NHL Mid-season Review Part II

NORTHEAST DIVISION

Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres, President’s Trophy winner in 06-07 for best record in the league, find their line up in much different from that team that won so many games. What is the same is net, where Ryan Miller is having his best season as pro, and is the current front runner for the Vezina Trophy, as best goalie. Miller will be the backstop for Team USA in Vancouver, and any hope of a medal may rest squarely on the former Spartan’s shoulders. On offense, the Sabres feature diminutive but highly skilled forwards in Derek Roy and the oft-injured Tim Connolly. Along with them is former Minnesota Golden Gopher Thomas Vanek, who scored over 40 goals last year. On defense, they feature “steady-Eddie” defensemen Henrik Tallinder, Clarke MacArhtur, and Steve Montador, as well as rookie Tyler Myers. Myers is a 6’8, smooth skating defensemen, who many see as one of the best young defensemen in the league. He has surpassed all expectations, and has shown a great scoring touch, QBing the Sabres powerplay. When his body fills out, he will be a monster the likes of Scott Van Pelt’s favorite Bruin Zdeno Chara, expect a much better skater. In terms of organizational needs, the Sabres must continue to search for a big, tough, power forward to protect their many small forwards. They drafted Zach Kassian in the first round of the 2009 draft, a 6’3 215 pound menace who loves to hit. His ability to play in the Show is unknown though due to his lack of foot speed. The Sabres should continue to search for power forward prospects, and also look for another offensive defenseman to bring more excitement to the blue line.

Ottawa Senators
Perhaps the biggest surprise this season has been the play of the Senators, who currently sit atop the Northeast Division standings with 76 points. As always, the Sens are led by their captain Daniel Alfredsson, who seems to have been with the Senators forever, and is still performing at a high level at the age of 36. Along with Alfredsson, Ottawa gets their scoring from the likes of Jason Spezza, the always enigmatic Alexei Kovalev, and Milan Michalek. Michalek was the key piece of the off-season trade that saw Dany Heatley leave the Sens for the Sharks. While Heatley has more goals and points than Michalek, Milan plays a much better two way game and has solidified the second line as a legitimate scoring threat. On defense, the Sens have a largely solid but unspectacular group led by Filip Kuba and Chris Phillips. Phillips was the number one overall pick in 1996, and has been a Senator his whole career. Having once boasted a defense with the likes of Zdeno Chara and a good Wade Redden, Phillips is the only holdover from those days on defense. The Senators do boast, however, one of the more promising young offensive defensemen in the league with 19 year old Erik Karlsson. While his play in his own end needs work and he is still small by NHL standards, he has been able to provide a bit of panache on the back end missing since the days of Chara and Redden. In goal, the Senators have a rotation of former Wisconsin standout Brian Elliott and former Blue Jacket Pascal Leclaire. Elliott has been steadily taking more of the starts, and it is likely that the Senators view him as their goalie of the future. Having seen him steal an NCAA championship almost single-handedly, I’m excited to see a goalie that chose to play in college get the starting nod. In terms of organizational needs, the Senators are largely in need of depth at defense and forward. Alfredsson is not getting any younger, and the Sens need to try to find a wing to take his spot on the first line for the future. On defense, they need to shore up all of their pairs. I don’t know if they will be able to continue their winning, but since they play in a division with Boston and Toronto, it is entirely possible that they could come out of this division on top.

Boston Bruins
BRUINS!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Boston Bruins are in the midst of a rocky season that has seen significant time lost to injury and disappointment after last year’s very successful season. Up front, the Bruins are led by Marc Savard, who is one of the premier playmakers in the league. He has been hurt multiple times this year, and without him their ability to score has gone down. On their revolving door first line, the Bruins have played Milan Lucic, who some see as a glorified third liner at best, and grizzled vet Mark Recchi. Recchi has kept a very high level of play even as he is in the twilight of his career. In terms of depth, the Bruins have a lot of young talent on their other lines that marks a bright future for the Bruins. David Krejci is a skilled playmaker who had 80 points last year, as well as Patrice Bergeron, a great two way centerman who is leading the team in scoring. They also have former Golden Gopher Blake Wheeler, who has some silky smooth hands that are generally unheard of for a guy who is 6’5. On a side note, the Bruins signed Miroslav Satan mid-season, a move that I know APT was excited to see, cause he’s a big Satan fan. On defense, the Bruins are anchored by reigning Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara. At 6’9 Chara has immense size and ridiculous reach, as well as one of the, if not the best shot in the NHL (although Shea Weber would remind us that he’s never seen Chara shoot a puck through the net). Along with Chara, the Bruins have journeyman defender Derek Morris, as well as offensive defenseman Dennis Wideman. This year the Bruins have had a bit of goalie controversy on their hands. On one hand, they have (cringe) Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas. Thomas had a great statistical year last year, but is being exposed for not actually being that good of a goalie. The man who is taking starts away from Thomas is a young Finn named Tuukka Rask. Rask came to the Bruins in the deal that sent Hannu Toivenen to Toronto, and is one of the best goalie prospects in the world. He has the ability to be a great starting goalie in the NHL, and it was only a matter of time before he overtook Thomas as a starter. While Thomas played admirably in the past, the Bruins need to embrace the future and let Rask get as many starts as he can and he will provide them a great backbone for years to come. In terms of their organization, the Bruins find themselves in an admirable position. They have solid depth in all areas, as well as two first round picks in the 2010 and 2011 drafts. They received Toronto’s first round picks in the Phil Kessel trade, and the Toronto pick for this year looks like it could be anywhere from top 7 to the number one overall pick. The future looks bright for the Bruins, and they should be good for a long time to come.

Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens find themselves one point behind the Bruins in the standings, and are hovering around playoff position. They are lead up front by Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta, who were reunited in the off-season and have continued to show their great chemistry. On their line they have found Benoit Pouliot, a young sniper with size who came to Montreal in a trade after severly underachieving after being the number 4 overall pick in 2005. He has found a home on the wing with Gomez and Gionta, and has scored 11 goals in 20 games since he was traded. The second line for Montreal is equally potent, cenetered by Tomas Plekanec, and featuring Mike Cammalleri on the wing. Plekanec is a great playmaker, and all Mike Cammalleri does is score. Cammalleri is only 5’9, but has had consecutive 30 goal seasons and is well on his way there this year. I like to say that he gives hope to all short guys who just like to snipe. On defense, the Habs are anchored by Andrei Markov, who has become the face of their franchise. He is rock solid on defense, in addition to being one of the premier powerplay defensemen in the league. Montreal’s powerplay has been a consistent threat for the better part of the last decade, and Markov has been a key to that. Other than Markov, the Hab defense is made up largely of journeymen defensemen such as Hal Gill and Paul Mara. The Habs do, however, have one the best defensive prospects in the world playing for Hamilton, their AHL affiliate. P.K. Subban was known for his end to end rushes and rocket slapshot in juniors, but has taken immense strides in his defensive coverage. He is the future of the Hab defense, and his future looks very bright. In goal, the Canadiens operate a fairly even rotation between Jaroslav Halak and Carey Price. Price was taken 5th overall in 2005, and was supposed to be the savior of the franchise in goal. He has performed fairly well over the course of his first three years in the NHL, but Halak is no slouch. Sooner or later, one of them is likely to go elsewhere, and my bet is on Halak. The Canadiens as an organization still need more depth on their back end, as that is weak point of their team. Up front they are fairly young, and will be able to keep that core for the foreseeable future.

Toronto Maple Leafs
Oh the Maple Leafs. Two years ago, the Leafs brought in GM Brian Burke (who built the Canucks into Cup contenders and the Ducks into Cup winners), to try to rebuild their fledgling organization. Last season, the Leafs showed major improvements, but this year have taken a step back. Up front, the Leafs are led by Phil “The Thrill” Kessel, who they traded for in the off-season, the aforementioned deal that sent their next two first round picks to Boston. Along with Kessel, the Leafs have a fairly pedestrian group of forwards. They have former Dartmouth standout Lee Stempniak and Jason Blake, both of whom are more 2nd/3rd line players then the 1st line roles they seem to be filling. In the pipeline, the Leafs have a set of former college forwards who have shown significant promise. Viktor Stalberg, former UVM Catamount, has great size at 6’3 and speed and has been able to put up points in the AHL so far. They also have former Domer Christian Hanson, who also has great size at 6’4, and plays the rough and tumble style of play that has characterized Burke teams in the past. On defense, the Leafs are anchored by two youngins, in Luke Schenn and the newly acquired Dion Phaneuf. Schenn, the number 5 pick in the 2008 draft, is a rock defensively, but does not contribute much offensively. Phaneuf, who was recently acquired from Calgary, has a rocket of a shot and always looks for the big hit. Along with these two is Tomas Kaberle, who might argue that he, not Markov, is the best powerplay quarterback in the NHL. He currently leads the Leafs in points, and also posses a great shot. In goal, the Leafs recently acquired J-S Giguere to sure up their net. While not the Conn Smythe winner he once was, Giguere is still a more than capable starting goalie in the league, and is better than what the Leafs had. He was forced out of Anaheim by the play of Jonas Hiller, which anyone who watched him in the Olympics can attest, is stellar. In terms of organizational needs, the Leafs are in dire need of top line talent, which they lack outside of Kessel. Unfortunately for them, they traded away two first round picks for Kessel, so they will likely have to take some risks in the draft to try to get that top flight talent.

-THE-A-TRAIN-

Seattle Mariners

Losses: 3B Adrian Beltre, 1B Russell Branyan, OF Wladimir Balentien, OF Endy Chavez, C Kenji Johjima, P Miguel Batista, IF Bill Hall, P Carlos Silva

Gains: 3B Chone Figgins, P Cliff Lee, 1B Casey Kotchman, UT Ryan Garko, OF Milton Bradley, OF Eric Byrnes, P Chad Cordero, C Josh Bard, OF Ryan Langerhans

Analysis: A lot of ins and outs for the Mariners. Lotta strands in old Junior's head. They got rid of Carlos Silva, a magnificent plus, but at the expense of bringing in Milton Bradley. Which Milton Bradley they brought in remains to be seen. They let Adrian Beltre go in favor of Chone Figgins. Figgins is already likely headed to 2nd base with Jose Lopez switching over to 3rd. Despite a big power year, Russell Branyan was set afloat. He did end the year on the DL. Seems the Mariners were doubtful of his recovery. In his stead, Casey Kotchman and Ryan Garko could create a solid platoon at first base. Kenji Johjima heads back to Japan. Rob Johnson got over 250 ABs last season, but was unimpressive. They also trade in some loose outfield change, aka Endy Chavez (APT loves him) and Wladimir Balentien (APT loves his name). They took back an idea in Eric Byrnes and, likely, a minor leaguer in Ryan Langerhans. Chad Cordero could prove to be an interesting addition, as he is a couple of years removed from a string of successful seasons as a closer for the Washington Expos (including 47 saves in 2005, a year where in the first half of the season, the Nats won every game by one run it seemed). He could end up being a significant improvement on Miguel Batista or could simply get hurt again. The big acquisition of the winter, of course, is Clifford Lee. Just one year removed from a Cy Young, which he followed with another dominant season (after a rough first two starts). Lee has proved he can pitch in both leagues and be right up with the best in the league. Overall, you have to like what the Mariners did this winter, if for Cliff Lee alone. Most of the departed players had run their course in this town anyway (save maybe Russell Branyan), and they bring in some fresh blood and some interesting talent.

More moves: The Mariners need a left-hander in the pen. We shall see if they act on it. They could also an idea to back up either 2nd or third. Hanging onto Bill Hall could've been interesting, but APT understands the choice not to. Jack Hannahan is okay, but I'd like to see something else.

2010 Thoughts: The line-up projects to be pretty average. They are definitely becoming one with the stadium they play in. Safeco field is one of the more noted pitchers parks in the Major Leagues, so the Mariners sport excellent defense in 7 of the 8 starting positions (save Milton Bradley). With Cliff Lee on the mound, you can make that 8 of 9 (even if he's not actually looking at the ball when he catches it sometimes). This line-up is really going to hinge on whichever Milton Bradley shows up. If MB the Cub appears, it could be a long year for the offense. If his Ranger self graces us with his presence, he could drive in 140 runs. The Mariners are going to start each game, likely, with 3 leadoff hitters, in Chone Figgins, Franklin Gutierrez and Ichiro Suzuki. Perhaps we will see Ichiro adapt more of a run-producing role. This would be the year to do it with the substitution of Figgins for Beltre. Then Milton Bradley, Ken Griffey Jr and Jose Lopez (off a breakout year) will try to make something of it. The starting rotation could end up really bringing it. The Mariners are taking another chance with Erik Bedard (though not nearly as costly this time). If he can stay healthy, the 1-2-3 of Felix the King, Clifford Lee and Erik Bedard could be as good as any 1-2-3 in baseball. That would leave Ryan Rowland-Smith and Ian Snell to try to pitch slightly above average ball to finish a stellar rotation. Rowland-Smith and Snell both showed signs of being productive and signs to the contrary. The bullpen is interesting. David Aardsma emerged as a premier closer (38 sv in 42 chances), which the Mariners desperately needed. The 8th inning could potentially be shut down by Cordero if he's healthy. The rest of the bullpen has to prove itself. Mark Lowe and Sean White have shown signs and Brandon League is strong every other year (this would be a good year). Jason Vargas is a long man, and that is what will be asked of him. The Mariners need a lefty in the pen, however. Vargas is the only lefty, but he is not a specialist. Maybe the M's decide to go with Doug Fister in the 5th spot and Rowland-Smith back to the pen, but APT see's more promise from R-S in the rotation. Joe Beimel is out there for the taking if Seattle wants to give him a shout. Overall, the Mariners' hopes are really pinned on Milton Bradley and Erik Bedard if they plan to truly contend in the West.

Prediction: APT doesn't see the chances working out for better than 3rd place in the AL West.

-APT

For those with Blue-Ray Players

APT is not so lucky, but for anyone who has a blue-ray player, Amazon is offering this deal on The Ultimate Rocky Collection (I,II,III,IV,V, & Rocky Balboa).

Amazing deal!

Thanks to Bill Simmons (The Sports Guy of ESPN Page2) for tweeting this.

-APT

Cincinnati Reds

Losses: OF Willy Tavares, IF Adam Rosales

Gains: SS Orlando Cabrera, P Aroldis Chapman, P Jose Arredondo, IF Aaron Miles, OF Josh Anderson, IF Miguel Cairo

Analysis: The Reds quietly had a really nice offseason. They didn’t lose much at all, trading Tavares and Rosales to Oakland for Miles. The Reds shouldn’t miss Tavares, as Drew Stubbs emerged as a more attractive option in centerfield during the last two months of 2009. On the flip side, Miles should add depth as a proven utility infielder (although he is coming off a year in which his OPS was .466 in 74 games!).
The signing of Orlando Cabrera certainly upgrades their situation at shortstop, which was held down last year mostly by Paul Janish and Alex Gonzalez before he was traded to the Red Sox. Janish will now come off the bench, which is where he probably belongs at this point of his career until he figures things out at the plate. I would post his career stats, but I vowed to be a kinder individual in 2010.
The marquee acquisition for the Reds this offseason without a doubt was the signing of coveted Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman. The Reds locked in the 21 year old for 6 years, $30.25 million, and if he lives up to his immense potential, that contract will be worth every penny. He will get a shot to make the team right out of Spring Training, and there are people within the organization that believe that he is ready for the majors right now, despite control problems and his lack of a solid third pitch. Even if Chapman starts in the minors, a rotation of Aaron Harang, Edinson Volquez (expected back by the All-Star Break after Tommy John surgery), Bronson Arroyo, Jonny Cueto and Homer Bailey or Micah Owings is nothing to scoff at, so they can afford to bring him along slowly.
More moves: After making a splash with the Chapman deal, one would think that the Reds are done making moves. The recent resigning of Jonny Gomes solidifies their left-field platoon (with the other half being Chris Dickerson, presumably), and the Reds front office has signified that they are prepared to move forward with this squad.

2010 Thoughts: This team still has some holes, but they are moving in the right direction. If Arredondo can even mildly approach his bananas 2008 season, the bullpen could be respectable, but as of right now the link between their solid starting rotation and Francisco Cordero is looking tenuous at best. If Joey Votto can stay healthy this season, look for him to have a monster year. The Reds can also count on solid production from Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce (who will only be 22 on Opening Day) and Scott Rolen, but they are still a bat or two away from having a truly formidable lineup. This all adds up to them falling short of the postseason again, but the future is bright.

Prediction: Jumbled somewhere in the middle of the NL Central, but with the division being pretty weak (other than the Cardinals of course), I’m guessing the Reds end up in 2nd in the division, flirting with a wild card berth until the final weeks of the season.

APT's Prediction: The Bolt has the Red's back this year. We think they have it figured out. With a little bullpen help at the deadline, they could be a playoff team. 2nd in the NL Central is theirs. The playoffs is a question, but they will be in WC competition. I will say no for now, but stay tuned for the full list of 2010 predictions for my final thoughts on the subject. These predictions will feature a Cincinnati Red in line for a big award...

-The Bomb.

Happy 50th!

Lightning in a Bottle is celebrating its 50th POST!!! Thanks to everyone who made this possible and to anyone who might give a shit that it happened. The Bolt plans to work a little harder to expand readership soon, so perhaps the 100th post will be a larger celebration.

Thank you all!

APT

New York Yankees

Losses: OF Melky Cabrera, DH Hideki Matsui, UT Xavier Nady, OF Johnny Damon, UT Jerry Hairston Jr, C Jose Molina, P Ian Kennedy, P Phil Coke, P Brian Bruney, P Chien-Ming Wang, OF Shelly Duncan, P Josh Towers

Gains: P Javier Vasquez, OF Curtis Granderson, OF Marcus Thames, 1B Nick Johnson, OF Randy Winn, P Chan Ho Park

Analysis: It's tough to analyze the Yankees. I feel as though any criticism in analysis would simply be a difference in opinion strategically. Because, if the Yankees brass thought they needed more, they'd get more. They can do that. They have that type of control. But let's look at them as though they don't. The Yankees lost a lot of good arms, however, they still have a ton of good arms AND the best arm transaction this winter, was on the positive side, reacquiring Javier Vasquez. Vasquez was one of the top few pitchers in the National League, despite a tough luck record. So Vasquez moves into the number 3 or 4 spot in a great rotation. That is just scary. The Yankees lost a lot of outfield talent, or I suppose I should say, they lost a lot of batting talent. They didn't lose much in the way of fielding. They bring in Granderson, Thames and Winn to replace Damon, Matsui, the Melk Man and Hairston. Once again, the most valuable outfielder is one coming in. Granderson is young, will hit 30 homeruns playing in the BX-Jet Stream and is a solid fielder. Thames is a good source of power, and may win himself the left field job. And Randy Winn replaces the level of veteran-ness they lost with the other guys. The one thing they lose is clutchness. Matsui and Damon were two of the most clutch hitters in the lineup. And Melky Cabrera showed an ability to get big hits as well. Granderson might not have that same ability, especially against a lefty specialist from the pen. Randy Winn however is a more clutch, and may be useful pinch hitting in a stitch. Speaking of lefty specialists, Phil Coke is probably the biggest loss of the off-season (unless you count the potential that Chien-Ming Wang still has). He really solidified his role at the end of last year, pitching very well. The Yankees did not replace that second lefty arm out of the pen. Perhaps they still will.

More moves: Like I said, perhaps they will pick up another lefty out of the pen. I don't see them doing much else.

2010 Thoughts: The Yankees are going to continue to be a successful franchise. Nothing you or I can do about that. If they are in second place in June, expect a big move in July. If they are in first place in June, expect a medium-sized move in July. They may look for some pop at DH to take through the playoffs. This current squadron is great top-to-bottom. The lineup is a touch down on what came out last year. The last outfield spot is probably going to be taken by Brett Gardner, who is a bit of a light hitter. But he and Granderson will cover so much more outfield then Melky and Damon, that it will be worth it. Nick Johnson in the DH spot is a drop-off as well. But that might not come into effect until playoff time. The only concern is if he were to get injured yet again. Marcus Thames would be a slightly larger drop-off on Matsui. But if we remember, Matsui was not a stud during the regular season. His clutch run-producing was a playoff factor, and I expect the Yankees to do something about that in July. The rest of the line-up returns from the World Series Championship. The starters are great. Javier Vasquez takes a spot that was previously occupied by Sergio Mitre. That is as big an improvement as you can get. Wang will not be missed. The Yankees have to hope Hughes or Joba solidifies the 5th spot. AT LEAST one will. The pen is really good too. I think this week's addition of Chan Ho Park is a good one, though it has been glossed over. If Marte pitches like he did last October, then they have everything they need. Aceves is a solid middle-man/spot-starter, and both Hughes and Joba have shown the ability to handle the 8th inning. Chad Gaudin will be a solid long-reliever, though the rotation will rarely need it.

Prediction: The Red Sox didn't do enough with their line-up to catch the Yankees. The Yanks will again win the AL East. It's hard to repeat, so the Bolt will have them losing in the ALCS.

APT

Thank you.

APT loves to see stories like this, though they may only be mentioned under the breath of the "real news".

Thank you to all heroes.

APT

(I know the Yankees preview didn't show up yesterday. Look for it later.)

Shit like this doesn't happen to the Yankees...

Click Me

oh royals...

Winter Olympic Sprites II

I. A lot of hockey still to come. The action has been great so far. Slovakia/Russia and Norway/Switzerland were probably my two favorite games, though I haven't caught every one. Of course, USA/Canada was great as well. I've been very impressed with the team from Switzerland so far. The Swiss, a team anchored by Jonas Hiller of the Anaheim Ducks, but not much in the way of NHLers beyond that, has been very competitive in all of their games (3 resulting in Hockey Gratis). They look forward to a rematch with the USA who beat them 3-1 in group play. Looking forward to what should be an incredible slate of games tomorrow, including what many thought would be the gold medal game, Russia v. Canada. We get that gem in just the QUARTERFINALS. It should be a brilliantly hard-fought game as one of the two favorites is promised to be left without even a medal. The final two quarterfinal matches are still to be determined.
APT's prediction: APT really likes Team Sweden. They seem to always have a great team chemistry, despite bringing in a lot of NHLers without experience playing together. They have a more difficult road than Team USA, having to play, likely Slovakia, while the Americans draw the Swiss. But Hank Lundqvist is a big game goaltender with Gold Medal experience. Team Sweden is full of Olympic Veterans. They hold that advantage, and a very stout defensive unit over the Americans. APT sees Sweden downing Team USA in the finals, while the Russians take Bronze with their second win over the Czech Republic.
Sleeper pick (the best team no one talks about): Slovakia. Despite my pick of Sweden for Gold, they are going to have their hands full if they get Slovakia in the Quarterfinal. Slovakia has played some of the best hockey in the tournament. They lost a tough opening round game to the Czech republic 3-1, but it was heavily contested, and the Slovaks were a tough break away from taking control of the contest. They went on to defeat Russia in a shootout and blow out Latvia. Look out for this squad. Though he looked a little nervous in the Czech game, Jaroslav Halak has played some great hockey in goal for the Slovaks. They are definitely a dangerous team.

II. USA Curling: For those who have watched, the action has been miserable for the United States. The US Women play their final match tonight against Switzerland (The men ended their draw yesterday, getting shalaqued by China 11-5) . Going into that game, America held a 4-13 record between the two squads, both in last place in the standings. If it seemed like Men's captain John Shuster was blowing a chance to win every game, it's probably because he was. Despite attempts to shuffle the line-up around, the US curlers never found their stride. American play, as I mentioned, comes to a merciful end tonight. (The two Canadian squadrons have produced a record of 16-1 going into the women's last draw this evening) The semifinals begin Thursday for some, while Shuster and the gang will surely be looking for a hot tub time machine and a chance to try again.

III.
There was a bit of an issue arising from the results of the men's figure skating last week. Evan Lysacek of the US (above) narrowly edged out defending gold-medalist Evgeni Plushenko after the long program. (APT caught most of the free skates, but unfortunately missed the Gold Medal winning performance. What a waste!) Lysacek's victory drew the ire of runner-up Plushenko. Plushenko gave Lysacek shit (warranted?) for not attempting any quad jumps in his routine. Most of the performances included at least one, several multiple quad attempts. Plushenko's one major error came on a quad, and he paid for it. Regardless of your opinion of Lysacek's degree of difficulty, he's wearing the rock and no one can take that away.

IV. As if I didn't bash it enough last time, a few more words on Women's Hockey. To update those who haven't been following. You have missed absolutely nothing. As would have been easily predicted by APT, USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland were the semi-finalists, with the USA blasting their opponent (Sweden) and Canada smothering theirs (Finland). At least we arrive at the most interesting part, when USA plays Canada. Good luck to our gals, I suppose. (Prediction?: USA gold, Canada Silver, Finland Bronze)

V.
BODACIOUS MILLER comes up GOLD! The much maligned American skiier has toned down the commentary and picked up the speed. Despite DQ-ing in the Giant Slalom yesterday, His Bodaciousness has rocked Vancouver, opening up with a bronze in the Downhill, then teasing us with a silver in the Super G, and his efforts culminating in a gold in the super-combined. APT is stoked by the Bodacity. Bode took his share of shit and is sending it back, not with his mouth, but his skiis. Best of luck to him in the rest of the games.

VI. A major story in this Olympics will continue to be the untimely death of Georgian Luger Nodar Kumaritashvili. The story continues as competitors are asked about the track. Many feel that the designers went to far with the speed and tight-turning. Several competitors have admitted feeling fear, far beyond nerves, when entering into competition on the slick track. These sledders are downright terrified of having to face this ride. With only a couple of sled events remaining, the Bolt's best go out to all competitors. Stay safe out there.

VII. Quick shout out to Apolo Anton Ohno. Though he has not secured a Gold at the Vancouver Olympics, Ohno has picked up a silver and bronze. The two medals make him the most decorated American Winter Olympian ever, with seven medals, passing legendary speed-skater Bonnie Blair. Blair however houses FIVE gold medals in her trophy case, while Ohno goes for variety with 2 golds, 2 silver and 3 bronze. Ohno will compete in the 5000m relay and is considering entering the 500m to extend his new record further. Michael Phelps was apparently in attendance for Ohno's win (likely laughing under his breath).

VIII.
The Women's Figure Skating opened tonight with the short programs. Sadly, all APT can think of is how Sasha Cohen will not be featured. I admittedly know as little going into this Olympics about the women competitors as I have going into any recent Winter O. APT promises to fight back the tears and watch some of the new stars of Women's figure skating, having something insightful to say about it in my last Winter Olympic report.

IX. Shaun White is RI-(insert clever synonym of "dic" or really any random syllable here)-ULOUS!!! There is really not much to say on it. He can do whatever he wants. He simply is twice as high off the pipe as any other snowboarder, rendering it near impossible for them to compete, unless white completely crashes and burns. He sealed the Gold Medal in the Pipe before even embarking on this 2nd run. But being the baller that he is, White put forth an incredible performance in his victory lap. Perhaps if APT owned part of a mountain and built a half-pipe in it, he would be this awesome. (Very seriously doubt it)

X. I apologize, but Ice Dancing sucks. I don't know why it ever was deemed Olympic worthy. I'm not sure of the history, but perhaps it was around before people were able to safely execute jumps. It is difficult to watch for more that a few minutes. I admit that Figure Skating is legitimate and can be quite entertaining, but ice dancing is a complete different story. With mens, womens and pairs already, it just seems completely unnecessary. The only Ice Dancing APT has every enjoyed came in the brilliant production "Reptar On Ice".

maybe also, death to smoochy.

XI. Speaking of events whose merits I have a hard-time understanding, we arrive at the 2-man luge. Now the luge is a very intriguing event. Zipping down a fast ice track on a sled, very dangerous, very badass, pretty much what any kid really wants to be doing as he/she sleds down the nearest snowy hill in December. I can see the derivation with Skeleton: head-first, even more badass, more badass name to go with it: sure, awesome. BUT, where the hell did 2-man luge come from? APT is by no means homophobic. I did theater in high school and college, which is hard to do if troubled by homophobia, but this has nothing to do with being gay or not. This event is just crazy. Someone had to be watching luge one day, standing on a hill, overlooking the track, feeling the crisp air flow past his face, watching the flakes fall off the conifers as they sway in the breeze, and think to himself "what if we threw another man on top of that man on the sled? Wouldn't that be the greatest?" APT just cannot see that scene taking place. WHO DID THIS? WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A LEGITIMATE IDEA? I get it that Bobsled has a 2 and a 4 man event. BUT THEY MADE A BIGGER SLED FOR MORE PEOPLE. I may simply never understand.

XI. I will end these sprites, which have been a little too negative about olympic events by mentioning FREESTYLE SKIING. I was watching snowboard cross early in the games, which is pretty boring during time trials, but plenty awesome once they go into 4 boarder heats, eliminating 2 at a time until they reach the medal race. I couldn't help but think how BADASS it would be if skiiers did that. I WAS RIGHT. Turns out freestyle skiing, aka Ski-Cross, does just that. Although the event went without much trouble, it certainly looked dangerous and was massively entertaining. So props to the inventor of Ski-Cross and props to Switzerland's Michael Schmid and Canada's Ashleigh McIvor for taking the golds. The broader class of sports of freestyle skiing also includes Aerials: more baddassness. Those medals are yet to be awarded.

XII. Kobe hit a game-winning 3 in his return to the Lakers tonight. Anyone surprised?

Arizona Diamondbacks

Losses: P Max Scherzer, P Doug Davis, 1B Chad Tracy, P Scott Schoenweis, 1B Scott Whitesell, P Daniel Schlereth

Gains: P Edwin Jackson, P Ian Kennedy, 2B Kelly Johnson, 1B Adam LaRoche, P Bob Howry, P Aaron Heilman, Brandon Webb (from injury)

Analysis: There will be plenty of new faces in the desert this summer, as the Diamondbacks try to return to the playoffs after missing out the last two seasons. They traded away two former first round picks (Scherzer and Schlereth) in order to land Jackson and Kennedy. While Jackson is coming off a nice year (13-9, 3.62 ERA, 1.26 WHIP), Kennedy was very inconsistent during his time with the Yankees. He is currently slotted for the back end of the rotation, though, so he should have a chance to feel his way without too much pressure (having Brandon Webb and Dan Haren atop the rotation has that effect).
Arizona also retooled the right side of the infield by bringing in LaRoche and Johnson. Despite making a splash earlier in his career, Chad Tracy wasn’t exactly reminding anyone of Albert Pujols (or Shea Hillenbrand for that matter), so LaRoche is definitely an upgrade offensively at first. He could be a liability defensively though, especially with Webb inducing a ton of ground balls. Johnson, on the other hand, is solid defensively and if he can bounce back from last year’s sub-par performance at the plate, he will definitely be a valuable piece.
Howry and Heilman are both erratic relievers that have had nice runs in the past, and Arizona is going to need both of them to rekindle the magic this season in order to have a shot at the playoffs, because the rest of the bullpen is suspect (except of course for Clay Zavada, for obvious reasons ).

2010 Thoughts: Not as badly as they did last year. Many felt that they gave up on Scherzer too soon, however given his injury history they may have been shrewd in getting something for him now. If Kennedy can live up to his potential, the rotation could become something special. Of course this also depends on how Webb performs after missing almost all of 2009. With the additions of LaRoche and Johnson, their batting order all of a sudden is looking pretty potent, led by Mr. All-or-Nothing himself, Mark Reynolds.

Prediction: I don’t see any reason why this team can’t finish above .500, and while the NL West is deeper than it has been in recent years, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them steal the division or the Wild Card. It all hinges on the bullpen, though. My official prediction is third in the division, behind the Rockies and the Dodgers.

APT’s Prediction: 4th in a tight NL West

10 Prison Yards and a First Down

I was watching PTI today, and one of the topics in the headlines had to do with Chip Kelly's dismissal of WR Jamere Holland. Holland was dismissed after he posted his profane disagreement of assumed treatment of Oregon Linebacker Kristian Kiko Alonso after he was arrested on suspicion of DUI. Holland disclosed his displeasure on everyone's favorite news source, the facebook. Say what you will about the situation in Oregon. It sure seems like Chip Kelly has been dealt a rough hand and really done as well as anyone could with it (let us not forget the gloriously tragic LeGarrette Blount sucker-punch). But anyway, that is beside the point in this case.
When presented with the question of "what does this mean for Oregon football?" Dan Lebatard (who has really grown to be a welcome participant on PTI for APT (far better than Bob Ryan)) came up with a very interesting response. "It means they are getting better," Lebatard answered, much to the chagrin of Mike Wilbon. He spoke of how many of the more successful programs in recent years welcomed with their prosperity, a disconcerting wave of criminal activity within their athletic programs, citing 30 arrests during the Urban Meyer tenure at Florida (that number was corrected later in the who by Tony Riali to be 27).
This issue really got APT thinking about the legitimacy of the claim. It certainly makes a whole lot of sense. Wilbon's best arguments to the contrary had to travel back a way through recent history. Rival Dirt is a website that compiles "Dirt Scores" for teams, awarding them dirt points for things like suspensions and minor to major run-ins with the law. Their "Dirty Dozen" of 2009 is as follows:

Arkansas
Tennessee
Kansas
Washington State
Florida
South Carolina
Michigan State
Wisconsin
Penn State
Oklahoma
West Virginia
Texas

Among those teams you see some of the top Football and Basketball programs in the NCAA. More notably for APT, you see programs who've made substantial moves towards the top of the NCAA being on the list for this last year. Florida, Kansas, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Texas, Tennessee and West Virginia are universities who in the past few years have really made great strides in their programs. It's unfortunate to see that along with hiring great coaches, who recruit well and put in effective systems, the lowering of standards, as far as quality of person, have been a part of the equation. To prove the point further we continue down the list and see recent NCAA surprises like South Florida, Iowa and Nevada climbing their way up the list.
We've all known for some time that many of the top schools suffer from low graduation rates for athletes in order to maintain athletic success. However it is very upsetting to see that this either correlates or is now in cooperation with a disregard for behavior and state of mind of the kids that the schools are bringing in. 27 arrests for Florida since Urban Meyer arrived. That is almost 7 arrests a year. I my 4 years at Boston College (fall 2003- spring 2007), I remember maybe one or two (and a handful of behavioral suspensions). Along with a superior graduation rate and there doesn't seem to be much hope for the Eagles to make noise at the very top of Collegiate Sports. (To be fair, BC has had a little more trouble since I've departed the school and rank 42nd in the past year Dirt Score List with a score of 6 (many thanks to Brady Smith, I'm sure.) Now this is not to prop up or make excuses for Boston College, but that is an example that hits close to home. If you question my bias, Mike Wilbon tried to make his case with Notre Dame's success. However, Lebatard was quick to point out (as was APT to think) that Notre Dame has not been a top caliber team in quite a few years. Save a Brady Quinn led team that was pummeled by LSU (who actually only has one 2009 dirt point, so DAP to the Tigers), Notre Dame has experienced very moderate success for a team that seems to have a head up on the rest of the NCAA in recruiting at times (1 dirt point for the Irish in 2009 as well). The rumors swirled everywhere before the Fighting Irish hired Charlie Weiss that ND wanted Urban Meyer, but Meyer wanted the ability to disregard school standards for students for X number of recruits each year. Everyone spoke of it in terms of academic ability, but maybe Meyer wanted to take it even farther.
Now APT is not here to disparage Urban Meyer as a coach. He is a brilliant football mind and has brought a lot of good to Florida, but he and others of his ilk have now brought a lot of questions as well.
Everyone has seemed to come to terms with the fact that many athletically-competitive schools disregard graduation rates and academic excellence in the case of sports. Here's hoping that we don't simply "come to terms" with this devaluation of character, as well.

Thanks to rivaldirt.com for the information.

-APT

Kansas City Royals

Losses: C Miguel Olivo, UT Mark Teahen, C John Buck, CF Josh Anderson, 1B Mike Jacobs, CF Cocoa Crisp,

Gains: OF Scott Podsednik, OF Rick Ankiel, C Jason Kendall, IF Josh Fields, IF Chris Getz

Analysis: Well, the Royals did all their work in the field this off-season. They signed a couple of "take-a-chance" pitchers in Phillip Humber, Adam Bostick and Bruce Chen, among others, but nothing that really merited firm mention. So, let's go over the changes in the field. The outfield moves really include Mike Jacobs as well. Jose Guillen moves from the outfield to DH, giving 1B to Billy Butler full time, allowing Mike Jacobs to seek greener pastures (or likely the AAA Buffalo Bison). Then, into the outfield, move two new starters in Scott Podsednik and Rick Ankiel. Podsednik is a journeyman, but he came back strong when the White Sox welcomed him back last season. He played 132 games, hitting for his best average since 2003 at .304, and still showed some life in the legs with 30 steals. Ankiel dropped from 25/71 to 11/38 in his second season with major at-bats. He has struck out 199 times in those two seasons. He managed those numbers batting in a line-up with Albert Pujols, so it remains to be seen if he has anything to bring to the table. The Royals ditched there old backstops of "never panned out" John Buck and leading homerun hitter Miguel Olivo. Jason Kendall will take the starting job in 2010 for as long as his well-broken-in legs hold. The Royals also added some depth in the IF with former White Sox Josh Fields and Chris Getz. The grade for the off-season really depends on what they get out of Rick Ankiel (call him the X-factor). I think they lost a useful Major Leaguer in Miguel Olivo and another in Cocoa Crisp. We'll have to see what comes of it.

2010 Thoughts: Well, the Royals return, pretty much, the exact pitching staff and bullpen from 2009. That combination of arms ranked 12th in the AL with a 4.83 ERA, T12th with 65 wins, 10th with an OPS against of .765 and 12th with a 1.46 WHIP. All these numbers include great years from Zack Greinke and Joakim Soria. I imagine the royals hope to get even better years out of those two, or some kind of a remarkable improvement from the rest of the staff (Bannister, Meche, Davies & Hochevar). The line-up is okay, but certainly not enough to make up for pitching deficiencies. KC is hoping that Alex Gordon finally breaks out this year. Billy Butler will hopefully be a steady force in the middle of the line-up. They'll hope Yuniesky Betancourt bumps his average back up in the .280s and that Jose Guillen can stay healthy. If all those come up positive and they get something out of Ankiel, this could be a mediocre line-up, and maybe they have a chance of not finishing in last place. Chances seem pretty slim though.

Prediction: It's a shame to watch this team, as they never seem to get any better. They continue to play poorly and don't bring in a whole lot of talent to build for any time in the future. Greinke is great and maybe Alex Gordon will pan out, but it's hard to smile in Kansas City during the season. This will be another season at the bottom of the Central.

APT

Throw Backs

I just watched the end of the Magic/Mavs game. Tough loss for the Magic, blowing a double-digit lead, BUT that's not what matters. What matters is, this is the SECOND TIME recently that I've seen the old school Magic jerseys in action.

Which brings me to question:

What are some jerseys you'd like to see back in circulation?

I'll throw in another one down the bottom there...

APT


YUM! Fishsticks! Maybe it's watching Ziggy Palffy play for Team Slovakia that has gotten me in the mood for Fishsticks. What else does fishsticks remind you of?

That's right...

Washington Nationals

Losses: P Saul Rivera, P Livan Hernandez, OF Austin Kearns, C Josh Bard

Gains: C Ivan Rodriguez, P Chien-Ming Wang, 2B Adam Kennedy, OF Willy Taveres, P Miguel Batista, P Tyler Walker, P Matt Capps, IF Eric Bruntlett, P Eddie Guardado, P Jason Marquis, P Brian Bruney

Analysis: Well the Nationals sure did some shopping this winter. They brought in a whole lot of options and it should have a very positive impact on the season. The losses are minimal. They cut Saul Rivera after acquiring Brian Bruney (The Nats had a revolving door in their bullpen last season). They didn't need Josh Bard after acquiring Pudge. Livan Hernandez is likely done throwing major league pitches and Austin Kearns was dead weight on a roster full of outfield options. The Nats brought in some key starters. Pudge will be the #1 catcher, sharing some time with Jesus Flores. Matt Capps will step into the closer role after Washington couldn't find a steady option there last season. Adam Kennedy will come in and provide a scrappy, veteran presence at 2nd base. Jason Marquis comes in as a top 3 pitcher, along with Chien-Ming Wang, who, if healthy, can anchor this pitching staff. They add some depth to the minor league roster, possibly the majors with Bruntlett and willy Taveres, and they give themself some potentially effective options in the bullpen with Batista and Guardado. It's hard to argue with what the Nationals did this off-season. They didn't bring in any huge names (unless Wang pitches like the Wang of old), but they lost very little and definitely supplemented a roster that already includes some Major League Stars.

More moves: I think the Nats made their last big splash this week with the acquisition of Chien-Ming Wang. Anything else would just be nuts and bolts type moves.

2010 Thoughts: Major improvement is ahead for Washington. Their current line-up looks something like: 1.CF Nyjer Morgan 2.SS Christian Guzman 3.3B Ryan Zimmerman 4.1B Adam Dunn 5.RF Elijah Dukes 6.C Ivan Rodriguez 7.LF Josh Willingham 8.2B Adam Kennedy 9.Pitcher's spot. That is not a bad looking lineup. It's certainly above a few of the lineups we've already previewed. Nyjer Morgan's impact was felt as soon as he was acquired from Pittsburgh last season. He is a spark plug in the lineup and a spectacular talent in centerfield. Christian Guzman has stayed consistent with the bat, and the 3/4 of Zimmerman/Dunn is as strong as 85% of the teams out there, at least. I'm going to give this line-up a double X-factor. Josh Willingham and Elijah Dukes. Both these players have the potential to be a big run producer for the Natinoals. One of them is going to have to step up and be the 5 hitter that they need. If both step up, this could be a turning point in Nationals history as they wait for their kids to grow up. The pitching staff is more about July through October than it is about April through June. Right now it looks like this: Jason Marquis, John Lannan, Scott Olsen, Craig Stammen, J.D. Martin. BUT Chien-Ming Wang is supposed to be ready to pitch again some time in May and should hopefully be really pitching again by the all-star break. We'll have to see what he brings to the table. Of course (how could I not have mentioned yet) Steven Strasburg is what everyone is waiting for. If he throws well in the minors, he is a seasoned college player, and could be ready to contribute in the second half of the season. The Nationals also have Jordan Zimmerman and Jason Bergman competing for pitching spots. By the end of the season a staff of Chien-Ming Wang, Jason Marquis, John Lannan, Scott Olsen, Steven Strasburg is something to watch. The bullpen has definitely made some strides as well this off-season. Matt Capps comes in to close. Ron Villone, Brian Bruney and Tyler Walker have all been effective relievers, Walker and Bruney stirring some fresh blood in that pen. Tyler Clippard and Ross Detweiler provide another lefty-right combo. Look out for Every Day Eddie Guardado and Miguel Batista in spring training. They are both aging, but have been relied on for big outs in the past, and in a specialist role could be the difference in the pen. Young Garret Mock will be seasoning in the minors as well. Overall the pen should be much improved.

Prediction: This is tough, because there are so many positive vibes floating around this preview. The Nationals will certainly be competitive in and out of the NL East. The East should be by far the best division in the NL this season and a lot of that will have to do with having a pretty good team in the basement of the division. Don't get me wrong, the Nats have ADDED 10+ wins to their roster. HOWEVER, I do expect to see them in 5th (but with 72 or so wins).

APT

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What is a Salchow?

For those who love them some figure-skating, but don't know exactly what's going on. Here are the different jumps defined by WIKIPEDIA.ORG

Common jumps

In order of least to most difficulty under the ISU Judging System, the six most common jumps are:

The toe loop jump is a toe jump that takes off from the back outside edge and lands on the same back outside edge (in other words, a toe-pick assisted loop jump, although the mechanics of the two jumps are very different). This is sometimes known in Europe as a cherry flip. Double or triple toe loops are often seen as the second jump of a combination. As solo jumps, they are most commonly entered from a three turn.

The salchow jump (pronounced "sal-kow"), named for its originator Ulrich Salchow, is an edge jump. It takes off from a back inside edge and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. Salchows are most often preceded by a forward outside 3 turn, but a mohawk entrance is not unusual.

The loop jump is another edge jump, launched from the back outside edge and landing on the same back outside edge. It is also known in Europe as the Rittberger after its inventor, Werner Rittberger. Loops can be done as the second jump in a combination.

The flip jump is a toe jump that takes off from a back inside edge and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. A flip is usually preceded by a forward outside 3 turn or forward inside mohawk.

The lutz jump, named for its originator Alois Lutz, is a toe jump that takes off from a back outside edge and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. The lutz is a counter-rotated jump. Lutzes can often be identified by the long, backward diagonal glide preparation, though this is not necessary to do a lutz.

The axel jump, named for its originator Axel Paulsen, is an edge jump launched on the forward outside edge and landed on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. Because it has a forward takeoff but lands backwards, a single axel actually has 1.5 rotations.

APT

Texas Rangers

Losses: P Kevin Millwood, OF Marlon Byrd, P Eddie Guardado, OF Andrew Jones, C Ivan Rodriguez, SS Omar Vizquel

Gains: P Rich Harden, OF Vlad Guerrero, P Chris Ray, P Darren Oliver, IF Khalil Greene, P Colby Lewis, P Clay Rapada, 3B Matt Brown

Analysis: After finishing above .500 for the first time since 2004, the Rangers had quite a busy offseason in an effort to put them in position to remove the Angels from their perch atop the AL West. Judging by what they have done over the past few months, they should have a legitimate shot at doing just that. Vlad Guerrero is no longer a dominant hitter, but he should still bring production to the lineup as a DH, which will also allow him to stay healthier and get more plate appearances than he did last season with the Angels. The signing of Rich Harden gives the Rangers a potential dynamite duo at the top of the rotation (the other half being Scott Feldman). Rangers fans should be encouraged by Harden’s ability to stay (mostly) healthy last year, but should be somewhat worried by the accompanying slip in performance. Harden is still only 28, though, so he could definitely bounce back in 2010. Not like his numbers last year were all that bad to begin with (4.09 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 10.9 K/9), and if healthy he is definitely a more desirable option than the recently departed Kevin Millwood. Speaking of Millwood, the primary player acquired from Baltimore in the trade that sent him to the Orioles, Chris Ray, should add depth to a bullpen that already boasts one of the better set-up/closer combinations in the league (CJ Wilson/Frank Francisco). Ray struggled last season after coming back from Tommy John surgery, which makes one wonder if the Rangers got the most they could for Millwood (the answer is probably “no”). However Ray has late inning experience (33 saves with the Orioles in 2006) and could bounce back with other quality arms surrounding him in the bullpen. Add in accomplished long reliever Darren Oliver, and the Rangers could have a really nice relief corps.

More moves: The Rangers have been very active this offseason, and one would think that they are finished wheeling and dealing for now. Their one weakness is the starting rotation, but it appears that they are planning on going forward with a rotation led by Harden, Feldman, and newcomer Colby Lewis (who has pitched in Japan for the last 2 seasons), with the other two spots to be earned in Spring Training. If they are in contention around the trading deadline, it would be hard to imagine them not trading for another starting pitcher.

Prediction: Despite the question marks regarding the rotation, this team still sports a devastating lineup and an above average bullpen. With the Angels losing some key players this offseason, now is the time for the Rangers to make a move, and I think they will, although they need to improve the rotation if they plan on going deep in the playoffs.

APT’s Prediction: The starting 5 leaves them a second place team in the AL West. Perhaps one more year away.

-The Bomb

Meet the Bloggers

APT


APT is an insurance undewriter in Boston, Massachusetts. He grew up on Long Island before migrating to Massachusetts to attend Boston College (c/o 2007). He supports the New York Metropolitans, Dallas Cowboys, Coloardo Avalanche and Boston College sports teams. If asked to pick a favorite sport, he would probably go with Football, after being jaded due to post-lockout Hockey. His guilty pleasures are Disaronno, Sonic the Hedgehog, food that makes people larger and Lisa Loeb. He is a former 3-time defensive player of the year based on a hypothetical accredited federation of Beer Pong and his trash-talking pralice has landed him in multiple hypothetical hall-of-fames.


THE-A-TRAIN


The-A-Train is a senior at Boston College, in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. He grew up near New Haven, Connecticut. He supports the New York Metropolitans, New York Giants, New York Rangers and Boston College Athletics. If asked to pick a favorite sport, he would probably go with Hockey. His guilty pleasures are hockey prospects, Fantasy Metal, awesome sideburns and black leather sofas. He is a 4,365,777-time defending champion of "best sideburns in the room" and is known for his beerpong tagline "there will be blood"


The Bomb


The Bomb is a Graduate Student of Statistics at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He grew up in New Jersey and attended Boston College (c/o 2007). He supports the New York Metropolitans, New York Jetropolitans, New Jersey Netropolitans, Boston College Athletics and any other sports team that can be cleverly made to rhyme with etropolitan. If asked his favorite sport, he would likely throw Basketball back as the answer. His guilty pleasures include listening to videogame soundtracks, taking over the jukebox, Bar Trivia and dressing up like a Panda. He is known for his effortlessness and grace on the athletic field and for his 7th inning walk-off homerun to lead the mixed vegetables over whatever softball team they were playing that day.


Stay tuned for more "Meet the Blogger" segments

Chicago Cubs

Losses: OF Milton Bradley, OF Reed Johnson, P Rich Harden, P Kevin Gregg, 2B Aaron Miles

Gains: OF Marlon Byrd, OF Xavier Nady, UT Kevin Millar, IF Chad Tracy

Analysis: Not a whole lot of intake for the Chicago Cubs this winter. The most positive moves they made were getting rid of Milton Bradley and hiring Rudy Jaramillo as the hitting coach. (They also brought in Greg Maddux as assistant to the GM and Ryne Sandberg to manage the Iowa Cubs, which are nice moves) On the player front though, I guess you look at Marlon Byrd vs. Milton Bradley and try to decide if the Cubs improved. One positive is that Byrd certainly was at his best in Texas under the tutelage of Jarmillo, so perhaps that will lead to a positive gain in center field. Xavier Nady is an interesting case. He's coming back from Tommmy John Surgery which is not as big a deal for a position player. His outfield arm will surely ease its way back in, but it is very possible that his bat can re-emerge more rapidly. If Nady is able to return to form, look for him to battle for a corner outfield job. Kosuke Fukodome and Alfonso Soriano both had their difficulties at times last season. They should keep their eyes behind them for X. Losing Rich Harden isn't necessarily losing anything. You don't know what kind of production Rich Harden can bring, as he spends half of each season on the Disabled List. Kevin Gregg didn't really pan out for the Cubs last year. The only partial loss (if you're one of the many happy to see Bradley go) is Aaron Miles, whose offensive production will likely be unmatched by Mike Fontenot. So the Cubs spent most of the off-season batting around "ideas" in Nady, Millar and Tracy. We'll see how they work out. From here, it looks like a pretty weak winter for the Cubbies (no wonder they put that adorable polar bear cub to sleep)

More moves: I'm sure Cubs fans are hoping so. The only rumors come from occasionally hearing of teams asking on Big Z. I doubt that divorce is impending. Keep an eye on Felipe Lopez. He's not getting a lot of action on the market, despite being a good major league player. I'm sure the Cubs wouldn't mind moving Fontenot back to super-sub. I'd also keep an ear out for tales of Jermaine Dye or another of the big bats floating around, as the order is asking for a little POP (if Soriano continues to struggle). Although they already made the move for Nady, so maybe they are simply finished. Maybe a shot at one of the lingering old pitchers (Pedro? Smoltz?)

2010 Thoughts: The Cubs are okay. That's really the word to describe a team like this. Looking at their line-up. They have some players who, at their very best, can be a strong National League line-up. However, you have to question Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukodome, Geovanny Soto, and even Aramis Ramirez (injured last year) and Derek Lee, who, despite putting together a solid year in 2009, has shown some signs of aging in the past few years (he's now 34). I personally think that Lee and Ramirez will be fine. I think that Soto will be back to a legitimate ball player, probably somewhere in between the extremes of his past two season (maybe .255/16/72). Marlon Byrd, Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot are solid baseball players, but they just don't give this line-up the feel that a line-up like the Phillies has. The pitching staff is okay too. Carlos Zambrano can be a great #1, but he can also blow up (in more ways than one). Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster are very capable starters. APT has always been a fan of Ted Lilly (loves his curveball), but again, not the kind of names that are going to make you shake in the batters box. Then the Cubs round it out Randy Wells and Tom Gorzelanny. (Your reaction to reading those names are probably enough analysis. The bullpen is one spot I like. I like Carlos Marmol. I think he'll be solid with a full season in the Closer role. They have a solid short lefty in John Grabow (and a guy who could close if need be) and a good long lefty in Sean Marshall. Then they have a solid right-hander in Angel Guzman.

Prediction: To be honest, I really don't think much of the Cubs this season. Maybe that is what they need. But I feel like their window has opened and closed, while they really didn't do much with it. I think they'll end up battling for 3rd place in the NL Central, and squeaking that position out come the end of the year.

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@boltinabottle

Poor Orioles

This is funny. Found it on ESPN.

Winter Olympic Sprites

The Winter Olympics are well on their way, and I've yet to say shit about them. I don't want to slight the Olympics. I've been watching, just haven't gotten a post up yet. So here you go...a parade of Olympic Sprites the likes of which has never been seen...


I. I will obviously start by bidding a sorrowful farewell to Nodar Kumaritashvili.

The Georgian Luger passed away in a tragic accident during a practice run on Thursday. The Bolt's best go out to his family and friends.

II. The Opening ceremonies faced a tough challenge. Vancouver needed to follow the Beijing Olympics of 2008, whose opening ceremonies were certainly a sight to behold. Vancouver really didn't do much in the face of the steep challenge. There were some interesting exhibitions, but most movements went on too long and were over done more than what they were worth. Nelly Furtado could barely move in the ensemble she was sporting. The long number of the boy running and jumping dragged on forever. The torch is a beautiful piece of art but unfortunately faced technical difficulties which dampened the excitement. Some other highlights, were the light production of the whales rising up within the water-scape produced on the stage, and the emergence of a frosty precipice, though it ended up the stage for another lackluster performance. K.D. Lang's performance was nice also.

III. Congratulations to Alexandre Bilodeau for winning Canada's first ever Gold Medal on Canadian soil. He produced a brilliant run that just edged out Australia's Dale Begg-Smith and deserves all the acclaim he will receive. (APT did think it was VERY close after seeing Bilodeau's run.)

IV. The event of the Olympics thus far was the 1500m Short Track.

It was a great race, lead changes the whole first 1250m or so. Then the 3 Korean participants pulled into the front position, a scenario that Dan Jansen had warned us all about coming into the race. It looked like the rest of the racers would be shut out and Korea would cover the podium after a brilliant race, but on the final turn the 2nd and 3rd placed Koreans Si-Bak Sung and Ho-Suk Lee got tangled up and went tumbling off into the corner. This allowed the American favorite, Apollo Anton Ohno and J.R. Celski to slide into the final two podium slots. Jung-Su Lee won the Gold maintaining some glory for the Korean squad. If you have not seen this race, try to find it on NBC.com.

V. Was watching the 15K Cross-Country event, which is admittedly not my favorite Olympic sport, but I was incredibly shocked to see the announcer absolutely trashing a Norwegian Skier. Apparently Petter Northug is not the most well-liked of Olympians. The announcer compared him to Chad Ochocinco, though I think he was looking more for Terrell Owens. The Norwegian favorite ended up finishing 41st and arrived at the finish line to a disparaging monologue from the NBC announcer.

VI. As much as APT is not partial to Cross Country Skiing, how badass is the Biathalon. You ski around for a while and stop to whip out your rifle. Sounds awesome to me. It led to many great ideas among my friends and I about shooting while skiing, shooting live animals (sorry PETA), pulling a loaded pistol out of your snowpants for some close range shots. Kudos to the Biathalon participants for being awesome.

VII. Women's Hockey is simply not entertaining. I love Hockey and have for a long time. I'm watching Canada/Norway now that I DVRed because I want to catch as much Olympic Hockey as I can, as it is an incredible display. However, the women's event is a joke. It is watered down in speed, skill and power, neutered of physical play and left to die. To make matters worse, the level of competition among the Olympic participants is absent. Canada and America will be blowing out teams by double digits in goals during the tournament (Canada beat Slovakia 18-0 and Switzerland 10-1; America beat China 12-1 and Russia 13-0), until they inevitably meet in the finals.

VIII. In much more positive news, Men's Hockey and Curling start today.

As I mentioned, Olympic Men's Hockey is an incredible event. The passion, the skill and the competition are at an all-time high, and it is brilliant to watch these young athletes compete for their countries. Russia and Canada will be favored to meet for the gold behind the young guns Sidney Crosby (Canada) and Alexander Ovechkin (Russia). However you always have to keep an eye on consistent contenders Sweden (2 golds in the last 4(1994 and 2006)), Czech Republic (1998 gold and 2006 bronze), Finland (3 medals in last 4), USA (2002 silver) and Slovakia. It should be a great competition yet again. Curling is an incredibly entertaining game to watch, as it only comes out in America every 4 years. The intricacies of the game are intriguing and I look forward to taking in a few matches.

IX. Snocross. Seth Wescott overcame a difficult first time trial to win Gold for America. Mike Robertson and Tony Ramoin took the other medals in front of Nate Holland, in the 4 man final. There seemed to be a lot of worry after Wescott (defending gold medalist) struggled in his first trial. He stumbled a bit in his second, but easily advanced, as only 4 boarders are left behind after the trials. He rose to the occasion in the races, however, and found the podium once again.

X. Bode Miller won Bronze in a Men's Downhill event that saw the gold and bronze medals separated by only 9 hundredths of a second!! If only these racers all went at once, they could have overtaken the Short-Trackers for event of the Olympics. Good to see Bode on the podium. He's taken a lot of shit, most of which, is probably overkill. As much as I don't think I'd want to hang with him, Congratulations on the medal.

XI. Congrats to Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao of China.

The long time skating and now married couple decided to give the Olympics one more go and it came up Golden. They put on an entrancing long program to win the gold, APT's favorite moment being a horizontal throw and spin where Shen spun parallel to the ice before being miraculously caught by Zhao. It was a well-earned victory by the couple who quickly became a favorite among the crowd.

XII. Dick Button. There are different opinions of Dick Button. I've heard some commentary begging for more of Dick Button and his emotion-on-my-sleeve analysis. Bob Costas has seemed unsure how to handle the emotional Button at times in conversation, as Bob takes on his usual sympathetic but reserved demeanor. Al Michaels handles him a little better, as they have been at it for a long time now. I personally get enough of Dick Button. I think he would be better served as a figure skating commentator than being stuck in the Olympic main set where his emotions are more out of place.

XIII. Dan Patrick's Vest. For those who have not seen, Dan Patrick has been sporting a glorious snow vest in Vancouver. It is a bold shining blue reminiscent of the new Pepsi can, and I can feel the pain in my eyes watching the light reflect off it THROUGH THE TELEVISION. GREAT VEST!

XIV. I got a great bottom line news break about the throbbing shin of Lindsey Vonn, which I just found funny.

Anyway, she seems to be the big story of this Olympics. Bad news out of her camp today, saying the shin regressed after practice runs yesterday, even though she posted the fastest time in the Women's Alpine Downhill (where she is favored to win Gold). I hope that her throbbing shin feels better tomorrow (feel free to insert your own joke about Lindsey Vonn, throbbing, and making things feel better, but I will be the bigger man here).

XV. It didn't take long for APT to get over America'd in this Olympics. I love America and I cheer hard for our athletes in almost every Olympic sport, but the over display of American performances gets on my nerves. Alternatively, I have to watch endless analysis when I could be watching other countries compete. But if I'm paying attention, I will never miss anything American. Again, go America, but the competition is what glues me to the TV, so I'd like to see as much of it as possible.



XVI. An interesting thing came up during opening ceremonies among the crowd I was viewing with. The two countries of Korea were fairly randomly distributed among the nations at first glance. We gathered later that North Korea was filed under Democratic People's Republic of Korea and South Korea is now known simply as Korea. When did that come about? I have no problem if North Korea wants an epically long name (when a country has to tell you they are a democratic republic, maybe it's because they aren't), but how did South Korea steal the title of Korea? Just a curious question to think about (Eve6 reference).

XVII. Lastly, I quickly realized one thing in this North American Olympics. I much prefer when far away countries host the games. I'm happy for Canada, and they are doing a nice job, but I do greatly enjoy when the events are on at random times. I like to wake up in the morning to Olympics and have them on late at night. It's great when they conveniently take up the space that normal television shies away from. Makes for a great three weeks of entertainment.

XVIII. Canada just scored their 8th goal with just under 2 minutes left in their opening game against Norway. Jarome Iginla closed a hat trick and the Canadian squad will take this game 8-0 over a Norwegian team that lacks any NHL talent. (They are trying to make APT look a fool in his trashing of the women's tourney, but I promise more competition forthcoming. it will be great.)

XIX. APT wishes Sasha Cohen were here.

It was rumored she was going to comeback for the games, but sadly it seems that it is not so.

NBA Sprites

I. Mavs get Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler from the Wizards: The Mavs get basically Eric Dampiere with knees as well as Butler, who will be much more effective scorer than the aging Josh Howard.

II. Lebron's prospects: From all I can tell, it seems like this is going to come down to Lebron staying with the Cavs or going to the Knicks. I hear vague things about the Brooklyn Nets or the Heat, but we can't even be 100% sure that there will be any Brooklyn Nets and the Heat are having enough trouble keeping Dewayne Wade in Miami. I understand that getting Lebron would help do that, but things just don't seem to be moving fluidly there. APT's take: Lebron stays in Cleveland, Dewayne Wade goes to Chicago, the Knicks Get Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh.

III. The Nets have a chance to be the worst team in NBA history. Will it happen? APT's take: I don't know why they are this bad. Any team with the inside-outside combo of Devin Harris and Brooke Lopez should not be this terrible. I imagine that as other teams fall out of it and older teams wear down, the Nets will pick up some wins. 12-70

IV. All-Star Game: The one good thing I can say about what I saw of the NBA All-Star Game-> there was exponentially more defense than in the Rookie/Sophmore game. And the gameplay wasn't nearly as ugly. It also had a good ending. My friends and I debated who gets the last shot for the Western Conference. As we suspected, it turned out to be Mello, and although he didn't make much of it, there was still some excitement, which is nice. As long as the NBA is happy with a meaningless exhibition, the game will deliver. It showcases some talent, and a few players actually play. If they want a real game, then they'll have to create some incentive.

V. All-Star Weekend: The dunk-in was okay, the dunk contest sucked. HORSE was a joke. The obstacle course skills race type thing and the 3 person team shooting contest are just stupid. Sadly, I missed what I expected to be a great 3 point shootoff, but from the numbers I saw, the players really didn't show up as intensely as I would have hoped. And I already pointed out how much of a shit-show the Rookie/Sophmore game was.

VI. Kobe's Injury: There was a rumor he might play tonight, but he won't be playing. Now that his game streak is over, Kobe should rest the hell out of that Ankle. His team played well without him going into the break (Lamar Odom really can shine at times). The Lakers can coast in the second half, and hopefully Kobe takes advantage of that.

VII. Trade market: I guess I can thank the NBA for adding some spice to a down time in Pro Sports. The stove has been hot nearing the deadline. A lot of it having to do with the long-awaited 2010 free-agent market opening. Marcus Camby went to Portland today. Expect 2 or 3 more major moves before it's over. The Cavs will almost certainly be doing something, though I think Amare will be in Miami.

VIII. Camby: As mentioned, Marcus Camby was traded to Portland for Steve Blake and Travis Outlaw. The Blazers had a glutton of permiter guys. The clippers set up well for the future and the Blazers get Camby, who is still a dominant inside force defensively and on the boards. He should be strong for them down the stretch. APT has always been a Camby fan.

IX. T-Mac: I don't know if I would list it among the 2 or 3 predicted major moves, but it looks like T-Mac might be headed to New York for either Larry Hughes or Al Harrington. The Knicks are also trying to parlay this into the removal of Jarred Jeffries from their cap number. This could be a fun trade if nothing else. The rockets would get a professional ball player for what now is a blackhole in their line-up, and the Knicks would be set up to sign 2 MAX free agents. I also would like to see T-Mac play, as a fan, so anything that leads to it is welcome. APT has always been a T-Mac fan.

X. Finals Prediction: The Cavs seem to be trying to secure the Eastern Conference with a major move. Would Stoudamire be the difference? It would seem so, but it would certainly be a style change for Amare. Antwan Jamison could be a better addition, because I think that Mo Williams and Lebron can score. APT will echo the masses and put the Lakers in the finals, because it's almost stupid not to (almost), but I will go with Orlando. Stan "Master of Panic" Van Gundy will find a way to get Dwight Howard the ball come the playoffs and having a guy like Vince Carter that can provide self-sustained scoring is a big playoff factor. As long as Vince can pick his nights (and with the possibility of a championship in the balance, I think he'll figure it out), I'll take Orlando back in the Finals as well. X-FACTOR THE BIG JESTER. It certainly seems Shaq can get into Dwight Howard's head. For those looking for the reason that the Cavs went after Shaq, there it is.

No one touches the Shaqtus.

Spritely,

APT