Sports fans, it's that time of week again. Time to call out the object of your ire by throwing them under the Bus. Remember, the object of your ire can be a player, coach, fans, league, commissioner, sports executive, columnist, or even your fellow bloggers. You can call out their stupidity and general all-around dumb@$$ery here.
NFL
Ricardo Colclough, DB, Carolina Panthers: he was arrested for DWI on Saturday, hours before the Panthers were to make their final cuts. This doesn’t help. If you want to have a future in the NFL, you better learn to stay down during the season. In the meantime, you earn a tread-tasting trip under the Bus. UPDATE: Colclough has been released by the Panthers a few hours after his arrest. Ya think?
Derrick Martin, CB, Baltimore Ravens: the NFL suspended him for the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was cited and charged in July for possession of three small bags of the hippie lettuce at the Cleveland airport during a random TSA screening. What the HELL are you doing transporting small bags of the chronic at an airport? Apparently this genius thought he wasn’t going to be searched. Dumb, dumb, dumb. And for that, Martin gets to taste some tread as he gets thrown under the Bus.
Jesse Chatman, RB, New York Jets: he was suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s steroids and substance abuse policy. While he’s been good in the locker room and in practice, rules are rules. He was out of football in 2006, and came back in 2007 with Miami. He’ll have his roster spot when he returns in Week 5. But for now, Chatman gets thrown under the Bus.
Fred Taylor, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars: he was arrested outside a Miami Beach nightclub early Saturday for disorderly conduct. With the season about to begin, what was he doing at a nightclub? Save that for AFTER the season. And remember, nothing good happens after 2 AM, unless you’re getting lucky and doing the Dirty Sanchez with some hottie. What makes it hard is that he’s been a solid character guy, good in the locker room and in the community. But as painful as it is, I have to throw Taylor under the Bus.
Rocky Bernard and Jordan Babineaux, Seattle Seahawks: these two geniuses were suspended for Seattle's Week 1 game at Buffalo. Bernard for violation of the team's personal conduct policy stemming from his allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Babineaux was suspended for violation of the league's substance abuse policy. In addition to the $35,000 fine, Babineaux is also docked a game check. These two characters get to taste some tread as they get thrown Under The Bus.
MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates: or more specifically, their official scorer. This guy denied the Milwaukee Brewers' CC Sabathia a no-hitter. Sabathia fielded a slow roller by the Pirates' Andy LaRoche and booted it. Sure error, right? NO, it was ruled an INFIELD SINGLE!! If Sabathia fields it cleanly, LaRoche is out from PNC Park to Fox Chapel (a tony Pittsburgh suburb). It wasn't like it was a ban.g-ban.g play. The Pirates' official scorer gets thrown Under The Bus for denying Sabathia a much sought-after no-hitter.
Los Angeles Dodgers: this team went into the tank before rallying against the Diamondbacks' two best pitchers: Dan Haren and Brandon Webb. Getting swept by the Phillies is one thing; getting swept by the weak-#### Washington Nationals will get you thrown under the Bus every single time.
Youth Baseball League of New Haven, CT: this spineless league banned a 9-year-old pitcher named Jericho Scott because he’s too good. He's good, and it irks you to no end because your self-esteem is threatened. This young kid throws 40 MPH, which is roughly equivalent to a high school senior throwing 90-95 MPH with pinpoint control. Whatever happened to celebrating achievement? League and parents, you broke the spirit of a kid. I don’t know how you can sleep at night knowing you broke the spirit of a 9-year-old boy. You have that attitude of being the experts on all things racial. Could it be possible you banned him because of his *race*? (Jericho Scott is African-American) WELL, YOU'RE NOT. I SPIT ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE CONTEMPTIBLE. THEN I THROW THE SPINELESS PARENTS AND THE LEAGUE UNDER THE BUS. Parents, I hope you get what’s coming to you. And I hope Jericho Scott overcomes this obstacle to become a Major League pitcher.
NASCAR
NASCAR: for instituting a six-race probation for both Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch for their little dust-up after the Bristol race. NASCAR is forever stressing they want to return to its roots. Putting Edwards and Busch on probation is just stupid. Are they trying to neuter its drivers? I think so. NASCAR itself gets thrown under the Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!
P.S. The young lady wasn't available this week; perhaps next week.
Are there sports figures, teams, coaches, owners, executives, or fans that so #### you off that you just want to SCREAM? You think you can't do something about it? You CAN do something about it, right here. You CAN call out the above for their idiocy, arrogance, or just plain dumbassery. In this blog, you can throw them Under The Bus. I have a few that I'd like to throw Under The Bus. You can do the same.
NASCAR
Michael McDowell: he was the cause of the Talladegaesque pileup near the end of the Centurion Boats at the Glen. He saw his opportunity to take David Gilliland out, presumably to teach him a lesson. Only one problem, ####: there were a gaggle of cars following closely behind you. And when you do that, you're going to cause more than a few of them to crash. While he raced ahead, Gilliland and others were part of the carnage. Bobby Labonte, in fact, had to be taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. For making the #### move of the Year, McDowell gets thrown Under The Bus by each of the drivers involved in the crash.
Tony Eury, Jr.: he singlehandedly was the cause of Dale Earnhardt, Jr's relatively poor finish by hanging him out to dry because of bad pit strategy. Rather than pitting with the other leaders, Eury chose to keep his driver out as long as possible. Yes, Dale Jr. led numerous laps, but rather than running the race in reverse, he chose to run a road course race like a normal oval and gamble on fuel strategy. Inevitably, a caution came out well after the other drivers pitted (Dale Jr. had not pitted yet). So instead of staying out, Dale Jr. HAD to pit. He was shuffled to the back of the field and never quite recovered. For his poor strategy, Eury Jr. gets thrown Under The Bus.
NBA
Paul Pierce: the Boston Celtics' star is delusional if he thinks he's the best basketball player in the world. Sure, you won a title and an Academy Award nomination in the same Finals, but NO WAY you're the best player on the planet. Yes, this is a BIT late, but I STILL HAVE to throw him Under The Bus.
Golden State Warriors: they signed Andris Biedrins to a six-year, $62 million contract extension. While Biedrins is a nice player who had career highs of 10.5 ppg and 9.8 rpg last season, WHY do you pay a glorified role player that kind of jack? He is NOT a cornerstone franchise player, e.g. Tim Duncan, David West. THOSE are the players you pay that kind of jack. Biedrins hasn't proven himself in the NBA yet. Perhaps if he has another couple of seasons of improvement, THEN you pay him. But for spending unwisely, IMO, the Warriors get thrown Under The Bus.
MLB
Hong-Chih Kuo: first of all, why wasn't Jonathan Broxton pitching the ninth inning to nail down a save in a CRITICAL division game? The Dodgers were winning 4-3 when inexplicably, Joe Torre opted to keep Kuo in for the ninth inning. Torre deserves some blame as well for putting a pitcher that is NOT used to being a closer in the closer's role. Ultimately, Kuo didn't pitch well enough to allow the Dodgers to win. This while the D-backs won at home against Atlanta. (It seems they have had all but a handful of games at home; wait till September, when their schedule is BRUTAL.) For failing to hold a lead against the hated Giants, Kuo gets thrown Under The Bus. Torre also gets thrown Under The Bus for not putting Broxton in the ninth inning.
Prince Fielder and Manny Parra: Parra gets blame for going into the clubhouse (a HUGE no-no) after getting pulled from Monday night's start. If you're a starting pitcher, and you've been pulled for a reliever, you STAY on the bench and root your team on. Fielder gets blamed for making it public. While I admire that Fielder is trying to show leadership, he handled it wrong. He should have confronted Parra behind closed doors and aired it out there. Perhaps Fielder has learned his lesson. In the meantime, Brewers' fans can throw both Fielder and Parra Under The Bus.
Brett Myers: he's another hothead that doesn't play well with others. He was yanked by Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel after a bad outing. In the dugout, Myers and Manuel engaged in a heated shouting match and physically had to be restrained. Brett, take it like a man. You stunk up the joint; own it. In the meantime, you get thrown Under The Bus.
C.J. Wilson: the Texas Rangers' reliever allowed a grand slam to Richie *(**#$@ Sexson on Tuesday and showed up his manager, Ron Washington, by flipping him the ball after being yanked. Washington, being old-school, didn't take kindly to it. He grabbed Wilson and made him hand him the ball. You don't show up your manager at ANY TIME, especially a red-####, old-school manager like Washington. For showing up his manager, Wilson gets thrown Under The Bus. NOTE: Wilson has a bone spur at the tip of his left elbow. He could get a cortisone shot and pitch again this season, or have season-ending surgery.
Those are my nominations for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!
Looking around the world of sports, there are many sports personalities and teams that have p****d you, the typical Joe Six-Pack Fan, off. I have some teams and personalities that have so ticked me off I could just scream. Here is the forum for you to sound off and call out those dumb@$$E$, idiots, and general all-around malcontents by throwing them Under The Bus. I have some nominees this week. Who do you want to throw under said Bus?
NFL
Marshawn ####, RB, Buffalo Bills: this genius stayed silent rather than cooperate with Buffalo police on a misdemeanor hit and run charge against him. Who the hell does he think he is? If he had come correct right away, all this would be behind him now. Instead, he subjected several Bills players, employees, and management to be subpoenaed. Now he's subject to being thrown Under The Bus.
Jevon Kearse, DE, Tennessee Titans: you're a 10 year veteran, with your second stint with the Titans. You're supposedly looked up to as one of the team's veteran leaders. And you get popped for DUI? What were you THINKING? Apparently you WEREN'T thinking. Mix in a cab or a limo to take you home. For knowing better and still being a dumb@SS, The Freak gets thrown Under The Bus.
NASCAR
Kevin Harvick: Happy, what on God's green earth were you THINKING late in the race? Why did you drive it into the corner WAY TOO HARD? You had a Top 5 LOCKED and LOADED into the standings, and you were poised to move up a couple of spots. You took out THREE good cars (Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, and Ron Fellows) with that boneheaded move. Because of that idiotic move, you ended up finishing 30th. THIRTIETH!!! Now you're out of the Chase by two measly points. You finished 30th on a course where you finish in the top 5 IN YOUR SLEEP. For Happy, this continues a season-long slump. Now because of his bonehead move, Happy gets thrown Under The Bus this week.
MLB
New York Mets: they couldn't have handled Willie Randolph's firing any worse than that. You should have clipped him off during one of your long losing streaks. Instead, you allowed him to travel with the team to Anaheim to face the Angels. THEN you clipped him IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. After the first game of the series. I've got no problem with Randolph being clipped; what should have happened is that he should have got fired BEFORE the Mets went on the road. For their egregious mishandling of the Randolph firing, the Mets get thrown Under The Bus.
NBA
Los Angeles Lakers: losing by 40 to the Boston Celtics was inexcusable. It's okay to lose to the Celtics; they are the better team. But losing by 40 means you QUIT. I am very disappointed and disgusted by the Lakers' lack of effort. I hope the Lakers use this as motivation to win an NBA title next season. But until then, the Lakers get thrown Under The Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!
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!
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.
I've been sitting here, thinking, what should I write about tonight? I feel the inspiration to write, but am not sure what to write about. Well, I found something to write about. I'm ruminating about what is happening in the sports world, and I have some random musings.
The NFL Network ended up striking gold TWICE this season: New England vs. Pittsburgh and Dallas vs. Green Bay. Of course, they also struck fool's gold with San Francisco vs. Cincinnati.
In order to ensure Adrian Peterson's long-term NFL survival, it's imperative the Vikings shut him down for the season. His knee injury will set him back at least six weeks. The Vikings will be playing for position in the NFL Draft, so to shut him down could ensure them playing for a stud O-lineman or QB.
Don't look now, but the Falcons are playing like the second-best team in the NFC South. In what was essentially a throw-away season due to the Michael V**k fiasco, the Falcons have won two in a row. Of course, the NFC South is garbage this year.
Stephon Marbury has QUIT on the Knicks. He is NOT a leader. If I'm Isiah, I put him on the inactive list for the season. I don't trade him, I don't release him, I just inactivate him without pay until further notice. I don't buy him out, either. He can #### and moan all he wants, but you, Isiah, have to get tough on him.
Suddenly the Boston Celtics are relevant. Too bad the Los Angeles Lakers are irrelevant. The NBA needs BOTH the Lakers AND the Celtics to be elite teams.
Is Adam Jones' new attorney the new Johnnie Cochran? Jones' attorney cut a deal with the Clark County D.A. and all Jones has to do is community service. If you're a gang-####ing thug, or a wannabe gang####er, you want that attorney's name and phone number on speed dial. He'll get YOU community service and keep you out of the hole.
NFL teams that are exceeding expectations: Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo.
NFL teams that are underachieving: I could put A LOT of teams there, but Carolina leads the pack. They have NO heart or grit. John Fox is looking like Dead Man Walking. If the Panthers end up 4-12, which is becoming a real possibility, look for Fox to be fired. An intriguing possibility: Bill Cowher (he lives in Raleigh, NC).
I don't expect any big free agent signings in MLB until early December. I can see some second level signings by Thanksgiving. A-Rod will go to Southern California, most likely with the Angels. I think the Dodgers will balk at Scott Boras' contract demands for his megastar client.
Seahawks' fans are crowing and feeling good about their team again. While you have a very solid QB and leader in Matt Hasselbeck, your lack of running game will bite you in the #### in the playoffs. Shaun Alexander is a shell of his old self. He's been used so much in the last three years he's broken down and has gotten real old real suddenly.
Jimmie Johnson is having a season for the ages in NASCAR. He has won the last four races and with an 18th place or better finish he will repeat as champion. A win at Homestead and Johnson will put his own stamp on history. No driver in the modern era of NASCAR has won five consecutive races. Johnson is only the fourth driver to win four in a row (Harry Gant, Mark Martin, and Jeff Gordon are the others).
I think only fans of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are compelled by the Chase this year. As for this Kevin Harvick fan, I was pulling for Clint Bowyer to make a run at Gordon and Johnson, but it didn't happen.
Is this the craziest year in memory in college football, or what? App State beating Michigan, Stanford beating USC, KANSAS in the top 3, Oregon on a collision course with LSU for the national championship, Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Miami being WAY down, etc.
I can make a case of the following teams in the national championship picture: LSU, Oregon, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Both LSU and Oregon need to run the table. Kansas has to run the table and hope either LSU or Oregon loses. Oklahoma, same thing as Kansas. The loser of the Big 12 title game could still end up in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Miami Dolphins could go winless this season. Here's their remaining schedule: 11/18, at Philadelphia; 11/26, at Pittsburgh; 12/2, New York Jets; 12/9, at Buffalo; 12/16, Baltimore; 12/23, at New England; 12/30, Cincinnati. Of those games, only the Jets and maybe Baltimore are winnable.
It's gotta be tough to be a sports fan in South Beach. The Marlins are in a perpetual fire sale, the Heat are underachieving, the 'Canes are nowhere near what they once were, and the Panthers are under .500 and nowhere near Stanley Cup contention. And of course, the Dolphins are winless with a chance to make history in reverse.
Conversely, it doesn't suck to be a Boston sports fan. The Red Sox won their second World Series championship in four years. The Patriots could very well run the table all the way to their fourth Super Bowl title. The Celtics are among the NBA's elite again. Boston College is having a great season. Even the Bruins are above .500 in a tough Northeast Division.
The Browns-Steelers game was one of the best games of the season in the NFL. The Steelers showed why they are among the NFL's elite.
That's enough ruminating for now. Feel free to chew the cud and commisserate.
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.
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.
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!!!!!
It's getting unbearable to watch the Dodgers play. Seems like they forgot how to play basic ball. They can't move runners over. They can't hit with runners in scoring position. They have an inning in a game where they give up five or more runs. And they haven't been able to hit their way out of a wet paper bag. I will give you reasons why the Dodgers are in a very deep funk and are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether.
INJURIES: with a 162-game schedule, injuries are bound to happen. It's inevitable. The key is sustaining as few injuries as possible and to keep your regulars fairly healthy. The Dodgers have been hit hard by injuries. Here's but a few:
Jason Schmidt: injured his shoulder very early in the season. He has one win this season. He's done for this year and maybe his career. He was counted on to be the innings eater of the rotation, the solid #3 that would give the bullpen an occasional rest. Without 200+ innings from Schmidt, it has taxed the pitching staff. Fortunately, Chad Billingsley has stepped in and become a solid #3. Billingsley did lose CONSECUTIVE 1-0 decisions during the Dodgers' slide.
Randy Wolf: he was counted on to be that lefty that was going to give the team a solid effort week in and week out. He hasn't pitched in nearly two months and may be done for the season.
Hong-Chih Kuo: was healthy for about a month this season (in which he hit a memorable home run off John Maine of the Mets; the bat flip was even better). Kuo has the tools to be a legitimate starter, if he ever stays healthy.
Yhency Brazoban: one of the game's best set-up men when he was healthy. He was never healthy all season and he's done for the season.
Nomar Garciaparra: he was put on the 15-day DL with a calf strain. He's getting older and as an older player it's harder to stay healthy.
HITTING: players will go through slumps at some point in the season. This is the first extended slump the Dodgers as a team have gone through this season. Luis Gonzalez started out slow, then went on a tear, now he's in a funk. Nomar was just starting to hit the ball like he did last year, now he goes on the DL. While Juan Pierre is hitting .284, I'd like to see him take a few more walks and get on base more often so he can utilize his blazing speed. I believe the Dodgers will break out of their funk, but it better happen soon or they'll be making tee times after September.
Overall, it's not quite time to panic yet, as I still believe that the Diamondbacks will hit a skid at some point and the Dodgers will go on a tear. No team can play .900 ball between now and the end of the season like the D-backs are. Everything evens out at the end. It's still going to be a three-team, maybe a four-team race at the end.
The unofficial Second Half of the season will start on Thursday. A highly anticipated conclusion to the regular season and the crowning of a World Series Champion awaits in late October. At this point in the season, fans can generally separate the contenders from the pretenders. What are we going to see? Here are a few things that I think we'll see:
The Boston Red Sox will run and hide from the AL East.
It's going to be a dogfight in the AL Central between Detroit, Cleveland, and Minnesota. Minnesota wins the division, with Detroit getting the wild card.
Seattle is not going away. Having said that, they will make a run at the Angels, but come up short.
Atlanta will find a way to win the NL East (again!) Earlier I did say that the Mets would win, but as the grind of the season wears on, their pitching will come up short while the Braves' pitching will prevail. Philadelphia will make a run but come up short. The future is bright in Philly, though.
The NL Central is the most putrid division in baseball. When all is said and done, the winner will barely be above .500.
If either the Padres or the Dodgers get a big bat by the trade deadline, the team that does will run and hide. If the Dodgers get another starter without having to give up too much, they will hold off the Padres. Either way, runner up in the NL West wins the wild card.
Ken Griffey, Jr. will not be traded by the Reds and hit his 600th HR in a Reds' uniform. He's a lock for Cooperstown. If not for injuries, he'd be chasing 700 HR's.
There will be more managerial changes, including Tony La Russa leaving St. Louis. The Cardinals are (or should be) in a major rebuilding mode. My prediction: he'll end up where he started his managerial career: with the Chicago White Sox.
The NL West will end up tied and a one-game playoff will determine the division winner.
Like many fans, I'm looking forward to the second half of the season. I'm especially looking forward to the NL West race. GO DODGERS!!!!
We are at the unofficial halfway point of the MLB season. For fans of some teams, it's another season of "let's play our young players and see how they do in the second half" which is code for OUR TEAM SUCKS. Fans of other teams are taking a "wait and see" approach to the second half of the season. That's code for "Our team had a nice run the first half, but they'll fade like they always do in the second half." And for fans of a select few teams, they are amped up for their team to make the postseason and perhaps a World Series appearance.
Let's get the bad out of the way first:
The Pittsburgh Pirates are on their way to a 15th consecutive losing season. That won't change anytime soon, unless the current ownership has a sudden dose of clarity or has an epiphany and sells the team to someone like Mark Cuban. No wonder Barry Bonds wanted to leave Pittsburgh. He probably saw that far ahead and decided to bail early. That or the fact he'll forever be remembered for throwing a 15-hopper to the plate that Sid "Wheels" Bream beat out in Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS to win the pennant for the Atlanta Braves.
As I write this , the Pirates are actually in FOURTH place. The Cincinnati Reds are dwelling in the NL Central cellar with the worst record in the bigs at 30-50. It's a mess in the Natti. Trade Ken Griffey Jr. back to Seattle and get some prospects.
Speaking of Bonds, the San Francisco Giants need to cut ties with him after this season, regardless of whether or not he breaks Hank Aaron's record. (As an aside, Hank Aaron used to be the very first name listed in the Baseball Encyclopedia. Do you know who is the first player listed now?)
The Texas Rangers are in a mess. While I like Ron Washington, and he's a good baseball man, he's not a good fit there. He's bringing an Oakland A's style of baseball to the Rangers. The Rangers have free swingers. Not a good fit for a manager that demands his hitters be patient.
Now for the good:
I'll start with the most competitive division in baseball: the NL West. The lead changes hands amongst the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Arizona Diamondbacks about every three days or so. The Rockies are fading fast. It's going to be a three team race until the very end of the season. Runner up in the division will get the wild card. I'm calling my shot: Dodgers win the division, with the Padres getting the wild card. Dodgers beat the Padres in a one game playoff at the end of the regular season.
While the NL East is fairly close (the Mets hold a four game lead currently) I think the Mets will have enough to hold off both the Phillies and Braves.
The Chicago Cubs could make a run in the second half. Maybe they overtake the Brewers. IF the Cubs are within three games of the Brew Crew by Labor Day, they will overtake the Brewers.
Boston is running away with the AL East. The NY Yankees are finished. Done. Kaput. Over. All the Red Sox have to do is play .500 ball the rest of the way and they still win 91 games. I can see them win around 102 games.
Before it's all said and done, the AL Central will be almost as competitive as the NL West. The Tigers and Indians, along with the Twins, will slug it out. I'm calling my shot: Minnesota wins the division, with the Tigers getting the wild card.
In the AL West, it's all about the Angels. Seattle will hang in there until the last week of the season, when the Angels clinch the division. I'd put Mariners fan under the "wait and see" label.
Here are my predictions for postseason:
ALDS: Detroit over Boston, Anaheim (they're NOT the Los Angeles Angels, and I REFUSE to acknowledge them as such) over Minnesota.
NLDS: Los Angeles over Milwaukee, San Diego over New York.
ALCS: Detroit over Anaheim, 4 games to 2. (a little sweet revenge from the Ducks' series win over the Red Wings)
NLCS: Los Angeles over San Diego, 4 games to 3.
World Series: Detroit over Los Angeles, 4 games to 2.
He did it. Trevor Hoffman nailed down his 500th career save, his 499th as a Padre. (His first save came as a Florida Marlin early in the 1993 season, then he was traded to the Padres shortly thereafter) And he did it against my Dodgers no less. Amazing. Trevor, see you in Cooperstown.
N.L. West update
What hurts worse is that the Dodgers lost their second straight to a division rival. And both Arizona and San Diego are going very well right now. Randy Johnson is pitching like the Big Unit of 10 years ago. If he keeps pitching that way the rest of the year, Arizona will run and hide from the rest of the division. However, the NL West has its ebbs and flows, so Arizona could fall back to the pack before it's over. The Padres caught a HUGE break in not having to face both Derek Lowe and Brad Penny. The Dodgers caught a break in not having to face Jake Peavy, a notorious Dodger killer from Day One in the bigs.
I've said before and I'll say it again: the NL West will come down to the last day of the season, if not a one-game playoff. It won't be unlike 1982 when it was a three team race down to the last day of the season between Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Dodgers squeak it out with the runner-up getting the wild card.
After the first quarter of the MLB season, here are a few things that I've seen so far and will comment on:
Trevor Hoffman is closing in on 500 saves. I would love for him to achieve this amazing mark in San Diego, but the way the Pads are going, he'll achieve it on this road trip. After a slow start, Hoffman is back to his usual dominating self. And his buds in the pen are much better than they were last year (not that they were bad; they were stellar to begin with). Hoffman has plenty left in the tank, at least 2-3 years left at this level. Five HUNDRED saves. This means he has been a GREAT closer for the better part of a decade and a half. IF he goes another three years, at this pace he'll finish with over 600 saves! Trevor, welcome to Cooperstown. Here's your bust.
Is the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry overrated AND overhyped, or what? The Yankees are finished as a premier AL power; they suddenly got old and there is not enough talent at the AAA level to step in right away. The Yanks do have minor league talent, but at the lower levels, which means it's 2-3 years away before they become a legit contender again (that is, if they don't trade it away by then). The Red Sox are too deep in their starting staff and have big enough (and clutch enough) bats to keep everyone else in the AL East at bay.
Will the Milwaukee Brewers win the NL Central? I think so. They're the best team in the WORST division in MLB.
Are the Cleveland Indians for real? Yes. Fausto Carmona is pitching like Cy Young incarnate. The Indians are a gritty team with a very potent offense and just enough pitching to possibly win the AL Central (a wild card awaits them if they don't win the division). Could Carmona steal the AL Cy Young Award? If he keeps up this pace, he'll have earned it. And to think he was garbage as a closer last year!! If Eric Wedge keeps his job beyond this year, he owes Carmona a steak dinner.
The Mets and Braves are in a slugfest for the NL East. The loser will get the wild card. Philadelphia has to be considered among the most disappointing teams in MLB. So much was expected of them but they have underachieved. Having injuries to your key players doesn't help matters any.
The NL West is going to come down to the final day of the season, if not a one-game playoff. Three teams will vie for the division: Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Diego Padres. By a nose, the Dodgers win, but any one of those three teams could win the division.
Back to the Yankees for a minute. Joe Torre will not manage this team next year, and Brian Cashman will not return either. I foresee wholesale changes (code for blowing up the roster and starting over). They will struggle to finish at .500.
I foresee the same fate for the St. Louis Cardinals. IMHO, Tony La Russa will resign before he blows up the team's roster. He clearly favors veteran players, but most of the Cardinals' veterans have seen their better days. Jim Edmonds is a gamer, but he's clearly on his last legs. Scott Rolen has clearly slowed down. Preston Wilson has an arthritic knee. Juan Encarnacion isn't the player he once was. And on and on. They could learn from the Dodgers: go with young talent, stockpile a veteran that can still contribute (and is willing to be a mentor), and mesh them together.
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.