NCAA Tournament: Butler is a Team to Watch

Mark Bodie — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:29:17 -0400

Don't knock them because they're a mid-major. These guys are for real. Butler, 29-3 this season, carries the distinction of having the most wins of any Division One team in Indiana. That's saying a lot, considering the history of Indiana basketball and the NCAA tournament.

The player to watch is A.J. Graves. His resume is impressive; second in three point Field Goals in school history, fourth in scoring in school history, and seventh in assists all time at Butler. Just as impressive, Graves was a Wooden Award Finalist in 2007.

Butler runs a three guard set. Mike Green (6'1", 175), a senior, hails from Philadelphia and started all 32 games this year. He also started all 36 games last year. Green averages 34 minutes a game.

Rounding out the starting five are Forward/Guard Julian Betko (6'5", 200), Drew Streicher (6'7", 200), and freshman Matt Howard (6'7",220).

Betko is a Clemson transfer who hails from Slovakia. He was one of nine men's basketball players named a Josten's Student Scholar. Drew Streicher is a three-time Horizon League Academic selection. He also started all 32 teams this year. The only non-senior on the starting five is freshman Matt Howard, who hails from Connersville, Indiana. Howard started 24 of 32 games this year and shoots a solid 60 percent from the field.

Brad Stevens is in his first year as head coach at Butler. But don't let this fool you. He was an assistant coach with Butler when they made it to the Sweet 16 back in 2003, under Todd Lickliter, who's now with Iowa. He also served under Thad Mata, now the head coach at The Ohio State University. Coach Stevens is a DePauw University graduate and just the second coach in school history to have 28 wins in a season.

Butler had an impressive year with two wins over ACC schools in Va. Tech and Florida State. They beat both Michigan and Ohio State, two Big Ten Conference Schools, and a Bob Knight coached Texas Tech team back in November. A key loss occured against Drake, the number five seed in the South bracket which ended a Butler nine game winning streak.

Some may say that Butler drew a tough slot in the East bracket. Yet, they are 3-1 in Birmingham where they will play their first and possibly second round games. It was back in 2003 when Butler made it to the Sweet 16, and it all started in Birmingham so history is on their side.

Considering they beat 10th seeded South Alabama, Butler will potentially take on a tough number two seed in Tennessee. However, I think that Butler's experience, defensive strengths, and their overall smart basketball play will be enough to beat Tennessee. Tennessee doesn't do well at the free throw line and that is a killer in the later rounds of the NCAA tournament.

Unfortunately, I think that the win over Tennessee is where Butler's dance will end, as they face perennial ACC/National powerhouse North Carolina.

NL West: How the Wild West Will Be Won

Mark Bodie — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:50:57 -0500

The race for the 2007 National League West ended just like the old adage—wildly.

Colorado Rockies

The Rockies, winners of 23 of their last 24 before ultimately losing to the Red Sox in four games, face some tough questions going into 2008.

Can their pitching, who came up clutch in the playoffs before facing the Red Sox, sustain their success over 162 games?

There is no doubt about their hitting, with Matt Holliday anchoring an offense that saw at least five members with over 500 plate appearances with an average OPS of .911.

What does that mean in layman's terms? This team can flat out hit, not only at Coors Field, but away from it as well.

Unfortunately, hitting comes second to pitching, and the Rockies have only one pitcher with over 200 innings in 2007. That means a bullpen that has to carry the load.

I see the Rockies finishing third this year.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The team with the most upside, the most potential, has to be the Joe Torre led Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers have a young arsenal of hitters in James Loney, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier. Mix in steady veteran performers Jeff Kent, Rafael Furcal, and Nomar Garciaparra, and you've got the potential to finish far above the 82 win total of '07.

The Dodgers, like the Rockies, face several tough questions. First and foremost, can Jason Schmidt return from injury and produce like he did in '06? The Dodgers will need him to pitch close to 200 innings.

Will Hiroki Kuroda perform like Kei Igawa or Daisuke Matsuzaka? And, can newly acquired free agent Andruw Jones shake off the 2006 year that saw him hit 41 percentage points below his career average?

What happens to Juan Pierre, who led the team in at-bats and steals? Will Torre go with youth at third as Andy LaRoche looks to take the starting job from Los Angeles fan favorite Nomar Garciaparra?

Lastly, there's that old locker room chemistry thing. Joe Torre definitely has enough on his plate this year.

I see the Dodgers finishing a strong second, right around 90 wins.

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants will have new locker room chemistry this year with the absence of Barry Bonds.

Long gone are the days of the long ball in San Francisco, as there will be fewer and fewer "splash hits" into McCovey Cove.

Bruce Bochy will go back to typical National League baseball and move runners over with speed and strategy.

Oh wait, let's not forget that the Giants surrounded Mr. Bonds with veteran players that could handle the distractions of a record home run chase. Although Barry's gone, those savvy veterans are still around.

Thirty year olds don't steal bases.

Look for the Giants to finish with fewer than 70 wins.

San Franciscans are hoping that the Niners turn it around soon.

San Diego Padres

The Padres have the reigning National League Cy Young Award Winner in Jake Peavy. He's pitched over 200+ innings the past three years.

Greg Maddux was two innings shy of 200 innings in '07, ending a streak of four years with at least 200 innings. Maddux, a Hall of Famer to be, will produce another fine year, but the big question, or should I say gamble, is that of the opposite of Maddux, Mark Prior.

Prior, in his best year in the majors, reached 166 innings back in 2005. There are durability and health issues there.

There are also durability issues with the new center fielder.

In his prime, Jim Edmunds was the definition of Web Gem, but there's a lot of green in Petco Park and I'm not quite sure Edmonds, who turns 38 in June, will be able to cover all the ground for a full 162.

Take away Mike Cameron and Milton Bradley, and I see the Padres finishing tied for third with the Rockies.

Arizona Diamondbacks

That brings me to my choice to win the NL West, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The D'Backs approach of steady hitting and lights out pitching only got better with the addition of Dan Haren this offseason. Haren has pitched over 200 innings the past three years.

Throw in the 2006 Cy Young Award Winner in Brandon Webb, along with Randy Johnson and Doug Davis, and you could quite possibly have four pitchers going over 200 innings—unspeakable!

The D'Backs didn't do much to alter their lineup. They lost the savvy veteran Tony Clark, but picked up Trot Nixon. Nixon won a World Series with the Red Sox back in '04, so he knows what it takes to win.

Let's not forget the all-out play of Eric Byrnes.

Finally, Brandon Webb takes over the closers role, with Jose Valverde taking his NL league leading 47 saves to Houston.

With all that said, I see a tight race in the NL West, with the winner being decided in the last week of play.

The D'backs will finish with 96 wins this year.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Mark Bodie

NCAA Tournament: Butler is a Team to Watch

NL West: How the Wild West Will Be Won