Bleacher Report - Articles by Dustin Rayner

Twins Lead AL Central while Tigers Ride the Pine

Dustin Rayner — Mon, 05 May 2008 10:26:33 -0400

Here we are, just over a fifth of the way through the 2008 MLB season and the AL Central is the tightest division in baseball.

In years past, it has bred extraordinary competition among teams seeking a divisional playoff spot. This year should be no different.

As of May 4, only three games separated the five teams in the division, the least amount of separation for any division in baseball.

The Minnesota Twins lead the division, with the White Sox, Royals, Indians, and Tigers close behind.

Most analysts predicted that the Tigers would win the division convincingly. With the third highest payroll in baseball and perhaps the best lineup ever assembled, they were a lock.

Other predictions included a Wild Card contender in the Cleveland Indians, who tasted playoff experience last fall.

However, the division appears to be upside down thus far.

The Twins and White Sox, predicted to be two of the worst teams in the division, now sit atop the standings in the AL Central.

While the season is still young and the spread is insignificant, the message is not: this will be a division to watch come August and September.

All five teams should remain in the hunt late, even the Royals who typically remove themselves from playoff contention by mid-July.

The story thus far has been simple: payroll does not equal playoffs.

The Twins currently have the 25th ranked payroll in MLB, with the Royals ranked 24th. Conversely, the White Sox are ranked fifth and the Tigers third. Regardless of income, these players appear to be fighting for the same spot in the postseason.

The will to win is often more important than the pay earned to play the game, as evident this past week in the Tigers-Twins series.

The Twins, on a five-game winning streak, swept the Tigers for the first time in several years.

Sunday afternoon was an illustration of the Tigers glaring weakness: pitching.

The Tigers got off to a 6-0 lead in the first after lighting Bonser up like a Christmas tree. However, they were unable to defend that lead and lost the game 7-6.

The Twins have shown poise early, making things happen when it counts.

They've played well despite disappointing performances from Francisco Liriano, who is currently with Triple-A Rochester, as well as some early injuries to pitchers Scott Baker and Kevin Slowey.

Slugger Mike Cuddyer and infielder Adam Everett have also had stints on the 15-day DL.

Come August only one thing can be predicted for the AL Central—expect it to be a close race that keeps fans on the edge of their seats.

Every game counts, and it's the team on the winning side of the 7-6 games that will play for fame this fall.

AL Central: The Cinderella Team

Dustin Rayner — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 12:00:08 -0400

If you're a real baseball fan, people will know it when they see your basement. Why would they know you're a baseball fan by looking at your basement? The answer is simple: you've got a wall dedicated to tracking your predictions and current standings.

Here's what your wall should be predicting for the AL Central this year:

1) Detroit Tigers

2) Minnesota Twins

3) Cleveland Indians

4) Kansas City Royals

5) Chicago White Sox

At this point, you probably spilled food all over yourself. Go ahead, clean it up.

Alright, now that you've fixed that mess, let me tell you what you just read was correct. The Twins will finish ahead of the Indians this year.

In fact, the Twins may just give the Tigers a run for their money. While Detroit, Minnesota and Cleveland should all be good teams this year, betting on the Twins IS a risky proposition.

Johan Santana is gone. The best pitcher in baseball will be missed. Garza, a promising starter for the Twins, is also gone. Torii Hunter, considered to be the face of the club, left to free agency. The heart of the team is gone, right?

What most people don't realize is that the Twins are a new team this year. Some of the small market teams like the Royals, Twins, Rays and Brewers can make major changes that aren't always as visible as with the Red Sox or Yankees.

In case you haven't heard, here's what is new with the Twins this year:

1) Liriano is back. Some pitchers actually perform better after coming back from Tommy John surgery. Time will tell if Liriano can pitch as well as he did in 2006.

2) Baker and Bonser should be on the rise, and both could have a huge 2008. Slowey will be right there with them with some comparing him to Brad Radke.

When Liriano joins this young rotation, anything is possible. Watch this staff to catch fire late May or early June.

3) The Twins got a huge pickup with Livan Hernandez this off season. Sure he isn't a Johan Santana, but he will be the anchor of this rotation.

His experience and stamina will provide the closest the Twins have to a "sure thing" this year. Watch for him to be the most consistent of the bunch.

4) The bullpen is one of the most solid in the league. Nathan, Crain, Guerrier and Neshek should all have good years. Rincon still has some stuff, but watch for him to slow down this year.

Still, the best thing that a team with young star-studded starting pitchers can have is a dependable bullpen.

5) So there is plenty of upside in the relatively nameless pitching staff, but what's happening on the field and in the batter's box?

Look for new contributions from Everett, Lamb, Harris, Casilla, Young, Monroe, Gomez and Pridie. While the new Twins are for the most part unknowns to the media world, there is plenty of young talent waiting to surprise everyone this summer.

6) Just in case you forgot, Mauer, Morneau and Cuddyer are holding down the first base line again this year. While some of the old faces will be missed, they've kept 3 of their best in the lineup.

To summarize, just because you've seen the 2007 Twins and you noticed they lost some key players, doesn't mean you can count them out in 2008. This roster, filled with new faces, is unpredictable.

It is, however, stacked with enough upside to surprise the division. Watch for some upsets, as they may win some games that they aren't supposed to.

The Dallas Mavericks Need Jason Kidd

Dustin Rayner — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:56:37 -0500

The Mavericks need Jason Kidd.

No really, they need him.

Don't get me wrong, Devin Harris is a great point guard and has a great career ahead of him. In contrast to an aging Jason Kidd, Harris should have many productive years ahead of him.

Here's why Dallas can't compete without having Jason Kidd in their lineup: leadership.

A couple of years ago Dallas Mavericks made a run at the NBA Finals, but couldn't pull it off. Their most talented player, Dirk Nowitzki, couldn't perform at a high enough level to lead his team to a championship.

Un-phased by their struggles, the Mavericks made another run last year, and Dirk picked up an MVP for his outstanding play during the regular season.

Then came the tough part—the Mavericks were upset in the first round by the eighth seed Golden State Warriors.

In an important game six of the series, Nowitzki had just eight points.

What can Dallas do to improve their playoff performance? Find a veteran leader that will come up big in pressure situations.

Enter Jason Kidd. Kidd is the perfect candidate because he has had a previous stint as a Maverick, and he is currently looking for a way out of New Jersey. He is still a good enough player to contribute, but is past his prime, allowing Dallas to offer less to obtain him.

His play won't outshine Harris to the point they start blowing everybody out. No, Harris has developed into a solid PG in the league, and should be a great contributor for years to come. Where Dallas needs Kidd to shine is in the experience department.

Can this be the year for the Mavericks? Do they have what it takes to get back to the Finals? Get your popcorn ready, because in a few months we're going to find out.

Why Bonds' Homerun Record Doesn't Matter

Dustin Rayner — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:04:35 -0500

The big news in the baseball world this year was that Barry Bonds finally broke the homerun record for the most homeruns in a career, passing Hank Aaron's 755.

This is probably one of the most confusing times in baseball history and people have mixed feelings about Bonds' success.

"The end justifies the means."

This is absolutely the worst idea ever. The way that you conduct yourself is key to how people perceive everything that you do.

Here is a list of athletes who have broken significant records that are seen in a good light amongst the media:

Michael Jordan, John Elway, Cal Ripken Jr., Reggie White, Peyton Manning, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, Jerry Rice, Brett Favre, Nolan Ryan

They all have accomplished great things in their sport, and there are others as well. The important thing is that these players all have character. They believe in supporting others and are not (completely) self-centered.

Even Tiger Woods, who is an individual player with a decent sized ego, holds himself in a manner that does not put down others.

The way you treat others affects how they will view you, today and tomorrow. You can have a record for the most number of homeruns or be the best player in your sport, but still not be a hero.

O.J. Simpson, Barry Bonds, Pete Rose, Dennis Rodman, Jose Canseco, and Terrell Owens all have been fairly successful, however they are not generally liked by the public or media.

It doesn't matter how many championships you have or how many records you hold, or even how much money you make. At the end of the day, to have teammates, coaches, family, friends, and fans who respect you is more valuable than any personal accomplishment that requires you to put yourself and your ego before everything else.

Plenty of teams have let T.O. walk out the door. That's exactly what San Francisco has done to Barry Bonds, allowing them to look forward and search for a new hero.

Giants versus Packers: Round Two

Dustin Rayner — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:54:58 -0500

Week 2 was a telling week in this year's schedule, though at the time most everyone didn't realize that two match ups would be so important. The Chargers fell to the Patriots 38 to 14, and the Giants fell to the Packers 35 to 13. While the Patriots win was expected, the Packers surprised a lot of people with their convincing win.

The score at the start of the 4th quarter was 14-13, and the Green and Gold finished the game with a 21 point push. Their strategy was simple: short passes.

New York has consistently torn into teams that can not protect the passer, with a top notch rush coming from all areas of the defensive line. The two most effective ways of beating the Giants defense this year has been a strong running game, and using a short passing attack. While Green Bay has improved their running game, it's important to note that New York may be without their top 3 Corners in this week's game.

Green Bay's attack this time around should consist of screens, draws, some play-action pass, and short passing routes. The only reason that I could see a lot of runs or long passes from the Packer offense is if they get a lead and want to tire out the defense with Ryan Grant, who has been playing extremely well. On the flip side, if the Giants get an early lead, look for Favre to test those corners with some gutsy passing down the field. They have moved the ball in the air consistently this year, and have the number two passing offense behind the Patriots.

On the other side of the ball, the Giants have proved they can get it done as well. With a number 3 running game, an early lead will be key to staying inside their offense. While Eli Manning has greatly improved as a quarterback this year, becoming one dimensional in a losing game and being pressed by Green Bay's great corners and feeling the pressure from Aaron Kampman will likely get the best of them. Expect heavy running out of the gate, and count on the score dictating what the Giants turn to late in the game.

While the Giants have the better defense, Green Bay's is not too far behind. Both are balanced against the run and pass, although injuries may affect the New York pass defense. Look for Green Bay's offense to have more success at moving the ball, as they have a more balanced attack and possibly more options to start the game. This should be a very competitive game, and the atmosphere at Lambeau will be absolutely wonderful for playoff football, but watch out for an early disparity in score. Should the Packers find themselves behind early, watch for the Giant's running game to pound it out, but don't count out a Green Bay come from behind as Favre is no stranger to the playoffs or 4th quarter comebacks. However, should Green Bay get a 10 point lead, Manning will dictate whether or not New York has a chance at the end of this one.

It should be an exciting week of NFL Conference Championships, two rematches from week 2. The losers go home, the winners move on to the Superbowl. Which teams are teams of destiny? Wait til Sunday to find out!