Bleacher Report - Articles by T.J. Morrill

A Look at the Dolphins Defense without Jason Ferguson

T.J. Morrill — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:49:39 -0500

As many of you are aware, the Miami Dolphins have lost Jason Ferguson for the rest of the season.

This hurts almost as bad as losing Ronnie Brown two weeks ago, as now the Dolphins have lost key players on both sides of the ball.

Ferguson was an important part of stopping the run at the nose tackle position and was a key for getting pressure on the quarterback (even though Paul P. doesn't seem to care about that).

This means that third year defensive lineman from Utah, Paul Soliai, will be playing nose tackle for the remainder of the year.

I haven't seen much from the young Soliai, but the Dolphins better hope he steps up big because they need him more than anyone right now to fill the A-gaps successfully.

This is also going to put pressure on the line-backing corps to make first hit tackles, something the Dolphins' defense has struggled with all season long. To become more than just a good team, the defense needs to learn how to stop big plays by executing tackles properly and not giving up yards after contact.

More pressure is also put on the secondary to lock down receivers and tight ends. The play of the secondary has been another struggle for the Miami defense throughout the year, as long passes have plagued Miami from the start of the season.

We all remember the defensive failures against Indy and New Orleans right?

To keep the Dolphins in the playoff hunt, the defense must execute. It is plain and simple. They must wrap up ball carriers and cover receivers down field. Paul P. has also got to be more aggressive and attack the line of scrimmage. When the defense lays back and is less aggressive, they seem to get lackadaisical, giving up big plays and failing to execute.

Let's also not forget that the key to stopping any passing attack is to limit the time the quarterback has to throw the ball. Pasqualoni seems to have forgotten that over the course of the season. Against the Saints, when Brees was pressured in the first half, the Dolphins only allowed 10 points, but when the Dolphins laid back in the second half the Saints scored over 30.

The Dolphins need to be aggressive and attack the line of scrimmage while also maintaining their assignments and not allowing anyone to break free.

Miami Dolphins Refuse to Sink

T.J. Morrill — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:14:59 -0500

Two wins in five days have brought the Miami Dolphins back to the .500 mark. The team has shown promise as they look to make another miracle run at the playoffs.

What makes the last win so impressive is the big story with Ronnie Brown.

Brown is out for the season now with a lisfranc fracture in his foot. Many were wondering what would happen with the wildcat, and the offense as a whole.

Let me tell you, although the Dolphins utilized the wildcat and Ronnie Brown a lot this year and last, they do not need the formation nor did they ever solely rely on it.

I hate seeing someone like Brown go down but I'm glad to see our beloved 'Phins moving the ball with a conventional offense. This team is capable of winning games without Brown.

Don't get me wrong, I love Ronnie Brown as much as the next Dolfan. Still, while he's useful and beneficial to have out there, he is not necessary to win games.

The key is that the Dolphins are very deep at the tailback position.

I know Brown is arguably one of the best backs in the NFL but look at how Ricky Williams ran against the Panthers and the Buccaneers. He's outstanding.

Age is just a number and Ricky is proving it. He's continued to take excellent care of his body and still has the ability to be an elite runner in this league.

Lex Hilliard also showed us what a strong runner he is on Thursday night. This guy shows promise, and I'm amazed he hadn't played a snap all year (yes I know he played special teams) with how strong he is. Hilliard always keeps his legs going and we should expect to see plenty from him in the future.

Let's not forget that lead blocker either, Lousaka Polite put the hurt on some Carolina defenders and he is a surefire first down option on short-yardage situations.

Wow, did the defense step it up on Thursday. I know they didn't shut Carolina out but less than 20 points is a great accomplishment the way the defense has been playing all year.

They proved one of my favorite defensive points, that playing aggressive makes you better. So much pressure was put on Jake Delhomme that it helped the DBs and it benefited the middle linebackers. Maybe Paul P. has finally figured it out.

The pass defense took a tremendous step forward and kept from giving up the long touchdown passes that have plagued the Phins all season long. The run defense gave up some big yards but for the most part did a pretty good job after the first quarter.

Much of the credit on offense goes to the lineman.

Although an epidemic of cramps swept through the line on Thursday, they kept going and real props have to go to Nate Garner for playing four different positions including center.

Garner played left guard, right tackle, center and tight end in the wildcat. Great blocking job as Chad Henne rarely got hurried and Williams was able to run the ball efficiently.

As a whole, I see this team making a run. I don't know if they'll make the playoffs or not but they are certainly capable.

The running back position is deep now even with Patrick Cobbs and Brown out for the season. The Dolphins remain a strong running team, with much of the credit going to the line though.

Ted Ginn is finally finding his hands and maybe will be more of a factor in the upcoming weeks. The pass game doesn't put up the same astronomical stats the Patriots or Colts put up week in and week out, but it's looking a lot more efficient of late.

The Miami defense is making strides in the right direction while finally being able to defend the pass attack.

I really think all these factors are swinging the Dolphins' momentum in the right direction down the stretch of the NFL season. With a tough road ahead of them, a playoff birth is a long shot, but we've seen crazier things (like the Lions winning) happen right?

Dolphins-Panthers: Miami's Offense without Ronnie Brown

T.J. Morrill — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:33:24 -0500

With Ronnie Brown out, the Dolphins will need to find ways to move the ball other than the Wildcat with Brown as the focul point.

If they want to use the Wildcat Ricky Williams is going to have to be the one taking snaps. I know Ricky is not Ronnie but he is still a great runner. The only problem is that instead of sitting back and improvising like only Brown can do, Williams will probably have to use designed plays and blocks more than Ronnie usually does.

Ricky and Ronnie are both great runners but they are two entirely different types of runners. Ronnie usually is patient and waits for something to develop so he can burst through the hole and get open space.

Ricky goes where he's supposed to and hits the gap with conviction, which is the reason he's not quite as effective in running the Wildcat.

The unconventional formation has shown some success with Ricky taking snaps though. Ricky could very easily break some big runs out of the Wildcat but we won't be seeing it as often as we have in the past.

While they can't completely dismiss the Wildcat, the Dolphins need to make sure they get their conventional attack going to minimize the loss of Brown.

It hurts that Patrick Cobbs is out for the year because this is the time Miami needs him to be a threat on the end-around out of the Wildcat. Sure Lex Hilliard could be a good runner but we just haven't seen enough from him to know what his strengths are.

What will most likely take the place of the Wildcat in the absence of Ronnie Brown is the Pistol, or the "Wildpat," which features QB Pat White.

Yes the Dolphins need to ask for more out of the rookie from West Virginia. White will definitely need to step it up and maybe complete a few passes against the Panthers.

The option will be key out of the Pistol in keeping the defense off balance. Instead of relying on Ronnie's intelligence in the backfield, the Dolphins will need to keep Carolina looking at White and guessing what he might do.

Lex Hilliard will need to prove himself as a runner this week too. He hasn't been utilized at all offensively for the Dolphins but now is the time for him to show what he can do as I'm sure Ricky won't carry the full load.

Offensively, the Dolphins need big games out of White, Williams and Hilliard to beat the Panthers.

Why the Dolphins Aren't Winning

T.J. Morrill — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:03:32 -0500

The Dolphins are off to a rough start to say the least.

Their two wins over the Jets and a victory over the lowly Bills stand as the only successes of this season.

With a 3-5 record at the midway point, I have given plenty of thought as to why the Phins are losing—especially in games where they own the ball for 45 minutes or lead by 21 points.

There are three main reasons I believe the Dolphins aren't winning games, and I will begin with the most obvious.

Lack of Receivers

Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess have been the most consistent wide receivers the Dolphins have had on the team so far this year.

Sure they both have pretty good hands, but neither really presents a big play threat or gets open regularly enough to be a favorable target for Chad Henne.

Ted Ginn Jr. has been the biggest disappointment, as he has had a case of stone hands. He just can't catch anything (except a kick).

It's amazing how many games could have been won that haven't because of a dropped pass or two, not just from Ginn but also from the likes of Anthony Fasano and Brian Hartline.

When your receivers can't catch and can't get open, there is a serious problem with your offense. It prevents big plays from happening and makes the team one dimensional.

While a run game is extremely important to any team, it can't do anything if defenses don't have to respect the pass.

Play-calling

Paul Pasqualoni has been horrid as a defensive play caller.

His concepts are respectable, but it seems when something begins to work he stops doing it.

I don't know if any of you readers have noticed, but when the defense is aggressive and attacks the line of scrimmage with blitzes and whatnot, the defense plays better as a whole.

For example, against the Saints there was the perfect formula to stop that explosive offense and the Dolphins nearly held them to just three points in the first half.

There's been a common trend though: after the first half they try to make too many adjustments it seems. They come out in a protective, "don't blow it" mentality instead of continuing to attack and destroy the opposing offense.

The same is true of the offensive play calling.

I love—and I mean love—Dan Henning's playbook and schemes, but his play calling is indeed questionable. When the running game is getting into a groove he starts trying to pass the ball to the unreliable receivers instead of continuing to pound it down his rivals' throats.

The toughest part of it all is that neither of these strategies work. They haven't worked at all, but they continue to do it the same way.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting better results is not the way to do it.

Irresponsible Clock Management

Tony Sparano is a great guy and I think he has the team headed in the right direction.

But in games his use of timeouts (yes, I know sometimes it's Henne's fault) is bizarre, and the clock management at the end of halves is terrible, because they don't have two or three timeouts, they have zero or one.

If any of you remember the Colts game—which is one all Dolphins fans wish to forget— the hurry-up offense was horrible, and Miami couldn't get into the red zone even with almost four minutes.

This not Sparano's fault. As far as I know it's the players being sluggish and not hustling the whole way.

Then, of course, some of it is the aforementioned play calling. Ehen you come out in the second half and throw on five out of six plays—resulting in two three-and-outs—not only do you give up the ball but it stops the clock. That's why the Saints had enough time to come back against the Phins.

Can the Miami Dolphins Make a Comeback in the AFC East?

T.J. Morrill — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:51:30 -0400

It was a wild night in Miami. Monday Night Football against the Jets. The Dolphins started 0-3 but now it looks like the Dolphins are right back in the thick of things at 2-3 and only one game out of the division lead.

Chad Henne has taken control of this team in the absence of Chad Pennington and the Dolphins look like they might still have a fighting chance in the AFC East division after winning two divisional games in a row.

Right now the offense is firing on all cylinders. The number one running offense in the league is on a roll with Ronnie Brown just taking control and finding holes to run through, such a dynamic player coupled by Ricky Williams in the backfield is making this offense look dangerous and they could pose a serious threat to any team they face.

Chad Henne is taking control in the huddle and he's been a sharp shooter, in his second start he went 20-26 (completion percentage over 70 percent) with two TDs and a 130 plus QB rating.

It looks like Henne has taken a page out of Pennington's book though as he has protected the ball like none other, no picks and no fumbles in his first two starts. Ted Ginn Jr. also seems to be finding his hands as he was extremely reliable for the first time this year.

The defense has some work to be done but still there's talent a plenty on this Miami team. A top running defense has been stout and able to keep anybody from running all over.

The pass defense is where the work needs to be done as too many big plays have been allowed (with the help of the officials on Monday Night) which cost a big game with the Colts in week two. With even a 15th ranked pass defense the Dolphins could be 3-2 instead of 2-3.

We'll have to see but I'm predicting an exciting rest of the year for the Dolphins with a lot of tough games coming up the Dolphins have little room for error as they will take on the Saints, Jets, and Patriots after the bye week this week.

Dolphins fans believe there's still hope left for this young season.

Miami Dolphins Football: What's Happened to the 'Phins?

T.J. Morrill — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:04:40 -0400

Unfortunately, things look over already for our beloved Dolphins. I don't want to draw any conclusions yet but things certainly don't look good.

Let's begin with the offense. Chad Pennington is down and out, leaving the inexperienced Chad Henne under center. The one thing that the offense prided itself on last year has not been done, turnovers hurt the Dolphins in Week One and this week, especially by the goal line. As coach Sparano said "That is a sin!" They don't take advantage of opportunities and they keep settling for field goals. This is just overall frustrating.

The defense. Oh boy, what happened here? Stop the run, get a sack and give up third and long. Can't be doing that. Too many gigantic plays are being allowed. It's tough to win when your defense constantly gives up 50-yard plays. Only one takeaway in three games can't happen either. Not only is the offense not helping the turnover margin, the defense can't take advantage of opportunities either. Too many times has a pickable pass slipped through someone's hands or left alone.

Last, but certainly not least, on my list of problems with the Dolphins this year is the coaching staff, particularly its play calling. Drive 94 yards running the ball, use the wildcat, and then pick up yards in the red zone. Hell, let's throw the ball because we all know we can't run the ball consistently.

Dan Henning is trying to be too creative and too tricky. If they can't stop it, keep doing it. If you feel like it, run the wildcat all game or run the no huddle all game; our opponents haven't been able to stop either of them.

The defensive play calling I suppose isn't as horrible, or at least not as blatant, but one thing: if you're playing man by the goal line, keep a spy linebacker to watch the quarterback that was a real glaring mistake.

How to fix it? I don't know how, I'll be honest, but I will point out four things that need changing in my conclusion.

Number one, no more turnovers. Number two, keep doing what works. Number three don't blow coverage. Number four, get into the end zone, don't kick field goals.

Anything can happen, although I don't expect a miracle from the Dolphins this year. Nevertheless, I will continue to analyze their play.

Joe Girardi Has Ruined the Chemistry in the Bronx Bullpen

T.J. Morrill — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:49:16 -0400

At the very start of the year we all thought this could be one of the best bullpens in baseball. With the likes of DeMaso Marte, Jose Veras, Brian Bruney, and Mariano Rivera, this should've been a lights out relief corps.

Unfortunately, the few blunders Girardi made along with some iffy pitching coaching from Dave Eiland has seemed to just throw this whole bullpen out of whack.

For the first time in his career against the Rays on Thursday Mariano Rivera gave up back-to-back home runs. That is not like him.

The injuries I would place the blame on Eiland because he needs to be keeping these guys consistent with low-risk mechanics which he's not doing one bit for them.

Girardi though has made enough questionable decisions not only for us fans but for the bullpen to even question it's own reliability which has ruined the confidence in that bullpen which is evident when players are constantly walked over the pitchers fear of challenging a hitter.

My proposal is that the Yankees get rid of Girardi and see how far Tony Pena can take them, once the season is over there are two options.

1: Pena does a great job takes the team into the playoffs past the ALDS and is kept as the new Yankees manager.

2: Pena stinks or just comes short and we decide to either bring Willie Randolph to the Bronx or see if Mattingly will forgive the club for getting the management situation wrong.

I am just too fed up with this bullpen and I believe Joe Girardi's bullpen management is the ultimate cause of the collapse of this once illustrious bullpen.

Melky Cabrera Proves His Worth

T.J. Morrill — Fri, 01 May 2009 10:45:35 -0400

More empty seats down low, but the Yankees found some late game energy nonetheless. A.J. Burnett got off to a rocky start but put together a solid seven inning, four—run performance.

Going into the eighth inning, the score was tied at four with the Yankees coming out swinging. After an intentional walk to Nick Swisher, Melky Cabrera proved his worth again and drove in the go—ahead run.

Ramiro Pena also achieved his first two major league RBIs with a double to give the Yankees a little insurance.

It appears the initial decision to start Brett Gardner in center was the wrong choice as Melky Cabrera continues to hit, showing that he is the center fielder for the time being.

Does Gardner have a better glove?

Probably. But at the major league level, whoever has the best glove isn't as important because all of them are pretty good fielders. Notice every player's fielding percentage is in between .970 and 1.000. That's pretty good, folks—not a lot of errors.

Melky is truly the center fielder this year. Hopefully we see this from Cabrera all year long and not the lazy arrogant young kid we saw last year.

Gardner should definitely get his playing time where it's due, but Melky has earned his spot now.

With the Youngsters Lighting Up What Will Become of Chien-Ming Wang?

T.J. Morrill — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:23:08 -0400

After Joba Chamberlain's magnificent performance against the Tigers a thought that I had been having the last few days entered my mind once more. What will happen to the once great Wanger?

Assuming Hughes continues to overachieve like he did in his last start. When there's no reason to take young Phillip out of the rotation from Wang's spot. There's no easy way to handle it and the only right decision would be to leave Phil Hughes in Wang's spot.

Taking a look at Joba if he keeps up the good work he's been doing. That also presents a problem with the Wang situation. Who goes where? What happens to who? If Joba keeps it up I don't see a reason to take him out either except for maybe the fact that he could just go help out the bullpen as they almost blew his win last night.

Of course this all depends on how Wang's recovery goes. If Wang's recovery goes well and he looks on fire in a spot start or in AAA he could find himself back up the majors but I don't know how this is going to look.

If the recovery doesn't go well then Hughes and Joba will probably remain in the starting rotation.

I do however think that Joba still belongs in the bullpen, having quality relief pitching is much more important than your fifth starter.

If I had it my way then Wang would come back great, Hughes would stay in the rotation and Joba would be in a relief role once again. Let's not forget how dominant Joba can be out of the bullpen and what Wang and Hughes are capable of.

Phil Hughes: Making a Case For the Yankees Starting Rotation

T.J. Morrill — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:15:51 -0400

Coming off of a four-game losing streak, including a sweep by the dreaded Red Sox, the Yankees needed a spark. With Wang off the team (for the time being), they needed someone to step in and pitch like a man.

Enter Phil Hughes.

A dominating performance by Hughes took him six innings with no runs. Had it not been for the long 10-run inning his team gave him, he very well could've gone seven.

I had said from the start of the year that Phil Hughes deserves a starting spot—this could be his year to be the top-notch young pitcher he is expected to be.

When I watch Phil Hughes pitch, he just amazes me. He has disgusting stuff, like his absolutely filthy curveball and his newly added cutter that we saw last night. He made a major league veteran in Placido Polanco bail out of the box on a strike. You don't see that too often.

Not only is his arsenal just dirty, but he knows how to hit his spots and listen to his veteran catcher for pitch selection. As all of us should know, dirty stuff only matters if you know how to use it, and boy, does Phil Hughes know how to use his stuff.

If he continues to pitch like this, I see no reason to take him out of the rotation. Will every game be a shutout? No. The fact is, though, he has earned his spot over the last couple of years and if Wang doesn't get back on track and Joba turns it on, the Wanger could find himself out of a job or a just a long relief man.

Phil Hughes deserves that starting spot and really makes me anxious for the future of the Yankees.

How Pat White Will Mix Up the Wildcat in Miami

T.J. Morrill — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:45:15 -0400

In the second round of the NFL draft, the Miami Dolphins selected Pat White. At first this brought shockwaves to me, thinking that they made a horrible mistake, but now that I think about it, he could be used in several ways to create a mind-numbing offensive attack.

Let's assume he takes snaps from the Wildcat. This greatens the pass threat and will keep teams like the Ravens from sneaking their safety up in there to blitz. With the Chad Pennington end around still an option, he could give the end around and then go out for a short pass.

Let's assume Ronnie Brown is still taking snaps from the Wildcat. Now there are two end around passing options, with one having the ability to run or catch. Pat could very easily be adding to the deep threat of Ted Ginn with the Pennington end around.

This just adds one more great mix-up in this Wildcat offense. However, I want to also consider the base offense.

When the Dolphins are using your basic I-formation and singleback formation, White can be used as a receiver along with Ginn, Davone Bess, and the other rookies (depending on who makes the team) and could very well find himself a slot job or a fourth receiver job.

What else can Pat White do? How about trying him out in the return game? White has the speed and the catching ability to be taking kicks and punts too—maybe it's worth a try.

If White does make the team, as would be expected, look for an even more dynamic offensive scheme with the Wildcat formation. So many possibilities are now out there to baffle and disrupt the defense.

Jacoby Ellsbury Steals Home: How Did the Yankees Let It Happen?

T.J. Morrill — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:59:50 -0400

Among the obscurities of baseball—the knuckle ball pitcher, the unassisted triple play, the suicide squeeze, and perfect games—lies one that is just baffling: stealing home.

Just how does a team let it happen?

Here are three keys to the rarest of thefts:

1. A Left Handed Pitcher Must Be on the Mound

This is the first key: A lefty can't see third without looking over.

There's still no excuse for letting a runner on third get a lead big enough to think about swiping home. I don't care if you have to turn around—don't allow anybody to get that far off the base, and if someone tries, pick him off!

2. A Sleepy Catcher Must Be behind the Plate

An alert catcher who is aware of the whole field eyes the would-be thief at third and decides, "No way, he ain't going anywhere" regardless of a tremendous lead.

Again, when you're a catcher and you see movement down the line, do something about it.

Stand up and get a high outside pitch to tag the runner. Be ready to turn when you see the runner in motion.

3. The Third Baseman Must Be Awfully Quiet—Not To Mention the Rest of the Infield and the Bench

Shout.

Yell.

Do something to let the pitcher and catcher know the runner is going.

You do it when he steals second. The third baseman should notice when a guy is breaking for home; so should the bench and the first baseman.

Help out your battery to get the runner out.

Hell, the outfield should be paying attention too.

There is no excuse for any team to allow a straight steal of home plate.

It's inexcusable—the ball is headed there anyway.

My beloved New York Yankees let it happen Sunday. It was complete and utter ignorance on the part of the team to let Jacoby Ellsbury fly into home unnoticed.

Unforgivable.

The Blunder Chronicles: Yet Another Joe Girardi Bullpen Rant

T.J. Morrill — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:45:52 -0400

When is Joe going to learn how to manage the bullpen? I'm starting to think Don Mattingly should absolutely be the Yankee manager at this point. Too bad he's with Torre in L.A. now.

Looking at the first two games of the Red Sox series (especially the first one), I can't help but wonder what's going on here. In the 11th inning after getting Ortiz out why is Marte still in the game? Let's be honest; he is typically a specialist (even though I hate that kind of management) and is not fit to pitch two innings.

If I do recall correctly, Edwar Ramirez was still available, as was David Robertson. Why would Joe Girardi not bring in one of the two to finish the inning? Every game with Boston is a must win game and this cannot continue to happen.

The second game, I don't know what to say about the pitching, maybe this one wasn't all Girardi's fault but once again what is going on Girardi's head? Veras, Coke, and Marte all pitched the night before and they were turned to again before the likes of Robertson and Edwar.

These aren't as big of blunders as the ones earlier in the year but they are inflated due to the stage it's on. Yankees vs. Red Sox is not the time for this.

If continual bullpen messes arise, I would think Joe Girardi should be gone after this year, especially if they once again fail to make the playoffs. To make matters worse, Bruney is hurt and on the DL. Will anything go right for the Yankees?

Yankees-Red Sox: The Rivalry Returns

T.J. Morrill — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:13:49 -0400

The greatest rivalry in sports is set to kickoff this week as the Yankees battle the Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston. Both teams come in with a 9-6 record, tied for second place in the American League East.

Who will win the first matchup of the season? Let's take a quick sneak peek at the action. Let's begin with the starting pitchers.

Joba Chamberlain vs. Jon Lester

Both teams come in with struggling starters. Joba Chamberlain holds a 5.06 ERA while Jon Lester is at a surprising 5.50 ERA.

They are two young guys with a lot of talent. I expect both of them to suck some air out of those inflated ERAs. Two good, but not great outings; this one could go either way.

Let's talk batting lineups

The Yankees and Red Sox both boast a lot of power with the likes of Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, David Ortiz, and Kevin Youkilis. Be ready for some sticks to come out in this series. As I expect some solid hitting from both teams.

Bullpens (where games are won)

Unfortunately, it looks like the Red Sox will have the edge after that 14 inning game the Yankees finished against the Oakland A's. It looks like Jose Veras, Phil Coke, and Edwar Ramirez are not available, but look for Brian Bruney and Mariano Rivera late in a close game, matching up with the duo from Boston: Okajima and Papelbon.

In what should be a hard fought game I am looking to see a Yankees win in a tight one, 4-3.

Hideki Matsui: Godzilla's Future in the Bronx

T.J. Morrill — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:03:57 -0400

It looks like Hideki Matsui is starting to find his swing. He went 2-for-3 against the A's with a walk on Tuesday. What's Godzilla going to bring to the table in the future, though? Will he forever be a Yankees DH or will he find himself playing left field or DH for another team?

First off, I am one of the biggest Matsui fans out there. I love watching him play, and he's got the greatest nickname in the world. "Godzilla," however, is losing power, is aging, and just might not be what he used to be.

Hideki's knee injury has certainly slowed him down as well. I thought he was going to be traded this last year, and I was relieved that I'd still be able to see one of my favorite players stay on my favorite team.

I've thought for a long time, though, that when he got older that maybe he would become trade bait and make way for some new prospects or relief pitchers to come in from another system.

Now that I look at the Yankees as a whole, it's apparent that he belongs in the Bronx, even when Xavier Nady and Alex Rodriguez are back. He's still a serviceable DH and has been one of the most clutch hitters I have seen through the Yankees' World Series drought.

Not only could Matsui be a serviceable DH for a few more years, coming on and off the bench, but he could be one sweet pinch hitter. Even if, say, there's a lefty-lefty matchup going on, Matsui has still historically hit lefties better than righties and could work very well from that role.

Why trade Matsui? The only scenario I could see is trying to get some prospects or relief pitchers. Unless Al Qaeda attacks Scranton and Trenton, I don't see a problem here. The Yankees have young talent in the forms of Juan Miranda, Austin Jackson, Ramiro Pena, and a few other position players you could name.

Pitching prospects such as Phil Hughes, Alfredo Aceves, Ian Kennedy, and switch-pitching Pat Venditte are all in the minors and could be serviceable pitchers in the future.

Relief pitchers? Well, we may need some help there if Jose Veras and Damaso Marte continue to get shelled. Otherwise, I see no reason to ditch Matsui after or during this year unless it's some ridiculous deal that brings the likes of Prince Fielder to the Yankees.

I know Matsui is only batting .235 so far, but consider this: Even with that average being very low for him, he's still maintaining a .409 OBP, which means he knows how to work a walk and find his way on.

Does Matsui have a future in the Bronx? Absolutely.

New York Yankees: My Assessment of the Yankees so Far

T.J. Morrill — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:40:47 -0400

Now that the first two weeks of baseball are finished, I thought I'd write my assessment on our beloved Yankees so far in this season, which is when I watch the most baseball because of my own baseball.

Let's begin with the starting pitching:

CC Sabathia: Got off to a rocky start but his second start was fantastic and his third one maybe a little short but he definitely deserved the win.

Chien-Ming Wang: What happened? We can't keep letting this guy out there I know he's been great in seasons past but a 35 ERA is just inexcusable.

A.J. Burnett: Perhaps the most consistent starter out of them all. He's had three solid outings and currently boasts a record of 2-0 with an ERA floating around three.

Andy Pettitte: Looks like he's ready for a bounce back season as his previous two starts have been great, him and Burnett both have shown great consistency.

Joba Chamberlain: The only problem I see here is that he isn't going deep enough into games but that's more to blame on his short pitch count leash trying to keep him healthy.

Next let's go to the bullpen:

Mariano Rivera: Great closer, looking to have another fantastic year, already looking strong.

Brian Bruney: I think we found our setup guy, he's been one of the few bright spots in this Yankees bullpen.

Jonathan Albaladejo: The only other bullpen guy showing any kind of consistency along with Bruney and Rivera.

Jose Veras: He was an early candidate for the setup job but his control issues have proven brutal, I don't care how nasty his stuff is he has to throw strikes, walks kill.

Phil Coke: Been the best lefty in the pen so far but is still a hit or miss guy to throw in there, he's had really good outings and really bad ones so far.

DeMaso Marte: Last year's lefty specialist is off to a horrid start, let's hope something is done about that.

Nick Swisher: You knew I was going to mention it, here's our emergency pitcher for the future.

Claggett and Robertson: Neither of them got much time but Claggett stepped into a bad situation and Robertson only got sent down because of X-Man's injury and Girardi wanted another position player as Robertson really pitched well in his two innings of work.

Let's analyze the position players now:

1. Derek Jeter: Not a spectacular start but he has three home runs and he's doing his share of the work, with a clutch bomb against the Indians.

2. Johnny Damon: First hit at Yankee Stadium, and he's not doing too bad beside that either, he's off to a great start and is finding plenty of ways on base.

3. Mark Teixeira: Great defensive job, he was a little slow out of the gate but he is definitely flexing his muscles in the Bronx, three home runs so far.

4. Nick Swisher: Perhaps the biggest surprise of all Swish has four home runs and is hitting above .350 last I checked. Bringing a great personality to the field everyday, he's already a fan favorite.

5. Jorge Posada: He started off a little weak defensively but I think he's coming around and his go ahead home run was big against Cleveland. He's definitely got a hot bat right now.

6. Robinson Cano: Off to a hot start, another three home run guy. He has been on base almost every time he's been up. Mattingly may have been right about Robby being a future batting champ.

7. Hideki Matsui: The knees are bothering him more than we thought. With a sub .200 batting average I think there is need for concern here.

8. Cody Ransom: He's been hitting the ball hard but hadn't dropped one in until Sunday against the Tribe as he broke his bat and hit a bases clearing double.

9. Brett Gardner: One base stealin' fool is what I have to say about him. He has his share of hits but his main game is bunting and running, off to a pretty good start.

Bench

Melky Cabrera: Shown he can hit when he's played. A fourth outfielder like Melky really is a great asset to a team.

Ramiro Pena: He's really flashed the leather but his bat leaves a lot to be desired.

Juan Miranda: I know he's up and down, I haven't seen him a lot but I look forward to see what the future holds for him.

Jose Molina: One of the best defensive catchers in the game, the only thing keeping him from starting every game is Posada's bat and legacy in the Bronx. The perfect backup catcher, he throws out runners, calls great games and still hits .230 every year.

Now for the final grades:

Starting Rotation: Would be a B but Wang's performance has dragged it down to a C+

Bullpen: D

Lineup: B

Bench B+

It looks like the bullpen needs to bump it's grade up and hopefully something is done about Wang and the rotation will be above average again then the lineup and the bench for the most part doing their job, except the lineup is leaving men on base.

The coaching gets a C for poor bullpen management and messing up Wang but they have done a great job with the position players so they pass.

Collapse of the Wanger: Chien-Ming Wang's Pitiful Season (So Far)

T.J. Morrill — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:45:39 -0400

What the (insert explicit term here) happened to Wang?

Three consecutive pitiful outings, and a shaken self-esteem, has done no good for the Yankees thus far.

It appears the ball is up, and his secondary pitches are hanging. The sinker is sinking into the batter's wheelhouse, with the slider and splitter just turning into batting practice fastballs.

It appears to me that Dave Eiland has been stressing this body before the arm thing too much. Look at the photo above, Wang is getting under the ball via this new mechanical philosophy, not on top.

Most pitcher's do follow Eiland's mechanical philosophy, but I don't think everybody fully understands what Wang needs to do.

Wang isn't in there to blow away hitters or get fly balls. He is a ground-ball sinker pitcher. His goal is to get a pitch low or out of the zone so that it is beaten into the ground.

He was doing all of this the last few years.

It appears to me that Wang needs to stop listening to what other people are telling him, find his confidence and try to fix the problem.

There are many differences, I know, but I compare him almost to that of a knuckleballer, in that his pitching style and delivery are completely different from a conventional pitcher.

The only issue with a pitcher like this is that most coaches can't coach it. The pitcher needs to find himself and pitch, instead of over-emphasizing getting out in front of his arm.

We all know what Wang is capable of; over the 2006 and 2007 seasons he had a total of 38 wins—that's back to back 19 win seasons, folks!

The best thing to do right now would be to put Wang back on the DL, making a claim at the foot injury, and give him rehab starts at AAA and AA—and bring Phil Hughes or Alfredo Aceves up to start in Wang's place.

The reason I say we can't just send him to AAA is the risk of somebody snagging him off of waivers, you don't want that to happen.

There can't be anymore fooling around, too much patience with a pitcher can be a terrible thing (he hem.. Grady Little).

New York Yankees: Another Bullpen Blunder By Joe Girardi

T.J. Morrill — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:46:08 -0400

It's 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning. Phil Coke comes in to relieve CC Sabathia. Does his job, gets the third out of the inning.

It's 1-1 in the top of the seventh inning Jose Veras comes in to relieve Phil Coke who had only faced one batter, Veras along with DeMaso Marte gave up nine, count 'em nine runs in the seventh inning.

I don't get it, first, the righty vs. lefty mixing and matching as I've stated many times in my previous writing, it's not matching colors, shapes and directions that's going to win you games.

Phil Coke got the out, why don't we leave him in? If I'm not mistaken Coke reported to spring training as a starter. Why then if you think he's good enough to get more than a lefty out wouldn't you leave him in to get a few more outs?

Putting in more pitchers only adds to the risk of one of them having an off night. If you stick Coke in to get four outs and then the finishing one two punch of Bruney and Rivera then there's two less pitchers you send out there, thus saving the bullpen and keeping less arms out there to screw it all up.

To me Girardi's management in the bullpen is the most ridiculous form of reasoning I have seen in my life.

I guess we're stuck with an autistic child managing our favorite team for at least another year, anybody want to send in an application?

Swish Can Pitch: A Man of Character

T.J. Morrill — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:48:28 -0400

It was an embarrassment to say the least, but amongst all this frustration one man was still able to enjoy the game like it should be enjoyed. Nick Swisher was still able to find something to laugh about in that joke of a game against the Rays.

To me Swish is a great influence in the dugout. When the Yankees first traded for him I was a little turned off by the idea, but now that I've seen his personality (not to mention his three HRs) I am glad they got him for the likes of Wilson Betemit.

There are times in this world that we all take the game of baseball too seriously. Trust me I'm as big a sports fanatic as you will see, but in times like these you realize how crazy games like this can really be.

Swisher put it well in the Royals series: "The way I see it this is just a glorified backyard wiffle ball game." Too many players I think do it for the money and take it as a real business instead of realizing it's a game.

Yes, it's good to be competitive, but everyone needs to remember to just have fun once in a while.

Swisher is the picture of character. He shows great sportsmanship, respect, and kindness on the field, and he's one of those guys that just loves a good laugh.

When you're topping out with a 78 MPH fastball and getting people out you should be having a good time, regardless of the scoreboard. I just seem to like Swisher more and more every single day.

Joe Girardi's Bullpen Blunder: Why Lefty vs. Lefty Doesn't Work

T.J. Morrill — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:25:15 -0400

Up 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs, Damaso Marte gets pulled from the game for Jose Veras. He walks his batter only to be pulled for Phil Coke who gives up three runs and loses the game.

Why are managers so concerned with the lefty and righty matchups? It makes absolutely no sense to continually do it. I know, I play baseball and I bat left-handed, and yes, it does make it harder to see the ball—but a big league hitter better be able to hit it!

The fact is, a major league pitcher should be able to get anyone out no matter what side of the plate they're on. Same goes for hitters.

So when your lefty specialist just got two outs in a row, why would you pull him? He's still a pitcher and he's in a groove. Marte could have easily gotten the third out and finished the inning to send it to the ninth.

But no, a lefty can't face a righty, not in this game. What's the point? Right after Veras walks someone on a wet mound, he's pulled when the matchup is no issue—they have a righty on the bench. At this point why isn't Veras given a chance to get used to the mound and get his next batter?

Why not just carry eight starters and more pitchers so you can match up all through the game if it's really that important?

Why isn't Pat Venditte in the majors if it's really that important?

Why isn't everyone switch-pitching and switch-hitting if it's really that important?

Another important fact to point out is that the more pitchers you let on the mound, the more chance of one of them having an off-night, that's what we saw going from Bruney in the seventh to Marte, Veras, Coke in the eighth.

Close game management reminds me of an autistic child that has to obsessively match everything up, green to green, red to red, lefty to lefty, and righty to righty.

I know a lot of you may disagree with me, but by my logic this style of management needs to be done away with.

CC and the Swish Dethrone Royals

T.J. Morrill — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 11:34:36 -0400

The game was fantastic uh... if you're a Yankees fan. Swish is continuing to produce and surprising the you know what out of me. CC made the comeback we all knew he'd make. Along with a great performance from Jorge Posada, a 6-1 victory was achieved.

A key point I want to make here is that, maybe that Swisher trade wasn't such a waste after all. He hit .219 last year and when I saw that I was immediately looking for X-man Nady to take the RF job.

Boy was I pleasantly surprised! Nick Swisher already has something to the tune of 10 RBIs and two jacks and has only started three games. Nady on the other hand has started four games and has but one RBI.

I like Nady, I really do, but if Swish keeps this up he deserves the starting role and a half.

CC did a great job pitching seven-and-two-thirds scoreless. We all knew he'd find his groove. Remember? One game doesn't make a season and let's all hope we can expect a similar performance from Joba on the Christian holiday of Easter Sunday.

Things are looking bright for the Yankees, with Swisher finding his groove and CC struttin' his stuff I can't wait to see how the season turns out.

In closing, GO YANKEES!

Molina Over Posada: Why I Think It Could Work For the Yankees

T.J. Morrill — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:32:18 -0400

After seeing Jose Molina's performance last year and his weekly day after night start yesterday, I have come to think perhaps Molina should be the everyday catcher.

I know what you're saying, Jorge's bat is better. I won't debate that, it's an obvious fact.

The problem I have is Jorge's shoulder is still bothering him, he's not going to throw a lot of guys out, and after seeing CC and Wang fail with him and Burnett win with Molina, I wonder who is calling the better games.

Last year even toward the end, Molina started calling great games and the Yankees were winning only to have themselves get Pudge for his bat and have him fail miserably.

I know Molina isn't a great batsman but yesterday he didn't look too bad to me. He got on a couple of times, he wasn't what you call and easy out.

Let's also remember he threw out a ridiculous 60 percent last year! Very important, this would keep pesky Tampa at bay.

Molina is the better catcher, I love Jorge as much as the next Yankees fan but I can't help think Jorge's days at catcher are numbered. We need to think about what's best for the team, instead of what is best for Jorge.

Molina's bat, you're right, is so-so at best. Jorge could still catch day games, pinch-hit and even DH. The battery is the most important spot on the field. I'd rather have someone who's helping the pitchers out than someone doing the lineup a favor one-third of the times he's up.

It's a simple fact in sports, defense wins championships, or in baseball's case, pitching wins championships.

New York Yankees Pitching Coach Application (satire)

T.J. Morrill — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:54:13 -0400

Attention all Yankees fans!

We are now holding open tryouts for a new pitching coach, as it is apparent our current coach, Dave Eiland, can't even find success working with Cy Young-level pitchers, such as C.C. Sabathia and Chien-Ming Wang.

There will be three sections of your tryout: We will begin by quizzing you on your pitching strategy expertise, which includes pitch selection, location, and how to get people out.

The second section includes understanding of mechanics and tests your ability to not injure players by teaching them the wrong way to throw a ball.

The third section is a head-to-head competition with Dave Eiland to see whose pitchers do better. You will both receive three pitchers: a starter, a reliever, and a closer. Don't worry, no Major Leaguers will be used in this competition.

If you're interested—especially you, Mel Stottlemyer—just fill out the application below:

Name:

Address:

Phone No.:

Pitching experience (ex: little league or coach pitching):

Are you a Russian spy?:

Do you eat candy? (Girardi wants to know):

Have you ever questioned Dave Eiland?:

Would you like Eiland's salary?:

Do you wish to work online or at the field?:

Do you have kids?:

Will you show this picture of me to your kids?:

No? Well, this is awkward:

Also, please send a chocolate bar with the application. C.C. is running a smuggling company in the clubhouse and needs your help. Don't worry, this was not a plot to give C.C. candy.

Pitching Vs. Throwing an Overlooked But Important Comparison

T.J. Morrill — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:06:30 -0400

The picture tells the story. A man on the mound just trying to hurl the ball, throw the dirtiest of the dirty. Yes this is what happens when someone gets in that mode, he soon finds himself handing the ball to the manager in disgust.

Less is more, less is more, less is more, less is more!!! A pitcher needs to understand that trying to K everybody is not the way to go. The most electric stuff in the world is no good unless you know how to pitch.

Pitching is an art, not just physical talent from freaks of nature that can hit a gun at 95 miles per hour. In fact, having tons of velocity is the last priority in pitching successfully . I'm feeling it's time we relearn what a pitcher needs to do to succeed.

Location, location, location

This clichéd phrase is key in pitching. Throw strikes, mix location, high, low, in, out. This is what happened to CC against Baltimore. Walks kill, give as few free passes as you can. When you can only locate one pitch you're in trouble.

Mix speeds

Sorry, but you can't be throwing four fastballs in a row and expect to win.

The pitcher has to be unpredictable, not just hurling one pitch trying to find the zone and then throwing a curve over and over because that's all you can throw for strikes. The only possible reason I can think of for throwing the same pitch three times in a row is when it's a knuckleball and even a good knuckleballer mixes speeds.

"Don't try to make the perfect pitch, just focus on making a good one." - Greg Maddux

Pitch to contact

Batters will get themselves out, K's are not always necessary, a luxury sure but just get outs however you can.

I sure hope you all understand these simple, basic and absolutely elementary components of pitching as I hope CC and the Yankees staff learns to do, please guys, pitch, don't throw.

What Is It About the Mets?

T.J. Morrill — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:38:55 -0400

I just don't get it. What is it about the New York Mets that makes everyone pick them as world series favorites?

Obviously the bullpen is better—I mean Putz and K-Rod together in a pen is just sick. The lineup is great, it's not hard to see that this team has pieces of the puzzle for sure. What the Mets lack though is starting pitching.

When people talk about the Mets it's never about their starting rotation unless they're referring to the bright spot in Johan Santana. That's all I see though, Santana. The rest of that staff is mediocre or inconsistent. That doesn't look like a championship team to me. I don't know, maybe I'm just blind to something here but I fail to see why so many people are jumping on the bandwagon, the Mets just don't seem to fit into the equation.

Is it because Sports Illustrated picked the Mets that everyone thinks they could win it all?

I don't know if anyone has noticed but SI never picks the world series right. I'm sorry if this upsets you Met fans, but I just fail to see where one starting pitcher and a team that consistently chokes year after year is going to take home the prize.

New York Yankees: 2009's Plan For Success

T.J. Morrill — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:21:01 -0400

Alas, baseball is here!

With spring training drawing to a close this week, MLB's regular season is set to kick off. With spring in the air, there's a still a heap of snow in my town. The great American pastime is back!

For now, the top three teams in the league are projected to be in one division—the AL East. With the Rays and Red Sox to compete with, the Yankees will have a tough go of it this year as they did last. Perhaps they will be better prepared for the Rays' pesky offense and will have the starting pitching to match up with the Red Sox. What needs to be done for the Yankees to succeed? That's what you're about to find out.

I will begin with the situation in right field. Xavier Nady or Nick Swisher? As it is slated the X-man should be starting in RF. This is how it should be, Swisher will get playing time yes but he had nowhere near the season Nady had last year. Not that Swisher is a bad player, he has a high career OBP and SLG but his batting average last year was just too atrocious to ignore, a .219 batting average cannot go unnoticed, therefore I dub him backup outfielder and DH and the top choice in a pinch hitting situation such as Jose Molina or Cody Ransom being up in the eighth with two outs and a man on. X-man gets the spot and the award for best first name on the team.

Center field is another concern we need to put into perspective. Brett Gardener or Melky Cabrera? It appears to me that Melky and Gardener will most likely split time although my first choice would be Gardener every time. I don't see Melky as a second lead off guy in the 9 hole, I just don't. Gardener is quick, athletic and will get on base and steal some bases. Melky will probably get a lot of playing time too which could be a great idea if you want to use Gardener to pinch run late in the game. Both guys deserve playing time and I think that'll be based on the righty and lefty pitcher situation. Melky switch hitting will probably buy him some time against lefty pitchers and Gardener can take on most of the righties.

Health to me is the heart of this organization's troubles. People being hurt all the time like A-Rod, Pavano, Matsui and Posada last year does not help, not one bit. It's imperative that the Yankees stay conditioned and loose. Injuries can't be taken lightly, the starting pitching especially, a rookie can't be starting every day. Burnett is the biggest concern here as he has a history of being hurt. Health is the greatest difference this team needs to make.

What was missing from that Yankees aura last year? It was run production. The veteran leaders like Posada were hurt. Jeter had an off year in those clutch situations e has come through in time and time again. A-Rod was hurt part of the year as he is going to be for the start of the season this year. The middle of the order hopefully has some added help with Texeira and Matsui hopefully being healthy this year but a big bat was lost, Bobby Abreu unfortunately is in Anaheim now and let's all pray that Tex can give us Abreu's production as a Yankee. This also means Jeter and Damon have got to get their OBPs up and make sure there's always someone on base.

My opinion, Hughes should be the five guy and Joba should be in the pen, seeing as that probably won't happen the pitching staff if set and ready to go. Looks strong with C.C., Wanger, A.J., Andy and Joba in the starting rotation and the bullpen including Edwar Ramirez, DeMaso Marte and a name we all know and love, Mariano Rivera.

On paper, the Yankees can beat anyone but they've got to get it done on the field. That's why they play the games. The future looks bright for the Yankees with Austin Jackson coming up through the minors along with some great pitching prospects.

Let's get ready to rumble in 2009 with the New York Yankees!!!!!

Miami Dolphins Offseason To-Do List

T.J. Morrill — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:24:43 -0500

Yes, the Dolphins had a great season. Yes, it was a great turnaround. Yes, they are improving. But the season is over and there is much work to be done before this team becomes elite in the NFL.

You don't become elite by making the playoffs once. You become elite by constantly going to and winning playoff games.

What do the Dolphins need to do to become elite? That's what I'm going to tell you. These are the most important things the Dolphins need to do in order to maintain their Division Title and continue to go to the playoffs.

1. Get some big mean nasty guards. Yes, there were injuries at guard this year, but in all honesty I was not impressed with the play of the guards this year, whether that be Smiley, Ndukwe, or Alleman. Even if they are going to play those same guards it would be a great idea to have more linemen. You can never get enough linemen.

2. Get some shutdown corners. Andre Goodman and Will Allen are pretty good corners. I'm not going to deny that, but if you can get some more defensive backs, once again, you can never get enough.

The other thing is while Allen and Goodman have their good games they also have some really bad games in which they get burned, so some lock down defensive backs would be a great addition.

3. Don't let Parcells get away. Whoever the new owner is has to make sure Parcells stays so he can continue to monitor Sparano and Ireland and continue to guide them. It's also good for him to be managing the drafts.

4. Don't decide to keep Pennington too early. Wait until he plays another year before signing him back for an extension. Remember, he was Comeback Player of the Year two of the last three years, which means he must be disappointing some years. Make sure he keeps mentoring Henne and Beck as long as he is in Miami though.

5. Get another young defensive lineman and linebacker. Kendall Langford and Phillip Merling have been great this year, but why stop there when you could snag another top defensive lineman to develop?

I know Holliday and Ferguson are there but they are aging a bit. Apply this to the linebacker too. We have Crowder and Roth, but you've got to do something about the older guys like Porter and Ayodele. They won't be around forever.

Dolphins-Ravens: Dolphins Drown In Playoffs As Ravens Soar Through Miami

T.J. Morrill — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:53:51 -0500

The Dolphins' amazing turnaround is over, while the Ravens' story continues.

The Dolphins' offense just didn't have it. For the first time all year, they turned the ball over more than two times with a whopping five turnovers, very uncharacteristic of the Dolphins offense.

The Dolphins were plagued with bad decisions and bad blocking on the offensive side. Chad Pennington had constant pressure, which forced him to throw four interceptions after having only seven in the regular season. The struggles on offense were the downfall of the Dolphins, as the defense played great to keep them in the game in the second half.

The momentum shifted after Ed Reed's pick six with 2:30 left in the first half. Shortly after, the Dolphins let the Ravens have the ball again, sparking another drive by the Ravens ending in a field goal to make the score 13-3 at half.

After several more turnovers, and another Ravens touchdown, the Dolphins were down 20-3, a familiar score from their last playoff game. But then, with hope still left, the Dolphins drove and scored a touchdown on a great catch by Ronnie Brown, but a blocked extra point made the score 20-9.

Unfortunately, miscues on offense stunted the Dolphins' comeback attempt, ending the Dolphins season with a dreadful 27-9 loss.

I don't know what to say, the Dolphins offense and especially Chad Pennington shocked me with their turnovers and miscues. The Ravens played a great game, but the Dolphins lost their game plan by turning the ball over. The defense played better than the score shows, and the Dolphins' dream season is over.

Good luck to the Ravens and for the off-season, a final GO PHINS, from me.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins: Both Teams Look to Keep Up Turnaround

T.J. Morrill — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:45:22 -0500

What a year for both teams. The Dolphins going from 1-15 to 11-5 and the Ravens going from 4-12 to 11-5 and both are in the playoffs. Both teams have been in playoff mode for several weeks now to try to fight for just this, the official playoffs. Who would've expected these two teams to be matching up in the playoffs this year? Not many I'll tell you that.

This is sure to be an interesting matchup two completely different teams taking each other on. One a ball security offense and takeaway defense the other a smash mouth offense with a smash mouth defense to compliment it.

The keys for the Dolphins in this game on each side of the ball:

Offense: The Dolphins need to keep the Ravens guessing by mixing the run and the pass. Don't go to the wildcat too much as Ray Lewis will read it right away. Hold onto the ball like all season long. No Inspector Gadget plays, just run the base offense.

Defense: Stop the run or you can't have fun. The Ravens are a run first offense and a very good one at that, keep them from killing time and keep Flaaco from being able to use the play action.

Special Teams: First man has to make the tackle or else this game could be decided on field position.

Keys for the Ravens on each side of the ball:

Offense: Run it at the Dolphins, if that run game keeps up then the Phins could have some problems in this game.

Defense: Read the gadgets and be physical, don't forget to cover anyone as the Dolphins have a lot of unknown weapons.

Special Teams: If you wanna go for it on fourth, don't! With that defense just punt away if there's even a question and make sure the coverage forces Devone Bess to make the fair catch.

This is bound to be one of the great playoff games this January. I see the Dolphins winning this one but that's probably because I have a little bit of bias in my opinion. Both teams are physical and both teams have a unique style of play. This will be a back and forth struggle come Sunday.

In closing, GO PHINS!

Top Five Moments of 2008

T.J. Morrill — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 04:34:37 -0500

As the year comes to a close and we look back on 2008 there seem to be five moment that really stick out in my mind as the best sports moments of the year. While there are many great things that have happened in sports over the year I believe that these five are the most memorable and truly great moments in the Year. These moments will include Basketball, Swimming, Baseball and Football moments. The five moments to be mentioned will forever linger in our minds and go down as sports greatest moments.

Begin Slideshow