Okay its officially time to get the brackets out! Lets breakdown the 4 regions and take a closer look at what to look for and who to watch coming the next few days!
Midwest Region-
Louisville playing at Rupp Arena is such an advantage for the Cardinals, basically will be a home game for them. Even funnier that they will be playing on arch rival Kentucky's home floor, an extra kick in the shin for the Wildcats who missed the dance.
Colorado St and Missouri will be an interesting match up. Two of the better rebounding teams in the country. This will be a track meet as both teams are also top 50 in the country in scoring
Oklahoma St and Oregon is an intriguing game. Oklahoma St was a team I really liked coming in but they got a raw deal having to play a severely underseeded Oregon team who won the Pac 10 tournament and deserved a 8-10 seed, not a 12.
St Louis is one of my favorite teams in the whole tournament. I was upset seeing that Oklahoma St and St Louis would be paired in the second round as these teams were both a few of my personal favorites.
Memphis is such an enigma. They always have NBA talent and always seem to underachieve. They will get the winner of Middle Tenn St and St marys and I think the Tigers should be able to move past the first round this year.
Michigan St gets Horizon champ Valpo who has got some shooters but Izzo's squad is battle tested and should be too tough for Valpo.
Creighton and Cincinnati should be a very interesting matchup. The high flying Blue Jays matching up with Cronin's tough nosed Bearcats defense. Which style will play out here?
The Blue Devils were shocked by 15 seed Lehigh last year but dont count on that happening again.
My prediction here is that Lousville and Duke will meet in the regional final with the Blue Devils coming out on top. I badly wanted to take the Billikens over the Cardinals but I couldnt do it due to Louisville's depth and Michigan St could offer up a tough match up for Duke but I think that guard play will come into play here where I think Duke has the advantage.
West Region-
Gonzaga grabbed their first ever 1 seed and looks to be a serious force out West in Salt Lake. They have all the elements of a championship team led by the most efficient player in the country Kelly Olynyk.
The 8-9 match up here will be one of the best games in the first round with two tough defensive teams in Pitt and Wichita St. This game is truly a toss up for me.
The 5th seeded Badgers of Wisconsin got a pretty tough draw with the 12 seed SEC tourney champ Ole Miss Rebels. Contrast of styles here with the deliberate defensive Badgers and the run and gun Rebels led by Marshall Henderson.
Kansas St is a team that I believe has really over achieved this year. I keep waiting for them to come back to earth but they have kept it up all year. A job well done by Bruce Weber. LaSalle Explorers could cause an intriguing match up as they have excellent guard play and can really score the ball.
The Pac 12 as a whole was hammered by the committee. This is an Arizona team that was at one point in the season fighting for a 1 seed. This team has a boat load of talent and can play with anyone. Belmont has been a great mid major tournament team over the years but do they have the talent to play with the Wildcats?
Steve Alford's New Mexico Lobos are clearly one of the top teams in the country. Kendall Williams can fill it up in a hurry and this is a team that could certainy score enough to beat anybody including the Buckeyes.
Notre Dame and Iowa St is another one of those contrast in style games. Iowa St is one of the top 10 scoring teams in the country and Notre Dame has their trademark Burn offense which eats clock. This could be an awesome game in Dayton.
Ohio St drew a very tough match up with 15 seeded Iona. The Gaels are one of the top scoring teams in the country and Momo Jones is an Arizona transfer who is one the top scorers in the country. If Deshaun Thomas is cold than look out!
For this region I am going to take the Gonzaga Bulldogs over New Mexico. I just think they are such a complete team. Wisconsin could cause them problems for them in the sweet 16 but I just dont think the badgers can score with them. Another team to keep an eye on is Arizona. They are loaded with talent and I wouldnt be surprised one bit to see them in the Elite 8.
South Region-
Kansas landed a number one seed much to the chagrin of the Miami Hurricanes. Look for a round 2 match up wirh former Jayhawk coach Roy Williams Tar Heel squad.
A lot of people are talking about the UNC-Nova game being a close one to keep an eye on but the emergence of PJ Hairston to take the load off of McAdoo I dont think the Wildcats can score with the Tar Heels.
5 seed VCU is not sneaking up on anyone anymore. Shaka Smart's havoc defense will match up with the Akron Zips who won 20 games in a row at one point this year. Zeke Marshall is one of the better players no one has heard of but I think the Rams will wear Akron down in this one.
Michigan who at one point looked like one of the best teams in the country has been on a slide of late and have a dangerous first round matchup with Nate Wolters and the Jackrabbits of South Dakota St. I still think the Wolverines and Trey Burke have too much firepower.
11 seed Minnesota is a popular upset pick right now over 6 seed UCLA who just lost 2nd leading scorer Jordan Adams to a broken foot but I just dont see it happening. Minnesota has struggled the second half of the year and UCLA has a lot of top notch talent including future top 5 pick Shabazz Muhammad who seems to have found his groove.
Florida and Northwestern St should be a truly fun game to watch. I love this Gators squad. They can score with the best of them and can really defend too. Northwestern St is the nations highest scoring team so this game could easily manufacture the most points of any first round games!
The 7-10 match up of San Diego St and Oklahoma should be a nice contest. Jamaal Franklin will lead the Aztecs against Romero Osby and the Sooners. Oklahoma has proven they can beat good teams this year and for that reason I am taking Oklahoma.
Georgetown led by Otto Porter who is hands down one of the top 3 players in the country will be a tough out for any team. The Princeton offense is a thing of beauty when executed and this Hoya teams has really gelled.
This region has some very nice squads with Kansas, Georgetown, Florida, Michigan and VCU. I wouldnt be surprised to see any of these teams in the final four but I am going to take Florida over Michigan due to once again tough experienced guard play.
East Region-
Is there a more complete team in the country than the Hoosiers? Oladipo and Zeller lead a high octane offense that can score in bunches.
NC St and Temple will be a nice game in round 1. NC St has nice talent with Lorenzo Brown and CJ Leslie. I think they will prevail if they can keep Khalif Wyatt in check and could pose an interesting challenge for Indiana in round 2.
UNLV led by lottery pick Anthony Bennett has been an under the radar team all year long but does have a first round match up with the Cal Bears led by Allen Crabbe. Good be closer than people think.
Syracuse has burnt me in the past as every year I seem to take the Orange to make a run. They may be the most bipolar team in the country. Some games they look unbeatable and other they look disinterested. I think they advance here and face the Hoosiers in an intriguing sweet 16 match up.
The bottom portion of this East bracket is weak in my opinion. Butler has been in a funk and cant win if Rotnei Clarke doesnt score 20. They drew a Bucknell Bison squad led by Patriot league POY Mike Muscala. This game could a good one.
Marquette to me was seeded much to high. This team is solid but I think they would be better suited for a 5 seed. Buzz Williams has gotten a lot out of this team this year but Im looking for Bob McKillop's Davidson squad to pull the upset and ultimately advance to the sweet 16 over Butler.
Illinios and Colorado in the 7-10 game could go either way. Colorado led by rebound machine Andre Roberson will look to lockdown Brandon Paul and the Illini. Im taking the Buffs.
The Hurricanes of Miami got a bad deal becoming the first ACC team ever to win both the regular season and conference tourney title and not get a number one seed. But they were rewarded with a soft lower half of this region. Im taking the Canes into the Elite 8.
I hate going chalk with 1 and 2 seeds but I think this region is by far the softest and looks like a cake walk for the top seeds to advance. Bet Im wrong though!
Final Four-
In my final four I have Duke vs Gonzaga and Florida vs Indiana. Im going to take the Zags over the Blue Devils. I just love the talent of Mark Few's ballclub this year. I believe Kelly Olynyk is the best player in the country. Yes I said the BEST player in the country and he will show it on the big stage!
Florida and Indiana could be an incredible match up with two high flying teams. Scotty Wilbekin and Kenny Boynton would have to be hot to outlast the Hoosiers but Patrik Young can match up with Cody Zeller and Casey Prather can match the athleticism of Victor Oladipo. Im taking the Gators in a barn burner.
My championship game pits the Gonzaga Bulldogs vs the Florida Gators. I think this is Gonzagas years. I have seem them play several times and I come out impressed everytime I see them. Florida has lost a little mojo late in the season but I think they can regain it and have the talent to make a run. This could be a great championship game but I look for the Dawgs to take home the title with Kelly Olynyk, Kevin Pangos and Elias Harris leading the way!
Lets hear your comments!!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Mock bracket
With the selection show starting here in about 2 hours I thought I would do a little mock bracket. Cant wait for march madness!!
1 Indiana vs 16 Liberty/NC A&T
2 Florida vs 15 Pacific
3 Georgetown vs 14 South Dakota St
4 Marquette vs 13 Iona
5 Wisconsin vs 12 Lasalle/Tennessee
6 VCU vs 11Wichita St
7 Memphis vs Oklahoma
8 Iowa St vs 9 Missouri
1 Miami vs 16 Western Kentucky
2 Kansas vs 15 Albany
3 Michigan vs 14 Harvard
4 Syracuse vs 13 New Mexico St
5 Arizona vs 12 Akron
6 UNLV vs 11 Colorado
7 Butler vs 10 San Diego St
8 NC St vs 9 Cincinnati
1 Gonzaga vs 16 Southern
2 Duke vs 15 Montana
3 Michigan St vs 14 Valparaiso
4 Kansas St vs 13 Bucknell
5 Notre Dame vs 12 Belmont
6 UCLA vs 11 Ole Miss
7 UNC vs 10 Minnesota
8 Colorado St vs 9 Illinois
1 Lousville vs 16 LIU Brooklyn/James Madison
2 Ohio St vs 15 Florida Gulf Coast
3 New Mexico vs 14 Northwestern St
4 St Louis vs 13 Davidson
5 Oklahoma St vs 12 St Marys/California
6 Pittsburgh vs 11 Boise St
7 Creighton vs 10 Villanova
8 Oregon vs 9 Temple
Top 4 seeds 1-Indiana, Louisville, Gonzaga, Miami. Therefore The Indiana and Miami brackets are on same side and Lousiville and Gonzaga are on same side.
Last 4 in- St marys, California, LaSalle, Tennessee
First 4 out-Middle Tennessee St, Alabama, Virginia, Southern Miss
Sunday, February 17, 2013
MLB Preview
With the start of the baseball season right around the corner now would be a good time to put together a major league preview that includes an overview of all teams and includes playoff predictions.
AL East
1-Toronto Blue Jays-No team did more to improve over the past couple months than Toronto. In large part thanks to the Miami Marlins. This team will add table setters Jose Reyes and Emilio Bonifacio to already potent line up which includes Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and Brett Lawrie. Colby Rasmus still has potential in center field and catcher J.P. Arencibia is on the rise. The strongest part of this team could be their pitching staff which includes last years NL Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey to go along with Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero. That starting 5 is one of the tops in the league. The weak point of this ball club may fall in the bullpen where they lack depth and star power. Either way the starting rotation and top of the line up are nothing short of stellar.
2-New York Yankees-I still will pick the Yankees to finish second this year although I do believe this is one of their least talented teams in years. They added Kevin Youkilis to take over for Alex Rodriguez and signed started Huroki Kuroda. Ichiro, Jeter, Cano and Granderson will produce a top the line up but I believe the x factor on this team will be Mark Teixeira who like many of the players this team makes long term deals with has been a disappointment. They still have perennial ace C.C. Sabathia a top the rotation but they could get a huge boost if Phillip Hughes can finally tap in to this potential. The bullpen lost Rafael Soriano but still has plenty of firepower including the return of the greatest closer of all time Mariano Rivera.
3-Tampa Bay Rays-This team seems to reload with youth every year. They have done a great job as an orginazation of developing their players and they are reaping the benefits again. They lose B.J. Upton and James Shields but are still not short on talent. They obviously need all star 3rd basemen Evan Longoria to bounce back from injury but they return super utility man Ben Zobrist to go along with Upton's 30-30 candidate replacement in Desmond Jennings. Will Myers, the player they got for James Shields may be ready this year. The pitching staff includes AL Cy Young award winner David Price as well as young studs Matt Moore and Jeremy Hellickson. The Rays struck gold last year with Fernando Rodney who was one of the top closers in the league last year.
4-Boston Red Sox- The Red Sox are in a bit of a rebuild mode after trading away Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett to the Dodgers. Future hall of famer David Ortiz is aging and speedy center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury cant seem to stay healthy. They did sign Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino and Stephen Drew this off season. I really like the Drew signing to go along with Dustin Pedroia and young 3rd basemen Middlebrooks. The pitching is down this year as well and they really need Jon Lester to step up after an abysmal previous season. John Lackey is aging and Clay Bucholz has been an average. The strong spot of this team is probably the bullpen as they traded for new closer Joel Hanrahan and they also have Andrew Bailey, Uehara, Bard and Aceves.
5-Baltimore Orioles-In my opinion the O's played over their heads last year. A testament to coach Buck Showalter. Center fielder Adam Jones is one of the most underrated players in the league. JJ Hardy had a solid season last year and Nick Markakis will always give solid production. Matt Wieters have turned into one of the top catchers in the game. Mega prospect Manny Machado will look to build on his solid rookie campaign. This team lacks starting pitching depth which will hurt them in this stacked division. Matt Hammell and Wei-Yin Chen will need to carry the rotation while all star closer Jim Johnson will look to carry on his solid play from last year.
1-Detroit Tigers-Any time your teams 3-4 hitters are named Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder you are going to have a chance at a division title. The team also signed veteran Torii Hunter to shore up the outfield. Austin Jackson is a great top of the order man who will score plenty of runs hitting in front of Miggy and Prince. Jhonny Peralta had a solid season last year and the team should see a boost with former all star Victor Martinez returning from injury. Ace Justin Verlander should have won his second Cy Young last year and Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer are very good 2-4 starters. The team let closer Valverde walk and will rely on young Venezuelan flame thrower Bruce Rondon to close out games. If he falters dont be surprised to see Benoit or Albaquerque in that role.
2-Chicago White Sox- The White Sox did little to improve this off season so will need another big season from slugger Paul Konerko to stay in contention. Alex Rios is a 5 tool player and Dayan Viciedo is a slugger that is on the rise. The team signed Jeff Keppinger to fill in for the loss of Youkilis. Former first round pick Gordon Beckham needs to have a good season after a disappointment last year. The team has a solid rotation consisting of all star Chris Sale with Peavy, Danks and Floyd. Closer Addison Reed and set up Matt Thornton are strong in the bullpen.
3-Kansas City Royals- All those years of Kansas City's futility are finally starting to blossom for the Royals. The young guys are getting older and gaining valuable experience. Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon and Billy Butler are all former first round picks that give the Royals a solid core to build on. Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain were once top prospects in the Brewers organization and came to Kansas City in the Zach Greinke trade a few years ago. The Royals made a splash by trading top prospect Wil Myers to get ace James Shields. Shields is super durable and should be able to stabilize this young rotation with Jeremy Guthrie and Ervin Santana. Aaron Crow was an all star out of the bullpen last year and Greg Holland is back from injury.
4-Cleveland Indians- The Indians biggest off season move was signing well respected manager Terry Francona. Although the recent signing off Michael Bourn was a big move that gives them a very speedy outfield with Michael Brantley, Drew Stubbs and Bourn. They can now move newly acquired Nick Swisher to dh. Asdrubal Cabrera and catcher Carlos Santana are all star caliber players and speedy 2nd basemen Jason Kipnis had a great debut last year. Their pitching staff is a little weak with Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jiminez at the top. Chris Perez is a fantastic closer. Vinny Pestano and Joe Smith are solid set up men.
5-Minnesota Twins- The Twins were good for so long but their run has come to an abrupt stop. The faces of the franchise Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are often injured. Sluggers Josh Willingham and Trevor Plouffe are bright spots on an other wise underwhelming roster. Ryan Doumit is a solid dh. The pitching staff is no better than the lineup. Vance Worley and Scott Diamond are serviceable pitchers but they lack depth in the rotation and bullpen.
AL West
1-Los Angeles Angels- The Angels made another bold move this year signing Josh Hamilton away from divison rival Texas. This lineup has no shortage of star power. Rookie and mvp candidate Mike Trout is a star in the making and the middle of the line up has some serious pop with Albert Pujols, Hamilton, Howie Kendrick and Mark Trumbo. Erick Aybar and Alberto Collaspo are solid infield players. Jered Weaver is the ace of this rotation and of the best pitchers in the american league. C.J. Wilson, Jason Vargas and Tommy Hanson round out a solid rotation. The bullpen was weakened when trading Jordan Walden to Atlanta but took a chance on the rebuilt elbow of Ryan Madsen. Ernesto Freiri was unhitable last year and Scott Downs in very talented as well.
2-Texas Rangers- The Rangers lost all star Josh Hamilton but will gain super rookie Mike Olt in the line up this year. Adrian Beltre, Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus are all star players and Nelson Cruz will look to improve off a lack luster season. The team signed Lance Berkman and A.J. Pierzynski but also lost Mike Napoli. Jurickson Profar is one of the top rated prospects in baseball and is ready to play this year. The rotation starts with Matt Harrison and Japanese all star Yu Darvish. Derek Holland and Alexi Ogando round out the rotation. The bullpen is very solid with Joe Nathan, Neftali Feliz and the signing of Joakim Soria who is coming off tommy john surgery.
3-Oakland A's- This is a team that overachieved last year but is still solid as a unit with no major stars. Cuban Yeonis Cespedes could break out this year and become that star. A true 5 tool outfielder. Coco Crisp and Josh Reddick round out a solid outfield. They made an under the radar trade in acquiring infield Jed Lowrie from the Astros and Jemile Weeks is a solid second basemen. The rotation is led by youngsters Brett Anderson and Jarrod Parker. In the bullpen Ryan Cook played at an all star level in his rookie season and closer Grant Balfour was very reliable. A Team that made the playoffs last year but I wouldnt count on it again.
4-Seattle Mariners- The Mariners big move was locking down perennial Cy Young candidate Felix Hernandez with a contract extension. The Mariners have a solid young infield with former first rounders Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley and Kyle Seager. They traded for slugger Michael Morse from the Nationals and Jesus Montero, the former top prospect of the Yankees acquired for Michael Pineda should improve this season. Hernandez leads the staff follewed by veteran Joe Saunders and second year Japanese pitcher Hishashi Iwakuma. The bullpen lacks depth but is led by closer Tom Wilhemsen and Charlie Furbush.
5-Houston Astros- This is the first year for Houston in the AL much to the dismay of former NL Central opponents who got to beat up on the Astros the past few years. This team will be good but not for about 3 more seasons. They have young talent like outfielders Fernando and J.D. Martinez. Brett Wallace and Matt Dominguez are former first rounders and lone all star last year Jose Altuve is small in stature but can really hit. The team also signed Carlos Pena to dh this year. The rotation is young but possess some quality arms in Lucas Harrell, Bud Norris and Jordan Lyles. Jose Veras will close and Wesley Wright is a solid left handed specialist in the pen.
NL East
1-Washington Nationals- The Nationals were able to imrpove on a roster that is already talented enough to win the nation league pennant. They signed closer Rafael Soriano from the Yankees and traded for lead off man Denard Span. This team has no glaring weaknesses. Bryce Harper is a phenom and Ryan Zimmerman can rake with the best of them when healthy. Throw in Ian Desmond, resurgent Adam LaRoche and Jayson Werth and this is a team that can really hit. The strong suit of the team is probably their starting rotation. It starts with future Cy Young winner Stephen Strasburg who being another season further from tommy john will probably lead the league in strikeouts. The rest of rotation real has no slouches. Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmerman and newly acquired Dan Haren are all solid pitchers. The bullpen will be anchored by Soriano with Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard.
2-Atlanta Braves- The Braves made not one but two bold moves this offseason for a pair of brothers B.J. and Justin Upton. This is quite possibly the most potent line up in the major league this year. They have speed and power. The Uptons especially Justin are 5 tool players. Joined in the outfield by Jason Heyward who is primed for a monster year. Freddie Freeman is growing into a fine 1st basemen and Dan Uggla will always hit for power just dont expect him to hit over .250. SS Martin Prado was traded to Arizona in the deal for Upton which means top prospect Andrelton Simmons will start at SS. Simmons was born in Curacao like former Braves great Andruw Jones. Brian McCann needs to stay healthy to handle the pitching staff. The rotation has youngsters Kris Medlen and Mike Minor to pair with Paul Maholm and Tim Hudson. Medlen was unhittable the second half of last year. The bullpen also has 3 flame throwers in closer Craig Kimbrel, Johnny Venters and Jordan Walden.
3-Philadelphia Phillies- The run of great Philly teams may becoming to an end. The core of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Roy Halladay are still there but getting older and fragile. The team needs youngsters Dominic Brown and John Mayberry Jr to help the offense this year. The Phillies made to moves to acquire speedy center fielder Ben Revere and brought in Michael Young and Delmon Young. The rotation is still very good with Halladay joined by all stars Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. Closer Jonathan Papelbon will close games again with help from set up man Antonio Bastardo.
4-New York Mets- The Mets are in rebuild mode right now. They lack the offense and pitching to contend in the tough nl east. Cornerstone 3rd basemen David Wright will be there but wont have much help behind him. Ike Davis and Ruben Tejada were both solid last year and could really take a step forward this year in helping this team turn it around. The staff is led by former multi Cy Young winner Johan Santana and newly acquired Shaun Marcum. Matt Harvey and Zach Wheeler are fantastic young arms who can help this year. The bullpen has no depth as closer Frank Francisco is coming off surgery so hard throwing Bobby Parnell could see some save chances.
5-Miami Marlins- This team was unexpectedly torn apart with the mass trade to Toronto. The only all star player left on the roster is hard hitting Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton could easily lead the national league in homers this year but will he even see enough pitches to do so? Logan Morrison and Justin Ruggiano are on the rise but the rest of the line up is made up of young triple a caliber players. Ricky Nolasco has been a reliable starter and Steve Cishek did a nice job closing last year after the implosion of Heath Bell.
NL Central
1-Cincinnati Reds- The Reds made one big move this off season in trading for multi talented Shin Soo-Choo.
Former national league MVP Joey Votto should be healthy and RF Jay Bruce could be good for 40 home runs this year. Ryan Ludwick was retained to play LF. Brandon Phillips is the best defensive second basemen in the league and pairs well with sure handed short stop Zach Cozart. Todd Frazier will start at 3rd with Scott Rolen gone. Ryan Hanigan will be catching the talented starting rotation. Next year get ready to see top prospect Billy Hamilton in CF. The rotation is led by dual aces Johnny Cueto and Mat Latos. Homer Bailey is on the brink of stardom as well. Bronson Arroyo is always good for 30 starts. The wildcard for the Reds is moving the best arm in the game Aroldis Chapman into the rotation. Jonathan Broxton was resigned to close with help from the likes of Sean Marshall, Logan Ondrusek, and J.J. Hoover.
2-St Louis Cardinals- The Cardinals are always competitive. This year will be no different. Led by an outfield of Matt Holliday, Jon Jay, and Carlos Beltran. Can Beltran play a full slate of games again this year? 1st basemen Allen Craig is primed for a monster year in the middle of the line up. Yadier Molina is the best defensive catcher in baseball and former world series MVP David Freese was resigned. The rotation will lose Cardinal great Chris Carpenter but still has Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook and Lance Lynn. They will also see the arrival of top pitching prospect Shelby Miller. Closer Jason Motte can blow people away and they also have strong arms in Mitchell Boggs and young breakout star Trevor Rosenthal.
3-Milwaukee Brewers- Steroid talk or not, Ryan Braun is hands down one of the best players in baseball. Braun is joined in the outfield by speedy Carlos Gomez and solid 2nd year player Nakuri Aoki. Aramis Ramirez is one the most underapreciated players of our era. Streaky Rickie Weeks is at 2nd base. Corey Hart and underrated catcher Jonathan Lucroy round out the line up. The rotation is led by Yovanni Gallardo and got great production from young arms Marco Estrada and Mike Fiers last year. John Axford is the closer with an otherwise underwhelming bullpen.
4-Pittsburgh Pirates- I dont believe the Pirates can match what they did last year. Andrew McCutchen carried the team last year. Former first rounder Pedro Alvarez needs to step up at 3rd base. The team signed Russell Martin to do the catching. McCutchen is joined in the outfield by former top prospects Sterling Marte and Travis Snider. Neil Walker is very solid second basemen and 1st basemen Garrett Jones has no shortage of power in his bat. The rotation was great last year but they overachieved. Lets see if A.J. Burnett can match what he did last year. Wandy Rodriguez is a quality arm. Jason Grilli will look to close this year with the departure of Joel Hanrahan.
5-Chicago Cubs- The Cubs are down right now and they made no moves to get better this offseason. They have pieces like Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo and Darwin Barney but are still years away from contention. Alfonso Soriano is in left field with undervalued David DeJesus in center. Jeff Samardzija is a very good pitcher that could break out this year. Matt Garza is also a nice arm if he can stay healthy. The Cubs signed Edwin Jackson to help their rotation. Closer Carlos Marmol can be up and down and is joined in the pen by rookie Japanese pitcher Kyui Fujikawa.
NL West
1-Los Angeles Dodgers- The Dodgers spent a lot of money this off season and have big names all over the field. The outfield is loaded with Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, and Andre Either. The durability of all 3 has plagued them in the past although they are all greatly talented. Adrian Gonzalez is an all star slugger at 1st base as well as Hanley Ramirez back at his natural position of short stop. The Dodgers have a great rotation. The 1-2 punch of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke is tremendous. The team is also expecting a lot from Korean rookie Hyun-Jin Ryu who they spent a high price on. The rotation has great depth with other names that include Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Josh Beckett and Chris Capuano. The bullpen is solid with Brandon League and Curacao born Kenley Jansen.
2- San Francisco Giants- The world series champs will have to play very well to overtake the Dodgers this year. The team is the same as last years trophy winners. World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval is always battling weight issues and rumors are he is already in hot water with the organization over his weight currently. Hunter Pence is in RF and Angel Pagan was resigned to start in center after a strong post season. NL MVP Buster Posey is as pure of a hitter as their is in the game. The rotation is the strong suit of this team with Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Volgeslong, Barry Zito and it looks like Tim Lincecum is back to his old self as well. The closer by committee bullpen of Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez and Santiago Casilla is a formidable trio.
3-Arizona Diamondbacks- The Diamondbacks traded away all star outfielder Justin Upton but got a nice package in return including underrated 3rd basemen Martin Prado. The team also made another move by signing outfielder Cody Ross. Young rookie prospect Adam Eaton will take over in center while Jason Kubel has a chance to really break out this year following a strong season is 2012. Paul Goldschmidt is the teams 1st basemen and he impressed last year and will look to build on that. Aaron Hill also had a strong season batting in the middle of the line up. Miguel Montero is one of the better offensive catchers in baseball. Ian Kennedy is once agiain atop the rotation with Trevor Cahill and Brandon McCarthy. Wade Miley had a fantastic rookie season. The bullpen has some nice arms with closer J.J. Putz, David Hernandez and Heath Bell who will be looking to regain his form after a troublesome year with Miami.
4-Colorado Rockies- The Rockies rely heavily on the health of all stars Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. When healthy these two are quite the tandem at the 3-4 spot in this line up but have had trouble staying healthy in their careers. Dexter Fowler will try to put it all together this year in center fielder while Michael Cuddyer can also hit especially in the confines of Coors Field. Rookie catcher Wilin Rosario was fantastic last year. Todd Helton is aging but can still do a good bit of hitting. The team also high hopes for 2nd baseman Josh Rutledge. The problem of this team lies in their pitching staff. Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge De La Rosa and Juan Nicasio are all nice arms in the rotation but havent all been able to come together to pitch well at the same time. Rafael Betancourt has been a reliable closer and set up man Adam Ottavino is solid.
5-San Diego Padres- The Padres have a bit of talent with center fielder Cameron Maybin and left fielder Carlos Quentin. 1st basemen Yonder Alonso had a nice year last year. The best player on the team is 3rd basemen Chase Headley who is a free agent after the year and will be playing for big money. Along with Alonso, fellow Cuban Yasmani Grandal also acquired for Mat Latos was set to be the starting catcher after a strong rookie campaign but was suspended the first 50 games for a positive steroid test. Everth Cabrera and Will Venable are both nice base stealing options. The rotation is weak with Clayton Richard and streaky Edinson Volquez with out much depth. The bullpen on the other hand is strong led by closer Huston Street with Luke Gregerson, Dale Thayer and Brad Boxberger.
Playoff Predictions
AL East-Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central-Detroit Tigers
AL West-Los Angeles Angels
Wild Cards-New York Yankees, Texas Rangers
AL Pennant-Los Angeles Angels over Toronto Blue Jays
NL East-Washington Nationals
NL Central-Cincinnati Reds
NL West-Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Cards-Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants
NL Pennant-Washington Nationals over Cincinnati Reds
World Series-Washington Nationals over Los Angeles Angels
Awards
AL MVP- Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
AL Cy Young- Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
NL MVP- Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
NL Cy Young- Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
These are my views of how the season will turn out. Now lets get yours! Feel free to comment.
AL East
1-Toronto Blue Jays-No team did more to improve over the past couple months than Toronto. In large part thanks to the Miami Marlins. This team will add table setters Jose Reyes and Emilio Bonifacio to already potent line up which includes Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and Brett Lawrie. Colby Rasmus still has potential in center field and catcher J.P. Arencibia is on the rise. The strongest part of this team could be their pitching staff which includes last years NL Cy Young award winner R.A. Dickey to go along with Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero. That starting 5 is one of the tops in the league. The weak point of this ball club may fall in the bullpen where they lack depth and star power. Either way the starting rotation and top of the line up are nothing short of stellar.
Jose Reyes
2-New York Yankees-I still will pick the Yankees to finish second this year although I do believe this is one of their least talented teams in years. They added Kevin Youkilis to take over for Alex Rodriguez and signed started Huroki Kuroda. Ichiro, Jeter, Cano and Granderson will produce a top the line up but I believe the x factor on this team will be Mark Teixeira who like many of the players this team makes long term deals with has been a disappointment. They still have perennial ace C.C. Sabathia a top the rotation but they could get a huge boost if Phillip Hughes can finally tap in to this potential. The bullpen lost Rafael Soriano but still has plenty of firepower including the return of the greatest closer of all time Mariano Rivera.
Robinson Cano
3-Tampa Bay Rays-This team seems to reload with youth every year. They have done a great job as an orginazation of developing their players and they are reaping the benefits again. They lose B.J. Upton and James Shields but are still not short on talent. They obviously need all star 3rd basemen Evan Longoria to bounce back from injury but they return super utility man Ben Zobrist to go along with Upton's 30-30 candidate replacement in Desmond Jennings. Will Myers, the player they got for James Shields may be ready this year. The pitching staff includes AL Cy Young award winner David Price as well as young studs Matt Moore and Jeremy Hellickson. The Rays struck gold last year with Fernando Rodney who was one of the top closers in the league last year.
David Price
4-Boston Red Sox- The Red Sox are in a bit of a rebuild mode after trading away Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett to the Dodgers. Future hall of famer David Ortiz is aging and speedy center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury cant seem to stay healthy. They did sign Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino and Stephen Drew this off season. I really like the Drew signing to go along with Dustin Pedroia and young 3rd basemen Middlebrooks. The pitching is down this year as well and they really need Jon Lester to step up after an abysmal previous season. John Lackey is aging and Clay Bucholz has been an average. The strong spot of this team is probably the bullpen as they traded for new closer Joel Hanrahan and they also have Andrew Bailey, Uehara, Bard and Aceves.
Dustin Pedroia
5-Baltimore Orioles-In my opinion the O's played over their heads last year. A testament to coach Buck Showalter. Center fielder Adam Jones is one of the most underrated players in the league. JJ Hardy had a solid season last year and Nick Markakis will always give solid production. Matt Wieters have turned into one of the top catchers in the game. Mega prospect Manny Machado will look to build on his solid rookie campaign. This team lacks starting pitching depth which will hurt them in this stacked division. Matt Hammell and Wei-Yin Chen will need to carry the rotation while all star closer Jim Johnson will look to carry on his solid play from last year.
Adam Jones
AL Central
1-Detroit Tigers-Any time your teams 3-4 hitters are named Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder you are going to have a chance at a division title. The team also signed veteran Torii Hunter to shore up the outfield. Austin Jackson is a great top of the order man who will score plenty of runs hitting in front of Miggy and Prince. Jhonny Peralta had a solid season last year and the team should see a boost with former all star Victor Martinez returning from injury. Ace Justin Verlander should have won his second Cy Young last year and Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer are very good 2-4 starters. The team let closer Valverde walk and will rely on young Venezuelan flame thrower Bruce Rondon to close out games. If he falters dont be surprised to see Benoit or Albaquerque in that role.
Prince Fielder
2-Chicago White Sox- The White Sox did little to improve this off season so will need another big season from slugger Paul Konerko to stay in contention. Alex Rios is a 5 tool player and Dayan Viciedo is a slugger that is on the rise. The team signed Jeff Keppinger to fill in for the loss of Youkilis. Former first round pick Gordon Beckham needs to have a good season after a disappointment last year. The team has a solid rotation consisting of all star Chris Sale with Peavy, Danks and Floyd. Closer Addison Reed and set up Matt Thornton are strong in the bullpen.
Alex Rios
3-Kansas City Royals- All those years of Kansas City's futility are finally starting to blossom for the Royals. The young guys are getting older and gaining valuable experience. Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon and Billy Butler are all former first round picks that give the Royals a solid core to build on. Alcides Escobar and Lorenzo Cain were once top prospects in the Brewers organization and came to Kansas City in the Zach Greinke trade a few years ago. The Royals made a splash by trading top prospect Wil Myers to get ace James Shields. Shields is super durable and should be able to stabilize this young rotation with Jeremy Guthrie and Ervin Santana. Aaron Crow was an all star out of the bullpen last year and Greg Holland is back from injury.
James Shields
4-Cleveland Indians- The Indians biggest off season move was signing well respected manager Terry Francona. Although the recent signing off Michael Bourn was a big move that gives them a very speedy outfield with Michael Brantley, Drew Stubbs and Bourn. They can now move newly acquired Nick Swisher to dh. Asdrubal Cabrera and catcher Carlos Santana are all star caliber players and speedy 2nd basemen Jason Kipnis had a great debut last year. Their pitching staff is a little weak with Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jiminez at the top. Chris Perez is a fantastic closer. Vinny Pestano and Joe Smith are solid set up men.
Asdrubal Cabrera
Josh Willingham
1-Los Angeles Angels- The Angels made another bold move this year signing Josh Hamilton away from divison rival Texas. This lineup has no shortage of star power. Rookie and mvp candidate Mike Trout is a star in the making and the middle of the line up has some serious pop with Albert Pujols, Hamilton, Howie Kendrick and Mark Trumbo. Erick Aybar and Alberto Collaspo are solid infield players. Jered Weaver is the ace of this rotation and of the best pitchers in the american league. C.J. Wilson, Jason Vargas and Tommy Hanson round out a solid rotation. The bullpen was weakened when trading Jordan Walden to Atlanta but took a chance on the rebuilt elbow of Ryan Madsen. Ernesto Freiri was unhitable last year and Scott Downs in very talented as well.
Mike Trout
2-Texas Rangers- The Rangers lost all star Josh Hamilton but will gain super rookie Mike Olt in the line up this year. Adrian Beltre, Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus are all star players and Nelson Cruz will look to improve off a lack luster season. The team signed Lance Berkman and A.J. Pierzynski but also lost Mike Napoli. Jurickson Profar is one of the top rated prospects in baseball and is ready to play this year. The rotation starts with Matt Harrison and Japanese all star Yu Darvish. Derek Holland and Alexi Ogando round out the rotation. The bullpen is very solid with Joe Nathan, Neftali Feliz and the signing of Joakim Soria who is coming off tommy john surgery.
Elvis Andrus
3-Oakland A's- This is a team that overachieved last year but is still solid as a unit with no major stars. Cuban Yeonis Cespedes could break out this year and become that star. A true 5 tool outfielder. Coco Crisp and Josh Reddick round out a solid outfield. They made an under the radar trade in acquiring infield Jed Lowrie from the Astros and Jemile Weeks is a solid second basemen. The rotation is led by youngsters Brett Anderson and Jarrod Parker. In the bullpen Ryan Cook played at an all star level in his rookie season and closer Grant Balfour was very reliable. A Team that made the playoffs last year but I wouldnt count on it again.
Josh Reddick
4-Seattle Mariners- The Mariners big move was locking down perennial Cy Young candidate Felix Hernandez with a contract extension. The Mariners have a solid young infield with former first rounders Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley and Kyle Seager. They traded for slugger Michael Morse from the Nationals and Jesus Montero, the former top prospect of the Yankees acquired for Michael Pineda should improve this season. Hernandez leads the staff follewed by veteran Joe Saunders and second year Japanese pitcher Hishashi Iwakuma. The bullpen lacks depth but is led by closer Tom Wilhemsen and Charlie Furbush.
Dustin Ackley
5-Houston Astros- This is the first year for Houston in the AL much to the dismay of former NL Central opponents who got to beat up on the Astros the past few years. This team will be good but not for about 3 more seasons. They have young talent like outfielders Fernando and J.D. Martinez. Brett Wallace and Matt Dominguez are former first rounders and lone all star last year Jose Altuve is small in stature but can really hit. The team also signed Carlos Pena to dh this year. The rotation is young but possess some quality arms in Lucas Harrell, Bud Norris and Jordan Lyles. Jose Veras will close and Wesley Wright is a solid left handed specialist in the pen.
Jose Altuve
1-Washington Nationals- The Nationals were able to imrpove on a roster that is already talented enough to win the nation league pennant. They signed closer Rafael Soriano from the Yankees and traded for lead off man Denard Span. This team has no glaring weaknesses. Bryce Harper is a phenom and Ryan Zimmerman can rake with the best of them when healthy. Throw in Ian Desmond, resurgent Adam LaRoche and Jayson Werth and this is a team that can really hit. The strong suit of the team is probably their starting rotation. It starts with future Cy Young winner Stephen Strasburg who being another season further from tommy john will probably lead the league in strikeouts. The rest of rotation real has no slouches. Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmerman and newly acquired Dan Haren are all solid pitchers. The bullpen will be anchored by Soriano with Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard.
Stephen Strasburg
2-Atlanta Braves- The Braves made not one but two bold moves this offseason for a pair of brothers B.J. and Justin Upton. This is quite possibly the most potent line up in the major league this year. They have speed and power. The Uptons especially Justin are 5 tool players. Joined in the outfield by Jason Heyward who is primed for a monster year. Freddie Freeman is growing into a fine 1st basemen and Dan Uggla will always hit for power just dont expect him to hit over .250. SS Martin Prado was traded to Arizona in the deal for Upton which means top prospect Andrelton Simmons will start at SS. Simmons was born in Curacao like former Braves great Andruw Jones. Brian McCann needs to stay healthy to handle the pitching staff. The rotation has youngsters Kris Medlen and Mike Minor to pair with Paul Maholm and Tim Hudson. Medlen was unhittable the second half of last year. The bullpen also has 3 flame throwers in closer Craig Kimbrel, Johnny Venters and Jordan Walden.
Jason Heyward
3-Philadelphia Phillies- The run of great Philly teams may becoming to an end. The core of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Roy Halladay are still there but getting older and fragile. The team needs youngsters Dominic Brown and John Mayberry Jr to help the offense this year. The Phillies made to moves to acquire speedy center fielder Ben Revere and brought in Michael Young and Delmon Young. The rotation is still very good with Halladay joined by all stars Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. Closer Jonathan Papelbon will close games again with help from set up man Antonio Bastardo.
Cole Hamels
4-New York Mets- The Mets are in rebuild mode right now. They lack the offense and pitching to contend in the tough nl east. Cornerstone 3rd basemen David Wright will be there but wont have much help behind him. Ike Davis and Ruben Tejada were both solid last year and could really take a step forward this year in helping this team turn it around. The staff is led by former multi Cy Young winner Johan Santana and newly acquired Shaun Marcum. Matt Harvey and Zach Wheeler are fantastic young arms who can help this year. The bullpen has no depth as closer Frank Francisco is coming off surgery so hard throwing Bobby Parnell could see some save chances.
David Wright
5-Miami Marlins- This team was unexpectedly torn apart with the mass trade to Toronto. The only all star player left on the roster is hard hitting Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton could easily lead the national league in homers this year but will he even see enough pitches to do so? Logan Morrison and Justin Ruggiano are on the rise but the rest of the line up is made up of young triple a caliber players. Ricky Nolasco has been a reliable starter and Steve Cishek did a nice job closing last year after the implosion of Heath Bell.
Giancarlo Stanton
NL Central
1-Cincinnati Reds- The Reds made one big move this off season in trading for multi talented Shin Soo-Choo.
Former national league MVP Joey Votto should be healthy and RF Jay Bruce could be good for 40 home runs this year. Ryan Ludwick was retained to play LF. Brandon Phillips is the best defensive second basemen in the league and pairs well with sure handed short stop Zach Cozart. Todd Frazier will start at 3rd with Scott Rolen gone. Ryan Hanigan will be catching the talented starting rotation. Next year get ready to see top prospect Billy Hamilton in CF. The rotation is led by dual aces Johnny Cueto and Mat Latos. Homer Bailey is on the brink of stardom as well. Bronson Arroyo is always good for 30 starts. The wildcard for the Reds is moving the best arm in the game Aroldis Chapman into the rotation. Jonathan Broxton was resigned to close with help from the likes of Sean Marshall, Logan Ondrusek, and J.J. Hoover.
Mat Latos
2-St Louis Cardinals- The Cardinals are always competitive. This year will be no different. Led by an outfield of Matt Holliday, Jon Jay, and Carlos Beltran. Can Beltran play a full slate of games again this year? 1st basemen Allen Craig is primed for a monster year in the middle of the line up. Yadier Molina is the best defensive catcher in baseball and former world series MVP David Freese was resigned. The rotation will lose Cardinal great Chris Carpenter but still has Adam Wainwright, Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook and Lance Lynn. They will also see the arrival of top pitching prospect Shelby Miller. Closer Jason Motte can blow people away and they also have strong arms in Mitchell Boggs and young breakout star Trevor Rosenthal.
Allen Craig
3-Milwaukee Brewers- Steroid talk or not, Ryan Braun is hands down one of the best players in baseball. Braun is joined in the outfield by speedy Carlos Gomez and solid 2nd year player Nakuri Aoki. Aramis Ramirez is one the most underapreciated players of our era. Streaky Rickie Weeks is at 2nd base. Corey Hart and underrated catcher Jonathan Lucroy round out the line up. The rotation is led by Yovanni Gallardo and got great production from young arms Marco Estrada and Mike Fiers last year. John Axford is the closer with an otherwise underwhelming bullpen.
Ryan Braun
Andrew McCutchen
5-Chicago Cubs- The Cubs are down right now and they made no moves to get better this offseason. They have pieces like Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo and Darwin Barney but are still years away from contention. Alfonso Soriano is in left field with undervalued David DeJesus in center. Jeff Samardzija is a very good pitcher that could break out this year. Matt Garza is also a nice arm if he can stay healthy. The Cubs signed Edwin Jackson to help their rotation. Closer Carlos Marmol can be up and down and is joined in the pen by rookie Japanese pitcher Kyui Fujikawa.
Starlin Castro
NL West
1-Los Angeles Dodgers- The Dodgers spent a lot of money this off season and have big names all over the field. The outfield is loaded with Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, and Andre Either. The durability of all 3 has plagued them in the past although they are all greatly talented. Adrian Gonzalez is an all star slugger at 1st base as well as Hanley Ramirez back at his natural position of short stop. The Dodgers have a great rotation. The 1-2 punch of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke is tremendous. The team is also expecting a lot from Korean rookie Hyun-Jin Ryu who they spent a high price on. The rotation has great depth with other names that include Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Josh Beckett and Chris Capuano. The bullpen is solid with Brandon League and Curacao born Kenley Jansen.
Hanley Ramirez
2- San Francisco Giants- The world series champs will have to play very well to overtake the Dodgers this year. The team is the same as last years trophy winners. World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval is always battling weight issues and rumors are he is already in hot water with the organization over his weight currently. Hunter Pence is in RF and Angel Pagan was resigned to start in center after a strong post season. NL MVP Buster Posey is as pure of a hitter as their is in the game. The rotation is the strong suit of this team with Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Volgeslong, Barry Zito and it looks like Tim Lincecum is back to his old self as well. The closer by committee bullpen of Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez and Santiago Casilla is a formidable trio.
Buster Posey
3-Arizona Diamondbacks- The Diamondbacks traded away all star outfielder Justin Upton but got a nice package in return including underrated 3rd basemen Martin Prado. The team also made another move by signing outfielder Cody Ross. Young rookie prospect Adam Eaton will take over in center while Jason Kubel has a chance to really break out this year following a strong season is 2012. Paul Goldschmidt is the teams 1st basemen and he impressed last year and will look to build on that. Aaron Hill also had a strong season batting in the middle of the line up. Miguel Montero is one of the better offensive catchers in baseball. Ian Kennedy is once agiain atop the rotation with Trevor Cahill and Brandon McCarthy. Wade Miley had a fantastic rookie season. The bullpen has some nice arms with closer J.J. Putz, David Hernandez and Heath Bell who will be looking to regain his form after a troublesome year with Miami.
Jason Kubel
4-Colorado Rockies- The Rockies rely heavily on the health of all stars Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. When healthy these two are quite the tandem at the 3-4 spot in this line up but have had trouble staying healthy in their careers. Dexter Fowler will try to put it all together this year in center fielder while Michael Cuddyer can also hit especially in the confines of Coors Field. Rookie catcher Wilin Rosario was fantastic last year. Todd Helton is aging but can still do a good bit of hitting. The team also high hopes for 2nd baseman Josh Rutledge. The problem of this team lies in their pitching staff. Jhoulys Chacin, Jorge De La Rosa and Juan Nicasio are all nice arms in the rotation but havent all been able to come together to pitch well at the same time. Rafael Betancourt has been a reliable closer and set up man Adam Ottavino is solid.
Carlos Gonzalez
5-San Diego Padres- The Padres have a bit of talent with center fielder Cameron Maybin and left fielder Carlos Quentin. 1st basemen Yonder Alonso had a nice year last year. The best player on the team is 3rd basemen Chase Headley who is a free agent after the year and will be playing for big money. Along with Alonso, fellow Cuban Yasmani Grandal also acquired for Mat Latos was set to be the starting catcher after a strong rookie campaign but was suspended the first 50 games for a positive steroid test. Everth Cabrera and Will Venable are both nice base stealing options. The rotation is weak with Clayton Richard and streaky Edinson Volquez with out much depth. The bullpen on the other hand is strong led by closer Huston Street with Luke Gregerson, Dale Thayer and Brad Boxberger.
Chase Headley
AL East-Toronto Blue Jays
AL Central-Detroit Tigers
AL West-Los Angeles Angels
Wild Cards-New York Yankees, Texas Rangers
AL Pennant-Los Angeles Angels over Toronto Blue Jays
NL East-Washington Nationals
NL Central-Cincinnati Reds
NL West-Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Cards-Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants
NL Pennant-Washington Nationals over Cincinnati Reds
World Series-Washington Nationals over Los Angeles Angels
Awards
AL MVP- Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
AL Cy Young- Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
NL MVP- Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
NL Cy Young- Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
These are my views of how the season will turn out. Now lets get yours! Feel free to comment.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Top teams in NCAA right now
This year has been as crazy as anyone can remember in college hoops this year. Lets take a look at who we think are the top 5 teams in the country right now!
1-Florida, I know some may disagree and thats fine but I love this Gators team. They have it all in my opinion. They have the pg Scottie Wilbekin that can get in the lane and create. They Have outstanding shooters in Boynton, Rosario and Frazier. And they have big athletic players like Patric Young, Erik Murphy and Casey Prather. Will Yegute should be back by tournament time and will only improve their bench. Billy Donovan has had some tremendous teams in his time there and this is no different.
2-Indiana, They could easily be the best team in the country. The Hooisers boast 5 double digit scorers. One of those 5 is their sharp shooting 6th man Will Sheehey who is the best 3 point shooter in the big ten. Many think Cody Zeller is the best player in the country but I think hes not even the best on his team. In my opinion that would be Victor Oladipo. He does it all including being one of the top steals per game leaders in the ncaa. Zeller is also tremendous and they also have Christian Watford and lights out 3 point shooter Jordan Hulls. If young Yogi Ferrell can play solid at the point this team cold definitely win the national title.
3-Duke, This is a team that really needs to get senior Ryan Kelly back. The big man can really stretch the court with his outside shooting. Mason Plumlee may win the Wooden award this year and for good reason. The guy is a beast inside. They also have good guard play with Curry and Cook. Seth Curry can really shoot the ball and freshmen Rasheed Sulaimon is a very good defender that can do some scoring himself. If and when this team gets Kelly back they will contend for another national title.
4-Michigan, And I know they were just blown out by the Spartans but there is just too much to like about this team come March. They really dont have any go to big guys but they make up for that with their guard play. Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr are fantastic all around guards that dont turn it over.Burke is averaging 18 a game to go along with 7 assits to 2 turnovers a game. Freshman Nick Stauskas is absolute money from outside. Inside the duo of Glenn Robinson the 3rd and frosh Mitch McGary are undersized but they can bang with the best of them. As long as this team can rebound the basketball they can score with any team in the country.
5-Syracuse, Michael Carter-Williams is an extremely savvy guard. He can score but he is also top 5 in the country in assists. Brandon Triche is a heady veteran guard. CJ Fair is undersized but tough as nails and is leading the team in rebounding. James Southerland is back from academic issues and is a supreme scoring option off the bench. Rakeem Christmas has been a disappointment this year and they could really need his help come march.
6-Gonzaga-Kelly Olynk is one of the best players no one has heard of in the country.
7-Louisville-Their guards Russ Smith and Peyton Siva need to step up.
8-Miami-I think they over achieved thus far but being undefeated in the ACC is no small feat.
9-Michigan St-Tough nosed like any Izzo team is hot right now and primed for a top seed.
10-Kansas-Ben McLemore is one of my favorite players in the country. Dont count on another 3 game slide.
1-Florida, I know some may disagree and thats fine but I love this Gators team. They have it all in my opinion. They have the pg Scottie Wilbekin that can get in the lane and create. They Have outstanding shooters in Boynton, Rosario and Frazier. And they have big athletic players like Patric Young, Erik Murphy and Casey Prather. Will Yegute should be back by tournament time and will only improve their bench. Billy Donovan has had some tremendous teams in his time there and this is no different.
2-Indiana, They could easily be the best team in the country. The Hooisers boast 5 double digit scorers. One of those 5 is their sharp shooting 6th man Will Sheehey who is the best 3 point shooter in the big ten. Many think Cody Zeller is the best player in the country but I think hes not even the best on his team. In my opinion that would be Victor Oladipo. He does it all including being one of the top steals per game leaders in the ncaa. Zeller is also tremendous and they also have Christian Watford and lights out 3 point shooter Jordan Hulls. If young Yogi Ferrell can play solid at the point this team cold definitely win the national title.
3-Duke, This is a team that really needs to get senior Ryan Kelly back. The big man can really stretch the court with his outside shooting. Mason Plumlee may win the Wooden award this year and for good reason. The guy is a beast inside. They also have good guard play with Curry and Cook. Seth Curry can really shoot the ball and freshmen Rasheed Sulaimon is a very good defender that can do some scoring himself. If and when this team gets Kelly back they will contend for another national title.
4-Michigan, And I know they were just blown out by the Spartans but there is just too much to like about this team come March. They really dont have any go to big guys but they make up for that with their guard play. Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr are fantastic all around guards that dont turn it over.Burke is averaging 18 a game to go along with 7 assits to 2 turnovers a game. Freshman Nick Stauskas is absolute money from outside. Inside the duo of Glenn Robinson the 3rd and frosh Mitch McGary are undersized but they can bang with the best of them. As long as this team can rebound the basketball they can score with any team in the country.
5-Syracuse, Michael Carter-Williams is an extremely savvy guard. He can score but he is also top 5 in the country in assists. Brandon Triche is a heady veteran guard. CJ Fair is undersized but tough as nails and is leading the team in rebounding. James Southerland is back from academic issues and is a supreme scoring option off the bench. Rakeem Christmas has been a disappointment this year and they could really need his help come march.
6-Gonzaga-Kelly Olynk is one of the best players no one has heard of in the country.
7-Louisville-Their guards Russ Smith and Peyton Siva need to step up.
8-Miami-I think they over achieved thus far but being undefeated in the ACC is no small feat.
9-Michigan St-Tough nosed like any Izzo team is hot right now and primed for a top seed.
10-Kansas-Ben McLemore is one of my favorite players in the country. Dont count on another 3 game slide.
A little college hoops action
First we will start with some things I noticed in Cincinnati's 62-55 loss to Georgetown last night...
-Both these teams seldom used their bench. Georgetown basically went with a 6 man rotation while UC played with 7.
-I would love to see Shaq Thomas get more playing time. He played only 2 minutes last night. I think he brings an energetic spark to this lackluster offense with his ability to slash to the basket.
-The bearcats offense was extremely inefficient last night shooting just above 30% from the field with Cashmere and Kilpatrick shooting an abysmal 8-27 combined and 3-15 from deep.
-A common problem all year has been the inability of Cincinnati's bigs to score the basketball. They have long athletic bigs like Mbodj, Jackson and Nyarsuk that definitely help their stellar team defense but they are not skilled with the ball. Incoming top 20 recruit Jermaine Lawrence should help immediately next year in this department.
-UC shot 17-30 from the free throw line last night. In a tough defensive battle like this every point was crucial and they left several points at the line.
-Georgetown is solid as always. They dont wow you but they always play tough defense and now have the longest winning streak in the big east at 7 and have taken over first place.
-The Hoyas big man Nate Lubick led the team in assists with 4 last night. Everytime I see this guy play I cant help to think how goofy he looks but he has great vision for a big man and can shoot as well.
-How good is Otto Porter? The guy is leading the Hoyas in scoring, rebounding and steals. At 6-8 he is extremely capable of scoring from the inside or out and has a great skill set for a big man. He will be a lottery pick next year.
-The Bearcats were torched by freshman Dvauntes Smith-Rivera last night to the tune of 14 points. And if the name sounds familiar to you it should. He was at one point a Xavier commit and de-committed to play for the Hoyas. Bright future for this kid.
-Georgetown is also missing their 2nd best player right now. Greg Whittington was ruled academically ineligible. If they can get him back by tournament time this team is dangerous to their stout defense that allows only 55 points a game. They will always be able to keep games close.
Preview of Xavier at Dayton
-UD arena is always a tough place to play and this is always a highlighted game on the calender.
-Dayton is really struggling this year at 3-7 in the much improved A-10. They need to pick it up or they could be in danger of missing the A10 tournament.
-Dayton has some solid depth but havent been able to put it all together this year. They are led by pg Kevin Dillard who averages 15 a game to go with 5 assists.
-This should be an interesting matchup as Dayton can score points, they are 4th in the league in scoring against Xavier's always tough man to man defense that is 2nd in the league in points allowed.
-Dayton is the number one 3 point shooting team in the conference so this game will probably be dictated by how hot they can get from distance.
-Xavier is sitting at 7-3 in the conference much to the chagrin of the muskies supporters. This is a team that lost ALL 5 STARTERS from last years sweet 16 team. They are led by Semaj Christon who is undoubtedly one of the top 5 freshman in the country in my opinion. The guy can absolutely get buckets with his ability to get to the rim.
-The problem for Xavier all year has been trying to find a 3rd scoring option behind Christon and Travis Taylor. Justin Martin has been hot the past few games and maybe he can finally start putting it all together to give Xavier that much needed 3rd option.
-This team will be much improved next year with the addition of transfer Matt Stainbrook, and frosh non-qualifiers Myles Davis and Jalen Reynolds. Big time scorer Brandon Randolph from California will also be coming in as a true freshman.
-Xavier won the first match up at the Cintas Center 66-61. Dayton is favored by 5.5 but I am going with Xavier in a very similar score. Ill go Xavier 67 Dayton 63 in this one!
-Both these teams seldom used their bench. Georgetown basically went with a 6 man rotation while UC played with 7.
-I would love to see Shaq Thomas get more playing time. He played only 2 minutes last night. I think he brings an energetic spark to this lackluster offense with his ability to slash to the basket.
-The bearcats offense was extremely inefficient last night shooting just above 30% from the field with Cashmere and Kilpatrick shooting an abysmal 8-27 combined and 3-15 from deep.
-A common problem all year has been the inability of Cincinnati's bigs to score the basketball. They have long athletic bigs like Mbodj, Jackson and Nyarsuk that definitely help their stellar team defense but they are not skilled with the ball. Incoming top 20 recruit Jermaine Lawrence should help immediately next year in this department.
-UC shot 17-30 from the free throw line last night. In a tough defensive battle like this every point was crucial and they left several points at the line.
-Georgetown is solid as always. They dont wow you but they always play tough defense and now have the longest winning streak in the big east at 7 and have taken over first place.
-The Hoyas big man Nate Lubick led the team in assists with 4 last night. Everytime I see this guy play I cant help to think how goofy he looks but he has great vision for a big man and can shoot as well.
-How good is Otto Porter? The guy is leading the Hoyas in scoring, rebounding and steals. At 6-8 he is extremely capable of scoring from the inside or out and has a great skill set for a big man. He will be a lottery pick next year.
-The Bearcats were torched by freshman Dvauntes Smith-Rivera last night to the tune of 14 points. And if the name sounds familiar to you it should. He was at one point a Xavier commit and de-committed to play for the Hoyas. Bright future for this kid.
-Georgetown is also missing their 2nd best player right now. Greg Whittington was ruled academically ineligible. If they can get him back by tournament time this team is dangerous to their stout defense that allows only 55 points a game. They will always be able to keep games close.
Preview of Xavier at Dayton
-UD arena is always a tough place to play and this is always a highlighted game on the calender.
-Dayton is really struggling this year at 3-7 in the much improved A-10. They need to pick it up or they could be in danger of missing the A10 tournament.
-Dayton has some solid depth but havent been able to put it all together this year. They are led by pg Kevin Dillard who averages 15 a game to go with 5 assists.
-This should be an interesting matchup as Dayton can score points, they are 4th in the league in scoring against Xavier's always tough man to man defense that is 2nd in the league in points allowed.
-Dayton is the number one 3 point shooting team in the conference so this game will probably be dictated by how hot they can get from distance.
-Xavier is sitting at 7-3 in the conference much to the chagrin of the muskies supporters. This is a team that lost ALL 5 STARTERS from last years sweet 16 team. They are led by Semaj Christon who is undoubtedly one of the top 5 freshman in the country in my opinion. The guy can absolutely get buckets with his ability to get to the rim.
-The problem for Xavier all year has been trying to find a 3rd scoring option behind Christon and Travis Taylor. Justin Martin has been hot the past few games and maybe he can finally start putting it all together to give Xavier that much needed 3rd option.
-This team will be much improved next year with the addition of transfer Matt Stainbrook, and frosh non-qualifiers Myles Davis and Jalen Reynolds. Big time scorer Brandon Randolph from California will also be coming in as a true freshman.
-Xavier won the first match up at the Cintas Center 66-61. Dayton is favored by 5.5 but I am going with Xavier in a very similar score. Ill go Xavier 67 Dayton 63 in this one!
Friday, February 15, 2013
NFL Mock Draft
2013 NFL Mock Draft
1-Kansas City-Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M-The Chiefs are in desperate need of a quarterback but unfortunately for them there isnt one worth the #1 spot this year. Joeckel is an elite LT who is extremely athletic and should be able to protect the blinside of whoever ends up as the signal caller for the foreseeable future.
2-Jacksonville-Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M-Like his former teammate and now all pro linebacker Von Miller, Moore is undersized but extremely fast for the position and should be able to use his quickness to put up monster sack numbers for a team that needs all kinds of help.
3-Oakland-Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah-Oakland could go several ways here but they were consistently gashed in the run game last year and taking the drafts top defensive tackle should help that. Lotulelei is considered by many to be the top prospect in the draft so this should be a safe pick here for a franchise that cant afford to miss.
4-Philadelphia-Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama-Milliner is comparable to Leon Hall of the Bengals. He does not ossess elite speed but is a tremendous technician and will offer great support in the run game. The Eagles were supremely disappointed in free agent mega signing Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie is going to hit free agency so this pick fills the bill.
5-Detroit-Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon-Dion Jordan has propelled up draft boards with this freakish athleticism. At 6-7 245, Jordan can use his length to wreak havoc all over the field. Detroit recently cut Kyle VanDenbosch and Cliff Avril is also a free agent.
6-Cleveland-Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia-At one point Jarvis was considered a lock for the number one pick but impending questions of a spinal condition have caused some worries among GM's. The Browns are starting over with a new regime and we have seen in past years hybrid pass rushers can make a huge impact.
7-Arizona-Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan-The Cardinals passing game was a complete mess last year. Part in fact due to Kevin Kolbs injury the other factor being the horrendous pass protection of the offensive line. An athletic left tackle should help that problem as they could move mauler and former first rounder Levi Brown to right tackle
8-Buffalo-Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia-There are mixed reviews out on Geno right now. Some think he could be a franchise quarterback and others think Vince Young 2.0. Ryan Fitzpatrick has been serviceable over the years for the Bills but is not the long term solution. Time to groom a young qb in Buffalo.
9-NY Jets-Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU-Mingo was an absolute beast his junior season and his numbers tailed off a bit this year but is still an absolute monster. The perfect match up problem kind of player that Rex Ryan will love to line up in different positions.
10-Tennessee-Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama-Warmack is believed to be the best guard prospect in years. Tennessee needs to be able to pave the way for burner Chris Johnson.
11-San Diego-Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina-Another guard that is worth the top 15 selection. San Diego was not able to keep Philip Rivers clean last year and its obvious they need to improve the line to help the offense run smoothly.
12-Miami-Cordarelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee-In a class that is very weak on wide outs Patterson is the best of them. Ryan Tannehill was surprisingly good last year but they need to give him more options and Patterson could be a great downfield option for a team with a lack of one.
13-Tampa Bay-Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida St-Werner has the potential to be one of the mst dominating defensive players in the league. Questions remain about his work ethic and motor which is keeping him from going in the top 5. Could be a steal at this point.
14-Carolina-Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida-Floyd is one of several dominate defensive tackles in this draft and his stock is starting to rise. Carolina hit it big with first round pick Luke Kueckly last year and Floyd will only help them improve their front 7.
15-New Orleans-Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU-This guy is another wild card. At 6'6 270 he has huge ability and could become an elite pass rusher which is what New Orleans really needs.
16-St Louis-Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma-Sam Bradford still has the potential to be a franchise qb but first they need to protect him. Lane Johnson is a former tight end at Oklahoma so he can use his quickness and athleticism to help keep Bradford clean in the pocket.
17-Pittsburgh-Keenan Allen, WR, California-Mike Wallace is gone in free agency and needs to be repalced. Allen is considered to be the best blocking wide out in the class and has great hands. His physicality is what the Steelers will desire and he should pair well with Antonio Brown.
18-Dallas-Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas-Kenny Vaccaro is on the rise and could be gone by this pick. Widely considered the top safety in the draft he could go in the top 10 like Mark Barron did last year. Cowboys could use him in their secondary with last years first round pick Morris Claiborne.
19-NY Giants-Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia-The Giants just cut linebacker Michael Boley and havent had an impact middle lb since the days of Antonio Pierece. Ogletree has plenty of potential and could fit well in the middle for the G-Men.
20-Chicago-Manti Te'o, ILB, Notre Dame-Te'o definitely saw a drop in his stock amid the recent scandal but is still a terrific player with great instincts. The Bears can let Brian Urlacher groom him for a year or two before he retires and we could see Manti in the middle of the lb core for the next several years.
21-Cincinnati-Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama-If Kenny Vaccaro is somehow still available I think he needs to be the pick here. BJGE was much better in the second half of the season but Eddie Lacy showed he has the power and vision to be an elite running back when he dominated ND in the BCS championship game. Lacy should be able to infuse some more life into the bengals running game.
22-St Louis-Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri-Richardson has the ability to be drafted in the top 10. The Rams can bring him in and he can join the defensive unit with Chris Long and Jamer Lauranitis. The Rams actually have a solid young defense and can improve that here.
23-Minnesota-Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU-The Vikings need to find a linebacker to pair with the NFL leading tackler Chad Greenway. Minter was very good on a stout LSU defense and should be a solid pro for years to come.
24-Indianapolis-DJ Fluker, OT, Alabama-Fluker is a very large man at 6'6 350 and can be put in at RT right away to help protect the franchise Andrew Luck. He was part of the stellar Alabama offensive line that was the most dominant offensive line in the college game in years.
25-Seattle-Jonathan Hankins, DT, Ohio St-Seattle has a bit of a luxury pick here to help improve their already stout defense. Hankins is a big run stuffer and plays with a mean streak so he should fit nicely with the edy Seahawks defense.
26-Green Bay-Arthur Brown, ILB, Kansas St-AJ Hawk was never what the Packers drafted him to be when they took him in the top 5. They need to find a rangy mlb to play next to Clay Matthews and Arthur Brown is a sideline to sideline lb who should help their run defense tremendously.
27-Houston-Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia-Tavon Austin is basically Percy Harvin Jr. He is a problem all over the field including special teams. He will pair well with Andre Johnson as he can work the underneath routes so Johnson can stretch the field deep.
28-Denver-Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU-Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo disrupted sec offensives for years and now they will both go first round. Montgomery will help the front 7 of Denver and create even more opportunities for Von Miller.
29-New England-DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson-Bellichick would love to get his hands on Tavon Austin here but Hopkins provides similar capabilities and just might be taking over Wes Welkers job should the Pats let him walk in free agency.
30-Atlanta-Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford-Tony Gonzalez seems to be on the fence about retiring. This pick would be based on the Falcons gut feeling that Tony is leaving. Ertz would just give Matty Ryan another option in their already lethal aerial attack.
31-San Francisco-Jonathan Banks, CB, Mississippi St-This draft is very weak on corners and San Fran showed in the superbowl if their defense has a weakness it is in the secondary as they were torched several times. Banks is a strong corner that should also help in the run game.
32-Baltimore-Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama-Williams is extremely strong and recently was rumored to bench over 600 pounds. He will fit in beautifully on Baltimores defensive line that is projected to have several cap motivated cuts this off season.
Round 2(Bengals picks only)
37-Matt Elam, S, Florida-Elam is undersized but loves to hit and plays with incredible instincts. The Begnals can pair him with fellow Gator Reggie Nelson and have a formidable duo in the secondary.
53-Tank Carradine, DE, Florida St-Corenlius(Tank) Carradine is a physical specimen and played his high school football in Cincinnati at Taft high school. He was set to be a top 20 pick this year before tearing his acl. Still possess the natural ability to be an elite pass rusher for the hometown Bengals.
I will probably update this thread as we move closer to the draft. This is my initial mock and their is always movement after pro days and the combine.Hope you enjoyed!
1-Kansas City-Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M-The Chiefs are in desperate need of a quarterback but unfortunately for them there isnt one worth the #1 spot this year. Joeckel is an elite LT who is extremely athletic and should be able to protect the blinside of whoever ends up as the signal caller for the foreseeable future.
2-Jacksonville-Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M-Like his former teammate and now all pro linebacker Von Miller, Moore is undersized but extremely fast for the position and should be able to use his quickness to put up monster sack numbers for a team that needs all kinds of help.
3-Oakland-Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah-Oakland could go several ways here but they were consistently gashed in the run game last year and taking the drafts top defensive tackle should help that. Lotulelei is considered by many to be the top prospect in the draft so this should be a safe pick here for a franchise that cant afford to miss.
4-Philadelphia-Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama-Milliner is comparable to Leon Hall of the Bengals. He does not ossess elite speed but is a tremendous technician and will offer great support in the run game. The Eagles were supremely disappointed in free agent mega signing Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie is going to hit free agency so this pick fills the bill.
5-Detroit-Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon-Dion Jordan has propelled up draft boards with this freakish athleticism. At 6-7 245, Jordan can use his length to wreak havoc all over the field. Detroit recently cut Kyle VanDenbosch and Cliff Avril is also a free agent.
6-Cleveland-Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia-At one point Jarvis was considered a lock for the number one pick but impending questions of a spinal condition have caused some worries among GM's. The Browns are starting over with a new regime and we have seen in past years hybrid pass rushers can make a huge impact.
7-Arizona-Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan-The Cardinals passing game was a complete mess last year. Part in fact due to Kevin Kolbs injury the other factor being the horrendous pass protection of the offensive line. An athletic left tackle should help that problem as they could move mauler and former first rounder Levi Brown to right tackle
8-Buffalo-Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia-There are mixed reviews out on Geno right now. Some think he could be a franchise quarterback and others think Vince Young 2.0. Ryan Fitzpatrick has been serviceable over the years for the Bills but is not the long term solution. Time to groom a young qb in Buffalo.
9-NY Jets-Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU-Mingo was an absolute beast his junior season and his numbers tailed off a bit this year but is still an absolute monster. The perfect match up problem kind of player that Rex Ryan will love to line up in different positions.
10-Tennessee-Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama-Warmack is believed to be the best guard prospect in years. Tennessee needs to be able to pave the way for burner Chris Johnson.
11-San Diego-Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina-Another guard that is worth the top 15 selection. San Diego was not able to keep Philip Rivers clean last year and its obvious they need to improve the line to help the offense run smoothly.
12-Miami-Cordarelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee-In a class that is very weak on wide outs Patterson is the best of them. Ryan Tannehill was surprisingly good last year but they need to give him more options and Patterson could be a great downfield option for a team with a lack of one.
13-Tampa Bay-Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida St-Werner has the potential to be one of the mst dominating defensive players in the league. Questions remain about his work ethic and motor which is keeping him from going in the top 5. Could be a steal at this point.
14-Carolina-Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida-Floyd is one of several dominate defensive tackles in this draft and his stock is starting to rise. Carolina hit it big with first round pick Luke Kueckly last year and Floyd will only help them improve their front 7.
15-New Orleans-Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU-This guy is another wild card. At 6'6 270 he has huge ability and could become an elite pass rusher which is what New Orleans really needs.
16-St Louis-Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma-Sam Bradford still has the potential to be a franchise qb but first they need to protect him. Lane Johnson is a former tight end at Oklahoma so he can use his quickness and athleticism to help keep Bradford clean in the pocket.
17-Pittsburgh-Keenan Allen, WR, California-Mike Wallace is gone in free agency and needs to be repalced. Allen is considered to be the best blocking wide out in the class and has great hands. His physicality is what the Steelers will desire and he should pair well with Antonio Brown.
18-Dallas-Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas-Kenny Vaccaro is on the rise and could be gone by this pick. Widely considered the top safety in the draft he could go in the top 10 like Mark Barron did last year. Cowboys could use him in their secondary with last years first round pick Morris Claiborne.
19-NY Giants-Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia-The Giants just cut linebacker Michael Boley and havent had an impact middle lb since the days of Antonio Pierece. Ogletree has plenty of potential and could fit well in the middle for the G-Men.
20-Chicago-Manti Te'o, ILB, Notre Dame-Te'o definitely saw a drop in his stock amid the recent scandal but is still a terrific player with great instincts. The Bears can let Brian Urlacher groom him for a year or two before he retires and we could see Manti in the middle of the lb core for the next several years.
21-Cincinnati-Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama-If Kenny Vaccaro is somehow still available I think he needs to be the pick here. BJGE was much better in the second half of the season but Eddie Lacy showed he has the power and vision to be an elite running back when he dominated ND in the BCS championship game. Lacy should be able to infuse some more life into the bengals running game.
22-St Louis-Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri-Richardson has the ability to be drafted in the top 10. The Rams can bring him in and he can join the defensive unit with Chris Long and Jamer Lauranitis. The Rams actually have a solid young defense and can improve that here.
23-Minnesota-Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU-The Vikings need to find a linebacker to pair with the NFL leading tackler Chad Greenway. Minter was very good on a stout LSU defense and should be a solid pro for years to come.
24-Indianapolis-DJ Fluker, OT, Alabama-Fluker is a very large man at 6'6 350 and can be put in at RT right away to help protect the franchise Andrew Luck. He was part of the stellar Alabama offensive line that was the most dominant offensive line in the college game in years.
25-Seattle-Jonathan Hankins, DT, Ohio St-Seattle has a bit of a luxury pick here to help improve their already stout defense. Hankins is a big run stuffer and plays with a mean streak so he should fit nicely with the edy Seahawks defense.
26-Green Bay-Arthur Brown, ILB, Kansas St-AJ Hawk was never what the Packers drafted him to be when they took him in the top 5. They need to find a rangy mlb to play next to Clay Matthews and Arthur Brown is a sideline to sideline lb who should help their run defense tremendously.
27-Houston-Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia-Tavon Austin is basically Percy Harvin Jr. He is a problem all over the field including special teams. He will pair well with Andre Johnson as he can work the underneath routes so Johnson can stretch the field deep.
28-Denver-Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU-Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo disrupted sec offensives for years and now they will both go first round. Montgomery will help the front 7 of Denver and create even more opportunities for Von Miller.
29-New England-DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson-Bellichick would love to get his hands on Tavon Austin here but Hopkins provides similar capabilities and just might be taking over Wes Welkers job should the Pats let him walk in free agency.
30-Atlanta-Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford-Tony Gonzalez seems to be on the fence about retiring. This pick would be based on the Falcons gut feeling that Tony is leaving. Ertz would just give Matty Ryan another option in their already lethal aerial attack.
31-San Francisco-Jonathan Banks, CB, Mississippi St-This draft is very weak on corners and San Fran showed in the superbowl if their defense has a weakness it is in the secondary as they were torched several times. Banks is a strong corner that should also help in the run game.
32-Baltimore-Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama-Williams is extremely strong and recently was rumored to bench over 600 pounds. He will fit in beautifully on Baltimores defensive line that is projected to have several cap motivated cuts this off season.
Round 2(Bengals picks only)
37-Matt Elam, S, Florida-Elam is undersized but loves to hit and plays with incredible instincts. The Begnals can pair him with fellow Gator Reggie Nelson and have a formidable duo in the secondary.
53-Tank Carradine, DE, Florida St-Corenlius(Tank) Carradine is a physical specimen and played his high school football in Cincinnati at Taft high school. He was set to be a top 20 pick this year before tearing his acl. Still possess the natural ability to be an elite pass rusher for the hometown Bengals.
I will probably update this thread as we move closer to the draft. This is my initial mock and their is always movement after pro days and the combine.Hope you enjoyed!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Fantasy Baseball
Fantasy Baseball time is right around the proverbial corner so I thought now may be a good time to post my top 25 rankings. These ranking are subject to change as draft day approaches in mid March.
1-Miguel Cabrera-Miggy is still king of the fantasy game for me. Hell he won the triple crown!
2-Mike Trout-The dude is just oozing with potential. Not sure if he will hit 35 homers again this year but runs will be over 100 and steals over 50. A 5 category player for sure.
3-Ryan Braun-I dont particulary like him and he will face more steroid scrutiny, but you cant doubt his numbers.
4-Matt Kemp-40-40 is not out of the realm IF he can stay healthy for a full season. High risk/High reward as always for Kemp.
5-Joey Votto-Votto has had plenty of time to let that knee heal and this year with the continuity of Choo and Phillips getting on ahead of him pitchers will be faced to throw to him. I see big numbers coming his way!
6-Albert Pujols-I know Prince Albert is aging but that Angels line up is just loaded and when he is healthy he can still rake.
7-Andrew McCutchen-Is there any player more important to their team in the whole league than this guy? I think not. He is on the cusp of stardom if not there yet.
8-Robinson Cano-Always solid. You know what your getting here and that is solid all around production.
9-Carlos Gonzalez-The guy could break out with a top 5 fantasy season at any time thanks to the trusty confines of Coors Field. He a real talent.
10-Prince Fielder-Cecil's son is an rbi machine and look for him to hit more than 30 longballs this year!
11-Jose Bautista-The wrist will be healed and he should be hitting 40 homeruns again with ease. Add in their new and improved lineup and more rbi chances should be available as well.
12-Justin Upton-I always seem to over value Upton but with the change of scenery and getting out of those big ballparks out west he shoud be inline for improved power numbers.
13-Giancarlo Stanton-Mike err Giancarlo Stanton is so big and strong and can mash with the best of em. Hopefully he can stay healthy for a full year and give the fans in Miami a run at 50 homeruns. Lord knows they have nothing else to look forward to.
14-Troy Tulowitzki-Tulo is an all world talent but cant seem to catch a break. Can easily finish top ten with counterpart CarGo if he can stay on the field.
15-Justin Verlander-The best pitcher of the past few seasons. Throws fire and his numbers reflect it. Should have won the cy young last year as well.
16-Clayton Kershaw-So young and so good. Plus Dodger stadium is one of the ultimate pitcher parks. Expect a sub 3 era with 250 plus punch outs.
17-Evan Longoria-Seems to be a common trend with a lot of these young guys but hasnt been able to stay healthy. When he is you can expect 35-40 homers with over 100 rbi
18-Buster Posey-The top catcher in the game should hit around .350 in the spacious AT&T park and maybe his power numbers will come as he grows in age.
19-David Wright-The cornerstone of the Mets franchise is an easy threat to steal 20 bags to add to his .300 plus batting average and 30 homers.
20-Stephen Strasburg-Could easily finish as the top pitcher in the game this year. The leash should be off now nearly 2 years removed of tommy john surgery. He could possibly reach 300 strikeouts given 30 starts which would be incredible.
21-Adrian Beltre-Beltre is always undervalued and always manages to hit over.300 with 30 hrs and 100 rbi. Expect no different.
22-Felix Hernandez-King Felix fresh off his new deal is the face of the Mariners franchise and already has one perfect game to his name. Dont discount him for another!
23-Bryce Harper-This kid could be absolutely spectacular this year. This ranking may be to low for him. Id say starting next year he will go in the top 10 picks for the next decade!
24-David Price-The AL cy young winner has an electric arm and will get his share of strikeouts and wins.
25-Josh Hamilton-Always has the potential for a monster season and given his move to Los Angeles with that ridiculous line up another huge season could be on the realm. He has to stay healthy though.
And there you have it. My first rankings of the year. Criticism welcome. Enjoy!
1-Miguel Cabrera-Miggy is still king of the fantasy game for me. Hell he won the triple crown!
2-Mike Trout-The dude is just oozing with potential. Not sure if he will hit 35 homers again this year but runs will be over 100 and steals over 50. A 5 category player for sure.
3-Ryan Braun-I dont particulary like him and he will face more steroid scrutiny, but you cant doubt his numbers.
4-Matt Kemp-40-40 is not out of the realm IF he can stay healthy for a full season. High risk/High reward as always for Kemp.
5-Joey Votto-Votto has had plenty of time to let that knee heal and this year with the continuity of Choo and Phillips getting on ahead of him pitchers will be faced to throw to him. I see big numbers coming his way!
6-Albert Pujols-I know Prince Albert is aging but that Angels line up is just loaded and when he is healthy he can still rake.
7-Andrew McCutchen-Is there any player more important to their team in the whole league than this guy? I think not. He is on the cusp of stardom if not there yet.
8-Robinson Cano-Always solid. You know what your getting here and that is solid all around production.
9-Carlos Gonzalez-The guy could break out with a top 5 fantasy season at any time thanks to the trusty confines of Coors Field. He a real talent.
10-Prince Fielder-Cecil's son is an rbi machine and look for him to hit more than 30 longballs this year!
11-Jose Bautista-The wrist will be healed and he should be hitting 40 homeruns again with ease. Add in their new and improved lineup and more rbi chances should be available as well.
12-Justin Upton-I always seem to over value Upton but with the change of scenery and getting out of those big ballparks out west he shoud be inline for improved power numbers.
13-Giancarlo Stanton-Mike err Giancarlo Stanton is so big and strong and can mash with the best of em. Hopefully he can stay healthy for a full year and give the fans in Miami a run at 50 homeruns. Lord knows they have nothing else to look forward to.
14-Troy Tulowitzki-Tulo is an all world talent but cant seem to catch a break. Can easily finish top ten with counterpart CarGo if he can stay on the field.
15-Justin Verlander-The best pitcher of the past few seasons. Throws fire and his numbers reflect it. Should have won the cy young last year as well.
16-Clayton Kershaw-So young and so good. Plus Dodger stadium is one of the ultimate pitcher parks. Expect a sub 3 era with 250 plus punch outs.
17-Evan Longoria-Seems to be a common trend with a lot of these young guys but hasnt been able to stay healthy. When he is you can expect 35-40 homers with over 100 rbi
18-Buster Posey-The top catcher in the game should hit around .350 in the spacious AT&T park and maybe his power numbers will come as he grows in age.
19-David Wright-The cornerstone of the Mets franchise is an easy threat to steal 20 bags to add to his .300 plus batting average and 30 homers.
20-Stephen Strasburg-Could easily finish as the top pitcher in the game this year. The leash should be off now nearly 2 years removed of tommy john surgery. He could possibly reach 300 strikeouts given 30 starts which would be incredible.
21-Adrian Beltre-Beltre is always undervalued and always manages to hit over.300 with 30 hrs and 100 rbi. Expect no different.
22-Felix Hernandez-King Felix fresh off his new deal is the face of the Mariners franchise and already has one perfect game to his name. Dont discount him for another!
23-Bryce Harper-This kid could be absolutely spectacular this year. This ranking may be to low for him. Id say starting next year he will go in the top 10 picks for the next decade!
24-David Price-The AL cy young winner has an electric arm and will get his share of strikeouts and wins.
25-Josh Hamilton-Always has the potential for a monster season and given his move to Los Angeles with that ridiculous line up another huge season could be on the realm. He has to stay healthy though.
And there you have it. My first rankings of the year. Criticism welcome. Enjoy!
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