Freeze Fire

Offense has gone lost in New Jersey

2008-06-07T22:27:00.000-07:00

The Trenton Thunder scored a 4-0 win over the Reading Phillies at Waterfront Park last night, again getting solid starting pitching and just enough hitting to win.

Phil Coke was on a pitch count because he was pitching on three days' rest after an appearance at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre earlier this week. He pitched well enough to keep Reading off the board, but was not fantastic. He gave up a few solid hits, although he was able to tightrope out of danger.

His counterpart, J.D. Durbin, was not quite as fortunate, lasting until the seventh inning after Trenton catcher P.J. Pilittere slammed a two-run double to the gap in right-center. For more on Durbin, check out my story.

The Thunder and Phillies complete the series tomorrow, and the offense just hasn't been there so far. The teams have combined for seven runs in 18 full innings. Part of that has been because of the pitching. Jason Jones is the Eastern League's leader in wins, Antonio Bastardo had a great performance last night, Coke was just coming down from Triple-A and Durbin has hardly been touched since asking for demotion to Reading.

The Trenton bullpen has also been solid. Mark Melancon, who my Trentonian colleague Josh Norris believes will be in Scranton soon, was very strong in the closer role. He's pitched well out of the bullpen since coming up from Tampa.

It appears that's just the kind of team Tony Franklin has. The Thunder will play a lot of close games, and because of their pitching, they'll win a good chunk of them.

Around the Eastern League, the Thunder increased their lead because Portland somehow found a way to blow a 10-run lead. That is not a misprint. The Sea Dogs, playing at Hadlock Field, led the Akron Aeros 10-0 after five innings and lost 11-10. Trenton now leads the EL North by four games.

Around the rest of the North, the Binghamton Mets stayed hot, blanking the New Britain Rock Cats 3-0 at home. The B-Mets keep inching closer to the Sea Dogs, but haven't gained anything on Trenton. The Connecticut Defenders picked themselves up with a 5-2 win at Altoona, and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats stayed consistent with a 3-1 home loss to the Erie Seawolves. It's a good thing the 2008 Eastern League All-Star game will be played in Manchester, N.H., because that's the only chance Fisher Cats fans will have to see good baseball.

Finally, Bowie crushed Harrisburg 13-2 to increase its lead to 1 1/2 games. The Aeros trail the Senators by a mere half-game now for second behind the Baysox.

That's all for tonight. I've got an American Legion game in Trenton, we'll see how that goes.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Rachel Proctor.

It's time to return

2008-06-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

So I don't have to do this as a class anymore. And now that I've had some time away from it, I think it might be fun to do this when I want to and not because I have to do it. So, I'm back.

Now that I don't have to do this as a class, I've got freedom to write what I want, when I want, all of that. To be honest, the Big 12 bit really sucked some life out of me. It's a good idea to talk about, but it's not a lot of fun for me to write. Roberto Ruiz can do a better job, and since it's his idea, probably should have been the one to do it all along. Maybe I'll revisit the rest of the Big 12, but for now, it's nice to let it alone.

What I really want to talk about is what I'm getting credit to write about at The Trentonian. So I'll take a page out of Will Palaszczuk's blog Friend of the Feather, which now has his radio calls, and I'll talk about the games I cover, starting with tonight's Trenton Thunder (Yankees AA affiliate) game.

Jason Jones, who you can read more about here, pitched pretty well. He did allow five hits and walked two, but that's pretty solid through six innings. Basically, he kept the Thunder in the game for as long as he pitched.

But while he was doing that, Antonio Bastardo of the Reading Phillies was busy walking hitters and retiring those he didn't walk. He walked six in 6 1/3, but he didn't give up a hit. If he had some solid run support backing him up, he'd have been a deserving winner.

On another note, one thing he's not is blessed by his name. His name literally translates to Anthony Bastard from Spanish to English. Good thing for him he can pitch well.

Back to the Thunder. After getting no hits through 7 2/3, Trenton finally broke through on a nice double down the right field line by Ramiro Peña that scored Reegie Corona (who of course reached on a walk). Austin Jackson then followed with a sacrifice fly to right field, which scored Peña after he took third on a ball that Phillies catcher Lou Marson had to block. Trenton manager Tony Franklin labeled that as a big play. Line for the Thunder tonight: Two runs, one hit, one victory. As Franklin said, it's a strange game.

Tomorrow's game, which I will be at Waterfront Park for, features two pitchers going in different directions. For the Thunder, Phil Coke is slated to throw tomorrow in his return from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Coke's a lefty with a 4-1 record and a 3.41 ERA in 11 starts at Trenton. On Tuesday, he made his first appearance for Scranton and got hit hard, giving up eight hits and three runs in three innings of work. Not great, so he's back in New Jersey. But given how Coke's improved, that game might just be a blip on the radar for him.

He'll face J.D. Durbin, whose career is going south in a hurry, or to be geographically accurate from Philadelphia, went slightly north to Allentown, Pa., then southwest to Reading. Durbin began the year at Class AAA Lehigh Valley and got shelled. In nine games with the IronPigs, Durbin's ERA was 9.42. It was no surprise that he was sent down to Reading, where his ERA has improved, but his win total hasn't. Durbin's 0-7 overall (0-2 with Reading) this year. I'll see what he's got to say tomorrow.

Here's your Eastern League wrap-up for June 6. I'll try to put this feature in whenever I post, whether I had the Thunder game that night or not. It was a good night for Trenton. The Akron Aeros (Indians affiliate) went to Portland, Maine and knocked off the Sea Dogs (Red Sox affiliate) 6-1, giving the Thunder a three game edge in the EL North. The Sea Dogs are four up on the Binghamton Mets for the #2 spot in the North. The B-Mets were the only other North team to win tonight, beating the New Britain Rock Cats (Twins affiliate) with two runs in the eighth.

In the EL South, the Bowie Baysox (Orioles) caught the Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) by scoring eight in the final two innings for a 9-2 win at Commerce Bank Park (not the same one) in Harrisburg, Pa. Bowie now leads the South by a half-game over Harrisburg. The aforementioned Aeros are very much in the race as well, lurking two games back of the Baysox. Of the other three EL South teams, only the Altoona Curve (Pirates) are within 10 games of Bowie.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Skillet.

9. Kansas State Wildcats

2008-05-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

After a long layoff because of a book review and a final project, I will finally return to resume my series, and from Ames, we stay in the North Division to visit the plains of Manhattan, Kansas, and the Kansas State Wildcats.

Competitiveness: The Wildcats matter in a good amount of sports. Their women's basketball team won the Big 12. The men finished third in the conference. Volleyball is usually a threat in some way. But K-State's football program has descended into mediocrity, and its baseball program has fought an uphill battle trying to gain ground in the Big 12. K-State is one of just three schools who has yet to win a Big 12 baseball tournament, and shares the distinction with Missouri as being the only schools who still play baseball who have yet to win either the regular season or tournament crowns. The Wildcats don't compete in enough other sports to eliminate the negatives.

Championships: K-State has a pair of women's basketball crowns to its credit, a football title and is the only school besides Nebraska and Texas to win a volleyball title. Outside of that, pickings are slim. K-State's seven is only better than Missouri's total of two. But the Wildcats do have diversity in their favor, and the ability to spring an occasional surprise has to count for something.

Facilities: For a school in the middle of nowhere, K-State's facilities are actually pretty nice. Bill Snyder Family Stadium doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's a good atmosphere once you get inside it. Bramlage Coliseum and Ahearn Field House are serviceable facilities, even if Bramlage has not served K-State's men's team well in the Sunflower Showdown (1 win ever, and the place is as old as I am.) How K-State attracts people to nowhere is still a good question, but the facilities certainly help.

Fan base: Wildcat fans are the opposite of their rivals in Lawrence, passionate about football always, passionate about basketball when the team gives them a reason to be. They do give good support to the lesser sports, though, mainly because there just isn't much else to do in Manhattan. Still, it is a credit to the fan base that they don't just support one of their school's teams.

Coaches: Here is where K-State struggles. I like Ron Prince, very much so. He's a respectful guy, and I want to see him do well. But he's having a hard time getting things back to where K-State now thinks it should be. Frank Martin will go through the same as the men's basketball coach once he loses Bill Walker and Michael Beasley, which is this coming season. By contrast, the coaches on the women's side are generally good. Deb Patterson and Suzie Fritz have done a fine job keeping their programs competitive.

Important sports: It's not a rosy picture anymore. Football is floundering, basketball is in postion to backslide in a hurry. Overnight, K-State could go from basketball relevance into the abyss that it used to call home. Women's basketball has no such problems, but baseball is not going to find itself on the map anytime soon. That leaves K-State squarely on the back end of the third tier in the Big 12.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Trustcompany.

10. Iowa State Cyclones

2008-04-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

We go from the plains of West Texas to the northernmost nowhere that is Ames, Iowa. This is a surprise to some, I'm sure, because if there's one thing the Cyclones do well, it's not football. But overall, Iowa State's athletic department is actually in fairly good shape. The Cyclones are basically Missouri with worse football and no baseball, and that overall strength gets ISU the #10 spot.

Competitiveness: Look at Iowa State's football program, and you think that the whole department is a joke. But in women's basketball, Iowa State is a perennial contender, and is almost always in the NCAA Tournament. Volleyball is now a consistent finisher in the top half of a difficult conference, gymnastics is always in the Top 20 nationally and I haven't even begun to talk about the Cyclones' wrestling program, which was the national runner-up last year. Beneath the surface, there's a lot to like about Iowa State.

Championships: Surprisingly, the Cyclones only have two titles in wrestling, easily their best sport. But ISU has three crowns each in men's and women's basketball, plus another two in gymnastics. That's a pretty solid amount. Iowa State has yet to have a period where it's not a threat to win something, and it doesn't just win in one sport.

Facilities: These might be the worst in the Big 12. Jack Trice Stadium is nothing but a glorified high school stadium. The Hilton Coliseum is used for all indoor sports, and while it is a decent facility, it was built in the 1970's. As such, it lacks the charm and tradition of venerable old buildings like Gallagher-Iba Arena and Allen Fieldhouse, and it lacks the modern amenities of places like Reed Arena and Mizzou Arena. It does have a strong Cyclone fan base, but that's another category.

Fan base: And here we have said category. The Cyclone fan base is supportive throughout good and bad of its teams, which is either a testament to how loyal ISU fans are to their beloved cardinal and gold, or a testament to how little there is to do in Ames, Iowa and the state of Iowa in general. Most likely, it's the first one, because there is Des Moines, which has some entertainment value.

Coaches: I'm not sure how, but Iowa State has some good coaches. Bill Fennelly is an excellent women's coach, also known as the man who was Brenda Frese's final boss before she went to Maryland. Gene Chizik is supposed to be a very good football coach, and Greg McDermott has similar credentials in men's basketball. Volleyball has experienced a rising from the ashes under Christy Johnson. With the exception of Fennelly, these coaches have been at Iowa State for three years or less. If they stay in Ames, the future could be bright.

Important sports: Football and baseball are almost or actually are non-existent in the race, but Iowa State has a solid basketball past that isn't too distant. With the right leadership, it's not hard to see these programs becoming relevant again. The solid past and possibility of a good future have ISU as the best of the bottom of the barrel in the Big 12.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Cross Canadian Ragweed.

11. Texas Tech Red Raiders

2008-04-25T10:09:00.001-07:00

Because of a lack of desire and comments, I've taken a long hiatus from my blog. But now I'm back, so the dedicated audience of five (if that) can exhale.

That brings me to West Texas and the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who are known as the team in the middle of nowhere in the Big 12. But that's not the only portion where the Raiders are in the middle of nowhere. Texas Tech finds itself near the bottom in these rankings.

Competitiveness: The Raiders have a very competitive football team. But their basketball teams have both crashed, their baseball team is not very competitive and the softball team is worse. Other than football, which is Tech's best sport and could possibly produce a championship, Texas Tech does not compete in much. Finishing in the top half might be an accomplishment at this point for most sports.

Championships: The Raiders won a couple in baseball and women's basketball, but nothing else, and that happened a long time ago. There's almost nothing here. Tech is the only team in the Big 12 South that does not have at least 20 championships in the history of the conference. That is really bad.

Facilities; These are actually pretty good. Jones Stadium is a nice facility, even if it was slow to eliminate artificial turf and replace it with FieldTurf. United Spirit Arena was built in 1999 and is a very modern arena. This is an area of strength for the Red Raiders.

Fan base: Tech's fans are passionate about football. They plan to add 20,000 more seats to hold them all. That's a strong statement. But that doesn't carry over to basketball. Bob Knight criticized his fans for not providing enough support for his teams at the games. Seriously, what else is there to do in West Texas besides go see these games? It's not like Lubbock is a bustling metropolis. At least Colorado has an excuse, being close to Denver.

Coaches: Mike Leach might be a nutjob, but he knows what he's doing on the football field. Pat Knight might or might not make things work in Lubbock. But Kristy Curry is struggling to replace Marsha Sharp, and the women's program is crumbling. Larry Hays is a legend for Tech's baseball program, but his program's best days appear to be behind it. The coaches are solid, but maybe they just don't work in Lubbock.

Important sports: Football is a strength, but the remaining sports are not. Still, the Red Raiders do have a past history in all but men's basketball, so I will give them credit here. But Tech's present state is too much for their decent past to overcome. Maybe athletes just don't want to be in West Texas.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Staind.

The plot thickens

2008-04-15T22:53:00.000-07:00

Until further notice, the Big 12 series is temporarily suspended, because of the battle for the Sonics. This means it will likely return in a few days.

But a story was dug up by Jim Brunner of the Seattle Times in 2007 that appears relevant. It's found here, and the key here is this phrase Brunner writes:

"It has been a year since the surprise announcement that Clay Bennett and a team of Oklahoma City investors had bought the Sonics and Storm from the local ownership group led by Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz.

As part of that purchase, Bennett signed an agreement requiring a "good-faith" effort until Oct. 31 to seal an arena deal here."

Until October 31. As in October 31, 2007. But the e-mails from Aubrey McClendon and Tom Ward to Clay Bennett are dated April 2007, the ones that clearly show that the group did not have any intentions of staying in Seattle. April 2007, as in six months before the deadline where relocation could actively be explored. And if Brunner is correct, Bennett SIGNED an agreement. Not gave his word verbally. It says he actually signed something.

Plus, you've got McClendon saying that even though he knows the group will make LESS money in Oklahoma City, they don't care, they want the team in OKC. It can't get much more obvious than that. The choice is profit in Seattle versus a loss in OKC--by McClendon's OWN ADMISSION--and they choose OKC.

It's not over yet. Seth Kolloen, who writes Enjoy Your Enjoyment, a fine blog about the state of sports in Seattle that had the post about the story on McClendon, came up with this gem about the Schultz re-entry. In it, he describes a conversation with Joel Ngugi, a professor at the University of Washington Law School who teaches a course in contracts. Ngugi said that there is a question about whether that became part of the agreement. He added that Schultz would have to sue.

Now Schultz IS suing. If this signed agreement Brunner wrote of exists, he has a case. The city of Seattle has evidence that Bennett has lied all along. And a law professor says that it is enforceable.

Yeah, there is definitely a chance Seattle can win. The city's not going down without a fight, and Clay Bennett could be in for the fight of his life to win this one now.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Institute.

I love Starbucks

2008-04-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

The shocking, sad saga to save the Seattle SuperSonics (OK, that's too many S words) has crossed from the standard story where an out-of-town villain comes in to steal a team, and has now entered the incredibly bizarre. Personally, I thought I'd seen it all when Jim Balsillie tried to buy the Nashville Predators and Gary Bettman said no, forcing Craig Leipold to hold on to the team.

But this is even stranger. Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks and former owner of the SuperSonics, the man who sold the team to current owner Clayton Bennett of Oklahoma City, announced today that based on a breach of contract, he wants his team back.

I could be wrong, but I think this is a first for a pro sports team's sale. There have been situations where a group bought a team with intent of relocation, and the commissioner or other owners stepped in and stopped them, examples being the Predators and the San Francisco Giants' blocked move to Tampa Bay in 1992. There have been situations where an owner has announced a move and has been stopped in another way, such as Ken Behring's attempt to move the Seattle Seahawks to Anaheim in 1996, when lawyers discovered the move was blocked for another decade. But I do not think a team has ever been sold, approved by the commissioner (who is either an idiot or a lying piece of scum) and then the old owner decides he wants back in.

The way I see this? Good for Howard Schultz. He's finally showing some civic responsibility. Now, he could be doing this for his own skin, and probably is to prevent a boycott of Starbucks. But does that matter? Someone is finally stepping in to try do prevent Bennett and David Stern's betrayal of Seattle, and at this point, it doesn't matter why, it just matters that it's happening.

The question now, can this work? That depends on who you ask. Some believe that there's no way to prove that Bennett violated the contract by acting in bad faith and buying the team solely to move it to Oklahoma City. David Stern doesn't believe that it happened that way, although to be honest, Bennett could probably tell Stern the sky is minty green with purple clouds and Stern would then proceed to tell every reporter that it's true. The Seattle Times recently published a series of e-mails from Bennett to his co-owners that claim that there was never a desire to keep the team in Seattle. Stern has blamed the co-owners entirely so far. Good piece of reporting by the Times. If you're reading this, Cathy Henkel, (yeah, right), I'd love to work for you some day. (Editor's note: Dream on.)

But if it can be proven, then it gets interesting. Will a verbal agreement be enough? Is that all that Schultz has, or did he actually think to get it as part of the contract? If it's in the contract, the chances of Schultz winning the suit and going from fellow villain to respected citizen in Seattle go up dramatically. If he wins the suit, Bennett loses his team, and Oklahoma City loses its chance at the NBA. Plus, OKC might never get a team, because what owner would sell to Bennett after this scandal? The biggest loser if Schultz wins? Stern, who would be seen as a complete fool and a backstabber by everyone, not just in Seattle. Stern's put all his eggs in one basket, and now he could lose everything if a judge doesn't see it his and Bennett's way.

Personally, I don't think this is as big a longshot as is thought by some people. True, Schultz is looking at a large backlash in Seattle, where Starbucks is based and makes a good chunk of profit. True, Starbucks has 338 stores in a 15-mile radius of Seattle. True, the SuperSonics have fans throughout the state of Washington.

But Starbucks is now a global phenomenon. Schultz might not lose as much business if he does nothing as he could if he loses the suit in fees, because there are 48 states that don't care about the SuperSonics (Oklahoma excluded) and 43 countries. That's still a lot of business. So Schultz either is desperate for a good public image, or he really thinks he can win. Billionaires are not stupid.

I hope Oklahoma City does get a team, someday. But it shouldn't be Seattle's team. The SuperSonics haven't done a thing wrong. They deserve to remain in the Emerald City. To be honest, I can't remember a time when I wanted Starbucks this much.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Kenny G.

12. Colorado Buffaloes

2008-04-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

Several people who I've talked to about this expected to see Iowa State at the bottom of the rankings. If we were going on overall history, the Cyclones might very well be down there. But we are instead going on the status this year, 2008. So that costs the Colorado Buffaloes the most points, surprisingly enough. Everyone thinks of Colorado as a fine program, but the way things shape up right now in the Mountain Time Zone, it's actually a program in shambles compared to the rest of the conference.

Competitiveness: It's not pretty. Colorado doesn't compete in baseball or softball at all, the Buffaloes don't field a team in either sport. But in the sports where they DO have a team, it's still not great. The men's basketball team has finished dead last two consecutive years. The football team was decent, good enough to make a bowl game, but after losing said bowl game, still had a losing record, and was only the eighth-best team in the conference. The volleyball team, usually a big strength, finished 1-19 this season, tied with Texas Tech for last in the conference. After a promising start, the women's basketball team was 5-11. The only sports of substance for CU this year that the Big 12 sponsors are women's tennis, women's golf and cross country. No other CU team is in the top half of its league.

Championships: It doesn't take much of a memory to name the Big 12 cross country champions. Other than a 1998 women's title for Kansas State, CU has won the title for both genders every time. But that's almost all CU ever wins. I'm going to be kind and include division crowns along with conference and tournament crowns. That brings Colorado's mark up to 30. But only 7 of those were in a sport other than cross country, and four of the seven were division titles in football. That's a pretty poor mark. 23 titles aren't impressive if they all come in a sport nobody cares about.

Facilities: Folsom Field is a quaint stadium, picturesque and intimidating when the Buffaloes are playing well. The Coors Events Center is totally overlooked. And why shouldn't it be? It's not an appealing venue when viewed on television, and nobody goes to the games. It's not much, and it could be why the Buffaloes can't get anyone to play in it.

Fan base: You would think Colorado has a passionate fan base. And you would be wrong. The Buffaloes, even when playing well, rarely sell Folsom Field out. Folsom has been around since 1924, and since 1946, the Buffaloes have kept track of season attendance every year. In their history at Folsom since 1946, Colorado has sold out more than half of its games at Folsom six times. Six times out of a possible 62 seasons has Colorado even managed to sell out four of its home games. It's not like it's Neyland Stadium and holds six figures. Folsom holds 53,750.

Attendance at Coors is even worse. It looks like a ghost town most of the time. I haven't seen a true fire-exit crowd yet (a crowd so small that if there were a fire, everyone would have their own exit), but I wouldn't be shocked if Colorado manages it.

Coaches: Finally, something Colorado doesn't totally suck in. Pi'i Aiu, the volleyball coach, has a short, difficult name, but usually has a good program, this year of course being an exception. Kathy McConnell-Miller hasn't been around long, but has her basketball team on the road to respectability. The same can probably be said of Jeff Bzdelik and Dan Hawkins, but for rebuilding coaches, it's a long way back, due to history and emergence of other programs.

Important sports: You can't win if you don't play (baseball). In the other sports, CU finished eighth, ninth, and 12th last year. That's a rough mark, and coupled with only two conference crowns in history, it's pretty poor. This is an athletic department that should work, but isn't. Until it does, Colorado holds the crown as worst program in the Big 12.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Jessica Andrews.

New series

2008-04-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

Off a suggestion from my friend Roberto Ruiz, I've got a new series in the works. This time, I'm going to be looking at the athletic departments in the Big 12 as a whole. Then I'll rank the athletic departments from worst to best, using several categories to put out a fair ranking. But this is not going to be a score in each category. Instead, I'll break down the pluses and minuses in each one.

Here's the criteria:

Competitiveness: Does the school compete for the Big 12 crown on a regular basis in multiple sports? Or are the school's teams usually pushovers, save for a couple specialty sports?

Championships: How often does the school bring home the hardware? In which sports does it win? Extra weight is given to sports that all or almost all the Big 12 schools compete in, plus extra weight is given to big sports.

Facilities: How nice are the school's facilities? If they're ancient, do their histories make up for it?

Fan base: How much do the fans care? Are they passionate at all times, or apathetic when things are poor?

Coaches: How good are the coaches in place? Does the school keep its best coaches around or lose them?

Important sports: How does the school perform in the four biggest sports in the conference, those being football, both basketballs, and baseball?

The series will begin with the worst team in the conference in the next post.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Emerson Drive.

Mid-week outlook

2008-04-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday, and I haven't done a post here recently. So here goes with every part of what I want to say.

Hockey: The playoffs start tonight. The Ottawa Senators face the Pittsburgh Penguins. To be honest, I doubt we're going to win, but it's still our crown as the Eastern Conference champion until somebody takes it from us. Even if we lose, it's still hockey. These playoffs are the most exciting events in sports, and I love every minute of it, especially because the Maple Leafs aren't in it.

My prediction is still up in the air, because almost nobody looks good enough to win. The Wings and Sharks always choke, the Wild are too much of an enigma, the Ducks are missing Corey Perry, the Stars never get the necessary goaltending, the Avalanche have Jose Theodore, the Flames could be a sleeper, but I'm not sure, and I doubt the Predators are for real. The Western pick is the winner of the Sharks-Flames series.

In the East, the Penguins are soft, the Canadiens don't look impressive, the Capitals don't have a ton besides Alex Ovechkin, the Devils can't score, the Rangers seem to have something missing, the Flyers and Senators fold too easily, and the Bruins are too young.

I pick the Penguins to become the East champion, and lose to the Western winner. I'll man up and say the Sharks.

Tennis: Daniela Hantuchova needs to perform well in Charleston next week at the Family Circle Cup. She blew it in Miami at the Sony Ericsson Open with a loss to Ai Sugiyama, now she needs to at least do well on the green clay at Amelia Island before Charleston to get her confidence up. A flameout here would spell trouble entering the clay-court season. That is exactly what happened, as she lost to Karolina Sprem. I hope she has an injury, because there is no other excuse for this.

Baseball: The Blue Jays have had very good pitching, or at least they have besides A.J. Burnett last night. That will have to continue if we are going to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 1993. The hitting looked strong too, but we always hit Boston well. We need to keep this going.

Basketball: The Kansas Jayhawks and Tennessee Volunteers are NCAA Champions. Congratulations to them and their fans. This leads me to a thorny issue. As a Missouri student, I was supposed to be rooting hard against Kansas, disgusted to see them win, angry about watching our biggest rival celebrating at the end to the point of not wanting to watch any of the postgame.

But I was not upset at all to see KU win. It did not matter to me. The reason? I am a journalist. I am supposed to be unbiased in everything I cover. As such, I have disassociated myself from the teams and the sports that I cover. It is my university, but I have no need to get involved in the rivalry. Plus, I do not take pleasure from other fans suffering. It is not and has never been my way. I do not need bragging rights and will not rub anything in. That is simply not who I am.

Now, I know that the argument is coming, that being how can I pull for my teams in the pros and not be biased for Missouri? Simple: I do not cover them. If I cover them at any point, I will have to renounce my rooting interest. I know that. But it has yet to happen. But I have already covered the Missouri teams. So I simply will not be as big a fan of them as most. I will not apologize for that. I have also watched the postgame every year, including two Carolina crowns and one from Maryland. I am certainly going to watch through Kansas winning if I did for those three.

Basketball: The Indiana Pacers managed a win to stay alive. I was pleased. I do not want to be in the draft lottery. It is an embarrassment to me. I would much rather get swept against Boston, because at least we were there if that happens. Plus, I know all about the lottery busting for a tanking team. Alexandre Daigle, anyone?

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Gary Allan.

Same sport, same quality, fewer fans

2008-04-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

It's Final Four weekend, and that means that the men's and women's national championships will be decided in the next four days. But for reasons I can't get, bashing the women's tournament has become incredibly popular. This happens despite the fact that the women have produce the better Final Four two years running. Nobody who knows anything can claim that the Maryland-Duke final of 2006 was anything but a classic. But if you ask most male fans, they will assert that the women's tournament doesn't matter.

I don't understand it. It's not like we're talking about a regular season game involving Missouri and Texas Tech, two teams so bad that nobody should be asked to pay to see them play. If you want to bash these teams, I might be right there with you. But we're talking about Connecticut and Stanford. We're talking about Tennessee and LSU. These are great teams, teams that are a pleasure to watch to anyone who cares about basketball. These games should be every bit as good as the men's Final Four, which also should be great to watch. These are great games that we should all enjoy.

But few people seem to care on the women's side. As far as I can tell, the only reason I can see that I don't really have an answer for is the game above the rim. I personally don't enjoy the dunk, it does nothing for me. To me, it's a positive that the women don't dunk, save for Candace Parker. But I can see why some people love it.

But as for the rest of the game? You're not a fan of fluid passing, good decision-making, good shots, athleticism? Really? I guess you aren't a fan of basketball. Those are the essentials of good basketball and yet, they get ignored, because of a love obsession with the dunk. Get over it. There was basketball played below the rim before the dunk, and it was just as good. Basketball does not need the dunk to be compelling. If you don't agree, go watch SlamBall reruns and leave the sport to the true fans.

Nobody says you have to say women's basketball is better than men's. I don't even say that as a whole. I said the last two Final Fours were better on the women's side, but overall, the men are a little better. But would it be that hard to watch the Final Four and make an informed decision, as opposed to living in the past?

In case you still need convincing, I've got a big difference that favors the women. The women's Final Four has Stacey Dales. The men's Final Four has Billy Packer. Big edge to the ladies on that one.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Jamie O'Neal.

On the cusp

2008-04-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

And after taking a well-deserved break, mainly because my Internet sucks, I'm finally back to do something on my blog. Finally, the Ottawa Senators decided that making the playoffs would be a good idea by trashing the Toronto Maple Leafs. For the record, I officially hate when baseball and hockey overlap in the regular season because it puts me awkward position of pulling for a Toronto win in baseball and a Toronto loss in hockey. Fortunately, this stops being a problem after the regular season, because neither Toronto side makes the playoffs anymore.

Anyway, I guess I can't complain. My roommates would be happy to be in my position, since the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks will again miss the playoffs. Neither has made it to the playoffs since the lockout. Will Palaszczuk, whose blog had its debut last night here, is a fan of the New York Islanders, who will also miss the playoffs. Last year's Eastern Conference top seed, the Buffalo Sabres, will miss the playoffs, which makes me happy.

So all we need is an overtime game with Boston tonight to get in. If we get that, or the Hurricanes lose to Tampa Bay, the Capitals lose to Florida or the Flyers lose to either New Jersey or Pittsburgh, we make the playoffs, and the year continues at least four more games.

It's exciting. It's the best time of the year, and to be honest, I'd....rather have clinched a spot two weeks ago. But what the heck, I'll take it.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Wolfmother.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Washington Nationals

2008-03-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

A look back: The Nationals weren't really good last year, but their goal was more development and finding pieces. That's something they have done fairly well on one side of the ball. But since they're stuck in a division with two and possibly three of the stronger teams in the National League, it's not really going to get much better for a little while.

Positives on the field: If you look at the lineup, this simply shouldn't be a fourth-place team. There are few weak links 1-8 in the Nats' lineup. Austin Kearns, Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes could be a solid outfield, Ronnie Belliard, Nick Johnson and Ryan Zimmerman are strong in the infield, and Paul Lo Duca is a fine catcher. If that talent comes together, the Nationals could do a lot of damage on offense.

The bullpen should be solid as well, anchored by Jon Rauch and Chad Cordero. Cordero needs to rediscover his form from the first year in Washington, however. If he can do that, seven innings might be all opponents get to try to beat the Nationals.

Positives off the field: Nationals Park gives Washington a glittering new home. Truthfully, I will miss RFK Stadium, which I loved, but the new park should be a big plus for this team.

Negatives on the field: You get to the rotation, and you realize why this team was picked fourth or fifth. Some of these players might make it eventually, like Matt Chico, Shawn Hill and Jason Bergmann, but as my colleague Joe Conroy from the Potomac News points out in this story, the Nats have young arms like John Lannan at Columbus who could benefit by pitching in the majors for a team that isn't likely to contend. It's a good argument, and I have to say that I tend to agree, using my Jays (as usual) as an example.

Last year, Toronto forced Dustin McGowan and Shaun Marcum into the rotation. Now both pitchers are viewed as strong pieces and make the Jays' rotation one of the strongest around. What do the Nats have to lose?

Outlook: The stadium is what matters this season for the Nats. Enjoy it while the good feeling lasts, because the team needs to start competing next year. With the Marlins' new park coming in 2010, Florida won't be a pushover (OK, they'll be Miami by then, I know) any longer, and the Nats won't be able to wait any longer. Three strong teams in the division is enough.

Projected finish: 4th in NL East. Season opener is in about 15 minutes against Atlanta at Nationals Park.

Spring base: Space Coast Stadium, Viera, Fla. The team played on the east coast of Florida.

Fan of the team?: Read Joe's story, and then check out Federal Baseball, the Nationals fan community.

Come back later: The road trip is done, enjoy baseball, and other topics now that the series is over.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Nickelback.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Philadelphia Phillies

2008-03-29T23:43:00.000-07:00

A look back: Thanks to some help from the Mets, the Phillies returned to the playoffs for the first time since the 1993 World Series (hint, hint, Toronto), although the 2007 postseason was much less productive for the Phils, as the Rockies took just three games to end Philadelphia's run. But the Phillies return the important pieces, and should be in great shape to take another shot at the playoffs.

Positives on the field: The infield. Seriously, Philadelphia's heart and soul comes from its infield trio of Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard. These are three of the best players in the game today, all excellent hitters. When Pedro Feliz, a 20-home run guy in a park that isn't exactly a home run haven is your weakest infielder, it's a good sign. That doesn't even include the power of Pat Burrell, who turned it on at the end of the season last year, finally winning Philly approval.

On the pitching side, Brett Myers returns to team with Cole Hamels as the anchors of the Phillies' staff. Jamie Moyer still finds a way to get hitters out, and assuming Kyle Kendrick isn't traded to Japan, he and Adam Eaton will take the final two spots, giving Philly a solid rotation. There aren't too many weaknesses here.

Negatives on the field: But one of them is the bullpen. The Phillies are putting a lot of faith in Brad Lidge, who went from Lights-Out to Lights-Up with one swing from Albert Pujols. The last time the Phillies added a closer from the Astros, he tore apart their clubhouse with his claims that the Phillies had no chance to make the playoffs, then headed to the rival Mets. (For the record, it's Billy Wagner.) If Lidge blows up again, the Phillies might have no chance this year, unless Tom Gordon gets the job done or Myers returns as the closer.

The Phils also cannot afford to bury themselves with a bad April again. For reasons unknown, Philadelphia forgets that spring training ends in March, not April. A slow start would open the door for the Mets to open a big lead. The Phillies can't count on the Mets choking again.

Outlook: The time is now for the Phillies. All the pieces are in place for them to make a run at the pennant and the World Series crown. They have playoff experience now, they have a talented ball club and they play in the National League. Of course, nothing is a lock, but if Philly can start the season well for once, it's the Phillies' race to lose.

Projected finish: 1st in NL East, defeat Cubs in NLDS, defeat Mets in NLCS, lose to Tigers in World Series. Season opener is March 31 against Washington at Citizens Bank Park.

Spring base: Bright House Networks Field, Clearwater, Fla. The team plays its games on the west coast of Florida in the Tampa Bay area.

Fan of the team?: Check out The Good Phight, the Phillies blog.

Come back tomorrow: OK, I know I was supposed to do this in 30 days. But the season starts tomorrow, so I'll stretch it one more day. The road trip finishes at the gorgeous new Nationals Park in Washington, where the season begins at night.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Bon Jovi.

30 Teams in 30 Days: New York Mets

2008-03-28T22:45:00.000-07:00

A look back: What a choke job. After having the division all but sealed, the Mets coughed it up to the Phillies on the last day of the season to surrender the playoffs after coming within one game of the World Series the year before. To fix that problem, the Mets turned to Johan Santana, one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Positives on the field: When healthy, the rotation is one of the best in the game. Santana is as dominant as any ace there is, Pedro Martinez is still dependable when he gets a chance to pitch and John Maine blossomed into a strong hurler. With Billy Wagner anchoring the bullpen and the return of Duaner Sanchez as a possible setup man, if Aaron Heilman doesn't hold the role, the Mets will have pitching as a strength.

On the other side of the ball, how the Mets look depends on where you look. On the left side of the diamond, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better pair than Jose Reyes and David Wright at shortstop and third base respectively. Elsewhere, there are questions, but these two will continue to be strong for years to come.

Positives off the field: The Mets will move into CitiField next year, ending the run at Shea Stadium. Shea isn't an awful stadium, but it's not historic either. The Mets don't need to capture it in their new park other than the Big Apple, and they aren't going to.

Negatives on the field: As good as the left side is, the right side is shaky. Carlos Delgado is aging and injured (and a prick, but that's neither here nor there), Luis Castillo is recovering from surgery, Ryan Church is the right fielder, the list continues at positions manned by players not named Reyes and Wright. Ultimately, the Mets' shakiness outside of their two big stars will likely be their undoing.

Outlook: The Mets shouldn't choke away the playoffs this time around. But they might still be looking up at the Phillies when all is said and done. Philadelphia looks to be a more complete team, and the Mets are missing something. That something is probably either leadership or all-around talent in the lineup.

Projected finish: 2nd in NL East, beat Diamondbacks in NLDS, lose to Phillies in NLCS. Season opener is March 31 against Florida at Dolphin Stadium. Mets home opener is April 8 against Philadelphia at Shea Stadium.

Spring base: Tradition Field, Port St. Lucie, Fla. The team plays its games on the east coast of Florida.

Fan of the team?: Check out Amazin Avenue, the Mets fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip continues with the short trip down I-95 and a visit to the cheesesteak capital of the world, Philadelphia and the Phillies.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Eric Prydz.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Atlanta Braves

2008-03-27T23:46:00.000-07:00

A look back: The Braves have now missed the playoffs two years running, causing shock to fans in Atlanta, who had forgotten that baseball season does not start in September. But while Atlanta has improved and is far ahead of the Nationals and Marlins, the Braves might have become the NL East's Toronto Blue Jays, a good to very good team that is stuck behind two better ones.

Positives on the field: Atlanta has some good pieces in its rotation. John Smoltz is still dependable when healthy, and there are no questions about Tim Hudson's quality either. If the Braves' rotation stays healthy, it's certain to be a strength. The bullpen is also solid, and will become more solid when Mike Gonzalez gets healthy.

On the hitting side, the corners of Chipper Jones and Mark Teixiera are both strong offensive pieces, and Jeff Francouer has developed nicely in right field. There are plenty of reasons for the Braves to be optimistic.

Negatives off the field: Atlanta pulled its AAA franchise out of Richmond for Gwinnett, effective 2009. I understand why they left, but Gwinnett? Sure, it's just a bus ride for rehab, but why would Atlanta baseball fans come see the AAA team when they don't see the parent club?

Negatives on the field: Boy, is the Atlanta rotation ancient. At 33, Hudson is going to be the second-youngest on the rotation if Mike Hampton makes it. On most teams, Hudson would be the old man. Instead, Atlanta counts on 40-year old Smoltz and 42-year old Tom Glavine. If they're still going strong and still healthy, it's not a problem. But these pitchers could easily break down, and would take Atlanta's season with them.

Plus, Atlanta doesn't have strength in the outfield other than Francouer. Mark Kotsay and Matt Diaz aren't going to provide enough offense. Chipper is an injury risk, and if he gets hurt and/or Teixiera struggles, the Braves won't score.

Outlook: The more I think about this team, the more I see a National League version of my Blue Jays. Deep rotation, potential to score, stuck behind more talented teams, several question marks. As you'd expect a National League version of an American League team to be, expect the Braves to be 5-10 games worse than the Jays. And just as 90 wins probably won't get Toronto anywhere, 85 won't cut it for the Braves.

Projected finish: 3rd in NL East. Season opener is March 30 against Washington at Nationals Park. Braves home opener is March 31 against Pittsburgh at Turner Field.

Spring base: Cracker Jack Stadium, Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The team plays its games in central Florida and on both coasts of the state.

Fan of the team?: Check out Talking Chop, the Braves fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip comes towards the end as it heads to New York's borough of Queens and visits the Mets.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Clay Walker.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Florida Marlins

2008-03-26T22:22:00.000-07:00

A look back: The Marlins were predictable non-factors after the removal of Joe Girardi as manager last year. Not to say Fredi Gonzalez was bad as the manager, because he wasn't. But the Florida Fish simply were not as good a team as they were under Girardi. Plus, the Marlins' defense was atrocious last year. If that remains the case, the Florida fans (the few, the ashamed) will really have to be alert at all times.

Positives on the field: You have to love the Marlins' keystone combo of Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla. These two are easily the best players the Marlins still have now that Miguel Cabrera is in Detroit. There is a bit of other talent on the roster, notably Josh Willingham, Jeremy Hermida and Mike Jacobs. But overall, it's too young to really compete.

On the pitching side, Florida should have had better pitching than it did last year, but the young pitchers who showed so much promise regressed last year. Which season was the more telling? If it was the year under Girardi, the Marlins could surprise. If not, the Fish are in deep trouble, especially if Andrew Miller isn't ready to contribute.

Positives off the field: The Marlins finally got the ballpark figured out. They'll become the Miami Marlins upon completion. The only downside is that it robs me of the term "Florida Fish".

Negatives on the field: The Marlins are painfully young. The Marlins are always young. As such, they are never old enough to realistically compete with the better teams in baseball. There is too much of a question with too many areas. Well, there is one that isn't: The rotation is a weakness. Mark Hendrickson should never be in the top half of a major league rotation. Florida's young pitchers must prove last year was the fluke if the Marlins are going to do anything.

Outlook: How does this team have two World Series wins already? It makes absolutely no sense. But if the Marlins' past is an indication, I am badly underestimating Florida. This is the year before the Marlins are scheduled to win their third World Series. If the schedule holds up, Florida will compete. But that's a risk I'm willing to take.

Projected finish: 5th in NL East. Season opener is March 31 against New York at Dolphin Stadium.

Spring base: Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, Fla. The team shares the stadium with the St. Louis Cardinals and plays on the east coast of Florida.

Fan of the team?: Check out Fish Stripes, the Marlins fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip deviates from the pattern slightly to head up to Atlanta and the Braves, who have now missed the playoffs two years running.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Brooks and Dunn.

David Stern is a disgrace

2008-03-26T12:56:00.001-07:00

As a lot of people know, it is almost a done deal that the Seattle SuperSonics will leave the Emerald City and move to Oklahoma City as soon as possible. NBA commissioner David Stern has said that he will recommend the league allow the Sonics to leave Seattle for OKC at the end of the season.

This is precisely why David Stern is the worst commissioner in sports today. The Sonics have called Seattle home for 40 years. It was one of the teams added in one of the first waves of expansion in NBA history. Stern should be fighting this move tooth and nail. But instead of that, he is rejecting reasonable proposals to renovate Key Arena until the city can afford to build a suitable new arena. Every idea that comes up, he shoots down while claiming the Sonics should be in Oklahoma City. This is the thanks Seattle gets for 40 years of support? The league commissioner abandons the city in favor of Oklahoma City, a city that is only on the radar of the NBA because of its support of the New Orleans Hornets after Hurricane Katrina?

For starters, why would Stern even allow Clay Bennett to buy the Sonics in the first place? It was clear from the beginning that Bennett had purchased the team just so he could move it. Every arena proposal he floated was designed to be rejected, so that he could honestly claim he had given the city a chance to save its team. It was a con job, nothing more. No matter what Bennett says, no matter how many proposals to buy the team he rejects, no matter how much the NBA fines Aubrey McLendon for telling the truth ($250K) and no matter how many proposals he floated that were totally unfair to Seattle, he always intended for the Sonics to move. What would have happened if the city had agreed? What would Bennett have done?

And Stern? Why has he contradicted himself multiple times throughout this ordeal? He originally asked Seattle to come up with $300 million in renovations for KeyArena in 2006. Now the city has done exactly that, and Stern says that the proposal is inadequate to serve the Sonics. That is a complete lie. It is inadequate only because Bennett says it is. $300 million will go a long way toward making KeyArena viable for the Sonics to make money off of it. But Stern's mind is made up. Only something that helps his buddy Bennett get a team in Oklahoma City will be adequate. Seattle could probably accept Bennett's original proposal at this point and be told no deal.

Stern could actually learn a thing or two from his former understudy Gary Bettman, commissioner of the NHL. Recently, everyone wanted to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins when they went up for sale. Gary Bettman didn't let it happen, demanding that all options in Pittsburgh be exhausted before relocation could be considered. He did the same for Nashville when Jim Balsillie bought the Predators. Stern, by contrast, refused to do anything to help the Sonics, instead working as a puppet for Bennett. He knew as everyone else did that the arena proposal was set up to fail, but he did nothing to stop Bennett. Now he claims it is too late to save the team. To steal a line from Taylor Swift, Mr. Stern, you could have helped if you had wanted to, but no one notices until it is too late to do anything.

David Stern has made a lot of mistakes as the leader of the NBA. The Tim Donaghy scandal appeared to be the worst, but Stern's betrayal of Seattle is a close second at worst. There is no excuse whatsoever for what he has done. The city of Seattle deserved better, and if I were an NBA owner, I would vote no on Seattle's relocation without question.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Taylor Swift.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Chicago Cubs

2008-03-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

A look back: The Cubs came up big with an NL Central crown and a spot in the playoffs in 2007. But it quickly came to an end when Chicago went three and out in the playoffs at the hands of the Diamondbacks. To correct the problem, the Cubs have added a few more pieces, and might not be quite done making additions.

Positives on the field: The Cubs can definitely score, and they have built themselves a nice lineup from top to bottom. If Chicago could pry Brian Roberts loose from Baltimore, they would become an even stronger force offensively. If not, the Cubs already have Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano to drive in runs, and will get the table set by Ryan Theriot, new acquisition Reed Johnson and Kosuke Fukudome. On the offensive side, there is already a lot to like about the Cubs in 2008.

The pitching rotation looks solid as well, led by Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly, both of whom looked strong last year, save for an awful stretch by Zambrano which gave Cub fans every right to boo him (quit whining, Zambrano). The bullpen tries for addition by subtraction by getting Ryan Dempster out of it and allowing Kerry Wood the chance to close. It will be an interesting situation for the Cubs.

Negatives off the field: Sam Zell is a prick who wants to sell the naming rights to Wrigley Field. This needs to not happen. Wrigley should never have a corporate name, it is far too historic.

Negatives on the field: Behind Lilly and Zambrano, Chicago's rotation is very questionable. Dempster has been poor in the bullpen and might not be better as a starter. Jason Marquis is inconsistent. Sean Marshall and Rich Hill are also questionable. Jon Lieber should be solid, but will solid be enough for the Cubs to keep opposing bats quiet?

Also, the bullpen is a question mark. It could be great, or it could blow up with players adjusting to new roles. Kerry Wood started as a rotation ace, not a bullpen ace. How will Carlos Marmol and Bob Howry adjust to their roles as setup men this season? For Howry, it shouldn't be much of an adjustment, but Marmol closed last year, and that could make it tougher for him.

Outlook: The Cubs are not a championship team at this point. Sorry, Chicago fans, but you will likely reach a full century without a title. But the Cubs should repeat as NL Central champions, something they haven't done in almost as long. That is progress.

Projected finish: 1st in NL Central, lose to Phillies in NLDS. Season opener is March 31 against Milwaukee at Wrigley Field.

Spring base: HoHoKam Park, Mesa, Ariz. The team plays its games in Phoenix and Tucson.

Fan of the team?: Check out Bleed Cubbie Blue, the Cubs fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads from some of the most loyal fans in baseball to the most invisible fans in baseball, those of the Florida Marlins, who have somehow won two World Series already in 15 years.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Embassy.

30 Teams in 30 Days: St. Louis Cardinals

2008-03-24T21:47:00.000-07:00

A look back: The Cardinals kept alive the streak of failing to reach the World Series after winning it all in the previous season. In fact, the Cards missed the playoffs entirely, ending their own streak and extending the streak of defending champions not winning a game in the playoffs last year. The streak is intact since 2001, or every year in this millennium. See Boston for details. But the Cards struggled because of injuries to key pitchers, which made things difficult for both the rotation and the bullpen. If the injury bug doesn't hit and the pitchers who are still hurt come back strong, the Cards are easily contenders. If the reverse is true, the Cards will have little chance to compete.

Positives on the field: The Cards have built a solid batting order that actually stands a chance of putting balls out at spacious Busch Stadium. Chris Duncan, Rick Ankiel, Troy Glaus and some guy named Albert Pujols are all excellent hitters who are capable of putting runs on the board. If the Cardinals' other hitters can get on, and with Tony LaRussa still calling the shots, there's no reason to believe they won't, St. Louis could have a solid offense.

On the pitching side, Jason Isringhausen doesn't take the most direct route, but he gets the job done. The rotation is led by ace of the future Adam Wainwright, who could give St. Louis an unbelievable staff if the other pitchers ever get off the DL. With only Braden Looper and Kyle Lohse joining him as quality pitchers in the rotation for now, the rotation is merely average.

Negatives on the field: The Cardinals' injury history puts them in the unique position of having to play catch-up from the beginning of the year. St. Louis doesn't have the rotation right now to compete with the better teams in the National League, but if Mark Mulder, Matt Clement and Chris Carpenter come back strong from injuries, they immediately have one of the strongest around. But that's a big if, and the Cards might not be able to afford waiting in terms of 2008's chances.

On the other side, how badly is Pujols hurt? He's not showing any ill effects right now, but if his injury flares up during the season, the Cardinals lose a big chunk of their offense. The same applies to Troy Glaus and his heels. If the turf in Toronto was the problem, he's fine, St. Louis plays on grass. If there was a different problem, he's in trouble.

Outlook: The Cardinals will become a strong team, but they won't become that strong team until about July or August. That might be enough to finish them if the Cubs or Brewers get off to a hot start. St. Louis might have to connect with their inner Rockies to return to the playoff.

Projected finish: 2nd in NL Central. Season opener is March 31 against Colorado at Busch Stadium.

Spring base: Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, Fla. The team plays on the east coast of Florida and shares the stadium with the Florida Marlins.

Fan of the team?: Check out Viva El Birdos, the Cardinals fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads to the North Side of Chicago and the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Phil Stacey.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Milwaukee Brewers

2008-03-23T21:38:00.001-07:00

A look back: The Brewers had the expectations last season, but weren't able to do anything with them, as they watched the Cubs pass them en route to the NL Central title. This time around, Milwaukee's pitching staff isn't nearly as hyped, which means the Brew Crew will either perform better with less expectations, or just isn't going to be that good. Whatever the situation, Milwaukee will only go as far as the rotation and Prince Fielder's bat can take them.

Positives on the field: The batting order is solid, if the top half can pick it up. Rickie Weeks has tremendous potential, and if he and J.J. Hardy produce at the top, the Brewers will score a lot of runs with Ryan Braun, Fielder and Corey Hart contributing. When Bill Hall, a player with a fair amount of power, hits seventh in a National League lineup, that's a pretty potent offense waiting to explode.

The pitching has the potential to be rock-solid as well, led by Ben Sheers and Yovani Gallardo at the top and followed by several other capable arms. Eric Gagne moves into the closer role vacated by Francisco Cordero, and Derrick Turnbow is proving effective as a setup man. If the Brewers stay healthy, the pitching could be a strength.

Negatives on the field: The Brewers never stay healthy. Sheets is now trailing only Mark Prior in career simulated victories. Gallardo and Chris Capuano are already hurt, damaging Milwaukee's chances of having a rotation that can land this club in the race. Chicago will score runs just as well as the Brewers and once their pitching is healthy, St. Louis will keep scores down. To beat the Cubs and Cardinals, Milwaukee needs its pitching to match its hitting.

There are also questions surrounding Weeks, Gagne and Fielder. Nobody questions Fielder's talent, but how will his off-season tantrum worthy of Drew Rosenhaus affect him? Gagne was strong for Texas as a closer, then became a gas can in Fenway Park, almost costing Boston a title. As for Weeks, when will he ever step up and prove his potential that has been discussed for so long?

Outlook: Milwaukee has enough pieces in place to contend, but like last year, probably not enough pieces to win. The Brewers will be a strong favorite if they could ever get everyone healthy at once, but that doesn't appear to be happening any time soon.

Projected finish: 3rd in NL Central. Season opener is March 31 against Chicago at Wrigley Field. Brewers home opener is April 4 against San Francisco at Miller Park

Spring base: Maryvale Baseball Park, Phoenix. The team plays its games in both Phoenix and Tucson.

Fan of the team?: Check out Brew Crew Ball, the Brewers fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads to Missouri and baseball heaven, also known as St. Louis and the 2006 World Champion Cardinals.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Eric Heatherly.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Cincinnati Reds

2008-03-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

A look back: The Reds had a rough time in 2007, finishing at 72-90 and in 5th place. But Cincinnati was only one game away from moving into fourth with Houston. This year, the Reds should have enough to overtake the Astros and take another step towards relevance.

Positives on the field: The Reds have some very good pitching and outfield possibilities. Everyone who knows about prospects has heard of Jay Bruce, but Cincinnati has other talent too that is already in the majors, notably Corey Patterson, who the Reds signed as a possible stopgap until Bruce is ready after starting in AAA at Louisville. Edwin Encarnacion and Joey Votto are prospects in the infield (on the corners) to keep an eye on, and Brandon Phillips is an emerging star at second base. The Reds have a young lineup that could become a threat once it comes together. That time is likely not this year, but could be soon.

The pitching also has a good amount of potential. Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo are known by nearly everyone, but like their hitting counterparts, Cincinnati has a few promising prospects who could give the Reds the strong staff they have not have in years in Johnny Cueto and Edison Volquez, to say nothing of Homer Bailey. The bullpen also looks promising now that David Weathers has been moved out of the closer role and Francisco Cordero takes over.

Negatives on the field: The Reds are still very young. With this team, that breeds two concerns: How will the hitters produce against good major league pitching, and what will be the impact of Dusty Baker managing the Reds? Remember, Baker is considered in Chicago to be the guy who ruined Mark Prior's arm when he pitched for the Cubs. With Cueto, Volquez and Bailey in the mix, what will the result be? Cincinnati, conscious of this, elected to sign the Dragon Slayer, Josh Fogg. But if he cannot make the team, the Reds will have no choice but to hope they avoid wrecking more than one season.

On the hitting side, Adam Dunn still strikes out a lot, and Ken Griffey Jr. is now 39. How much does he have left in the tank on the verge of hitting four decades?

Outlook: The NL Central, like its AL counterpart, is a two-tiered division. Here, the division is split into teams who are contenders for the title and teams who are not. The Reds fall into that second tier, but they should be the best in that tier. If the Reds can keep their talent together, they could become a solid team in a few years, and in the NL Central, that is all you need to be.

Projected finish: 4th in NL Central. Season opener is March 31 against Arizona at Great American Ball Park.

Spring base: Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, Fla. The team plays its games on the west coast of Florida, and occasionally meets central Florida teams. The Reds are in talks to leave Florida and join the Cleveland Indians in Goodyear, Ariz. for 2009.

Fan of the team?: Check out Red Reporter, the Reds fan community.

Come back later today: The road trip springs for a direct flight and heads to the land of cheese and beer, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This foils my plan to hit close cities on the same day, but luckily the East clusters together nicely.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Earshot.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Pittsburgh Pirates

2008-03-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

A look back: As usual, the Pirates were pretty much irrelevant during the season, finishing well out of the race in the awful NL Central and not contributing in any area that would give Pittsburgh fans (the few there are remaining) any hope that things would be different for next season. But have hope, Pittsburgh. Things might indeed be different. No, you didn't improve, but as I said yesterday, Houston got worse.

Positives on the field: The Pirates actually have a couple decent pieces, led by outfielder Jason Bay. Bay might very well be the best outfielder that nobody ever sees because of his position in baseball purgatory. (well, one of the areas of baseball purgatory.) But he's not the only decent player Pittsburgh has. Adam LaRoche, Xavier Nady and Freddy Sanchez are decent players, guys who would fill nice roles on contending teams. On Pittsburgh, they're out of place, because they aren't guys you can build around. But at least the Pirates have something not horrible to offer at the deadline.

On the mound, the Pirates have Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny and Zach Duke in the rotation, three guys who could become stars if placed in the right situation. Again, that situation isn't Pittsburgh. (Headline in the Post-Gazette's preview you won't see: Pirate baseball: Right talent, right time, wrong city and team.) But their pitching will keep them in some games, and unlike San Francisco, the Pirates have enough offense to turn the occasional quality start into surprising victory. When they do, Matt Capps should be able to hold it down.

Positives off the field: The Pirates finally put in lights at McKechnie Field, their spring training home. Hallelujah. Spring games belong in the day, but there should be one or two at night for fans who are too dedicated to their jobs to take a day off.

Negatives on the field: The Pirates haven't been relevant in HOW long? Here's how long: The last time Pittsburgh made the playoffs, America's college seniors were in first grade. It has been 15 seasons since the Pirates came one game away from the World Series in the 1992 NLCS. To put it another way, Barry Bonds was still normal-looking then.

Plus, the Pirates just aren't talented enough to compete, even in the still weak-Central. They're a young team that would just love to be on the right side of .500. Sooner or later, it has to work, or they'll waste even more young talent.

Outlook: This is the time for the Pirates...to move out of the basement. There isn't much to be optimistic about for 2008, and considering the front office in place, there isn't much to be optimistic about period. So why am I picking the Pirates to improve? I like their pitching more than Houston's.

Projected finish: 5th in NL Central. Season opener is March 31 against Atlanta at Turner Field. Pirates home opener is September 7 against Chicago at PNC Park.

Spring base: McKechnie Field, Bradenton, Fla. The team plays its games on the west coast of Florida, with an occasional venture to central Florida.

Fan of the team?: Check out Bucs Dugout, the Pirates fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads to southwestern Ohio and the land of cheese coneys, as we visit the Cincinnati Reds, the oldest team in baseball.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Jennifer Hanson.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Houston Astros

2008-03-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

A look back: The Astros fell off from where they've previously been, and the new look team doesn't bear much resemblance to the previous incarnations. Phil Garner is no longer the manager, Tim Purpura is no longer the GM and the Astros are now looking more like a second-division team. In fact, they could fall a lot further than that. Behind Pittsburgh? It's actually become a reality, and the Astros will have to make sure the Central's cellar doesn't swallow them up.

Positives on the field: Roy Oswalt is still one of the best starting pitchers in baseball, but there's a drop-off after him. Still, Oswalt is a very nice ace to have, giving Houston a streak stopper once every five days should it become necessary to have. Jose Valverde could provide a nice niche in the closer role if he becomes more dependable than Brad Lidge was AP (after Pujols)

On the hitting side, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee are both dependable power hitters, giving the Astros the ability to get runs home if they can get men on base.

Negatives on the field: The drop-off is pretty pronounced after Oswalt. Wandy Rodriguez is not a No. 2 starter. I'm sorry, he's just not. Behind him, Woody Williams and Brandon Backe aren't anything special. Unless you've got to face Oswalt, Astro pitching scares nobody. That includes Valverde, who could easily become another Brad Lidge, a gas can who just had one good year.

Elsewhere, why would the Astros trade for Miguel Tejada? Houston needs to rebuild, not take on a huge salary that they would be paying too much for. Tejada is overrated and overpaid, and the Astros will learn that the hard way.

Outlook: Houston just doesn't look like it's got anything special. The Astros' moves made no sense, as Houston acted like they're a contender by grabbing a closer and a former All-Star shortstop, when the proper course of action is to go with youth to rebuild the team. That type of foolish thinking usually comes back to bite a team when they're faced with the reality of the regular season.

Projected finish: 6th in NL Central. Season opener is march 31 against San Diego at Petco Park. Astros home opener is April 7 against St. Louis at Minute Maid Park.

Spring base: Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee, Fla. The Astros play most of their games against teams in central Florida and on both coasts.

Fan of the team?: Check out Crawfish Boxes, the Astros fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads to the bridges of Pittsburgh, specifically the Roberto Clemente Bridge and PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Funeral for a Friend.

Series: 30 teams in 30 days

2008-03-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

The series is taking a short break so I don't fail History of Ireland. It will return tomorrow with the Astros.

NCAA Tournament Picks...mascot style

2008-03-18T17:11:00.000-07:00

Because I have that kind of time, I will take a look at what the picks would be if you chose the NCAA strictly on mascots, like several women (who always seem to win) do. My bracket will come Thursday, so my picks cannot be stolen. Here goes, starting with the East Regional.

1 North Carolina vs. 16 Coppin State or Mount St. Mary's
The Tar Heels can cause people to stick once touched. An Eagle could fly away from a Tar Heel, and a Mountaineer can avoid it, but UNC has a ram as well. The ram gives the Heels the edge.

8 Indiana vs. 9 Arkansas
What is a Hoosier? Nobody is quite sure. Wikipedia says it's a resident of Indiana. I'll take a wild hog over a guy from Indiana.

5 Notre Dame vs. 12 George Mason
Both Fighting Irish and Patriots are tough SOB's. But there's one difference: The Patriots were successful in one try against the British. The Irish took much longer and more than one rebellion to gain independence. The edge goes to the Patriots.

4 Washington State vs. 13 Winthrop
An Eagle can avoid a Cougar for a while by flying high, but sooner or later, he must take a rest. That takes place in a tree. Cougars can climb trees.

6 Oklahoma vs. 11 Saint Josephs
Sooners are settlers of the prarie. Hawks are fierce birds of prey. A hawk is more deadly than a settler.

3 Louisville vs. 14 Boise State
Cardinals are tough birds. But what chance does a bird have against a rampaging horse?

7 Butler vs. 10 South Alabama
Bulldogs are feisty and tough. But Jaguars are huge cats, and supposed to be feared. Simply put, there is a reason the Mayans worshipped the cat.

2 Tennessee vs. 15 American
All an Eagle can do is fly away from the Volunteer. The Eagle can't do much damage to the guy, and when the Volunteer fires, he has to kill an endangered species to do it, but he survives.

Round 2

1 North Carolina vs. 9 Arkansas
The ram was enough to get by an eagle. It will not save the Tar Heels against a wild pig. Were the name the Tar Pits, the pig is screwed, but Heels are not big enough.

12 George Mason vs. 4 Washington State
The Patriot may have been a tough SOB, but if he meets a Cougar, he is only tough to digest.

11 Saint Josephs vs. 14 Boise State
See Louisville. What chance does a bird have against a rampaging horse?

10 South Alabama vs. 2 Tennessee
This matchup depends on the preparedness of the Volunteer. If he is ready to fire and a good shot, he can win. The feeling is that he becomes lunch.

Sweet 16

9 Arkansas vs 4 Washington State
The Cougar and Razorback are both things you do not want to come up against in the wild. But the Cougar is more powerful and causes more fear, so the pig becomes bacon.

14 Boise State vs. 10 South Alabama
The Bronco can run, but the Jaguar has teeth and likes the taste of horse meat. The Bronco cannot hurt the Jaguar, and cannot run a Statue of Liberty.

Regional final

4 Washington State vs. 10 South Alabama

Who wins between a Cougar and a Jaguar? The Jaguar is the king, and the Cougar puts up a fight, but the Jaguar has enough to claim the crown in the East.

The South is up next.

1 Memphis vs 16 Texas-Arlington

A Tiger against a Maverick. A Maverick is some type of cowboy. Cowboys don't have experience with Tigers. Memphis wins.

8 Mississippi State vs. 9 Oregon

A Bulldog has teeth. As learned from the movie The Mighty Ducks, a Duck does not, so the Bulldog eats the Duck.

5 Michigan State vs. 12 Temple

A Spartan is a fierce soldier. An Owl is a nocturnal bird who is devoid of an ability to attack. You tell me who wins.

4 Pittsburgh vs. 13 Oral Roberts

A Panther can certainly eat a Golden Eagle once the Eagle stops to rest after a long flight. I've never seen a Golden Eagle, but I would bet it's no different from a regular eagle besides its color.

6 Marquette vs. 11 Kentucky
Another Cat vs. Golden Eagle matchup. If a Panther can eat a Golden Eagle, a Wildcat certainly can do the same.

3 Stanford vs. 14 Cornell
Cardinal vs. Red. It's a battle of colors. Cardinal is a better shade of red.

7 Miami vs. 10 St. Mary's
This is the type of Gael who has something to do with a church. Even if it was the storm, a Hurricane is more powerful.

2 Texas vs. 15 Austin Peay
A Longhorn can skewer a Governor. The Governor would have one chance, that being if he ordered the Longhorn slaughtered. But the Longhorn is pretty powerful, and can avoid capture.

Second round

1 Memphis vs. 8 Mississippi State
A Tiger is stronger than a Bulldog, and can rip it to pieces. That's the third cat over a dog. The dogs just aren't powerful enough.

5 Michigan State vs. 4 Pittsburgh
A Spartan could kill a Panther with its sword. A Panther can tear open the Spartan's body. The Panther is quicker, and gets the nod (and meal)

11 Kentucky vs. 3 Stanford
A Wildcat is much better than a color. Want to give Stanford the bird? Might as well give Kentucky lunch.

7 Miami vs. 2 Texas
A Longhorn is powerful. But as powerful as it is, it cannot attack a force of wind.

Sweet 16

1 Memphis vs. 4 Pittsburgh
A Tiger is a little higher in the animal kingdom than a Panther. The Tiger claws its way past a worthy foe.

11 Kentucky vs. 7 Miami
The Wildcat is a fierce fighter. But there is no way it can attack a storm. Miami may be an unstoppable force.

Regional final

1 Memphis vs. 7 Miami
This is tough for the Hurricane, because the Tiger has the jungle to hide itself in. But in a rain forest, the Hurricane will not weaken for lack of water to gain strength. The Hurricane wins.

Midwest Region

1 Kansas vs. 16 Portland State
A Viking is a fighter of the north. A Jayhawk is a mythical bird that steals eggs. The 16 seed strikes a victory.

8 UNLV vs 9 Kent State
A Flash of gold is not really threatening. In fact, for a Running Rebel from Las Vegas, it's a common sight. The Rebel wins.

5 Clemson vs 12 Villanova
The Tiger and the Wildcat, who emerges? I'll give it to the Tiger, but not by much.

4 Vanderbilt vs 13 Siena
A Commodore is a naval man. A Saint has the power of God. The Saint can ask God to send a storm to sink the Commodore's ship.

6 USC vs. 11 Kansas State
A Trojan is a warrior, but a Wildcat can handle a Trojan if he is not quick enough. Usually, he is not.

3 Wisconsin vs. 14 CS-Fullerton
Denzel Washington was wrong, Titans were NOT greater than the gods. They also have problems with rabid Badgers.

7 Gonzaga vs. 10 Davidson
You should know how this works by now. Bulldogs do not beat Wildcats.

2 Georgetown vs. 15 UMBC
A Hoya is actually a Greek word, but a Bulldog is used. Fine. A bulldog trumps a Retriever.

Second round

16 Portland State vs. 8 UNLV
A Rebel can run from a Viking even if he gets ready to attack. The Rebel is not a bad fighter either.

5 Clemson vs. 13 Siena
A Saint can get away with asking God to sink a boat one time, but Scripture says not to put the Lord to the test. The Saint gets his comeuppance for violating Scripture as the Tiger mauls him.

11 Kansas State vs. 3 Wisconsin
The Wildcat will fight hard, but has little chance with the Badger.

10 Davidson vs. 2 Georgetown
Wildcats beat Bulldogs. Next.

Sweet 16

8 UNLV vs. 5 Clemson
The Tiger gets lunch again as the Rebel cannot outrun it.

3 Wisconsin vs. 10 Davidson
A Wildcat again faces the Badger. The Badger wins again.

Regional final

5 Clemson vs. 3 Wisconsin
The Badger gets another cat to attack. The Badger marches on.

West Region

1 UCLA vs. 16 Mississippi Valley State
A Delta Devil only has power in the Mississippi River. The matchup is in Anaheim, so the Bruin survives.

8 BYU vs. 9 Texas A&M
The Cougar can tear up a guy interested in agriculture.

5 Drake vs. 12 Western Kentucky
A Hilltopper can climb mountains. A Bulldog cannot.

4 Connecticut vs. 13 San Diego
Toreros kill bulls, not Huskies. But a Husky is devoid of horns, so the edge goes to the bull-killer.

6 Purdue vs. 11 Baylor
A Boilermaker builds train parts and other mechanical thing. A Bear would tear him to pieces.

3 Xavier vs. 14 Georgia
A Musketeer can easily shoot a Bulldog.

7 West Virginia vs. 10 Arizona
Mountaineers can avoid Wildcats for a brief time by climbing the mountain. But sooner or later, the Wildcat climbs and tears apart the Mountaineer.

2 Duke vs. 15 Belmont
A Bruin is very powerful, but a Blue Devil has power no matter where he's at. The mystical force allows him to triumph.

Second round

1 UCLA vs. 8 BYU
A Bruin has a little more power than a Cougar.

12 Western Kentucky vs. 13 San Diego
The Hilltopper is far less bloodthirsty than the Torero.

11 Baylor vs. 3 Xavier
Musketeers can shoot Bears just as easily as Bulldogs.

10 Arizona vs. 2 Duke
The Blue Devil can make life hell for the Wildcat.

Sweet 16

1 UCLA vs. 13 San Diego
The Torero has never come up against an animal like the Bruin.

2 Duke vs. 3 Xavier
The Blue Devil can certainly avoid a musket, taking away the Musketeer's one powerful weapon.

Regional final

1 UCLA vs. 2 Duke
The Bruin survived a Delta Devil, but can't survive a Blue Devil with no geographic restriction.

Final Four

10 South Alabama vs. 3 Wisconsin
The Badger has had a nice run, but the Jaguar is the king for a reason, and tears apart the Badger.

7 Miami vs. 2 Duke
The Hurricane has been outstanding, but the wind storm has no power in hell.

National Championship

10 South Alabama vs. 2 Duke
Once again, the mystical power of the Blue Devil is enough, as the Jaguar suffers in hell.

So you get Duke beating a team from the Sun Belt. This is why the mascot strategy tends not to make sense. But it usually works for some reason. Who knows?

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Diamond Rio.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Arizona Diamondbacks

2008-03-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

A look back: The Diamondbacks took everyone by surprise and found a way to get to the playoffs as the National League West champions. That comes mainly off the strength of young hitting and good pitching. If the D-Backs can keep their players healthy and avoiding a slump after big years, they are the team to beat in the NL West.

Positives on the field: Arizona got to where it is based mostly on the strength of Brandon Webb's strong arm. But the Diamondbacks weren't a one-man staff last year, and won't be this year. The addition of Dan Haren ensures that Arizona will have two very good options at the top of the lineup. Randy Johnson is old, but as a #3 pitcher, he's nice to have around, and has come a long way from the kid who used to blow up trash cans in Seattle in the early 1990's. Doug Davis and Micah Owings are capable in the back end of the rotation, making it a big Arizona strength.

On the other side, the hitters are young and talented. Chris Young and Eric Byrnes are both very quick, and the D-Backs' non-speed guys have a lot of potential. If their potential is on display, the Diamondbacks are going to be a serious contender.

Negatives on the field: The hitters didn't quite live up to their potential last year. Conor Jackson didn't produce much in the way of power, Stephen Drew had a very weak year, Mark Reynolds had trouble adjusting to not swinging at the first pitch, the list continues. The Diamondbacks were outscored by 10 runs by their opponents last year. That suggests that opponents managed to bunch their runs into games where Arizona had trouble scoring, or that the pitching made up for the hitting's struggles. Most likely it is the latter.

On the pitching side, Jose Valverde is very replaceable, but can Brandon Lyon be the guy who does replace him? If he is, there is likely an improvement from Valverde, who got saves but only had one really strong year in the role. If he's not, the D-Backs will regret losing Valverde.

Outlook: With so many young players, the Diamondbacks are a difficult team to try to predict. But one must be made, and the feeling here is that the expectations that exist now will not hamper the team as it tries to go two steps further than it did last year. Only the Diamondbacks' lack of offense if it short-circuits again will be responsible for that.

Projected finish: 1st in NL West, lose to Mets in NLDS. Season opener is March 31 against Cincinnati at Great American Ball Park. Diamondbacks home opener is April 7 against Los Angeles at Chase Field.

Spring base: Tucson Electric Park, Tucson, Ariz. The team shares the stadium with the Chicago White Sox, and plays games in both Tucson and Phoenix.

Fan of the team? Check out AZ Snake Pit, the Diamondbacks fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads down I-10 to Houston and takes a visit to the Houston Astros, who are actually just two years removed from the World Series.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Rise Against.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Colorado Rockies

2008-03-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

A look back: Somehow, the Colorado Rockies won 21 of 22 games to finish the year as the 2007 National League champions. This leads to an interesting stat: The Rockies did not lose a playoff game to a National League team. By the same token, though, they have never won a playoff game against an American League team, a distinction shared with the Houston Astros. Can Colorado avoid the sophomore slump after breakout years from several young stars?

Positives on the field: The Rockies finally figured out how to put a complete team together last season, building homegrown talent at the major positions and watching it develop. Matt Holliday and Troy Tulowitzki were the team's brightest stars last season, with Holliday, who should have been the MVP, and Tulowitzki coming close to nosing out Ryan Braun for the Rookie of the Year award. Todd Helton had enough left to get the Rockies to the playoffs after spending his career watching other stars flourish in other locations. Garrett Atkins developed into a fine third baseman, and the Rockies had a good year from Brad Hawpe. Colorado returns a lot from last year.

On the pitching side, the humidor is working to combat Denver's thin air. For the first time in recent memory, Coors Field was not a graveyard for promising pitchers. Brian Fuentes came apart, but Manny Corpas proved capable of filling the role as the Rockies' closer. Outside of Jeff Francis, there isn't a ton of talent on the Rockies' staff, but there's enough to get by.

Negatives on the field: How will Colorado handle success? The 2007 season was the first time since 1995 the Rockies were in the playoffs, and other than those two seasons, the Rockies had never been relevant at all outside of Denver. Can Clint Hurdle keep the team hungry after last year? Also, can the team avoid burying itself? Remember, this was a team left for dead that somehow managed to pull it all together when it mattered. If the Rockies don't play contending ball all year long, they might not be so lucky this year.

On the field itself, how will the loss of Kaz Matsui impact the Rockies? Clint Barmes is trying to win the job among a list of contenders that includes Marcus Giles, but Matsui was key for the Rockies last season, and how they replace him makes a lot of difference.

Outlook: We'll never know if Colorado was a truly great team, a good team that was developing, or just a lucky team that caught lightning in a bottle over the course of 3 1/2 weeks. But the 2008 season should provide some insight into that. The feeling here is that Colorado was a combination of the last two. The Rockies were good, no question about it, but not quite as good as they were in the final stretch. This is when they either prove themselves as a true contender or simply become another team.

Projected finish: 2nd in NL West, no postseason. Season opener is March 31 against St. Louis at Busch Stadium. Rockies home opener is April 4 against Arizona at Coors Field.

Spring base: Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, Ariz. The team plays its games in Phoenix and Tucson.

Fan of the team?: Check out Purple Row, the Rockies fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads to the desert southwest, taking a look at the young NL West champions of a year ago, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Steven Chaitman.

Editor's note: As Tim Kanak pointed out, Matt Holliday was NOT the MVP. The award went to Jimmy Rollins. I meant he SHOULD have been the MVP, and the change has been made. Apologies. I need to get out of the NL West, that's two errors in one division.

Edit the second: The Rockies have lost a playoff series before. I completely forgot that the Rockies ran into the Braves in 1995 and if they didn't reach the series, obviously lost to a National League team. The NL West is not the problem for me, the problem is the thin air of Denver.

30 Teams in 30 Days: San Diego Padres

2008-03-16T20:33:00.000-07:00

So I just realized that the Giants preview was labeled as the Padres for two days. Sorry for the error. THESE are the Padres.

A look back: San Diego was so close to making the playoffs, coming up just short against the Colorado Rockies in the one-game playoff the teams played to determine who would become the wild card. With that being the case, the Padres have to be considered a team that could easily challenge for a playoff spot. But has San Diego built its team too well for its own park? The Padres are once again good pitching, no hitting in Petco Park, an extreme pitcher's haven.

Positives on the field: The rotation is very strong. Jake Peavy and Chris Young are both quality starters, and Greg Maddux is still strong in his later years as a No. 3 pitcher. That leaves Randy Wolf as a No. 4 guy, not bad at all. The No. 5 would be Mark Prior if he could ever stay healthy. When the Padres have a lead, they can hand it to Trevor Hoffman, the career leader in saves. On top of that, Petco Park is a dream for pitchers, and confidence soars when a pitcher gets used to watching his mistakes land in the glove of his outfielders.

Negatives on the field: The Padres lack the bats that are necessary to go any deeper than making the playoffs, even in the National League. Brian Giles's and Jim Edmonds's best years are behind them, Tad Iguchi is not a fantastic option at second base, and although Khalil Greene and Adrian Gonzalez are fine power hitters, the dimensions of Petco hurt the hitters as much as they help the pitchers. If they get into a hole, one swing can't bring San Diego back into a game. The outfield is a huge question mark, although the infield looks acceptable.

Outlook: San Diego can keep runs off the board, but can they put them on the board? That might be the difference in an NL West race with little room to separate first place from the abyss above the Giants. If the Padres don't have the hitting, the pitching will have to overcompensate to make up for the slack. Anything less, and the Padres might not get that extra game to try to make the playoffs ahead of Arizona and Colorado.

Projected finish: 3rd in NL West. Season opener is March 31 against Houston at Petco Park.

Spring base: Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, Ariz. The team plays its games in Phoenix and Tucson, sharing the stadium with the Seattle Mariners.

Fan of the team?: Check out Gaslamp Ball, the Padres fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads into the mountains and visits the National League champions, the...Colorado Rockies? Okay, whatever.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Brian McComas.

30 teams in 30 days: Los Angeles Dodgers

2008-03-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

A look back: What began as a season of promise wound up in ashes for the Los Angeles Dodgers, which ended up costing Grady Little his job. But at least this time, he wasn't unfairly blamed for an out his ace pitcher couldn't get in a big game. (Did I mention how much I hate Boston fans?) In steps Joe Torre, who returns to the National League 13 years after getting fired in St. Louis. Will he be able to adjust to the nuances that are National League baseball? With Arizona and Colorado looking strong, it might not matter this year.

Positives on the field: The Dodgers will be quick at the top of their lineup. Juan Pierre and Rafael Furcal are both strong on the basepaths, able to get runs manufactured if they get on base. Los Angeles has some power backing up the speed in Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones and James Loney, and Russell Martin is a fine young catcher.

The pitching is also strong, with Brad Penny anchoring the rotation and Takashi Saito combining with Jonathan Broxton for a nasty late-inning combination. The Dodgers do have several strengths on paper, and look like a candidate to win the NL West on the surface.

Negatives off the field: The Dodgers are leaving Vero Beach. It had to happen with the fan base so far from Florida, but it's still a shame.

Negatives on the field: The Dodgers blew up last year, dividing the clubhouse between veterans and young players. Little couldn't keep tempers in check, and as a result, he's gone. Can Torre succeed where Little failed? It won't be easy, especially as he tries to adjust to winning without George Steinbrenner's millions backing him up. Torre hasn't won anywhere but the Bronx, and that will be interesting to see if that continues.

Outlook: The Dodgers have the potential to do a lot, but they don't seem to have the intangibles. On paper, this should be a team that pushes for the NL West title with Arizona. But games aren't played on paper, and the Dodgers struggle with actually playing the game. That's why Los Angeles has yet to win a playoff game in my lifetime (since 1988).

Projected finish: 4th in NL West. Season opener is March 31 against San Francisco at Dodger Stadium.

Spring base: Holman Stadium, Vero Beach, Fla. The team played its games on the East Coast of Florida. The Dodgers sent a split squad to China, and will move their base to Arizona on Thursday. The move becomes permanent with Thursday's move.

Fan of the team?: Check out True Blue LA, the Dodgers fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads even further down I-5 (and will have now traveled all of it) and stops in San Diego, home of the Padres, the team that came closest to making the playoffs without getting in.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Cartel.

30 Teams in 30 Days: San Francisco Giants

2008-03-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the delay. Today was ACC Friday, which ranks right up there with St. Patrick's Day as far as unofficial holidays go. In fact, in my view, it's even bigger, but that's because I'm not Irish. So that's why today's post comes late. Plus, it's the Giants. Is anyone upset? Here goes:

A look back: Barry Bonds* finally passed Hank Aaron, and America yawned. Seriously, I watched the thing because ESPN cut live to it while SportsCenter was on, and I could not have cared less. When Bonds*' shot landed, my first reaction was, "Oh yeah, that one was to pass Hank Aaron." My second reaction was to wonder what was on ESPN2. Because of what I knew, I felt absolutely nothing when Bonds* passed Aaron. That was the biggest negative for the Giants in a year that was full of them.

Positives on the field: Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain both blossomed into solid pitchers last year, making the Giants at least watchable when the other team was hitting. If Barry Zito can earn his paycheck and Noah Lowry can complement them well, San Francisco can at least pitch fairly well.

In terms of everyday players...um,...still working....I'll come up with something...Omar Vizquel still plays good defense? Nope, he's injured. I give up, I'll go with Bengie Molina playing decent defense. And they rejected trading for Alexis Rios? How will the Giants score? McCovey Cove will likely go devoid of balls this year.

Oh wait, I got one! Barry Bonds is no longer a San Francisco Giant. Man, I made that harder than necessary.

Negatives on the field: Just about everything else. When I look at the Giants' roster, I am reminded of Major League. I've never heard of half of these guys, and the ones I do know are way past their prime. Hopefully the Giants remembered to cross off the dead guy. But seriously, the Giants have in their projected lineup two players who are either not already at least 34 or not turning 34 during the season. The Giants are an old, bad team.

The bullpen isn't experienced. The closer is the title of a Barenaked Ladies song (Brian Wilson), and I'm not familiar with the bridge to him. This will get ugly fast.

Outlook: It isn't a good thing when rival scouts tell The Sporting News that quite simply, the Giants are dead in the water. Nobody sees them as a threat, and with good reason. This is likely to be the worst team in baseball in 2008, unless the starters simply become unhittable. Even then, the Giants would lose several games 1-0.

Projected finish: 5th in NL West. Season opener is March 31 at Dodger Stadium against Los Angeles. Giants home opener is April 7 at AT&T Park against San Diego

Spring base: Scottsdale Stadium, Scottsdale, Ariz, AKA Pedro Gomez's spring home. The team plays its games in the Phoenix and Tucson areas.

Fan of the team?: You have my pity. But check out McCovey Chronicles, the Giants fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads further down I-5 for a visit to the original team on the West Coast, the Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy the Barenaked Ladies.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Seattle Mariners

2008-03-13T18:54:00.000-07:00

A look back: All year long, Seattle transformed itself into a threat to make the playoffs out of the American League, eventually coming six games shy of doing so. To rectify that situation, the Mariners added Baltimore ace Erik Bedard to an already strong pitching staff in a park that rewards pitching to the extreme. Add in 19 games each against Texas and Oakland, a pair of bottom feeders, and the Mariners can realistically dethrone the Angels in the AL West.

Positives on the field: Ichiro and the aces. Ichiro Suzuki is one of the top leadoff men in the American League, and certainly tops in the AL West (only Cleveland's Grady Sizemore is really in the conversation), giving Seattle a huge edge. But the order doesn't stop with Suzuki. Raul Ibañez provides power in the cleanup spot, with several guys in the lineup having either potential for power, swings tailor-made for Safeco Field (Brad Wilkerson comes to mind) or both.

On the pitching side, Seattle has a pair of studs in Bedard and Felix Hernandez, and a bullpen with a lights-out closer named J.J. Putz. Jarrod Washburn, Miguel Batista and Carlos Silva are all serviceable in their roles. With as much an edge as Safeco provides its pitchers, that only helps confidence. Confidence breeds wins.

Negatives on the field: Seattle's order has too many spots that can turn into weaknesses if the hitters can't get on base. Suzuki is a given, but guys like Richie Sexson will have to rediscover their power or they're going to have to use Safeco's dimensions to the advantages they were meant to be used for.

The bullpen is solid at the end, even fantastic, but there isn't a great bridge to Putz. That will have to be discovered or Seattle's starters or hitters (or both) will have a lot of pressure to build leads so Putz has a chance to save them.

Outlook: It's Seattle's time. The Mariners have been building towards this for a while, and they are now ready to take the next step and return to the playoffs. The Angels won't go down easily, but Seattle finally has the pieces in place to unseat Los Angeheim and take the American League West crown.

Projected finish: 1st in AL West, lose to Tigers in ALDS. Season opener is March 31 at Safeco Field against Texas.

Spring base: Peoria Sports Complex, Peoria, Ariz. The team plays its games in Phoenix and Tucson, sharing the stadium with the San Diego Padres.

Fan of the team?: Check out Lookout Landing, a Mariners fan community.

Come back tomorrow: Who needs a DH? Well, actually, the next team might wish they could use one. The road trip returns to the Bay Area to open the tour of the National League with the San Francisco Giants.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Rick Trevino.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Angels of Los Angeheim

2008-03-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

A look back: As they tend to do, the Angels dominated the AL West enough for the first five months to win the division, despite the improvement of the Seattle Mariners last year. But injuries caught up with Los Angeheim, and few people besides my ex-girlfriend even remember the Angels were in the postseason after Boston easily dispatched them in three games. Simply put, the Angels couldn't hit in the postseason. If they're going to go anywhere in October, they'll need to stay healthy. But they've got to get out of September alive first, no longer an easy task.

Positives on the field: Who plays outfield? It's a problem Mike Scioscia is more than happy to have. He can put Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter, Garret Anderson, Gary Matthews Jr. and even super-utility man Chone Figgins on the grass and still be confident in their production. Los Angeheim has a balanced lineup that will play both sides of the ball well. That's an ingredient you need to become a good team. Other than shortstop, where Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis fight for the job, there isn't really much of a weak spot, although Casey Kotchman leaves a bit to be desired in terms of power at first base. But with the Angels' sluggers, that isn't a big deal.

On the pitching side, Los Angeheim is lights-out from the bullpen with Francisco Rodriguez anchoring the ninth inning. The rotation is solid but devoid of stars. Outside of K-Rod and the outfield, that tends to be how the Angels operate, and it's a reason that they've been good enough for years. Los Angeheim has just enough stars to be a good to great team, but not so many that the chemistry is sacrificed.

Negatives off the field: The Angels still have that stupid Los Angeles moniker in their name. As such, I continue to call them Los Angeheim.

Negatives on the field: Kelvim Escobar's hurt. That could damage the Angels' solid rotation, which was strengthened with the addition of Jon Garland. Ervin Santana has struggled in the past, and if he continues, the Angels will flounder every fifth day until the return of Escobar. Scot Shields struggled in the bullpen last year, and if that continues, Los Angeheim loses one of its biggest strengths unless Justin Speier becomes a lights-out setup man. The Angels have solid Plan B's, but they're just that, Plan B's.

On the hitting side, if the four Angels in the outfield can't put aside their egos for one to play DH every so often, the chemistry could easily crash. Those four are the team leaders, and if they let individual glory come first, the Angels are in trouble.

Outlook: The Angels will be a good team yet again. But is it going to be enough in a division where Seattle looks just as strong with even better pitching? Los Angeheim will need every bit of veteran experience and talent that it has if it is to hold off the Mariners' young guns. It is likely only one team comes out of the AL West, making the race possibly one of the best in baseball.

Projected finish: 2nd in AL West, no postseason. Season opener is March 31 at the Metrodome against Minnesota. Angels home opener is April 4 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim against Texas.

Spring base: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, Ariz. The team plays games throughout the Phoenix and Tucson areas.

Fan of the team?: Check out Halos Heaven, the Angels fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads to the Pacific Northwest, where the Seattle Mariners hope to dethrone the Angels as AL West champions.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy No More Kings.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Oakland Athletics

2008-03-11T14:51:00.001-07:00

A look back: The Athletics just weren't the same team they had been in previous years, finishing just one game ahead of Texas in the AL West. But those could be attributed to injuries and players having rough years. Now, Dan Haren is in Arizona, Nick Swisher is in Chicago, and the A's are in a world of trouble with a roster of kids. It's rebuilding time in the Bay Area. More on the Giants' disaster later.

Positives on the field: Jack Cust was a pleasant surprise last year, and it seems that Oakland has one every season. The problem is who it's going to be. If I had to guess, I'd say it's their young right fielder, Travis Buck, one of the few A's who approached .300 last season. He's young, but could produce. But I'll be honest, I have no clue.

The pitching could be solid if Rich Harden could ever stay healthy. He's a solid ace when he's got all his parts working together. Outside of him, the A's have some young guys who could be decent. Chad Gaudin was a decent pitcher last year, as was Joe Blanton. The bullpen is rock-solid if Huston Street can stay healthy.

Negatives on the field: Harden can't stay healthy. He's only thrown triple-digit innings twice in five years. Those are awful numbers for a guy who's supposed to be the man who stops a losing streak every five days when necessary. In the lineup, the A's look like an old Florida Marlins lineup. So much potential is there, but will it shine in the majors?

Outlook: Oakland is not attempting to win this year. The A's have a young team that could probably be better served with another season in Sacramento for most of the players. But that's what Billy Beane does, he tries to win through unconventional means. If the A's don't get broken up again due to high costs in a few years, they could move back into the top half of the American League by 2010. But for 2008, they'll be looking up at both Seattle and Los Angeheim from almost day one.

Projected finish: 3rd in AL West. Season opener is March 25 in Tokyo, Japan against the Red Sox. Athletics home opener is April 1 at McAfee Coliseum against Boston.

Spring base: Phoenix Municipal Stadium, downtown Phoenix. The team plays its games in both Phoenix and Tucson.

Fan of the team?: Check out Athletics Nation, an Athletics fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads down I-5 to Anaheim, and pays a visit to the team with the identity crisis, the Angels of Los Angeheim.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Rob Thomas.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Texas Rangers

2008-03-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

A look back: Texas had a rough start to their year, dropping a three-game set to Los Angeheim. The Rangers never recovered, and never managed to get even one game above .500 during the 2007 season. With a lousy pitching staff in a good hitter’s park, expect more of the same for the Rangers in 2008.

Positives on the field: In truth, there aren’t many. The Rangers do have some decent hitters, led by Michael Young and Hank Blalock. But with Mark Teixiera in Atlanta now, the Rangers’ lineup is nothing special overall. What kind of American League team has Frank Catalnotto as their designated hitter? Don’t get me wrong, I love Cat, he’s a good average hitter. But when your DH hits ninth, it’s not good.

The pitching is okay, not good. Kevin Millwood is Texas’s “ace”, Vincente Padilla is decent but not stellar. The Rangers’ bullpen has some good pieces with C.J. Wilson possibly serving as the closer, and Eddie Guardado waiting in the wings if he falters.

Negatives on the field: Ugh. Texas has little to like in either its lineup or its rotation. The Rangers never have any pitching, partially because Texas places value on hitting and partially because Rangers Ballpark is a hitter’s paradise. As usually happens, the result is many defeats. It’s a poor combination.

The batting order really falls off after Milton Bradley, with Marlon Byrd, Ben Broussard and Jarrod Saltamacchia ahead of Catalanotto. These guys won’t scare anyone with their hitters, and they won’t improve their standings from a year ago.

Outlook: The Rangers play in a two-tiered division. Unfortunately, the Rangers are in the bottom tier and are the worse team of the two in that tier. That makes things rather difficult for Texas. Luckily for Dallas-Fort Worth residents, because of the Mavericks’ and Stars’ success, they only have to pretend to care in July, when the NBA and NHL seasons are over and the Cowboys are still a month from camp.

Projected finish: 4th in AL West. Season opener is March 31 at Safeco Field against Seattle. Rangers home opener is April 8 against Baltimore at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Spring base: Surprise Stadium, Surprise, Ariz. The team shares the complex with the Kansas City Royals, but has its own field. The Rangers play games in both Phoenix and Tucson areas.

(Editor’s note: Seriously, I feel sorry for the good people of Surprise. They have two baseball teams in the spring, but they’re the Royals and Rangers. Does that still count as spring training?)

Fan of the team?: Check out Lone Star Ball, a Rangers fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip reaches the West Coast and visits the home of Moneyball, the Bay Area and the Oakland Athletics.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy The Lost Trailers

30 Teams in 30 Days: Detroit Tigers

2008-03-09T18:49:00.000-07:00

A look back: The Tigers came up short last year after winning the American League a season ago. So Detroit went out and grabbed two of Florida’s three remaining stars, Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera (the third is Hanley Ramirez). That’s given the Tigers as good a lineup as there is in baseball and another talented arm to add to an already strong rotation.

Positives on the field: Detroit’s lineup is scary. Seriously, go through it and attempt to find a guy you would be eager to face. If they’re all healthy, only Jacque Jones or Marcus Thames (maybe) fits the description. The Tigers will score runs, and lots of them.

In the rotation, Justin Verlander is outstanding, and has a lot of potential backing him up in Kenny Rogers, Nate Robertson, Jeremy Bonderman and Willis. There aren’t too many weaknesses in the Motor City.

Negatives on the field: The one weakness, though, could be a big flaw: the bullpen. Todd Jones frightens nobody as a closer, and Joel Zumaya won’t be back until about midway through the season. If Zumaya can throw gas when he returns, the Tigers’ bullpen will be strong enough to neutralize the weakness. But if he struggles, Detroit’s dreams could be derailed.

There’s also the question of how well Willis adjusts to American League hitters. His ERA wasn’t great in Florida, where the hitters aren’t quite as dominant and a pitcher is an out 9/10 times. He could easily flame out in Detroit, which would really hurt if Bonderman can’t bounce back.

Outlook: If Jones can simply get the job done at the end, Detroit has all the pieces in place to win the World Series. At a minimum, the Tigers will be in a fight for the playoffs. A slip can easily throw the division to Cleveland, who is about as talented as Detroit overall, but the Tigers are miles ahead of the other three teams in the AL Central, so anything worse than second would mean a disaster for Detroit.

Projected finish: 1st in AL Central, defeat Mariners in ALDS, defeat Indians in ALCS, defeat Phillies in World Series. Tigers opener is March 31 at Comerica Park against Kansas City.

Spring base: Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, Fla. The team tends to play games on the west coast and in the central part of Florida.

Fan of the team?: Check out Bless You Boys, a Tigers fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heats up with a visit to the Metroplex to check out the Texas Rangers.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Fastball.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Cleveland Indians

2008-03-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

A look back: Cleveland came very close to a World Series last season, finishing one win away after holding a 3-1 lead on Boston in the ALCS. After its young talent had disappointed the year before under the weight of expectations, the Tribe took off, taking the AL Central and defeating the Yankees in the ALDS behind the pitching of C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona. The Indians didn’t improve in the offseason, but they’ve got enough to make a strong run.

Positives on the field: Cleveland’s pocket aces of Sabathia and Carmona are the best 1-2 punch in baseball for a rotation. The two combined to win 38 games last year and were very good at keeping runs off the board while doing it. On the other side, Rafael Betancourt was nearly unhittable as the setup man, giving Cleveland a great bridge to Joe Borowski, the AL save leader.

The Indians’ young top of the lineup, Grady Sizemore, continued to show why he is one of the best, and Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez are both excellent hitters. Cleveland is young and very talented, and could be great for years if they can keep it all together.

Positives off the field: The Indians are leaving Winter Haven for Goodyear, Ariz. next season in spring training. It sucks that the Tribe is leaving Florida, but to be honest, Chain of Lakes Park is a dump.

Negatives off the field: Jacobs Field is now Progressive Field. That is lame.

Negatives on the field: How will the Tribe react to the loss at the hands of the Red Sox last year? That was a devastating way to go out, and if it lingers in the back of Cleveland’s mind, it will become more devastating.

As good as Borowski was in the save category, he was hardly dominant. Will he continue to tightrope out of danger? If not, Cleveland may have to make Betancourt the closer and move Masahide Kobayashi (not the hot-dog eating champion) to the setup role.

Outlook: Cleveland is a cut above the bottom tier of the AL Central, but maybe not good enough to match Detroit. But the Indians have great starting pitching and a dependable bullpen outside Borowski, the ingredients you need to have to become a great baseball team. Because of that, I say the Tribe gets its revenge on the Sox.

Projected finish: 2nd in AL Central, defeat Red Sox in ALDS, lose to Tigers in ALCS. Indians opener is March 31 at Progressive Field against Chicago.

Spring base: Chain of Lakes Park, Winter Haven, Fla. The team plays mainly against the central and western Florida teams. The Indians will move to Arizona in 2009.

Fan of the team?: Check out Let's Go Tribe, the Indians fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads north to the Motor City and visits the 2006 AL Champion Detroit Tigers.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy John Anderson.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Kansas City Royals

2008-03-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

A look back: The Royals again finished last, but Kansas City was an improved team in 2007. With a new manager in Trey Hillman and some young talent possibly reaching maturity, Kansas City could make a move if Chicago and Minnesota aren’t careful. Third place for the Royals? Don’t laugh, it could really happen this year.

Positives on the field: Kansas City’s got some pieces in place to be a competitive team once it matures. Alex Gordon and Billy Butler are young and talented, John Buck looks like a decent catcher and Jose Guillen has had success elsewhere before coming to KC. With the AL Central divided into haves (Detroit and Cleveland) and have-nots (the other three), they have the right environment to learn.

The Royals should have better pitching than you would think. Gil Meche was overpaid but solid last season, Brian Bannister and Zack Greinke should be ready to contribute and the Royals have several pitchers in camp to try to fill spots. Brian Lawrence could help if he’s healthy, as could Mike Maroth. With as many options as KC has, someone should step up.

Negatives on the field: KC is still very young. Butler and Gordon could easily deal with some growing pains to impede the progress they have made. If that happens, it’s going to be last place again for the Royals. Kansas City’s not talented enough in other areas to succeed if their young stars aren’t stars.

The bullpen is a big question. Joakim Soria was promising a season ago, but the Royals’ bridge between him and their starters is shaky at best. Kansas City will have to cultivate some solid middle relievers in order to avoid overworking its young starters.

Outlook: This is not as much an endorsement of the Royals as it is a thought of how the bottom three teams are very evenly matched. So why not Kansas City for third? It isn’t any less likely to happen than Chicago or Minnesota, so I’ll gamble.

Prediction: 3rd in AL Central. Season opener is March 31 against Detroit at Comerica Park. Royals home opener is April 8 at Kauffman Stadium against New York.

Spring base: Surprise Stadium, Surprise, Ariz. The team shares the complex with the Texas Rangers, but has its own field. The Royals play games in both Phoenix and Tucson areas.

Fan of the team?: Check out Royals Review, a Royals fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads to the team that came a win away from the AL pennant, the Cleveland Indians.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Lucky Boys Confusion.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Minnesota Twins

2008-03-06T16:11:00.000-08:00

A look back: The Twins entered 2007 as the defending AL Central champions, but the loss of Francisco Liriano and Joe Mauer helped derail any chance of a repeat. Minnesota wound up with a losing record and finished third in the AL Central. This year, there is no Johan Santana or Carlos Silva in the rotation, and no Torii Hunter in center field. Instead, the Twins will have to hope Liriano is healthy and that their well-stocked farm system has prepared its young players well enough for life in the AL Central.

Positives on the field: In Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, the Twins have a pair of young stars who should solidify first base and catcher as long as they're playing in Minneapolis. When healthy, Liriano proved just as good as Santana in 2006, and if that wasn't a fluke, he'll be a solid ace. The Twins' bullpen is as good as any in baseball, Joe Nathan is an outstanding closer, and Pat Neshek was almost unhittable as a setup man. If the game gets through seven and the Twins have the lead, that's usually the end.

Positives off the field: The Twins have a new ballpark in the works. Fans of the team have desired an open-air park for years, and they'll have one in 2010.

Negatives on the field: The Twins' offense won't scare anyone outside of the 3-4-5 spots. Delmon Young is talented but is exactly what his name implies. The same applies to Carlos Gomez. Nick Punto has a balsa bat, Mike Lamb struggles against right-handers and Adam Everett is Punto with less speed and better defense. The Twins have several holes in the lineup that a pitcher can breathe somewhat easy against compared to most AL lineups.

The rotation is very young, besides Livan Hernandez. Boof Bonser is still more famous for his name than any of his pitches, Kevin Slowey may be taking a fast car (knew I could work in that Amanda Wilkinson reference somehow) to Rochester when the Twins break camp and Liriano has had arm problems in the past. If he comes back strong, he will team with Scott Baker and Hernandez to provide a decent top of the rotation, but that's a big if, since he hasn't been an ace before.

Outlook: The Twins are building for the future. That's what they do best. Minnesota would be the American League's version of the Florida Marlins, except the Twins develop their own talent rather than hold fire sales and remain competitive while doing so. But staying competitive will be difficult with this group. Minnesota is in position to be a strong team very soon, but will struggle in 2008.

Projected finish: 4th in AL Central. Season opener is March 31 at the Metrodome against Los Angeheim.

Spring base: Bill Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers, Fla. Like the Red Sox, who also train in Fort Myers at another complex, the Twins play all over the state during the spring.

Fan of the team?: Check out Twinkie Town, a Twins fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip goes down I-35 to western Missouri, and stops in the City of Fountains for a visit to the Kansas City Royals.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Keane.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Chicago White Sox

2008-03-05T10:49:00.000-08:00

A look back: The season started well enough for the White Sox, with Mark Buehrle firing a no-hitter in April and Bobby Jenks tying the American League record for consecutive batters retired. That was all the positives on the South Side last year, as the White Sox finished fourth in the AL Central, just two years after winning the World Series. The division isn’t getting any easier, and the Pale Hose isn’t getting any better. It might be a long year for the Sox.

Positives on the field: The White Sox have some solid hitters that can mash the ball when they get a chance. Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye and Nick Swisher were all good for 20 or more home runs a season ago. In the American League, offense rules, and the White Sox certainly have enough of it to compete.

On the pitching side, Buerhle and Jenks return to anchor each end of the game. Jenks will have help from Octavio Dotel and Scott Linebrink, who should give Chicago a bullpen that can hold on to any lead its power hitters give them. The White Sox are dangerous if the bullpen can make it a six or seven-inning game most nights.

Positives off the field: Sam Zell doesn’t own the White Sox. What can I say, baseball tradition is important to me.

Negatives off the field: Ken Harrelson is still employed by the White Sox as a broadcaster. There aren’t too many people who could do worse than him. Plus, Ozzie Guillen and Jay Mariotti might fight again. Actually, that might be positive.

Negatives on the field: The White Sox can’t pitch that well, other than Buerhle. Jon Garland is gone, John Danks is very young and likely a year away and I wouldn’t trust Javier Vazquez and Jose Contreras as high-end starters on any major league team. Basically, outside of Buerhle, there’s not a starter the White Sox have that I’d want in 2008.

The Sox can’t hit for average all that well either. Orlando Cabrera is decent, but the rest of the order is all power, no average. That means the Sox will either score runs in bunches or get shut out. There will be no in-between. Plus, the power hitters are starting to age. Thome is 37, Dye is 34 and happy 32nd birthday, Paul Konerko. (Seriously, today’s his birthday.) If they drop off due to age, the White Sox will come apart in a hurry.

Outlook: Chicago can score, but the Sox don’t look like they can prevent scoring. The bullpen should be ready to hold leads, but they will be useless if the White Sox starters can’t pitch well enough to get those leads in the first place. Expect the White Sox to play a lot of slugfests this season, never a good sign. The South Siders have lost a lot of ground, and didn’t have much to begin with.

Projected finish: 5th in AL Central. Season opener is March 31 at Progressive Field against Cleveland. White Sox home opener is April 7 at U.S. Cellular Field against Minnesota.

Spring base: Tucson Electric Park, Tucson, Ariz. The team shares the stadium with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and plays games in both Tucson and Phoenix. The White Sox are actively looking to move their base to Glendale, a Phoenix suburb.

Fan of the team?: Check out South Side Sox, a White Sox fan community.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip heads further northwest to the Twin Cities and visits the 2006 AL Central champion Minnesota Twins.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Sugarland.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Boston Red Sox

2008-03-04T19:10:00.000-08:00

A look back: It was a great year to be part of Red Sox Nation in 2007. After falling behind 3-1 to the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS, Boston dug in deep to pull out three straight wins, then swept Colorado in the World Series to win its second crown in four years. After a year like that, the Red Sox are still loaded with veteran talent and home-grown young players, meaning that the road to the title goes through Beantown until someone says differently.

Positives on the field: Boston looked weak at second base last year, but Dustin Pedroia stepped up and filled the role nicely. The Red Sox think Jacoby Ellsbury can do the same thing at center field this year. Mike Lowell resurrected his career, J.D. Drew was a decent piece, and Boston’s bashers, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, continued to do what they do best. The Red Sox can slug with anyone, and the shape of Fenway Park gives them another big edge.

On the pitching side, Boston’s Big 3 became two when Curt Schilling tore his arm apart. He opted against surgery, but the earliest return for him is in July. That means Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz will have to step in and perform well if Boston is to keep itself ahead of challenges from New York and Toronto. But Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka are strong pitchers who give the Red Sox a great 1-2 punch. The bullpen is outstanding, anchored by Jonathan Papelbon and Hideki Okajima.

Negatives on the field: What if Boston’s wrong? Ellsbury is not a backup with a year or two under his belt, he just shined on baseball’s biggest stage. What if he just caught lightning in a bottle? If he wins the job in the spring and Boston trades Coco Crisp, the Red Sox are in trouble if Ellsbury can’t show he wasn’t a flash in the pan.

The same holds for Lester and Buchholz. Both will have to be ready to be strong enough to keep the rotation among the best. If one or both falter, the AL East is thrown wide open to the Sox’s challengers.

Outlook: Boston should be able to hold things together. The bullpen is basically lights out once a Red Sox starter hands them the game. The order is strong enough to hit with anybody, including the Yankees. With better pitching than New York and better hitting than Toronto, it’s Boston’s division to lose.

One interesting stat could prove fatal to the Red Sox in October: In this millennium, no defending World Series champion has won a game in the next year’s postseason. Only the 2002 Arizona Diamondbacks and 2005 Red Sox even made the playoffs, and both were swept in the first round.

Projected finish: 1st in AL East, lose to Indians in ALDS. Season opener is March 25 against the Oakland Athletics in Japan. Red Sox home opener is April 8 at Fenway Park against Detroit.

Spring base: City of Palms Park, Fort Myers, Fla. The team plays all over the state of Florida during spring training, as it is about the same distance to the Tampa Bay teams as it is to Florida’s East Coast.

Fan of the team?: Check out Over The Monster, a Red Sox blog.

Come back tomorrow: A different shade of Sox become the subject, as the road trip goes to the South Side of Chicago and takes a look at the White Sox.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Stewart Copeland.

30 Teams in 30 Days: New York Yankees

2008-03-03T15:35:00.000-08:00

A look back: The Bronx Bombers managed to find their way back into the playoffs last year, but Cleveland’s pocket aces made it a short stay, New York’s third straight loss in the ALDS. On top of that, Boston took the division and the Yankees had to watch the Red Sox celebrate their second title in four years. For those scoring at home, that makes two Boston titles to zero New York titles in this millennium. That’s something the Yankees have to change, fast.

Positives on the field: For once, the Yankees are getting pitching the old-fashioned way: developing it through their minor league system. Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain all could be in the rotation at some point this year. It’s very likely that all three will leave Tampa as part of the big league club. Mariano Rivera still anchors the bullpen, leaving that as a strength.

As for the hitting, the Yankees will continue to have great hitters. Any lineup with Robinson Cano at the eighth spot will mash the ball. This is always a New York strength, and 2008 is no exception. Alex Rodriguez will anchor an outstanding Yankee lineup that is strong throughout.

Positives off the field: Yankee Stadium will host the 2008 All-Star Game. Perfect sendoff to a historic park.

Negatives off the field: Yankee Stadium will close. Any time history goes, it’s not a good thing. But credit the Yankees for refusing to give the new Yankee Stadium a corporate name. Are you listening, Sam Zell?

Negatives on the field: It’s the rotation. What does Mike Mussina have left? Will Andy Pettite be distracted? Can the young arms hold up? Has Carl Pavano entered the witness protection program? OK, that last one was a joke, but those are big questions. The Yankees will only go as far as their rotation can carry them. If New York’s arms can’t hold up, it won’t matter how well the Yankees can hit. Without good to great pitching, New York can’t catch Boston, and could easily slip behind Toronto.

The only real question with the position players is first base and who will play there. Right now, it looks like Jason Giambi’s territory. But that could easily change. Speaking of change, Joe Girardi is the new Yankee skipper this year, replacing Joe Torre. Girardi is a fine manager, but will his style that worked so well in Florida and complete obscurity transfer to New York, baseball’s hottest spotlight?

Outlook: The Yankees will find it tough to make it back to the playoffs, even if they finish second. With Cleveland strong but looking up at Detroit in the Central and Los Angeheim or Seattle doing the same in the West, plus Toronto in its own division, there is plenty of competition for the wild card. It all depends on the Yankees’ pitching, which is the area where they don’t own the edge.

Projected finish: 2nd in AL East, no playoffs. Yankees opener is March 31 at Yankee Stadium against Toronto.

Spring base: Legends Field in downtown Tampa, Fla. The team plays the majority of its games in the Tampa Bay area, and does venture to Central Florida and the Gulf Coast.

Fan of the team?: Check out Pinstripe Alley, the Yankees blog.

Come back tomorrow: From one end of a rivalry to the other, the road trip visits Red Sox Nation, the defending world champions.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Over It.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Toronto Blue Jays

2008-03-02T11:22:00.001-08:00

A look back: After finally breaking the string of finishing third or worse every year since 1995 the year before, the Blue Jays slid a little, and the Red Sox and Yankees took advantage to re-assert their superiority. Toronto’s problems stemmed from an inability to hit, specifically from star Vernon Wells, who struggled badly after signing a new deal. An injury in April left B.J. Ryan out for the year, forcing the Jays to discover other pitching options. That allowed them to enter 2008 with an established rotation. Could this be the year Toronto returns to the playoffs?

Positives on the field: Toronto added defense in the offseason, importing David Eckstein and Scott Rolen from St. Louis to play shortstop and third base respectively. Alex Rios had a great season, Frank Thomas showed he still has some life left and Aaron Hill had a breakout first half. With established players Wells and Lyle Overbay in place, the Jays’ offense has a lot of talent.

On the pitching side, Roy Halladay again anchors the staff—if he can stay healthy. Freak injuries have happened to Halladay almost every season. The other spots could be big strengths if the pitchers live up to their promise. Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan solidified themselves in the rotation with breakout year, and A.J. Burnett looked to have recovered last season. If Ryan comes back strong, Jeremy Accardo, Casey Janssen, Scott Downs and Brandon League can make life difficult in the final three innings for Jays opponents.

Negatives on the field: There are too many variables for the Jays. Only Halladay is established as a true star in the rotation. Burnett has never been consistent in Canada, and Marcum and McGowan have just one season in the rotation. The fifth starter is up for grabs, with Jesse Litsch or Janssen the favorite to move into the spot. Neither has more than half a season as a starter. A Janssen move to the rotation depends heavily on whether League is ready for the setup role that he has been prepared for over the last few years. Too many things can go wrong even if the Jays stay healthy.

At the plate, Wells and Overbay must rebound from sub-par years, Rolen is not the offensive player Troy Glaus was and the Jays’ young players must show that they can consistently produce at a high level. The offense was the problem last year, never a good thing in the AL East.

Outlook: Toronto could win 90-95 games, but there is too much that can go wrong to put a lot of faith in the Jays. Still, the Jays should challenge the Yankees for second place in the division behind the Red Sox. If Toronto can resurrect its mastery of Boston (prior to last year, the Jays had dominated the Red Sox head-to-head), this becomes more likely. But Toronto will have its hands full in the wild card race with New York, Cleveland and the runner-up in the AL West (Seattle or Los Angeheim). The Jays have the least experience of those teams, which is likely to cost them.

Projected finish: 3rd in AL East. Season opener is March 31 at Yankee Stadium against New York. Jays home opener is April 4 at Rogers Centre against Boston.

Spring base: Knology Park in Dunedin, Fla. The team plays the majority of its games in the Tampa Bay area, and does venture to Central Florida and the Gulf Coast.

Fan of the team?: Check out Bluebird Banter, Toronto's fan blog.

Come back tomorrow: The road trip goes to the Bronx and the proudest franchise in baseball, the New York Yankees.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Carolina Rain.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Tampa Bay Rays

2008-03-01T12:56:00.000-08:00

A look back: The Rays overhauled their image by changing their name, logo and colors. Gone is the Devil from the name, gone is the green. Instead, the team will play as simply the Rays, with a logo that reflects the sunshine Tampa is famous for. Not that the Rays will see any, they still play under Tropicana Field’s roof. That’s supposed to change in 2012, but for now, it’s just bad baseball in a bad environment. Tampa was 66-96 last year, the worst in baseball. But the Rays do seem to have things going in the right direction, at least.

Positives on the field: Carl Crawford is established, B.J. Upton is on his way, Carlos Peña and Akinori Iwamura were great finds last year. The Rays can score. The offense is young and talented, speed is a weapon Tampa has in abundance and the problems caused by Elijah Dukes and Delmon Young are no longer Tampa’s. Evan Longoria is a potential star of the future at third base, and with the signing of Cliff Floyd, the Rays have options in the outfield. There’s a lot to like here.

On the pitching side, Tampa has strong arms in Scott Kazmir, James Shields and new acquisition Matt Garza. Those three will form the base of Tampa’s rotation for years to come—if the Rays can hold onto them. In the bullpen, Troy Percival showed he can still close, and Al Reyes and Dan Wheeler can do the job if he falters.

Positives off the field: The Rays have the new stadium planned. That will be welcome in Tampa, especially on the waterfront. Plus, they’re keeping baseball at the site of Al Lang Field if the projected site is where it’s built. Al Lang is full of history and should always host baseball.

(Semi) Negatives off the field: It’s a small thing, but the Rays must move spring training out of Al Lang Field to accomplish this. They’ll head to Port Charlotte, a good and bad thing. It’s good because it allows the Rays to expand their market and puts another team along I-75, good for fans in Southwest Florida. It’s bad because Port Charlotte will be overrun with Red Sox fans three or four times when Boston makes the 30-mile trip north from Fort Myers.

Negatives on the field: The Rays are still just kids. They aren’t ready to compete in the AL East with big-money clubs Boston, New York and Toronto. All three of those teams have payrolls of $100 million or more. The Rays counter at about $45 million. On the field, most of these players are under 25 with little Major League experience. It takes time to adjust. Tampa has a deep farm system, but those players won’t be ready to help yet.

After the Rays’ three strong pitchers, the talent drops off tremendously. Andy Sonnastine and Edwin Jackson, the projected No. 4 and 5 starters, combined to go 11-25 last year. That’s a problem. Three pitchers will not win in the AL East.

Outlook: The Rays’ youth will help them build something for the future, but will hurt them this year. But there are several good pieces in place. Tampa is building something here, something that looks like it could be worth paying attention to in the future. Will it pay off immediately? No, it won’t. The big three are too far ahead for Tampa to get a quick fix. But that’s not what the Rays want anyway. All they want this season is to build a competitive team that can win 70 games or more. They should do that this year, and could sniff .500, finally getting out of last.

Projected finish: 4th in AL East. Season opener is March 31 at Camden Yards against Baltimore. Rays home opener is September 8 at Tropicana Field against Seattle.

Fan of the team?: Check out Rays Bay, a Tampa Bay Rays blog.

Spring base: Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. The team plays its games in the Tampa Bay area, other locations on the West Coast of Florida and a few games down I-4 towards Orlando.

Come back tomorrow: Tomorrow the road trip heads to Canada and visits the Toronto Blue Jays, the new money in the AL East.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Switchfoot.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Baltimore Orioles

2008-02-29T09:58:00.000-08:00

Welcome to FreezeFire's new series, 30 teams in 30 days. If you've got it available, play a song that makes you feel like you're on a road trip. I personally recommend Open Road by Bryan Adams. We'll start in the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles

A look back: The Maryland Birds failed to win 70 games last year, but for the ninth time in 10 years, the Baltimore Orioles managed to finish in fourth ahead of the luckless Tampa Bay Rays. But the Orioles have acknowledged that they’re rebuilding, and have jettisoned some of their more recognizable pieces. That will make the Orioles better in the long run, but it will probably also make them the worst team in the AL East in 2008.

Positives on the field: Nick Markakis and Melvin Mora are still around, giving Baltimore two solid hitters. Ramon Hernandez is a decent catcher. Brian Roberts is a fine second baseman, but he’s likely to be moved any day now. That leaves the Orioles with several young players in the other spots, or several stopgap veterans. That’s not a way to win games, no matter how good Adam Jones is. Markakis may be asked to do too much, and could have a sub-par season as a result.

On the pitching side, Jeremy Guthrie is a fine starter, and Jamie Walker’s solid at the back of the bullpen. But Guthrie is no ace, and the Orioles won’t get Walker many opportunities. There are far too many questions for Baltimore.

Positives off the field: The Orioles are discussing moving their spring training operations to Vero Beach, Fla., once the Los Angeles Dodgers leave. That would make Baltimore’s spring training a required experience for an O’s fan, no matter how bad the Birds are.

Negatives: Where to begin? The Orioles’ projected rotation consists of Guthrie, Daniel Cabrera, Adam Loewen, Steve Trachsel and Hayden Penn. That could be a good rotation…someday. But that time is not this year. Guthrie is not an ace, Cabrera is a head case, Loewen and Penn are very young and Trachsel is on the back end of his career. There’s not much to like about Baltimore’s pitching.

On the hitting side, the four and five hitters are projected as Kevin Millar and Aubrey Huff. That won’t win in the American League at any point in their careers. Dave Trembley will need time after the Orioles have decided to wave the white flag on 2008.

Outlook: Baltimore wasn’t going to compete in the AL East anyway, not with Boston as the defending champion, New York and Toronto coming back strong and Tampa Bay looking like it has improved. So it made sense for the Orioles to blow it up and start again. As long as this becomes a one-time thing that results in building and not becoming the Marlins, it will benefit Baltimore in the future. But this year will be painful for Baltimore. 100 losses is likely.

Projected finish: 5th in AL East. Season opener is March 31 at Camden Yards against Tampa Bay.

Spring base: Fort Lauderdale Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The team plays almost all of its games on the East Coast of Florida.

Fan of the team?: Check out Camden Chat, an Orioles blog and fan community.

Come back tomorrow: Tomorrow we take a look at the team with the name change, the Tampa Bay Rays.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Bryan Adams.

Ecstasy to agony

2008-02-27T19:04:00.000-08:00

The Wednesday theme was supposed to be soft news. But the Wednesday theme sucks. So I'm junking it. Honestly, I just wanted an excuse to blog about my air bed.

Now, on to tonight's topic. Most of you have no idea about this situation, which involves two Virginia schools that I covered in December and January. Throughout the year, Stonewall Jackson had dominated every team it faced. The Raider girls were undefeated in the regular season and their district tournament. Potomac had struggled with injuries most of the year, and entered with double-digit losses. As you might expect, nobody gave the Panthers any chance against the Raiders in the first round of the regional tournament. In fact, a fellow journalist who also covered Stonewall privately told me after the Raiders thrashed Battlefield that Stonewall would not lose a game before the state tournament.

So of course, a tip-in by Potomac at the buzzer gave the Panthers a 60-59 win over the Raiders. In the blink of an eye, an undefeated season is gone, and it means absolutely nothing. Game over. Season over. For Stonewall's seniors, dream over. Meanwhile, Potomac is one win from the state tournament despite having to fight hard to even make it in as the second seed from its district.

This is the reality of sports, fortunes can change in an instant. Strangely, the reality hits hardest at the amateur level, where one postseason loss can turn a fantastic year into disaster for the top teams. The professional sports don't have that. The NFL has that reality of one loss ending a year, but if they so choose, each player can come back and try again next year. They choose their eligibility, or if they want to go somewhere else. The other three sports give multiple options. For an NCAA team to win the national title, it must go 6-0 in the postseason. An NBA team can go 16-12 and win the title.

At that same level, the reality divides into elite and underdog. The underdog is happy to still be playing, taking pleasure in every unexpected success. The elite set their sights on the title from the beginning. For them, anything short of making the highest level is a disappointment.

It is both the blessing and the curse of being on a top team. When an athlete plays for a poor team, the pressure is almost none. You simply enjoy the game, and losses don't tend to hurt as much as they would for a good team. On a team that has a chance to win everything, every loss is a blow. The pressure is fun, and the success enjoyable, but defeat is a terrible experience. Either way, there are positives and negatives.

That's why amateur athletics are such an important part of our culture, they bring out the most human emotions. This Stonewall-Potomac game was a reminder of why we love March Madness, why we love struggles with everything on the line. It's who we are.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Seven Wiser.

Deadline Deals

2008-02-26T22:29:00.000-08:00

The hockey trade deadline has now come and gone. This tends to be right up there with baseball for excitement in terms of deadlines, because football's comes at Week 6 and the NBA has a stupid soft salary cap that nobody can figure out. Hockey has a hard cap and comes at the perfect time. Here's my look at who won and who lost:

Winners:

Pittsburgh Penguins- The Penguins were aggressive again at the deadline, as they believe they can win the Cup. While the Devils stood still, Pittsburgh added Marian Hossa at little cost to them, plus Hal Gill from Toronto. The knock on Hossa is that he played on all those Ottawa Senators teams that choked in the playoffs. Is he tough enough to be Pittsburgh's missing piece? That will determine just how good this deal was.

Washington Capitals- The Southeast is so weak that it pushed Washington into thinking it was a buyer, and it's hard to argue that now with the haul the Caps brought in. Washington adds forward Sergei Federov and goalie Cristobal Huet, plus Vancouver's Mike Cooke. The Capitals probably won't win the Cup, but nor will they be an easy out.

Dallas Stars- Brad Richards was a great move. The 2004 Conn Smythe winner should give Dallas the offense it needs to help Marty Turco put the playoff demons behind him and lead the Stars deep into the playoffs. Dallas has become a serious threat to win the Cup, one of several in the West.

Losers:

Eastern Canada: What were the Habs, Sens and Leafs doing? Toronto was handcuffed by Mats Sundin's selfish refusal to allow himself to be rented for pieces that can help the Leafs. Aside to Sundin now that the deadline has passed: Free agency implies that you can sign with anyone after the year, you could have easily re-upped with a better Toronto team. Montreal forgot it was a buyer and dumped Huet to Washington, while picking up nobody. That'll finish the Habs off. As for Ottawa, the Sens added grit with Martin Lapointe, but they needed to solve the goaltending problems, which they failed to do. Not a good day for Canadian teams in the East.

New Jersey Devils: While the Penguins got aggressive, the Devils did nothing, watching Pittsburgh establish itself as a contender. New Jersey's got a strong team in place already, but are they really that confident that this year's version is that much better than the one the Senators waxed last year in the second round?

Detroit Red Wings: Ditto for the Wings, who watched Anaheim, Dallas, Minnesota and San Jose all improve their chances of sending Detroit home with another disaster. When you're as dominant as the Wings have been, you don't think you need much, but everything starts again in April, and Detroit usually folds in April.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Jack Ingram.

The life and Times of John McCain

2008-02-25T19:22:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, John McCain found himself at the center of controversy when a New York Times story suggested that McCain might have had an affair with one of his aides, Vicki Iseman. The Times followed up with a column that stated the story was about McCain's recklessness and disregard for others' opinion of him, and how it could hurt his chances for the presidency.

For years, the New York Times has been the gold standard along with the Washington Post in terms of print journalism. It has great credibility with its readers and journalists who work for other papers. It has great credibility with sources. It has its detractors, but these are few and far between for the most part. For the last 80+ years, the Times has been IT in terms of journalistic integrity.

That's why this is appalling. The Times might have followed up with a column that gave a full explanation, but as the most trusted newspaper there is, the Times has got to know how that story is going to read. I agree with the Times that it had to be mentioned in some capacity, because the information was essential to understanding why McCain's advisors were concerned about his situation.

But a paper, any paper, has to make sure that what they say can be taken in only one way. If the American public can interpret something as scandalous, it usually will. The Times has to know this. The paper has earned credibility by checking and double-checking its work to make sure it is both clear and accurate. That allows it to survive the occasional mistake, but the paper has to do better than that. Because it is the gold standard, the Times is held to the highest standards, and something confusing just isn't good enough for it.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Nickel Creek.

Welcome to the wild, wild Midwest

2008-02-24T18:39:00.000-08:00

After a Sunday where everyone in the Big 12 played, nothing is settled except that Texas is good, Colorado is not, and the other 10 all have strengths and flaws. There are three teams that can probably feel safe: Texas, Kansas and Kansas State. Everyone else is at least two games behind those three teams. Barring a complete pratfall, K-State will finish 10-6 or better since the Wildcats play Colorado and Iowa State, along with KU and Texas.

So there's three solid teams. Texas A&M is crumbling, and could cost itself a bid. Home losses to Oklahoma State and Nebraska impress nobody. A&M could easily lose out since it has to go to Baylor and Oklahoma, along with hosting Kansas (the other game is Texas Tech). That would probably knock the Aggies out of the NCAAs.

If A&M falters, Baylor and Oklahoma are both in great shape. Oklahoma will have the better case since it beat Baylor twice. But Baylor now has a signature win after beating K-State. Being completely honest, the Bears should not lose again until the conference tournament. That would make Baylor 22-8, and that should get the Bears in. Oklahoma must beat A&M at home. Other than two over Baylor, the Sooners' best win all year is Gonzaga. While 20 wins normally gets you in, it didn't for K-State last year. Oklahoma must beat A&M to feel completely sure going to Kansas City.

As for the rest? With the least losses, Nebraska probably has the best chance, albeit a long shot. Wins over Arizona State and Oregon look good, but a loss to Colorado looks bad. Nebraska needs to hold serve at home and beat either Oklahoma State or Texas on the road to have a shot. Win both and win a game in KC, I'd have to say Nebraska belongs for sure. But I doubt it happens.

Oklahoma State is sizzling right now, but a loss to Missouri would give all that momentum back, and the Cowboys are an NIT team anyway. Same for Missouri, despite the tough schedule. Texas Tech might not win another game in the regular season. Iowa State is in the same boat, and Colorado is Colorado.

So, my outlook for the Big 12 at this point is that five bids are likely, six is possible. Texas, KU and K-State are in (barring a collapse), Baylor and Oklahoma looks good. Texas A&M controls its own destiny, but if it slips, the door opens for Nebraska. No matter what, it's going to be a fun ride. Unless people comment telling me this is what they want, this won't be a regular posting, but I will start commenting on conferences more frequently.

While I have you here, I'd like to tell you about Freeze Fire's upcoming series: 30 teams in 30 days. It's a month-long preview of Major League Baseball, leading up to the American season opener in Washington between the Braves and Nationals. It starts on February 29th, and I'll lead off with the American League East, the division I know best. Don't worry, other posts will still be coming up to go along with the series. Enjoy.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy The Used.

Happy birthday, Mike

2008-02-21T23:46:00.000-08:00

This is normally a spot where I talk about some kind of news in sports, or politics, something along those lines. But today is no normal day. Today would have been my father Mike Angell's 49th birthday.

At 14, you don't expect to lose your father, and you really don't know what you have until you lose that relationship. But death is not the end of the relationship. Since his passing, my father has given to me in many ways. One of the most obvious is the re-opening of his side of the family. Due to personality conflicts, I grew up having seen my aunts and uncles on my father's side once, maybe twice in 14 years. One aunt lived in the next county, and I had never seen her. That changed once my father was no longer around. I've often wondered if giving that gift to make our family complete was the reason for that.

It wouldn't shock me if that was the case. Mike wasn't someone who saw his own successes as being more important than those he cared about. His sports teams certainly displayed that. As a fan of the Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Browns, he saw the Browns win an NFL title in 1964, then never saw Cleveland reach a Super Bowl in 43 years of life. In the last 13 years, two of his sons (obviously not me) have a combined four Super Bowl titles. He never saw his Indians win a World Series. I have two titles from my Blue Jays.

But that wasn't what mattered most to him. He cared most about spending as much time as he could with those that mattered to him. That was the reason for the family firewood business. Although we hated having to split wood all day long, (as a result, I hate snow to this day) we did it because he wanted to spend as much time with his family as possible. He had a normal job for years, one where his bosses enjoyed having him. But that cut into his time with the family, so he decided to build his firewood business from something he did on the side into a way of life.

From making deliveries to his friends and neighbors, he expanded to include restaurants throughout the Washington D.C. and Baltimore metro areas. He added accounts that he knew he couldn't get to frequently without spending much of his time on the road, then added partners local to those areas to share the revenue with. He understood his business and was determined. An example can be found in California Pizza Kitchen. When he first started to add restaurants by taking a contract with The Italian Oven, he had his eyes set on the more famous CPK chain from the start. About a year after adding The Italian Oven, he had not only taken on barbecue chain Red River, but had nine California Pizza Kitchens receiving firewood from him once a week. From there, the business expanded to include Carrabba's, Macaroni Grill, Famous Dave's barbecue and Red Hot and Blue, plus other smaller places. For the Red Hot and Blue account, he had things figured out so well that he had a free order of potato salad written into his contract every time he made a delivery to any of his RH&B restaurants. (Later, I had a free peanut butter pie written into my contract. Then it was discontinued. I wasn't as good at this as he was.)

But although I might not be as good at that, I think I've got the determination, and that's what's led me to the Trentonian. I know he had something to do with that, and I know that I'm making him proud by doing what I'm doing. One thing Mike knew how to do was push for talent. From the beginning, he was on me to do well in class because he thought I do anything I wanted if I worked hard enough. Now I am doing what I love. He pushed Simon just as hard in baseball, and Simon was the second-best player in the district his senior year.

Everything I do, I do to honor him. I'm proud to be his son and grateful for all I've received because of him.

My time is up. You've all been great. In honor of Mike, enjoy Merle Haggard.

Backhanded soft news

2008-02-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

So Wednesday is quickly becoming the day that I don't end up posting anything. So, what do I talk about today? Probably one of the biggest time-wasters ever: reality television.

The way I look at it, there aren't many good things about reality television. Most of the drama and fights are artificial, caused by the premise behind the show. Plus, a lot of them just seem pointless to me. There is no appeal to me watching people try to live without technology on Survivor. I can't say I believe the show, I remain convinced they hand these players a feast after the cameras stop rolling. As for the shows with no game element whatsoever, I just don't care. I don't need or want to see how average people live with each other in a mixed situation. I can already see that in real life.

To date, I have found only two reality shows that I like: The Apprentice and The Mole. I think probably the main reason these shows have made my short list is because the drama is not the focal point of the show. Although the drama is huge for The Apprentice, the main focus is what goes on in the business tasks, save for last week's episode when Piers Morgan got trashed by a demon named Omarosa for the entire episode. My Lenten resolution was to reduce my cursing, so I won't call her what she deserves.

As for The Mole, the show is dramatic enough because of the challenges, and there's no need for additional drama. That doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, because some games bring out undesired emotions, and tough losses amplify emotions. But the lack of drama is making a return this summer: ABC is planning to bring The Mole back without celebrities, who ruined the game the first time out. All I have to say about that one is that I really hope they bring in the right host. When a game forces you to think, it's great to watch, and a good host can really make it worthwhile.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Amanda Wilkinson.

Time to go, Kelvin

2008-02-19T21:19:00.000-08:00

Kelvin Sampson's Indiana Hoosiers knocked off Purdue tonight, putting the Hoosiers in first place and giving them a bittersweet win over their most bitter rival. Bittersweet, because that might have been Kelvin Sampson's final game as the Hoosiers' coach. It's a little too late.

As big of a jerk as I think Bob Knight is and was, (and I do, as evidenced here.) he didn't cheat at Indiana. IU fans pride themselves on that fact. The Hoosiers never get probation, and they are seen as one of the few things in college basketball that has little negative. So it's a punch in the gut that Sampson cheated...again. This time he did it as the coach of Indiana, and Hoosiers fans are outraged. They should be.

But why is he still coaching this team? Sampson should have been suspended as soon as these allegations surfaced unless Indiana was darn sure that he was innocent. Because they investigated it, it's obvious that Indiana is not convinced of their coach's innocence. So why let him keep coaching? The answer is simple: it's because Sampson's team is leading the Big Ten. There's no other explanation. If he didn't have a great shot at a title, the obvious move is to remove him as coach, because IU has nothing to lose. But if he's innocent and Indiana deprives him of a shot at coaching a team to a title, he'd be upset, and justifiably so. He'd be a lock to leave.

But to be honest, I think Sampson's as innocent as Roger Clemens, making this a risk Indiana could afford to take. If it backfired, so what? At least the Hoosiers would have done the right thing, and kept their integrity. Instead, they've left it to be questioned, and that could really backfire on them, especially if the NCAA takes this into account.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Summercamp.

Andy Pettite shows class

2008-02-18T21:51:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another post at Freeze Fire, and today the subject is Andy Pettite. Basically, this was the complete opposite of Roger Clemens. Pettite admitted he had made a mistake, explained why he made said mistake and asked for forgiveness from the fans he let down with his actions.

Contrast that with Clemens, who played a tape of a conversation with Brian McNamee while never asking him to tell the truth. Clemens's story fell apart as his friend Pettite and wife Debbie both gave testimony that backed up what McNamee was saying. In a matter of hours, Clemens went from maybe being credible to it being more likely that Ron Paul would win the presidency than that Clemens was telling the truth.

That's what this is all about. Two men who cheated, to put it in black and white. One of those men continued to deny, deny, and blames everyone but himself, even if that means throwing his wife and friend under the bus. In the process, he makes himself look like a whiny 6-year-old desperate for anything he can use to save himself from trouble. The other man was honest from the beginning after he was accused of use of HGH. He took all the blame himself, calling the action stupid and desperate. Basically, he showed a level of maturity that his friend and ex-teammate still has not mastered.

Yes, Andy Pettite used illegal substances. But today is not the day that he should be crucified for that action. He told the truth from the beginning, and in doing so, he kept his honor. For that, he deserves our respect.

The question now becomes what the Yankee clubhouse thinks of this. New York can't afford to let this become a distraction. The Yankees will need Pettite to be what they asked him to be when they signed him: a reliable No. 2 starter who can win the Yankees some games. If he becomes a distraction to players like Derek Jeter, who has shown nothing but class as the Yankee captain--with the possible exception of the A-Rod situation.

But this may be Jeter's toughest challenge as the Bronx Bombers' captain yet. Jeter must keep the clubhouse together in the wake of this situation, which has yet to show how Pettite will be received. I say this is Jeter's challenge because manager Joe Girardi has not had this kind of pressure before. He was a manager for one year...in Florida, which is essentially no pressure at all. New York is the most intense pressure in baseball, especially in this borough. So Jeter must help his manager shoulder the load. If he can't do it, there's a team to the north waiting for any opportunity the Yankees would give them if New York slips in any way.

Oh, I'm not talking about the Red Sox there, they're the favorite in the division already. I'm referring to Toronto.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy City Sleeps.

I don't understand Nascar

2008-02-16T23:44:00.000-08:00

As you might know, the Daytona 500 is tomorrow. To be completely honest, I couldn't care less. It's just cars going around in a circle for a certain amount of laps to me. I know that many people care who wins and will watch every bit of the race. But I don't really understand why.

First, I don't see what the appeal of watching is. There aren't highlights, there aren't fantastic plays. If you watch a baseball game, you're going to see a home run, a great piece of hitting or a nice defensive play. Football, you'll see a great catch or a sack. Hockey, a great shot or an even better save. Even though I hate the dunk, basketball has that moment of excitement for those who love it. Even tennis will have an absolutely gorgeous shot at the end of a rally. A car race has what, exactly?

Second, I don't understand the concept of teams. They compete against each other. They help each other a little, but for the most part, they're competing against each other to try for individual glory. The team is basically pointless, because it's an individual victory and an individual responsible for the win. So why even have the concept of teams if its members are going to compete against each other as well as everyone else? It's foreign to me.

Third, I'll be honest...watching the "sport" is the equivalent of watching rush hour. You can see everything these cars can do on any given interstate at 5:00 p.m., and it's usually more entertaining. The only difference is that the speed is divided by half, but the aggression of the drivers is the same. If I ever get the urge to watch a Nascar race, I'll just go out to I-70 with my beach chair and get comfortable. Basically, it'll be more entertaining.

But I guess it's just a world I'm not supposed to understand. That's okay, because I don't have to. Luckily for me, NBC has the good sense to put on a hockey game between Detroit and Dallas. If the game sucks, I've got a Playstation 2, I can always use that. Either way, I won't be watching this race.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Waiting for Evangeline.

Arlen Specter, give up

2008-02-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

Photo through Creative Commons

As those of you who know me are aware, I'm proud to be a Republican. I'm conservative in my beliefs, and proud to be originally from a red state. But were I a resident of Pennsylvania in 2010 for Senate, I absolutely would not be voting for Arlen Specter, even though he's a Republican.

This is tax dollars at work in the Keystone State: Arlen Specter is spending his time on a witch hunt to punish the New England Patriots for taping other teams' signals for years. Now, I hate the Patriots, and I openly rooted for the New York Giants to win Super Bowl XLII. I did feel bad for my friend Jenni afterwards, but I still was happy the Giants ended the Patriots' perfection bid.

This is going way too far, though. Let the NFL police itself, it has a system in place to punish teams who do this. What does it matter to Specter what the Patriots do and what they don't do? Are sports really more important than running the nation from the perspective of what's best for Pennsylvania? In his own state, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney has essentially cleared the Patriots from any wrongdoing, saying it made no difference. Shouldn't this be a sign that Pennsylvania deserves better than this?

In other news, some former St. Louis Ram named Willie Gary is suing New England for $100 million in damages for this. Let's get this straight: every team tries for an edge. New England just got caught. Why can't we let this die already? This story is being beaten to death. It was one thing when it was just the league and its teams. When it involves our legislative branch and our legal system, it becomes lunacy.

Fortunately, Arlen Specter's time might be running short. The good people of Pennsylvania should send a message that they care about the running of the country and how the country benefits Pennsylvania when they elect their leaders. Whether that means a different Republican or a Democrat, so be it. The Keystone State deserves a politician who looks out for those other than himself.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Ashley Monroe.

Life on an air bed

2008-02-14T18:18:00.000-08:00

Since yesterday was a day for real news, today will temporarily become my soft news day this week. Expect soft news to establish a permanent home on Wednesday, unless something happens again. So I'll celebrate Pitchers and Catchers Report Day by talking about...my air bed.

Most people don't have experience sleeping on one for an extended period of time. Since moving into my duplex in August, I've slept on one every night. Before that, I had slept on a traditional mattress every night. I can honestly say that I'll never go back unless I absolutely have to do so. To emphasize that, my current bed had a chamber snap, and I still have yet to tell my mother about it, even though she'd love nothing more than to buy me a real bed. I love sleeping on air instead of springs, and keeping my current bed is the only way that can happen, short of my buying a new one.

What are the benefits? You control how firm the bed is with the flick of a switch. Is the bed sagging? Hit the switch, fixed in seconds. Is it too firm? Twist the dial, release a little air, and it's perfect. Plus, the feel of sleeping on air is fantastic. No springs putting unnecessary pressure on your back, as is always stated in the commercials.

That brings me to the one big difference between an air mattress and an air bed: the chambers. An air bed has multiple chambers, lifting you off the floor, albeit not as much as a real bed. But although there's not as much lift, it still feels like a real bed.

On the negative side, it's not durable, and there's no point denying that. That's to be expected since it ranges from 1/5-1/10 of the cost of a real bed. But occasionally, a hole does spring up. When that happens, you can try to either fix the leak with the kit they give you, or duct tape. I would honestly recommend duct tape, because the kit is 0-for-2 in fixing leaks. Plus, a chamber can occasionally burst. If that happens, the bed gets a weird bulge and can no longer distribute air evenly. That makes it difficult to sleep well on it, because you've got an air bulge on your side, or you're on the bulge. Either way, it's tough.

But overall, the air bed's positives just outweigh its negatives. For under $100, it's more comfortable than any regular bed I've used, and can be taken anywhere. The only problem is its durability, but if that's the only reason I would choose a bed, I'll take the better comfort and work around the durability. That's my opinion, the air bed is one of my best purchases, and I've never regretted the choice.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Carolyn Dawn Johnson.

William and Mary president out

2008-02-13T12:56:00.001-08:00

(Editor's note: This post was moved to the top since I believe it takes highest importance)

Today is Wednesday, which was about to become my traditional "soft news" day, where I talk about something random. But something more important has happened today, and I will talk about that first. If I have time, the soft news post will come later tonight.

Today's blog post focuses on Gene Nichol's removal as president of the College of William and Mary. To tell the story, I turn to a better source, my friend Christen Crocker, a student at W&M.

-The school wants to canonize him and everyone outside wants to crucify him. Some outside the school are saying it was a good thing they fired him, because he was anti-Christian (Wren Cross) and he allowed 'degeneracy (the sex workers' art show) to come and demoralize the students'

But Wren Cross was overblown. He should have not tried to make a unilateral decision, but most of the Christians didn't care that much. The sex workers art show put him in a no-win situation, and he did ban nudity. Plus, it was the student assembly who brought it here.

On the other side, he was shady about a donor who withdrew $12 million because of Wren Cross, and all of his mistakes brought a lot of bad publicity for the school.

The funny thing is all of the more "liberal artsy" classes, such as modern language, philosophy, art, etc. are cancelling class. All the hard sciences are saying that's the way the world works, and wondering why would we shoot ourselves in the foot by canceling classes to prove a point at an institution of higher learning. The dichotomy is comical.

I think the student body and professors generally like him, but a lot of people are letting emotions get the better of them and making really outrageous statements. Some minority students are now saying they don't feel welcome or safe if he's not here. I'm not sure where they're getting that as we were not racist before he came, although he has definitely worked hard to promote diversity

I don't necessarily disagree with the decision, just the way it was carried out. The Board of Visitors were under pressure to fire him and so they held our Charter Day weekend and lauded him, ate with him, etc. Then at the end told him they weren't renewing his contract AND offered him hush money to say that it wasn't an ideological difference, which is awful.

In his exit last night, Nichol did well in encouraging the students to continue learning and to leave their mark on the school as a way of doing something for him. He added that he did not want what is happening to cause minority and lower socio-economic status students to leave. --

There will be no "My time is up" ending here, because today's post is not my work.

Thanks again to Christen for this. Statements from President Nichol and board member Michael K. Powell are available here on FreezeFire, and can be found here for President Nichol and here for Michael K. Powell. You can also scroll down to find the statements.

William and Mary statement 2

2008-02-13T12:53:00.001-08:00

Michael K. Powell's statement:

February 12, 2008

Dear Members of the College of William and Mary Community,

President Nichol has announced he will not serve the remainder of his term. We had hoped that he would and regret his decision. The Board of Visitors decision not to renew his contract after his current agreement expires on June 30th was extremely difficult. President Nichol achieved some outstanding things during his tenure. His energy and passion is legendary. He is a truly inspirational figure who has enjoyed the affection of many. After an exhaustive review, however, the Board believed there were a number of problems that were keeping the College from reaching its full potential and concluded that those issues could not be effectively remedied without a change of leadership.

It is critical to explain that this decision was not in any way based on ideology or any single public controversy. To suggest such a motivation for the Board is flatly wrong. Indeed, the Board has been repulsed by the personal attacks on the President and his family. The uncharitable personal assaults are unworthy of anyone who professes to care about the College and there should be no joy when things do not work out between good people.

Many policies championed by President Nichol are fully embraced by the Board. We agree unflinchingly with the President’s efforts to make William and Mary a more diverse educational environment. His achievements in this area will be the most enduring part of his legacy. We will continue the pursuit with vigor and will insist that all future presidents of the College do as well. We strongly support the Gateway program and will work to put it on sound financial footing by building an endowment that will allow it to blossom. Equally, we continue to see the enormous value that attends to the efforts of internationalization and civic engagement. And, so there is no doubt, the Board will not allow any change in the compromise reached on the placement of the Wren Cross.

The Board is cognizant that its decision will be deeply disappointing to many, especially members of our faculty and student body. Our sacred stewardship and full insight into the affairs of the College convinced us change was necessary to advance the best interests of the College. We understand the sense of loss and will work hard to heal all wounds.

But it is important to remember that William and Mary is stronger and more enduring than any one person or any one board. It will continue to rise and thrive through the ages. She is the Alma Matter of a Nation and the vibrancy of our students coupled with the wisdom and dedication of our masterful faculty will keep the College shining more brightly than any star in the constellation of higher education.

The College will begin a search for a new president immediately. In the interim, the Board will appoint Dean W. Taylor Reveley effective immediately to serve as President until a permanent leader is found.

Michael K. Powell ‘85

Rector, Board of Visitors

William and Mary statement 1

2008-02-13T12:46:00.000-08:00

The following is an e-mail from Gene Nichol distributed to William and Mary, presented here in its original form.

Dear Members of the William & Mary Community:

I was informed by the Rector on Sunday, after our Charter Day celebrations, that my contract will not be renewed in July. Appropriately, serving the College in the wake of such a decision is beyond my imagining. Accordingly, I have advised the Rector, and announce today, effective immediately, my resignation as president of the College of William & Mary. I return to the faculty of the school of law to resume teaching and writing.

I have made four decisions, or sets of decisions, during my tenure that have stirred ample controversy.

First, as is widely known, I altered the way a Christian cross was displayed in a public facility, on a public university campus, in a chapel used regularly for secular College events -- both voluntary and mandatory -- in order to help Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and other religious minorities feel more meaningfully included as members of our broad community. The decision was likely required by any effective notion of separation of church and state. And it was certainly motivated by the desire to extend the College’s welcome more generously to all. We are charged, as state actors, to respect and accommodate all religions, and to endorse none. The decision did no more.

Second, I have refused, now on two occasions, to ban from the campus a program funded by our student-fee-based, and student-governed, speaker series. To stop the production because I found it offensive, or unappealing, would have violated both the First Amendment and the traditions of openness and inquiry that sustain great universities. It would have been a knowing, intentional denial of the constitutional rights of our students. It is perhaps worth recalling that my very first act as president of the College was to swear on oath not to do so.

Third, in my early months here, recognizing that we likely had fewer poor, or Pell eligible, students than any public university in America, and that our record was getting worse, I introduced an aggressive Gateway scholarship program for Virginians demonstrating the strongest financial need. Under its terms, resident students from families earning $40,000 a year or less have 100% of their need met, without loans. Gateway has increased our Pell eligible students by 20% in the past two years.

Fourth, from the outset of my presidency, I have made it clear that if the College is to reach its aspirations of leadership, it is essential that it become a more diverse, less homogeneous institution. In the past two and half years we have proceeded, with surprising success, to assure that is so. Our last two entering classes have been, by good measure, the most diverse in the College’s history. We have, in the past two and a half years, more than doubled our number of faculty members of color. And we have more effectively integrated the administrative leadership of William & Mary. It is no longer the case, as it was when I arrived, that we could host a leadership retreat inviting the 35 senior administrators of the College and see, around the table, no persons of color.

As the result of these decisions, the last sixteen months have been challenging ones for me and my family. A committed, relentless, frequently untruthful and vicious campaign -- on the internet and in the press -- has been waged against me, my wife and my daughters. It has been joined, occasionally, by members of the Virginia House of Delegates -- including last week’s steps by the Privileges and Elections Committee to effectively threaten Board appointees if I were not fired over decisions concerning the Wren Cross and the Sex Workers’ Art Show. That campaign has now been rendered successful. And those same voices will no doubt claim victory today.

It is fair to say that, over the course of the past year, I have, more than once, considered either resigning my post or abandoning the positions I have taken on these matters -- which I believe crucial to the College’s future. But as I did so, I thought of other persons as well.

I thought of those students, staff, faculty, and alumni, not of the religious majority, who have told me of the power of even small steps, like the decision over display of the Wren Cross, to recognize that they, too, are full members of this inspiring community.

I have thought of those students, faculty, and staff who, in the past three years, have joined us with explicit hopes and assurances that the College could become more effectively opened to those of different races, backgrounds, and economic circumstances -- and I have thought of my own unwillingness to voluntarily abandon their efforts, and their prospects, in mid-stream.

I have thought of faculty and staff members here who have, for decades, believed that the College has, unlike many of its competitors, failed to place the challenge of becoming an effectively diverse institution center stage -- and who, as a result, have been strongly encouraged by the progress of the last two years.

I have thought of the students who define and personify the College’s belief in community, in service, in openness, in idealism -- those who make William & Mary a unique repository of the American promise. And I have believed it unworthy, regardless of burden, to break our bonds of partnership.

And I have thought, perhaps most acutely, of my wife and three remarkable daughters. I’ve believed it vital to understand, with them, that though defeat may at times come, it is crucial not to surrender to the loud and the vitriolic and the angry -- just because they are loud and vitriolic and angry. Recalling the old Methodist hymn that commands us “not to be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong,” nor “afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.” So I have sought not to yield. The Board’s decision, of course, changes that.

To my faculty colleagues, who have here created a distinctive culture of engaged, student-centered teaching and research, I will remember your strong and steadfast support until the end of my days.

To those staff members and alumni of this accomplished and heartening community, who have struggled to make the William & Mary of the future worthy of its distinctive past, I regret that I will no longer be part of that uplifting cause. But I have little doubt where the course of history lies.

And, finally, to the life-changing and soul-inspiring students of the College, the largest surprise of my professional life, those who have created in me a surpassing faith not only in an institution, but in a generation, I have not words to touch my affections. My belief in your promise has been the central and defining focus of my presidency. The too-quick ending of our work together is among the most profound and wrenching disappointments in my life. Your support, particularly of the past few weeks and days, will remain the strongest balm I’ve known. I am confident of the triumphs and contributions the future holds for women and men of such power and commitment.

I add only that, on Sunday, the Board of Visitors offered both my wife and me substantial economic incentives if we would agree “not to characterize [the non-renewal decision] as based on ideological grounds” or make any other statement about my departure without their approval. Some members may have intended this as a gesture of generosity to ease my transition. But the stipulation of censorship made it seem like something else entirely. We, of course, rejected the offer. It would have required that I make statements I believe to be untrue and that I believe most would find non-credible. I’ve said before that the values of the College are not for sale. Neither are ours.

Mine, to be sure, has not been a perfect presidency. I have sometimes moved too swiftly, and perhaps paid insufficient attention to the processes and practices of a strong and complex university. A wiser leader would likely have done otherwise. But I have believed, and attempted to explain, from even before my arrival on the campus, that an emboldened future for the College of William & Mary requires wider horizons, more fully opened doors, a broader membership, and a more engaging clash of perspectives than the sometimes narrowed gauges of the past have allowed. I step down today believing it still.

I have also hoped that this noble College might one day claim not only Thomas Jefferson’s pedigree, but his political philosophy as well. It was Jefferson who argued for a “wall of separation between church and state” -- putting all religious sects “on an equal footing.” He expressly rejected the claim that speech should be suppressed because “it might influence others to do evil,” insisting instead that “we have nothing to fear from the demoralizing reasonings of some if others are left free to demonstrate their errors.” And he averred powerfully that “worth and genius” should “be sought from every condition” of society.

The College of William & Mary is a singular place of invention, rigor, commitment, character, and heart. I have been proud that even in a short term we have engaged a marvelous new Chancellor, successfully concluded a hugely-promising capital campaign, secured surprising support for a cutting-edge school of education and other essential physical facilities, seen the most vibrant applicant pools in our history, fostered path-breaking achievements in undergraduate research, more potently internationalized our programs and opportunities, led the nation in an explosion of civic engagement, invigorated the fruitful marriage of athletics and academics, lifted the salaries of our lowest-paid employees, and even hosted a queen. None of this compares, though, to the magic and the inspiration of the people -- young and older -- who Glenn and I have come to know here. You will remain always and forever at the center of our hearts.

Go Tribe. And hark upon the gale.

Gene Nichol

Dear ESPN, I don't care

2008-02-12T17:37:00.000-08:00

Image through Creative Commons, courtesy of Rudy C. Jones.

If you watched college basketball last night, you were treated to some very interesting basketball games. You had Texas holding off Kansas at the end. You had Villanova getting screwed at Georgetown for a brush 80 feet from the basket. On the women's side, you had Tennessee somehow catching and releasing a shot in 0.2 seconds. Three fine finishes. So, to lead off SportsCenter, ESPN started with...Roger Clemens?

Look, I know to a fair amount of people, Clemens-Brian McNamee is a huge story. I'm not one of them. First, Roger Clemens is retired now (again), so why does it matter? He's not a player, and he's not eligible for the Hall of Fame. Until he satisfies one of those requirements, why should I care that much? Second, this story has been ongoing for the past few weeks. The only thing new that comes out is McNamee injected Clemens or his wife some amount of times, and Clemens denies. We know that already. No new information will come until Clemens and McNamee go before Congress, or a judge or someone else outside of baseball.

Third, this isn't the most important thing going on right now. It's just not. Everyone was talking about the college basketball games. They were all huge stories. The NBA and NHL are coming into the most important part of the regular season. Why does a retired baseball player's actions with his trainer from a decade ago take priority over actual sporting events? Isn't that what ESPN is supposed to cover?

If that's not enough, ESPN's got Clemens leading off the Web site, along with four or five stories on tomorrow's meeting. CBS Sportsline, by contrast, is leading with a story concerning the Daytona 500. I hate NASCAR, but at least it's current. That's probably the only time you'll see anything positive about NASCAR here.

For anyone who cares about Missouri basketball, check out Shawn Garrison's take on Stefhon Hannah's situation over at Big MO Sports, a site held in high esteem here at Freeze Fire.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy The Scrantones

Welcome to Ottawa, Cory Stillman

2008-02-11T14:11:00.000-08:00

Photo obtained through Creative Commons

This was originally going to be about Amy Winehouse's totally blank look when they announced her award at the Grammys last night, giving many the belief that she was bombed out of her mind. This would shock nobody. But because the Ottawa Senators are my team, they take priority when they make headlines. The same applies to the Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Cardinals and Indiana Pacers.

It's quite a headline today for the Senators, as Ottawa acquired left wing Cory Stillman (pictured, with A) and defenseman Mike Commodore from the Carolina Hurricanes, sending defenseman Joe Corvo and right wing Patrick Eaves. For Ottawa, there's little not to love about this move. Stillman has Stanley Cup experience with both Tampa Bay and Carolina, the two squads that won the Eastern Conference prior to Ottawa's victory and the last two Eastern Conference squads to win the Cup. He's a scorer, and outside of the top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley (the CASH line, CAptain, Spezza, Heatley) and second-liner Mike Fisher, the Senators don't get a lot of offense. Stillman can jump right in, pair with Fisher and go to work. On the blue line, Commodore is a tough, gritty defenseman. Toughness was Ottawa's problem last year against Anaheim. If the Sens get to the finals again, Commodore's grit will be very useful.

On the Hurricanes' side, the move is simply a white flag on this season and a hope to rebuild. At first glance, it would seem premature, given that Carolina trails Southeast leader Washington by just one point for the third seed. But the Hurricanes do not get much scoring, they wouldn't even be in the playoff race if they weren't in the awful Southeast and Stillman and Commodore are free agents at the end of the year. Commodore is cheaper than Corvo, but Corvo is signed for two more years after this season. As for the swap of wingers, Stillman is a 34-year old veteran. During the Stanley Cup playoffs this year, Eaves will turn 24. He's got a chance to be a fine player for many years. But that time to develop hasn't come yet, not while in Ottawa on a team that thinks Stanley Cup every day while it has its three stars.

The goals of the trade are simple: Ottawa makes itself a serious contender for 2008. Carolina hopes they gained pieces to do the same in 2009. But if you're just looking at the short-term, the big winners are the Sens. The big losers today are the Montreal Canadiens, after two players got arrested.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Marcel.

Earth Hour's timing is off

2008-02-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

For those who don't know, Earth Hour is a world event this year that encourages every person and business to shut off all lights at 8 p.m. local time. It's a lovely sentiment and a noble goal. But to be perfectly honest, the timing of it couldn't be much worse.

Whoever picked March 29th as its date needs to take a look at a calendar. March 29th is a Saturday. This is, along with Friday, one of the busiest nights of the week for businesses. People are going to be enjoying their nights out on dates, at restaurants with their families, going to sporting events, etc. There is little chance businesses will be participating in this event because of that.

On the topic of sporting events, March 29th is the date of the NCAA West Regional final in Phoenix. Phoenix is three hours behind the East Coast, and as such, the basketball game tends to start around 5:30-6:00 Eastern time. This means Earth Hour will begin as one of the most important basketball games of the season is ending. The only way college basketball fans will sacrifice the end is if one team is up 20. That tends not to happen in regional finals. Plus, the NBA and NHL have games, and spring training's final day is March 29, meaning teams play night games to get used to the switch before the games count.

Couldn't the organizers have planned this for a weeknight, say March 26th? It would have worked just as well, with far fewer hurdles to overcome. This in turn would make Earth Hour more effective. With little incentive to go out and few sporting events, it would be much easier for lights to go out. There will still be some successes, but this will likely not have the effect its organizers are hoping for. It's a shame, because it's a great idea and could work with good planning. But the planning leaves much to be desired, and it will take a lot of luck to pull this off.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Dan Fogelberg.

Z is for...Redskins coach?

2008-02-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

Jim Zorn was the first man to play quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, taking over the job in 1976. He guided the Seahawks until midway through 1984. Later, he became an assistant coach, and was the quarterbacks coach when Seattle reached Super Bowl XL. Basically, Jim Zorn is a legend in the state of Washington.

Notice I said STATE of Washington, not CITY of Washington. For reasons unknown, Redskins owner Dan Snyder promoted Zorn, his offensive coordinator for the last two weeks, when the Redskins weren't playing, to the top position. This ends the search for Joe Gibbs' replacement in the weirdest way possible. There is nothing wrong with wanting Jim Zorn on your staff. The move to fire Al Saunders as offensive coordinator was foolish, but the move to hire Zorn as his replacement was a good one. Zorn is a solid quarterbacks coach who deserves to have a chance to move up.

But moving up to the head coaching position? What could Snyder have seen in two weeks of off-season to convince him that Zorn is the man to lead this team as the successor to Gibbs? It's not like Snyder didn't have quality candidates waiting to replace Gibbs. He had two: the aforementioned Saunders, who took the same position in St. Louis (great move for the Rams, by the way), and Gregg Williams, now the defensive coordinator in Jacksonville (great move for the Jaguars).

Snyder interviewed former Giants coach Jim Fassel and former 49ers coach Steve Mariucci multiple times. He offered Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo the job and was turned down. This is what the Redskins have become among coaches, a joke.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Snyder knows something I don't. Four NFL coaches have been hired this offseason, and only Atlanta's Mike Smith has even been a coordinator before. But after this fiasco, Snyder better have rolled a seven on Zorn or he'll hear it from an already agitated Redskins fan base. Right now, he looks like a complete fool.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Jupiter One.

Bedard heads northwest

2008-02-08T14:45:00.000-08:00

The Baltimore Orioles finally made the trade everyone expected them to, sending ace Erik Bedard to Seattle for a package of prospects. What this does is it makes the Mariners a legitimate threat in the American League West. The AL West was only going to be a two-team race anyway, because Oakland is rebuilding and Texas is likely to be terrible because some things never change. That left only the Los Angeheim Angels (note: On this blog, the Angels' city name will always be fused to Los Angeheim to mock their horrid choice) as the favorite to win the division.

But now with Bedard joining Felix Hernandez, the Mariners easily have the best 1-2 punch in the division, possibly in the American League when both are healthy. Plus, Seattle plays in Safeco Field, a pitcher's dream park. Bedard should only get better as he goes from 1-2 starts a year there to about 15. He becomes even more of a fantasy gold mine than he already was, and his team becomes a real threat, despite the fact that their lineup is solid but won't scare anyone. Other than Ichiro Suzuki, the Mariners' everyday players are solid players who aren't stars. But the Mariners won't need to score a lot, because the rotation is solid and J.J. Putz was lights-out in the closer role last year. He posted a 1.38 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP, outstanding numbers. Hand him the game in the ninth and he usually hands you victory.

On the other side of the coin, the Orioles appear to finally have accepted what everyone else already knows: they aren't a good team. Baltimore is officially rebuilding now, as opposed to the last five years, when the Orioles were unofficially rebuilding. Truth is, the Orioles don't have much. Brian Roberts, Melvin Mora and Nick Markakis are all good players. But Kevin Millar and Aubrey Huff at the 4 and 5 spots (CBS's projection) will not work at all. Ramon Hernandez is a solid catcher, and Adam Jones, a center fielder who comes over in the Bedard deal, should help Markakis solidify the outfield. That leaves Luis Hernandez, a AA call-up from last year, as the shortstop, while Jay Payton and Luke Scott fight for left field. Luke Scott? Sounds like a guy I went to high school with.

What this all means is the Orioles will be closer to 100 losses than 100 wins. Finishing at .500 would be an accomplishment for them, but at least they've finally admitted that what they were doing wasn't working, which should improve them in the long run.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy the Eli Young Band.

Starting with Romney

2008-02-07T18:26:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog, where I plan to talk about...basically a lot of different things. If I think it's relevant and worth talking about, you'll find it here.

So I'll christen my blog by talking about the important development coming out of the Republican Party, which is Mitt Romney's announcement that he will no longer seek the nomination for president in November's election. I have to say that I'm quite pleased with this decision from Gov. Romney. I was not a fan of his inability to take a position, so I did not wish to vote for him in November. But I did gain a lot of respect for Gov. Romney because he recognized that a fragmented Republican Party will do nothing to help the party's chances in the election.

That now leaves John McCain and Mike Huckabee as the only legitimate candidates remaining in this race. Yes, I can hear the Internet crowd screaming that, technically, Ron Paul is still in the race, but with 14 delegates and no states won, he has no chance at winning the nomination. Deal with it.

Back to Sen. McCain and Gov. Huckabee. Sen. McCain has won 707 delegates according to an Associated Press story today. Gov. Huckabee holds 195 delegates in his corner, and Gov. Romney had 294. Gov. Romney's delegates are a wild card here, so I'll come back to them. Of the remaining states, Sen. McCain is likely to win in Wisconsin, Washington, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Vermont, Rhode Island and Oregon. The Arizona senator does very well in reliably Democratic states, which all of these states and DC are. He is also in good shape in Pennsylvania, a solidly blue state with many Republicans between its cities, New Mexico, a red state with a fair amount of Democrats and Ohio, which is a swing state every election.

If he wins every delegate in those states, Sen. McCain would sit at 1087 delegates, leaving him 104 delegates short of the required 1191. The other states to be decided are Kansas, Louisiana, Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, Indiana, North Carolina, Nebraska, Kentucky, Idaho and South Dakota, all solidly red states. Gov. Huckabee has a slim chance to catch Sen. McCain here. But Sen. McCain has already proven by winning South Carolina that he can take conservative states. So Gov. Huckabee's chances are slim, even if all of Gov. Romney's delegates pledge themselves to him. In fact, that is likely the only way Gov. Huckabee has any chance unless something goes horribly wrong for Sen. McCain.

So as much as I like Gov. Huckabee, the best thing for him to do is to renege on his committment to answer the bell in every round and become a candidate for vice president. He has siphoned enough votes from Gov. Romney to hand Sen. McCain the nomination, and it is almost impossible to forsee a scenario where he wins the nomination. Therefore, he would be doing himself and his party more harm than good by staying in the race.

Gov. Romney did the right thing today by falling on the sword for the GOP. It is time for Gov. Huckabee to do the same. It was time for Ron Paul to do that long ago. I'm on record as supporting McCain/Huckabee in 2008.

My time is up. You've all been great. Enjoy Amanda Marshall.