Bleacher Report - Articles by Sara Hannon

Who's Better? The CAA or the ACC?

Sara Hannon — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:08:26 -0400

Okay, that's a stupid question, right?

Maybe, maybe not.

Truth be told, this year the best teams of the CAA will probably be better than the bottom-dwellers of the ACC.

UVA got embarrassed by William & Mary (turnovers...yikes!). Duke lost to Richmond. And Maryland narrowly escaped JMU in overtime.

Now there is no doubt about it: the University of Virginia (UVA) is bad. They need to fire their coach, the students know it, and they are just waiting for the alumni to catch on. At this point, I think most of the CAA, probably the toughest division in 1-AA...excuse me, in the "Football Championship Subdivision" (just in case we make anyone feel bad about being double-A instead of single-A.) could beat the Hoos.

Maryland is less terrible, but they still should have lost to JMU. JMU had that game and couldn't close it out. (personally, I blame the coach and the play-calling, but that's my opinion. Yours can certainly be different) Maryland is not a better team than Madison. JMU has some speed, some running and passing capability. and they just couldn't hang on to win. That's okay, I guess, but by losing they put themselves behind in the CAA standings already.

Duke almost lost to JMU last year, and they lost to Richmond this year. So, what exactly makes them better than the CAA teams?

Nothing.

The FCS is just like the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly 1-A). There are good teams and there are bad teams, there are divisions that are tough all around, like the CAA, and divisions that are top heavy with the bottom teams really not playing well, like the ACC.

The ACC is a tough division. Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Miami are all top-25 teams. The ACC as a whole is 14-9 in the first two weeks, with only one team losing more than one game (UVA) and one team to only play one due to an early bye.

In the first two weeks of the season, the CAA is a collective 15-6, with three teams only playing one game due to early bye weeks, and only Northeastern has lost more than one game.

Clearly, if you put Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech up against Richmond, Villanova, JMU, or William & Mary...my money is on the ACC, but it's no guaranteed win. But the question becomes less-clear when you look at, say, Richmond verses Maryland, or Villanova against Wake Forest. Who do you pick in those games?

It all becomes much less clear.

So, should we abolish the line that separates the FCS from the FBS? The playoff system from the bowl system? Or should we blur it, abolish the FCS and just have those divisions join the big divisions?

Honestly, you probably couldn't do it. There's too much money tied up in college football, in the bowls and the sponsorship and the advertising, for any real change to happen.

And maybe it shouldn't. Maybe the FCS teams deserve their shot at some sort of national championship that they wouldn't get if they were part of 1-A. Either way, its an interesting question to think on.

Why Mickey Matthews Is the Worst Coach in FCS Football

Sara Hannon — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:58:05 -0400

Since a few people are extremely angry with me for expressing my opinion, let me preface this by saying this is a rant against a coach that I, personally, do not like, have never liked, and think that frankly, we can do better. And if you want to scream at me in the comments section, please do so, but refrain from any profanity, thank you.

JMU (James Madison University) has just lost to Maryland in overtime. JMU had more yards than Maryland on offense, played better most of the game, and, oh, by the way, blew two late leads and couldn't generate more offense than a yard or two.

All because of one man.

His name is Mickey Matthews. He's the overpaid and overrated. One championship does not make a good coach. We'll call that luck. And a good team. That good team came within in one game of the title not once, but twice. By slim margins both times.

The reason?

Poor play-calling/offensive decisions.

The Maryland game is a microcosim of Mickey Matthews inability to make good calls in big games. With the Dukes leading 35-28 with 8:30 left in the fourth quarter, he let the offense sputter into a three-and-out. Playing conservative and taking care of the ball. That's a good plan with two minutes left. It's even a good plan with a ten point lead with 8:30 left. But you don't take all the wind out of the offensive sails.

Why? Do you take your hottest hitter out of the game to preserve his bat when you're up by a run or two in the seventh? No.

You also don't make your offense go three-and-out all in the name of protecting the football when they are coming off a 70 yard touchdown run. I've watched college football my entire life and I've learned three things: coaches who have never been able to win the "big" games will never win then, conservative football never wins the game, and when watching a Boise State game, do not adjust your set, the field is actually blue.

Mickey is two of those things. He can't win the big game and he plays conservative football with small leads which almost always leads to a heartwrenching, last-minute loss.

And yet, the university continues to support him. They even extended his contract.

JMU will never be able to win with this man. He's proved time and time again that he makes poor decisions with the game on the line. So why is he still the coach? Because he won in 2004? That was five years ago. Five. Since then the Dukes have been back to the playoffs three times and haven't made it to the title game.

I held the parabola (sound disc) on the sidelines of the FCS semi-final game last year. JMU had many chances to win that game and advance to face Richmond, who they previously beat.

With the game on the line, Mickey played conservative, and Montana won in heart-wrenching, last-minute fashion.

Listening to the Maryland game, at the 8:30, when JMU went three and out, I knew they were going to lose. Because, like most college football fans, I know something that the professional coach hasn't yet grasped: conservative football never wins games.

NFL Top 10: The League's Most Attractive Quarterbacks

Sara Hannon — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:35:10 -0400

With training camp well under way, we thought we'd take a break from legitimate analysis to bring you something completely frivolous and very girly. The Top 10 active, attractive quarterbacks is a list compiled via polling and with no regard to statistics, team, or draft number. It is based solely on their looks, which in this media-driven world, is something that cannot be overlooked for the modern QB.

Begin Slideshow

Steroids or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Loathe The List

Sara Hannon — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:44:55 -0400

David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez join Sosa, A-Rod, and Bonds as players named on the now infamous list.

But let's be clear about this list (that's not even supposed to exist). It was a voluntary testing program to learn how wide-spread performance enhancing drug (PED) use was in major league baseball. We don't know how wide spread, we don't know if there were other lists, but it is important to remember that at the time, many of the PEDs that players tested positive for WERE NOT banned.

Another thing about the list: It is not a guide to who used steroids in the majors. Some of the players on the ever-blessed list tested positive for items that you can buy at a drug store and weren't banned by major league baseball until 2005.

So, before we judge anybody—and I'm including my least favorite player in all of baseball Alex Rodriguez in this—we have to know what they took, for how long, and why.

To automatically judge based on a name on a list...did we learn nothing from Joe McCarthy? His "list" of card-carrying communists was a farce. This list is a little more serious, but it doesn't discriminate between a legit 'roid user and someone who used something that wasn't banned at the time to get over an injury.

Quite frankly I'm sick and tired of hearing about steroids in baseball. The only people who really care about perpetuating this nonsense is the media. The fans, the players, and everyone else would just like to move on. The media won't let us.

I'd like to see whoever is leaking these names step forward and claim responsibility. That @%*hole should be in jail. No one seems to have compunctions that the way we're getting information about this list is ILLEGAL.

Doesn't anyone wonder why, if David Ortiz was juicing in 2003, his post-season batting average was below the Mendoza line? Anybody else wonder if Ortiz's bat heated up by getting a different batting coach and having Manny Ramirez hitting behind him? Is that so terribly illogical that a 27-year-old baseball player could discover his swing after going to a new club?

Gee. What a novel idea.

Barry Bonds got huge. He was quite literally a Giant. That is not natural. Ortiz had a seemingly natural progression and hey...he's in the middle of what looks like a natural digression.

This is all part of the history of baseball. Way back in the early days of the sport, pitchers would do all sorts of things to a ball to keep it from being hittable, including, but not limited to spitting on the ball, stepping on it, scratching it up, and doing anything they could to make it that much harder to hit.

Pitchers don't do that anymore. It's no longer within the boundries of the rules to throw a spit-ball. But do we look at these great pitchers of old with any less admiration?

Do we put asterisks next to their pitching stats with things like:

Ed Walsh, record for lowest career ERA at 1.82*

*used spitball and other pitches now considered illegal by the MLB

Heck No.

That's ridiculous, it's overkill, and it's like punishing someone in prohibition times who drank before the law passed. A judge would laugh you out of the court room if you tried to push through a case like that.

Because if it wasn't illegal when you did it, then you didn't break the law.

It's the same with these players. Habitual juicers...I have more of an issue with them, but if they weren't breaking the rules, they don't deserve to be punished. Period.

We don't call for discrediting of men who had questionable practices before it was illegal, why should we do it now?

It's certainly something to think about. It's not a black and white issue, and it's not something to be judged without all sides of the story.

Do your research. The media will not tell you all the facts and you can't trust the TV. You have to look for yourself. How many people know what that list is and why none of the names are supposed to be released? How many people know that the players weren't doing anything against the rules at the time of the test?

As fans, we have a responsibility to look into the stories we are fed every day. We have a responsibility to read and learn and make our own decisions. As for me, I'm behind Papi 100%. I'm betting it comes out that he was not a habitual juicer, and he might be one of the ones who used something over the counter he didn't even know was a PED, or didn't know it'd be banned later.

How To Succeed At Belichick University

Sara Hannon — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 23:00:34 -0400

The New England Patriots "system", run by Bill Belichick is not easy. It requires a player to be smart, selfless, dedicated, and hard working. Some players succeed and thrive in this environment, others drop out because they can't hack it. Some transfer and some are sent away, finished or not.

The ones that finish have a much easier time, generally, than the ones who weren't a fit for the system.

One only needs to watch five minutes of a press conference to realize that as a coach, Bill Belichick is not easy to please. He's ornery, short, and cross. Sort of like a super-secretive mob boss with a Napoleonic complex.

But that makes him a good coach, possibly one of the best ever. His players don't make excuses, they are quizzed on their opponents, they are expected to understand the game of football and their place in it.

If you can't handle that, the Patriots will simply replace you with someone who can. Sentiment has no room in New England, you have to have the right stuff year in and year out or you're gone.

It's a rather harsh system, but has produced some great people, on and off the field.

Reigning MVP Tom Brady went down in 2008, and back-up to the stars Matt Cassel stepped in, and the Patriots still won 11 games.

2008 is a testament to Belichick University, and the New England system. It is built so all the parts are interchangeable and replaceable. They just have to know what to do.

Some of the players in the organization have fully grasped this concept and are well on their way to succeeding in life outside of football.

Rodney Harrison, the most recent graduate of the Patriots, is already making waves as a commentator. He's frank, honest, and doesn't give a flying fig about Farve. It's refreshing to find a talking head who still has a pair.

He's already one of my favorite commentators, not just because he's one of my guys, but because he's the tamer, friendlier, Curt Shilling of the NFL. Curt will tell you exactly how he feels and what he thinks about a situation. Rodney will do the same, but he's a hair more tactful than Curt.

Then there's Mike Vrabel. Vrabel went to the Cheifs with Cassel for a second round pick this year. He's getting older, and a bit slower, but this was not an easy trade to understand. Vrabel, despite some of the physical problems, is likely a future coach. Or at least an analyst.

He's a quick wit, but all that football humor comes from a deep understanding of the game and the ability to learn the game as he plays it.

The Patriots will miss his presence in the locker room, certainly, but Vrabel should be destined for great things. Whether its as an analyst or a coach, Mike should continue with the game mentally when he can no longer play physically.

There are a few graduates who are still waiting for some final grades to see if they've passed:

Matt Cassel

He may be flash in the pan as far as pure talent goes, but there's a lot to be said about what he learned as Brady's back-up and as the starter in the Patriot's system. If he remembers half of what he learned in New England, and the Cheif's O-line protects him consistently, he'll be a decent QB.

Josh McDaniels

The rookie head coach of the Denver Broncos was brought up in the Patriots organization, and is attempting to run Denver the same way. That didn't work out with Jay Cutler, but you have to wonder if maybe the rest of the team will start bucking under.

If McDaniels manages to get that locker room under control and starts to make moves to improve the team, he'll be up there with Harrison.

The hardest thing for McDaniels now will be in trying to run the Broncos the way the Patriots are run. That system didn't happen overnight, it has to be built. If he can get Marshall to stop bucking for a trade and settle down to play, he'll be taking a step in the right direction.

Then there are those who have failed. Most of them never played enough snaps in the NFL to even matter.

The New England system is a unique one.

On one hand it is an incredible learning environment. You will come out of the organization with more football knowledge than you cam in with. On the other, its a ruthless and heartless mob. No one is safe from the ax, expectations are high, and lack of preparation is not accepted

The "university" is all about winning, and the Dean is one ornery, smart, slightly obsessive, and somewhat profane perfectionist named Bill Belichick.

The Boston Red Six? The Pitching Rotation in The Second Half

Sara Hannon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:47:47 -0400

On Friday, the Boston Red Sox take on the Toronto Blue Jays to kick off the second half of the season. On the hill for the Red Sox will be Clay Buchholz.

Many will remember Buchholz from his no-hitter in September 2007. Others remember how bad his 2008 season was, as he was shipped off to the minors.

In 2009, Buchholz has been dominating while playing for Triple-A Pawtucket. But with Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, Brad Penny, and Dice-K, there was no room on the rotation.

When Dice-K went down, John Smoltz stepped up. So what do you do with the sixth man on the pitching roster?

If you're Terry Francona, you should put him in the rotation. Does this mean that the Red Sox could have a six-man rotation?

It's possible. If Buchholz proves that he has what it takes to pitch at the major league level again, it will be difficult to take him out of the rotation.

Early in the season, there was talk by the fans/media about Tim Wakefield eventually landing in the bullpen, but he's tied for the lead league in wins (with Josh Beckett).

How about John Smoltz? If he's locating his pitches, he's great, which means he will stay on the roster.

How about Penny? There was the thought he might be traded, but that's not going to happen anymore. Lester and Beckett are certainly not going anywhere. Maybe if Dice-K goes to rehab, they can throw him in the 'pen.

Then you look towards August and September. By then, Dice-K will hopefully be back in good form, leaving the Red Sox with seven quality starters. That is if everyone stays healthy.

As usual, the Red Sox have approached the season with their eyes on October. Slipping in April and May and late-slump before the All-Star break mean absolutely nothing at this point.

A few days rest will do the bullpen some good, and they should bounce back from the issues they've had the past two weeks or so. Bay and Youkilis are seemingly heating up again, and Papi seems to be rejuvenated.

Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have improved their starts lately. They seem to be the aces we expected at the beginning of the year.

Smoltz is looking good. Penny is looking good. Clay Buchholz can only add to the rotation.

As far as Wakefield is concerned, his first ever All-Star game should only serve to motivate and inspire him to keep pitching well.

Would this six man rotation work for the Red Sox? It cuts down on the number of starts, and thus, the number of possible wins. On the other hand, would the extra rest make the starters more likely to win?

We might actually get to see the answer to that question.

The Red Sox don't care if Josh Beckett only has the opportunity to win 15 more games instead of 20, and he doesn't either.

No one will care if this method helps win a World Series. In fact, if that happens, six-man rotations might become the new rule in baseball.

Or maybe not.

The big question facing the Red Sox in the second half is a good one; what do we do with our extra pitching? They basically have great bargaining chips that won't hurt the team if they go.

This would not be a bad move on the Red Sox part. This could put them in prime position to make a great run in October, whether they use five or six pitchers in their rotation.

MLB: Looking Back at the Beasts of the East; Second-Half Predictions

Sara Hannon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:07:18 -0400

On March 16, 2009, I made the following predictions for the NL East:

And I said they were the best division in the National League. I also made these predictions about the AL East:

And I claimed they were the best division in the American League.

How have my predictions stacked up so far?

Lets start with the NL East. I picked the Mets to win the division because they beefed up their pitching and looked good. Injuries and bizarre mental mistakes seem to have plagued the Mets. They're in fourth, 6.5 games back from the lead. I also predicted that whoever won the NL East, the second-place team would win the Wild Card.

The Marlins, as I suspected, were going to be good this year, as well as the Braves. They are young, but talented teams. The Braves aren't likely to take the division this year, but the Marlins are only four games out and with the Philly's pitching woes, that's not far enough back.

So, my new predictions are this:

Florida Marlins
Philadelphia Phillies*
Atlanta Braves
New York Mets
Washington Nationals

*I think the Marlins take this division unless the Phillies manage to land Roy Halladay or Pedro Martinez has discovered the fountain of youth. If one or both of these things happen, the Phillies will take the division.

The Mets, Braves, Phillies, and Marlins should stay fairly close to each other throughout the season, but even firing Manny Acta won't help the Washington Nationals.

I no longer believe the Wild Card will come out of this division. The Wild Card will come from the West, and it will either be the San Francisco Giants or the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The second division I delved into was the American League East. My predictions in this division were much closer.

This division has certainly not been a disappointment. Toronto started the season on a hot streak, and though injuries have dropped them to 11 games off the lead, what they did in May and April is still impressive.

The' Rays pitching woes have kept them out of first place, but they are hanging around at 6.5 games behind the lead.

Despite spending enough money to buy a small country, the Yankees pitching staff and bullpen have been inconsistent at best. Wang's been plagued with issues, Sabathia is good, most of the time. Burnett has been less than stellar, and Chamberlain hasn't been great.

But their home-run hitting offense, coupled with the launching pad that is Yankee Stadium, have kept the Yanks in the mix at just three games back.

And despite a rough April and May, and a little rough patch lately, the Red Sox pitching staff has been the best in the division. In the last 16 games that Beckett or Lester have started in, the Red Sox are 14-2, and both are coming off stellar pitching performances.

The offense has slumped slightly, but the balanced batting order can compensate for one player who seems to be struggling.

So how will the second half shape up for the AL East? Roy Halladay is the big bargaining chip that can make a big difference in any team's fate. If the Rays manage to land him, they will certainly make a run at the division.

If the Yankees land him, they could overtake the Red Sox and win. If the Red Sox take Halladay, no team can stand up against the rotation of Beckett, Lester, Halladay, Wakefield, possibly Penny and Smoltz, and maybe even Clay Buchholz.

So the fate of Roy Halladay aside, how does this division stack up?

Boston Red Sox*
Tampa Bay Rays+
New York Yankees^
Toronto Blue Jays
Baltimore Orioles

*This is a close call. If the Red Sox can straighten out their bull pen and get the offense going again, it will be difficult to take this team out. They're built for the postseason, and if they continue the domination of the East, they will be difficult to beat.

+The Rays can out-run the Yankees and the Red Sox, but if they don't get their pitching staff consistently performing, they won't be able to beat them.

^The Yankees offense alone keeps them in this race. Their pitching is questionable, and they've dealt with some injuries that haven't helped. If this offense hits a road bump, though, the Yankees could be in some real trouble.

My final prediction is this: The Wild Card will come out of the AL East.

We'll see in December just how good my predictions are.

Living With Blinders On: Cheating, Points-Shaving and the Mob

Sara Hannon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:16:27 -0400

I was listening to the "Best of the Jim Rome Show" on the radio the other day and I caught his interview with Michael Franzese, a former member of the Colombo family.

This guy was a big time mob guy who, after serving time, has become a motivational speaker. At least, until whoever's left of the Colombo's gets a hold of him. Hopefully that won't happen any day soon, because he gave an eye-opening interview.

Most of us know that the mob was (and probably still is) connected to gambling. And athletes and officials with a gambling problem or a debt are offered an "easy" way out. Just shave a few points, miss a few fouls, blow a few calls to cover the spread, and your money problems are over.

According to Franzese, who enforced the collection of those debts, it was rampant throughout college and professional sports.

That brings up the question: just how naive are we, as sports fans?

You would think in the days of 24-hour sports networks, and a rampant, invasive media-driven culture we'd know all about any illegal actions and any gambling problems of every professional and high-profile college player.

But in the days of Internet gambling and athletes with more money than sense, do we even have a clue how many are involved with stuff like this?

It's like steroids in baseball, we know about the A-Rods and the Manny Ramirezes and the Barry Bonds, but exactly how rampant was the use of steroids and how many players are still using? There are a handful of guys you can look at in the majors today and say "these guys have never and will never use 'roids."

Guys like Derek Jeter, Dustin Pedroia, and Michael Cuddyer, to name a few, have too much respect for the game to use steroids. Hopefully, guys like that are becoming the rule instead of the exception.

But if they were the exception, that means the rule was the steroid users. That's more guys than the Mitchell Report, more guys than any who have come out and said anything, like Jose Canseco, and more records that are quite possibly tainted.

And no one knew this was going on?

If we expand that to other sports, how many Tim Donaghys are there still in the NBA? A foul can change the course of a game and a single game can change the course of a player, team, coach, or franchise. How many of them are out there and why hasn't anyone noticed this before?

The same could be said in college basketball, the NCAA, and the NFL. How many non-calls and phantom calls have been human error and how many have been to cover the spread?

Many NFL fans are still naive, they still have the blinders on. When the Patriots were caught video taping in 2007, many fans believe that New England was the only team unscrupulous enough to do that. Puh-lease. Get a clue. It's a copy-cat league, and whether the action they are copying is legal or not, if it works, other teams will do it.

The only team I can say with some degree of certainty wasn't doing that is probably the Colts. Aside from Tony Dungy, all coaches are that unscrupulous if it means they'll win more games

It seems to me that the sports world still has more questions than answers when it comes to this sort of thing. It all falls under on category: cheating. And the cheating is usually tied to the money.

Players and officials may cheat for money, or to repay a debt they've accrued. Coaches and players cheat to get more wins or more homers or to recover faster from an injury. All of this revolves around the all-mighty dollar.

How long have we been walking around with blindfolds on? And the greatest question of all: how prevalent is it today?

Mismanaged: Joe Maddon and the All-Star Game

Sara Hannon — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:03:16 -0400

Kevin Youkilis was a few thousand votes away from being the starter at first base for the American League. Jason Bay led the outfield in votes, Boston had the most players selected to the All—Star roster by the fans.

So how exactly is it that the five Red Sox that went to the All—Star game had a total of three at—bats, one inning pitched, and four innings in the field?

Tampa Bay, who did not have anyone selected to start, ended up with three players playing a total of nine innings with five at—bats.

That couldn't have anything to do with the fact that Joe Maddon, the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, was manging the AL All—Stars and the Red Sox are 6.5 games ahead of the Rays in the AL East standings, right?

I don't think so.

Last year's epic 15—inning affair, managed by Terry Francona, seemed much more evenly distributed. The starters got one, maybe two times up to the plate, and everyone that could get into the game got playing time.

The game being 15 innings long might have had something to do with it, but the point stands. Terry Francona gave every single All—Star their chance to shine, whether they were a Ray, a Yankee, or an Athletic. It didn't matter; these guys were there to be exhibited, so everyone should get their shot on the field and at the plate.

The AL won. Congratulations. Whatever.

This year's game was a huge disappointment. It was boring, the changes were hard to keep up with because certain players were replaced, while others moved all around the field to make sure they weren't replaced.

I can't complain too much about the pitching; that was handled fine, with the exception of Wakefield. His selection was one of the feel—good stories of this All—Star Game and he doesn't even get to pitch?

Come on! He's 42 and was selected to his first ever All—Star team. Fun fact: there are only two pitchers in the American league with 11 wins. Both made the All—Star roster, neither made it into the game. Beckett didn't play because he just pitched, so that was understandable, but not putting Tim Wakefield in the game?

Maybe I didn't enjoy the game as much because the Red Sox were being pulled away from the spotlight as fast as possible by Maddon. Maybe it was because there were no homers and a lot of cheap hits that are just too ordinary.

I have to wonder; had Dustin Pedroia played, would he have stayed in the game as long as non—starter Carl Crawford or Mark Teixeira?

Judging from last night, I'd say no.

I'm beginning to wonder if the only reason Beckett and Wakefield made the team was that Maddon couldn't find a legitimate reason to exclude them from the roster. His bias would have been too obvious had he left the two 11—game winners off the roster in favor of guys in different uniforms with 10 wins or less.

Honestly, this game doesn't mean much to me personally, but the pride people take in playing in this game deserves more respect than that. It deserves more than a manager playing favorites.

I get that having the pitcher batting makes things difficult, but to not even put Kevin Youkilis, arguably one of the best defensive first basemen in the league, on the field for even one inning is beyond disrespectful to his talent and to the fans.

At the end of the game, I switched sides. I started rooting for the National League, because there was no one left on the field for the American League that I gave a rat's you—know—what for.

I might have been more inclined to stick with my league of choice had I felt it was managed correctly.

But last night, I would have gladly traded home field advantage if it meant that Joe Maddon would lose that game.

Monarch Of The Mound: Jon Lester Shuts Out Royals in a Pitcher's Duel

Sara Hannon — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:32:26 -0400

Both the Red Sox and the Royals were prepared to have a tough night at the plate. What they got was a pitcher's duel that held both teams scoreless until the bottom of the eighth.

This night was all about the men on the mound.

Lefty Jon Lester has owned the Royals in his three (now four) starts against them. He came in with a 1.64 ERA against KC, and brought it down tonight after going 8 innings with four hits, two walks, and eight strike-outs.

He improved to 8-6 on the season and brought his ERA down to 3.87. And no one was more excited than Lester when Pedroia hit his RBI double in the 8th.

It is also interesting to note that three of the four hits given up by Lester were to lefty batter Mark Teahen.

Royals' starter Brian Bannister had his way with the Red Sox, as well. He went seven and two-thirds innings, allowing three hits, one earned run, four walks, and striking out seven.

Lester and Bannister dueled it out into the eighth, holding each other's teams scoreless* (see bottom of article for explanation, this has nothing to do with Barry Bond's home run record) until the 8th, when Dustin Pedroia ripped a two-out double off the Green Monster to put the Sox ahead 1-0.

That would end up being the final score.

Red Sox close Jonathan Papelbon, who has been shakier this season than he's been in recent years, came on and pitched a perfect 9th to complete the pitching clinic.

Both Lester and Papelbon were locating pitches wherever they wanted to, and kept the Royals off-balance for most of the game.

The most impressive thing to come out of the night was Jon Lester's ability to tie up hitters. He was throwing breaking balls, cutters, fast-balls, curves—anything he wanted to. And hitters were tied up, confused, and watching strikes go by all night.

In previous years, and even in previous starts, Lester has had to rely on his cutter and fastball more, so this is a great sign of growth.

It reminds me of what Varitek said after he pitched the no-hitter last year. That was not Jon Lester's peak. Far from it.

We get to watch him grow and develop and mature as a pitcher right before our very eyes. And unlike some teams *cough* Yankees *cough*, many of the Red Sox pitchers are home-grown—they didn't pay a gazillion dollars to take them from another team.

One final note (to explain the asterisk):

*The Red Sox should have been up 1-0 in the 5th, when Mark Kotsay distracted the infield in a run down, Jacoby Ellsbury headed home from third. He slid in safe, very safe, if you watch the replay, but was called out.

Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals: Rematch

Sara Hannon — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:37:51 -0400

Jon Lester (7-6, 4.16 ERA) takes the hill tonight against Brian Bannister (6-6, 3.87 ERA), as the Red Sox try to apologize to their fans for losing a 4-0 lead last night.

The bullpen, which until recently has been phenomenal, has been laying a few more eggs the past few weeks, especially during this home stand. It is almost single-handedly responsible for the Yankees catching up in the standings.

Lester should have a good night against a team he has owned in his last three starts. He has a 1.64 ERA in twenty twoo innings, including the no-hitter he pitched on May 19th, 2008.

Another good piece of news: Bannister is 0-3 with an 8.22 ERA against the Red Sox in his career.

This should be a formula for a win, but in recent weeks, the Red Sox' offense has been mightily underwhelming.

However, David Ortiz is heating up again, and Dustin Pedroia had another three-hit game, proving that the scrappy second baseman will not slump for long.

If the Red Sox can get just a little more offense going, they should easily re-take the lead in the AL East, or at least prevent the Yankees from taking a game from them.

Hopefully, this is just what the bats need. Of the players with more than four at-bats against Bannister, all are hitting above .360 (Ortiz, Pedroia, Youkilis and Drew).

We'll see tonight, as the Red Sox take on the Kansas City Royals, 7:10 p.m. at Fenway Park.

On a lighter note, Royals' manager Trey Hillman's epic moustashe has entertained me at least one night and promises to continue to make me laugh. I can't decide if he just likes it or is trying to pay homage to old school baseball.

The Sound of Silence: Why It's a Good Thing To Fly Under the Radar

Sara Hannon — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:14:45 -0400

Last year, everyone was talking about how bad Jason Varitek was hitting and whether or not the Sox would re-sign their aging and slumping captain. In April and May, everyone was wondering if Big Papi was simply finished. In the offseason, fans wondered just how long Tim Wakefield was going to stay in the lineup.

No one is saying that now.

Tim Wakefield is, deservedly so, and All-Star. He's been the Red Sox's most consistent pitcher this season, the first on the team to 10 wins, and has had very few "bad" games. He has a chance to notch his 11th win before the All-Star break. I'm pretty sure no one even considered that this winter.

I didn't even consider it, and I'm a fan of Wake!

But Wakefield never had any expectations on him. He simply flew under the radar, and was even considered to be the "weak link" in the much-touted Red Sox pitching staff.

Expectations were high for Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K while Penny was the question mark and Wake was the starter, for now, who might get put in the bull pen to make room for Smoltz or Buchholz.

Lester and Beckett struggled in April. Penny's been surprising. Dice-K is on the DL. And Wake has been great. Lester and Beckett have bounced back and are their ace-like selves again, but it is nice to know that the Red Sox have that anchor in Tim Wakefield.

There's something to be said about flying under the radar. No one is talking about Jason Varitek. Why? Because there's nothing to say! He's not getting into terrible slumps, he's one homer and four doubles away from tying his 2008 numbers, his OBP is up and his strike outs are way down. Further proof that maybe last year was a fluke.

Yes, he's getting old, and yes, his stats are going to decline, but this season has been good to Varitek. He's not mentioned in the news unless he has a good night. He's certainly not hitting at a great major league level, but he's batting .243.

He's not an automatic out anymore. And that's why no one is saying a word about him. And that's a good thing.

Same with Papi. Before he hit his first home run, every at bat was scrutinized, every hit brought with it questions of age and bat speed. He slumped through April and May, and then things started to turn around.

Papi hit .320 in June with seven of his nine home runs. And the media coverage of David Ortiz's every at-bat stopped.

Most of the player-focused media has left Boston largely alone recently. Why? Because they aren't a much of a story. The team is playing well, the staff is pitching well, and aside from Mike Lowell returning after the All-Star break and the question of when and if Clay Buchholz will make his return to the Majors, there aren't a lot of questions swirling around about the Red Sox.

Consistency is boring. Consistency does not make it on SportsCenter, usually. Manny Ramirez getting himself tossed from the game does.

The Red Sox certainly aren't flying under the radar. They have the best record in the American League, the first team to have two 10-win pitchers, and are sending the most players to the All-Star game.

Everyone knows they are good, that they have a great pitching staff, a balanced line-up that can hit from the top to the bottom, and a phenomenal bull pen.

But with all that, they aren't making headlines. Headlines are not necessarily good. Do you think all the Dodger players are happy that America is suddenly interested in them again solely because Manny is back?

Do you think the Cubs are happy that everyone is talking about how their new owner way overpaid? Especially when the Cubs are nothing to write home about?

So let people keep talking about Manny and A-Rod and the sale of the Cubs, I am perfectly happy to have my boys make good headlines as a team and stay silent as individuals.

NFL Week-in-Review: A Few Quick Hits on This Week's Headlines

Sara Hannon — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:16:00 -0400

So this week was full of NFL news, unusual considering its only June, but hey, the football-starved fans who no longer have basketball or hockey to distract them are practically rabid for news (why else would so many be following every NFL-associated person's twitter page?)

We'll start off with a little of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

He's working on his rehab, he'll have a better idea by Monday whether or not he can still throw better than the High School kids he practices with. I feel like we are repeating last year all over again, and I don't want to hear another word about the quarterback.

If he keeps up this "I'm retiring" then "I feel I have another season in me" routine, he's going t end up the biggest joke in the NFL, tarnishing his Hall of Fame career. Yes, he will definitely help the Vikings, that's not my issue. My issue is that he's the QB who cried retirement. Next time he does it no one is going to listen.

Next up is Rodger Goodell, the Judge, Jury and Executioner of the NFL, has suspended Donte Stallworth indefinately. Now, Stallworth got 30 days, settled outside of court with the Victim's family, and is on probation for 10 years by pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Most people are up in arms because he killed a guy and only got 30 days in jail. Many people like Goodells move to suspend him because they felt the sentence was too light, but I have a problem with it.

The Commissioner is inconsistent with his punishments. Michael Vick had a very public downfall, so he may never get back in the NFL. This, in my opinion, is ridiculous. Yes, Vick did something very stupid, but he's served his time and he didn't hurt anyone (dogs are not people! It was cruel, yes, but come on people!).

Stallworth was also very public. But he admitted to everything, and settled with everybody. He didn't lie and try to cover anything up like Vick, he seems genuinely remorseful for what was a very bad decision.

For this, though his debt to society will be paid by August, Stallworth may never play in the NFL again. Nor might Vick. Plaxico Burress? His trial has been postponed until after the season, so he can play. How, exactly, is this fair?

I'm all for having tough rules and a strict policy, because these guys are supposed to be role models. I get it, and I like that, but the punishment does not fit the crime, it fits how smeared the NFL's image will be.

When the Patriots were caught with the cameras, Goodell punished them and investigated them, but anyone with a brain will tell you that the Pats were not the only ones doing that (it is a copy-cat league). Did he investigate any other team? Baseball's steroid issue has led to tougher restrictions and testing on every team.

Then, I can guarantee you that if a Steelers WR does something wrong, he'll get punished more severely by the NFL than a Rams special teams guy.

Why? Because the American public cares more about about High Profile Receiver from Pittsburgh than No-name guy from St. Louis. The special teams guy can usually be swept under the rug, but not a high-profile player.

Quite frankly, that's ridiculous. Missing training camp fines you a specific amount, whether you are the face of the franchise or the guy who gets on the field once every three years. Going 10 miles over in a residential area will cost you the same amount of money whether you drive a Camero or a Caravan.

Why isn't the NFL like that? Because one man is Judge, Jury, and executioner. I'd like to see a list of punishments that correspond to crimes. A DUI gets you four games, no matter who you are.

If you get into serious trouble, as Donte Stallworth is, suspend him for 8-10 games, and put him on probation. One slip, one tiny infraction and you are banned from the game forever.

Yes, its strict, but how many NFL players will clean up their acts if they know there's a chance they could lose their jobs permanently? Its time to bring fairness back in to the NFL, and I swear if Burress gets to play in '09 and Vick does not, I will be seriously disappointed in the NFL.

And if you're worried about PETA protesting, I live by their HQ, they built their building on the waterside, destroying plenty of helpless fish and clam habitats. Pot, meet kettle. And I'm pretty sure the majority of NFL fans are not so in to the PETA scene.

A few more quick hits:

Brandon Marshall wants out of Denver. Surprised? Nope McDaniels needs to do one of two things: get rid of Marshall and call it a rebuilding year or make him stay in Denver and take back that locker room.

Come on, you went to Belichick U, get your own hoody and channel your former boss. Add Denver to the Cosa Nostra, be the head of your mob family, you not the consigliere anymore.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bun...Brady are expecting their first child (his second) sometime this winter (most likely during the playoffs). Will this be a distraction or inspiration for the newly-married heartthrob of the NFL? I'm going to go with inspiration.

But hey, look at it this way, when the Patriots get ignored by the NFL network or Sportscenter, you can always tune into TMZ or E! to get news on everyone's favorite power-couple. (seriously, they are moving up on Brangelina)

That's all for this week, don't forget to refresh google news obsessively Monday to see the long-awaited decision from the Quarterback He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

The apparently ageless and indecisive No. 4 will know by then (probably) whether or not he is ready to come back and help the Vikings. I'm sure everyone is just on pins and needles waiting to hear the news.

Crystal Ball: A Look at the 2009 NFL Season

Sara Hannon — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:49:25 -0400

The 2009 season of NFL football looks to be an interesting one. It sees 11 head-coaching changes (many of them new to the job), the Cutler Diva Drama, holdouts, the return of Tom Terrific and the possible returns of Vick and Favre.

With all of these variables, and with roster cuts far in the future, predictions right now are a little premature. But its fun, and, if I happen to be right at the end of the season, I can look back and say, "Wow, I called that in June!"

We'll start with the NFC.

NFC West

This is a difficult division to call, because there are three new head coaches in the division (well, Singletary was interim last year, but...) Here are my picks:

Arizona: I'm giving the division to the Cards because, despite the Super Bowl hangover, they are (right now) the most stable team with the least likelihood of some kind of roster shake-up.
Seattle: Experience and maturity keeps the Seahawks in the mix in this soft division, but that maturity could bring them down if the injury bug bites.
San Francisco: They could possibly take the division or they could lose every game. The 9ers are in a state of flux, because they don't have their starting QB named, and they're still looking at getting him offensive weapons. If it were August, this would be a problem—good thing for them it's June.
St. Louis: After a dismal season, the Rams have made a coaching change and some cuts and trades. I wouldn't look for them to be Super Bowl champs this year, but I would call this year a "rebuilding" one. They look like they're making all the right steps, so it should be an interesting year for the Rams.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons: I like the Falcons because I feel like they have a lot of young talent, good coaching and went through a post-Vick karmic rebirth last season. They are not the Falcons they were under Vick, and even though it's a tough division. I think the Falcons will come out on top.
New Orleans: If they can get the defense to match that high-powered offense and no one gets hurt, the Saints should be a force to be reckoned with. Again, the division is going to be a tough one for any team to outright win.
Carolina: The Panthers are coming off a decent NFL season, but they have to find balance in their offense. They have great running offense and okay passing, but the defense will be the key here. Peppers is unhappy, which causes distractions and may end up causing a trade, which would be very bad for Carolina.
Tampa Bay: I do not have an irrational hatred for all things Tampa Bay, I promise (I still hate the Rays and their cowbells, but I'm neutral on the Bucs). What's the reason why Tampa Bay is down here? It's a tough division, the teams are pretty equal in talent and because of the coaching change.

NFC North

I'm not even going to try ranking these teams. A Chicago Bears with Cutler could take the division. A Minnesota Vikings with Vick in the Wildcat and Jackson under center could take the division. A Vikings with Favre under center could take the division. And the Green Bay Packers with Rodgers are still a force to be reckoned with and they could take the division.

The only thing I feel comfortable picking for the NFC North is this: the Detroit Lions will not win the division.

NFC East

Philadelphia: They made some good offseason moves. They didn't lose anyone too big; they picked up a great WR in the draft in Maclin, and they picked up a coordinator who worked with the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator last year. That is bound to help. I like the addition of another ex-Patriot in Hobbs; he's inconsistent, but the Eagles' secondary is good enough that they won't notice.
(3 or 4) Dallas: The loss of TO is big for the Cowboys. They needed him as that deep threat and to draw the double team. There's also a lot of pressure on them this year to preform, they've been so good and projected to be NFC favorites, and win the Superbowl, but they can't win in the post-season. They are like the NFL version of the Chicago Cubs, only without the championship drought. (For those of you who don't know, the Cubs have now lost 9 straight post-season games. That's three years of being out in the first round.)
(2 or 4) New York: (Or Jersey...) The Giants are still a good team. They have that big distraction named Buruss still hanging around, and they lost their defensive genius to a head coaching job, but they'll make some noise in this division.
(2 or 3) Washington: The Redskins need confidence. They need their QB to have it, their coaches to have it and their fans to have it. The reason I have put the Cowboys, Giants, and Redskins with the possibility of moving up or down the rankings is because all three teams have the talent and the ability to win games, maybe even win the division. The question is, will they reach their potential?

Now onto the AFC

AFC West

San Diego: The Chargers should again be a playoff team. They have the talent, a few injured players returning and a descent off-season. LT may be on the decline, however, so that could shake things up in the west a bit.
Denver: New head coach Josh McDaniels made a splash early in the off-season with the Cutler Diva Drama. It ended in a messy divorce that will hurt the Broncos, but they should still win some games and probably won't have a losing record. (I'm a Patriots fan, of course I'm going to side with Josh and hope he has a decent season, just not better than the Pats)
Kansas City: The additions of Pioli, Cassel, and Vrabel from the Patriots certainly help this team which did pretty much nothing last year. It will be up to Cassel to prove he's not just flash in the pan and new coach Haley to prove that this team can win games. The only place to go is up.
Oakland: I think we have to face one truth in all of this: as long as Al Davis gets to make decisions, the Raiders are screwed. If new head coach Tom Cable can stand up to Davis and avoid being fired, that team has a lot of talent, if not...

AFC South

Like the NFC North, this is a division I just can't make up my mind on. Saint Tony has retired, along with a good bit of the coaching staff. Its gotten so bad that Peyton Manning has actually called them out on national TV. He's clearly frustrated and uncomfortable with what has to be a big change for the Colts. No Rhodes, no Harrison and new coaching may make the beginning of the season tough for Manning and Co. They could win the division or this could be called a "building year".

Between Tennessee, Jacksonville, and Houston, with the talent they have and the moves they've made in the off-season, I don't have a favorite. My gut tells me that it will be one of these three, not the Colts, who wins the division.

AFC North

(or 2) Baltimore: Tough defense, good arm and football IQ for Flaco (trust me, I've seen him play live and its amazing), and a gritty, tough vibe, the Ravens look good. They are my tentative number one, because like the Colts, you can never count the Steelers out.
(or 1) Pittsburgh: The possibility of the Superbowl hangover is looming, the chance that Big Ben takes up alligator wrestling to top his motorcycle accident is there and the Madden curse is just waiting in the wings to claim another victim. Despite all of that, the Steelers are again in contention for division.
Cleveland: This town deserves someone to play well. While I don't think the Browns have any shot at the post-season, I think they will win as many games as they lose this year.
Cincinnati: The Bengals are all over the place, they are getting arrested, not showing up for training camp but showing up on ESPN in LA doing something completely unrelated to football. They are just a mess. And if you think those off-field distractions won't bother their game, wrong.

AFC East

New England: No. 12 is back, Welker and Moss know the offense better this year, they picked up some good free agents and made some good draft day moves to freshen up an aging defense. The loss of Vrabel and the retirement of Harrison does not help, but Rodney Harrison was injury-prone, and Vrabel is past his prime. The additions of Galloway and Taylor are excellent, considering they have three passing weapons, and Taylor can join the Morris-Maroney running back by committee group. Look for them to be the top of the AFC east, and possibly the AFC.
Miami: Ronnie Brown and Chad Pennington will do their best to take the Dolphins back to the playoffs. They could be a wild card team, they could even possibly take the division, but with an entire off-season and hours of film, I don't think defensive coordinators will be fooled by the Wildcat.
New York Jets: (Or Jersey...) All eyes will be on Sanchez this year which is probably not great for the young rookie. I wouldn't look for him to be the post-Favre savior, but as long as he doesn't crack, he should win a few games. I wouldn't look for the Jets to be as dangerous this year, new head coach, new QB, etc., but they made some good moves for next year.
Buffalo: I know, TO is at Buffalo. He'll help them. But you have to remember, the AFC East secondary is used to going up against guys like Randy Moss, they won't be dazzled by TO's ability to catch balls no human should. Sure, he'll help the Bills, and they certainly won't be a bad team, but I think them taking the division is a little far-fetched.

That's all my rankings, premature and slightly-biased though they may be. Feel free to argue!

JMU's Unsigned Prospects and Training Camp: Who Makes it Through?

Sara Hannon — Wed, 06 May 2009 10:38:02 -0400

Of the five James Madison University Dukes who have gone to mini-camps over the past weeks, two have contracts, and one is hopeful.

JMU defensive lineman J.D. Skolnitsky signed a three-year, $1.2 million deal with the Washington Redskins. Skolnitsky was the best prospect exiting JMU for the pros this year, and is likely to contribute to the Redskins defense if he makes the roster.

The second best prospect out of Madison is QB Rodney Landers. Landers went to Tampa Bay with fellow alum Evan McCullough for their mini-camp, and both made a good impression on first-year head coach Raheem Morris.

Landers, though a QB, ran drills at QB, defensive back, and return man. Due to his size and speed, Landers is perfect for a CB/punt returner.

While he has not signed a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they are in talks, and Landers is hopeful to land a contract, though other teams have expressed interest in him. With the Wildcat formation being utilized by everyone this year, teams are looking for that Pat White-esque QB who can do it all.

My prediction? The Bucs sign Landers as a CB or special teams guy, and utilize him in the Wildcat.

While Landers did not receive a contract, Evan McCullough did. He signed a two-year deal as a corner for the Bucs.

There's no word yet on whether Terrence Apted, who tried out with the Redskins, or Marcus Haywood, who tried out with the Saints, have been offered anything.

The Coach's Closet: NFL Coaches Sideline Apparel

Sara Hannon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:53:51 -0400

From 90 degrees and sunny to 9 degrees and snowing, NFL coaches have seen it all, and worn it all. Most of the time a coach's attire will reflect his coaching style, his personality, or both. From the NFL's beginnings, there have been coaches who's fashion sense has made them stand out from the rest. Here is a list of just a few of the men who rule the roost, and what they chose to wear while doing it.

Begin Slideshow

Patriot Games: Bill Belichick and the Draft

Sara Hannon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:16:08 -0400

The draft is tomorrow, and everyone is on pins and needles just trying to guess who will go where in that all-important first round.

Hopeful players are getting food and family together to watch and wait, coaches and GMs are making phone calls, budgets, depth charts, and plans A, B, C, and D (And if you are like Parcells or Belichick, plans E, F, and G.) and fans are anxiously waiting to see who will be that stand-out rookie on their team.

It also means one thing more; the gray hoodie is back.

Bill Belichick, the surly but brilliant coach of the New England Patriots, constantly wears a beat-up, cut-up gray hoodie to games, making him look more like a hobo than a future Hall of Fame coach (for you doubters: three Superbowls in four years, plus a near perfect season, plus his winning percentage, he's in and you know it).

The hoodie represents the dark shroud that is cast over New England, no information gets out, but there is a lot going on that we can't see beneath the hood. It's like the mob, and Bill Belichick is the boss. You don't mess with him, you don't talk about the family to outsiders, and you definitely do not betray the family's secrets.

On Saturday, Bill will figuratively don the shroud and begin to do what he's done with relative success over the past few seasons; draft.

Bill is working without longtime buddy Pioli this year, but you can bet that Bill has always had the final say in everything. So what will happen this year? Will the Patriots use all of their draft picks? Will they trade up or will they trade for players and future picks?

There is only one question there I can answer with any certainty. I would be shocked, absolutely shocked, if the Patriots actually used all of their remaining draft picks in the 2009 draft. Not going to happen.

As for the other options, who knows? Bill has seen some success in the draft, with picks like Jerod Mayo, but also some busts, like with Chad Johnson. He's also traded some draft picks very shrewdly; second and seventh round picks for Wes Welker a fourth round pick for Randy Moss. I would list those as successful trades.

But then the question remains, what will the Patriots do?

With the 23rd pick overall, three picks in the second round, two in the third, one in each the fourth and fifth, and two in the sixth, the Patriots are in a very good position to make improvements.

The aging line needs help. That is clear, they lack depth, and they need another player like Mayo to come in and fall in line. No divas here, that is not the Patriot way. A few eccentric characters, confident players, sure, but divas? No.

Connor Barwin, the 6'4" TE from Cincinnati, seems to be someone to look at. He's Mike Vrabel-esq, which is good, and appears to have the "team first" attitude the Patriots demand. He's not as good on defense, but putting him in to grow under the experienced defensive core of New England could groom quite the player.

Larry English, the 6'2" DE from Northern Illinois is also an interesting choice. He's a good pass rusher with drive, but he may not be quick enough to handle NFL slot receivers.

Clay Matthews, a 6'3" OLB from USC has a lot of potential as a pass rusher and as a 'backer. He needs some work, but a high football IQ and instincts will help him improve.

If course, all of this could be wrong and the Patriots could grab someone else or trade for other rounds.

They clearly need to shore up the defense, though there is still talk of the Julius Peppers trade, and add another back or safety to create competition and plan for the future.

I would look for the Patriots to concentrate mostly on defense, maybe grab a QB in the late rounds, and also try for a versatile, utility player who can play both sides of the ball and has a high football IQ.

This year will certainly be interesting, so during the commercials of the Yankee's-Red Sox game, flip over to the draft and get a glimpse of what is really going on beneath the gray hoodie. Or be like me and have two TVs going at once. Either way, its shaping out to be a very good sports weekend.

Steriods: A Juicy Issue

Sara Hannon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:26:39 -0400

Okay, so now that the steroid talk has somewhat calmed down, I'm bringing it roaring back. This past week, I myself, received a steroid injection. While not anabolic, it did have some serious repercussions.

First, my usually steady, relaxed heart rate jumped to a hamster-like pace and I was bouncing off the walls. Later that night, I began to feel ill. I got on WebMD and began to feel even worse: numbness/tingling all over, throat closing, headache, etc.

At 2 a.m. I arrived at the emergency room, shaking and completely freaking out. Because I was having trouble breathing, I was rushed through and a doctor came to see me almost immediately.

I waited, hoping that he would find out what was wrong and do something to help me breathe. He looked in my throat, and said "You're fine. Your throat is not closing up."

Excuse me? I feel it. I know it is closing up. It took a few minutes of convincing for me to finally come to terms that it was all in my head.

Steroids, including non-anabolic ones, can cause psychosis. Combined with WebMD it caused a panic attack and more psychosis.

After I was given anti-anxiety medication and allowed to heal, I began to wonder, what is the point? I mean, I can't imagine ever willingly putting myself in a position to go through that again, so I wonder: why does this continue to be a problem?

Of course, we know the answer. Athletes are paid millions of dollars and put under a press-driven microscope where every slump and every throw is questioned and analyzed.

But that is no excuse.

They know about the side effects which, as I stated above, are not fun. They know they are illegal, so why the 'roid problem?

What happened to me is funny, what has happened to professional and college sports is not. I'm all for moving on with the season and moving on with life, but this should continue to be something we watch for and something that we, as fans, will not tolerate from our athletes.

Red Sox and Yankees: Rivalry Resumed

Sara Hannon — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:43:39 -0400

The Red Sox/Yankees rivalry is the best in baseball, and possibly the best in professional sports. I was raised to hate the Yankees, I mean, really, really hate them. I have a friend who was raised the same way, only opposite. She was raised to hate the Red Sox.

Why?

Who cares? It's fun! It is certainly not a friendly rivalry, but it is fun to have a "bad guy" to unite against. It's a showdown of good versus evil, the Red Sox Nation vs. the Evil Empire, minor tweaks vs. major, multi-million dollar overhaul.

A rivalry, yes, but most definitely a fun one.

Of course, with this rivalry, things can (and do) tend to go too far. With Joba Chamberlain on the mound tonight, things might get a little interesting.

If you recall from the previous two seasons, there is some bad blood between Chamberlain and Youkilis. Why? Who knows. Fact of the matter is, Joba's thrown at Youkilis four times. Four.

So far, no brawls, but it is getting a little ridiculous. Buzzing a player inside is one thing, it's acceptable, it's part of the game, but throwing at hitters, at their heads, is unacceptable. When Josh Beckett did it earlier this season, it was an accident and everyone knew it. When Joba did it last season, it was no accident.

If he does it again, judging by the reactions last time, there will most likely be a brawl or an ejection, or both.

Tonight, Chamberlain, who went 4.2 innings with six hits, five earned runs, five walks, and four strikeouts in his last start, will square off against Red Sox southpaw Jon Lester. Lester looked much better in his start against Baltimore going seven innings with only four hits, zero earned runs, and nine strike-outs.

While Youkilis's consecutive on-base streak was snapped Wednesday night, he is still making American League pitchers look bad, hitting .429 with an OBP of .522.

In other good news, the Red Sox starters are all now hitting above .200, with Lowell, Youkilis, and Green hitting above .310.

The Yankees and Red Sox kick off their three game series at Fenway tonight at 7:10 p.m., with Chamberlain taking the mound against Lester.

Saturday's game will be at 4:10 p.m. on Fox with A.J. Burnett squaring off against Josh Beckett, who's original start was pushed back a day due to his suspension.

Finally, Andy Pettite will face off with Justin Masterson in the Sunday Night Baseball game on ESPN at 8 p.m.

Boston-Baltimore: Red Sox Sweep the Orioles with a Twelve-Run Rout

Sara Hannon — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:51:44 -0400

It's a good morning when you have a baseball game at 11 a.m. and you have nothing to do all day.

It's even better when you get to see a young guy pull off a show-stopping performance on Patriot's Day of all days. All while thousands of people ran in the 113th Boston Marathon.

Justin Masterson, usually the long reliever/eighth inning/all-around lights out pitcher from the bull pen, got his first start of 2009.

In five innings he struck out three, walked two, and allowed one earned run on four hits, all singles. Not a bad outing, considering he did all that on just 84 pitches. And thanks to the Red Sox very strong bull pen, that one run was the only one allowed all game.

The bats got going in the first, when Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a double. A single from Dustin Pedroia scored the speedy Ellsbury, and a ground out from Baldelli brought in Dustin, putting the Sox up by two.

In the second, Jason Varitek continued with his seemingly rejuvenated swing (it's only a few weeks into the season, but I remain optimistic) and launched a solo shot into the monster seats, where fans were alternating between watching the game and watching the marathon runners make their way through Kenmore Square.

The Orioles scored in the third, and it remained close until the bottom of the sixth. Another RBI single for Pedroia and a triple from David Ortiz made it 6-1, Red Sox.

The bull pen held the Orioles to a scoreless top half of the seventh, and then the Red Sox really got started. The Orioles faced 12 Red Sox batters. Mike Lowell had an RBI double and an RBI single in the inning. Also with RBI singles in the seventh were Ellsbury, Pedroia, and Youkilis.

The best part of today? With the exception of Ortiz, who's average is up to .196, the rest of the team is now hitting above .220. Pedroia got moving, so did Ellsbury, and Ortiz had a good day with two hits, two RBI, and a run scored.

Lefty pitcher Hunter Jones made his major league debut, and pitched a scoreless ninth for the Red Sox, while Rocco Baldelli left the game in the fourth with a mild hamstring strain, and Orioles third-basemen Ryan Freel left the game in the third after being hit by a pick-off attempt from Masterson. He went to the hospital as a precaution, but there is no news yet on when he will return to the Orioles line up.

The Sox now have a five-game winning streak, are back over .500, and have now won their 66th Patriot's Day game, which started with a 21-gun salute from the Minutemen, and ended with a 12-run salute from the Red Sox.

"Wake"ing Up the Boston Red Sox

Sara Hannon — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:06:18 -0400

Wednesday, Tim Wakefield flirted with a perfect game and might have restored the Red Sox confidence in themselves.

It feels as though these first two weeks of baseball, the Red Sox have been trying to start a car. Sometimes the ignition turns over, but it doesn't last long. Maybe Wake's start is the jump they need to really get moving.

It does not help, of course, that they had to face first the Rays, and then the emotionally charged and always difficult LA Angels.

I feel like we need the Hitchiker's Guide to Baseball with a big sign on the back that says "Don't Panic," and we really shouldn't. We've got, what, 152 games left, or something like that?

Looking at the stats for the first two weeks of the season give me hope, however. They have allowed the second fewest runs in the AL East—the Rays have allowed two fewer, but the Red Sox are one of the three teams with more runs allowed than runs scored.

So there is your problem. Well, Dice-K and Lowrie being injured doesn't help either, but truly, the issue is offense.

The Red Sox have just 35 RBI so far this year. That's 27th in the league. Their on-base percentage is ranked considerably higher. Which leads me to one issue: they can't hit with runners on.

While more of the team has moved above .200, Varitek (who's right at .200), Pedroia, Ellsbury, and Ortiz are all still below the .200 mark. Dustin is a traditionally slow starter, so his engine should start going soon, Papi had his first extra-base hit of the season, so maybe that will kick him into gear, and Ellsbury seems to be coming back; he's hit much better in the A's series than the others.

Maybe Wake's brush with history will rejuvenate the entire team. Right now, Youkilis and Bay are on fire. Youk's hitting .472 and Bay is hitting .345, both with two homers.

Varitek's average might be a little low, but of his five hits, two are doubles, and two are home runs. He's hitting for much more power than last year and is tied with the lowest number of strike-outs on the team.

I'm an eternal optimist. So maybe all of this is nothing, and they're going to continue to be below .500 for the first time in years, but somehow, I doubt it. Maybe Tek is going to have another bad year, but what I've seen so far says otherwise.

Maybe Bay won't hit 30 homers, but I think he will. And maybe Kevin Youkilis will slump after the All-Star break, but I have faith.

The Sox return home tonight to take on the Orioles at 7:10. Penny takes on Guthrie, who has looked pretty good in his two starts for the birds. The Orioles are a game back of the AL East leading Toronto Blue Jays. Raise your hand if you saw that one coming.

If Penny can locate tonight, and the bats can get moving, I think the Sox turn it around and get back above .500.

CC Sabathia: It's Not His Fault

Sara Hannon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:41:28 -0400

Yesterday the Yankees trotted out their 140-million dollar ace to wow the lowly likes of the Baltimore Orioles. CC Sabathia, the reason the Brewers were in the playoffs last year, the work-horse who has thrown more innings in the past two years than anyone, Goliath himself, had one really bad day.

But it wasn't his fault.

It was windy, so the pitches weren't going where he wanted.

The crushing weight of being the Yankee's ace was way too tough—he's not used to it yet.

No, that's not it. Those are excuses. The truth is the strike zone was the size of a postage stamp. That's why he didn't have any strikeouts. If he pitched in the minuscule zone, the Orioles would hit it. So he had no choice but to walk five batters.

Again, that's an excuse. It's because there were too many Orioles fans at Camden Yards. The usually Empire-filled stadium was full of too many people rooting for the home team and that really threw him off.

No, that sounds like another excuse. Here's the real reason that Sabathia had such a difficult time and didn't get a single strikeout all game: He doesn't do well in April. If you look at his starts last April, he was terrible.

Yes. He is not good in April. That's why he allowed eight hits and six earned runs in just over four innings for an ERA of 12.46. That is the answer. You see, it wasn't Sabathia's fault, it's April's fault. April is just not his month, but don't worry Yanks, come May 1st, I'm sure he'll do better.

While I respect CC for all that he's been able to do the past two years, now that he's a Yankee, he's in the firing zone, so no mercy, and I look forward to a great competitive year in the AL East.

Red Sox Spring Training Analysis (Part 3)

Sara Hannon — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:15:23 -0400

This is the third and final stats-drive spring training analysis, mostly because spring training is now over. If you haven't read the first two articles, check them out: Part 1 and Part 2. Today we're going to look at J.D. Drew and Jason Bay, our last two position players in the starting line-up, then take a quick look at the Red Sox pitching staff.

Begin Slideshow

Red Sox Spring Training Analysis (Part 2)

Sara Hannon — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:02:44 -0400

A few days ago, I posted an article analyzing the Red Sox and using my stats, I love to predict the 2009 season based on spring training. You can read that article here, if you haven't. This is the second in what will be a series of articles.

Today, I'm going to look at the question marks of the Red Sox: Mike Lowell, Jed Lowrie, and Kevin Youkilis.

We'll start with Mike Lowell, who had offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip.

In Spring Training 2007, Mike hit .170 with 9 hits, 3 homers, and 8 RBI.

In his World Series MVP 2007 Season, he hit .324 with 191 hits, 21 dingers, and 120 RBI.

In Spring Training 2008, he batted .237 with 9 hits, 2 home runs, and 5 RBI.

2008 was a down year for Mike, mostly due to his hip issue. He hit .274 with 115 hits, 17 homers, and 73 RBI.

So, how does he bounce back? He's looked good so far in spring training, and the hip doesn't seem to be bothering him. In spring training this year, Lowell has hit .286 with 9 hits, 3 home runs and 4 RBI.

My prediction for the 2009 season? I think he bounces back to good form, maybe not the year he had in 2007, but pretty good.

I think Mike will hit around .275-.290 (I give him a wide margin because of the injury) with about 150 hits, between 94-100 RBI and probably around 18-20 home runs.

Next we'll look at Jed Lowrie. He'll be the shortstop on opening day, but he'll have to fight to keep the job when Julio Lugo comes back, because the Red Sox don't want $9 million riding the bench.

Lowrie is difficult because he is young, and we don't know what to expect from him yet.

In 2008, he batted .098 with 4 hits and 3 RBI in spring training, then hit .258 with 67 hits, 2 homers, and 46 RBI in 81 games with the Red Sox last year.

So then we have to ask ourselves, how much does spring training really matter? Can it be used to predict a player's performance? The answer is no. It can give a some insight to what a player might do, but the law of averages does not take into account injuries, slumps, and hot streaks.

That being said, Jed Lowrie is a sort of dark horse in 2009. In spring training so far, he's batted .408 with 20 hits, 2 home runs, and 11 RBI.

So how will Jed do in 2009? Good question. I'm going to predict he'll hit around .260-.280, with maybe 80-90 hits. However, if his spring training is any indication of how he'll do this year, he could do much better. It will definitely be exciting to watch.

Next, we move on to Kevin Youkilis.

Last year was the first year that Youk didn't slump a little after the All-Star break. The question is, at 29, can Youk repeat last year's stats or will they take a little dip? Again, this is where all the stats in the world can't predict the answer.

In 2007, Youk hit .375, with 18 hits and 5 RBI in spring training, and .288 with 152 hits, 16 homers, and 83 RBI in the regular season.

2008 was Youk's year. He finished third in the AL MVP race and had a career year in terms of hitting.

In spring training, he hit .297 with 11 hits, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI.

During the regular season, Youk hit .312 with 1678 hits, 29 homers, and 115 RBI.

In 2009, Youk played in the World Baseball Classic, which skews his stats a little.

In the WBC, Youk hit .182 with 4 hits, 3 homers, 9 RBI, and 6 walks.

In spring training, Youk has hit .208 with 5 hits, 1 home run, 3 RBI and 4 walks.

So what does Kevin Youkilis regular season look like? If he doesn't slump after the All-Star break, I think Youk can hit around .285-.300, with 95-100 RBI and 20-25 homers.

Of course, his OBP will be high, as usual, because he's a tough out, and he should be pretty good protection for Ortiz this year.

That's all the analysis for today. Next I'll look at J.D. Drew, Jason Bay, and the pitching staff.

In Defense of Josh McDaniels

Sara Hannon — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:36:42 -0400

Now that Jay Cutler is on his way out of Denver, we have to look at what started this whole ordeal and why it ended in such a messy divorce.

Many people blame rookie head coach Josh McDaniels, but how can you? Maybe he didn't handle the situation as well as someone with more experience. But looking at their stats last year, you can't blame him for going after Matt Cassel.

Here's a few reasons why McDaniels should have gone after Cassel:

1. Josh knows Cassel and knows how he works. I would compare it to someone getting a new job and bringing their old secretary with them because they know each other and how things are organized and how they both work.

It's comfortable, it's a good plan, and would ease some of the transition from offensive coordinator to head coach, probably making life easier on the entire coaching staff.

2. Cassel was better than Cutler last year. The Broncos played in a weaker division, with the Chiefs and the Raiders, their only competition coming from the Chargers. The AFC East had three possible playoff teams the last week of the regular season.

Here are Matt Cassel's stats for 2008 and Jay Cutler's stats for 2008. You compare.

Cassel: 21 TD 11 Int and an 89.4 passer rating

Cutler: 25 TD 18 Int and an 86 passer rating

You might say these numbers are virtually the same, but again, you have to look at the division.

3. Finally, the NFL is a business. They are in the business of winning, and they have the weapons, McDaniels wouldn't have been a good coach if he didn't look into upgrading one of those weapons. He has to look at all the options before just taking what he was given.

So, if McDaniels was not making a bad decision in terms of coaching, then why all the drama? Here's why: Cutler has handled this situation as poorly as anyone could. In Cleveland, Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn hear trade rumors every day.

In Chicago, there is similar QB unrest.

Even look at baseball, Mike Lowell was on the trading block because the Red Sox wanted Teixeira. They didn't get him, and Lowell is fine. All of these men take the trade talk in stride, understanding that it is a business, and their teams have to try and get the best player to help them win.

In fact, most of these guys take the trade talk as motivation, to prove to their teams why it was a good idea to keep them. That's all Cutler had to do. He is supposed to be the leader, and as a leader, you take the punches and turn them into motivation.

You don't whine, ignore the team like a 13-year-old girl sulking after being told "no", you understand its a business, and roll with it.

Jay Cutler would have had a great year under McDaniels, he's pretty good at offense, and he could have put Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal to good work. Now I guess we'll never know.

Red Sox Spring Training Analysis (Part 1)

Sara Hannon — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:57:38 -0400

It's time for a little baseball prognosticating.

I admit to being a stats addict, and as such, I'm going to look at the stats from spring training in 2008, compare them to the stats from the 2008 regular season, and then see what conclusions can be drawn for this season based on this year's spring training numbers.

Whew. Good thing I'm a stats freak...'cause that's a lot of numbers.

We'll start by looking at the captain, and see if his 2009 will be better than 2008.

'Tek hit .320 in 2008 Spring training, with three homers and seven RBI.

In 2008, he hit .220 with 13 home runs and an astounding 122 strikeouts in 131 games.

So far this spring, Varitek has hit .206 with 3 homers and 12 RBI. Maybe the lower spring training batting average bodes well for 'Tek; his 2007 spring training batting average was .108, and he ended up hitting .255 with 17 home runs in 2007.

Prediction: 'Tek will hit somewhere between .229 and .245 for 2009. We'll see.

Next, we'll take a look at Jacoby Ellsbury.

In 2008 spring training, Jacoby hit .209 with 4 RBI and 3 runs scored.

During the regular season, despite slumps, Jacoby finished with .280, 47 RBI, 98 runs scored and 50 stolen bases.

This spring, Jacoby has hit .250 with 8 runs scored, 5 RBI, and one steal.

Look for him to hit around .300 this season, with more runs scored and more stolen bases if he can avoid the slumps. Since this will be (sort of) his third year in the majors, maybe he can avoid the sophomore slump. If he does, Ellsbury will be one of the game's elite leadoff hitters. That, combined with his great defense, should lead to an excellent player.

Now lets look at the AL MVP Dustin Pedroia.

In 2008 spring training, Dustin batted .179 with one homer and four RBI.

By the time the 2008 season rolled around, he stepped up his game considerably, hitting .326 with 17 home runs and 83 RBI.

This spring, not including his brief stint at the World Baseball Classic, Pedroia has hit .370 with four RBI and 10 hits.

Pedroia throws off the stats a little, because so far, he's been a slow starter (he hit .196 in 2007 spring training, then hit .317 for the year). But because of the World Baseball Classic, we don't have all his stats. If you figure them all out, Dustin's spring average is .279—considerably higher than his usual spring training average. That means I have to forget stats and just guesstimate.

Look for Pedroia to do better than his stellar year last year, hitting around the .335 to .350 mark. This may be overly optimistic, but he's got the will and the drive.

That's it for part one. Next, I'll look at Lowrie, Lowell, and Youkilis, and see what kind of years they will have.

Four Big Questions for a Fantasy Baseball Beginner

Sara Hannon — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:08:36 -0400

As I begin my first foray into the fantasy baseball world, I've come up with more questions than answers. Here are a few things I've learned: fantasy baseball is way harder than fantasy football. My fantasy draft is just days away and I have no idea what I'm going to do.

I've spent the better part of a week with the flu, so I used that time to watch 30 Clubs in 30 Days, as well as look at thousands of box scores, predictions, and fantasy advice. But I still have questions. Here are the four big ones I've been trying to answer.

Question One

What's the best strategy? Do you put all your money on the big name guys and have the rest of your team come from late rounds? Or, do you maybe spend more on two or three great players, then take all the good middle round picks to fill up the rest of your roster?

Is it smart to try and take all the good pitchers so you can force trades in your league for better position players?

Here's why this confuses me: in my Fantasy Football league, you go for your QB and your RBs, because they get you the most points, then it just depends on who you want and when they come up in the draft. But fantasy baseball? There are a million different strategies and I have no idea which one works best.

Question Two

How far do you trust your instincts? I fully believe that Jacoby Ellsbury and Jason Bay are going to have phenomenal years. I also expect C.C. Sabathia to get injured or not do as well this year based on the sheer amount of work he did last year.

But he's ranked high in the ESPN draft order and projected to have a great year. Bay ranks fairly high and Ellsbury is not that far down, but then comes the question: if you are not going for a name like Sabathia, do you try and take Bay earlier than he's supposed to go to try and get a better price?

It is all very confusing.

This also applies to currently injured players, like A-Rod. Do you still take him in the draft even though he won't be playing for a while? Or should you wait and try and pick him up as a free agent? (Not that I would ever take A-Rod, but I'm curious.)

Question Three

For our draft, its an auction draft, and we nominate players on our turn. Here's a big strategy question that I just can not figure out. Do you nominate the player you want or nominate someone to make others spend their money.

Like if you want Kevin Youkilis as your 1B, but its too early for him to go, do you nominate Mark Teixeira in hopes of getting your opponents to spend more of their money, thus leaving you with more draft power in the middle rounds, or do you go ahead and nominate Youkilis and hope you don't have to overpay for him?

I did two mock drafts and tried both tactics with mixed results. Sometimes I got the guy I wanted, sometimes I overpaid, sometimes someone else nominated them and the bidding got too high.

Question Four

Homerism. I looked at my team, and I had Pedroia, Beckett, Bay, Lester and Papelbon on my team, and Drew and Masterson on the Bench.

Drew and Masterson I don't mind because if they do look good, or if Drew has another month like he did last June, I can throw him into my outfield, but I began to wonder about the others. Did I pick Beckett and Lester because I think they are going to have a great year, or because they are Boston pitchers?

Papelbon, Pedroia, and Lester were all smart picks, I think. My gut is telling me that Lester will have a better year than last year, and Paps is always good, plus, he's in a contract year, which certainly doesn't hurt.

Pedroia is off to a good start and I think he'll have another great year, he still wants that batting title, so I would count on him having a high average and on base percentage.

Beckett...well, he is a smart choice, but I can't tell if I took him because of his stats or because he's from Boston. The same question applies to Bay. There are a lot of good outfielders in the draft, and Bay is certainly one of them, but was my decision to pass on others based on the fact that I wanted the Boston player?

Like I said, its all very confusing. Although, when I took a close look at my tentative roster, almost all the players I want to draft are from the American League. So not only am I a "Homer" I'm also a league discriminator.

So those are my four burning fantasy questions. If you have any answers for me, leave 'em in the comments section below!

"Wright" Stuff: Team USA Knocks Off Puerto Rico

Sara Hannon — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:16:05 -0400

Team USA finally manages a defeat of Puerto Rico and makes it to the World Baseball Classic semifinals on the back of Mets 3B David Wright.

It was a wild one last night, and one of the best baseball games I've seen in a while. Of course, it has only been spring training, but still, this was phenomenal.

Puerto Rico drew the first blood with a solo dinger off of Ted Lilly in the second, but Team USA responded with two runs of their own, including a huge slide and bad throw that brought David Wright home on a Brian McCann sac-fly.

Kevin Youkilis added to the lead with a solo tater off of Jonathan Sanchez with two outs in the third.

But Puerto Rico wasn't going anywhere. A two-run shot by Carlos Delgado in the fourth (also off of Ted Lilly) evened things up 3-3.

In the sixth, an Alex Rios single with two men on put Puerto Rico up 4-3. They built on teat lead the top of the ninth, when Ramon Vasquez hit one that got by Derek Jeter, allowing the man on second to score and putting Puerto Rico up 5-3 with half a frame left for team USA to stave off elimination.

Shane Victorino led off the bottom of the ninth with a single off of his Phillies teammate J.C. Romero, followed by a single from Brian Roberts. A line-out by Derek Jeter moved Victorino to third. Roberts stole second, and Jimmy Rollins walked to load the bases.

Puerto Rico brought in Fernando Cabrera to relieve Romero and face Kevin Youkilis, their two-run lead in danger of disappearing. Cabrera walked Youkilis on five pitches, leaving the Americans down by one run.

Mets 3b David Wright stepped up to the plate, and on the 2-1 pitch, he hit a bloop double to the right corner, bringing home two runs and keeping the Americans in the WBC.

It was quite a game, and if you missed it, you missed the best baseball game since the Red Sox' ALCS Game Five comeback last season.

The Americans will move on while Puerto Rico returns to spring training. Regardless of how things go from here, Team USA has already outshone the 2006 team. But with players like Wright, Rollins, Victorino, Jeter, and Youkilis (among many, many others), it's hard to see them giving up now.

Team USA will play Venezuela, with whom they split a series with in Toronto, to see who will will Pool Two tonight (Mar. 18) at 7 PM eastern. If you haven't been watching the WBC, tune in now, because things are getting very interesting.

The Beast of the East: Who Wins Baseball's Best Divisions?

Sara Hannon — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:35:46 -0400

It seems like everyone is making their picks for who wins the AL East. I'm going to take it one step further and look at both the AL and NL East, arguably baseball's best divisions.

Lets start in the National League. The East is a powerful division. Will the defending World Champion Phillies again take the top spot? Will the Mets suffer another late-season collapse? Can the Marlins overtake them both? Will the Nats actually look good this year?

Barring major injuries and some fluky miracle season, here are my picks for the NL East.

1. New York Mets (2008: 89-73, 3 GB)

Here's why: K-Rod and J.J. Putz should ease the Mets' bullpen woes, somewhat. It will at least keep them from hemorrhaging so much at the end of games. They have a good offense anchored by David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Carlos Beltran, so the Mets should be able to make the playoffs this year. If they don't, I give up—they must be cursed.

2. Philadelphia Phillies (2008: 92-10, WS Champs)

They kept most of their World Series-winning team together, backed by a great offense with players like Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, and Jimmy Rollins. However, the injury bug tends to bite hard the year after winning it all (look at the Red Sox from last year: same team, new injuries). Look for the wild card to come from the East this year.

3. Florida Marlins (2008: 84-77, 7 1/2 GB)

The Marlins are a good young team on a tight budget and could surprise everyone and take over the East this season. With Hanley Ramirez and excellent pitching, the Marlins are a force to be reckoned with. Look for them to hang around and make life miserable for the Mets and Phillies.

4. Atlanta Braves (2008: 72-90, 20 GB)

Atlanta made some good moves in the offseason with good pitching additions, but a weak offense will have them trailing the Mets, Phils, and Marlins this year. They are young, so look for the Braves to start contending more in a year or so.

5. Washington Nationals (2008: 59-102, 32 1/2 GB)

The Nats are young. I wouldn't look for them to be great this year, but I would expect a better season than 2008. They'll still come in at the bottom of the NL East, but with a much better record.

Now on to baseball's toughest division. The AL East has appeared in the World Series 54 times out of 104 series. Of those 54 appearances, they have won the World Series 38 times. That's a pretty impressive division, and it's only getting tougher.

Here are my (mostly) unbiased picks.

1. Boston Red Sox (2008: 95-67, 2 GB, wild card)

Boston made a few little moves in the offseason that will have a very big impact. "Bargain" additions of John Smoltz, Brad Penny, Takashi Saito, and Junichi Tazawa make a decent bullpen and good pitching staff into a phenomenal pitching staff with a lights-out 'pen.

They have a few young guys to watch, both on the field and on the mound, and have several key players returning from injury in Mike Lowell, David Ortiz, and Josh Beckett. This team came within one game of the World Series last year when they were hurt—now that everyone's back, look for them to retake the East.

2. Tampa Bay Rays (2008: 97-65, AL Champions)

Everyone is still waiting to see if the Rays are "for real." They are. The addition of Pat Burrell certainly helped the Rays, but they may have the same issue as the Phillies: health. In order for the Rays to compete, Troy Percival needs to stay healthy, and the pitching staff is a little lacking in depth.

The key cog in the Rays' wheel is David Price. He came in and pitched well late in the season, but once there's a legitimate scouting report out on him, major league hitters will figure him out. He has to stand up to the pressure and eat up good innings. If not, the Yankees may take back the second spot, and with it the AL wild card spot.

3. New York Yankees (2008: 89-73, 8 GB)

Why, if they spent $400 million on stellar players this offseason, are the Yankees in third? Because they spent millions of dollars on a very small number of players and neglected to give themselves some depth. CC Sabathia ate up a lot of innings last year, many times on short rest. It takes longer than a few months to recover from that and puts you at risk for injury.

A.J. Burnett should do okay, and the addition of Mark Teixeira will definitely help the Yanks, but without much of a bullpen and with starters who don't always eat up innings, the Yanks may find themselves losing games late. Mariano Rivera, great closer that he is, is also approaching 40 and will start to decline.

The Yanks will keep things interesting and be competitive, making things tough for the Rays and Red Sox.

4. Toronto Blue Jays (2008: 86-76, 11 GB)

The Jays, in any other division, would be a playoff team every year. The loss of Burnett could hurt them, but they still have Roy Halladay and a great pitching staff. They are looking for some players to return to form and some young guys to give them a lift, but probably not enough to compete for a playoff spot because their division is so tough.

5. Baltimore Orioles (2008: 68-93, 28 1/2 GB)

Though the Orioles have a young, good offense, their lack of pitching means they will again be in last place in the division. Look for them to do a little better than last year, but with a division this tough, where they have to face the Rays, Red Sox, Yankees, and Jays in 72 games this season, it's going to be a difficult year.

News from the Weekend

The Red Sox locked up LHP Jon Lester for five years and ended talks (temporarily) with OF Jason Bay. Because of his free agent status at the end of the 2009 season and the down economy, Bay decided to wait and see what the market does. He would like to stay in Boston, but not at a cut rate when he could get more elsewhere.

Dustin Pedroia has a minor abdominal strain and will need a few days of rest before resuming baseball activities. The injury is minor and should not affect his opening day status.

The shortstop debate is over for the Red Sox, at least temporarily. Julio Lugo will have arthroscopic surgery on his knee tomorrow and will be out of opening day. Jed Lowrie will (most likely) start the season as the Red Sox shortstop.

Manny Ramirez started his spring training by being pulled from a game due to a hamstring injury. After trying to cut off a double in left field, he felt tightness in his hamstring and was pinch hit for in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The Weekend Wrap-Up: Jon Lester, The WBC, and Boys Being Boys

Sara Hannon — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:06:09 -0400

As I've been watching the World Baseball Classic, which has been highly entertaining so far and which I will discuss in a moment, I've begun to question a staple of the sports world. The butt slap thing.

I'm a girl, we don't do the butt slap congratulations thing, and personally, I don't get it. I mean, isn't a pat on the back much easier?

Me, being an astounding 5' 1", could easily reach these guys' butts, but when you're taller, you have to reach down further, correct?

So I was watching team USA's sixth inning route of Venezuela, due mostly to poor pitching choices on the part of Venezuela, and when Youk came in with a run, when Dunn got his homer, when Youk got his homer after the epic eleven pitch at-bat, as soon as he got around his teammates, butt slaps all around.

I'm just going to put it out there as one of those guy things that we girls will never understand, no matter how much we love sports.

Now that we've gotten the somewhat awkward question out of the way, lets get down to the business of baseball.

As I said earlier, the World Baseball Classic has been vastly entertaining. I've watched most of the games, I was shocked, like most people, when the Netherlands upset the Dominican, and when Australia came roaring back, down by four, to rout the heavily favored team Mexico 17-7 in Mexico City.

Speaking of upsets, as I am typing this, Italy has just knocked team Canada out of the WBC. So now Italy and Venezuela will face off again to see who makes it to round two.

Korea won Pool A in nail-biter fashion, beating Japan 1-0 after losing to Japan 14-2 on Saturday. Australia's win over Mexico was the country's first win in World Baseball Classic history, and it was an exciting game to see.

This weekend was good for hitters, bad for pitchers, as most of the teams are using the long ball to put up huge scores, with four games ending with the winning team in double digits.

And now for a few questions.

For Kevin Youkilis: Is this offensive prowess going to continue throughout the regular season? Here are Kevin's WBC stats: 8 AB 3 H (2 HR) 7 R 3 RBI 9 TB 2 BB 2 SO.
If he kept that up for the season, he'd finish with a .375 average and .500 OBP, and he'd finish much higher than third in the MVP race.

For Chipper Jones: What is going on? In seven at-bats he's had one free pass and five strikeouts. This is not looking good for the man they thought might finish over .400 last year.

For Dustin Pedroia: Does the poor performance at the WBC mean anything? Remember in 2007 when Dustin hit under .200 the first month of the season and then turned out a Rookie of the Year, World Series winning finish?

Besides, Dustin has still come up with two clutch hits and two RBI, hitting from either the one or two spot, which is two more than David Wright has hitting from the five hole.

For Venezuela's Manager: I question the pitching decisions you have made, but after seeing Italy handle Canada, I reserve judgement until after the rematch as to whether or not you made a mistake that first game.

For Alex Rodriguez: Could you maybe not make any headlines for the next week or two so that the sports media can talk about baseball and not your hip surgery, or your marital problems, or your clubhouse manners, or you having juiced, or your cousin who gave you drugs.

Seriously, that list is ridiculous. I'd much rather be kept up-to-date on injuries, contract signings, and young guys making a splash at spring training.

No offense to A-Rod here, I know the press blows these stories way out of proportion and beats them into the ground, but still.

Finally, on to my favorite Southpaw. Rumors have been flying around all weekend about a five-year, multi-million dollar contract the Red Sox have on the table for young lefty Jon Lester. This will be the third farm boy the Sox will attempt to sign to a long-term deal this year, as both Pedroia and Youkilis were locked up in the offseason.

The Sox discussed a long-term offer with their eccentric closer Jonathan Papelbon, but only managed a one-year deal, avoiding arbitration.

Though Lester has not yet signed the contract, the Sox will most likely come to terms with him and Papelbon either this year or next.

Here's one last thing to leave you with. Picture day always produces a few funny moments, and here are the Red Sox outtakes. Enjoy.