Scanning the world of sports, you can find plenty of sports individuals and teams that so tick you off you want to call them out. Or throw them under the Bus. This is your forum to do that! I have a few that I'd like to throw Under The Bus.
NFL
Willie Andrews, CB, New England Patriots: this coward allegedly pointed a gun at his girlfriend during a domestic dispute early last Monday. At the time, the Patriots said they were aware of the report, but had "no comment." UPDATE: the Patriots released Andrews the next day. This thug does not belong on ANY NFL roster because he's a lawbreaker. If it is proven he did this, he should NOT be a free man for a VERY LONG TIME. Andrews gets thrown Under The Bus for being a thug and a dumb####.
Brett Favre: there's that rumor floating around that he may be unretiring. The Packers have moved on without him. Sounds like Aaron Rodgers is having his feet cut out from under him. Brett, you're one of the all-time greats, but enough already! For "tantalizing" us with the unretirement rumors, you get thrown Under The Bus (Cook).
NASCAR
"Fans" that threw debris on the track at Daytona: this is to you "fans" that threw debris on the track after Kyle Busch won. That was garbage. You are NOT true NASCAR fans. You are pathetic, miserable LOSERS. You can boo Kyle all you want and that's fine. But to throw debris at him after he wins a race? That's beyond the pale. Congratulations to Kyle Busch on his win at Daytona. And to you "fans" that threw debris on the track, you get thrown under the Bus, one "fan" at a time.
MLB
Milwaukee Brewers: they blew a five-run lead on Thursday. In the ninth inning. As a Dodgers fan, it PISSES ME OFF. You suck, Milwaukee. Your bullpen sucks. When you're up 5-0, three outs away from winning, and you give up the game, THAT blows. All they needed was THREE OUTS!! Yet their merry band of arsonists called the bullpen imploded. They proceeded to drag their gas cans out of the pen, soaked up that stadium with gasoline, then flicked their blue tips and burned down Chase Field. The Phoenix Fire Department was pretty busy that day. For that colossal gag job, the Brewers get thrown Under The Bus.
That's all I have for the week. What say you? Come on in with your nominees!
I will be doing a team by team breakdown by division. Tonight I start with the National League West.
Arizona Diamondbacks: they are currently in first place in the division. While Dan Haren has made the adjustment from Oakland to Arizona, and Brandon Webb has been stellar, the rest of the team has struggled, particularly away from home. Haren was named NL Pitcher of the Month for June. So far, the D-backs have played a home-friendly schedule. After the All-Star break, it gets tougher, particularly in September with visits to St. Louis, L.A., Colorado, and San Francisco. The series at St. Louis is a four game series in the final week of the season.
What they must do: be more consistent on the road, particularly against NL Central teams. Another arm besides Haren and Webb needs to step up. They also need a consistent run producer. In my opinion, they sorely miss their former closer Jose Valverde, who was lights out last season.
Prognosis: they will be in contention, but will fall short. A second-place finish is likely.
Current record (as of July 3): 43-43, 1st place.
Los Angeles Dodgers: they have been decimated with injuries since the start of spring training. Jason Schmidt. Rafael Furcal. Nomar Garciaparra. Hiroki Kuroda. Juan Pierre. Andruw Jones. Scott Proctor. Gary Bennett. Tony Abreu. Brad Penny. These are some of the players that have spent time on the DL this season. You play the hand you're dealt with, and frankly, the Dodgers have been dealt a crappy hand. Joe Torre has done a great job with this crappy hand, guiding the youngsters as they get more playing time. Takashi Saito has been stellar again this season, aside from a couple of outings. The bullpen, when healthy, is among the best in baseball. The starting pitching is in flux. The youngsters need as much playing time as possible. Blake DeWitt has been a revelation at 3B, winning Rookie of the Month honors twice this season. It's going to be very hard to take playing time away from him once the veterans return. One possibility is playing Garciaparra at SS, a position he hasn't played full-time since 2005.
What they must do: get healthy, and quick. The All-Star break couldn't have come at a better time. Fortunately, Arizona has fallen back to the pack after their hot start. The starting rotation must stabilize. They may not need to make a blockbuster deal. They could use someone with pop, like an Adam Dunn.
Prognosis: the Dodgers stand pat, perhaps making a minor deal. They get healthy and go on a tear at some point in the year. That will be enough to win the division.
Current record (as of July 3): 41-44, 1 1/2 games back.
San Francisco Giants: Bruce Bochy is doing perhaps his best managing job of his career. This team was expected to lose around 100 games. There's no Barry Bonds to provide offensive firepower. Tim Lincecum has become a bonafide Cy Young contender, leading the majors in ERA at 2.38 with a 9-1 record. Bengie Molina is hitting above .300 and is a legit All-Star candidate. Brian Wilson has come out of nowhere to lead the NL in saves with 23.
What they must do: Zito needs to step his game up and be at least a .500 pitcher in the second half, and they need another power bat in the lineup. Could Adam Dunn help? Sure he can. What would they give up to get him? Do they have the prospects to give to the Reds? If they want Dunn bad enough, they'll find the prospects.
Prognosis: while this team is better than I thought at the start of the season, it's still a below .500 team. A 72-90 record is realistic as they continue to struggle in the second half.
Current record (as of July 3): 38-48, 5 GB.
Colorado Rockies: this team is one year removed from an amazing run to the World Series. What could go so wrong in that span? For one, they overachieved. They went on a once in a lifetime winning streak. They came back down to earth big time. Todd Helton is mired in the midst of a horrific slump. While Matt Holliday is having a superb year, it's not like it was last year. Now there is talk of the Rocks trading both Holliday and Garrett Atkins. Jeff Francis, a 17-game winner last year, went on the DL.
What they must do: find the magic that propelled them to winning 21 of 22 leading into the World Series. Fortunately, this division is weak, and if they get on that type of run where they win games in bunches, they could very easily get back into contention. Helton must break out of his slump and drive in runs consistently. The front office must NOT panic and trade Holliday and Atkins in a knee-jerk move.
Prognosis: I expect Helton to break out of his slump and start driving in runs consistently. That in turn will help Holliday and Atkins. However, the pitching must come around. While I think the Rockies will be a better team in the second half, I think it will be too little, too late. They will leapfrog the Giants and finish third.
Current record (as of July 3): 35-51, 8 GB.
San Diego Padres: how far the Pads have fallen! It wasn't that long ago they were a consistent playoff contender. Now they have become one of the worst teams in baseball. The starting rotation is in shambles, apart from Jake Peavy. Trevor Hoffman clearly isn't the closer he used to be. He's lost zip on his fastball. There is absolutely NO pop in the lineup, apart from Adrian Gonzalez.
What they must do: become sellers in a big way. Apart from Gonzalez and Peavy, everyone else is tradeable. It's better to bite the bullet now and ensure long-term success by acquiring prospects this season. Trade Greg Maddux to the Cubs.
Prognosis: very poor, at least for this year. It depends on what moves the front office makes for the next couple of seasons. Do they let go of Bud Black? I say give him one more season. While they may not lose 100 games this season, they'll come close. A 64-98 record is realistic.
Just because today is Father's Day, it doesn't mean that this blog will take the week off! NO SIRREE!! I have some sports figures that I'd like to throw Under The Bus
NFL
Chad Johnson: the Bengals' WR is becoming a regular fixture here. He whined and complained about being unhappy in Cincinnati. BOO FREAKING HOO. You're a professional, you're SUPPOSED to be in minicamp. If I were Marvin Lewis, I'd tell Chad you have ONE more chance. You #### a #### in training camp, I WILL deactivate you for the first four games of the season. Problem is, Lewis won't do it. Chad Johnson gets thrown Under The Bus for being a whiny ####.
Jeremy Shockey: the Giants' TE engaged in a shouting match with GM Jerry Reese early in the final day of the Giants' mandatory minicamp. Since Shockey's injury, the G-men are a much better team; a Super Bowl championship proves it. Get him out of there if you want to have a chance at repeating. And in the meantime, Shockey gets thrown Under The Bus.
Plaxico Burress: the Giants' WR refused to practice until he gets his contract renegotiated. He even hinted he may hold out during training camp. WTF? NOBODY put a gun to his head and forced him to sign his current deal. Shaun O'Hara was right in calling him out. And in the meantime, Burress gets thrown with Shockey Under The Bus.
NBA
David Stern: the NBA Commissioner dressed down Sean Farnham when Farnham asked the Commish a question that was on the minds of millions of NBA fans: why the discrepency of scores in the Spurs-Hornets series? (in one game, the Hornets won by 20 at NO; the very next game in San Antonio, the Spurs won by 20) Rather than answering the question honestly, Stern chose to ridicule Farnham. A very bad message considering the integrity of the NBA is very much in question. Stern has his head buried so far in the sand he can see China. We'd better get the Bus to run over him from that position he's in.
MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers: they proceeded to get shut out in consecutive games this week. They rolled over against Jake Peavy and the Padres 9-0 and on Friday they rolled over against the struggling Tigers. They proceeded to get swept by the Tigers. The Dodgers get thrown Under The Bus.
Ken Rosenthal: for suggesting that the Dodgers trade Matt Kemp. WHAT? Kemp is a five-tool player; something the Dodgers haven't had since Raul Mondesi. Kemp is vital to the Dodgers' present and future success. For his foolish and reckless suggestion, Rosenthal gets thrown Under The Bus.
HORSE RACING
Rick Dutrow, Jr.: he keeps stepping into it. He called out Big Brown's jockey, Kent Desormeaux, for pulling back Big Brown. The truth of the matter is, Big Brown was falling further behind as the race went on. Desormeaux should be THANKED for protecting a very valuable horse. For throwing his jockey under the bus, Dutrow himself gets thrown Under The Bus.
These are the sports figures that I throw under the Bus this week. Feel free to come in and vent!
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! They really do the Lord's work. That being said, here's this week's version of "Who Would You Throw Under The Bus?". Time to call out those sports figures that so p****d you off over the past week. And here we go!
NASCAR
Darrell Waltrip: you have to keep in mind he's a shill for Toyota. Yet his constant lovefest with Kyle Busch was downright disgusting and takes away from the broadcast. I like DW; he's entertaining and brings a former driver's perspective to the broadcast. But I have to call them as I see them. Hate to do this, but DW goes under the Bus.
NBA
The Officials: or more specifically, the officials that allowed a Pistons 3-pointer that should have NEVER counted. The clock froze at 4.8 seconds left in the third quarter of Game 2. Any official in the history of the world (except these officials) would have stopped play and awarded the Pistons the ball with 4.8 seconds left. Because the clock froze, the Pistons were given extra time to hit the three. And because of that, the officials get thrown under the Bus.
Los Angeles Lakers: or more specifically, their bench. They were totally outclassed by the Utah Jazz bench today. Going into the series, I'd have rated the two benches even. Did the Clippers hijack the Lakers' bench and play in this game? The Lakers bench gets thrown under the Bus.
MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers: they got swept by the weak-#### Houston Astros. At home, no less. It's one thing to lose to the Mets; they're a good team. No shame in losing to the Mets. Houston is only slightly better than Pittsburgh. And I have to throw Jonathan Broxton under as well. He's the reliever that the Astros took batting practice off of. (Word had it the Astros had a team brawl at the bat rack) He let a stellar outing by Hiroki Kuroda go to total waste. Kuroda no-hit the Astros for 6 2/3 innings. And he has NOTHING to show for it. The Dodgers and Broxton get thrown under the Bus.
NFL
Marvin Harrison: the Colts' WR has carefully cultivated an image of being a quiet, unassuming player that goes out and does his job. That image is being called into question. He was involved in a shooting in a seedy part of Philadelphia at a bar he owns. The gun involved was found in a bucket at a nearby car wash he also owns. Details are sketchy, because no one's talking. Sorry Marvin, gotta throw you under the Bus for being involved with seedy ####.
Cincinnati Bengals: because they have become the league's halfway house for bad seeds, ingrates, and general all around bad guys. And it's a shame for classy players like Carson Palmer and T.J. Houshmanzadeh that they have to be lumped in with their malcontent teammates. The Bengals (except Carson and T.J.) get thrown under the bus.
NCAA
Ryan Perriloux: this guy had the opportunity of his young lifetime to be THE MAN at LSU. Starting QB for a national championship contender. So what does he do? He gets kicked off the team for allegedly failing a drug test. He was allegedly found with chronic in his system. He apparently didn't attend Common Sense 101 in the school of life. Is getting your bong on so important to you that you #### away the opportunity that just about every young man your age would rip his arm off for? For sheer stupidity, you get thrown under a FLEET of buses!
Those are my nominations! Feel free to come in with yours!
This is the time for you, Joe Six-Pack Sports Fan, to vent your ire at the dumbasses, retards, idiots, ingrates, and general all around bad guys of sports and throw them Under The Bus. Who do YOU want to see go Under The Bus this week? Here's the forum to throw these retards and a-holes under the Bus! I know I have a few!
MLB
Los Angeles Dodgers: for a team that was expected to do big things in the NL West, they go out on the road for their first eastern trip of the season and promptly get swept by a team they have beaten like a drum in recent years, the Atlanta Braves. Not only did they get swept, they weren't competitive. They are looking like a last-place team rather than a competitive team. If not for the San Francisco Giants, they WOULD be a last place team. The Dodgers get thrown under the Bus.
Andruw Jones: he has gotten WORSE than he was last season. Looks like the Braves made the right decision to rid themselves of a fat, washed-up outfielder that can't catch up to a fastball. And the Dodgers may have made the wrong decision to sign him. Andruw Jones goes under the Bus, along with the rest of the Dodgers.
ESPN: for their chickenshit ambushing of Miguel Tejada during an interview he gave to the network. This brings me to the following.
Miguel Tejada: for LYING about his age when he first signed a professional contract. We already knew he roided up and HGH'ed up. Now he's aged up. Must be from all that HGH and 'roids. BOTH Tejada AND ESPN go under the Bus.
Kyle Farnsworth: for throwing at Manny Ramirez after ManRam took Yankees pitchers deep twice during a recent game. Farnsworth threw at Ramirez' head and said, "It slipped." Sure, it did. What you did was BUSH LEAGUE. Throw inside at his belt buckle to move him off the plate. You're putting a player's livelihood at risk. Now you painted a HUGE bull's eye on Alex Rodriguez and/or Derek Jeter. Now you've been suspended. Now you've been thrown Under The Bus.
Matt Kolbusz: now you're wondering, who the hell is Matt Kolbusz? He's the vendor that was selling offensive Kosuke Fukudome t-shirts. The t-shirts were nothing more than a racial blast aimed at the Asian community. The Cubs pulled the offensive t-shirts. Good for the Cubs. C'mon, M, this is 2008, not 1941. For selling racially offending t-shirts, you go Under The Bus.
NBA
Donnie Walsh: this WUSS has NO BALLS. He had the perfect opportunity to rid the Knicks of any traces of Isiah Thomas and didn't. He kept Thomas as a "special adviser." WTF? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!! This is the PERFECT opportunity for a weasel like Thomas to undermine Walsh and once again take control of the Knicks' basketball ops. Firing Thomas isn't enough. You MUST go Orkin Man and rid the Knicks of this weasel once and FOR ALL. Tune in for the next episode of, "As The Knicks Turn." Until then, Walsh goes under the Bus.
Enver Nuggets: no D in the regular season means no D in the playoffs. Granted, they are playing the Lakers in the first round, and they'll lose, but where was the defensive effort? No one can take the Enver Nuggets seriously until they learn to play good D. Until then, the Nuggets go under the Bus. (I'm glad the Lakers have perhaps the easiest matchup in the first round!)
NHL
Martin Brodeur: for not shaking Sean Avery's hand after the Rangers beat the Devils 4 games to 1. Avery offered to shake Brodeur's hand as a gesture of respect after a hard-fought series. Brodeur didn't participate in the post-series handshake. You're not only a sore loser, you come off as a small man. You go under the Bus not only for that, but the Devils go under because I DETEST THEM!!
NASCAR
Boris Said: he came across as a sore loser after his dustup with Marcos Ambrose. Then to confront Ambrose's crew chief was totally BUSH LEAGUE. I hope Ambrose kicks your #### the next time he sees you. I know I'd be looking for a piece of you afterwards. Until then, you go Under The Bus that Ambrose is driving.
ESPN: can I say it? I will: their coverage is ####. What was it with the constant pimping of Carl Edwards? Are you ESPN or TMZ? Technical glitches, snafus, Rusty Wallace, etc. They all added up to horrible coverage. And they all add up to ESPN being thrown Under The Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Come on in with your nominees!!
Throughout the world of sports, there are enough dolts, idiots, and general miscreants that just totally tick off you, the Joe Six Pack fan. I know I get ticked off by some of these dolts and miscreants. Here is your forum for you to throw these miscreants and ingrates Under The Bus. And away we go!
MLB
New York Yankees: they are thrown under the Bus for TWO reasons: Shelley Duncan and Billy Crystal. Duncan is the genius that decided to pay back the Tampa Bay Rays for a smart, physical play one of the Rays' reserve OFs made when he bowled over the Yankees' reserve catcher, breaking the catcher's wrist in the process. He decided a little payback was in order, so he went up high on Akinori Iwamura. Problem is, Duncan was thrown out by 20 FEET. Duncan spiked Iwamura in the groin, sparking a bench-clearing brawl. If you're going to exact payback, do it with a good, hard, CLEAN slide, such as breaking up a double play attempt. Don't go bush league and go in spikes high. Crystal is a fading comic that wanted one last blaze of glory. So the Yankees accommodated him. What, Richard Mulligan wasn't available? (He played Crystal's stepfather in the 1970's TV series "Soap") There were a NUMBER of ways the Yankees could have done this right, sending him to their FANTASY camp and being a guest in the owner's box for the first Yankees-Red Sox series being two ways. DON'T turn a spring training game played by REAL players into some aging comic's fantasy camp. For mocking spring training and Shelley Duncan's bush league play, the Yankees get thrown Under The Bus TWICE.
MLB: for scheduling a couple of spring training games in China featuring mainly AAA ballplayers with the major league managerial staffs of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. I wonder if the Chinese REALLY think these are the best players the Dodgers and Padres brought to China? The Dodgers only brought a handful from their major league roster. They left the rest of the major leaguers in Florida. I'm fine with a traveling all-star team going to Japan or China or South Korea after the season. MLB gets thrown under the Bus for false advertising, particularly to a new and potentially explosive market.
NASCAR
Jamie McMurray: this guy can't seem to get out of his own way. He's reverting to the early 2007 Jamie McMurray. It's not like he's forgotten how to drive. And with the early season success of teammates Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards, even more pressure is on him. He's not even a top 35 car now. He's a GOGH driver, and if he doesn't qualify for Martinsville in two weeks, he'll have dug a hole he cannot get out of. He would make Jack Roush's decision to cut one team a whole lot easier. The pressure is really on McMurray at Martinsville. If he does end up qualifying for the race, and has a strong finish, he'll safely be in the top 35. Dust yourself off from being thrown under the bus, qualify strong at Martinsville, and have a good solid finish. (I HATED to do that to a good guy like McMurray!!)
Tony Stewart's spotter: after the wreck (and subsequent apology) of Stewart, Kevin Harvick apologized, and his spotter apologized to Stewart's spotter. Stewart's spotter was wanting to kick some ####. Spotter should take FULL responsibility for telling Smoke that Happy was coming right behind him. He fell asleep. Smoke's spotter goes under Smoke's bus.
That's all I have for now. Come in with your nominees!
This offseason for the Dodgers has become interesting in recent weeks. First, Joe Torre was brought in. Then Andruw Jones was signed for two years. Then Hiroki Kuroda was signed last week. Throughout the offseason, rumors have had the Dodgers trading for 3B Scott Rolen. In this deal, the Cardinals are asking about Matt Kemp. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! DON'T DO IT NED! DON'T PULL THE TRIGGER!!!
First of all, WHY would the Dodgers want to trade for a washed-up third baseman that is a cancer in the clubhouse? Especially if it REQUIRES giving up a young stud in Matt Kemp and maybe another young stud or two?
The Dodgers have a young third baseman in Andy LaRoche, who has been tearing it up in international competition, raking international pitchers that he will face in the major leagues. And they have Nomar to back him up. They have an uber-stud prospect in Clayton Kershaw, and other stud pitchers down on the farm.
To trade for Rolen is tantamount to supplying the Cardinals with young studs for the next 5-10 years. Not to mention that you're taking on a 3B that is prone to injury and whose best days are behind him. Not to mention that the Cardinals would be a MUCH better team through addition by subtraction. I don't want Rolen on the Dodgers. I don't want him ANYWHERE NEAR the Dodgers!
I was reading a blog and someone listed his five favorite sports moments in the Comments section on that blog. That inspired me to write this blog. Sports is the ultimate reality show; everything happens live. Many times the moment is typical, such as a completed pass in football, a routine single in baseball, a three-point shot in basketball, etc. I ask this question: what are your all-time favorite sports moments that you have witnessed, either in television or in person? Here are mine in some sports:
NASCAR: mine happened this past February--Kevin Harvick winning the Daytona 500 by .020 seconds over Mark Martin. Previous to that, it was Harvick winning his first Cup race in March, 2001 in Atlanta, beating Jeff Gordon in a photo finish. At the time it was the third closest margin of victory in NASCAR history. It was very historic and significant as he had replaced the late (and great) Dale Earnhardt in the GM Goodwrench Chevrolet.
MLB: the Los Angeles Dodgers winning World Series in 1981 and 1988. The 1988 championship was special, as NO ONE expected the Dodgers to even make the playoffs. They rode Orel Hershiser's season for the ages and Kirk Gibson's MVP season to the title. I also include Hank Aaron's 715th HR against the Dodgers in Atlanta in 1974.
NFL: it was the 2003 Carolina Panthers' run to the Super Bowl. Just two short years earlier, they won the opening game of the season then lost 15 in a row. It also heralded the emergence of Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith, Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker, et. al. Stephen Davis rushed for 1,444 yards that season despite missing two games with an arm injury. The defense was a beast that season, finishing in the top 5 in the NFL. Ricky Manning, Jr. was a beast in the postseason, picking off four passes, including three in the NFC Championship Game in Philadelphia. Other favorites: Walter Payton breaking the all-time rushing record, and Brett Favre and the Packers winning the Super Bowl in 1997 against New England.
NBA: any championship won by the Los Angeles Lakers from 1972 on. (They won in 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-88, 2000-2002) Each championship is sweet in its own way.
Currently, the offseason meetings are taking place in Orlando, FL. There are countless rumors of trades involving many big names swirling at these meetings. One of those names is 3B Miguel Cabrera of the Florida Marlins. There are no shortage of teams that are interested in the slugging third baseman.
According to the Palm Beach Post, the Dodgers may be the front runner in the Cabrera Sweepstakes. The Yankees are also interested, but may not have the prospects to ship to the Marlins. The Dodgers are loaded with prospects, and appear to have the most to offer the Marlins. They could ship Andre Ethier, Andy LaRoche, Chad Billingsley and Matt Kemp to the Marlins for Cabrera. Another possible blockbuster: including two of the three pitching prospects Clayton Kershaw, Jonathan Meloan and/or Scott Elbert for BOTH Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.
If this trade were to happen, think of this lineup:
SS Rafael Furcal
CF Torii Hunter (via free agency)
1B James Loney
3B Miguel Cabrera
C Russell Martin
2B Jeff Kent (if he isn't traded) or Tony Abreu
LF Juan Pierre
RF Jason Repko
P Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Dontrelle Willis, Jason Schmidt, Randy Wolf.
Keep in mind that Loney, Cabrera, and Martin have yet to peak. That will be a much better lineup than last season's. I'd rather have Abreu at this stage being the every day 2B. He's much younger than Kent, and has far better range and a far better arm. With the possible addition of Hunter in CF, the Dodgers' up the middle defense is dramatically improved.
According to Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News, Joe Torre has been offered the manager's job with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If this is true, it is a GREAT move by the Dodgers! With Don Mattingly not returning to the Yankees, and his son Preston a highly regarded Dodgers' infield prospect, it is very possible that Mattingly will be reunited with Torre and be the bench coach or hitting coach.
More to come tomorrow....
UPDATE
Grady Little has resigned as Dodgers manager, paving the way for Torre to sign on the dotted line as Dodgers' manager. An announcement is expected in the next several days. Torre is expected to bring Mattingly with him as part of the new Dodgers' staff.
Wow! Happy Rocktober!! We are in the midst of a hot streak of epic proportions, one that I have not seen in my lifetime. We have to go back to the 1920 New York Giants' 26-game winning streak to find a team that's been this hot at any point in the season. What makes this significant is that this streak started in mid-September with a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers at home. They have only lost ONCE in that time. ONCE! The streak is now 21 of their last 22 games the Rockies have won. To sweep the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS is utterly amazing.
A little insurance Matt Holliday is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Philadelphia Phillies as the Rockies won Game 1 of their playoff series. (Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press)
Anything but Rocky Colorado Rockies pitcher Jeff Francis pitches in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the NL Division Series in Philadelphia. (Rusty Kennedy/Associated Press)
What a sight Colorado Rockies fans cheer on their team during Game 3 of a National League Division Series playoff baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. (Bill Ross/Associated Press)
I can fly
Rockies' shortstop Troy Tulowitzki fires to first over the Phillies' Carlos Ruiz to complete a double play during Game 3 of its NLDS. (Will Powers/Associated Press)
The big hit Yorvit Torrealba #8 of the Colorado Rockies hits a 3-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Fundamentally sound Colorado Rockies' Kazuo Matsui makes a sacrifice bunt in the third inning in Game 2 of the NLCS on Friday. (Eric ####/Associated Press)
On the board
Willy Taveras scores from third on a sacrifice fly by Todd Helton during the fifth inning in Game 2 of the NLCS. (David J. Phillip/Associated Press)
Celebration
Matt Holliday and Kazuo Matsui celebrate after Holliday's three-run HR in Game 4 of the NLCS. The Rockies will play either Cleveland or Boston. For those who think the NL is the Junior Varsity of the MLB, think again. As a Dodgers fan, I have seen the Rockies PLENTY of times and know that they are worthy of being in the World Series. I will go on the record as saying that the Rockies will finish and beat Cleveland in five games.
This is not intended to elicit sympathy. Instead, it is the rantings of a passionate sports fan that is SICK AND TIRED of his teams tanking and/or sucking. It's one thing to suck; if you're giving it all and the other team still has more talent, I'll not like it, but will be more accepting of my team's sucky situation AS LONG AS THEY GIVE IT 100%. IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK??
It has been a very nightmarish year for me and my teams sportswise. I DID have one GREAT reason to cheer in mid-February when Kevin Harvick won the Daytona 500. WOOHOO! Here is a brief synopsis of my teams' sucking and/or tanking:
Los Angeles Dodgers. This team was off to a decent start and had good pitching for much of the year but when the chips were down, they circled the drain. When the calendar hit September 16, this team decided to lay down and tank. They won a grand total of THREE games since September 16th. THREE GAMES!! THREE FREAKING GAMES!! I look at the Dodgers' schedule for October and it's CLEAR!! CLEAR!!!!! They should be playing the divisional playoffs against either the Cubs or the Phillies. Meantime, the L.A.-wannabe Angels ARE playing in the postseason. I'd rather the Dodgers suck and give it 100% than they be mediocre and tank badly.
Carolina Panthers. I LOVED it when Kris Jenkins called out the team for its lack of heart. GOOD FOR HIM!! I see a 6-10 team written all over themselves unless they get some heart and guts. I don't see that happening, at least not this season.
Philadelphia Flyers. I actually admired the 2006-07 version, even though they sucked badly. This team gave 100% every game; their lack of talent and injuries were the reason why they sucked. I am more optimistic this season because they went out and got some talent. Martin Biron will be in goal for the full season. What is holding the Flyers back is that they are in a very strong Atlantic Division.
Los Angeles Lakers. I got fed up with As The Kobe Turns. ENOUGH WITH THE FREAKING DRAMA ALREADY!! Mitch Kupchak, get another freaking point guard to COMPLEMENT Kobe and that can distribute the ball! D-Fish is an improvement over the disaster of a PG the Lakes had last season. I don't see this team being a playoff team this season.
There, I feel better already!! Now I'm ready to emerge from the Rubber Room ready to go and give my insights on the world of sports and the issues surrounding sports.
The Dodgers' playoff chances just went bye-bye with getting swept by the Rockies. Here are a few reasons why the Dodgers' chances are done:
Brett Tomko and Mark Hendrickson: when the Dodgers' starting staff was hit with injuries, this dynamic duo of arsonists stepped in and torched the Dodgers' chances early. Rather than calling up one of their young studs in the minors, Grady Little chose to start these never-weres. Now look where the team's at. Between these two bums, that's AT LEAST 15 LOSSES.
Starting the underwhelming Wilson Betemit at the start of the season rather than moving Nomar Garciaparra to third base (where he played when he was with the Cubs) and making James Loney the opening day first baseman. Betemit hit BELOW .250 in spring training; Loney was raking to the tune of ABOVE .400. TWO problems would have been solved at once.
A hellish early August in which the team lost 10 of 12 at one point. Break even, and they're still in the wild card and division hunts.
Starting Luis Gonzalez on Opening Day rather than Andre Ethier. While I like Gonzalez, he's on the downside of his career. Ethier is capable of being a .300-30-100 player. And he's in his mid-20's, as opposed to Gonzalez, who's nearly 40.
Here is the opening day 2008 lineup the Dodgers should trot out:
CF Juan Pierre
SS Rafael Furcal
RF Matt Kemp
1B James Loney
C Russell Martin
3B Nomar Garciaparra/Andy LaRoche
LF Andre Ethier
2B Tony Abreu (in the event Jeff Kent has retired)
P Brad Penny
The Dodgers' starting staff should be as such:
Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley, David Wells, and Hong-Chih Kuo (with Clayton Kershaw and James McDonald waiting in the wings).
Unfortunately, it looks more and more likely the Dodgers are going to lose Logan White, as he is a hot target of several teams to be their GM. White almost singlehandedly built back up the Dodgers' farm system in five years from being on life support to one of the majors' best.
If you think this is a horse racing post, think again. It's a capsule preview of this weekend's series that affect the pennant chase.
AL EAST
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
This is a golden opportunity for the Yankees to tighten the AL East race. As of this post, the Red Sox are winning 7-2. Tonight's starting pitchers are Andy Pettitte for the Yankees and Daisuke Matsuzaka for the Red Sox. UPDATE: Yankees win, 8-7. Bruney gets the win, Papelbon gets the loss, Rivera notches his 27th save of the season. The probable matchups for the weekend:
Saturday: Josh Beckett vs. Chien-Ming WangWinner has the inside track for the Cy Young.
Sunday: Curt Schilling vs. Roger Clemens. Two old warriors who are going to leave it all out on the field. It's going to be interesting to see who comes out on top.
NL EAST
Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets
The Phillies drew first blood in the series, winning tonight's game 3-2 in 10 innings. Tom "Flash" Gordon got the win, while Aaron Heilman took the loss. The Phils are now 4 1/2 games behind the Mets and for now are 1 game behind San Diego in the NL wild card. Probable pitchers for the weekend:
Saturday: Pedro Martinez vs. Kyle Lohse. Martinez has been out most of the season. A healthy Martinez will be HUGE for the Mets, as he can still deal. Recently he notched his 3,000th strikeout, joining the elite pantheon of hurlers that have 3,000 strikeouts. Lohse has been up and down.
Sunday: Oliver Perez vs. Adam Eaton. Perez has pitched reasonably well and appears to be a late bloomer. I'm waiting for Eaton's potential to show up. Sometimes it does. For the Phillies' sake, Eaton needs to step up with a stellar outing.
NL CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals
The Cubs rose up for a HUGE win in St. Louis, further dimming the Cardinals' chances. Carlos Zambrano matched his career high in wins, winning his 16th. The final score: Cubs 5, Cardinals 3. The Cards are now six games behind the Cubs and fading fast. They can ill-afford to get swept. A Cubs' sweep will mean the Cardinals should start making tee times soon. A Cardinals win in the series and they are still alive for defending their championship. Probable starters:
Saturday: Braden Looper vs. Ted Lilly. Lilly has pitched very well in his first season in the National League. Looper is a converted reliever and for his first season as a starter has been serviceable.
Sunday: Mark Mulder vs. Jason Marquis. Mulder has spent most of the season on the disabled list, so this season is a wash. He's giving it his best shot. Marquis has pitched reasonably well this season. You think he wants to stick a fork in his old team that sent him to the scrap heap after the division playoffs?
NL WEST
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers
This is one of the most pivotal series of the season for both teams. The Dodgers have to win this series in order to keep at least their wild card hopes alive. Brad Penny is on the bump tonight against Dodger-killer Doug Davis. Davis is #### against the rest of the league but always seems to get up for the Dodgers. As of tonight the Dodgers are 5 1/2 games behind the D-backs and for now a half game behind the Phillies. The probable starters for the weekend:
Saturday: Derek Lowe vs. Livan Hernandez. A key matchup of pressure pitchers that both own World Series rings, Lowe with the Red Sox and Hernandez with the Florida Marlins. Lowe is coming off an injured hand he sustained earlier in the week, causing him to miss a start.
Sunday: Esteban Loaiza vs. Edgar Gonzalez. Gonzalez is coming off a superb start against the Giants in which he was dealing. Not bad for his first start since late June. Loaiza had a bad outing after his first two outings went well. Loaiza has been on the DL most of the season and it's too soon to tell how effective he'll be. Let's hope the Loaiza of old emerges.
San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres
The Giants are officially eliminated from the divisional title race and are playing for pride (and a job next season). The Padres are leading in the wild card race by a game (for now) over the Phillies and a game and a half over the Dodgers. Let's hope the Giants don't mail it in and give a concerted effort to win (that's the Dodger cynic coming out of me). Tonight's starters are Barry Zito for the Giants and Chris Young for the Padres. The probable starters for the weekend:
Saturday: Brett Tomko (I'm snickering now) vs. Matt Cain. If the Padres are intent on going to the postseason, why did they pick up Tomko? Actually, I'm GLAD they picked him up!! He can burn down Petco Park like he did Dodger Stadium!! Cain is an up and coming stud that will be a mainstay of the Giants' rotation for the next few years at least.
Sunday (I'm still laughing at the Padres' acquisition of Tomko): Jake Peavy vs. Tim Lincecum. Peavy has the inside track for the NL Cy Young Award. Another stellar performance like his last start could go a long way towards wrapping up the Award. Lincecum is a future Cy Young Award winner. He'll be the ace of the Giants' rotation perhaps as soon as next season.
I can feel the pressure of the pennant chase from here. Five series that directly impact postseason hopes, including two in the Wild, Wild West. GO DODGERS!!!!!
I’ve been a fan of the Dodgers since the early 1970’s. Wes Parker was my first favorite player. I’m a native of Central California. My love for the Dodgers intensified in 1974, when my late father took me to an Old-Timer’s Day game between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. I remember the Dodgers won 2-1 on a Ken McMullen pinch-hit single. I was also a member of the Junior Dodgers’ Fan Club that season. My favorite players included: Steve Garvey, the Toy Cannon, Jimmy Wynn, Willie Crawford, and Ron Cey, to name a few. The Los Angeles Dodgers have a very rich and unique history. They are one of the most storied franchises in all of baseball. They are also one of those franchises that one either loves or hates.
The Dodgers debuted in the National League in 1890. They were not known as the Dodgers back then. The team debuted as the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and they got off to a positive start by winning the National League pennant in its inaugural season. The Bridegrooms were so named because seven of its players got married in 1888 around the same time. After the Bridegrooms, they were also named the Trolley Dodgers, Ward’s Wonders, Foutz’s Fillies, and Hanlon’s Superbas. By 1899, they took on the Superbas as its nickname. In that season, the Superbas won the National League pennant.
In 1900, the Superbas won their second consecutive National League pennant. It would be the only pennant the Superbas would win in the decade. In 1901, the newly-formed American League began to drain the Superbas and other National League clubs of their talent. In 1903, the first World Series took place.
In 1913, the team moved into Ebbets Field and inaugurated the new stadium with a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees in an exhibition game.
In 1914, the team hired Wilbert Robinson as manager and his impact on the team and city was such that the team was also nicknamed the Robins. Also during this decade, the feud between the Brooklynites and Manhattanites (where the Giants were located) heated up between the two teams and cities. In 1916, the Dodgers (or Robins) won their first National League pennant of the Modern Era (after 1901). They would end up losing to the Boston Red Sox in five games in their first World Series appearance. (side note: it would be the last World Series win by the Red Sox until 2004) On January 31, 1919, Jackie Roosevelt Robinson is born in Cairo, Georgia, to Mallie Robinson.
The decade of the 1920's got off to a great start when the Dodgers won the National League pennant. They would lose to the Cleveland Indians in the World Series, five games to two. That series is remembered for the only unassisted triple play in World Series history. The rest of the decade wouldn’t be nearly as good; it would be the only pennant the Dodgers would win in the decade. The best finish the Dodgers would have was a second-place finish in 1924.
The 1930's was known as the wackiest and wildest decade in Dodgers’ history. The “Uncle Robbie” period faded after 1931, but his legacy remains as the Brooklyn Dodgers’ winningest manager with 1,375 victories in 18 seasons. After Robinson’s departure, four different Dodger managers took the helm. During this decade, the farm system was developed, and the first radio and television broadcasts took place. Unfortunately, there would be no pennants won in the decade.
This decade is remembered for one of the most momentous events in American history, one that changed the landscape of American culture forever, and for the better: the integration of blacks in Major League Baseball with the major league debut of Jackie Robinson on April 15, 1947.
The Dodgers’ emergence as a powerhouse began in this decade. They won three National League pennants in the decade and finished second two other seasons. It was also the decade of World War 2, and many Dodgers were called to active military duty. On August 26, 1947, the Dodgers debuted the first black pitcher in the majors, Dan Bankhead. He would hit a home run in his very first at-bat as a Dodger. Jackie Robinson would be named Rookie of the Year after the 1947 season. The first integrated All-Star game would be played in 1949 and Robinson, Don Newcombe, and Roy Campanella would be the first blacks to play in the All-Star Game. After the 1949 season, Robinson would be named Most Valuable Player.
This decade marked the end of the Dodgers’ era in Brooklyn, as the team would move to Los Angeles after the 1957 season. Their most bitter rivals, the Giants, would also move, from New York to San Francisco and renew their rivalry, albeit between Southern California and Northern California. The Dodgers won 913 games in the decade, most in team history. In 8 of the 10 years, they either finished second or first. They would win four National League pennants and two World Series championships.
1950: Walter O’Malley becomes team president. Vin Scully makes his debut as Dodgers’ announcer.
1954: Walter Alston becomes manager and manages for the next 23 seasons, winning seven National League pennants and four World Series championships.
1955: Brooklyn wins its only World Series, defeating the Yankees 4 games to 3. Series MVP Johnny Podres shuts out the Yankees 2-0 in Game 7 at Yankee Stadium.
1956: Don Newcombe makes history as he becomes the first pitcher to win the Cy Young Award and the Most Valuable Player in the same season.
Arizona Diamondbacks: they are currently in first place in the division. While Dan Haren has made the adjustment from Oakland to Arizona, and Brandon Webb has been stellar, the rest of the team has struggled, particularly away from home. Haren was named NL Pitcher of the Month for June. So far, the D-backs have played a home-friendly schedule. After the All-Star break, it gets tougher, particularly in September with visits to St. Louis, L.A., Colorado, and San Francisco. The series at St. Louis is a four game series in the final week of the season. 
What a sight Colorado Rockies fans cheer on their team during Game 3 of a National League Division Series playoff baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, at Coors Field in Denver. 
Winner has the inside track for the Cy Young. 
