Yes, you heard it, the wild Wildcats from the west beat the Dukies. The Wildcats came into this game off two close wins against Memphis and Texas. Duke came into this game looking to return to the elite eight and to welcome back freshman PG Kyrie Irving. The underdog in my eyes was Arizona, or should I say the undercat. Well anyways like I was saying before I said that bad pun, Duke vs Arizona, The Blue Devils came out "WINNING" like Charlie Sheen would say and Arizona started out slow and trailed 44-38 to Duke at the half. In the second half Derrick Williams PF put it on Duke. Williams finished the game with 32 points and Arizona went on to upset Duke. Arizona had to Bear-Down to win this game. The final score was 93-77 Arizona. Looks like coach K could not get his 901th career win. I'm sorry Grant Hill but the Wildcats mauled the Blue Devils. Arizona will play on saturday, when they take on Kemba Walker and the UCONN Huskies. Thanks for reading APV fans.
AG
Friday, March 25, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
2011 NBA Lottery Mock Draft
I know you guys are probably wondering why I am talking about the NBA draft, well I just thought you guys are tired of the NFL labor negotiations and the NFL draft. So here is my 2011 NBA lottery mock draft.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Derrick Williams, PF, Arizona - Derrick Williams is no-doubt the best player in the Pac-10, he can also knock down some threes, play defense, and averages 19.7 ppg.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Derrick Williams, PF, Arizona - Derrick Williams is no-doubt the best player in the Pac-10, he can also knock down some threes, play defense, and averages 19.7 ppg.2. Minnesota Timberwolves - Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State - The T-wolves would love to have him he averages 18 ppg, and 9.9 rpg, he is also a candidate for National player of the year.
3. Sacramento Kings - Perry Jones, PF, Baylor - Perry Jones is PF but he can also play a bit of center. He averages 14.3 ppg, and the Kings would love to have Perry Jones along side Demarcus Cousins.
4. Toronto Raptors - Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke - He averages 17.4 ppg, 5.1 assists, and 3.8 rpg, the Raptors need a PG and this is the guy for them.
5. Washington Wizards - Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky - He is a freshman but he still puts up 17.9 ppg and 9.1 rpg in the brutal SEC East. The Wizards would like John Wall to feed this big fella.
6. New Jersey Nets - Enes Kanter, Center, Kentucky - He has great strength, he is 6'11, and he can learn behind Brook Lopez.
7. Detroit Pistons - Kemba Walker, PG, Connecticut - His size might be a issue but he averages 22.9 ppg and he I think he can carry Kemba Mania to the NBA.
8. Los Angeles Clippers - Jonas Valanciunas, Center, Lietovus Rytas - He is only 18 years old but he is 6'11 and the Clippers would like to have him in there farm system and let him develop some more.
9. Milwuake Bucks - Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina - Barnes is probably the most ready for the NBA in the whole NCAA. He averages 13.4 ppg. He can help the Bucks defense and make other NBA teams '' Fear the Dear''.
10. Charlotte Bobcats - Marcus Morris, PF, Kansas - Morris averages 17.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.4 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.8 steals a game. Marcus Morris is also a big reason why Kansas was successful this season. He will make the Bobcats forget all about Gerald Wallace.
11. Houston Rockets - Chris Singleton, SF, Florida State - Chris Singleton can defense that is ridiculous. The only problem with him is that he fractured his foot on February 12.
12. Golden State Warriors - Tyler Honycutt, SF, UCLA - He is a good post player and he averages 12.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Honeycutt can also play guard because his ball handling is so good.
13. Phoenix Suns - Jimmer Fredette, PG, BYU - Once Steve Nash is gone there going to need a PG and Jimmer looks like he can be the Suns next PG. Jimmer leads the country in scoring but he needs to work on his defense.
14. Memphis Grizzlies - Jordan Hamilton, SF, Texas - Hamilton is one the main reasons why Texas had a good season. Hamilton will not be a bust pick like Hasheem Thabeet.
15. Indiana Pacers - Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky - Knight can finally give the Pacers the PG they never had. He averages 17.4 points per game. He would be a perfect fit for the Pacers.
AG
5. Washington Wizards - Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky - He is a freshman but he still puts up 17.9 ppg and 9.1 rpg in the brutal SEC East. The Wizards would like John Wall to feed this big fella.
6. New Jersey Nets - Enes Kanter, Center, Kentucky - He has great strength, he is 6'11, and he can learn behind Brook Lopez.
7. Detroit Pistons - Kemba Walker, PG, Connecticut - His size might be a issue but he averages 22.9 ppg and he I think he can carry Kemba Mania to the NBA.
8. Los Angeles Clippers - Jonas Valanciunas, Center, Lietovus Rytas - He is only 18 years old but he is 6'11 and the Clippers would like to have him in there farm system and let him develop some more.
9. Milwuake Bucks - Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina - Barnes is probably the most ready for the NBA in the whole NCAA. He averages 13.4 ppg. He can help the Bucks defense and make other NBA teams '' Fear the Dear''.
10. Charlotte Bobcats - Marcus Morris, PF, Kansas - Morris averages 17.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.4 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.8 steals a game. Marcus Morris is also a big reason why Kansas was successful this season. He will make the Bobcats forget all about Gerald Wallace.
11. Houston Rockets - Chris Singleton, SF, Florida State - Chris Singleton can defense that is ridiculous. The only problem with him is that he fractured his foot on February 12.
12. Golden State Warriors - Tyler Honycutt, SF, UCLA - He is a good post player and he averages 12.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Honeycutt can also play guard because his ball handling is so good.
13. Phoenix Suns - Jimmer Fredette, PG, BYU - Once Steve Nash is gone there going to need a PG and Jimmer looks like he can be the Suns next PG. Jimmer leads the country in scoring but he needs to work on his defense.
14. Memphis Grizzlies - Jordan Hamilton, SF, Texas - Hamilton is one the main reasons why Texas had a good season. Hamilton will not be a bust pick like Hasheem Thabeet.
15. Indiana Pacers - Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky - Knight can finally give the Pacers the PG they never had. He averages 17.4 points per game. He would be a perfect fit for the Pacers.
AG
Monday, March 7, 2011
NFL Draft Quarterbacks Projections
In this Article I will be talking about where I see the Top Quarterbacks will most likely headed to on draft day.
Blaine Gabbert
Likely Pick: 1.04 – Bengals
The Bengals are between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, they need to use the pick in another position but with Carson Palmer threatening (and sounding awfully serious about it) to never set foot in their stadium again, their hand is being forced. The choice comes down to Gabbert and Newton and while Newton is a better prospect for starting day one, Gabbert has more long term potential and fits the offensive mold of the Bengals rather well. That all said, the Bengals have always taken players of questionable character and I believe they turned the page on that chapter and going to grab Gabbert not Newton.
The Cardinals need QB help as well but are intrigued by what Skelton offers longer term. Skelton should not be the opening day QB and Arizona is likely to look at established veterans like Kolb to take the role for at least part of 2011. Carolina doesn’t know enough about Clausen yet in my mind to make a Gabbert or Newton their #1 choice. Defensive minded head coach Ron Rivera will likely be looking to replace the departed (2010) impact of Julius Peppers on the DL.
Next Likely: 1.05 – Cardinals
No Later: 1.10 – Redskins
Surprise: 1.01 – Panthers
Cam Newton
Likely Pick: 1.07 – 49′ers
There is no hotter draft discussion topic than the prospects for Auburn’s Cam Newton. On one hand, you have a one-year phenom who completed more than 66% of his passes in a down-field passing offense while showing notable mobility, arm strength and leadership. On the other, you have an athlete whose on-field abilities are eclipsed only by his own ego and opinion of himself. The mixture is very risky to take a guy like Cam so early in the draft.
Newton’s skills project as a day-one starter as well as any drafted QB in the recent past. In 2011, numerous teams have an immediate starting need. You want your quarterback to have leadership ability, confidence and even a swagger, but there’s a fine line between confidence and entitlement.
My view on Newton is that he’s worth the risk for a team that has an immediate starting QB need. Accuracy is the most importance on my list of abilities and Newton has a decent amount of it. His mechanics are relatively sound and as a mobile QB, I like that while scrambling in the backfield, his eyes are down the field. He has great moves and a solid base providing for great balance and power. If his head is on straight, he’s a clear #1 choice without question. That not being the case, it’s a question of maturity and ego vs. confidence. I take that risk, but not in the top 4 or 5 picks in the draft.
I very much like the fit for new coach Harbaugh in San Francisco and fully believe that if Newton is on the board at 1.07, his name will be called. Carolina might still take the risk in Newton at first overall but the jury in Carolina is still riding the horse of the strong-armed and similarly cocky Jimmy Clausen. With new coach Ron Rivera in town, I believe Clausen will be given another year of development. Cincinnati remains a possibility but the team needs a face for the franchise after Palmer and can’t afford a big ego. Arizona remains a slight possibility but I don’t see a character fit. Daniel Snyder would be all over Newton at 1.10.
Next Likely: 1.10 – Redskins
No Later: 1.10 – Redskins
Surprise: 1.01 – Panthers
Jake Locker
Likely Pick: 1.25 – Seahawks
I don’t like the pick, nor do I like Locker in the first round. But until Coach Carroll calls me for my opinion, I have to believe that he’ll be going to Seattle. There are just too many connections here and Locker does contain good skills including arm strength, mobility and character. What he doesn’t have is tremendous size or accuracy. Lacking accuracy, the decision to draft Locker comes down to the ego of the head coach as to whether he believes that his staff can develop that which has not yet been displayed.
Hasselbeck is certain to be in his last year as a Seahawk and the expensive gamble on Charlie Whitehurst did not pay off. Seattle must bring in a QB this year and their late selection likely means they need to do it in the first round. I like Kaepernick better than Locker, but not at this pick.
Many experts believe that Locker will be off the board by Seattle’s pick.
Next Likely: 2.02 – Bills
No Later: 2.09 – Redskins
Surprise: 1.10 – Redskins
Colin Kaepernick
Likely Pick: 2.02 – Bills
Kaepernick raised his stock at the combine by doing well in all drills. A well built, tall and strong armed passer, Buffalo will be hard pressed to let Kaepernick slide unless they jumped at the chance to draft Gabbert or Newton at 1.03. Kaepernick likely has one of the top two arms of the QB class and displayed better than expected speed with a 4.53 40-yard dash. Always one to like mobility, Bills head coach Chan Gailey will like what Kaepernick offers across the board and at a reasonable value in the 2nd round.
QB, Ryan Fitzpatrick was a pleasant surprise in 2010 but that won’t stop Buffalo looking for a young passer with upside. Kaepernick fits the bills
Next Likely: 2.06 – Cardinals
No Later: 2.25 – Seahawks
Surprise: 3rd Round
Ryan Mallett
Likely Pick: 2.09 – Redskins
Shanahan has always loved a project and a project with a rocket arm and pocket presence. Shanahan doesn’t shy away from character concerns and has an ego to match Mallett’s arm. The Skins are in need of a face of the franchise and departing QB Donovan McNabb leaves a huge hole to fill. With the two big names likely off the board by their first round selection, I dont believe that Locker will still be on the board this late in the draft.
There is no questioning Mallett’s on-field production or ability. But significant questions remain about his maturity, off the field issues and decision making. As Rich Eisen said on the Dan Patrick show, Mallett “…has more red flags than a carnival”. Shanahan’s success with quarterbacks is unquestioned and the match is an intriguing one. I’m looking for Mallett to be the starter in Washington early in 2011.
Next Likely: 2.07 – Titans
No Later: 2.25 – Seahawks
Surprise: 2.02 – Bills
Christian Ponder
Likely Pick: 3.05 – Cardinals
Ponder isn’t in my top five, but that doesn’t mean that the needs of teams early in the second round could necessitate an earlier selection than he would otherwise be. I still believe that Ponder is a 3rd round passer and that Arizona will be rewarded by not over-drafting other names in the first or second rounds. I’m still fully expecting Arizona to bring in a veteran passer either through free agency or via trade, but should that not happen, Ponder is a legitimate up-side quarterback in the third round.
I’m also not buying much of the information coming out that Ponder is greatly on the rise on draft boards. He’s a good kid with a very nice short to intermediate range game, but doesn’t have a big arm and doesn’t leap off the page. But he has the character, work ethic and mechanics to be selected relatively highly. He’d be a good fit with Whisenhut in Arizona
Next Likely: 3.12 – 49′ers
No Later: 3.15 – Dolphins
Surprise: 2.06 – Cardinals
Thanks for reading be sure to catch my next article of the NFL Draft Running back Projections.
-Fantasy Guru
There's no Will Smith or giant mechanical spider in this Wild, Wild, West... but there is a ridiculously awesome beard.
Sorry folks i promised the AL Central as my next breakdown but at the request of my "boss" i'm going to be changing it up and instead today's breakdown will be about the NL West. So let's get started...
National League West
2010 Final Standings: 1) San Francisco Giants: 92-70
2) San Diego Padres: 90-72
3) Colorado Rockies: 83-79
4) Los Angeles Dodgers: 80-82
5) Arizona Diamondbacks: 65-97
2011 Division Rundown:
> San Francisco Giants- the giants had a remarkable season last year, one they capped of by winning the world series over the texas rangers. this team is built on pitching and boy do they have some great arms. a lot of the attention this offseason has gone to the staff in philadelphia (which was expected after coming out of nowhere to sign cliff lee, but back to the giants). these young guns are out to prove that they are still the most formidable staff in the bigs. led by 2-time cy young winner tim lincecum, the rest of the staff of the rotation is comprised of fireballers matt cain, madison bumgarner, and jonathan sanchez. add veteran barry zito to the backend to provide some leadership and these guys look great, on paper. lets turn to offense for a second now, the team returns NL rookie of the year buster posey, and other catalysts aubrey huff, andres torres, and postseason hero cody ross. they also look for big years from pablo sandoval and miguel tejada. i've talked about the offense and the starting rotation but i cant my analysis without talking about the guys brings it all together, the closer brian wilson. this guy is a character, he has that closer's mentality and every night he pitches he channels his inner ricky "wild thing" vaughn (hard throwing rookie pitcher played by charlie sheen in the movie Major League) except with a whole lot better control. he has one of the the hardest fastballs out there and not to mention a devastating slider.
>>>Prediction: 91-71. 1st in the division. i see this pitching staff leading this team back to the playoffs and a possible 2nd consecutive world series. the offense isn't great but they should be well above average as long as the hitters do what they're expected to do. the only concern i have is the 4 young guys in the rotation threw a lot of innings last year and that includes the postseason, and it'll be interesting to see if it took a toll on their arms. as long as they can hold a lead into the late innings they should be fine, because the previously mentioned brian wilson WILL come in and lock it down.
>San Diego Padres- san diego surprised almost everyone last year by winning 90 games. the pitching staff is young but they proved last year that they can win at the big league level. they also return all they key contributors from that staff, mat latos, clayton richard, and heath bell. last year offensively they were so-so. at first glance you would say they would be terrible this year because they lost their punch in adrian gonzalez in a trade with the red sox. But if you take another look you'll see that they improved even with sending gonzalez away. they traded for shortstop jason bartlett and signed 2nd baseman orlando hudson (one of my personal favorites) to help sure up their defense up the middle and both guys are solid hitters. they also signed veterans brad hawpe and jorge cantu to add a little more offense.
>>>prediction: 83-79. 4th in division. i just don't see them repeating the sam success they had last year. i like the moves they made but it wont be enough to get a division crown this year. the pitching staff needs maybe one more piece, perhaps a starter, and the offense needs to add some more production in the outfield before they can win this division.
>Colorado Rockies- the rockies are a great team... offensively. they have a lineup thats boasts superstars carlos gonzalez and troy tulowitzki in the middle of it. not to mention todd helton playing first base and ian stewart over at third. like i said theres no questions with this team offensively. pitching wise its a whole different story. sure ubaldo jimenez is there and he had a insane first half last year plus he is a cy young candidate, but after that you're looking at guys like jhoulys chacin, jorge de la rosa, and jason hammel. i say there slightly below average but they do have potential to be solid starters. they're going to need them to be if they want any chance at the playoffs. another thing to be weary of is the rockies typical slow start, which seems to happen every year. even though they start slow the rockies are also known for their later surge the past few seasons. over the past few years they are among the best second half teams in the whole league.
>>>prediction: 90-72. 2nd in division. i knew i called the pitching suspect but that's only because they are unproven for the most part. and as long as they can overcome a slow start and finish the season on strong push then i have them fighting for both the division crown and the wild card spot. this team has all the makings of a dangerous ballclub and they are poised and ready to make run at the frontrunner giants.
>Los Angeles Dodgers- the dodgers enter this spring with a slightly new look, there's no manny (which means no more mannywood), former all-star catcher russell martin is gone, and joe torre retired and gave the managerial duties to his former bench coach don mattingly. with the talent on this team i feel as if last year was just an apparition. they are much too talented to go 80 and 82. clayton kershaw is a solid and legit number 1 starter. his best games last year were against top competition, he beat ubaldo jimenez twice including a 1-0 game in which he had the 1 RBI. chad billingsley is another sold arm in the rotation as is hiroki kuroda and the bullpen is deadly with some of the most live (meaning they throw really really hard) arms in the majors, guys like hung-chi kuo and big jonathan broxton. they also have guys that can swing the bat. andre ethier had a stellar year and james loney is very reliable. they added world champ juan uribe to play 2nd (and short and 3rd too) and brought in rod barajas and dioner navarro to do the catching. the one big question on everyone's mind though when they talk about the dodgers is whether or not matt kemp is finally going to reach his potential or have another dismal season like last year. the guy probably has the best tools on the team but after a great 2009 season, he gad a horrible year last year and looks to rebound. i see a big year from him, he's coming into camp more focused and understanding if the club wants to be successful then they need him to be successful as well.
>>>prediction: 85-77. 3rd in the division. they'll have a bounce back year but it still wont be enough to take the division, at least not yet that is. ethier is going to produce again and kemp will help stabilize this team and lead them to a few more wins. watch for kershaw to push for a cy young this year because he will great. they'll figure some things out this year with their new additions and i look for a possible return they playoffs... next year.
>Arizona Diamondbacks- last but not least i get to the one that i'm guessing you all were waiting for. out hometown d-backs. now don't get me wrong i'm a hometown guy and love our d-backs but it's just not going to happen this year. new GM kevin towers cam in and cleaned the organization up a little bit. he shipped fan favorite mark reynolds to baltimore for young bullpen help in david hernandez and kam mickolio. he also brought in a bunch of veterans, j.j putz to close, melvin mora and geoff blum to share time at 3rd base, juan miranda to battle for time at 1st base, xavier nady to come in and play left field, and KT signed catcher henry blanco and utility man willie bloomquist to also add some leadership to the clubhouse. oh he brought in a couple of starting pitchers, armando galarraga and zach duke to try and help sure up the rotation. there are some studs returning like: starting pitcher daniel hudson (great 2010 after he was acquired from the white sox), shortstop stephen drew (always solid both at the plate and in the field), 2nd baseman kelly johnson (looks to build on his 2010 success), center fielder chris young(all-star season last year, looking to continue that) and right fielder justin upton (after a bad year in 2010 he looks to regain his 2009 all-star form). oh and folks before we start to say we need to get rid of justin let me remind you he is only 23 and most guys aren't even in the bigs until they're 24-25 and most don't hit they're prime until they're 27-28 so give him some time because we're going to need him.
>>>prediction: 73-89. 5th in division. it pains me to admit it but lets be realistic. are the d-backs in a position to contend this year? sure but it's really unlikely. are they setting things up to contend in a a couple of years? absolutely. the reconstruction of the bullpen will pay off this which will lead to an increased win total, which is about all we have took forward to. well that and justing upton putting it together and having a good season. also look for mid to late season call-up for top prospect jarrod parker. this kid is a stud and his knocking on the door to the big leagues so he should be here sooner rather than later. in the midst of another down, but improving season, be sure to keep an eye on the draft in june. its a big one for the diamondbacks because this years draft is loaded with talent and potential superstars, and the d-backs will have the 3rd and 7th picks so they are going to have to make sure they take the best players to help the franchise out.
that's it today. hope you enjoyed it. look for next time where i'll go over the AL Central as i promised before. well unless my "editor" has another request :)
--Nick
you ever see when they have those fishing shows on t.v. and they catch the fish but then they throw it back. they don't want to eat the fish they just want to make really late for something..
National League West
2010 Final Standings: 1) San Francisco Giants: 92-70
2) San Diego Padres: 90-72
3) Colorado Rockies: 83-79
4) Los Angeles Dodgers: 80-82
5) Arizona Diamondbacks: 65-97
2011 Division Rundown:
> San Francisco Giants- the giants had a remarkable season last year, one they capped of by winning the world series over the texas rangers. this team is built on pitching and boy do they have some great arms. a lot of the attention this offseason has gone to the staff in philadelphia (which was expected after coming out of nowhere to sign cliff lee, but back to the giants). these young guns are out to prove that they are still the most formidable staff in the bigs. led by 2-time cy young winner tim lincecum, the rest of the staff of the rotation is comprised of fireballers matt cain, madison bumgarner, and jonathan sanchez. add veteran barry zito to the backend to provide some leadership and these guys look great, on paper. lets turn to offense for a second now, the team returns NL rookie of the year buster posey, and other catalysts aubrey huff, andres torres, and postseason hero cody ross. they also look for big years from pablo sandoval and miguel tejada. i've talked about the offense and the starting rotation but i cant my analysis without talking about the guys brings it all together, the closer brian wilson. this guy is a character, he has that closer's mentality and every night he pitches he channels his inner ricky "wild thing" vaughn (hard throwing rookie pitcher played by charlie sheen in the movie Major League) except with a whole lot better control. he has one of the the hardest fastballs out there and not to mention a devastating slider.
>>>Prediction: 91-71. 1st in the division. i see this pitching staff leading this team back to the playoffs and a possible 2nd consecutive world series. the offense isn't great but they should be well above average as long as the hitters do what they're expected to do. the only concern i have is the 4 young guys in the rotation threw a lot of innings last year and that includes the postseason, and it'll be interesting to see if it took a toll on their arms. as long as they can hold a lead into the late innings they should be fine, because the previously mentioned brian wilson WILL come in and lock it down.
>San Diego Padres- san diego surprised almost everyone last year by winning 90 games. the pitching staff is young but they proved last year that they can win at the big league level. they also return all they key contributors from that staff, mat latos, clayton richard, and heath bell. last year offensively they were so-so. at first glance you would say they would be terrible this year because they lost their punch in adrian gonzalez in a trade with the red sox. But if you take another look you'll see that they improved even with sending gonzalez away. they traded for shortstop jason bartlett and signed 2nd baseman orlando hudson (one of my personal favorites) to help sure up their defense up the middle and both guys are solid hitters. they also signed veterans brad hawpe and jorge cantu to add a little more offense.
>>>prediction: 83-79. 4th in division. i just don't see them repeating the sam success they had last year. i like the moves they made but it wont be enough to get a division crown this year. the pitching staff needs maybe one more piece, perhaps a starter, and the offense needs to add some more production in the outfield before they can win this division.
>Colorado Rockies- the rockies are a great team... offensively. they have a lineup thats boasts superstars carlos gonzalez and troy tulowitzki in the middle of it. not to mention todd helton playing first base and ian stewart over at third. like i said theres no questions with this team offensively. pitching wise its a whole different story. sure ubaldo jimenez is there and he had a insane first half last year plus he is a cy young candidate, but after that you're looking at guys like jhoulys chacin, jorge de la rosa, and jason hammel. i say there slightly below average but they do have potential to be solid starters. they're going to need them to be if they want any chance at the playoffs. another thing to be weary of is the rockies typical slow start, which seems to happen every year. even though they start slow the rockies are also known for their later surge the past few seasons. over the past few years they are among the best second half teams in the whole league.
>>>prediction: 90-72. 2nd in division. i knew i called the pitching suspect but that's only because they are unproven for the most part. and as long as they can overcome a slow start and finish the season on strong push then i have them fighting for both the division crown and the wild card spot. this team has all the makings of a dangerous ballclub and they are poised and ready to make run at the frontrunner giants.
>Los Angeles Dodgers- the dodgers enter this spring with a slightly new look, there's no manny (which means no more mannywood), former all-star catcher russell martin is gone, and joe torre retired and gave the managerial duties to his former bench coach don mattingly. with the talent on this team i feel as if last year was just an apparition. they are much too talented to go 80 and 82. clayton kershaw is a solid and legit number 1 starter. his best games last year were against top competition, he beat ubaldo jimenez twice including a 1-0 game in which he had the 1 RBI. chad billingsley is another sold arm in the rotation as is hiroki kuroda and the bullpen is deadly with some of the most live (meaning they throw really really hard) arms in the majors, guys like hung-chi kuo and big jonathan broxton. they also have guys that can swing the bat. andre ethier had a stellar year and james loney is very reliable. they added world champ juan uribe to play 2nd (and short and 3rd too) and brought in rod barajas and dioner navarro to do the catching. the one big question on everyone's mind though when they talk about the dodgers is whether or not matt kemp is finally going to reach his potential or have another dismal season like last year. the guy probably has the best tools on the team but after a great 2009 season, he gad a horrible year last year and looks to rebound. i see a big year from him, he's coming into camp more focused and understanding if the club wants to be successful then they need him to be successful as well.
>>>prediction: 85-77. 3rd in the division. they'll have a bounce back year but it still wont be enough to take the division, at least not yet that is. ethier is going to produce again and kemp will help stabilize this team and lead them to a few more wins. watch for kershaw to push for a cy young this year because he will great. they'll figure some things out this year with their new additions and i look for a possible return they playoffs... next year.
>Arizona Diamondbacks- last but not least i get to the one that i'm guessing you all were waiting for. out hometown d-backs. now don't get me wrong i'm a hometown guy and love our d-backs but it's just not going to happen this year. new GM kevin towers cam in and cleaned the organization up a little bit. he shipped fan favorite mark reynolds to baltimore for young bullpen help in david hernandez and kam mickolio. he also brought in a bunch of veterans, j.j putz to close, melvin mora and geoff blum to share time at 3rd base, juan miranda to battle for time at 1st base, xavier nady to come in and play left field, and KT signed catcher henry blanco and utility man willie bloomquist to also add some leadership to the clubhouse. oh he brought in a couple of starting pitchers, armando galarraga and zach duke to try and help sure up the rotation. there are some studs returning like: starting pitcher daniel hudson (great 2010 after he was acquired from the white sox), shortstop stephen drew (always solid both at the plate and in the field), 2nd baseman kelly johnson (looks to build on his 2010 success), center fielder chris young(all-star season last year, looking to continue that) and right fielder justin upton (after a bad year in 2010 he looks to regain his 2009 all-star form). oh and folks before we start to say we need to get rid of justin let me remind you he is only 23 and most guys aren't even in the bigs until they're 24-25 and most don't hit they're prime until they're 27-28 so give him some time because we're going to need him.
>>>prediction: 73-89. 5th in division. it pains me to admit it but lets be realistic. are the d-backs in a position to contend this year? sure but it's really unlikely. are they setting things up to contend in a a couple of years? absolutely. the reconstruction of the bullpen will pay off this which will lead to an increased win total, which is about all we have took forward to. well that and justing upton putting it together and having a good season. also look for mid to late season call-up for top prospect jarrod parker. this kid is a stud and his knocking on the door to the big leagues so he should be here sooner rather than later. in the midst of another down, but improving season, be sure to keep an eye on the draft in june. its a big one for the diamondbacks because this years draft is loaded with talent and potential superstars, and the d-backs will have the 3rd and 7th picks so they are going to have to make sure they take the best players to help the franchise out.
that's it today. hope you enjoyed it. look for next time where i'll go over the AL Central as i promised before. well unless my "editor" has another request :)
--Nick
you ever see when they have those fishing shows on t.v. and they catch the fish but then they throw it back. they don't want to eat the fish they just want to make really late for something..
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Kevin Garnett a dirty player?
Today I will be talking about Kevin Garnett Power Forward from the Boston Celtics and why I think he is a dirty player. If you watch this video below then you will see why I think he is a dirty player. If you watched this video then you saw Kevin Garnett hit Channing Frye Power Forward from the Phoenix Suns in the groin. I think this was on purpose because the Celtics were down by 11 points with 4 minutes in the 4th quarter. Garnett probably hit him below the belt because he wanted to stop Frye from hitting some more 3-pointers. Then later in the video Channing Frye gets up and starts yelling in Garnett's face, the reason I say he didn't back down is because today Frye told reporters “There’s certain things you just don’t do and he just overstepped that boundary twice. It is what it is. There’s nothing else I can say about it. What am I going to do, slap him on the hand or tell him don’t do that? That’s just how he plays. Everybody knows that. I think you can look at how many people have complained about him. It’s not like it’s just me. I don’t take it personal. He just wants his team to win and feels like he has to do that to make them win.” Frye later on said “People just aren’t afraid of him”. So Garnett and Frye will face off again tonight at 5:30 pm, when the Phoenix Suns try to sweep the season series against the Boston Celtics.
AG
AG
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