I'll throw out a quick serving of French Open Sprites for you all. Unfortunately, as I've previously discussed, I have not been able to catch many matches, but here is, as far as I can tell, what you should know.
- Robin Soderling is at it again. The man that ended Rafa Nadal's epic winning streak at Roland Garros last French Open, was the man to end Roger Federer's epic streak of reaching Grand Slam Semi-Finals. Federer seemed to be in control early, but Soderling soared back from a set down to take out the world's best tennis player in 4 sets. Soderling should find himself favored against a surging Tomas Berdych, who has not dropped a set in the tournament, against the likes of John Isner, Andy Murray and Mikhail Youzhny. Federer had been apart of 23 consecutive Grand Slam Semis, dating back to the French Open in 2004. Bjorn Borg has recently touted Soderling as a future #1 player. The Swede, thus far, finds himself a clay court specialist, but will have a chance to make real headlines if he gets a chance to take down Rafa, again; this time in the French Open final.
- On that note, in the little tennis I have seen, Rafael Nadal looks healthy again. Anyone who has followed the ATP in recent years should interpret that statement thusly: "APT is picking Rafa Nadal to win the French Open." Until proven otherwise, Rafa should win every match at Roland Garros in which he is fit to play. He is currently readying for a semi-final match with Jurgen Melzer, a surprise of the tournament, riding an upset of David Ferrer and a 2 set comeback against Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinal. Melzer took down "The Joke" in his first every appearance in a Grand Slam quarterfinal, thus naturally leading to what will be his first Grand Slam Semi. His previous best was a third round appearance, which he has accomplished at all four Grand Slams. Tomas Berdych will be joining Melzer in losing his Grand Slam Semifinal innocence. Berdych previously found the quarterfinal round at the 2007 Wimbledon.
- Samantha Stosur has once again found herself a major story at the French. Stosur has made her 2nd straight Semi-final run at Roland Garros, where she is set to take on Jelena Jankovic later this morning. Stosur played very well in the first Grand Slam, in her home country of Australia, reaching the fourth round before dropping 2 sets to eventual champion Serena Williams. Despite the ease with which Williams won in Australia, you could sense the kind of confidence and poise in Stosur that could eventually lead to greater successes. Sure enough, she wasted no time riding her #7 seeding to the semis, taking down two of the favorites to win the tournament in Justine Henin and once again Serena Williams in just over 48 hours. Stosur has to be a favorite to emerge from the quartet of women still vying for the championship.
- Among that quartet is a somewhat unfamiliar face and a very uncommon flag. Francesca Schiavone upset Caroline Wozniacki to become the first Italian women to make a Grand Slam Semi-Final in the Open Era. Francesca had previously been turned away in the quarterfinals at the French, as well as the US Open and Wimbledon, but finally broke through with her straight-set upset of Wozniacki. Schiavone also needed victories over Na Li and Maria Kirilenko to reach her current height. However, THIS story has already become an after thought as...
- Francesca Schiavone has just become the first Italian women to reach a Grand Slam Final! Schiavone won the first set in 69 minutes 7-6(3) over 5th seed Elena Dementieva. Dementieva quietly conceded the match to Schiavone during the mid-set changeover. She had asked for no treatment during the first set, and no word has come out on the specifics of her injury.
- The top men continue to struggle in France, on the clay. The Men's draw on the ATP seems to be a large group of hardcourt specialists. Among the top 15 players, only Robin Soderling and Rafa Nadal have established themselves as masters of the clay (though Roger Federer is a master of everything), as this tournament was peppered with early round drop-outs.
- It's a little late to be picking French Open winners. Had I picked them from the outset, I feel confident that Justine Henin and Rafa Nadal would have been my champions. From what I've been able to gather from this year's tournament, Nadal and Samatha Stosur should find themselves in a celebratory state this weekend.
-APT
Thursday, June 3, 2010
NBA FINALS PREVIEW
Well here we are. The NBA Finals start tonight, and we find ourselves preparing to watch two familiar foes square off: the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Those of you that have read my previews throughout the playoffs know that by no means did I expect the Celtics to be in this position. After being left for dead at the end of the regular season, the Men in Green have stepped up their play and in the process knocked off the top two seeds in the East, Cleveland and Orlando. The Lakers on the other hand withstood a minor challenge from the Phoenix Suns in the West finals and find themselves in their third finals in as many years.
It is natural to look at this series and immediately look back to the 2008 Finals for insight into how this series may play out. While a lot of the players from that series are still around, the difference between the 2008 and 2010 versions of these teams is actually pretty noticeable (from a personnel standpoint). The Lakers of course were missing Andrew Bynum, and even though he is still hobbled by the slight meniscus tear in his knee, his presence on the court is still more valuable than that of what Ronny Turiaf produced in limited minutes in 2008. And of course the 2008 Lakers did not have Ron Artest, who seems to be finally contributing more on the offensive end (in addition to his more consistent defensive contributions). Ron-Ron averaged 14.3 points on 46% shooting during the Phoenix series, and these numbers would be even better if not for his atrocious first 47 minutes, 59 seconds of Game 5. Needless to say the Lakers would be happy to see Artest contribute in this way against the Celtics.
When looking back to the 2008 Celtics, the most glaring missing pieces are James Posey and Leon Powe (I’ll stop hating on Kevin Garnett for now, although I’m sure KG would love to be able to turn back the clock). Posey was their defensive stopper off the bench, and while Boston hasn’t really replaced him in the two years since he left, Tony Allen does a good enough job filling this role in the present. Leon Powe, on the other hand, was the most productive player on a solid bench that featured Posey, PJ Brown, Sam Cassell and Eddie House. While the current bench is fine, it doesn’t stand up to this group, although Doc Rivers may have found a true spark plug when he decided to give Nate Robinson some PT in the deciding game against the Magic (13 points in 13 minutes). Luckily for the Celtics, though, the Lakers bench is hardly elite themselves (the Suns bench demonstrated this).
Obviously neither of these teams lean too heavily on their role players, and this series should come down to a few key matchups involving the stars of each team. Pau Gasol continued his solid play in the playoffs against Phoenix (19.7 PPG on 57% shooting, 7.2 boards, 1.8 blocks) and presumably the Celtics will throw Kendrick Perkins at him. Perkins did a solid job guarding Dwight Howard, however Gasol is quicker than Howard and is a much more polished scorer, so Perk may have his hands full. On the other end, there have been whispers of Kobe Bryant matching up with Rajon Rondo. I really like this idea, as it allows the Lakers to “hide” Derek Fisher by putting him on Ray Allen. Allen isn’t much of a threat to penetrate, so as long as Fisher is able to fight through screens, that matchup shouldn’t be too much of a mismatch.
I have picked against the Celtics the past two rounds, and have obviously been wrong each time. I definitely didn’t give them the credit they deserved before, and a part of me thinks that they will cap their improbable run with another championship. It needs to be said, however, that there is a chance that this team is running out of gas. Can they maintain the defensive intensity that they have displayed in making Cleveland and Orlando look futile? This is probably the most critical question of the series, and if the answer is yes, then they have a very real shot at winning. Once again, though, I’m going to say no, because lost in this analysis thus far is the fact that Kobe Bryant is playing his best basketball of the season right now. The Black Mamba is back, and with his supporting cast playing the way they are, they should be too much for the Celtics.
Prediction: Lakers in 6
-The BOMB
It is natural to look at this series and immediately look back to the 2008 Finals for insight into how this series may play out. While a lot of the players from that series are still around, the difference between the 2008 and 2010 versions of these teams is actually pretty noticeable (from a personnel standpoint). The Lakers of course were missing Andrew Bynum, and even though he is still hobbled by the slight meniscus tear in his knee, his presence on the court is still more valuable than that of what Ronny Turiaf produced in limited minutes in 2008. And of course the 2008 Lakers did not have Ron Artest, who seems to be finally contributing more on the offensive end (in addition to his more consistent defensive contributions). Ron-Ron averaged 14.3 points on 46% shooting during the Phoenix series, and these numbers would be even better if not for his atrocious first 47 minutes, 59 seconds of Game 5. Needless to say the Lakers would be happy to see Artest contribute in this way against the Celtics.
When looking back to the 2008 Celtics, the most glaring missing pieces are James Posey and Leon Powe (I’ll stop hating on Kevin Garnett for now, although I’m sure KG would love to be able to turn back the clock). Posey was their defensive stopper off the bench, and while Boston hasn’t really replaced him in the two years since he left, Tony Allen does a good enough job filling this role in the present. Leon Powe, on the other hand, was the most productive player on a solid bench that featured Posey, PJ Brown, Sam Cassell and Eddie House. While the current bench is fine, it doesn’t stand up to this group, although Doc Rivers may have found a true spark plug when he decided to give Nate Robinson some PT in the deciding game against the Magic (13 points in 13 minutes). Luckily for the Celtics, though, the Lakers bench is hardly elite themselves (the Suns bench demonstrated this).
Obviously neither of these teams lean too heavily on their role players, and this series should come down to a few key matchups involving the stars of each team. Pau Gasol continued his solid play in the playoffs against Phoenix (19.7 PPG on 57% shooting, 7.2 boards, 1.8 blocks) and presumably the Celtics will throw Kendrick Perkins at him. Perkins did a solid job guarding Dwight Howard, however Gasol is quicker than Howard and is a much more polished scorer, so Perk may have his hands full. On the other end, there have been whispers of Kobe Bryant matching up with Rajon Rondo. I really like this idea, as it allows the Lakers to “hide” Derek Fisher by putting him on Ray Allen. Allen isn’t much of a threat to penetrate, so as long as Fisher is able to fight through screens, that matchup shouldn’t be too much of a mismatch.
I have picked against the Celtics the past two rounds, and have obviously been wrong each time. I definitely didn’t give them the credit they deserved before, and a part of me thinks that they will cap their improbable run with another championship. It needs to be said, however, that there is a chance that this team is running out of gas. Can they maintain the defensive intensity that they have displayed in making Cleveland and Orlando look futile? This is probably the most critical question of the series, and if the answer is yes, then they have a very real shot at winning. Once again, though, I’m going to say no, because lost in this analysis thus far is the fact that Kobe Bryant is playing his best basketball of the season right now. The Black Mamba is back, and with his supporting cast playing the way they are, they should be too much for the Celtics.
Prediction: Lakers in 6
-The BOMB
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
MLB Sprites
- Ken Griffey Jr announced his retirement from Major League Baseball, today. I don't know what you can say about Junior that hasn't already been said. He is the greatest baseball player that I have had the pleasure to watch in my brief existence. He has been my favorite player since as long as I can remember. I eagerly await five year from now, when he takes his rightful spot in Cooperstown. It is impossible to predict where Griffey would sit statistically among the greats of the game if we was not plagued by injuries after joining the Cincinnati Reds. I want to thank Griffey for making me a baseball fan and congratulate him on a beyond brilliant career. I had the privilege to watch Ken Griffey Jr. hit a home run (in a losing effort) at Shea Stadium, which will remain my favorite baseball memory for as long as I can possibly envision.
- Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game for the Detroit Tigers this evening, getting 27 consecutive outs against the Cleveland Indians. HOWEVER, the 27th batter of the game was not called out by first base umpire Jim Joyce. With two outs in the ninth inning, Jason Donald, of the Indians, grounded to first base. Miguel Cabrera moved to his right to field the ball and flipped it to Galarraga covering first. Replays would show that Galarraga beat Donald to the base by a full step, but that was not the way Jim Joyce saw it. "I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay." I don't mean to attack Jim Joyce, who, according to the Mets broadcast I was watching while this event was happening in Cleveland, is one of the better umpires in the game. There is no cure for the human error that cost Armando Galarraga his perfect game, and cost the Detroit Tigers franchise there first ever perfect game. Joyce felt terrible after the game and apologized to Galarraga, who quickly forgave him, as it was obviously how humbled Joyce was by the revelation of his error. On the bright side, Galarraga will probably get to stay up with the MLB Tigers with a performance like this. He had spent the early part of this 2010 season in AAA.
- Johan Santana threw another 7 shutout innings for the Mets this evening, and finished with another no-decision.
-APT
- Armando Galarraga threw a perfect game for the Detroit Tigers this evening, getting 27 consecutive outs against the Cleveland Indians. HOWEVER, the 27th batter of the game was not called out by first base umpire Jim Joyce. With two outs in the ninth inning, Jason Donald, of the Indians, grounded to first base. Miguel Cabrera moved to his right to field the ball and flipped it to Galarraga covering first. Replays would show that Galarraga beat Donald to the base by a full step, but that was not the way Jim Joyce saw it. "I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay." I don't mean to attack Jim Joyce, who, according to the Mets broadcast I was watching while this event was happening in Cleveland, is one of the better umpires in the game. There is no cure for the human error that cost Armando Galarraga his perfect game, and cost the Detroit Tigers franchise there first ever perfect game. Joyce felt terrible after the game and apologized to Galarraga, who quickly forgave him, as it was obviously how humbled Joyce was by the revelation of his error. On the bright side, Galarraga will probably get to stay up with the MLB Tigers with a performance like this. He had spent the early part of this 2010 season in AAA.
- Johan Santana threw another 7 shutout innings for the Mets this evening, and finished with another no-decision.
-APT
A Day at the Races
See this link from MSN. Unfortunately I can't present the thorough analysis that you have come to enjoy, but I promise to try and be more prepared for next year's race.
-APT
-APT
Monday, May 31, 2010
RAVENOUS RANT: The French Open
In what is a completely disgraceful development, the French Open has rarely found itself on cable television for what is now more than a week of play. ESPN is contracted to show the beginning of the four tennis Grand Slams. I have previously had no issue with this. There multiple networks allow them the scheduling flexibility to play the rounds live and often again during prime hours in the USA, and they have secured the talent to create a very satisfactory telecast, and import the knowledgeable analysis into their highlight programs. However, during this tournament, they have disgraced themselves. The French Open has found itself residing on ESPN3, the new name for ESPN's 360 internet television. I did see early one morning last week that it was to be on ESPN2, but that was the only time. What is even more disgraceful is that not all the matches are even on ESPN3.com. I went to finally take in some matches on Sunday and I was not able to do so. I caught my first action of this French Open this morning at 10am, where I was able to see parts of Rafael Nadal's victory and the beginning of Nicolas Almagros impressive defeat of Fernando Verdasco. For those keeping score, I was not able to watch a single match until the FOURTH ROUND, when two of my favorite players Lletyon Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis were already elminated. From what I can see, ESPN is being kind enough to show us the quarterfinal matches tomorrow at noon, though I don't see that Wednesday's quarters will be available. I don't typically have many complaints about ESPN sports coverage, but this is a ridiculous showing. It would be one thing if their coveted NBA playoffs were taking place at 9am or Noon, when the matches are taking place, but they are scrapping tennis for constant rerunning of Sportcenter, episodes of Mike and Mike in the morning and sometimes mid-night reruns of previous sporting events. As I have said, I typically am not one to take on ESPN in these types of matters, but if this is how they are to treat tennis, then I don't see why they wouldn't want to save themselves some money and give the contract to a network that will respect it.
Ravenously,
-APT
Ravenously,
-APT
Saturday, May 29, 2010
STANLEY CUP FINALS PREVIEW
So it has all come to this. Both the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers are 4 wins away from the Stanley Cup. Each team disposed thier opponents in the Conference Finals much easier than I thought they would, so hopefully we can get a good series out of the Final. Since we've been through the relative strengths and weaknesses of these teams repeatedly, I figured some key matchups that I'm watching for would work as a better preview.
Dustin Byfuglien vs. Chris Pronger
Big Buff has had a great playoff, and a dominating performance against the Sharks in the last round. He will face a lot of Chris Pronger in this series, and it should be a great matchup. Big Buff is shorter but has a lot more meat on his bones than Pronger does, but Pronger has made his living being a tough son of a bitch for the past decade. I expect an epic battle, with lots of hits/punches/cheapshots thrown. I have a hard time picking against Pronger because he has shown many times in the past that he can take on anyone. I think Big Buff will have a good game or two, but this matchup is going to be pretty even in my opinion. No matter what, it will be a joy to watch.
Chicago Secondary Scoring vs. Philly Defense
Chicago has their two young guns in Patty Kane and Johnathon Toews, but a key will be how the secondary scoring of the Hawks performs. I have no doubt that Kane and Toews will get points, but the key for Philly will be to try to shut everyone else down. I expect Marian Hossa, Pat Sharp and Kris Versteeg to provide quality scoring depth, turning the tide of the series. Philly has a talented defense with Pronger, Kimo Timonen and Brayden Coburn, but I think that the Hawks will be able to have enough depth to take this one.
Dave Bolland's Line vs. Philly's First Line
Dave Bolland and his line have provided the shutdown line to put out against other teams top lines. That line shut down the Sedins in the 2nd round and the Marleau-Thornton-Heatley line in the last round. It will be key for Philly, if they want to win, to be able to break through with their first line and score some goals. If not, then Philly will have to rely on its gritty but less skilled forwards to carry the load of offense.
Chicago's Defense vs. Philly's Forecheck
The Flyers have advanced to the Finals by forechecking the hell out of teams, and using their effort and drive to create scoring chances. The Hawks have a better defense than anyone Philly has faced, so it will be interesting to see if they can continue working in the same manner. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are arguably the best D-pairing in the NHL, and are extremely efficient at getting the puck out of the zone and start the rush. They have shown a willingness to take the body, but I think that the Flyers are going to be able to do some damage against the bottom two pairs, which are more susceptible to a strong forecheck.
Annti Niemi vs. Michael Leighton
Of course, the Final will depend on the pay of the two goaltenders. Michael Leighton has been playing out of his mind since coming back after Brian Boucher was injured. Whether he will be able to keep that up against the Hawks is one of the biggest question marks of the series. Montreal was pretty much shut down by the Flyers' rough and tumble defense, but Chicago won't be so easily shut down. If Chicago can get a lot of rubber on net, I'm interested to see how Leighton responds. Niemi has been very solid during these playoffs, and I don't see that changing. The Hawks don't generally give up a lot of shots and quality chances, so Niemi is just going to have to make the saves he's supposed, and provide timely saves.
BOLT PICK: Hawks 4-1
Going into the playoffs, I was of the opinion that whoever came out of the West was going to win it all, and that hasn't changed. While the Flyers have played extremely well during these playoffs, they have not had to face an opponent nearly as good as the Hawks. The Hawks are a great team, and just rolled the best time in the regular season in 4 games. I think that Michael Leighton will come down to earth and that the Hawk secondary scoring will wreak havoc on the Flyer defense.
-THE-A-TRAIN-
Dustin Byfuglien vs. Chris Pronger
Big Buff has had a great playoff, and a dominating performance against the Sharks in the last round. He will face a lot of Chris Pronger in this series, and it should be a great matchup. Big Buff is shorter but has a lot more meat on his bones than Pronger does, but Pronger has made his living being a tough son of a bitch for the past decade. I expect an epic battle, with lots of hits/punches/cheapshots thrown. I have a hard time picking against Pronger because he has shown many times in the past that he can take on anyone. I think Big Buff will have a good game or two, but this matchup is going to be pretty even in my opinion. No matter what, it will be a joy to watch.
Chicago Secondary Scoring vs. Philly Defense
Chicago has their two young guns in Patty Kane and Johnathon Toews, but a key will be how the secondary scoring of the Hawks performs. I have no doubt that Kane and Toews will get points, but the key for Philly will be to try to shut everyone else down. I expect Marian Hossa, Pat Sharp and Kris Versteeg to provide quality scoring depth, turning the tide of the series. Philly has a talented defense with Pronger, Kimo Timonen and Brayden Coburn, but I think that the Hawks will be able to have enough depth to take this one.
Dave Bolland's Line vs. Philly's First Line
Dave Bolland and his line have provided the shutdown line to put out against other teams top lines. That line shut down the Sedins in the 2nd round and the Marleau-Thornton-Heatley line in the last round. It will be key for Philly, if they want to win, to be able to break through with their first line and score some goals. If not, then Philly will have to rely on its gritty but less skilled forwards to carry the load of offense.
Chicago's Defense vs. Philly's Forecheck
The Flyers have advanced to the Finals by forechecking the hell out of teams, and using their effort and drive to create scoring chances. The Hawks have a better defense than anyone Philly has faced, so it will be interesting to see if they can continue working in the same manner. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are arguably the best D-pairing in the NHL, and are extremely efficient at getting the puck out of the zone and start the rush. They have shown a willingness to take the body, but I think that the Flyers are going to be able to do some damage against the bottom two pairs, which are more susceptible to a strong forecheck.
Annti Niemi vs. Michael Leighton
Of course, the Final will depend on the pay of the two goaltenders. Michael Leighton has been playing out of his mind since coming back after Brian Boucher was injured. Whether he will be able to keep that up against the Hawks is one of the biggest question marks of the series. Montreal was pretty much shut down by the Flyers' rough and tumble defense, but Chicago won't be so easily shut down. If Chicago can get a lot of rubber on net, I'm interested to see how Leighton responds. Niemi has been very solid during these playoffs, and I don't see that changing. The Hawks don't generally give up a lot of shots and quality chances, so Niemi is just going to have to make the saves he's supposed, and provide timely saves.
BOLT PICK: Hawks 4-1
Going into the playoffs, I was of the opinion that whoever came out of the West was going to win it all, and that hasn't changed. While the Flyers have played extremely well during these playoffs, they have not had to face an opponent nearly as good as the Hawks. The Hawks are a great team, and just rolled the best time in the regular season in 4 games. I think that Michael Leighton will come down to earth and that the Hawk secondary scoring will wreak havoc on the Flyer defense.
-THE-A-TRAIN-
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Hottest Little Potatoes
HLP BATTERS
Jason Bay, NYM: 10/19, 9 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, SB
Ben Zobrist, TB: 14/27, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 6 BB, 5 K, 3 SB
Nelson Cruz, Tex: 10/21, 5 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K, SB
HLP PITCHERS
Brett Cecil, Tor: 14.2 IP, 7 K, 2 W, 1.32 ERA, 0.88 WHIP
Zach Duke, Pit: 13.0 IP, 10 K, W, 0.69 ERA, 1.15 WHIP
Clay Buchholz, Bos: 14.0 IP, 15 K, 2 W, 1.93 ERA, 0.93 WHIP
- Jason Bay has finally given the Met fans what they've been looking for. He hit 2 HR in the decisive game against the hated Yankees, and started off the series against the hated Phillies with another 2 RBI. His RBIs were down over this hot streak, but he was inciting rallies, scoring 9 runs.
- Ben Zobrist has been giving America's best baseball team a little bit of everything. He struggled a bit early, after a stellar 2009, but is contributing everywhere, hitting for avg, extra bases, taking walks, and stealing bases.
- There was not a sad eye in Arlington, upon the return of Nelson Cruz. Texas has the potential to make some major noise in the AL West. As much as their pitching has improved, it will still be their bats that will do the shouting. Those bats are something else, when you add Nelson Cruz. All he did last week was drive in 10 runs.
- Brett Cecil continues a run of brilliant pitching for the surprise Toronto Blue Jays. It seems just about everyone in the rotation has flirted with a no-hitter already this season. The young bats are taking balls out and the Blue Jays are staying in what is an epic AL East race. Doc who?
- Zach Duke gets extra props, because he needed to get his 2 wins for the Pirates. Sometimes you need a 0.69 ERA to do it. That kind of ERA is going to get you a lot of HLP points. Just as soon as Duke caught fire you heard the rumors among baseball fans that their team might be interested in going after Duke. The Pirates would be insane to get rid of him, but the Pirates have been insane before.
- Clay Buchholz barely edges out the Johan for the last HLP spot. He does it with an extra win, and slightly tougher competition. Buck went up against the Twins and Rays and put up a sub-2 ERA in his 2 W, while striking out 1+ batters per inning. The youth is rising to the front of this Boston staff, in Buchholz and Jon Lester.
-APT
More (Fake) Mail?!
Being we still have very few readers, we still get pretty much no mail. Therefore, here is another bag of fake mail that allows me to write about various unrelated things in one post:
First one from Jerry, who says he's from New York but is actually from New Jersey:
So...the word is in, the Super Bowl is coming to New York!! I don't know what took so long. I bet you're stoked. See you in 3 1/2 years!
I've got to agree with you, Jerry. I have no idea why it took so long. I understand that the Super Bowl is as much a business as any sporting event in the World. But I don't see how business can be bad in New York City. Although the game is at the Meadowlands, the party is in NYC, and no one can complain about a party in NYC, no matter the season. Arthur Blank of the Falcons said it best when asked if he thought people would come to New York in February, if a they had the Super Bowl: "They already go." As for the cold weather, I hear complaints that it puts teams at a disadvantage, but a number of the teams in this league, build their roster knowing that they are going to have cold weather games. These teams are constantly held at a disadvantage in Super Bowls, as high octane teams are given perfect weather conditions 95% of the time. I think it'll be great for football and New York to have the game there. And, to tell you the truth, I hope it snows. It'll be great. (I will take some exception if the Pro Bowl is still held the week before at the Super Bowl Location. I don't agree with the timing of the game, but I'll deal with it. However, maybe it'd still be better off in Hawaii, especially for a cold weather Super Bowl location. The all stars don't deserve to have to spend a game in trying weather.)
-APT
From Cal in Ohio:
Big Ten expansion is the biggest story in College Sports right now, but I haven't heard you say a thing about it. I know it's more business then sports, but you can't possibly ignore such a substantial impending event.
Cal, you're right. I can't ignore these expansion talks. I'm probably better off just giving you my opinion on college conference expansion. I'm all for the expansion of conferences. I think it's a great idea to give schools a chance to play on the big stage. However, I'm not for all these conferences picking teams out of other big conferences for their benefit. I want expansion to give MORE teams a chance to succeed, not create 4 huge conferences, ultimately letting less teams compete. I agree that all the big 6 should have an even number of teams. I think that would be helpful for the post season. But how about we use it for inclusion, like this:
Every team with 12.
Big 10 adds ND
Pac 10 adds Boise State and Utah
Big East adds Army, Navy, East Carolina and Ball State
Or if every team wants to 14, even.
same as above, then
ACC adds UCF and Troy
Big 10 adds Air Force, Colorado State
Big 12 adds TCU, UTEP
Big East adds Richmond, Appalachian State
Pac 10 adds BYU and Fresno State
SEC adds Southern Miss, SMU
I'm not saying these conferences are ideal. I'm just saying that if you want to expand, that's great. But we can create a more competitive, fair game. I don't think molding these super-conferences is a benefit to the game in any way.
-APT
Phrank in Philly:
So, APT, ya boy Jaro Halak didn't have sh*t on my Flyers? What happened? Who ya got in the SC Finals?
Thanks for the question Phrank. I hope I accurately portrayed a Philadelphia Phan with your question. If you look at the post I put up after game 2, there were match-up problems in this series for the Canadiens. The Pens and Caps, being more skill oriented and smaller defensively, were susceptible to what the Habs could offer. The Flyers used their size to punish the small forwards of Montreal, throwing them out of rhythm for most of the series. And the power forwards for Philly were not disrupted by the influence of Gill, Saban, Hamrlik, etc. Let's not forget, the Flyers added some hot goaltending of their own, Leighton shutting out the Habs 3 times!
As for the Finals, I think it will be an interesting match-up. The scoring forwards for Chicago are a lot bigger than Gionta and Cammy. Patty Kane, Toews, Marian Hossa and company are not easy to knock off the puck, so it should be a good physical fight in the Flyers end. It'll be interesting to see how the Hawks transition threat that their young defensemen provide affects how intense the Flyers can fight deep down in the Chicago end. The Chicago D is much more adept offensively and that could cause problems on quick breakouts against the Philadelphia grinders. The goalies are both hot but both unproven, so it's tough to say how they'll affect the series. I think team-wise the Blackhawks are a little better, but I'm going to give the goaltending edge, from what I've seen, to the Flyers. Combine that with a little bit more experience, and what do you say to a 7-gamer in the Finals. Let's say Philly in 7.
-APT
This one comes special deliver from Alan in Phoenix.
Hey APT. Sorry it took me so long to take your advice about playing zone against LA. Seems it's pretty effective. Just wanted to say thanks.
No problem, Mr. Gentry. Just don't show your hand too early in later game. Mix in the zone, but don't put it out there all day, especially against the Lakers second unit.
-APT
(Celebrity impersonated)
Lastly, we have Rochelle in New Rochelle:
Hey APT! What kind of piece of crap blog is this that you can't get any real reader emails.
Rochelle makes a point. Help me answer her. Write the blog. (link to the right)
-APT
First one from Jerry, who says he's from New York but is actually from New Jersey:
So...the word is in, the Super Bowl is coming to New York!! I don't know what took so long. I bet you're stoked. See you in 3 1/2 years!
I've got to agree with you, Jerry. I have no idea why it took so long. I understand that the Super Bowl is as much a business as any sporting event in the World. But I don't see how business can be bad in New York City. Although the game is at the Meadowlands, the party is in NYC, and no one can complain about a party in NYC, no matter the season. Arthur Blank of the Falcons said it best when asked if he thought people would come to New York in February, if a they had the Super Bowl: "They already go." As for the cold weather, I hear complaints that it puts teams at a disadvantage, but a number of the teams in this league, build their roster knowing that they are going to have cold weather games. These teams are constantly held at a disadvantage in Super Bowls, as high octane teams are given perfect weather conditions 95% of the time. I think it'll be great for football and New York to have the game there. And, to tell you the truth, I hope it snows. It'll be great. (I will take some exception if the Pro Bowl is still held the week before at the Super Bowl Location. I don't agree with the timing of the game, but I'll deal with it. However, maybe it'd still be better off in Hawaii, especially for a cold weather Super Bowl location. The all stars don't deserve to have to spend a game in trying weather.)
-APT
From Cal in Ohio:
Big Ten expansion is the biggest story in College Sports right now, but I haven't heard you say a thing about it. I know it's more business then sports, but you can't possibly ignore such a substantial impending event.
Cal, you're right. I can't ignore these expansion talks. I'm probably better off just giving you my opinion on college conference expansion. I'm all for the expansion of conferences. I think it's a great idea to give schools a chance to play on the big stage. However, I'm not for all these conferences picking teams out of other big conferences for their benefit. I want expansion to give MORE teams a chance to succeed, not create 4 huge conferences, ultimately letting less teams compete. I agree that all the big 6 should have an even number of teams. I think that would be helpful for the post season. But how about we use it for inclusion, like this:
Every team with 12.
Big 10 adds ND
Pac 10 adds Boise State and Utah
Big East adds Army, Navy, East Carolina and Ball State
Or if every team wants to 14, even.
same as above, then
ACC adds UCF and Troy
Big 10 adds Air Force, Colorado State
Big 12 adds TCU, UTEP
Big East adds Richmond, Appalachian State
Pac 10 adds BYU and Fresno State
SEC adds Southern Miss, SMU
I'm not saying these conferences are ideal. I'm just saying that if you want to expand, that's great. But we can create a more competitive, fair game. I don't think molding these super-conferences is a benefit to the game in any way.
-APT
Phrank in Philly:
So, APT, ya boy Jaro Halak didn't have sh*t on my Flyers? What happened? Who ya got in the SC Finals?
Thanks for the question Phrank. I hope I accurately portrayed a Philadelphia Phan with your question. If you look at the post I put up after game 2, there were match-up problems in this series for the Canadiens. The Pens and Caps, being more skill oriented and smaller defensively, were susceptible to what the Habs could offer. The Flyers used their size to punish the small forwards of Montreal, throwing them out of rhythm for most of the series. And the power forwards for Philly were not disrupted by the influence of Gill, Saban, Hamrlik, etc. Let's not forget, the Flyers added some hot goaltending of their own, Leighton shutting out the Habs 3 times!
As for the Finals, I think it will be an interesting match-up. The scoring forwards for Chicago are a lot bigger than Gionta and Cammy. Patty Kane, Toews, Marian Hossa and company are not easy to knock off the puck, so it should be a good physical fight in the Flyers end. It'll be interesting to see how the Hawks transition threat that their young defensemen provide affects how intense the Flyers can fight deep down in the Chicago end. The Chicago D is much more adept offensively and that could cause problems on quick breakouts against the Philadelphia grinders. The goalies are both hot but both unproven, so it's tough to say how they'll affect the series. I think team-wise the Blackhawks are a little better, but I'm going to give the goaltending edge, from what I've seen, to the Flyers. Combine that with a little bit more experience, and what do you say to a 7-gamer in the Finals. Let's say Philly in 7.
-APT
This one comes special deliver from Alan in Phoenix.
Hey APT. Sorry it took me so long to take your advice about playing zone against LA. Seems it's pretty effective. Just wanted to say thanks.
No problem, Mr. Gentry. Just don't show your hand too early in later game. Mix in the zone, but don't put it out there all day, especially against the Lakers second unit.
-APT
(Celebrity impersonated)
Lastly, we have Rochelle in New Rochelle:
Hey APT! What kind of piece of crap blog is this that you can't get any real reader emails.
Rochelle makes a point. Help me answer her. Write the blog. (link to the right)
-APT
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The End of Trevor Hoffman plus MLB Sprites
We talk about it all the time in sports. When is it over? It's been seen recently in terms of Ken Griffey Jr. and Shaquille O'Neal, constantly in Brett Favre, and even a more positive side in Niklas Lidstrom. Every season we see Hall of Fame careers coming to a close and we watch as the players decide if it's worth one more shot. Trevor Hoffman is probably rethinking his 2010 decision right now. No one really can blame him for thinking he had another year in him. In 2009, his first season with the Milwaukee Brewers, Hoffman was 37 for 41 in save chances, touting a 1.83 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. Opponents hit a paltry .183 and he was striking out 8 per 9 innings. It wasn't as though he was facing all new hitters. Hoffman has been in the National League since he first threw a pitch with Florida in 1993. 596 saves later, he's looking for answers, and coming up short.
"I'm not getting things done. I'm not getting outs. There's not a whole lot to analyze about it. If there was an answer at this point in time, I think we would have found it." (a quote from Hoffman pulled from Buster Olney's blog)
If Hoffman himself sounds that defeated, how can the Brewers be asked to see anything more positive. As it stands now, Hoffman is a measly 5 of 10 in save chances, scarred with a 13.15 ERA, at a point where we're are a little too deep into the season to excuse double-digit ERAs. NL batters have touched him for a .356 average, helping him build a 2.15 WHIP, and he's only striking out 5 1/2 per 9. One could look at a 42 year old reliever and assume he just doesn't have the mustard that he used to get batters out with, but Hoffman hasn't been throwing hard for years, and really never threw that hard to begin with. Hoffman gets buy on changing speeds, making an 86 mph fastball tough to find after a 77 mph change up. Unpredictability and command are what got Hoffman to 596, so everyone is having trouble figuring out why it can't take him smoothly past 600.
I don't have the answer, and if Hoffman and the Brewers' array of analysts don't either, than I doubt I'm supposed to. All I know is, the Brewers are having enough trouble assembling starting pitching performances that give them a chance to save games, that they can't afford much leash for Hoffman. I'm sure they're looking everywhere for options. Todd Coffey and Charlie Villanueva have seen save opportunities in the past, but neither are breathing down Hoffman's neck. I'm admittedly unfamiliar with the Brewers minor league system, especially since they traded Matt LaPorta and brought up Alcedes Escobar. Perhaps there is an answer down there. Hoffman and his coaches will continue to tinker, but if they can't come up with something soon, we are going to see a very sorry end to a storybook career.
- What do we think of "Hansome" Hanley Ramirez sassing up his coach after getting pulled from a game for lack of hustle. Well there are a couple things to think about the situation. All I know is someone is dead wrong. In all likelihood it's Hanley. He claims that he was running as hard as he was able, after fouling a ball off his shin earlier. However, looking at how hard Hanley was running to make the play in the first place, his argument seems to be, well, shit. But, let's just give Hansome the benefit of this minute piece of doubt. In that case, either Hanley or the Marlins' trainers should be harshly reprimanded for allowing him to play in that condition. If that's as hard as he can run after that ball, then he is a detriment to the team and should be on the bench, regardless of pride or dedication or whatever else. But back to the realistic option, I don't know what Hanley could have been thinking. Runs were scoring as he loafed out to the ball, and then he has the audacity to sass up after being benched. There is selfishness, and it is something that I don't condone, but of which I understand the line of thinking. However, this is just utter disregard for the existence of other people. Selfishness, at least, inherently recognizes the opinions and feelings of others in its diminution of them. However, in this case, Hanley attacks his coach for not understanding what it's like to play in the majors, when it certainly seems like Hanley is the one that doesn't know what being on a Major League Baseball TEAM consists of. His actions are inexcusable, but regardless, it seems that this issue is now behind the Marlins. That being said, if the Red Sox (or anyone else) is considering going after that bat they need, this is definitely the time to package together a "Hansome" offer.
- Fredi Gonzalez sure has had a rough time in Florida. Gonzalez, since his debut in 2007, has a record right around .500 with a team that is in constant rebuilding, including two second place finishes. Rumors were flying around about his being fired in the past, and I'm sure you'll hear a few of them around if the Marlins plan on keeping Hanley. Evan Roberts of WFAN-New York made a great connection, that have to strongly agree will end up being the case, when he said "Fredi Gonzalez will be the next manager of the Atlanta Braves". Bobby Cox has already announced his end-of-the-year retirement, and Gonzalez came up through the Braves' ranks before taking the Florida job.
- Brandon Webb is changing his arm slot as he continues to try to come back from surgery. We have to ask, at this point, if we are ever going to see Webb the way we left him. I can't help but think this is just an unfortunately early conclusion to what could have been a stellar career.
- The Tampa Bay Rays are on fire to start this season. They are 30-11, sitting on top of the AL East 5 & 6 games ahead of two teams, in the Yankees and the Blue Jays, who are off to great starts themselves. Everybody knew the Rays were for real when the went to the World Series in 2008. Not many were shouting "fluke". But, I don't know if anybody knew they were this good. Even if someone through out a stray thought that the Rays could win 30 of their first 41 games, would they have included with that prediction that the Rays would have released Pat Burrell, due to lack of production, and that Bossman Jr, Carlos Pena and Dioner Navarro would all be batting under .225, with Pena and Dioner on the interstate? The Rays are putting up these numbers, and they are not even hitting yet! This is a start we haven't seen since the record-setting 2001 Mariners. BUT, when your team ERA is 2.83 in the American League, you are going to have some success. The Rays have been a fun team to watch for a long time now. I quiver a bit at what might become of them as new contracts come calling for their stars. But I hope to have some fun watching them succeed first.
- Andre Ethier fell to a broken pinkie finger this week. The Dodgers aren't quite noticing yet, as they continue their tear, rising through the NL West. Ethier departed while leading the NL in all three triple-crown categories (Batting .392 (a lead of .059) 11 HR and 38 RBI). Raul Ibanez was in a similar situation last season when he went on the DL, Ibanez ended up out a while, and a Pujos triple-crown was the talk by the time he came back. Raul was not nearly as effective after the injury. Hopefully Ethier will be back soon. Though I don't beleive he'd be keeping those numbers up all year, we still could have been looking at a special season.
- Speaking of triple-crown categories, Christian Guzman has come out of nowhere to take second to Ethier in BA. Guzman is batting .426 in the month of May, raising his average to .333. Guzman was supposed to find a lot of time on the bench this season, with Ian Desmond moving into the Short Stop role, but Guzman has become the starting 2nd baseman in Washington.
- Ubaldo Jimenez: 8-1, 58 K, 0.99 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, .171 BAA...WOW!
- The Mets pitching is shambles. Oliver Perez was being Oliver Perez, and the the Mets understandably had enough, so they decided (or after finding out that he wouldn't go to Buffalo) to put him in the pen. That would have been all well and good. RA Dickey had a strong start, and being a knuckleballer, is dependable for innings. Hisanori Takahashi looks like he might be able to contribued as a legitimate starter. So, as much as Ollie's paycheck hurts, the situation isn't that bad. But then, in his next start, Jon Niese strains the hamstring he just had surgery on, and is now on the DL, forcing Takahashi and Dickey BOTH into the rotation. And now, 5 pitches into his start last night, John Maine was pulled and it is not at all clear what's going on. Though, we know John Maine is pissed. The Mets turned some heads by not really addressing their need for starting pitching in the off season. Admittedly, they put out a rotation that within the last few years would have been regarded as solid. However, coming into this year it was considered questionable. They could have gotten away with it, if the guys were able to stay healthy. But now all hell is breaking lose in NY.
- Good for David Ortiz!
We'll get another set of Sprites out next week. There's plenty to write about.
-APT
BOLT: Game 2
I only watched the latter 3/5 of this game, but a few things stick out.
1. When Marv Leavy informs me with 8:00 left in the 3rd quarter that Amare Stoudamire just pulled down his SECOND rebound, the Suns are not going to win this game. (He did finish with 6)
2. A forgotten element of the Lakers that I didn't point out in my previous post that makes them so hard to defend: Of the 8 people in regular rotation for LA, SEVEN of them can bring the ball up the floor. Of the starting 5, only Andrew Bynum can't be trusted with the ball on the floor, and their 3 off the bench are 2 point guards and Lamar Odom. This creates an incredibly dangerous transition threat, no matter what causes the transition.
3. The Suns tried straight doubling Kobe instead of playing a zone and he ate them up. Kobe found his friends Pau and Ron time and time again, with the most assists (13) in a Laker playoff game since Magic.
4. On the brightside for the Suns, although Channing Frye continues to waste space, Jared Dudley found his shot. Duds shot 5-5 from 3Pt range for his 15 points and just made the Suns better when he was on the floor, contributing 5 reb, 4 asts and 3 stl. Dudley was the only Sun with a positive +/- (+2). (Andrew Bynum was the only Laker with a negative +/- (-2))
5. Paul Gasol is a star. Unfortunately, it's impossible for the Suns defense to treat him as such, being they don't have the defensive prowess inside and already have their hands more than full with Kobe.
I previously had this going to the Lakers in 6, but now I'm thinking 5.
-APT
1. When Marv Leavy informs me with 8:00 left in the 3rd quarter that Amare Stoudamire just pulled down his SECOND rebound, the Suns are not going to win this game. (He did finish with 6)
2. A forgotten element of the Lakers that I didn't point out in my previous post that makes them so hard to defend: Of the 8 people in regular rotation for LA, SEVEN of them can bring the ball up the floor. Of the starting 5, only Andrew Bynum can't be trusted with the ball on the floor, and their 3 off the bench are 2 point guards and Lamar Odom. This creates an incredibly dangerous transition threat, no matter what causes the transition.
3. The Suns tried straight doubling Kobe instead of playing a zone and he ate them up. Kobe found his friends Pau and Ron time and time again, with the most assists (13) in a Laker playoff game since Magic.
4. On the brightside for the Suns, although Channing Frye continues to waste space, Jared Dudley found his shot. Duds shot 5-5 from 3Pt range for his 15 points and just made the Suns better when he was on the floor, contributing 5 reb, 4 asts and 3 stl. Dudley was the only Sun with a positive +/- (+2). (Andrew Bynum was the only Laker with a negative +/- (-2))
5. Paul Gasol is a star. Unfortunately, it's impossible for the Suns defense to treat him as such, being they don't have the defensive prowess inside and already have their hands more than full with Kobe.
I previously had this going to the Lakers in 6, but now I'm thinking 5.
-APT
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