Thanksgiving & A Thought

To All Of My Friends, Both Old and New---

I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Season. However, I would rather all have a memorable and prayerful season, as without God nothing is possible. Feel free to pass along, but don't feel obligation.

You won't get seven wishes, if you pass this on to seven people. Nobody will love you more, or you won't find love, if you send this along. :)

"Dear God, Our Father--

Thank you for all of the things you have provided and the things you have not given us, due to the fact you know all things. Thank you for friends, siblings, family, all of the people in our lives, both good and bad, as it always takes everyone for us to be who we are and who we will become. God thank you for all of the things we do not know about, the things we do know, and help us to be a sponge, to learn and be a vital part of everyone's live, we may come in contact with.

God thank you for the safety we have, and the life you have breathed into us. As no matter how bad our pain is, our situation may be, or the constant barrage of things in our lives, we are thankful to have the chance to make a difference. Thank you for our health and all of the health of those around us. Yet, make those who are not healthy, or dealing with those who are not, to understand we are just a vessel on earth, and our true future is with You, OUR God, in Heaven.

Please God, grant us the ability to live with a purpose, Your purpose, looking ahead to make a difference for Your Plan. God please hold your hand out to those who are not Christian, in hopes a change and eternity (with You) will come. God please help those who are in hunger, in terror (India), who have been wronged (in any way) by others, or have a life they are struggling with, to hold on, look to You, and please show the way.

Finally, God please allow everyone to not just see the "Thanks" on this holiday, but in everyday, hour, minute, second, in order for lives to be lived, instead of just coasted thru, filled with dread, or what may come. You are the Almighty and without you, there would be nothing. Please show us how to make a difference in our lives and others, in accordance with Your will.

In Jesus' name, Amen"

MIKE D./DMAN

The Thought Spigot

http://thethoughtspigot.com

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NBA, Trailblazers, Greg Oden Happy

FROM "The Thought Spigot"
http://www.thethoughtspigot.com/

Greg Oden has would have no luck, if he didn't have bad luck. Oden is out 2-4 weeks with a "sprained right ankle," after an MRI revealed nothing substantial. The Portland Trailblazers first round pick, of 2007, had "micro-fracture surgery" ending his whole 2007 campaign, and in the first quarter of the first official game of the year, he is down with the "ankle sprain." The big man for the Trailblazers was to be a huge impact, in the paint, on the glass, and doing battle with the whole array of Western Conference big men (such as, Shaq, Duncan, Bynum, Staudomire, and a big mix of others). However, as of now, Portland will have to lean on either a substantially smaller line-up, or they will go with a substantially less talented rotation of big men.

The Western Conference is by far the superior conference, as whole, and the Trailblazers were looking to take the sixth thru eight playoff spot, with Oden in the line-up. As the NBA is looking to the "next big thing" (no pun intended), Oden was a poster boy, coming out of high school. In the next two weeks, he was to go against Shaq, Yao Ming, Dwight Howard, and Tim Duncan (with that line-up of Centers, it might be good he was hurt, when he was, keeping him fresh). Those match ups will not be happening in a row, but will be happening later in the season. Two to four weeks are not the end of the world, and the NBA season is a hard, long, and grueling one, especially for the big men (of the league).

Portland's GM & Owner, players and fans were all holding their collective breaths. They can now exhale, knowing Oden is not out for a substantial period of time, looking at big weight gain and rehab. However, their is still going to be some major questions for Greg this year. The twenty year old, shot blocking guru, will be considered injury prone, until he isn't. This is not a fair shot at such a young man, but the bigger you are the harder you fall (pun intended), there is more wear and tear on a big man's body, and the physiology of big men, playing a sport at the level they do and against other alike, is a situation for critical mass. Stepping on a foot, is a potential broken ankle, every dunk is a potential ACL/MCL tear, and even just knocking knees in the paint of the NBA can break/dispose a knee cap (ask the Laker's Andrew Bynum). Time will tell, but I am sure the NBA, all of Portland's team and fans, and the fans around the NBA (not to mention fantasy basketball fans) are all pulling for "Mr. Oden" to come back, bigger and stronger, with a well rested body, for the remainder of the season. All eyes will be on Oden, when he emerges from the tunnel, in two to four weeks.

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TITANS SHOW THE AFC WHO IS BOSS

Don't look now, but the Tennessee Titans have finally bucked the AFC "non-challenged" moniker, off of their backs. On Monday Night Football, in prime time, the Titans smacked the Indianapolis Colts, 31-21. The Titans season began, in a very auspicious way, with the physical and emotional injury to franchise QB, Vince Young. Sportswriters, then began with quips like, "they have not played anyone" and "wait until the Colts come to town." Well, the Colts have come and gone, and the Titans are 7-0.

Monday Night, the Titans were hitting on all cylinders, with a mounting offense, hard hitting defense, and even some highlight reel plays (which most feel is odd, as the Titans are not looked at, as an offensive team). The beginning of the game started off with an "uh-oh" type feel, with Peyton Manning hitting Dallas Clark with two TD throws, in the sending the Colts out to a 14-6 lead (with the Titans only getting two Bironas FGs), just into the third quarter. Then everything change. It really was not like the defense wasn't doing their job, in those opening quarters, they were just missing. An interception slipping out of Michael Griffins hands, Haynesworth and the D-line just missing Manning in the pocket, and they were "keeping things close."

Then the Titans showed the rest of the country what they already knew, at this point in the season, "they are the team to beat in the AFC." Given, this is not the same NFL, as it has been over the last three to four seasons (with Brady's leg injuries, the Cowboys imploding, Peyton having "timing issues" and the list goes on), but every Sunday to this point the Titans have gotten it done. After the Dallas Clark TD, the Titans went on a 24 point run. Big LenDale White had two TD runs, one was a spectacular goal line play, where he just stretched over the goal line, after a Manning INT. Then the "D" came into the game, big time, where Chris Hope came up with his first two INT's of the season, in the second half. The second interception sealed the game for the Titans. Kerry Collins was solid with a 193 Yard night (with no ints/no TDs), Chris Johnson rushed for 77 yards and a game ending TD, while LenDale White put two into the end zone, as stated.

Going into the second half of the season, the Titans are ahead of the other AFC teams by a full two games. The Bills, Steelers, and Patriots are all at 5-2, and in their own division the Houston Texans are 3-4. The Titans are a lock to win their division and are looking to go deep into the playoffs. For the first time since Steve McNair's retirement, the Titans fans have something to cheer about, besides the "Music City Miracle" season. They have a defense that will not quit, two dominate running backs (Chris Johnson looking for rookie of the year status, possibly), and a veteran QB who does not do to much and makes very little, in the way of mistakes. The Titans have the possibility to beat any team in the NFL, now. Monday night proved, they can win games with scores which are more than 14-10, or the low scoring games. As long as they stay healthy, the Tennessee Titans are in it to win it. It is just a matter of "any given Sunday," now.

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"Sweet Lou" Loses Game 1 For Chicago Cubs, in Playoffs

The "Billy Goat Curse," a sense of tension caused by a 100 year drought, or just a regular "on any given day, any team can beat another" may be the reason the Cubs lost to the Dodgers (in game one) in the playoffs tonight. The Chicago Cubs came out to play, in game one of the playoffs, and looked like a team facing extinction. In a five game series, there is countless strategies involved, and Lou Pinella can take full responsibility for the loss in game one. It wasn't a curse, no billy goats, history was not against the "loveable losers," instead it was Pinella playing for game two, rather than playing for a lead in the playoffs and for game one.

Ryan Dempster is a fine pitcher, but he is not a Carlos Zambrano. Carlos Zambrano is the ace of the staff, the "C.C. Sabathia" of the Cubs, and he is clutch, a man/player who feeds off of emotion, and a great hitter (one of the best, as a pitcher) to boot. Yet, "Sweet Lou" started Ryan Dempster, in game one. Some may ask themselves why, or maybe they are not giving it a second thought, but there is only one reason. Lou Pinella thought, if the Cubs lose game one, then he will be able to bring "Big Z/Baby Bull" out for game two, and there is a lock. Pinella played for the split, at home, in front of a sell out Wrigley Field crowd, with the best National League team (possibly the best overall Cubs team, since 1984), and there is nobody to blame, but Lou Pinella. In a short series, teams have to play for the day, using momentum, and every single advantage at their disposal. Pinella did not utilize his most prize possession, in game one, momentum and his ace.

The whole Cubs team looked tight, not confident and timid, and they lacked a leader on the field, to pull them out of this funk (from beginning to end). If Carlos Zambrano was on the "bump" for game one, the Cubs would have had a completely different feeling, going on the field. Zambrano is a fiery, no frills, flame thrower, who also has three other dominate pitches. Maybe, three, or even two years ago, Zambrano (like other fiery pitchers before them) would have been "to excited/fired up," but not this "Z". He has been able to harness his most beneficial asset, his fire, drive, and love for the game, to make him a constant top five Cy Young pitcher year in, year out. Starting Zambrano, who had more than enough rest (6 days), who had a 14-6 record, 3.81 era, 130 K's and a 1.21 WHIP, all with a month out in the middle of the season (also bringing a .337 avg., 14 rbi's and 4 home runs). The Cubs are the only team that did not start their ace (with the exception of the Brewers, who had to pitch C.C. Sabathia, three times on three days rest, to get to the playoffs). A team's ace is not always the player with all the best stats, either.

The bottom line, with Zambrano sitting game one, he is not going to have the option of pitching two times, if the series goes to five games (which it now may). 24 of the last 28 teams to have won game one, of a five game playoff series, have gone on to win the series. When the time comes to "play to stay," a team's manager must put their most dominate, player with the most situational prowess, and mostly the pitcher who makes the whole team better (both in the field, at the plate, but most importantly to the team's psyche). Lou Pinella did not only let the Chicago area down, the Cub fans around the world down, his team down, but he also let Carlos Zambrano down. The energy he would have channeled thru a 2-0 lead (after the 2 run homer from Mark DeRosa) would have gone a long way with "Z" and the team. Instead, the constant back and forth panning of the camera, to Zambrano, showed him stewing and flipping a ball in the air, but now his energy in game two will be set to a "can't lose effort," rather than giving him the ball in game one, for a possible win and game five appearance. The Dodgers now have the momentum, but more importantly (Lou Pinella) has given the Cubs a huge desperation feeling of, "Oh no, not 101 years, without a World Series win." Nice going "Sweet Lou," nothing like playing behind the eight ball, but the Cubs would have it no other way.

Hopefully, I am wrong, and they come back and sweep, the next three.

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A Natural Player Will Clark Vs. Rafeal Palmeiro A Roid Player (by the stats)

There are very few players who can be compared over their careers, in baseball, in a sense of a "steroid player" vs. a "non-steriod player" and see almost perfectly what steroids can do. Over a career, there are not a lot of players who balance each other out. Some are faster than other players, others have a lot more power numbers, still some have more awards and even others played in different era's. However, there is an almost perfect example of two players, who fit the bill and are scarily identical. Will Clark and Rafeal Palmeiro, are those two players. I do not know why there has never been a full on comparison, but there is one now.

Will Clark and Rafeal Palmeiro both played their college baseball, were All-Americans, and competed feverishly, for the Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball team. Will Clark and Palmeiro were both recruited, as first baseman, but thru superior defensive skills Clark beat out "Raffy" sending him to right field (where Palmeiro was not comfortable playing, but they needed him in the lineup everyday). Both Clark and Palmeiro came out of college, in 1986. Will "The Thrill" Clark jumped right into the San Francisco lineup out of college, and Palmeiro took two years of minor league seasoning (which is nothing, in a MLB career and is not a strike on Raffy). In Clark's first year, he finished 5th in the "Rookie of the Year" balloting, and in his second year he was fifth in MVP voting (as well as, in his 3rd year, 4th year he finished 2nd and was named an All-star). Palmeiro did not step out of his shell until the third major league season, with the Cubs, but was traded to the Texas Rangers (in his 4th year). Looking at the records and statistics of Will Clark and Rafeal Palmeiro, there is not any doubt, Will Clark was a major stand out and was crushing Palmeiro in almost all departments, accolades, and overall leading the Giants and Orioles in offensive (and was a Gold Glover, at first, as well) categories, thru 1992. In 1992 thru 1995, something really changed in Palmiero's game and numbers?

He went from a player that never hit over 26 home runs (one time, in 1991), over 89 RBI's, and had over a .322 AVG. (.389 OB% & ..532 Slugging %), to having standout and double production years? While Will Clark had his most success in his the years, between the years of 1988 thru 1994 (in the MVP race and an All-star each year, but one), when he would have been in his late 20's and early 30's. In that same time period, Palmeiro was an above average player, being an All-star one time (with good statistics, for the time frame of baseball). However, after the strike year of 1994 (when most experts think, the heat was on to "bring the fans back to ball parks, with the long ball"), Palmeiro struck out into the stratosphere. Between the years of 1995-2003, "Raffy the Roid Boy" never hit less than 38 home runs, under 104 RBI's, under .546 Slugging % (minus the two years he had injury problems, where he still slugged over .504). Will Clark in the years after the strike, continued with his regular numbers (that were held as A.S. numbers, until the "chicks dig the long ball fever, Steroid Fever" began). They slowly began to decline, in the "POWER DEPARTMENT," yet Clark (who had 20/4 eye sight, like Ted Williams, his idol) did not hit under .302 (except for one year), until his retirement.

A look at these two players statistics, the way they played the game, the crowds reaction to them, and most of all the way they treated the game shows a lot. Before the Congressional hearing, nothing said anything more about the two All-stars, than "The Thrill" and "The Natural". The two nicknames given to Will Clark, who's eye blacked cheeks, divisive glare at the pitcher and the game, and his heart for the game, defined the game for fifteen years. A player (Clark) who punished pitchers, but was liked by all, stood down when he felt his time was thru with the game. Maybe not because "The Thrill" could not play anymore, but because he had more respect for players, the fans, and most of all for the love and pristine nature of the game, he loved so much. Will Clark is off, maybe in a fishing boat, or in a hunting blind, somewhere in the world, with the same love, respect, and overall passion for life. If only the passion, for the game and the sacred treatment of the diamond, could get players like Don Mattingly, Paul O'niel, and Will Clark into the Hall of Fame, justice would be done. Though, no one will hear Will Clark complain, which is for the best (as he did not desecrate the game, or himself, for glory). However, "Raffy" will always be remembered, wagging his finger at Congress, stating, "I never, ever took steroids." All things considered, Will Clark is probably glad, he is remembered for what he did between the lines, rather for the lies he told (with his body and mouth). Always will an asterisk, by his name, and doubt in all of the fans hearts.


WILL CLARK's STATISTICS (as a professional):

===================================================================
Year Age Games Runs Hits HR RBI AVG. OBP SLG% Awards

1986 22 111 66 117 11 41 .287 .343 .444 RoY-5

1987 23 150 89 163 35 91 .308 .371 .580 MVP-5

1988 24 162 102 162 29 109 .282 .386 .508 MVP-5, AS

1989 25 159 104 196 23 111 .333 .407 .546 MVP-2, AS

1990 26 154 91 177 19 95 .295 .357 .448 All-star

1991 27 148 84 170 29 116 .301 .359 .536 SS ,MVP-4, AS

1992 28 144 69 154 16 73 .300 .384 .476 All-star

1993 29 132 82 139 14 73 .283 .367 .432

1994 30 110 73 128 13 80 .329 .431 .501 All-star

1995 31 123 85 137 16 92 .302 .389 .480
1996 32 117 69 124 13 72 .284 .377 .436
1997 33 110 56 128 12 51 .326 .400 .496

1998 34 149 98 169 23 102 .305 .384 .507

1999 35 77 40 76 10 29 .303 .395 .482
2000 36 130 78 139 21 70 .329 .418 .546

===================================================================
Total Years Games Runs Hits HRs RBI AVG. OB% SLG% Awards
15 Seasons 1976 1186 2176 440 1205 .303 .384 .497 Top 5 MVP (4)
All-star (6), SS (1)
===================================================================

Rafeal Palmeiro's Statistics (as a professional):

Year Age Games Runs Hits HR RBI AVG OBP SLG% Awards

1986 22 22 9 18 3 12 .247 .295 .425
1987 22 84 32 61 14 30 .276 .336 .543

1988 23 152 75 178 8 53 .307 .349 .436 All-star

1989 24 156 76 154 8 64 .275 .354 .374

1990 25 154 72 191 14 89 .319 .361 .468

1991 26 159 115 203 26 88 .322 .389 .532 All-star

1992 27 159 84 163 22 85 .268 .352 .434

1993 28 160 124 176 37 105 .295 .371 .554

1994 29 111 82 139 23 76 .319 .392 .550

1995 30 143 89 172 39 104 .310 .380 .583

1996 31 162 110 181 39 142 .289 .381 .546

1997 32 158 95 156 38 110 .254 .329 .485

1998 33 162 98 183 43 121 .296 .379 .565 SS, All-star

1999 34 158 96 183 47 148 .324 .420 .630 SS, MVP(5) All-Star

2000 35 158 102 163 39 120 .288 .397 .558

2001 36 160 98 164 47 123 .273 . 381 .563

2002 37 155 99 149 43 105 .273 .391 .571

2003 38 154 92 146 38 112 .260 .359 .508

2004 39 154 68 142 23 88 .258 .359 .436
2005 40 110 47 98 18 60 .266 .339 .447

===================================================================

Seasons Games Runs Hits HRs RBIs AVG. OB% SLG% Awards
20 2831 1663 3020 569 1835 .288 .371 .515 2 Silver Slugger/4 A.S.
MVP (5th)
===================================================================

From DMAN, at TheThoughtSpigot.com
http://thethoughtspigot.com/
"Where the news, sports, politics, and public opinion collide in one site"

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RAYS BRANDISH STYLE, OF BASEBALL'S PAST

"Speed kills" and it is also the ultimate weapon, in major league baseball. Some teams are not built for the "chicks dig the long ball," way to win. Yet, they still win with speed, team play, and "small ball." Going into the MLB season, this year (in the AL East), the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees were to do battle until the death. Then possibly the other would be the "wild card" team (with just a small shot at the Blue Jays, in the East, being any kind of problem). However, the Tampa Bay Rays are the best team in the East, and the Red Sox and Yankees are playing catch up.

The last team to look like this and go to the playoffs (and ultimately lose in the World Series) was the St. Louis Cardinals (1985). They were a team of pieces to a puzzle, solid pitching (not a staff full of aces), dominate defense, and HUGE amounts of speed. Through the whole 1985 regular season, here is a map of the Cardinals way of winning. Focusing on steals, batting average and on base percentage (as only Jack Clark (22) hit more than 20 home runs, for the whole year).

1985 St. Louis Cardinals
Pos. Players Stolen Bases Avg. OB%

2B Tom Herr 31 .309 .379

3B Terry Pendleton 17 .240 .289

SS Ozzie Smith 31 .276 .355

LF Vince Coleman 110 .267 .320
CF Willie McGee 56 .353 .384
RF Andy Van Slyke 34 .259 .335
OF Lonnie Smith 12 .260 .377


2008 Tampa Bay Rays (1/2 way thru the season)
Pos.--Players-- Stolen Bases-- Avg.-- OB%

3B Evan Longoria 6 .276 .353
INF Akinori Iwamura 5 .275 .351
SS Jason Bartlett 18 .258 .302
OF Carl Crawford 23 .267 .308
OF B. J. Upton 30 .269 .378
INF Eric Hinske 7 .254 .344
OF Johnny Gomes 8 .195 .308

Playing out the final half of the season, aside from Vince Coleman's 110 (massive amount) of steals, there will be a very close comparison, to the Cardinals of 1985. Scott Kazmir is a solid and sometimes dominate pitcher, but aside from him, there is not a set of three starters, needed for playoffs wins. There is not a huge presence in the middle of the lineup, that is going to bring 3-4-5 hitters, that strikes fear in pitchers, changing a game with three swings, either. Yet, the Rays are the best team, in maybe the best division in baseball. Only certain fans and real hard-core fantasy players may see a big correlation to the '85 Cardinals. However, play out the rest of the season (according to first half stats, for the Rays). There will be three players stealing over 36 bases and another set (4 players) stealing close to 20+ bases.

The 1985 Cardinals (like the Rays) also had defense, just in the outfield, Willie McGee (CF and batting champ), Coleman (LF), Slyke (RF had a hose, and in his prime was a five tool player). Ozzie Smith, a hall of famer and "The Wizard" at shortstop, Tommy Herr (.993 fielding percentage) and Pendleton at third was a very solid player, defensively (having a 15+ year career). Looking at the Rays defense, they are in the exact same position. The team's outfielders can flat out fly and get any ball hit. Bartlett at short, is not an Ozzie Smith (but who is), makes every routine play and sometimes the spectacular. Evan Longoria and Iwamura are rookies, but field their respective positions and play above their rookie status, day in and day out.

It is way to early to see what the Rays will do, having a one game lead, going into this week and playing in the division they do. However, they are in good company, with some of the older teams in baseball's great past, like the '85 Cards, '82 Cards, 75 Reds, 85 Royals (even). Where they go from here, will mainly be decided by picking up some pitching, getting a little luck, but mainly stealing bases, playing fundamentally sound baseball and using their speed, speed, speed!

From DMAN, at TheThoughtSpigot.com
http://thethoughtspigot.com/
"Where the news, sports, politics, and public opinion collide in one site"

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BASEBALL IS MORE THAN, THE TRADE DEADLINE

Projection is everything in baseball. Whether, a player is being looked at for the real team, or for a manager in a fantasy league, the player is always graded out, all five tools are anylyzed, and then projected over the alotted time period (whether a career for Major League Baseball players, a season and/or several seasons for the fantasy manager). The overall cunundrum is what is a team willing to give up, for a perspective player. Over the years, several teams have made deals for the playoff run, made the all knowing cry of "we are in a rebuilding cycle" and/or the team needs a certain kind of player for the team (a teammate, a category player, or just rookies for veteran talent).

Decisions managers, general managers, and owners have made have been brilliant: whether using the draft, trades, or sifting thru "rule five players" and waiver picks. Then others have done quite the opposite, and have banished a team for years, in squaller. Trades and acquisitions like:

TRADES DURING THE YEAR, WHICH HAVE YET TO 100% PAN OUT, BUT COULD:
1. John Danks (White Sox) for Brad McCarty---advantage Sox
2. Josh Hamilton (Texas) for Edinson Volquez (Reds)-- As of now, Draw
3. Kevin Millwood (Phillies) for Johnny Estrada (Braves)-- advantage Phillies (then)

ACQUISITIONS/WAIVER PICKS/RULE 5 DRAFT PICKS:
1. Robinson Tejada (Royals)--Waivers from Texas-- Great Arm & Pitches, but pitched in Texas
2. Rule 5 Draft Selections-- JoHann Santana (Mets from Astros), Dan Uggla (Marlins), Josh Hamilton (Rangers), Joakim Soria (Royals)

WORST TRADES, AT THE TRADE DEADLINE, IN THE PAST:
1. Jeff Bagwell (to the Astros) for Larry Anderson (Boston)
2. Mark McGwire (to Cardinals) for 3 players: T.J. Mathews, Eric Ludwick, Blake Stein (A's)
3. John Smoltz (to Braves) for Doyle Alexander (to Tigers)
4. Derek Lowe & Jason Varitek (to Red Sox) for Heathcliff Slocumb (to Mariners)

When looking at the overall players above, the teams that won and lost, one thing is 100% for sure, and that is nothing is 100% for sure. When a pitcher, like Kevin Millwood goes to the Phillies (pre-new ball park) it managed out to be a great/good trade, for the Phillies. However, when Millwood was off to Texas, things changed dramatically. It was not because Millwood's talent, arm, or skills were shot, but the fact was, he was playing in the Arlington ball park. In the summer months, in Texas, the air is thin and hot, and balls fly out of the park like they were shot out of a cannon. This alone, could add a full point onto any ERA, so Millwood goes from a 3.46 ERA, to a 4.46 ERA, just by pitching half of his games in Texas.

Rule 5 draft picks, are the players who are not protected by the club, on their 40 man roster. Teams take chances, leaving player who have talent, good tools, and great attitudes unprotected, because another team may not move another out, for a "flier, chance player." Obviously, there are diamonds in the rough, found in players like Johan Santana, Dan Uggla, Hamilton, and others who become all-star players. However, most of the players picked up, in rule 5 drafts, are players like Robinson Tejada (Royals). Tejada is a guy who has a great arm, three solid pitches, but will have to struggle for a year in the big leagues (the other problem with taking "rule 5" players, a team must keep them for the whole season, on the major league roster, or sell the player back at half price to the other ball club). Tejada may struggle this year, along with many other "Rule 5" picks, but after a season, or two in the minors (after taking their lumps for a year), they may come back to flourish. A good "Rule 5" player, could be a saviour to small market teams and for late season fantasy managers, who may need a specific category.

Finally, there are the obvious trades, which may not seem obvious at the time. Jeff Bagwell for Larry Anderson, was one of the biggest mistakes the Red Sox have ever made, as Bagwell played fifteen seasons with the Astros, put up huge numbers and will be a first ballot hall of famer. However, for every Bagwell trade that is a horrible mistake, there are five other trades, which help out the teams for the end of the season, playoffs, and maybe even getting a team a World Series Ring.

The bottom line, there are always "do's and don'ts" for real teams, trades, waiver, rule 5, and fantasy baseball managers. They are not always on the front burner though. A player with heavy tools and a great attitude (Josh Hamilton), is not always a sure thing. Hamilton was picked number one, overall, by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, in 1999. He signed a record contract, out of high school, was a five tool player and was a sure pick to be the next big superstar. Drugs, poor decisions, and a string of injuries took Hamilton out of the game altogether. Upon losing the contract, with the D-Rays, he was picked up by the Cubs (who left him unprotected, in the Rule 5 Draft) and the Reds picked him up. He was drug free and on the road to becoming a great person, but was not panning out as a player. The Reds made the trade, Josh Hamilton to the Rangers for Edison Volquez (back to the Reds). Now Hamilton is leading the American League in home runs, and Volquez is 10-3, and in the race to win the Cy Young Award and possibly Rookie of the Year awards. It is a big gamble, being an owner, GM, and manager dealing in the Rule 5 players, rookies, deadline trades and all that comes with them. At least, playing the fantasy league sports, a person will not lose there job, only (possibly) winning, or losing their league. Right?

From DMAN, at TheThoughtSpigot.com
http://thethoughtspigot.com/
"Where the news, sports, politics, and public opinion collide in one site"

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IS 100 YEARS ENOUGH, FOR THE CUBS?

Novelties, like the car, phones, indoor plumbing, radios and the home run were first coming to the people, one hundred years ago. World War I had not begun, the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series, in 1908. Defying imagination, the Chicago Cubs have been the "darling losers," in all of sports, for one hundred years. Some blame a goat ("The Curse of the Billy Goat"), others blame fate, and still others feel every year, "this is the year, we are going all the way."

Coming into June, this year, the Cubs have the best record in all of baseball. The last time they had the best record, in the big leagues (coming into June), was in 1908. Mordecai Brown was the staff ace (29-9, 1.47 ERA, 27 Complete Games, 9 Shutouts, 312.1 Innings Pitched, & 5 Saves) and Joe Tinker (SS) was the "offensive standout" (157 games, .266 avg., 146 hits, 6 home runs, 67 RBI's, and 30 stolen bases). Pitching was the 1908 Cubbies strong suit, but "team attitude and team gel" was what won them a World Series.

In 2008, the Chicago Cubs have many high profile players and some all-stars. Carlos Zambrano is a dominate force on the hill, barring a huge set back/injury, he has a legitimate shot at being a hall of fame pitcher. Ted Lilly, Dempster, and Kerry Wood (who is turning out to be a savior and a solid closer) in the pen, make up a very good rotation, for playoff contention. Offensively is where the Cubs will excel and separate themselves, from most teams. Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee, and Aramis Ramirez anchoring the lineup, things are very bright offensively. Throwing in the position and role players, of Soto (C), Fukudome (Of), DeRosa and Theriot, they have versatility.

World War I, World War II, The Korean War, Vietnam, Civil Rights, Woodstock, and countless other things over one hundred years, but the Cubs have not won the big prize, a World Series Ring. It almost defies comprehension, when looking at dynasties and common place winners: the New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Celtics, Lakers, Dodgers, Yankees, Tigers, Edmonton Oilers, Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels (NCAA basketball), the Cubs could not win, even one, World Series. Even, the Red Sox broke out of their own "jinx." Fluke teams, like the Royals (1985), Cardinals (1983), and the other "one season wonders" have managed to put it together, to win their respective titles.

In an age of sports, where teams can buy a title (Yankees, Red Sox, Lakers, Patriots), the Cubs still fail. However, the Cubs do have several things on their side this year. They have offense, defense, young and veteran talent, a rotation that is more than solid (plus, in a five and seven game series, would dominate), a bullpen that is second to none, and lastly they are playing and have a lightness about them. In the hundred years of failure, they have experienced (on the South side) "The Black Sox Scandal," the "Steve Bartman" incident (in the playoffs), and possibly a "billy goat jinx." Yet, in 2008, maybe one hundred years, a great baseball team and coaching staff, and a little bit of luck will make this year "the year," for the Cubs first World Series Ring. The "lovable losers" will become, the lovable winners, of the North side of Chicago?

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STOLEN BASES FOR K's & BASEBALL'S LINES BLURRED

Major League Baseball has undergone a huge change in just ten to fifteen years. There is the obvious reasons, that have kept everyone's ears ringing for about five years now: steroids, HGH (human growth hormone), and other things like "beaning up," "greenies," or "speed" (a legal form of speed, in pill form). Obviously, these drugs and the performance enhancing aspect of them, are a huge boon to Bud Selig and the game, itself. However, when the average and some of the above average people following the game, saw the signs, really they did not know what they were actually seeing, or did not care to look.

Before the 1992 season, there was a form of baseball, called "station to station" and manufacturing runs. The majority of teams had a guy, or a group of guys, who were fast and had knowledge of the base paths. They were stealing machines. From the beginning of the game, itself, there was not a lot of people who actually hit a lot of home runs, but there were always players who had speed and stole a lot of bases. The usually were shortstops, second basemen, and centerfielders, but even a catcher could run (John Wathan, Ivan Rodriguez, Yogi Berra even stole a couple of bags), at times. However, from 1980 to around the 1986, there were a lot of players who prided themselves on the stolen base, so much so, the standard for a season was around one hundred stolen bases. Players like Willie Wilson (Royals), Ron LeFlore (Expos, Tigers), Vince Coleman (Cardinals, Mets), and Ricky Henderson (A's, Yankees, many others) were all hundred base stealers, or close to it. Plus, players like Ozzie Smith, Harold Reynolds, Omar Mereno, Tim "Rock" Raines, and even as late at 1992 Kenny Lofton stole over seventy bags. Although, there are still players like Carl Crawford, Jose Reyes, Rollins, and Chone Figgins, who may still steal one hundred (it isn't like a hallowed number, like hitting in fifty-six straight games, like DiMaggio), the art is basically gone and teams do not "draft on speed," or at least stolen base speed. The term "five tool player" (hitting for avg. hitting for power, fielding, throwing arm, and speed) still exists, but the speed part of the equation is more toward the fielding part of the game, not necessarily stolen base speed. Although, players like Crawford, Figgins, and Reyes are great stolen base guys. The consideration for "a threat to steal," is taken up by men like Julio Lugo (Boston Red Sox), who had around thirty thefts last year, far from the seventy to one hundred of years past.

Symmetrically, over the past fifteen years (roughly), the same is the going rate for strike out ratio, for hitting. Striking out over one hundred fifty times, in a season, was once a dubious and shameful feature. It possibly earned a player, a demotion to the minors. Very few good players and only the most "all or none" players, like Rob Deer (Brewers), Sam Horn (Red Sox), Ron Kittle (White Sox), and older players Bobby Bonds (multiple teams) would fan this many times in a season. With the exception of Mike Schmidt and Reggie Jackson, both Hall of Famers, there are no players who struck out more than 140 times in a season, without a very short career (until the change, around 1997, when Sammy Sosa struck out 174 times). The change over, to excepting a huge amount of strikeouts, like the limited stolen bases, happened around the same time. However, stolen bases are a positive stat, but the statistics of K's, are the most hurtful thing to a team. They brutalize the line up, are a "negative stat," in the sense, there is no positive outcome (other than a possible passed ball, letting an advance of a runner). Striking out one hundred and fifty times, to close to two hundred, in a season is not part of most great players careers and most past great teams. They did not want players who could whiff, in that amount. The change in the last ten years, has afforded players like Jose Hernandez, Mike Cameron, Jim Thome, and Ryan Howard (who is now on the cover of the newest baseball PSP/Playstation 2 & 3 game), the option to make a career hitting .250, with 30 home runs, but striking out one hundred and fifty to two hundred times, in a season.

Baseball is the only game, where you can fail 70% of the time, and still be a Hall of Fame player and/or a star. It is also a game, where speed is a lethal weapon, most say "there is no substitute for speed." However, there is a rise in strikeouts and a deep fall in steals, over the same period of time. General managers and owners have given way, in drafting and training their players, for hitting for power and being fast in the field, rather than stolen bases and fundamental hitting (putting the ball in play). After the 1994 strike shortened season, where there was no World Series, and all of America was fed up with both the players and the owners. It was the lowest baseball had been, since the "Black Sox Scandal" of 1919 (where the Chicago White Sox teamed up with the mob, to throw the World Series, getting "Shoeless Joe Jackson" banned from the game, for life, along with seven other players). Whether it was the owners showing a blind eye, or the players taking advantage of a blossoming situation, in stepped steroids, HGH, and "little green pills." The game was transformed from being a paria (after the 1994 strike), to a game filled with huge and larger than life players, crushing monumental, moon shots, out of every park, but Yellowstone.

Couple "the juice" and a huge crop of big time talent "up the middle" (at shortstop, second base, catcher and centerfield), with players like AROD, Jeter, Garciapara, Omar Vizquel, Andrew Jones, Ivan "pudge" Rodriguez and a young crop of five tool players, and there was a change in the game forever. The "new crop" was fast enough to speed to thirty, maybe forty steals, but their power numbers and solid speed in the field (plus glove work), transformed the game. Then, came the home run race of 1998, between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire (two obvious 'roid guys), and that was the beginning of the end, of the American past time, or the way it was played. It was not just at the major league level, either. The players in college, at the same time period, during the college world series (in Omaha), were also not "typical baseball players" anymore. Players like JD Drew (Arizona State), Lance Berkman hitting 40 Hr's (Rice), Pat Burell leading the nation in hitting as a freshman (Miami), and even pitchers, like Braden Looper (Clemson) and Kris Benson (Clemson), all looked like they were cavemen. As a test, feel free to check out Todd Walker's (LSU) home run, to win the CWS, to Stanford star Carlos Quentin. After games, they came out of "Rosenblatt Stadium" with power mandibles and Major League Baseball bodies, in college. Therefore, when the players came out of college, they were major league ready. When they came out of high school and the Dominican Republic, they needed some extra "seasoning." For whatever the formula, they "Pro Ready" before the usual stint, in the minor leagues.

The Bottom Line: I am a true blue, 100%, unwavering baseball player and a life long fan. I am not looking to put another black eye on the sport, blaming steroids, or looking to pin anything else on the players. The only thing I blame, the sport I love so much for, is for players choices to due the drugs. Changing it before I could have shown my kids the way the game used to be played, to bring them up with an equal shot (by playing true to their performance and talents), and most of all, to allow them to blossom without worrying about the "business of baseball," rather than the game of baseball. I still love the game, all it's pure form and impurities, and all it has to offer. However, I do hope and pray the game gets cleaned up, because without it going back to it's roots, MLB will never surpass the other professional sports (the NFL & NBA, maybe in time MLS), and become "America's Past Time," once again.

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TO BOYCOTT, OR NOT BOYCOTT, CHINA'S OLYMPICS

There are more than a few people with the perception and opinion of; "I am not distancing myself from the world's problems or ignore the plight of Tibet and it's people. I like sports and I love the Olympics. Therefore, simply saying that this is purely about sports, not politics, so we shouldn't make it about politics."

This is one of the most non-thought out/backwards views, people could take. Wanting to enjoy a "Sporting Event" and not see politics, is understandable. However, when the politics are, some of the most heinous, on record, not just about "Monks/Tibetans," but also about: Taiwan's fight with China's rule over them in trade, politics, and overall living, Christians being thrown to the lions/in jail (almost like "Daniel Days"). Plus, countless of things and maybe backlashes, China's buying of almost all natural resources possible (worldwide), polluting the earth in ways the US could only hope to (joke), the fact that the COMMUNIST CHINA REGIME could tank the US dollar and economy, sides with RUSSIA blocking all UN substantial stuff, and is the biggest problem (even over middle east countries) in the future of America, over the next 20 years.

The athletes do not have to boycott and should not boycott the games, but they could where arm bands, "Maroon athletic jump suits & Uniforms" with RED, WHITE, & BLUE stripes down the side, or countless statements to the press after each win. HOWEVER, President Bush, even though he will be "talking to the Chinese under the table, in private," but there isn't any amount of talking that will achieve anything, with China. Which the rest of the world, seems to understand. France, Italy, Germany, England, Several African Nations, and other EU Nations are not sending their leaders/Presidents/Ministers, to the opening ceremonies, so Bush should not go either.

Whether anyone has seen, the Black Panther Fists on the podium, the boycott in ’80, or any other past Olympic political thing. Remember this, in 1972, Palestinians bombed and killed 11 Israeli (SP?) Olympians (actually, just 200 yards away from Bruce Jenner, the USA Gold Medal Hero). Is that a big enough political statement? When is enough, enough? When does the American community and government stand up for the righteous? When does sports, idols, and other non-sequators take a back seat, to doing the right thing? We used to be, "The land of the free, home of the brave." When does the United States people, government and athletes look at those words, thru the correct lens? The US should be leading the world, in these events, not falling suit/not participating at all. Right?

Olympic players should not boycott the Olympics, but make a statement with their uniforms, jump suits (during the opening ceremonies, being Maroon ’for the Tibetans’ with Red, White, & Blue Stripes), and using their mouths to speak up (to see if the Chinese will filter/surpress/or altogether censor, their words) after winning events, or any other time with the press.

What do you think about that?

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"JAPAN'S BASEBALL FANS, SHOW US THE WAY BACK TO OUR ROOTS"

Watching the Boston Red Sox vs. the Oakland A's, at 5 a. m. (CST), there were massive differences in the Japanese crowd(s), compared to the majority of fans, in the United States. Even the announcers, one of whom played his career in Japan in the 1990s, agreed that the Japanese fans have a love for the game, that goes beyond the glitz and glamour, but a love for the fundamentals of the game, what the teams and players bring into their lives, and a love that extends into their lives, not just when it fits into their spare time.

Filling the stadium, over 50,000 Japanese fans, to watch the Red Sox battle the Oakland A's was very different, indeed. Even though, there the may have still been matting in my eyes, in the wee hours of the morning, to see the second game, of Major League Baseball season, I could see subtle and huge differences in the game and it's fans. There was a stadium filled with fans cheering more, during the players batting (than the usual defense cheering, in order to distract the players in the field), which showed respect for the game, as a whole. The stadium was "standing room only," for the whole game. No fans were blazing up the stairs to beat traffic, get another beer (before sales ran out), and continued to banter thru the ninth. The cheering was in waves and coordinated, with the fans using all kinds of implements (like blow up tubes, towels, et. al). In America, fans have a tendency to root for their team, some are die hard fans, and some are at games for the good of the sport and not for beer, fights, and spewing out loud cuss words, in a "family environment." However, in Japan, even when the MLB teams have long gone, and the Yamori Giants are playing another Japanese team, there will still be 50,000 strong, whether at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, or at 9:00 p.m. on a Sunday (as the announcers pointed out this morning). The only baseball in America, that stands out like this, is at the NCAA College World Series, in Omaha. It is all, but gone, in the MLB crowds and some minor league stadiums.

In Japan, baseball is revered. It is revered, the way it was back in the 1950s thru the late 1980s. The fans are screaming and cheering (although, their chants are usually regulated, like actual cheerleaders at a high school football game), for their favorite players, teams, and for the opposite players and teams, when the fundamentals and great plays are executed. Personally, I long for the times when my mom and dad took me and my brother to the MLB games. When I was younger, from the age of four thru fourteen (I am 35), the MLB experience was so very different. Going to "Royals Stadium," in Kansas City, to see the Royals, meant seeing George Brett, Frank White, Willie Wilson, John Wathan, and Amos Otis, most not "All-Stars," but they were the "home team." In those trips, to the stadium, before the name change, to "The K," it was not about booing the other teams, but rooting for your team and favorite players. In the rosters of incoming teams, I learned about the other teams in advance, collecting their cards, memorizing statistics, watching on Saturdays "This Week In Baseball" and having the privilege (of my parents' taking my brother and I) of watching players like Wade Boggs (Boston), Paul Molitor (Brewers), Don "Donny Ball Game" Mattingly/Rich "Goose" Gossage/Craig Nettles (Yankees), and two players who will never make the hall of fame, but where "Royal Killers," (who oozed fundamentals, power, and were modest great ball players) Lou Whitaker and Alan Tramell (Detroit Tigers). Of course, this was before the three league split, the switch in teams to the National League/American League (depending), and mostly it was before the 1994 strike, shortened season. However, before these changes, the game was strong, the players were revered and truly loved (like the stories we heard from our fathers and grandfathers about Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Mays, and Duke Snider). It was the last time, I can remember kids and their parents seeing the game, like I remember seeing it, when I was young.

I do not blame the strike (either people are baseball fans, or they are not), because some people were upset and should have been, but baseball fans are fans for the sport, not fans looking for a reason to turn their back, on the sport they love. The strike season gave an excuse, for the fans who didn't love baseball, but were more happy complaining about the game. Besides, 1994 was a long time ago. I do not blame the other sports, football and basketball, being a quicker way for student athletes to get big dollar deals, and the inner city youth not having a place to play baseball. Simply, because kids were in the inner city, as far back as the depression, but kids still loved the game, playing stick ball in the streets, as far back as sticks, balls, and streets. I am not in a position to blame any one thing, any one type of person, or any direct choice(s) that has taken the game from "America's Past Time" to "America's reason to complain" (for some people). As a matter of fact, I am not in any position to judge anyone, or anything, period. I just miss the American game people used to love, the fans who loved it, and the fact baseball does not have the power to put "the stamp" on our lives, as it once did, for whatever reason.

It boils down to watching the fans and people of Japan, holding up a mirror to America, to see what baseball used to be and mean to our great country. Who cares how much money a player wants, to play for a certain team? Who cares what a general manager does, trading a player for a group of younger players, in hopes to make a team better? There are so many reasons for people to turn away from the sport of baseball. However, if America was to take a look in the mirror, the Japanese are holding up to our country, during the Red Sox vs. A's games. Baseball is life. Baseball, in so many ways the game is played, the strategy it has thru it's heralded lineage, and it mirrors all of the facets of our lives. Baseball is life. The Japanese fans love the games for what they are, a sporting event with spectacular athletes, who play the game with grace and love for the chance to play the sport they devoted their lives to, and who are humble for the gifts they have. The Japanese revel in their team, they came to root for, but they also know about the alternate team and give them equal respect. The majority of Japanese fans worship the game of baseball and are the epitome of what fans are about. They are showing the United States baseball fans, not only how to watch, cheer, and see the game of baseball for what it is, but they show us the way back to our roots. Roots, in America kids playing in the streets (emulating their favorite baseball players), in the family going to the park to root on the team they want to watch (without a group of men and women, spewing out hatred and foul language, at the top of their lungs), and finally the roots of America being all that is good thru, "America's Past Time."

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"THE WRONG IN MARCH MADNESS, COLLEGE B-BALL"

"Bracketology" for the "March Madness" season, is not just a game, but for some it is a major investment, a source of income, Las Vegas' second biggest gambling event, but make no mistake it is not just a set of games. How do people pick teams, analyze players, and come up with, the ever so crucial formula, of a winning bracket?

The people that play brackets for fun, as a game, usually just look at the records of the teams, who they will play against, and what stars, a team has on their rosters. However, this is usually a failing strategy. Games played during the regular season, pre-conference and in conference, thru the conference tournaments are not comparable to the National Championship Tournament. The six game gridiron, with little time for preparation and overall scouting of teams, from all over the states, is what the Tourny is all about. The teams built with "playground" players (like Michigan's Fab 5, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels short one game, of a perfect season, and the countless other teams, built around players looking for the short term millions and NBA glory), will never win the big prize.

The teams win national championships with fundamentals, a great coaching staff, one great player (to lean on and score), one inside presence, one ball controlling guard, and finally the will to play for the team, rather than individual performance. However, the college trend of "play two years and go the NBA," is killing the game. On the Michigan "Fab 5" team, Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard could have won the Tourny alone (if they had some unity, but didn't). The UNLV Runnin' Rebel team, with Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, and Greg Anthony went 30-0, but lost in the last game, to Duke (no championship, for them). These two teams, had all of the talent in the world, yet could not bring home the trophy. Other teams, N. C. State (under Jim Valvano) 1983, Villinova 1985, Louiseville 1986 (with "Never Nervous Pervis Ellison"), Indiana (with Keith Smart's jumper at the buzzer over the heavily favored Syracuse) 1987, and finally the Kansas Jayhawks are one of the best examples, last winning in 1988.

"Danny and the miracles" (dubbed by the media), led by player of the year Danny Manning, had little chance of winning the Tourny, before the tournament began. Kansas, in a down year, entered the tournament as a six seed. The bracket they entered into was laden with talented teams, such as, Purdue (the #1 seed), Kansas State (with Mitch Richmond, a seasoned NBA star out of college), Pittsburgh and N. C. State. However, Kansas made it thru the bracket, on the heals of Manning, but thru K-State in the final eight game. The team was composed of Danny Manning (the only stand out player), Milt Newton, Piper, Kevin Pritchard (the only other player, to play in the NBA), and Jeff Gueldner. However, they triumphed as a team, with fundamentals, led by Larry Brown, over an Oklahoma Sooner team (led by NBA players, Stacey King, Harvey Grant and Mookie Blaylock). The Jayhawk team thrived with team work, one star player (who was NBA bound, but was first bound by team and school, not money and individual accolades), a strong guard (in Pritchard), Piper and Newton as good supporting "team players," and a whole lot of heart.

In today's NCAA teams, there is less and less heart, fundamentals, and true basketball "team" skills. In the place of what was the college game, most players are straight from the playground, influenced by little coaching (just wooing from scouts and dreams of shoe deals). For every Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant, there are hundreds of players coming out of college and high school early, to be the next Telfair, Jaron Rush, Michael Beasley, or flash in the pan, like Brendan Heywood. There are countless examples of players who play for themselves, not the team at the time, and love "Skip to My Lou," rather than "sweat in the gym." Look at teams like Davidson, Gonzaga, Western Kentucky, and the others who continuously make the "big teams" go home, come Tourny time. The obvious reason isn't more talent, but they do have players that stay in college, for three to four years. George Mason's final four run, last year, was not a fluke. It was good scouting, coaching, and fundamentals, thru the team.

Watch Memphis get upset, before the Final Four, this year. They are the quintessential "street team" and have no shot of going to the Final Four, much less winning the Tourny. The final four teams, in this year's Tourny, will be teams like Kansas, North Carolina/Louiseville, Texas/Stanford, and possibly Xavier. Tennessee, Memphis, and UCLA all have young, out for themselves players, who make the games to close. They do not have the team spirit, depth (or depth, with purpose), or overall concept of what it takes to win a tournament, set up like this. A gridiron Tourny, where only depth, coaching, and overall team dynamics will prevail. It is not an individual mission, but a team concept.

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"A LIST OF FREE FANTASY MLB WEB SITES W/PRIZES"

FREE FANTASY BASEBALL LINKS, PRIZES, AND LEAGUES:

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Prize Table for players ranked weekly, monthly, by points, and overall (up to $5000-$50)

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PRIZES: 1st Place $3000

5. MLB FANTASY BASEBALL HEAVEN (W/RETIRED PLAYERS):
http://www.fantasybaseballheaven.com/

PRIZES: ?

6. FOX MLB FREE FANTASY: http://msn.foxsports.com/fantasy/baseball/commissioner

PRIZES: FREE TRIP TO N.Y. Mid Season, T-Shirt, and Cash

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"FREE NCAA MARCH MADNESS BRACKET GAMES"

LINKS FOR NCAA "MARCH MADNESS" BRACKETS & GAMES:

1. YAHOO NCAA MARCH MADNESS: http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/
100% Free To Play---Prizes Include: $5 Million for a perfect bracket & $10,000 to winner of overall bracket match-up game.

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PRIZES: Grand Prize: One (1) Grand Prize Winner will be selected to receive the following: One (1) LG - 50" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV. Approximate Retail Value: $3000. Any difference between the approximate retail value of any prize and the actual value will not be awarded.

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PRIZES: The NCAA is proud to have the following elite companies as official Corporate Champions-AT&T, Coca-Cola and Pontiac-and the following elite companies as official Corporate Partners-DiGiorno, Enterprise, The Hartford, Lowe's, Sheraton and State Farm.

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PRIZES: 1st Place-- $10,000 cash (ARV: $10,000) At the final buzzer of the 2008 NCAA Men's basketball championship, if you're our Grand Prize winner you'll receive $10,000 cash.

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AP/USA TODAY TOP 25 RANKING:

Rank Team Record
1 North Carolina 28-2
2 Memphis 29-1
3 UCLA 27-3
4 Tennessee 27-3
5 Kansas 27-3
6 Duke 26-3
7 Stanford 24-5
8 Xavier 25-5
9 Texas 25-5
10 Wisconsin 25-4
11 Georgetown 24-4
12 Louisville 24-6
13 Connecticut 23-7
14 Butler 27-3
15 Purdue 23-7
16 Vanderbilt 25-5
17 Michigan State 24-6
18 Indiana 25-5
19 Notre Dame 23-6
20 Drake 25-4
21 Marquette 22-7
22 Gonzaga 24-6
23 Washington State 22-7
24 Clemson 21-8
25 Davidson 23-6

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"BOSTON RED SOX SPRING AND SEASON OUTLOOK"

Pitchers:

SP-- Josh Beckett
SP-- "Dice K"
SP-- Jon Lester
SP-- Clay Bucholz
SP-- Tim Wakefield/Curt Schilling

P-- Bartolo Colon
P-- Julian Tavarez
P-- David Aardsma
P-- Mike Timlin
P-- Manny Declareman
P-- Javier Lopez
P-- Danny Kolb
P-- Kyle Snyder
P-- Hideki Okajima
CL-- Jonothan Papelbon

Position Players:

C-- Jason Varitek
C-- Doug Mirabelli
1B-- Kevin Youklis/Sean Casey
2B-- Dustin Pedroia
3B-- Mike Lowell
SS-- Julio Lugo/Dustin Pedroia
OF-- JD Drew
OF-- Jacoby Ellsbury/Coco Crisp
OF-- Manny Ramirez
DH-- David Ortiz
Ut.-- Dustin Pedroia (SS/2B)
Ut.-- Sean Casey (1B)
Ut.-- Coco Crisp (OF)
Ut.-- Bobby Kielty (OF)
Ut.-- Chris Carter (OF)

Outlook Out of Spring:

The Boston Red Sox are the defending World Champs. They will have some fresh faces, new contracts, and team decisions are going to be made by Terry Francona (who has a new 4 year, $3 million a year, contract). However, the core of the Sox team is predominately the same.

The pitching staff is the dominate thing the Red Sox could offer the AL, this year. Josh Beckett (who finished second in the Cy Young race, in '07), "Dice K" (in his second full year of MLB), Jon Lester and Clay Bucholz (both rookies, for all intensive purposes), rounding out the fifth starter spot with Tim Wakefield (until Curt Schilling comes back, in midseason). The starting pitching, for Boston, could be the best five starters in the major leagues. Beckett is a dominate, number one starter, with dazzling stuff, and has just entered into his prime (at age 28). Daisuke Matsuzaka, in his second full season, should be a great compliment to Beckett. Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield are consummate professionals. They have been in the league for over forty years, between them, and will fill in nicely to the fifth starter role (Wakefield for the first half, and Schilling for the second half of the season, after coming off of injury and rehab). However, where the Red Sox may fall short, in their pitching staff, is in the middle. Clay Bucholz and Jon Lester are not "full season tested," at the major league level. Although, they both have blistering stuff, and "should" have long major league careers, names like Wood, Prior, Ankiel and others come to mind. (As a rule, never bet on young pitching, to win a World Series Ring. Especially, a repeat ring!). Though, Bucholz pitched a no-hitter in his first major league start last year, and has had pure success, in his short MLB career, anything could happen and this spring he has been shaky. Lester is more of an "innings guy," who is not completely relying on a 95 MPH fast ball, to get him by hitters. He does have three major league pitches, and has had no problems with injuries. The Red Sox starters do have a huge advantage, over some other AL teams, and that is their deep and talented bullpen. They have seven pitchers that have achieved large amounts of success, at the MLB level. Mike Timlin, Julian Tavarez, Kyle Snyder, left-handed sensation Hideki Okajima, and closer Jonothan Papelbon. Papelbon could start, if the injury bug, success problems, or if Okajima (who has established a new pitch, in the off season, a dominate split finger fast ball) has the same stuff, as in last years campaign. With the addition of David Aardsma and Kyle Snyder, the bullpen is one of the finest in the American League. The starters will only have to go five to six innings, and then the bull pen alone, should win 75% of their games, overall.

The position side of the equation, for the Sox, is basically the same. They will hit for a high average and score four to six runs a game, pretty easily. However, they do have some changes and decisions in the spring. Jacoby Ellsbury, a rookie centerfielder, who has speed to burn and a high on base percentage. Jacoby should wrangle the centerfield position away from Crisp, but if not the Sox have an adequate back up. Manny Ramirez and JD Drew round out the outfield, with back ups in Bobby Kielty and rookie Chris Carter (who can also fill in at first). On the infield, Lowell at third, Lugo, Cora, Youklis, and the captain, Jason Varitek will hold down the fort. However, Alex Cora is a light hitting middle infielder and Dustin Pedroia did have a stellar rookie campaign last year, so spring training will decide the starter. Boston also has "The Mayor" Sean Casey, Kielty, and David Ortiz (if in a huge pinch), to fill in and spell injuries and give at-bats.

In the off season, the Sox have added a good assortment of possible talent and key need skills. Bobby Kielty can play all outfield positions, has some speed and pop in his bat. Sean Casey can play first, spell Ortiz on a day off, or fill in if injuries take over. With the addition of Ellsbury, in the outfield (assuming he wins out, in the spring), that will allow Coco Crisp to pinch run and also spell Jacoby, in double headers and/or night, day turn around games. The pitching pickups are where the Red Sox made the most improvements, not just in the pen, but in the form (no pun intended) of Bartolo Colon. Colon was signed to a minor league deal, in order to assess whether he has the arm strength, still. Colon, once an all-star pitcher, has had arm troubles, over the last two years. However, if he does regain his form, then he could be the pick up of the off season. Overall, Terry Francona has very little to worry about, at present. He has an overall line up that most managers would die for and a pitching staff, possibly for the ages. Barring any injuries, the Red Sox will be battling the Yankees for the East Title, will make the playoffs, and could be back in the World Series.

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"SAN DIEGO PADRES SPRING & SEASON OUTLOOK"

Pitchers:

SP-- Chris Young
SP-- Jake Peavy
SP-- Greg Maddux
SP-- Justin Germano
SP--Clay Hensley/Mark Prior
P-- Heath Bell

P--Randy Wolfe
P-- Clay Meredith
P-- Will Ledezma
P-- Justin Hampson
CL-- Trevor Hoffman

Position Players:

C-- Josh Bard
C-- Michael Barrett
1B-- Adrian Gonzalez
2B-- Tadahito Iguchi
3B-- Kevin Kouzmanoff/Chase Headley
SS-- Khalil Greene
OF-- Brian Giles
OF-- Jim Edmonds
OF-- Scott Hairston
Ut.-- Chip Ambres (INF/OF)
Ut.-- Oscar Robles (INF)
Ut.-- Paul McNaulty (OF)
Ut.-- Luis Rodriguez (OF)
Ut.-- Jody Gerut (INF/OF)

Outlook Out of Spring:

The San Diego Padres are more set, coming out of spring training. Another team, in the National League, that has a mix a veteran talent and young "up and comers." The pitching staff is solid, and they have two of the top young pitchers in the game, in Chris Young and Jake Peavy. Peavy and Young should be good for 200 IP, under 4 runs a game, and (in the vast Petco Park alleys, where runs are few and far between) they will keep the team in most games. However, what San Diego lacked last year was depth. This year, they have more than made up for the depth problem, in picking up Mark Prior, Randy Wolfe, having Clay Hensley, and Justin Germano (his first full year starting). Although, Prior is a walking injury, he is expected back, sometime in May. Until then, Wolfe, Maddux, Germano, and Hensley will fill out the rotation just fine.

In the bullpen, the Padres are also solid and have plenty of depth. Whoever does not make the rotation (at present, that is Wolfe and Prior), will fill in the pen, for long relief and spot starting. The rest of the bullpen, anchored by closer and saves leader Trevor Hoffman, is also very deep. With young arms like Heath Bell, Clay Merideth, Justin Hampson, mixed with veteran relievers Will Ledezma, and some other "minor league contract invitees," they are stacked.

The position players are also a very diverse and mixed group. Mark Prior was not the only guy the Pads' went out and got, in the off-season. Jim Edmonds (also a man who has not had the best luck, injury wise, over the past three seasons) comes over from the Cardinals, to patrol centerfield. Josh Bard and Michael Barrett are a solid catcher tandem, who will be able to split the season in half, keeping each fresh. Bard is the catcher "of the future," and will learn a lot from the veteran, Barrett. On the infield, the Padres have upgraded, in the form of Tadahito Iguchi, from the White Sox, who is a definite season long starter, with more offensive skills, than the bay team has had, in a couple of seasons. Khalil Greene is solid at shortstop, but needs to make some more strides in his on base percentage and walks ratio, overall. At third is where their is a question mark. They have Kevin Kouzmanoff, who is a solid option, but they are working towards getting their top prospect, Chase Headley into the mix. If Headley has a good spring, then the job will be his. He hit .330, with 20 Hr's, 78 RBI's, and had a .580 slugging percentage. If he does not pan out at the hot corner, then he may be on the big league roster, as another outfielder. Either way, he looks to be with the Padres, coming out of spring.

In the outfield the Padres look completely established, with Giles in right, Edmonds in center, and Scott Hairston (who in 87 at-bats, last year with SD, had 8 Hr's and a .644 slugging percentage). However, health and age is an issue with Edmonds and Giles, so the Padres have brought in Jody Gerut (who can also spell Gonzalez, at first), Chip Ambers, and Callix Crabbe (who can also play the corner infield spots, as well). In the National League west, they will also need good comparison players, for competing with the other west teams. Tony Clark (pinch hitter extraordinare), Gerut, Kouzmanoff, and some of the other young talent gives the "other boys from the bay area," bats and flexibility (which the Giants and D'backs to not have as much of).

Coming out of spring training, the San Diego Padres look like a contender in the West. With the Rockies having to play half of their games at Coors (where runs, flow like water, making each game a wild card of offensive skill), the Giants in the mire of losing Bonds and not having the pitching and offense of the other West teams, the Padres will be competing with the Dodgers, D'backs (if healthy), and Rockies (who you can't rule out, with their offense) for the National League west and the Wild Card (which could come out of this league). However, the veteran players, like Maddux, Wolfe, Prior, Edmonds, Giles, Hoffman, must stay healthy and have solid seasons. The younger players who came out, over the last two seasons (Greene, Kouzmanoff, Gonzalez, and the pitching) must play like they can. If these two things do not happen, then the Dodgers should win the West, and the Padres can only hope for a wild card bid.

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"ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS SPRING & SEASON OUTLOOK"

Pitchers:

SP-- Brandon Webb
SP-- Dan Haren
SP-- Randy Johnson
SP-- Micah Owings
SP-- Edgar Gonzalez/Doug Davis

P-- Billy Buckner
P-- Juan Cruz
P-- Brandon Medders
P-- Tony Pena
P-- Chad Qualls
P-- Doug Slaten
P-- Doug Nippert
CL-- Brandon Lyons

POSITION PLAYERS:

C-- Chris Snyder
C-- Miguel Montero
1B-- Conor Jackson
2B-- Orlando Hudson
3B-- Chad Tracy/Mark Reynolds
SS-- Stephen Drew
OF-- Eric Byrnes
OF-- Chris Young
OF-- Justin Upton/Trot Nixon
Ut.-- Jeff Salazar
Ut.-- Augie Ojeda
Ut.-- Mark Reynolds
Ut.-- Chris Burke

Reserves, Rookies, & Outlook:

Pitching could be the strong suit for the D'backs this year, depending on Randy Johnson's health. If Randy Johnson is healthy for a full year, then the Diamondbacks will have the top three tandem in the league, with a surplus of arms in the rest of the rotation and pen. Although, Johnson did not pitch for the majority of the season last year, he is back and in good form early on in spring. He worked off of the mound, throwing around 40 pitches, and was "more than impressive," said manager Bob Melvin. If this continues, Webb, Johnson, and Dan Haren would be a tough three pitcher match up, for any club they could possibly face. The top three are backed by a plethora of arms, who could start, or come out of the bull pen for long relief. Doug Davis had flashes, of late season brilliance for the team, last year. While, Micah Owings, Edgar Gonzalez, Juan Cruz, and possibly rookie Billy Buckner could see starting innings, they all cannot be in the rotation. However, this is a great position to be in, having pitchers to spell innings and/or injuries, plus come out of the pen with guys like: Brandon Medders, Tony Pena, Chad Qualls, (rookie) Doug Slaten, and Doug Nippert. Closer, Brandon Lyons is a question mark in that role, as sometimes he is lights out, but at others he has struggled. Qualls, Slaten (in the early spring), and maybe even Pena could close, if Lyons fails to hold down the job.

In the field, for the Diamondbacks, they are established and have a good mix of young and veteran talent. Conor Jackson, at first, has been guaranteed the starting job and he looks like he has a huge amount of confidence (rather, than having to platoon, last year). Orlando Hudson (2nd base) and Stephen Drew are solid up the middle, but will need to improve their offensive performances, setting the table for the heart of the order. At third base their are two choices, in Mark Reynolds and Chad Tracy. However, Chad Tracy is still recovering from "micro-fracture knee surgery," and will not be ready coming out of spring training (so it will be Reynolds' job, until then). In the outfield, they have speed and some pop (with good four and five tool players), with Eric Byrnes (left), Chris Young (center), and Justin Upton (right) who is a rookie phenom. Upton is expected to win the starting role, out of spring training and is a true five tool prospect. Although, if he does fail to hold down the position, Trot Nixon has signed a minor league deal with the club, and will definitely have a roster spot.

Overall, the Arizona Diamondbacks have the arms (in the rotation and the pen, if they stay healthy), defensive prowess and speed in the field, and have a good mix of young and veteran players. However, they are limited in the position player mix. Bob Brenly (manager), will have to rely on playing small ball and hope that his pitching gets the job done, or it will be a long season for the D'backs. Plus, the NL West is going to be tough this year, with the Dodgers and Padres, retooling and looking to repeat. The Arizona club has a shot at the wild card, but not at the NL West title, because the Dodgers and Padres have way to much talent. Randy Johnson is a huge piece to the puzzle, but even with a healthy Johnson does not mean that the Diamondbacks will be playoff bound.

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"LOS ANGELES DODGERS SPRING & SEASON OUTLOOK"

Pitchers:

SP-- Jason Schmidt
SP-- Brad Penny
SP-- Derek Lowe
SP-- Chad Billingsley
SP-- Kuroda Kuo
P-- Estaban Loaiza
P-- Joe Biemel
P-- Yhancy Brazoban
P-- Scott Proctor
P-- Jonathan Broxton
P-- Kuo/Billingsley
CL-- Takashi Saito

Position Players:

C-- Russell Martin
C-- Gary Bennett
1B-- Garciapara/Loney
2B-- Jeff Kent/Young
3B-- Garciapara/Abreu
SS-- Rafeal Furcal
OF-- Andruw Jones
OF-- Matt Kemp
OF-- Juan Pierre
Ut.-- James Loney
Ut.-- Jason Repko
Ut.-- Andre Ethier
Ut.-- Tony Abreu
Ut.-- Andy LaRoche

Reserves, Rookies, & Outlook:

The Dodgers are not going to have any trouble at all filling in any positions, over the season. First with their pitching staff, they have more pitchers (who could start a game), than most teams have relief pitchers. After the All-star tandem of Schmidt and Brad Penny, the Dodgers have the Derek Lowe and Chad Billingsley, the still can and will go to the well with pitchers "from around the world" to start: Hong-Chih Kuo (Taiwan), Hiroki Kuroda (Japan), and Estaban Loaiza (Mexico). Most teams have two to three solid starters, but the Dodgers have 6-7 (not counting rookies). In the rookie, pitching department, the Dodgers have Eric Hull, Jonathan Meloan, and Greg Miller. All three are starters, but will probably be in the minors, but have trade value, if the Dodgers decide to go for another bat, late in the season. The relief pitchers for the Dodgers are just as strong. When the "non-starting" starters, are thrown into the bullpen for relief and added in are Joe Meimel, Rudy Seanez, Yhency Brazoban, Scott Proctor (who had sessions with Sandy Koufax, in the off season, which has yielded solid improvement overall), Jonathan Broxton (who will close soon, maybe this season if Saito falters), and Takashi Saito at closer. Needless to say, the Dodgers are "100% stacked," with pitching.

The position players for the Dodgers are not the strong suit. Although, new additions of Andruw Jones in the outfield, the starting eight players will vary, from day to day. Jeff Kent is 40, this year, has lost more than a step in the field, and his offensive numbers have also slipped (over that last two years). Nomar Garciapara, who can play all three infield positions, is an injury waiting to happen. However, he still has plenty of bat and can fill in all over, so if healthy is a plus player. Furcal, Jones, Juan Pierre, and second year stand out (and possible break season player, this year) Matt Kemp are all going to be everyday, plus players, who can field, hit, and add in all of their own ways. However, the Dodgers will have to depend on getting runs and filling in the defensive holes, with some untested players and rookies. Tony Abreu, Chin-Lung Hu, Andy LaRoche, and James Loney will fill the holes on the infield. While, Andre Ethier, Jason Repko, and Delwyn Young (who is also working out at second and third base) will help patrol the outfield. While these guys may not be household names, they will be able to table set, but will provide little (if any) power numbers. Mainly, the runs batted in, will have to come from Andruw Jones, Kent, and Kemp, with extra help possibly from Martin Russell the catcher.

The Dodgers will have to get the most out of the runs they do score, they have the pitching to keep them in every game. Also, with new manager Joe Torre, who is used to getting the most out of his players, the Dodgers should be at the top of the NL West Division. The pitching will lead the team, but ultimately, the team should lead the NL, overall.

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"MILWAUWKEE BREWERS SPRING & SEASON OUTLOOK"

Pitchers:

SP-- Ben Sheets
SP-- Chris Capuano
SP-- Yovani Gallardo (once healthy)
SP-- Jeff Suppan
SP-- Charlie Villanueva

SP-- Claudio Vargas
P-- Guillermo Mota
P-- David Riske
P-- Randy Choate
P-- Salomon Torres
P-- Seth McClung
P-- Scott Cassidy
P-- Derrick Turnbow
CL-- Eric Gagne

Position Players:

C-- Jason Kendall
C-- Mike Rivera
1B-- Prince Fielder
2B-- Rickie Weeks
3B-- Ryan Braun
SS-- J. J. Hardy
OF-- Bill Hall
OF-- Mike Cameron
OF-- Corey Hart
Ut.-- Gabe Kapler

Ut.--Tony Gwynn Jr.
Ut.-- Craig Counsell
Ut.-- Eric Munson
Ut.-- Joe Dillon
Ut.-- Abraham Nunez

Reserves:

The Milwaukee Brewers are set at position players, starting pitching, and have a fairly good amount of reserves, overall. Craig Counsell and Abraham Nunez can both play four infield positions and two outfield positions and the newly signed Russell Branyan can play the corners. Gabe Kapler, Gwynn, Jr., and Gabe Gross can play in the outfield, spell for at-bats, and if injuries happen they will fill in just fine. In the bullpen, Seth McClung was a huge player in the minors, and was a September call up. He did well in September and expects to at least be in the pen, possibly a set up role, in the future. There are enough young arms, in the Brewer organization, to keep them in the pennant race. If they need a trade, thru July, they have enough to pull that off, as well. Overall, the reserve and platoon players for the Brewers will keep players like Fielder, Braun, and Corey Hart fresh, but they also have enough players to keep the "on base guys/nitche guys" fresh, as well.


Rookies:

The Brewers have a stable of great first year and rookie players, on the bench and down on the farm. For starters, no pun intended, Yovani Gallardo is on the verge of having a huge season (if he is healthy, after having an early spring cartilage problem in his knee, the Brewers are not sure about opening day). However, last year he burst onto the scene having a huge year between AAA and the Brewers organization. He posted an overall record of: 17-8, 156 K's, and a 211:65 K to BB Ratio. If his knee and health holds up, he could be a dandy, for years to come. Another break out year, for the Brewers, was had by Ryan Braun. He played only three quarters of the season in the majors. Yet, Braun held up to his names sake, yielding "ROY" honors, and totals of: .324 avg., 34 HRs., 97 RBI, with a .634 slugging percentage. With the two superstar candidates, in waiting, getting warmed up for a full season with the Brewers, they also have some extra help coming. The extra rookies down on the farm to watch, which could also be extra help come September, are Brad Nelson, Manny Parra, Mitch Stettar, and Fernan Iribarren (all pitchers).

Outlook Out of Spring:

The Milwaukee Brewers have just as much chance of winning the NL Central Division, as any team in the league. The Brewers have a variety of table setters and on base people, throughout the lineup. Bill Hall, Kendall (although not in his prime), J. J. Hardy (who has some pop in his bat, as well), with the other position players, mixed with the big three in the middle of the order, Fielder, Braun, and Corey Hart, should bring home four to seven runs a game. The offense mixed with a solid up the middle defense of Weeks, Hardy, Cameron/Hall, and Kendall will be more than adequate. Which leaves only the pitching staff? The Brewers were without Ben Sheets for most of the season, and still almost won the Central. This year with a healthy Sheets (in a contract year and something to prove), Capuano, Suppan, Villanueva, and David Bush who are all solid veterans, with a lot of experience and will give six to seven innings, each time out. The bullpen has a lot of quality arms in it, and all of the pitching above, without mentioning Yovani Gallardo. The whole Brewers team is in a position looking up, but they just may be looking up at a National League Championship trophy, if not a World Series trophy, as well.

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