Eric Hinske Missed

Game No. 56

2009-06-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

The Phillies and Mets will get together for their third series of the year of the year this week. The Phillies are finishing a 10-game road trip at Shitty Field. They have won 5 of 7 on the trip to this point. They have blown two of the games, thanks to tough ninth innings by Brad Lidge. The Mets are coming off being swept by the Pirates last, before they took 2 of 3 in D.C. Raul Ibanez, Jimmy Rollins, and Chase Utley all lead their positions in the all-star voting. David Wright and Carlos Beltran lead the Mets.

The Pitching Matchup:

Philadelphia: LHP J.A. Happ (4-0, 2.48 era) Happ has thrown well since entering the starting rotation full-time, 2 weeks ago. Happ is 0-1 with a 4.40 era in his career against the Mets. Happ made his major league debut against the Mets in 2007, struggling in that game. He has made 4 career appearances against the Mets.
New York: LHP Johan Santana (7-3, 2.00 era) Santana has been the best pitcher in the National League this year. Earlier this year, Santana out-dueled Chan Ho Park, beating him 1-0. Santana has made 7 career starts against the Fightins, going 3-0 with a 2.44 era.

The Phillies Lineup will be posted when it becomes available.

Game time is 7:10pm. It can be heard locally on 1210 wpht, and seen on myphl17.

North Penn and Parkland Head To Altoona

2009-06-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

After a week of rainouts and playoffs, the state final is finally set. North Penn advanced to Altoona with a 12-1 trouncing of WPIAL champion, North Allegheny. The Knights scored in 5 of the 7 innings, and we in control from the first pitch on.

Parkland beat St. Joseph's Prep, 6-2. Parkland was on the brink of elimination a week ago winning in extra innings, but now they will find themselves 7 innings from a State Championship.

First-pitch is 7:00pm Friday night. I'll post a preview later in the week.

Monday in the NL East

2009-06-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

The Mets and Phillies are both off tonight, preparing for their three-game series at Citi Field.

The Marlins got 8 innings of two-hit baseball, to shutout the Giants, 4-0. The teams split the four game series. Brett Carroll led the Marlins, going 3-for-4 with a 3-run homer.

The Marlins now host the Cardinals for three. In game one, both teams throw their aces. Chris Carpenter against Josh Johnson both get the call.

Sunday in the NL East

2009-06-07T21:47:00.000-07:00

The Phillies got another good start from rookie Antonio Bastardo. Bastardo left in the 6th with the lead, and the Phils didn't look back from there. Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino, and Ryan Howard all homered in the game. The Phils now get an off day before starting a three-game set with the Mets in Queens.

In the series opener, J.A. Happ (4-0, 2.48 era) faces Johan Santana (7-3, 2.00 era).

The Mets took the rubber-game of their 3 gamer with the Nats. The Mets scored 5 first inning runs, on their way to 7-0 win. Livan Hernandez got the win for the Mets.

The Braves rallied from behind to beat the Brewers. Tommy Hanson struggled in his debut, giving up six earned runs over six innings. Chipper Jones went 4-for-4 with 5 rbi's in the comeback. Nate McClouth's first hit as a Brave was a 2-run double in the 8th inning, to tie the game. He later scored on a Yunel Escobar single.

The Braves now open up a four game series at home against the Pirates. Kenshin Kawakami faces Zach Duke in game one.

Tim Lincecum beat the Marlins Sunday in game three of four in the series. Lincecum went into the 8th inning giving up just 2 runs.

In the series ender, Randy Johnson faces Sean West.
The Nationals host the Reds for three. In game one, Jordan Zimmermann faces Johnny Queto.

Game No. 55

2009-06-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

Tonight, the Phillies look to get the split with the Dodgers. The Phillies are making their second appearance on Sunday Night Baseball of the year tonight. Brad Lidge blew his second save of the series, and sixth on the season. The Phillies offense hope to get back on track offensively as well. Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard have gone hitless for the series. Following tonight's game, the Phils are off Monday before going to Citi Field to take on the Mets.

The Pitching Matchup:

Philadelphia: LHP Antonio Bastardo (1-0, 1.50 era) Bastardo was outstanding in his debut Tuesday night in San Diego. He threw 6 innings, allowing just an Adrian Gonzalez homer. Bastardo has never faced the Dodgers in his career.
Los Angeles: LHP Randy Wolf (3-1, 3.21 era) The ex-Phil has made two career starts against the Phillies and is 1-0 with a 2.25 era. He pitched against the Phillies earlier this year, going six innings and allowing just a run.

The Phillies Lineup:

Shane Victorino, cf
Chase Utley, 2b
Jayson Werth, rf
Ryan Howard, 1b
Raul Ibanez, lf
Jimmy Rollins, ss
Pedro Feliz, 3b
Carlos Ruiz, c
Antonio Bastardo, p

The Phillies have just 3 extra men tonight. Matt Stairs is home for his daughters high school graduation. Coste, Dobbs, and Bruntlett are the only ones available tonight.

Tonight's game is at 8:05pm. It can be heard locally on 1210 wpht, and seen nationally on ESPN.

What To Do With One Brad Lidge..

2009-06-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

I could post about a lot of things today. We could talk about how Brian Westbrook is going to miss training camp. We could talk about how much of a wreck the Sixers are. We could even try to stir up some rumors, like the Flyers going after Jay Bouwmeester.

However, the biggest problem today seems to be with the one of the biggest sure things this city had a year ago. That's the closer in the bullpen. Brad Lidge has seemed to lost all confidence in himself. Last year, he was perfect. This year, not so much. Look, we all knew he wasn't going to have the same season he had last year but I wouldn't have ever guessed Lidge would have a 7+ era and six blown saves before the fourth of July. So, now the Phillies are sitting there thinking of what they can do with Lidge. Here are some of the answers the Phillies have.

Shut down Lidge, let someone else get a chance: This one is what most fans probably think should be done but there are steep consequences for this. Ryan Madson would most likely be the guy to get those chances. However, what happens if Madson struggles. You now have lost your two best relievers at the mid-point of the season. On the flip side, what if Madson is great? Well, you have solved your closer spot but now you also have no place for Brad Lidge. In Houston when Lidge lost the closer role, the wheels came off and that was it for him as an Astro. The Phillies still have Lidge under contract the next two seasons, and losing him would be the worst. That's why I don't see this happening.
Keep giving Lidge the ball: I'm not sure how I feel about this one either. I do think Lidge will get it back, and I really don't think shutting him down will help him at all. He needs to pitch through this and get confidence back that way. No one has ever gotten their swagger back with a trip to the DL. This team needs Lidge, and hopefully he will work through it.
My solution: Let me stress, there is no perfect answer with Lidge. Right now, I would pick my spots with Lidge. I know they are worried about overworking Madson, but yesterday would've been a good day to try and have him go a second inning. Lidge needs to find himself. To me the only way to do that is to keep trying.

Hopefully Lidge gets things going soon. Tonight the Phillies look for a split with the Dodgers at 8:05pm.

Baseball Final Four Set

2009-06-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

After a few days of rainy weather postponed two of the quarterfinal games, the final four is now set for Monday. North Penn defeated Council Rock North, 2-1 in what was a pitcher's duel. Parkland upset Wyoming Valley West, and St. Joe's Prep stunned West Chester East. North Allegheny advanced Thursday afternoon, beating Pine-Richland. So, now each of these four teams is a win away from Altoona. Let's take a look at the match-ups for Monday afternoon.

District 12's St. Joseph's Prep vs. District 11's Parkland, 2pm at Spring-Ford HS in Royersford.

St. Joseph's Prep was the District 12 champion and beat Garnet Valley and West Chester East, each by a run. Parkland also was the District champion, and beat Pennridge in 8 innings Monday. They defeated Wyoming Valley West on Thursday, 7-1.

District 7's North Allegheny vs. District 1's North Penn, 4pm in Scotland.

North Allegheny beat Hollidaysburg in round one, and then beat Pine-Richland in a rematch of their WPIAL championship game, 3-2 in 9 innings. North Penn enters winners of 4 in a row, after being District 1's 5-seed. They beat Chambersburg and Council Rock North to get to the semi's.

I'll take St. Joseph's Prep and North Penn to meet in the finals on Friday. We will see how it ends up. I went 2-2 in the quarterfinal round. Once again, the championship is Friday at 7pm in Altoona.

Saturday in the NL East

2009-06-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday afternoon, the Phillies saw Brad Lidge blow his second consecutive days in as many days. Lidge surrendered a 9th inning homer to Rafael Furcal, tying the game and sending it to extras. The Phils trailed into the 7th inning when Matt Stairs singled in two runs, to give the Phillies the lead. J.C. Romero and Ryan Madson each worked scoreless innings before giving way to once Lights Out Lidge. Chad Durbin took the loss for the Phils, who gave up a walk-off homer to Andre Ethier. It was Ethier's second walk-off in two days. The Phillies had just 6 hits in the game, two of which belonged to Pedro Feliz. The Phillies will try again Sunday night on ESPN.

In the series finale, Antonio Bastardo(1-0, 1.50 era) faces former Phil, Randy Wolf(3-1, 3.21 era).

Phillies fans can at least take solace in knowing the division lead didn't move anywhere on Saturday. The Mets lost 7-1 in D.C. to the Nationals. John Maine gave up 7 runs over just 4 innings for the Mets. The Nationals solution to their brutal bullpen... Don't use it. John Lannan went all nine innings to get the win. He allowed just 4 hits.

In the series capper, the Mets send Livan Hernandez against Craig Stammen.

For the second straight night, the Braves were shutout by the Brewers. Prince Fielder homered twice for the Brewers. Javier Vazquez took the loss for Atlanta.

In the series finale, the Braves send highly touted rookie Tommy Hanson against Manny Parra. Hanson is making his major league debut.

The Marlins hung on to beat the Giants, 5-4. Hanley Ramirez went 2-for-4 for the Marlins.

The Marlins will recall Ricky Nolasco to face last year's Cy Young winner, Tim Lincecum.

Lidge Blows Another

2009-06-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

THAT Brad Lidge is obviously the real one. He fucking sucks. We should have won 9 in a row. Instead we have lost two in a row against a Dodgers team that is so fucking overrated. Brad has continued to blow saves. The only reason he still has his job is because he sells a lot of jerseys. I don't give a shit that he was perfect last year. It's typical Brad Lidge to be great one year, and BLOW the next. And boy, does he blow. I want Ryan Madson. Throw Lidge on the 15-Day DL because he needs a break to get his head straight. He has no confidence and can't help this team.

Game No. 54

2009-06-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, the Phillies will look to get back on track as they face the Dodgers for the third game of a four game series. The Dodgers got off the mat last night, coming back to rally for two runs in the 9th to beat the Phils, 4-3. Pedro Feliz's error cleared the way for Andre Ethier to play hero, as he doubled in Casey Blake and James Loney. The loss gave the Dodgers the edge in the season series, 3-2. The teams close out their season series Sunday in LA.

The Pitching Matchup:

Philadelphia: RHP Joe Blanton (4-3, 5.86 era) Blanton enters action Saturday having won his last three decisions. Blanton is 1-0 with a 3.32 era in three career starts vs. LA. Blanton's last start vs. the Dodgers came last October in the NLCS. Blanton allowed 3 runs over 5 innings in the infamous, "Matt Stairs game".
Los Angeles: RHP Hiroki Kuroda (1-1, 2.53 era) Kuroda has made just 2 starts this season due to missing two months with an injury. He has thrown just 10.2 innings on the year. Kuroda is 1-0 with a 1.38 era in his career against the Phillies. In the NLCS, Kuroda threw 6 innings and allowed 2 earned runs in the Dodgers game 3 win. He infamously threw over Shane Victorino's head in the game.

The Phillies Probable Lineup:

Jimmy Rollins, ss
Shane Victorino, cf
Chase Utley, 2b
Ryan Howard, 1b
Raul Ibanez, lf
Jayson Werth, rf
Pedro Feliz, 3b
Carlos Ruiz, c
Joe Blanton, p

This afternoon's game time is 4:10pm. The game can be heard on 1210 wpht, and viewed live nationally of Fox.

Later.

Friday in the NL East

2009-06-05T22:38:00.000-07:00

The Phillies saw their seven game win streak end Friday night, blowing a one run lead in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies were one out from the win, when Casey Blake singled off of Brad Lidge. Lidge walked James Loney, and things got worse from there. Russell Martin hit a hard grounder to normally sure-handed third basemen Pedro Feliz, which bounced off of the heal of his glove and extending the game. The next pitch, Andre Ethier doubled down the right field line winning if for the Dodgers. The Phillies missed a boat load of chances, stranding 11 runners on the night, and were shut out after Dodgers' starter Eric Milton was lifted in the fifth inning. The Phillies also saw shortstop Jimmy Rollins again go 0-for-5, dropping his average to .219.

The series continues with game three, Saturday at 4:10et. The Phillies will send Joe Blanton (4-3, 5.86 era) against Hiroki Kuroda (1-1, 2.53 era).

The Mets gained a game on the first-place Phillies tonight, defeating the Nationals, 3-1 in 10 innings. David Wright led the Mets, going 4-for-5 including a go ahead two-run double in the 10th. Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 15th save of the season, retiring the Nationals in order in the 10th.

In game two of the series, the Mets send John Maine against John Lannan.

Yovani Gallardo threw 8 innings of 2-hit baseball, shutting out the Braves tonight 4-0. Jair Jurrjens allowed 4 runs in 7 innings for the Braves. Mat Gamel went 2-for-4 with a 3 rbi for the Brewers. Nate McClouth went 0-for-4 in his Braves debut.

In game two, Javier Vazquez faces Jeff Suppan.

The Giants took down the Marlins 2-1 at LandShark Stadium. Barry Zito allowed a run over 5 innings, to get the W. Pablo Sandoval went 2-for-4, with a 2-run homer.

In game two, Andrew Miller faces the Giants' Jonathan Sanchez.

After all that, the Phils still hold a 3 game lead in the division over the shorthanded Mets.

Game No. 53

2009-06-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight the Phillies go for eight in a row as they battle the Dodgers in LA again tonight. Last night Cole Hamels threw a complete game shutout. He allowed just 5 hits in the game. The Phillies snuck out three runs for him, which was all the offense Cole needed.

The Pitching Matchup:

Philadelphia: LHP Jamie Moyer (4-5, 6.75 era) Moyer is 3-5 with a 5.46 era in 11 career regular season starts against the Dodgers. The Dodgers tagged Moyer for 6 runs in and inning and a third last year in the postseason. Moyer won career win #250 in his last game, which was a 4-2 win Sunday vs. the Nationals.
Los Angeles: LHP Eric Milton (2-0, 3.14 era) The ex-Phil has resurrected his career with LA this year. He has started three games this year for Dodgers, but hasn't gone past the 5 1/3 inning mark.

The Phillies Lineup:

Jimmy Rollins, ss
Chase Utley, 2b
Jayson Werth, cf
Ryan Howard, 1b
Raul Ibanez, lf
Pedro Feliz, 3b
Eric Bruntlett, rf
Chris Coste, c
Jamie Moyer, p

Tonight's game starts at 10:10pm. It can be heard on 1210 wpht, and seen on CSN.

Later.

Jimmy Fallon is Chock Full of Phillies Goodness

2009-06-05T10:56:00.001-07:00

Skip to 6:20 in.... great knock on the Mets

Hank Baskett's Offseason

2009-06-05T09:07:00.000-07:00

Baskett was held on a strict training regimen in this.

Thursday in the NL East

2009-06-05T01:07:00.000-07:00

The Phillies got a complete game shutout from lefty phenom, Cole Hamels. To describe just how good he was, he faced 29 batters, just two more than the minimum. Raul Ibanez stayed hot, with an rbi double and Ryan Howard had a sacrifice fly rbi. It's the Phils 7th straight win, and it evens the season series with LA 2-2.

In game two tomorrow night the Phillies send Jamie Moyer (4-5, 6.75 era) against former-Phil Eric Milton (2-0, 3.14 era).

The Mets were swept by the Pirates this afternoon in the rain shortened 3-game series. Mike Pelfrey allowed 9 runs in 3 2/3 innings for the Mets. Carlos Beltran homered and doubled in his first game back since his illness. The final was 11-6.

The Mets head to Washington and will send Tim Redding against Shairon Martis in game one.

Atlanta was rained out in their series finale with the Cubs. No make-up has been announced. Nate McClouth was in tonight's lineup, and batting third, before the game was postponed.

Atlanta welcomes Milwaukee for three games. The Braves will send Jair Jurrjens against Yovani Gallardo.

Florida got a home run from pitcher Josh Johnson to beat the Brewers 4-3. Johnson didn't stop there, as he went 7 2/3 innings allowing just two Brewer runs. Florida took 3 of 4 from the first place Brewers.

Florida will now host the Giants for four games starting tomorrow as Chris Volstad will face Barry Zito.

The Nationals were swept in twinbill this afternoon and night by the Giants. Randy Johnson got win #300 in game one, winning 5-1. In game two the Giants won a rain-shortened 5 inning game 4-1.

The Nationals host the Mets now this weekend.

More tomorrow, kids.

Jesus Walks

2009-06-04T21:57:00.000-07:00

Mets SS Reyes Out Through All-Star Break

2009-06-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

The Mets injury issues continued tonight, as word has come out that shortstop Jose Reyes has a torn hamstring. The plan currently is for the loudmouth shortstop to be relevaluated in the next few days in New York. Matthew Cerrone of Metsblog.com, reported the news about an hour ago. Yesterday, Jerry Manuel said he felt Reyes would be in the lineup next week for when the Phillies visit Citi Field. In the interim the Mets will use Wilson Valdez and Alex Cora at SS. The news comes on the heals of J.J. Putz announcing he has been having elbow pain, and will also be re-evaluated. He has bone spurs in his elbow, and some believe he will opt to have surgery on the elbow. The Mets were swept out of Pittsburgh today, losing their third straight in what was a rain-shortened series.

The Mets just got CF Carlos Beltran back today. Carlos Delgado, Ryan Church, Angel Pagan, and Oliver Perez are all currently out.

Other news: The Phillies will not start Shane Victorino tonight, who left last night's game with a hip injury. He will be available to pinch hit. Jayson Werth will play CF, with Eric Bruntlett playing right.

Brett Myers has successful hip surgery today in New York by Dr. Brian Kelly. Myers will begin rehabbing the hip Saturday. The early prognosis has it possible for Myers to return in mid-September.

Feel free to leave your get well wishes for Jose in our comments section.

Game No. 52

2009-06-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight, the Phillies begin a four-game series with the Dodgers, at Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles. The Dodgers took 2 of 3 at CBP last month. The Phillies enter the series winners of six straight, and owners of baseball's best road record (19-6). Last night, J.A. Happ was again tremendous for the Phillies, throwing 7 shutout innings. Ryan Howard homered for the 16th time as well for the Phils. The Dodgers have the best record in baseball, despite missing suspended left fielder Manny Ramirez. They have won 4 of 7 and have a 9 1/2 game lead in the NL West entering play today.

The Pitching Matchup:

Philadelphia: LHP Cole Hamels (3-2, 5.21 era) Hamels threw 7 innings and allowed just one earned run against the Dodgers in a no decision earlier this season. Hamels pitched 14 innings vs. LAD in the NLCS last year, and only allowed 3 runs. For his career in the regular season against LAD, Hamels is 1-0 with 2.14 era in 3 starts.
Los Angeles: LHP Clayton Kershaw (3-3, 4.34 era) The 21-year-old left hander is 0-2 with a 7.80 era in 3 career starts against the Phillies. Kershaw appeared in two games in last years NLCS, allowing a run over two innings pitched.

The Phillies Lineup:

Jimmy Rollins, ss
Chase Utley, 2b
Jayson Werth, cf
Ryan Howard, 1b
Raul Ibanez, lf
Pedro Feliz, 3b
Eric Bruntlett, rf
Carlos Ruiz, c
Cole Hamels, p

Tonight's game time is 10:10pm. It can be heard on 1210 wpht, and seen on CSN.

Thank you, Pirates

2009-06-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

Flyers reach agreement with goalie Ray Emery

2009-06-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

Numerous reports in the past 24 hours have stated the Flyers have reached an agreement to sign former Senators goalie Ray Emery. A deal can not be officially signed until free agency begins on July 1st.

Emery led the Senators to the Stanley Cup finals in 2007, but was eventually released from his contract the next season, mostly due to his temper. He then went on to play in Russia last year, where apparently he cleaned up his act.

I'm hoping the Flyers did their due diligence. This is the epitome of a high-risk, high-reward situation. The talent is definitely there as he was once considered one of the NHL's rising young stars, but he could also just as easily meltdown as he did in Ottawa.

Westbrook to have ankle surgery

2009-06-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Eagles RB Brian Westbrook is having surgery in order to clean out bone spurs in his ankle. When thinking of a bone spur, I originally thought that meant something sharp attached the bone that could possibly rip and tear soft tissue. After some research, however, I found that it is simply extra bone the body creates when repairing itself. It is usually smooth but can put extra pressure on soft tissue such as tendons and if a lot of running incurs, tears can happen.

I have taking the liberty of copying the typical bone spur removal surgery rehabilitation from a post on bleeding green.

Week 1

Healing of surgical incision
Gameready® unit to control pain and swelling
Intermittent compression unit to decrease swelling (after incisions were fully healed)

During the five day non-weight bearing period, table exercises for the hip and knee were performed and included straight leg raises, terminal knee extensions, ball squeezes and glute extensions.

Weeks 2 to 4

Weight bearing exercises
Ankle strengthening exercises

- Ankle tubing
- Single leg balance
- Toe curls & pick-ups
- Heel & toe walking
- Shuttle calf raises

Week 4: Return to activity

Functional activity
- Jump rope
- Single leg bounding on the shuttle
- Treadmill running
- Position specific drills on the field

Overall, it's not out of the question Westy will be ready for training camp. Overall this will just give more valuable time to LeSean McCoy in the OTA's and could end up being a blessing in disguise.

Drabek Deals In Reading Debut

2009-06-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

Phillies #5 prospect Kyle Drabek, took the next step last night. Drabek, who had thrown in Clearwater this year finally made his much anticipated debut in AA Reading. Pitching before Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr., Drabek was outstanding. The 21-year-old right hander went 7 innings, giving up just three hits and shutting out the Akron offense. Drabek probably would've been here sooner, but Tommy John surgery shut him down much of last season.

Drabek's performance proves that the Phillies minor league system is alive and well again. This year the big club has gotten big time contributions from left handers J.A. Happ, and Antonio Bastardo. Bastardo wasn't even ranked in the top-10 in the Phillies prospect list entering the season. That hopefully is a sign of depth this team has to look forward to.

The Phillies have also done a great job finding mid-round picks and making them superstars in the farm system. Former 20th round pick, Dominic Brown is currently ranked as the #1 prospect and is hitting .320 in Lakewood. He also has 8 HR, and 38 rbi. Michael Taylor is another big time corner outfielder the Phils may look to either trade now, or be the teams next right fielder. Taylor is in Reading currently hitting near .340. He is the same height as John Mayberry, but weighs 20 lbs. more.

In triple A, the Phillies have Mayberry, C Lou Marson, and SS/3b Jason Donald. Carlos Carrasco has pitched better of late. He is going to be a guy the team looks at strongly in 2010.

Later.

Love Jim Cramer...Skip to 20 minutes in

2009-06-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

Wednesday in the NL East

2009-06-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

The Phillies won their 6th straight, sweeping the Padres, 5-1. J.A. Happ was again tremendous, working 7 shutout innings and giving up just four hits. Ryan Howard homered in the first. J.C. Romero worked 1 1/3 innings, allowing a run, but did a nice job settling in after that. The Phillies now head to Los Angeles with a four-game set with the best team in baseball.

In game one in LA, the Phils send Cole Hamels (3-2, 5.21 era) against Dodger LHP, Clayton Kershaw (3-3, 4.34 era).

The Mets were rained out in Pittsburgh. The game will be made up July 2nd in Pittsburgh.

In the series finale the Mets send Mike Pelfrey against Jeff Karstens for the Pirates.

The Marlins lost to the Brewers Wednesday night, 9-6. Sean West was hit around 4 1/3 innings, giving up 5 runs. Ryan Braun went 2-for-5, hitting a 2 run home run. The teams close out their four-game set Thursday at 7:10pm.

In the series finale, the Marlins send Josh Johnson against the Brewers' Dave Bush.

The Braves again rallied to tie the Cubs late before Micah Houffpauir put the Cubs ahead in the 11th, with a pinch hit single. Derek Lowe and Ted Lilly each had quality starts, but received no decisions.

In the series finale, the Braves send Jair Jurrjens against Chicago's Carlos Zambrano.

The Nationals were also rained out against the Giants. Randy Johnson will go for win #300, as the teams will meet twice Thursday in a double header.

In game one, Jordan Zimmermann will try to keep Randy Johnson from winning #300.
In game two, Ross Detwiler faces Matt Cain.

Later.

Game No. 51

2009-06-03T12:26:00.003-07:00

Tonight the Phillies welcome back LHP J.C. Romero, who has been reinstated following his 50-game suspension for a bunch of bullshit. The Phillies have taken the first two games of the series with the Padres, and look to sweep San Diego tonight. The Phillies lead the season series 3-2. Last night, Antonio Bastardo got his first career win, going 6 innings. Raul Ibanez had 2 home runs, and drove in 5 for the Phils.

The Pitching Matchup:

Philadelphia: J.A. Happ (3-0, 3.00 era) Happ's only appearance in his career against the Padres came this year in relief. He went 3 innings and didn't allow a run.
San Diego: Chris Young (4-3, 4.45 era) Young is 2-1 with a 4.50 era in four career starts against the Phillies.

The Phillies Lineup:

Jimmy Rollins, ss
Shane Victorino, cf
Chase Utley, 2b
Ryan Howard, 1b
Raul Ibanez, lf
Greg Dobbs, rf
Pedro Feliz, 3b
Chris Coste, c
J.A. Happ, p

Tonight's game begins at 10:05pm. It can be heard on 1210 wpht, and can be seen on CSN.

PIAA Playoffs Continue Thursday With Quarterfinals

2009-06-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

The PIAA state baseball playoffs are down to eight teams and will continue Thursday afternoon across the state. Let's take a look at the match-ups and give some predictions on to who will advance to the final four on Monday.

West Chester East vs. St. Joseph's Prep, 4pm at Glen Mills
Parkland vs. Wyoming Valley West, 6pm at Pine Grove
North Penn vs. Council Rock North, 3pm at Boyertown
North Allegheny vs. Pine-Richland, 6pm at Robinson Twp.

Alright, my picks for the quarterfinals are: West Chester East, Wyoming Valley West, North Penn, and North Allegheny. As always, check back for the results later on tomorrow. The state championship is next Friday at 7pm in Altoona's Blair County Ballpark.

Later.

Tuesday in the NL East

2009-06-03T10:32:00.001-07:00

Johan Santana reacts to allowing a HR to the Pirates C Jason Jaramillo.

Last night the Phillies jumped on Jake Peavy for 4 runs in the first inning, knocking the Padres ace out of the game. Antonio Bastardo was tremendous in his debut going 6 innings and just surrendering a run on four hits. Raul Ibanez drove in 5 runs, homering twice on his birthday.

In the final game of the series, the Phillies send J.A. Happ(3-0, 3.00 era) against the Padres' Chris Young(4-3, 4.45 era).

The Mets lost their second straight to the Pirates, as Zach Duke out-pitched Johan Santana. Duke went 7 innings, allowing just one run. The Pirates scored the go-ahead runs in the 6th inning on rbi doubles from Nate McClouth and Adam LaRoche.

The Mets send Mike Pelfrey to the hill to face the Pirates' Ross Ohlendorf in game 3 of the 4-game set.

The Marlins tagged Manny Parra for 10 runs in just 4 innings as they beat the Brewers again, 10-3. Dan Uggla homered for his 100th time in his career, making him the quickest second basemen to reach the milestone ever.

The Brewers' Braden Looper faces the Marlins' Sean West in game 3 of the four game series.

The Braves rallied back to beat the Cubs in 12 innings, 6-5. Chipper Jones broke up Randy Wells' bid at a no-hitter in the seventh inning, and then singled in Yunel Escobar to win the game in the twelfth.

Derek Lowe goes for the Braves in game 3, against Chicago's Ted Lilly.

The Nationals rallied for a 10-6 win to beat the Giants. The win ended a six-game losing streak the Nats were reppin'. The Nationals plated six runs in the home-half of the 8th inning to win the game. Josh Bard went 3-for-4 with a home run for the Nats.

In game two, Randy Johnson goes for win #300 in his career against Nationals rookie, Jordan Zimmermann.

He's BAAAAAAAAACCCKKKKK

2009-06-03T05:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, JC.

Bastardo, Ibanez shine on Raul's Birthday

2009-06-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

It was Raul's 37th birthday and Antonio's career debut as both players carried the Phils to their 5th straight victory.

Raul blasted 2 HR's as he went 3-5 with 5 RBIs. Bastardo pitched 6 strong innings, allowing just one earned run. While it was the lowly Padres, it still is a great sign.

Bastardo's next start will give him the chance to show the league what he's made of (apparently, a 95 mph fastball), as it will be the Sunday Night Baseball game on ESPN against the potent Dodgers offense.

The Phils are now 30-20 and lead the NL East by 2.5 games

Game No. 50

2009-06-02T18:24:00.001-07:00

The Phillies play the Padres in the middle game of their three game series at Petco Park in San Diego. The Phils evened the season series last night at two defeating the Padres, 5-3. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley each homered for the Phils.

The Pitching Matchup:

Philadelphia: LHP Antonio Bastardo (0-0, no era) Bastardo is making his major league debut tonight for the Phils. He was 3-2, with a 1.89 in 11 appearances this year he made with AA Reading and AAA Lehigh Valley.
San Diego: RHP Jake Peavy (5-5, 3.67 era) Peavy is 2-2 with a 3.21 era lifetime against the Phillies.

The Phillies Lineup:

Jimmy Rollins, ss
Shane Victorino, cf
Chase Utley, 2b
Ryan Howard, 1b
Raul Ibanez, lf
Jayson Werth, rf
Greg Dobbs, 3b
Carlos Ruiz, c
Antonio Bastardo, p

First pitch is scheduled for 10:05pm. The game can be seen on Comcast Sports Net, and heard on 1210 wpht.

Is This The Jimmy Of 2009?

2009-06-02T17:56:00.000-07:00

Its been no secret that throughout the 2009 season Jimmy Rollins has had his fair share of ups and downs. He's hit just .230 this year out of the leadoff spot for the Phillies. After hitting .207 in April, Rollins came back in May a little bit hitting .238. His numbers are certainly down this year, and suffered last year after injuring his ankle at Shea Stadium in early April vs. the Mets. The question I have been mulling over is, are the Phillies okay leaving Rollins in the leadoff spot this year if all he is going to be is a .230 hitter with and on-base percentage below .275?

I'm not recommending the Phillies pull the plug on where Rollins is in the lineup because I still think Jimmy can turn things around. However, you have to start wondering how much of the season he had in 2007 we will see again.

Jimmy's issues at the top of the order have sort of been masked the past few weeks since Shane Victorino has begun producing again in the two-hole, and getting the Phillies running game going again. Rollins is also too valuable to sit because of how well he plays defensively and how much this team values his leadership. But, there has to be a point where the Phillies worry Rollins is just going to be a .230 hitter this season. Hopefully Rollins can get things back in the near-future, and help lead the Phillies as we get later into the season. Rollins began June well last night, going 2-for-5 with a double for the WFC.

I'll have a preview of tonight's Phillies-Padres game up shortly. Later.

Shane Victorino is Calvin Borel

2009-06-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know who Calvin Borel is, he is a jockey who is attempting to become the first one to win the Triple Crown on different horses (Rachel Alexandra, Mine that Bird). However, I recently discovered his true identity: Phillies' centerfielder Shane Victorino!

I deduced this after he guaranteed victory at the Belmont Stakes: "We're gonna win, no questions asked"- the Flyin' Hawaiian's catch phrase!

Can't you see the resemblance?

Monday in the NL East

2009-06-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

The Phillies got another strong performance from Fat Joe Blanton, as they beat the Padres 5-3. He went 7 innings, allowing 3 runs. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley hit back-to-back home runs for the Phillies who now lead the division by a game and a half. Brad Lidge recorded his 4th save in four days.

Antonio Bastardo makes his major league debut against Jake Peavy in game two of the series.

The Mets blew a 5-0 lead to the Pirates in Pittsburgh. J.J. Putz recorded his second blown save as he allowed 4 runs in the 8th inning before recording an out for the Mets. The Mets were unable to score from the 4th inning on, as they fell to 28-22 on the season.

Johan Santana faces Zach Duke of the Pirates in game two.

The Marlins beat the NL Central leading Brewers by a score of 7-4. After Andrew Miller came out in the 5th, the Marlins bullpen threw 4 2/3 innings of shutout baseball. Hanley Remirez went 3-for-5 for the Fish, who improve to 24-28.

Manny Parra faces Anibal Sanchez of the Marlins in game two.
San Francisco sends Tim Lincecum against the Nationals' Craig Stammen.
The Cubs will go with Randy Wells against Atlanta's Kenshin Kawakami.

Later.

Monday's PIAA Baseball Results

2009-06-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, today was the first round of the PIAA baseball playoffs. Sixteen teams entered today's play with the hopes of reaching next Friday's state championship game at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona. Now, on to the results:

West Chester East defeated Warwick, 6-1.
St. Joseph's Prep beat Garnet Valley, 4-3.
Parkland beat Pennridge, 3-2, in 8 innings.
Wyoming Valley West beat Central Dauphin, 5-4.
North Penn beat Chambersburg, 6-0.
Council Rock North beat Central, 6-2.
North Allegheny knocked off Hollidaysburg, 9-0.
Pine-Richland beat Allderice, 9-0.

I'll have the match-ups for the quarters up as they become available later this week. If your keeping score at home, I went 6-2 today in my picks for the tournament.

That's all for now.

The Natural is also now tweeting

2009-06-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

Follow me on www.twitter.com/TheNaturalEHM

Yes, Lou Brown Has Done It

2009-06-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

and is now "tweeting". Follow me on there at www.twitter.com/theLouBrown.

Lou.

My Sixers 5-Year Plan

2009-06-01T07:39:00.001-07:00

Let's face it, the Sixers are hopeless. They can't shoot, can't win a playoff series, and can't sell tickets. They finish with a mediocre record every year, hurting their chances of drafting a stud. While I really like Ed Stefanski, I don't think this team is heading in the right direction under his guidance. Thus, I have taken it upon myself to usurp his GM power. Here are my plans for this team:

1. Cut or trade every player. Yes, everyone. This team has no identity whatsoever, and we absolutely need to simply start over. We don't have one player that we could build our future around. Igoudala is not a star who can lead a team. He has no jump-shot and is very inconsistent. This team has sunk far too much money into Igoudala, Brand, and Dalembert. I like Brand as player to build around, but he doesn’t fit into my rebuilding plan as he will be too old. Dalembert sucks. Willie Green sucks. Lou Williams is turning into a bust. I know a lot of people like Thaddeus, but he is the exact same player as Igoudala. The only player I want to keep is Reggie Evans because he is such a valuable defensive asset.

2. Fire every employee. The Sixers have no indentity whatsoever, and a lot of that falls on the people working behind-the-scenes. They are a major reason that the Sixers have 3 season-ticket holders. They need a complete makeover, and I think that includes the team’s employees. Too harsh? Too bad, this is my blog.

3. Sign a few scrubs and throw the next three seasons. The NBA is a league that highly rewards its biggest losers. The Sixers are never going to get quality draft picks if they finish 8th in the East every year. However, if we claim the worst record for the next three seasons, we’re guaranteed to get a top-5 pick each draft.

4. Build a young core via the Draft. Since I’m going to get rid of everyone, we’re going to need a lot draft picks. Hopefully I’ll be able to obtain a few extra picks after I deal Iggy, Thad, and Brand. Clearly, the draft is the best way to find players to build a future around.

5. Year 4, start playing for real. After 3 years of top-draft picks, we will have a strong enough core to start contending in the East. Making the playoffs would be a major goal this year.

6. Year 5, sign a major free-agent. After a few years of watching my young core develop, I should be able to identify our biggest needs. Considering our whole team will still be pretty young, I should have plenty of cap room to sign whoever I want. This guy will be the player that puts us over the top and makes us championship contenders for years to come.

See? Simple enough. Do it.

Preview of Monday in the NL East

2009-05-31T21:57:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia at San Diego, 10:05 et

Phillies: Joe Blanton (3-3, 6.14 era)
Padres: Kevin Correia (1-3, 5.11 era)

The Phils enter the coming off of a 4-2 home-stand. They swept the Nationals for the second time this year, and are starting to find some consistent starting pitching. Blanton is coming off of his best start of the year. Tuesday, Blanton went 7 innings allowing just 5 hits while blanking the Marlin offense.

The Padres will counter with Kevin Correia who was touched up in his last start to the tune of 6 runs in 5.2 innings in a loss to the D'Backs. The Padres lost two of three to the Rockies over the weekend, and will look to get back on the right note after having won ten straight last week. Adrian Gonzalez leads the National League in homers with 20.

The teams meet 3 times in San Diego before closing out the season series back at CBP with a make-up game later this season.

NY Mets at Pittsburgh, 7:05et

Mets: Livan Hernandez (4-1, 4.28 era)
Pirates: Ian Snell (1-6, 5.43 era)

The Mets will hope to get a bit more healthy than they've been the last few weeks. Jose Reyes is expected to be activated by Friday, and Carlos Beltran is expected to be back in the 3-hole Monday night. Hernandez is coming off of his best outing of the year, which was a complete game vs. the Nationals in which he held them to one run.

Snell struggled his last time out. He went 5 innings and allowed 6 runs vs. the Cubs last week. The Pirates will look to right the ship from last week, as they lost 4 out of 5 entering Monday's play.

Milwaukee at Florida, 7:10et

Brewers: Jeff Suppan (3-4, 5.23 era)
Marlins: Andrew Miller (1-2, 4.55 era)

The Marlins lost 2 of 3 to the Mets over the weekend after taking 2 of 3 from the Fightins at CBP earlier this week. Hanley Ramirez has returned from his groin injury, and Jeremy Hermida has shown signs of a hitter the last few days.

The Brewers sit atop the NL Central with a 30-20 mark, a year after losing their top two starting pitchers. They enter the series having just swept the Reds at Miller Park. Ryan Braun heads the Brewer offense, hitting .316 with 9 homers and 32 rbi.

The Road to Altoona Begins Monday

2009-05-31T19:16:00.000-07:00

Monday afternoon across the state, the PIAA begins its quest to find out who the best high school baseball team is. All 16 teams remaining in each of the four classification will be in action tomorrow. Let's take a look at the AAAA, and make some predictions.

Warwick vs. West Chester East, 2pm at Spring-Ford
St. Joe's Prep vs. Garnet Valley, 1pm at LaSalle University
Parkland vs. Pennridge, 2:30pm at Coplay
Wyoming Valley West vs. Central Dauphin, 4pm at Kings College
Chambersburg vs. North Penn, 6:30pm at Hershey
Council Rock North vs. Central, 4pm at Boyertown
North Allegheny vs. Hollidaysburg, 4pm at Butler
Allderice vs. Pine-Richland, 6pm at Washington

I have seen not many of these teams play but what the hell? I'll take the following teams to go on to play in round two later this week: WC East, St. Joe's Prep, Pennridge, Central Dauphin, North Penn, CR North, North Allegheny, and Pine-Richland.

The Bracket can be seen here.

Sunday in the NL East...

2009-05-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

The Phillies swept the lowly Nationals 4 to 2 in front of a sold out crowd at CBP. Jamie Moyer finally picked up career win number 250, working 6 strong innings and allowing just a Josh Willingham Home-run. Chris Coste went 2-for-2 with a homer in the win. John Lannan picked up the loss for the last-place Nationals.

Heading on the road this week, I think we will start to learn about the 09 version of the Phillies. Against teams not named the Nationals the Phillies are 18-18 on the year.

The Mets took the rubber-match of their three-game set with the Marlins. New York used rbi doubles from Fernando Martinez, Omir Santos and Angle Pagan to provide the offense. John Maine pitched 6 shutout innings, while K-Rod picked up his 14th save as a Met. Chris Volstad took the loss for Florida which is now 12-27 since starting 11-1 in April.

Atlanta jumped all over Arizona to split their four-game set at Chase Field. The Braves jumped out to a 9-0 edge in the first 5 innings, and went on to win it 9-3. Kris Medlen went 6 innings allowing just one run on four hits for Atlanta. Chipper Jones went 3-for-4 a homer and 4 rbi.

Next up for the NL East:

Phillies play 3 in San Diego.

Mets play 4 in Pittsburgh.

Braves host the Cubs for 3.

Marlins hosts the Brewers for 4.

Nationals the Giants for 3.

Game No. 48

2009-05-31T09:45:00.001-07:00

The Phillies and Nationals finish a 3-game set this afternoon. The Phillies have won the last 6 times the clubs have met. Overall for the season the Phillies are 9-2 against the Nationals in 2009.

The Pitching Matchup:

Phillies: Jamie Moyer (3-5, 7.42 era)--10-4, 3.03 era vs. Nats
Nationals: John Lannan (2-4, 4.11 era)--0-4, 5.97 era vs. Phils

The Lineup:

Jimmy Rollins, ss
Shane Victorino, cf
Chase Utley, 2b
Ryan Howard, 1b
Raul Ibanez, lf
Jayson Werth, rf
Pedro Feliz, 3b
Chris Coste, c
Jamie Moyer, p

The game is available on 1210 wpht and can be seen on myphl17.

Later.

Romero Starts For I-Pigs Today

2009-05-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

Phillies LHP J.C. Romero will pitch the first inning of today's Iron Pigs game against the Rochester Red Wings. Following the game, Romero will rejoin the Phillies, as his suspension will end Wednesday when the team is in San Diego. The Phillies will use Bastardo in place of Sergio Escalona's roster spot, but will still need to designate one more player for assignment. The two most likely of candidates is Scott Eyre and Jack Taschner. We will wait and see what Ruben and Cholly decide as the team embarks on another 10 game roady.

Saturday in the NL East..

2009-05-31T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Phillies got two mammoth blasts from Ryan Howard, as they took game two vs. the Nationals 9-6. Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Howard all had 2 hits as the Phillies retook the division lead over the folks from the north. Cole Hamels got the win, despite struggling and allowing 6 runs over the 6 innings he worked. Brad Lidge recorded his third save this week. In the series finale the Phillies send Jamie Moyer (3-5, 7.42 era) to the hill to face Nationals ace John Lannan (2-4, 4.11).

The shorthanded Mets lost to the Marlins in game two of their series 7-3. Josh Johnson went 7 strong inning for the Marlins, scattering 5 hits and allowing just two runs. Jeremy Hermida went 3-5 with 4 runs to lead the Fish. In the rubber match this afternoon the Mets send John Maine against Chris Volstad.

Arizona defeated the Braves in 11 innings late Saturday night. Eric Byrnes singled in Mark Reynolds to win it, handing Jeff Bennett the loss. Doug Davis and Javier Vazquez were each spectacular. Both went 7 innings, but obviously earned no decisions. The D'Backs look to take 3 of 4 from the Braves Sunday afternoon when they send Max Scherzer against Kris Medlen.

ITS BASTARDO!!!!

2009-05-30T23:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome, Antonio.

Yesterday in the NL East..

2009-05-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

The Phillies jumped out quickly on Nationals' starter Ross Detwiler, tagging the LHP for 10 hits and 5 runs over 4 innings. J.A. Happ again pitched well for the WFC, working into the sixth inning before giving way to Chad Durbin. The Phils had 16 hits. Each starter had at least one in the contest. The three game series concludes tonight, with staff ace Cole Hamels (2-2, 4.68 era) going up against Shairon Martis (5-0, 4.86 era) for the Nats.

The Mets snuck out a 2-1 win in 11 innings over the Marlins. Omir Santos singled in Gary Sheffield to give the Mets the victory. With the win, the Mets stay a 1/2 game in front of our WFC. Mike Pelfrey was strong, going 7 2/3 innings. He scattered 5 hits and allowed just one Marlin run. In game two, the Marlins send Josh Johnson against the Mets' Tim Redding.

Out west, Atlanta snapped a four-game skid, beating the D'Backs 10-6. Yunnel Escobar returned to the Atlanta lineup going 2-5, with 3 rbi and a HR. Jair Jurrjens picked up his 5th win of the season going 5 1/3 innings and allowing 5 earned. In game two the Braves send Javier Vazquez to the bump. The D'Backs will counter with Doug Davis.

Already dig the new format. It should be good. Later folks.

Call him up

2009-05-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Antonio Bastardo.

He has been lights out in the minors this year, posting a 1.82 ERA in nine AA starts and a 2.08 ERA in two AAA starts. His K/BB ratio is over 5/1. Opposing hitters are batting just .194 against him. He's a lefty. By the time the Phils reach the hole in their rotation, Bastardo will be on full rest. Call him up!!

Editors Note: Change of Plans

2009-05-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

Dear 3 readers of this blog,

We have decided to change our focuses on what this blog will feature. We wanted to get back to the things that we know best, and that is Philadelphia sports. As a group, we think the amount of news we would have to cover would probably be the same, but we would be much more focused on a much more specific topic. We will still have national stories to give, just not as many. I think this is the best move we can make right now.

With that, the new name of this blog will be....Eric Hinske Missed. That miss gave us a championship and a ended the streak of zero championships in 25 seasons in this wonderful city.

We thank those who read this, and we look forward to moving into the so called, "New Era."

Your friend,

Lou Brown

Sixers Hire Eddie Jordan...

2009-05-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

Yawn. My thoughts later.

The Wait Is Over O's Fans

2009-05-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight marks the debut of highly touted Orioles catching prospect, Matt Wieters. Wieters was the O's fifth pick in the 2007 draft, and is expected by all accounts to be the second coming of Joe Mauer. The Orioles have had success lately with prospects. Adam Jones is an all-star candidate at just 23 years of age, hitting near .360 this season. Nick Markakis is also young, hitting third in the O's 2009 batting order.

With all that going for them, the Orioles remain in a familiar position they have held for much of the past decade. That position the Orioles have held is the AL East's cellar. They currently are there again this year, but are just 6 games back of Boston.

I think Wieters however will be a stud in the bigs. He's a big kid, with a big bat that I think will make a tremendous backstop for Orioles pitching for years to come. If they can get pitching to help surround this young crop of talent they have brought up, maybe things can change for them. Wieters in the minors this year is hitting above .300 in AAA, following up last years season where he hit about .350.

However, in the division they play in it takes ALOT of young talent to win the division. (see 2008 Tampa Rays)

All in all, its an exciting night for Orioles fans. They haven't had this much to cheer about this late in the season since the Ripken years.

Clint Hurdle....Your Fired.

2009-05-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

As our very own The Natural forecasted last week, Clint Hurdle's job was on the line. Well, today that plug has been pulled as the Rockies have fired Hurdle.

In 2007, the Rockies made an incredible stretch run to make the playoffs after defeating the Padres in a one game playoff for the NL Wild Card. They took that birth into sweeping their way to the Fall Classic. They eliminated the Phillies in 3, the D'Backs in 4 and were than swept by the Red Sawks.

In 2008 the Rockies were unable to recover from early season injuries and finished well behind the NL West winning Dodgers. This year was much of the same as the Rockies sit at 18-28 and in the basement of the NL West.

In seven plus season as Rockies skipper, Hurdle went 567-625. Bench coach Jim Tracy will take over the squad on an interim basis.

The Rockies begin a three game set tonight at home vs. the Padres.

Calipari and Memphis In Some Hot Water

2009-05-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting tonight that Memphis may have some splainin' to do after an NCAA allegation has surfaced from the 2007-2008 season. The report is that Memphis committed, "knowing fraudulence or misconduct" had taken place with a player on that years team.

Memphis went to the Final Four as you remember that season, setting an NCAA record with its 38 victories before losing to Kansas in overtime. If the allegations are proven true, Memphis may be forced to forfeit all of it.

The player in question only competed during the 2007-2008 season. Ironically, only one player on Memphis did that, and that'd be Derrick Rose, who was chosen first in last years NBA Draft.

New Head Coach Josh Pastner has no allegations pending against him that would have occurred during his tenure with the Tigers.

This is not the first time a Calipari run program has been found in hot water. In 1996, Massachusetts was forced to forfeit its Final Four appearance after Wooden Award winner, Marcus Camby was found to have accepted 28 grand from two different sports agents.

Obviously, I expect more to come out of this story but its doubtful Cal will be Tweeting anytime soon. I wonder if the UK folks are going to sleep well tonight?

Here's Yahoo's Story of the Allegations.

Later.

Big Z needs anger management

2009-05-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

The video won't imbed, so here's the link:

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4210349&categoryid=null

What a clown

Clemson's Oglesby to Europe..Wait, What?

2009-05-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

In one of the more bizarre stories of this offseason, Clemson guard Terrence Oglesby has decided to forgo his final two seasons of eligibility to play professionally in Europe. Oglesby was used at Clemson mainly for his outside shooting ability, averaging 13.2 ppg last season and shooting 39% from beyond the arc.

Oglesby will probably be remembered most for his elbow he connected on that got him ejected from Clemson's 62-59 loss to Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Now, Oglesby is the second player this week to choose to exit the college ranks and take his game overseas, as Florida PG Nick Calathes will also head to Europe. Calathes

will most likely play in Greece, where he holds a dual-citizenship.

Calathes however is a far-superior player than Oglesby. Oglesby shoots the three, and at times he's pretty good at it. However, leaving with two more seasons left to improve as a player in a conference like the ACC seems like a very poor decision. His father has gotten out on the forefront saying that it isn't for the money, but he feels that his best chance to make the NBA comes through playing in Europe. Sources close to the situation think Oglesby is in a position to make $500,000 per season.

Look, nothing against Oglesby but he is a 6 foot 2 guard, with really only one thing going for him which is his outside shot. I'm not sure if he may have wore out his welcome at Clemson and Oliver Purnell is recommending he should look elsewhere, but this decision is truly puzzling.

Here's Fox Sports' Jeff Goodman on the Oglesby situation.

MLB Power Rankings

2009-05-26T12:56:00.000-07:00

Week 2

Records as of 3:00 PM Tuesday

1. LA Dodgers 31-15
2. Red Sox 27-18
3. Detroit Tigers 25-18
4. New York Yankees 26-19
5. Texas Rangers 26-18

1 and 2 stay the same, but the rest of the order has some big shake-ups. Both the Tigers and the Yankees have been playing great since the return of their stars, Dontrelle Willis and Alex Rodriguez, respectively. Somehow, the Rangers are getting enough pitching to compliment their ridiculous offense.

6. St. Louis Cardinals 26-19
7. Milwaukee Brewers 27-18
8. Philadelphia Phillies 24-19
9. New York Mets 24-20
10. LA Angels 23-21

The Cardinals’ starting pitching has been amazing recently, allowing only four earned in their past 46.2 innings. On the other hand, the Phillies starters have given up 9,234 runs in their past 46.2 innings. Despite almost their entire line-up being injured, the Mets are still hanging around in the NL East.

11. Atlanta Braves 23-21
12. Toronto Blue Jays 27-21
13. Cincinnati Reds 24-20
14. Tampa Bay Rays 23-24
15. Chicago Cubs 21-22

Ah, it is about time that the Jays fell back down to earth, losing their past seven games. Staying hot, the Cubs have also lost their seven games. The Braves and Reds continue to contend in their divisions, even though I do not think that will last much longer.

16. San Diego Padres 23-22
17. Kansas City Royals 22-23
18. Minnesota Twins 22-24
19. San Francisco Giants 21-23
20. Pittsburgh Pirates 21-24

The Padres were the biggest movers of the week, rising ten spots, one for each consecutive win. Despite the triumphant return of Joe Mauer, the Twins continue to wallow in mediocrity.

21. Seattle Mariners 21-25
22. Florida Marlins 21-25
23. Chicago White Sox 20-24
24. Baltimore Orioles 19-26
25. Oakland A’s 17-25
After starting 11-1, the Marlins have amazed with an impressive 10-24 record. Keep up the good work.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks 19-26
27. Houston Astros 18-25
28. Colorado Rockies 18-26
29. Cleveland Indians 18-28
30. Washington Nationals 13-31

Despite a 2007 World Series appearance, Clint Hurdle’s job is on the line. The Nationals are on pace for 47 wins.

Those NBA Kobe/LeBron Ads Look A Bit Premature Now.

2009-05-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

As Denver dismantled the Lakers last night, I couldn't help but think about those Nike ads that had the puppets of Kobe and LeBron. Throughout the ads, the two puppets reference their excitement to ultimately play in this years finals. Well, maybe those ads came out a bit too early. Dwight Howard has been quoted to take some offense to these ads as he felt they were disrespectful. Can you really blame him? Carmelo Anthony is also a Nike guy and while he may not be on those guys level, he still is a premier player of one of the final four teams. I understand Kobe and LeBron are the leagues marquee players, but it may have been a bit short sighted as both Nike and the NBA's marketing plan may be blowing up in their face right in front of them. The Cavs are miracle away from being down 3-0, and the Lakers are an inbounds pass or two away from trailing in their series.

In my opinion, my predictions now to these two series look brutal. I completely underestimated the Magic and the match-up problems they would give the Cavs. I also felt that while the Nuggets were a very capable team of beating the Lakers, I couldn't pick against the team with the most talent. I think now the chances of getting a Kobe/LeBron final now don't look too strong. Obviously, this all changes if the Cavs win tonight and take back home-court heading to game 5. The Lakers haven't faired much better but still hold home-court advantage. That being said, if I'm a Lakers fan, I have gotta be concerned that my team just got blown out 19 points and Carmelo was nearly a non-factor.

Hey, maybe both the Cavs and Lakers make the finals, but either way the NBA and Nike look a bit dumb if they don't since they chose to market just these two players and not the four remaining teams.

Later.

Holiday Games Suck

2009-05-25T21:17:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the worst sport spectating experience of my entire life. Not only did the Phillies lose 5-3 to the god damn Florida Marlins, but the fans there didn't even give a shit. I have never left a stadium so infuriated. Everyone there was extremely ignorant. I guess I should have realized that the only reason people were there was to get drunk. Combine that with the fact that it was a family holiday, and the Phillies had truly found the most annoying fan combination ever conceived. So as I moped on the car ride home, I thought about a few MLB and fan conduct rules that I would set if I were commissioner:

· All Holiday games are henceforth banned; including Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Patriot’s Day (a made-up Massachusetts holiday), Mother’s and Father’s Day. The fans suck at these games. Both the players and the real fans should not be subject to their ignorance. So many people who come use the game as an excuse to get really, unnecessarily trashed. While I am not opposed to drunk REAL fans (they are often quite funny), there are so many loud, obnoxious people who have no idea what they are talking about or how to behave at a baseball game. Now I know everyone is thinking I’m being intolerant of people who don’t know the game, and that’s because I am. If you don’t know shit, shut the fuck up and stop trying to get to your seat in the middle of an at-bat.
· The Wave is prohibited at any time when the home team is losing, and in any 2-run game after the 6th. I despise the wave, but I will allow it because it is a fan-favorite. However, at tonight’s Phillies game, the fans were cheering wildly as the riptide rushed through CBP. Yet, it was the bottom of the 8th and the Phillies were down two runs. Why everyone could so easily look past the game to celebrate the fucking wave is beyond me.
· Smiling is illegal if your team is losing after the 7th. You should not be happy while your team is losing. Don’t like it? Don’t come.
· Any physical contact with a significant other, beyond a kiss on the cheek, is highly reprehensible. No one wants to see you slam your girlfriend in the bleachers, but so many people still break this rule. This is not in effect if you are on the big screen during the Kiss-Cam.
· Pay attention to the game. You paid for those seats. Why would you even come if you’re not even going to watch? Plus, you’re probably distracting other fans who just want to watch the game rather than see you make a fool of yourself.

So when I am commissioner, watch out Drunkies.

Hey, Robert Marve: Purdue Isn't Close To Tampa.

2009-05-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

This is a story I should've gotten to about a week ago, but its newsworthy nonetheless. Robert Marve you may remember, played Quarterback for Miami. In 2007 he red-shirted after a car accident broke his arm. In 2008, Marve got the chance to start. He started 11 ball games throwing 9 TD's and 13 INT's. The two games he didn't play were the season opener and the Emerald Bowl against Cal, both games he was suspended for. Throughout the season Marve split the quarterbacking duties with true freshman Jacory Harris. As the season went on it looked more and more evident that the QB for Miami in 2009 would be Harris, who had improved immensely after being in the program for just one season. Couple that with Marve's car accident and poor academics that forced him out of the Emerald Bowl, it looked like a no brainer to make Jacory the guy.

As word spread to the Miami coaching staff that Marve had been in contact with other schools about transferring, Miami Head Coach Randy Shannon didn't take to kindly to Marve. When Marve finally requested his release from Miami, Shannon was harsh.

Instead of placing the usual restrictions on Marve that he couldn't transfer inside of the ACC, Shannon did that and added that he couldn't transfer anywhere in the state of Florida or in the SEC. These type of restrictions were rather unprecedented so it was at this time Marve's father, Eugene, would bring his complaints to the public. Eugene Marve who is suffering from prostate cancer stressed to 790 The Ticket's Dan LeBetard that they needed their son to stay close to home because his illness. Eugene continued to stress that this in no way was a ploy for sympathy from the people of Miami or the University but, he just wanted to let the people know that facts of the situation.

After Miami began getting negative publicity for being so strict on where Marve could transfer, they decided to modify the restrictions they had placed. They said if he wanted to stay in state, he could transfer to South Florida or Central Florida. If he wanted to go to the SEC he could do that, but he couldn't attend LSU, Florida, or Tennessee because those were schools Miami believed he had talked to during the season.

Marve is a Tampa native so USF seemed like a logical decision. They play in the Big East, its close to home since USF is in Tampa, and it offered him the chance to start because they were losing their QB to graduation after this year. Marve has to sit this season out anyway due to NCAA transfer rules.

Marve however last week announced he will attend Purdue. Purdue, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, is not all that close to home. Purdue is a better school than USF and has a much better history of getting players to the NFL than USF (Drew Brees and Kyle Orton each played at Purdue). Now, if Marve's family decided it would be best for him to attend Purdue because it was his best choice is one thing. However, the entire song and dance about Marve needing to be close to home didn't hold very much weight at the end of the day with Marve's family. Miami has been left frustrated since they drew so much negative attention for being unfair to a player they felt wasn't fair to them.

In no way do I want to make Eugene Marve's illness sound not serious, because it is. But if him not being close to home wasn't that important, than why bring it up? In the end it was just a bunch negative publicity for both parties and something that could've been easily avoided.

My NBA Mock Draft: First Edition

2009-05-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

Since we are about a month away from the NBA Draft, its time I release my first edition of the mock draft. I have the lottery picks up here but will round out the rest of the mock draft as the playoffs continue. Without further ado, he is my first effort at predicting the lottery selections in this years draft.

LA Clippers: Blake Griffin, F, Oklahoma. The Clippers are in need of a face to their franchise. They have been here before with the top pick and butchered it (ahem, Michael Olowokandi) and really need to get it right this time around. They are pretty well set in the back court since the signing of free agent Baron Davis a year ago and the emergence of last years first round pick, Eric Gordon. The fact is with Griffin there will be question if he big enough to play the 4 in the NBA since he is smaller than Michael Beasley and doesn't have the jump shot Beasley has either. That being said, you can't not take Griffin, so this is some what of a no brainer.
Memphis: Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain: Rubio is a bit of a wild-card. We have heard of him for sometime now and he has yet to turn 19. Rubio's value has gone up a lot of recent years too, with people viewing the PG position as a bit of a premium. Rubio is very experienced since he has played professionally for sometime now. He has good size for a PG at 6 foot 3 but will need to improve his jump shot when he gets to the league.
Oklahoma City: Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut: This is where the 2009 Draft gets interesting. There is a load of players with great upside but many have proven to be anything but raw at times in college. Thabeet is no different. He brings a tremendous 7 foot 3 inch frame with him, but is still working to prove he has to post moves to succeed at the next level. Thabeet's rebounding has been hit and miss at times in college and has sometimes been overmatched by much smaller competition (ahem, DaJaun Blair). Still, you have to take Thabeet because the next few guys have as many question marks and for Oklahoma City, the center spot is a position of need.
Sacramento: Brandon Jennings, PG, No College: Well, this may be a be of a surprise pick but Sacramento really lacks depth in their back-court. Some people think they will again draft a big man, but I really think it'd be over drafting at a position. I than think the next best players available are James Harden and DeMar DeRozan but each of those guys play the 2, a spot controlled by Kings' leading scorer Kevin Martin. Last year the Kings surprised some people by taking Jason Thompson 12th overall when he was projected to go later in the draft. Thats why I think they will again surprise some folks and pick Jennings. Jennings struggled much of his year in Italy but still has to tools to be a starting point guard in this league.
Washington: James Harden, SG, Arizona State: This pick would provide the Wizards with some scoring depth in the back-court to go along with Gilbert Arenas. Arenas plays more like a SG, but can play the point for the Wiz. This pick also would be a tremendous upgrade for them from Dominic McGuire. Even though Harden struggled down the stretch for the Sun Devils, he can flat out score the basketball.
Minnesota: Demar DeRozan, SG, USC: DeRozan may have the biggest upside out of any of the players I have mentioned in this years draft. He is 6 foot 7 and really began to come into his own down the stretch this year for the Trojans. His rebounding and points were up starting with the Pac 10 tournament, which his Trojans won. The T'Wolves have plenty of question marks in that back-court to begin with, so I believe this pick can at least start to answer one.
Golden State: Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona: While the Warriors may have some depth at the four, I think they will want to take the best player available at this spot. They do have Brandan Wright who is still young and a kid they don't want to give up on, but they can move one of them and help answer some of the other questions this team has. They do need someone who is more of a threat on the inside than what they currently have that can help out up and coming guard Monta Ellis.
New York: Stephen Curry, PG/SG, Davidson: It has been no secret that the Knicks really like the versatility Curry has. They can anoint him their next PG with veteran Chris Duhon's deal expiring in a year. The Knicks also have a lot of cap room that they'll look to start using in 2010 that most certainly would be spent to bring Curry help on the inside. Bottom line is, the Knicks love Curry's shooting ability and they believe he can be a guy they build around in Mike D'Antoni's system.
Toronto: Earl Clark, SF, Louisville: A lot can change between now and the draft and that can't be more true than the situation the Raptors are currently in. Since they probably can't re-sign Bosh and Marion may want to be dealt again they are in a spot where they can take the best remaining player. Clark, who is 6 foot 10, played a lot in the front court for Louisville this year and proved he was not only a dominant scorer, but a solid rebounder as well.
Milwaukee: Tyreke Evans, SG, Memphis: Evans' short stay at Memphis proved he can not only play the 2, but can be a true combo guard. He played point from December on losing just once, and advancing the Tigers to the Sweet 16. Evans would walk into a spot where he could be in the back-court and help fill out the starting five for the Bucks.
New Jersey: Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke: Henderson may be the most explosive player in the draft. He still continues to work on driving to the basket more with his left hand and his outside shot. This pick would help in drafting someone to replace the aging Vince Carter at G/F spot. Add Henderson to the young, up and coming PG Devon Harris and the Nets may have something to build around for years to come.
Charlotte: Wayne Ellington, SG, North Carolina: In Michael Jordan's time as Director of Basketball Operations he has selected Raymond Felton, Sean May, Brandan Wright, and hired Larry Brown as the head coach. All of these folks all went to Carolina. Look, I really don't know if this pick can be justified unless they move Felton or Augistin to open up minutes for Ellington. That being said, I believe Ellington's great March has elevated him into a late lottery or mid-first round pick.
Indiana: Jrue Holiday, PG/SG, UCLA: Holiday's production wasn't anything special his freshman year at UCLA but his potential alone will be what gets him picked highly in the first round. Holiday can handle the point and can add back-court depth to go along with Jarrett Jack, and Brandon Rush.
Phoenix: Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse: The Suns are back to the run and gun offense and where else do you start than with the fastest player available than Flynn. Also, they may look to start replacing Steve Nash, who will be 35 next season.

I'll try to get a full mock draft up soon. Still a lot can change between now and the draft so I'll be revising this initial mock draft probably more than a few times.

Later.

I Didn't Know the New Yankee Stadium Was Located In Williamsport?

2009-05-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

In the sixth inning of Sunday afternoon's Phillies-Yankees game, Yankees' first baseman Mark Teixeira hit a broken bat home run off of Phillies' ace Cole Hamels. Now, if this isn't enough proof that the new Yankee Stadium was designed more for slow-pitch softball than big leaguers, I don't know what is. Hamels said post-game that, "Most of the time you hear a broken bat, its a pop-up." Very true Cole, but in the new Yankee Stadium those pop ups are now home runs.

Yesterday, the Yankees young and naive third baseman hit a game tying home run off of Phillies closer Brad Lidge. The ball went 2 rows deep to the right field porch that measures 314 feet. I'm not sure home much I believe this, "Well the wind patterns are different and they will change when the old Yankee Stadium is knocked down." Okay, and when they don't change, and these bloop homers change the outcomes of games still, then what? They built this big expensive stadium that has developed into nothing more than a joke. Not even the seventeen year-olds who were on Taiwan's Little League team made as big a joke of Lamade Stadium. As the year goes on, and these home run records are smashed we will be left wondering why they still even bother using wood bats, because we would be just as well off letting them do as the college kids do and swing aluminum bats. (Love this video of former Miami player and current Mets infielder Alex Cora crying.)

Anyways, some site news: The Natural went to the aforementioned Stadium for Friday's Phillies game against the Yanks. He will give us a "tell all" like Selena Roberts, but on the Stadium and not on Alex Rodriguez's weight gain from the time he was 16 to the time he was 17. He will let us know if the stadium is worth the 1.5 billion dollars that were spent.

Also, I'm debating starting some sort of "Asshole of the Week" section so stay tuned as I'm sure that will be completely objective like the rest of this tremendous blog.

In the time it took to write this post 7 more home runs just went out at Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees aren't even playing right now!

If anyone has seen Mo Williams and LeBron James' jump shots, please let them know. It seems they didn't show up for the game tonight.

Later.

Lebron's Shot Heard Around The World.

2009-05-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

After a few days, I thought it would now be appropriate to look back to what LeBron James did Friday evening. Cleveland was the most dominant team on their home court in recent memory. They dominated opponents in front of their home crowd throughout the season, losing just two times through the regular season and the first two rounds of the NBA playoffs. Enter the Orlando Magic. Or as I like to call them, the Orlando Magics.

Orlando had matched-up well with the Cavs throughout the regular season. That couldn't have been more evident than in the second half of game 1 when Orlando unleashed a barrage of threes from its forwards, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis. Lewis hit the eventual game winner, sending 20, 000+ Cavs fans home disappointed. This was a game the Cavs controlled the first 3 quarters with leads near 20 for much of the first half. LeBron went off for 49, and the Cavs still fell short.

Than game 2 came. The most important game of their season. The Cavs were faced with evening the series heading to Orlando, or facing the possibility of being swept out of their own building.

Once again LeBron and company came out hot. They again had leads around 20 most of the game, including one stretch where they played with a 23-point advantage. However, Orlando fought back. With Dwight Howard struggling on the offensive end, the Magic shot three after three to get back into the contest like they did in game 1. With the shot clock unplugged, Hedo Turkoglu's off balance shot in the lane put Orlando in front 95-93 with just one second left. Again, Cleveland had seen a lead erased in the games closing moments.

Cleveland called time out. They hoped it was true.. the NBA playoffs is where amazing happens. Well, in the Orlando huddle, they believed they had just done that. They were a second away from beating Cleveland twice in 3 nights. Cleveland again I remind you had lost just twice at home in the previous seven months.

Out of the timeout, Cleveland had one final chance to salvage a game. The shots at the fans were painful at times as they stood hoping something could save them. Luckily for Cavs fans, the worlds best player dawns a Cavaliers jersey. Mo Williams inbounded the ball to LeBron on the 3-point arc, and as Turkoglu was just slightly late getting to LBJ, LeBron released the shot heard around the world. It went in, giving Cleveland the 96-95 win.

Now, we will all hear the comparisons to what LeBron did to what other big players did in the playoffs. Michael Jordan's shot over Craig Ehlo in the 1989 playoffs crushed the hearts of the Cavs fans. I also think back to the big time shots hit time and time again by Robert Horry as he defeated Sacramento in the earlier part of this decade. LeBron did what all of them have done. He snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. It was something historic and amazing, and it was one of the most clutch shots I have ever witnessed live. LeBron for the moment re-instilled the hopes of Cavs fans. He resurrected a season that may have been about to have been lost. That shot came from a player, whose best days still loom ahead. I think when things like this happen, its important to put it into perspective and how that shot effected so many things. If LeBron's MVP wasn't enough proof he arrived, this shot should be. The kid is good, and just made the amazing happen.

Now, go enjoy game 3.

Will the real John Mayberry Sr. please stand up?

2009-05-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

This is the real one Fox... How do you F that up? Here is the video.

Your Eastern Conference Finals Preview

2009-05-20T17:11:00.000-07:00

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (3) Orlando Magic

The Schedule:

Game 1: Wednesday at Cle, 8:30pm

Game 2: Friday at Cle, 8:30pm

Game 3: Sunday at Orl, 8:30pm

Game 4: Tuesday at Orl, 8:30pm

Game 5: 5/28 at Cle, 8:30pm

Game 6: 5/30 at Orl, 8:30pm

Game 7:6/1 at Cle, 8:30pm

The Line-ups:

Cleveland Cavaliers

G: Mo Williams

G: Delonte West

F: LeBron James

F: Anderson Varejao

C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Key Reserves:

F: Joe Smith

G: Wally Szczerbiak

G: Daniel Gibson

Orlando Magic:

G: Rafer Alston

G: J.J. Redick

F: Rashard Lewis

F: Hedo Turkoglu

C: Dwight Howard

Key Reserves:

G: Courtney Lee

F: Mickael Pietrus

C: Marcin Gortat

G: Anthony Johnson

The Keys to Victory:

Can the Cavs Contain Dwight Howard? This is a question all teams face when going up against the Magic. Unlike Boston, Cleveland has much more depth in the interior. They can rotate Varejao, Z, and Ben Wallace who are all capable on the defensive end.
Can the Magic slow down LeBron? There is no such thing as containing the world's best player. LeBron will be guarded by Rashard Lewis who is two inches taller which could help out in effecting some of LeBron's jump shots.
What happens to Cleveland when they face their first bit of adversity? Cleveland swept their way through the first two rounds and has had a layoff because of it. Orlando meanwhile won tough games and sent home the defending champions in seven games in the end. Does it pay to be battle tested here? Or is it better to have your rest and bank on having the efficiency of the first two rounds carry over?

My prediction: I can't pick against LeBron because his team is on such a roll entering the series and also is on a mission. I think they are clearly the better team, and defend their home floor like no one else in all of basketball. Because of that I will take the Cavaliers in 5 games, and advance to the finals against the Lakers.

Peace.

And the winner of the Blake Griffin Sweepstakes is....

2009-05-19T17:46:00.001-07:00

the Los Angeles Clippers... Congratulations Blake!

The complete order:

LA Clippers
Memphis
Oklahoma City
Sacramento (had the leagues worst record and fell three spots. OUCH!)
Washington (had the leagues second worst record and fell three spots.)
Minnesota
Golden State
New York
Toronto
Milwaukee
New Jersey
Charlotte
Indiana
Phoenix

Time to start getting to work on my Mock Draft. The actual draft will be held June 25th in New York City.

Bleep you, John Wall.

2009-05-19T11:12:00.000-07:00

Wall has signed with Kentucky. No word yet on the terms of the contract.

Your Western Conference Finals Preview

2009-05-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets

Game 1: Tuesday at LA, 9pm

Game 2: Thursday at LA, 9pm

Game 3: Saturday at Den, 8:30pm

Game 4: Monday at Den, 9pm

Game 5: 5/27 at LA, 9pm

Game 6: 5/29 at Den, 9pm

Game 7: 5/31 at LA, 8:30pm

The Lineups:

LA Lakers: Playoff

Statistics

G: Derek Fisher 7.2 ppg, 2 apg, 1.7 rpg

G: Kobe Bryant 27.4 ppg, 4.5 apg, 5 rpg

F: Trevor Ariza 10.9 ppg, .547 fg%, 2.9 apg

F: Andrew Bynum 5.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 15.5 mpg

C: Pau Gasol 18.5 ppg, 10.8 rpg, .551 fg%

Key Reserves

G: Jordan Farmar 6.2 ppg, 2.1 apg

G: Sasha Vujacic 3.9 ppg, .281 fg%

F: Lamar Odom 12.3 ppg, 9.8 rpg

G: Shannon Brown 6.5 ppg, .588 3-pt%

Denver Nuggets: Playoff Statistics

G: Chauncey Billups 22.1 ppg, 7.3 apg, 54.1 3-pg%

G: Dahntay Jones 7.6 ppg, 54.0 fg%

F: Carmelo Anthony 27 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 4.3 apg

F: Kenyon Martin 9.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg

C: Nene 12.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 55.3 fg%

Key Reserves

G: J.R. Smith 16.3 ppg, 49.6 fg%

F: Chris Andersen 6.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg

G: Anthony Carter 3.5 ppg, 2.8 apg

The Keys to the series:

Can Derek Fisher stay in front of Chauncey Billups on defense? He struggled with this when he faced Aaron Brooks and struggled mightily trying to cut off the penetration of Deron Williams. The Lakers best game defensively vs. Houston came in game 3 when Jordan Farmar got the start due to Fisher's suspension. If he can't stay in front of Billups, the Nuggets' offense gets a huge edge with J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony from the outside.
Which Laker team shows up? The Lakers went 7 games with a young, short-handed, Houston team. As Kobe Bryant said after yesterday's game, the Lakers have been bipolar. Andrew Bynum needs to step up on the inside and provide the muscle the Lakers need. Hes averaged 5.6 ppg in these playoffs and until he returns to the form he had during the regular season, the Lakers will struggle.
Is Denver's best basketball in front of them? Since acquiring Billups at the start of the season this team has grown from a middle tier Western Conference team, to a title contender. He has provided the veteran leadership that some of these younger dynamic players needed. 'Melo has been on fire in these playoffs and the Nuggets bench has added the depth they needed. Can George Karl's team keep that defense going and advance to the finals?
Trevor Ariza vs. Carmelo Anthony: Ariza most likely will guard Anthony throughout the series and his length could be a factor. Ariza is 6'8'' and has been a huge part in the Lakers success since coming over from the Magic last year.

Bottom line is if the Lakers want this series, they will win it. They are the more talented team, and I believe they have the edge in depth that they have from the bench. The Lakers need to start from game 1 unlike they did with the Rockets. If it wasn't for Houston being short Yao and T-Mac, we would be discussing a Houston-Denver conference finals.

Prediction: Lakers in 6 games. I think this series goes one of two ways. They Lakers come out and take care of business from the opening tip tomorrow and take the Nuggets to task, or the Lakers continue with their bipolar ways and lose this series in 7 games. The Lakers beat the Nuggets 2 out the 3 times they faced them this year with Chauncey and 7 out of the last 8 overall. I'm not sure I'm ready to right off the Lakers and I still feel their best basketball lies in-front of them. At the end of the day I like Kobe more than I like Carmelo in the playoffs.

Check tomorrow for the Eastern Finals Preview.

Skip Bayless and James Harrison are colluding to destroy me

2009-05-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

Kornheiser Out, Gruden In in MNF Booth

2009-05-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Its been no secret over the last three seasons that Tony Kornheiser's move to the booth has been a struggle. Today, it was announced that Jon Gruden will fill that spot as Kornheiser has opted to step down. Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski will fill out the other two positions in the booth. Kornheiser sights his fear of flying as his main reason for stepping down, which is unfortunate if it is as true as he says it is.

There is no question Gruden is qualified enough to be in the booth. Gruden has won a Super Bowl and coached in the league for several seasons. He also coached in Oakland so you have to figure he can shed some light on what kind of clown owner Al Davis is when he goes nuts again by week 6. My only question is why they are going with a guy who wants to get back into coaching...and soon. Maybe Gruden is keeping the seat warm until Brett Favre decides hes really really retired, and moves to the press box.

Emmit

Overall, as a viewer I'm satisfied with the moves ESPN made to their staff this offseason. Getting rid of Emmitt Smith was a good start. Emmitt struggled with simple pronunciations of names and really never came off very football intelligent even though he is the leagues all-time leading rusher. Really he was just someone I enjoyed making fun of each week, and because of that I will miss him.

ANYTHING IS POSSIBB....o wait

2009-05-17T19:45:00.001-07:00

Editor's Note: Yahoo is stealing my ideas

2009-05-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

Today on the Yahoo! Sports football blog, they addressed the James Harrison-refusal-to-go-to-the-White House issue. Their blogger, Chris Chase, is obviously a huge fan of Nickel and Dime. He basically stole my entire post. Here's the link to the article:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Mr-Harrison-isn-t-going-to-Washington-Steeler-?urn=nfl,163886

I'm glad he agreed with me, but our articles were eerily similar (I posted mine first!)

NFC East Notes of the Week

2009-05-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

Dallas-

With the Boys basically trading their entire draft for Roy Williams, most news has surrounded the question of if he can step into T.O.'s shoes and become the new number 1 receiver for Romo and the Dallas offense. Over at Bl ogging the Boys , they say that despite his straight line speed woes, he makes up for it with his leaping ability and jump ball situations. There's also this interview, where Williams work ethic and number 1 receiver ability come into question. At one point he even says, "I've been number 1 ever since I was born."

Honestly, from what I saw from that interview, he seemed frustrated about answering questions on his ability to be a number 1. I can only imagine how he will feel once Asante Samuel is shutting his ass down.

New York-

Over at Big Blue View, the Giants also are seeming to rave about a receiver; their first round pick, Hakeem Nicks.

In Matt Mosley's NFC East blog he wrote, "Publicly, the Giants will talk about how Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith are projected to start in '09. But in reality, they're hoping Nicks forces his way into the starting lineup during training camp."

From what I have seen from Nicks I see him as a potential stud. He's tough and is willing to fight for the ball, as well as break through tackles. Blessed with great hands, he could become a number 1. The only question everyone seems to have is his speed. This is the only thing I could see hampering him as he may be too slow in and out of breaks.

Washington-

In a post entitled, "Dan Snyder is Having the Best Day Ever," Hogs Haven discusses Snyder's glee over the NFL raising the salary cap $12 million for this season. They then go on to list the best free agents on the market still, including Edge, Runyan, and Harrison.

This leads me to my next point, Sports Illustrated's rankings of NFL Owners. Snyder's slid into the number 30 spot, right behind Detroit's William Ford and just ahead of Cincinnati's Mike Brown. Great company to be in of course. Let's be real, he's a joke.

Philadelphia-

Speaking of those rankings, Jeffrey Lurie comes in at the number 4 spot. I definitely believe he's brought great stability to the franchise since taking over in 1994.

After a great Eagles draft, I see a lot of promise for this class of rookies.

Maclin said in a conversation with McNabb that, "He basically sat down and told me that they're not gonna waste a first-round draft pick for a guy to come in and sit on the bench so obviously he wants me to get out there and contribute right away," Maclin said. "He says get in that playbook and just make plays when the ball comes my way and everything else will take care of itself."

Mac to Mac connection? I like it.

New CB Victor "Macho" Harris has an inspiring story of how he got to the NFL posted on Bleeding Green Nation.

"Harris endured a lifetime’s worth of angst and change as an 18-year-old high school senior. In a span of 10 days he almost lost his house and family to a fire and lost his mother to a brain aneurysm on Christmas night.Harris also was part of a student body at Virginia Tech that had to heal from a deadly shooting spree on campus two years ago, and later that year, dodged 9mm bullets shot into the off-campus apartment he shared with three others.You wonder how close you should stand to Victor Harris until you hear the very detailed story from him and sync it to the smile, until you shake the hand of the arm decorated with skin grafts and check out the tattoo of "Mama’s Boy” on the biceps."

Personally, I'm really excited to see what this guy can do. He may not have the best 40 time but he made plays at V-Tech and I can see him doing the same with the Birds.

Also, I have this picture of new Eagles tight end Cornelius Ingram....

Consider the birds red zone problems solved, what a freak.

Finally, I have this video of Freddie Mitchell discussing 4th and 26.

Feel free to count how many times he says the word "Me."

Til next time, peace.

It's nothing political... He's just a moron

2009-05-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

(thanks to Yaco for this one)

NFL Defensive Player of the Year, James Harrison, is apparently declining his invitation to the White House. Yet, he claims it isn't political. He says that Obama is a BANDWAGON fan, and he doesn't like the fact that he was only invited because he won. Harrison was quoted as saying:

"This is how I feel -- if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl. As far as I'm concerned, he would've invited Arizona if they had won"

Honestly, I am at a loss for words. This has to be the dumbest protest to ever exist. No shit he would have invited Arizona, it has been a Presidential tradition for decades. So many athletes would probably kill for the chance to meet Obama and tour the White House.

I mean, if that's your attitude, then you probably didn't go to the parade, right? They only had it because you WON. You didn't hold the Lombardi Trophy, I'm sure. You only received it because you WON. Anyways, Roger Goodell probably would have given it to the Cardinals if they won, which obviously means he is a bandwagon commissioner. In fact, based on your theory, all Pittsburgh fans are bandwagon fans because they might not have attended a parade if you lost the Superbowl. I certainly agree with you there.

Thank God someone as smart and insightful as you finally pointed out that every U.S. President to invite a team was a bandwagon fan. Thank God you have the strength of character to not take the popular route (I mean WHO ON EARTH would want to meet the President of the United States?). And Thank God someone with your moral fiber finally realized the flawed system we have, honoring the winners. The Detroit Lions should have been invited to visit the White House! They were 0-16, so it's only fair to them. In fact, I think every team that didn't win the Super Bowl should have been invited! It all makes sense to me now!

So thanks for clearing that one up, James.

MLB Power Rankings

2009-05-16T16:51:00.000-07:00

I’ll try to update these every week:

(Records as of 8:00 PM Saturday)

1. Los Angeles Dodgers 25-12
2. Boston Red Sox 21-15
3. Chicago Cubs 21-14
4. New York Mets 21-15
5. St. Louis Cardinals 21-15

Who didn’t have these guys in the playoffs? The Cubs have finally gotten things going, plus they should have Zambrano and Ramirez back soon. The Dodgers have continued to dominate, even without Man-roid, thanks to that guy up top.

6. Toronto Blue Jays 25-14
7. Los Angeles Angels 18-17
8. Milwaukee Brewers 22-14
9. Detroit Tigers 18-16
10. Texas Rangers 22-14

Other than the Angels, I didn’t expect any of these teams to be in the top ten. I think the Brewers and Blue Jays are over-achieving, and I am not sure if either team has the starting pitching or firepower to keep up their torrid paces. Roy Halladay can only carry the Blue Jays so far. However, with Justin Verlander back to his ace-form, I think the Tigers are legit (about time, considering the money they spent).

11. Philadelphia Phillies 18-16
12. New York Yankees 19-17
13. San Francisco Giants 18-18
14. Cincinnati Reds 20-15
15. Kansas City Royals 19-17
16. Tampa Bay Rays 18-20

Despite the fact that A-Rod is only hitting .154, the Yankees are 6-2 since his return. It’s probably because the Yanks are finally seeing some return on their investment, with Teixeira hitting .367 with 3 HR’s and 9 RBIs over that same stretch (and what's a picture of Teixeira without his wife?). Both teams in last year’s Fall Classic have stumbled out of the gate, but each still has the tools to work their way back into contention.

17. Minnesota Twins 18-19
18. Atlanta Braves 18-17
19. Florida Marlins 17-19
20. Chicago White Sox 15-20
21. Baltimore Orioles 15-21
22. Houston Astros 16-19

These guys are all boring and mediocre. None of these teams have any shot at the playoffs, except maybe the White Sox or Twins because their division has no clear-cut leader.

23. Colorado Rockies 14-20
24. Seattle Mariners 17-19
25. Oakland A’s 13-19
26. San Diego Padres 14-22
27. Arizona Diamondbacks 13-23

Needless to say, West Coast Baseball sucks.

28. Cleveland Indians 14-24
29. Pittsburgh Pirates 14-21
42. Washington Nationals 11-23

I picked the Indians to win their division… so much for that. Since it was Jackie Robinson Night at Nationals Park, I found it appropriate to rank them 42. It’s also because that’s how many wins they are on pace to claim (actually 52).

Lance Stephenson...Isiah Thomas Jr.?

2009-05-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

So... I seem to remember posting a link yesterday about one Lance Stephenson (the nation's top unsigned small forward) being recruited heavily by new FIU head man Isiah Thompson..er...Thomas. Well, the next day and what do I find? Stephenson is being accused of sexual assault! (Yes, I'm serious) Two others are also being accused by the same person. Now, I seem to also remember an event about a year ago involving Thomas and his accuser Anucha Brown Sanders and sexual harassment charges. Thomas still says he was innocent of these charges but chose to plea bargain with Sanders for ELEVEN POINT SIX MILLLLLION DOLLARS (11.6 Mil ain't bleep to Isiah). Now if you were innocent, why would you plea bargain for that much cash is beyond me but the point is, is maybe FIU is the match made in heaven for Stephenson.

Than, this article came out sort of bursting my dream of having these two united together in Miami at FIU. It seems Stephenson has eliminated FIU from contention and will choose between Arizona and Memphis. The Brooklyn native in the article from Zagsblog, proclaims his innocence and says he hopes to make a decision following being acquitted.

Your Friday Recap...

2009-05-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

The Lakers no showed last evening, allowing your Houston Rockets to force Game 7 Sunday at Staples Center.

Orlando's Dwight Howard helped the Magic also push the C's to a deciding Game 7.

The WFC Philadelphia Phillies took their gaudy .500 record to Pennsylvania Avenue today to celebrate their World Series Championship with President Obama. I guess the Phillies brought Xbox or something for guys who weren't on last years sqaud. J.C. Romero however was in attendance.

ESPN has decided to follow Michael Vick's every step when he is released from Prison next week. Kelly Naqi and George Smith drew the short straws and will report LIVE from Leavenworth, Kansas and Hampton, Virginia respectively. Darren Lyn will be live in Atlanta doing god knows what.

Brett Favre wants his shoulder healthy for the next Wrangler's commercial so he has decided to seek opinion on if he needs surgery from Dr. James Andrews.

Michael Phelps put down the bong and went swimming today.

I'll add more later if more stuff happens. No NBA or NHL tonight kids.

Going Out of Business Sale: Spectrum Edition

2009-05-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

Christian Laettner may be interested in this piece of memorabilia.

Skip Bayless is an Arrogant Prick

2009-05-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, there is a reason for the Al Davis photo.

Recently on ESPN2's 1st and 10, Skip Bayless took a jab at Philadelphia fans, calling them "rude,crude" and "dangerous". Being a Philadelphia fan myself, I certainly took exception Skip's fighting words. Obviously, I wasn't the only one who did so, as Philadelphia's ESPN 950 radio host Mike Missanelli invited Skip to his radio show, asking for an explanation.

Before I get to the clip, I just want to give a little background on Skip Bayless. He is an everyday analyst on ESPN2's 1st and 10. Of all the debate shows on the ESPN series of networks, 1st and 10 is the unloved red-headed step-child. Every 1st and 10 debate consists of the same thing: Skip screaming ludicrous statements at the "whack-a-mole of the day" (Mike Missanelli), Dana Jacobsen agreeing with everyone, and me wondering why the fuck I'm still watching. As much as I HATE to say this, The show doesn't even hold a candle to goddamn Rome is Burning. In-credible.

Anyways, Skip has made a living being the most-hated writer in all of sports. His main problem is that he is so out-of-touch with modern sports. I consider him the Al Davis of sports reporting (see above; Al would only sign that contract if it was INSTANT oatmeal and ran a 4.1 second 40). Skip has made an innumerable amount of ridiculous claims and suggestions, and I would like to highlight one of his best and brightest:

In 2008, after much controversy surrounding the 2008 Summer Olympics, Bayless suggested ending U.S. participation in all Olympic games. Bayless proposed creating a U.S. only Olympics because he believed all professional sports talent was already concentrated in America.

Are you kidding me? Is this not the most ignorant idea ever conceived? People like Skip Bayless are the reason that the United States is hated by most of the world. I guess if we had all athletic talent, we would win EVERY gold medal. Yet, somehow, that's not how things shake out. Plus, the point of the Olympics is to bring countries together. It's not all about the athletic competitions. Even if Skip had his way, we would have missed out on Michael Phelps and the most amazing athletic achievement of my generation, spare maybe Lance Armstrong's seven Tour de France victories. So thanks Skip, but I think we'll pass on the US-only Olympics.

So here is the clip of Skip on ESPN 950:

http://950espn.com/Audio/tabid/183/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/3679/ESPNs-Skip-Bayless.aspx

This clip is pretty amusing, as Missanelli tears Skip to pieces. Basically, Missanelli goes right for the kill, demanding an explanation from Bayless. Skip really had no material to defend himself, except for his claim that he "feared for his life" at an Eagles-Cowboy game at the Vet in 1998. What really pisses me off is the fact that all national writers, not just Skip, make Philadelphia sports venues out to be a cesspool of crime and disease. No shit, every place has a few bad apples. And yes, the Vet was a dump. But Missanelli hit the nail on the head when he blamed the national sports media for the unfair portrayal of Philly. It's really not that bad, I promise.

P.S. Did anyone else notice the "a-a-a-a-a-alcohol" reference by Skip? What a clown.

The Many Looks of KG

2009-05-14T18:54:00.001-07:00

The man has a lot of suits. Coming soon the Gary "Sarge" Matthews Hat Collection...maybe.

Paulus to Syracuse and more

2009-05-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

Your Thursday recap:

Former Duke PG Greg Paulus has chosen to use his final year of eligibility at Syracuse to play Quarterback.

John Wall rumors have run rampant today about a possible looming commitment. Still nothing.

Lance Stephenson, an unsigned SF from New York is being recruited heavily by Isiah Thomas at FIU.

Tim Floyd may be in some very hot water over the recent O.J. Mayo allegations.

Lakers and Celtics each look to move to the conference finals tonight.

Craig Coakley who chose to be Citi Field's first streaker is facing stiff punishment.

More to come later...

The John Wall Recruiting Saga

2009-05-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

As the college basketball poster on this fresh new blog, it is my duty to introduce you to a name you will hear throughout all of the upcoming season. He isn’t enrolled in a school yet. He hasn’t signed his national letter of intent. He wasn’t a McDonald’s All-America. That guy is Word of God Academy point guard John Wall.

Wall has been one of the most publicized recruits in recent memory, and as I mentioned still has yet to commit to where he will be playing his college basketball come October. According to some recruiting services, Wall is the nations number one recruit being billed as, “The Next Derrick Rose.” Rose’s one year at Memphis ended a few free throws from being a national champion. Wall has finally trimmed his list of schools down, unofficially, to three schools. Kentucky, who has believed to be the odds on favorite since the acquisition of new head coach John Calipari. Duke is also in the mix and with the departure of leading scorer Gerald Henderson and a gaping need at the point; this has become a interesting choice. The third school has gained ground rapidly and is a school few thought had a chance. The University of Miami has gotten in the mix after Wall visited in mid-April.

With Wall comes one interesting back-story. His AAU coach Brian Clifton has served as his advisor through the process, which has gone on much longer than almost every other recruit. Clifton’s brother Dwon is an assistant coach at Baylor. A school that many believed hired him because he would be able to deliver Wall. Baylor is one of the 7 schools who have all had their hats in the ring to try and land Wall’s services. Another element for Wall is his mother is ill and may want to stay near by in college. Wall attended Word of God Academy in Raleigh, which is a short 30-minute drive from Cameron Indoor. Clifton has also been believed to want the 6 foot 4 inch point-guard to attend Duke. Obviously Wall has been pulled in several directions through the recruiting process and has a tremendous relationship with new Wildcat head coach John Calipari. The other news worthy item came a week and half ago when Wall was charged with breaking and entering into a vacant Raleigh, NC home. The citation has hardly kept the schools from recruiting Wall.

Wall has hardly made it a secret that he doesn’t plan on being in college past the upcoming season. Many already think he is the top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

If Wall chooses Kentucky, Big Blue will be a top-ten team a year removed from an NIT appearance. They return Forward Patrick Patterson. They also add 5 other recruits that include 6’9’’ center Demarcus Cousins and point guard Eric Bledsoe. Kentucky may also return Jodie Meeks if he removes his name from the NBA Draft.

If Wall chooses Duke, than the Blue Devils become instantly better than the 2009 version that had 30 wins. Wall would walk into a situation with the keys to the car being his. He would have the ACC’s best player in junior; Kyle Singler and combo guard Jon Scheyer. They also add 6 foot 11 freshmen Mason Plumlee who is expected to contribute instantly in the interior.

If he chooses Miami, he steps into the spot left empty by the graduation of Jack McClinton in the backcourt. If forward Dwayne Collins removes his name from the draft, Miami becomes a top tier team in the ACC and also an NCAA Tournament ready team.

When Wall does decide to end this long circus, the school that gets him will be improved instantly. Get ready to hear a lot about John Wall next season.