do was watch and not even lift the bat off of his shoulders. Unfortunately, Downs took his cuts anyways, dribbling a grounder to shortstop Jimmy Rollins.

With the hit, Downs turned his body to run to first and twisted his ankle in the process, crossing first base while limping. Rollins got the out and we lost a pitcher. X-Rays after the game came back negative, but a trip to the disabled list is likely and we have lost our closer in a situation that could have easily been avoided.

With Downs out for the count, Jesse Carlson came out to end the sloppiest victory in recent history. Overall, both teams used six pitchers each, the Jays finished 0-for-9 with the bases loaded (two walks and a sacrifice fly), 4-for-19 with runners in scoring position and left 16 runners on the base paths!

I think Cito Gaston put it best after the game when he said: "We did everything we could to give that game away," Gaston said. "We ended up winning it, which we probably shouldn't have.

But we did win it, so we'll take the win and hopefully we'll improve on some of the things we did wrong tonight, because we did a lot of things wrong tonight that I wasn't very happy with.

Amen!

Up Next: Scott Richmond (4-3) takes the place of injured starter Roy Halladay and faces off against veteran lefty Jamie Moyer (4-5) of the Philadelphia Phillies in the second game of a three game set.

The Top 100 Hockey Players of All Time: Nos. 20-11

Adam Greuel — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:18:33 -0400

I consider myself a student of the game of hockey. I learn something new about it every day whether it be through the hockey history books I read, the websites I go to, or the discussions that I have with other people. I like to think that I am very knowledgeable about the game and I have decided to put my knowledge to the test. Over the course of the next month or two, I am going to rank the top 100 players in hockey history. It will be very challenging and a lot of research will be done in order to get the best rankings possible. This list will include more then just NHL players, as I will be also focusing on international, pre-NHL, and WHA stars. I hope this will spark a lot of discussion amongst the hockey experts at this wonderful site. Any opinions are welcome, don't be afraid to speak up!

Begin Slideshow

Jesse Litsch To Have Tommy John Surgery as Pitching Injuries Mount

Adam Greuel — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:16:08 -0400

Toronto Blue Jays pitchers continue to drop like fly's as it was reported today that injured starter Jesse Litsch will undergo Tommy John Surgery.

Jesse Litsch will go under the knife on Friday after injuring his arm on April 13th. It was first reported as a strained right forearm and was thought not be to serious.

Unfortunately, Litsch started to feel extreme soreness in his elbow while rehabbing at the Jays' training facility in Florida. His second visit to Dr. James Andrews revealed no ligament damage, but it has been decided that Litsch will have the surgery to fix his arm problem right away.

Litsch is the fourth Jays starter to suffer from a serious injury in the last couple of years. It all started with Casey Janssen, who missed the entire 2008 season after he tore his labrum in a Spring Training game.

Janssen is just beginning to come back strong.

Dustin McGowan followed Janssen in July after he underwent shoulder surgery. McGowan has been out since then and is currently rehabbing. Yet, it seems that his return will still not be for a while.

After McGowan comes Shaun Marcum, who underwent Tommy John Surgery himself in September of last year. Marcum is surprisingly ahead of McGowan in his progress, but will not return in the near future.

This trend is becoming alarming.

Just think of the depth that the Jays would have with a healthy McGowan, Marcum, and Litsch!

Hopefully the trend does not continue with Brett Cecil and Brad Mills. I do believe that the Jays are watching their innings pitched for this year very carefully.

What I find strange is that I have heard discussions that a lot of pitchers, with not so serious injuries, are getting Tommy John surgery because it is guaranteed to help fix your arm, and you are very likely to come back stronger than ever.

With the advances in modern technology, Tommy John surgery is more of a sure thing than ever, so maybe Jesse Litsch is getting it just to be extra sure he recovers at 100 percent?

Either way, I just hope that Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum, and Jesse Litsch can make fast and full recoveries.