Brewers missed one trade deadline move
Getting rid of Ned Yost.
Watching last night’s ESPN2 game between the Brewers and Astros, I couldn’t help but think two things:
1) CC Sabathia is pitching like a beast right now
2) Ned Yost will be the reason the Brewers tank at the end and miss the playoffs AGAIN
I think the first point is indisputable. Just look at CC’s numbers since coming over from Cleveland. He’s 8-0 with a 1.60 ERA and the Brewers are 8-1 in his nine starts. He’s flooding the strike zone with his entire arsenal, and when you’re talking about a low to mid 90’s fastball on both sides of the plate mixed in with a plus curve and changeup, any offense will have its hands full. That being said, if CC keeps this up can he make his way into the Cy Young discussion? I understand everyone is foaming at the mouth over the trio of Brandon Webb, Tim Lincecum and Edinson Volquez, but it’s just so hard to overlook what Sabathia is doing to the National League thus far. Volquez has looked human as of late, and if Webb and/or Lincecum hit a rough patch, I think CC could steal a few votes. It’ll be hard to overcome him only playing half a season, though.
Regarding Ned Yost... For anyone watching last night’s game, was it me or was Steve Phillips nailing it right on the head? There was NO reason to trot out Sabathia in the bottom of that ninth inning. He was already at 111 pitches, right around his season average, and you could see him clearly laboring, especially after allowing a couple guys to reach and one run to score. Look, Ned, any dimwit paying attention saw that you were leading 9-2 and while I realize you’re at home and want to give the fans something to go nuts about – such as CC’s 5 th complete game with Milwaukee – that 9 th inning was the perfect opportunity to trot Keefe or I out there to get in some work. If we load em up or surrender a run or two, you could get Mota and Torres warming, which you did, and bring either or both of them in to shut the door. Even Gagne would have been a safe choice in that situation. And not only did ole’ Neddy not recognize that, but he let CC labor through the last couple batters of that inning, including the at-bat to Tejada in which every fastball was up at his eyes. I realize you’re trying to maximize your value with the guy, but it’s the middle of August and he’s probably going to make another six or seven starts. If, miraculously, you do make the postseason, let’s try and make sure he’s got enough in the tank to avoid a tumultuous flop like last year. He hit a career high 241 innings and was clearly showing signs of being taxed in his three postseason starts. During that three game stretch he surrendered 21 hits in 15.1 innings and had a K/BB ratio of 14/13. Ugh.
Manny (or CC) for MVP
Again, I know it’s hard to make the argument given these two will have only played half a season for their respective ballclubs. But I can’t help but think that if either, god forbid both of these teams, makes the playoffs, it will clearly be because of Manny and CC’s contributions in the 2 nd half. I already pointed out CC’s numbers in Milwaukee thus far, and Manny’s, from an offensive standpoint, are just as gaudy. He’s hitting .421 with six homeruns and 21 RBI in 16 games. He’s got eight multi-hit games and has been held hitless only twice. Not only that, but look at what he’s done for a guy like Jeff Kent. While Kent is clearly too arrogant – he tried to fight Barry Bonds, who would’ve crushed him – to admit it, Ramirez’ presence in that lineup has brought him more pitches to hit, and he’s responded to the tune of .421 in the month of August.
Let’s face it, the Utley for MVP train has de-railed, the Pujols will lose votes to Ludwick, the Cubs are getting production from everyone, and the Diamondbacks’ offense sucks. David Wright was my sleeper at the midway mark and I think he’s starting to turn into a real contender with his 95 RBI and .322 clip after the break. But in my opinion this award should go to a guy who’s had the most impact and a direct correlation to a team’s success. Both Manny and CC, to this point, exemplify those qualities and they have some filthy numbers to back it up. We’ll see how it plays out, but if this keeps up, I think it needs to be considered.
Jason Bay is an idiot that can hit
I’ll preface this by saying that the Red Sox did not replace Manny Ramirez with Jason Bay. They merely acquired the most value available at the time.
But Bay has been a welcome addition to that lineup, and his .348/3/16 line with the Sox so far is impressive. Coming off last night’s 2-homer game in which he also stole a base, it looks like Bay could be a nice catalyst and solid player down the stretch. But he’s not a cleanup guy, and the Sox will need Youkilis or a healthy Mike Lowell ready to deliver when David Ortiz starts getting walked every time up.
The reason Bay is an idiot is because of his comments to alleged mistress to the captain in a post-game interview. When Heidi Watney asked Bay to comment on Jon Lester’s performance, he said he was impressed and that not many people knew about the guy outside of the AL East.
Are you kidding me?
The guy beat cancer and was back pitching in the majors a year after his diagnosis.
He won Game 4 of the 2007 World Series. Were you watching? Or do you literally shut it down after game 162?
He threw a no-hitter against the Royals back in May.
He’s 12-4 with a 3.17 ERA this season.
I’m pretty sure people know about the guy.
What people may not know is that he’s a legitimate Cy Young candidate in a non-Cliff Lee season. Lee more or less has a stranglehold on the honor with his 17-2 record and 2.43 ERA. It’ll take a Brian Bannister v. Yankees type bombing, on more than one occasion, or a season ending injury right now in order for Lee to lose it. But if it weren’t for him, Lester would be and still should be right up there in the discussion along with teammate Daisuke Matsuzaka. He’s got 16 quality starts in ’08 and the Sox are 18-8 in games which he has started; not to mention Boston is 11-2 in Lester’s last 13 starts. Pretty filthy. To compare, Lee has 18 quality starts in two less starts and the Indians are 18-6 in those 24 games. Hey, if he gets lit up to the tune of 10 runs in one inning ala Bannister in his next two starts, he’d be 17-4 with a 3.44 ERA when the dust settles. Improbable? Yes. Impossible? Yes.
Oh and don’t forget about Roy Halladay, either. I tried trading for him with Shark for fantasy, offering up Chris Volstad and David Price in our keeper league. He threw me John Lackey instead, which is fine, but Halladay is a monster. Eight complete games, a 14-9 record and 2.64 ERA. The Jays have lost 11 games in which Halladay started, but they’ve only scored 19 runs in those contests, being shutout three times and scoring three runs or less in nine of them. Tough deal.
Tom Brady injured?
In my NBA MVP debate, I mentioned that Lebron James should be given the Lebron James MVP award every season based purely on the fact that his team would absolutely suck without him. We’re starting to see that perhaps Tom Brady falls into that category, as well. No only are Matt Cassell, Matt Gutierrez and Kevin O’Connell not the answer, but the defense is porous and won’t carry this team at all in ’08. If Brady isn’t healthy, not only will the Pats struggle to finish 8-8, but Moss won’t catch 80 balls and he’ll end up bitch slapping someone on the sideline. Peyton Manning probably falls into this category, as well, but there’s much less concern here for the Colts.
And I apologize if I spelled any of the names wrong for those three backup QB’s, but they’re so bad I didn’t care enough to look it up.
Classic commercial
For anyone that hasn’t seen it yet, check out the new Nike commercial with LT and Kimbo Slice. Pure comedy at its finest. If you can’t ignore and work past the clear cut stereotypes here for the terrific humor involved, then you’re an idiot. This is absolute gold. Check out the part where Kimbo tosses open the freezer door. That might have sealed it for me.
[1]
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.
-Bess
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
UFC 87 Results
Here are the results from Saturday night's UFC event, and you can see how the guys from the Brief did with their picks.
Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via submission (arm-bar). Round 2, 2:28.
Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via unanimous decision.
Jon Jones def. Andre Gusmao via unanimous decision.
Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:55.
Tamdan McCrory def. Luke Cummo via unanimous decision.
Demian Maia def. Jason MacDonald via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 3, 2:44.
Kenny Florian def. Roger Huerta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Rob Emerson def. Manny Gamburyan via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 0:12.
Brock Lesnar def. Heath Herring via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26).
Georges St. Pierre def. Jon Fitch via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-44, 50-44), to retain his Welterweight Championship.
The Sports Brief Picks
Besse: 8-2
Keefe: 6-4
Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via submission (arm-bar). Round 2, 2:28.
Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via unanimous decision.
Jon Jones def. Andre Gusmao via unanimous decision.
Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:55.
Tamdan McCrory def. Luke Cummo via unanimous decision.
Demian Maia def. Jason MacDonald via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 3, 2:44.
Kenny Florian def. Roger Huerta via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Rob Emerson def. Manny Gamburyan via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 0:12.
Brock Lesnar def. Heath Herring via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26).
Georges St. Pierre def. Jon Fitch via unanimous decision (50-43, 50-44, 50-44), to retain his Welterweight Championship.
The Sports Brief Picks
Besse: 8-2
Keefe: 6-4
Thursday, August 7, 2008
The Sports Brief's UFC 87 Picks
The UFC has a slew of great fights coming up over the next several months, and this card is a great way to kick things off. Not only is GSP putting his welterweight crown on the line, but he'll have an opportunity to make his case for being the top pound-4-pound fighter in the world. Meanwhile, Brock Lesnar returns and looks to avoid a disastrous 0-2 start to his UFC career, one that he nor the company can afford. And to top it off, we get two of the top lightweight contenders in the UFC going toe-2-toe for their shot at UFC gold. With further ado, here are the picks, Keefe's first, then mine. We did them separately then put them together, so let us know what you think, who you agree with and who you like coming out on top on Saturday night.
Televised Bouts
Keefe’s Picks
Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch (Welterweight Championship Bout)
GSP and Fitch truly are the two best welterweights in the world. The 170 pound division is dominated by UFC fighters and this is the match up every fan wants to see. The only hick-up St. Pierre has faced was the stunning loss to Matt Serra. Since then he has defeated fellow Top 10 guys in Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes (for the second time), and took care of business against Serra. Along with those names, how about B.J. Penn, Sean Sherk, Frank Trigg, Jason Miller, Jay Hieron, Karo Parisyan, and Pete Spratt being on GSP’s resume. Why not add Jon Fitch to that list?
I understand Fitch has rattled off 15 straight victories including a perfect 8-0 in the UFC with wins over Diego Sanchez, Thiago Alves, and Josh Burkman, but I’m still not convinced. Half of Fitch’s victories in the UFC have come via decision, and St. Pierre has never lost when it comes down to the judges. He usually doesn’t let it go that long. Fitch is a great wrestler. That’s a fact. But GSP out wrestled Fitch’s training partner and 4 time All-American wrestler Josh Koscheck. Maybe Fitch can submit GSP? He has finished 3 fights in the octagon by submission. Don’t count on it. Besides that armbar by Hughes in 2004, GSP won’t let that happen either. I truly believe the only way to defeat GSP now is a fluke knock out a la Serra. I think this is a solid fight for 2 and a half rounds but than St. Pierre, one of the best pound for pound fighters on the planet, ends it.
Georges St. Pierre def. Jon Fitch via (T)KO in the 3rd round
Roger Huerta vs. Kenny Florian
These two are not Top 10 lightweights in the world, but they are Top 5 in the UFC. The winner could find him self in line for a title shot down the road, the one problem being that the current champ B.J. Penn has his sights set a little higher, on a rematch with Georges St. Pierre. I think Penn will be watching this night of fights pretty closely. After a busy 2007, Huerta has not fought in 8 months. He can’t afford to have any ring rust against a guy like Ken-Flo. (I’m still upset I didn’t tell Florian he had a good flow when I took a leak next to him in a Somerville bathroom, damn.) Either way I like Florian to catch “El Matador” in one of the 5,000 submission holds he knows.
Kenny Florian def. Roger Huerta via submission in the 2nd round
Heath Herring vs. Brock Lesnar
Will big Brock Lesnar last more than 90 seconds this time around? For the paying fans I hope so, for Herring’s face, different story. Lesnar proved he’s an absolute monster who just has a lot to learn. Mir got a title shot out of defeating Brock, in his 1st UFC fight no less, you figure that out. Meanwhile Herring is coming off a victory over Kongo. Heath has yet to have a fight in the UFC not go the distance, but I think this will be different. Herring’s only chance here is to find a submission, where most of his Pride victories came from, and slap it on early a la Mir. Upset alert… if this is an upset.
Heath Herring def. Brock Lesnar via submission in the 1st round
Demian Maia vs. Jason McDonald
A pair of fighters here who find themselves on the outside looking in, on the true contenders list at 185. Both guys hold victories over Ed Herman, of course so does Besse and I. McDonald’s best win is over Leben, but anytime he’s gotten a shot a one of the elite, he has lost (Franklin and Okami.) This is a huge fight for Maia. Where does he stack up? He’s 7-0 in his career and 2-0 in the UFC. McDonald, owner of the worst nickname in sports “The Athlete” (aren’t they all athletes?), needs this win. In fact, I feel like it’s a great win for one fighter, but a bad loss at the same time, if that makes since. The loser here is a long way from a title shot, the winner may only need another fight or two, much like Patrick Cote who went on a nice run.
Demian Maia def. Jason McDonald via submission in the 3rd
Manny Gamburyan vs. Rob Emerson
Not sure why this is a televised main event bout, I’ll be honest. I can understand the die hard fans who say enough with the TUF crap being pushed down our throats. Yes there have been many great and entertaining fighters from the past shows like Forrest Griffin, Chris Leben, Diego Sanchez, etc., but there’s been many more who don’t belong on TV. I’m not saying Manny and Emerson are bad fighters. They could both be solid some day. If you watched Dream 5 last month you saw some incredible lightweights. This is an undercard fight. Manny’s had a nice run of quick finishes, and I think it continues.
Manny Gamburyan def. Rob Emerson via submission in the 1st
Undercard Bouts
Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via decision
Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via (T)KO in 1st
Luke Cummo def. Tamden McCrory via (T)KO in 2nd
Andre Gusmao def. Jon Jones via decision
Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via (T)KO in 3rd
Besse’s Picks
Televised Bouts
Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch (Welterweight Championship Bout)
Finally, GSP is clear of the whole Matt Hughes/Matt Serra shenanigans and can finally begin truly defending the welterweight crown. His first test since regaining that title is against a guy who is on quite a roll in Jon Fitch. Fitch has won 15 straight, but he looked a bit off target in his fight with Chris Wilson. Don’t get me wrong, Fitch clearly deserves this opportunity as he’s beaten some talented and fairly big name fighters along the way. He’ll be relying on the strength of his wrestling and jiu-jitsu in this fight, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him.
That’s because he’s taking on MMA phenom Georges St. Pierre, who is truly exemplary of the new generation of athletes in the sport. GSP is athletic and well-rounded, and you could argue that he is never at a disadvantage in any facet of the game against any fighter. Formally you would have pointed to his wrestling, but after his decisive win over Josh Koscheck, he put that to rest; he’s also training with the Canadian National team. His striking will be far superior to that of Fitch, and I expect GSP to come out and get comfortable on his feet. While I think he can hang with Fitch on the ground, he’ll want to score points standing and wear down the challenger, who will be going for five rounds for the first time in the UFC. In the end, GSP will simply be too much for the game, but outclassed Fitch.
GSP remains your Welterweight Champ via (T)KO in the 3rd round.
Roger Huerta vs. Kenny Florian
This is the fight that I’m most excited about on this card. Florian and Huerta are two of the top lightweights in the UFC and I think this could be an opportunity for one of these fighters to establish himself as a top 10 lightweight in the world. Dana White should be taken seriously when he says this has the potential to be a Fight of the Year candidate.
Huerta is returning to action for the first time since his win comeback win over Clay Guida last December. He posted an impressive 6-0 campaign in 2007, and while I argue that his opponents weren’t top caliber fighters, his aggressive, all-action style makes for great fights and his win over Guida showed he is dangerous at any point during a fight. While he should be compared to GSP in terms of talent level, he’s similar in that he’s an athletic, well rounded competitor. He’ll need to apply pressure for all 3 rounds and not allow Florian to gain control on the ground.
For Florian, his biggest challenge will be sticking to his gameplan. I’m confident that due to his experience at a championship level, he’ll be able to do this, but he needs to avoid getting into a fast paced, all-action brawl with Huerta. Florian’s striking is very good, don’t get me wrong, but Huerta is more athletic and rangier, so Florian will need to utilize angles and his Muay Thai clinch. If he control the action and eventually take Huerta down, I think he can work his way to the mount and go for the finish.
Kenny Florian wins via (T)KO in the 3rd round
Heath Herring vs. Brock Lesnar
I hate this fight because I’m actually a fan of both fighters. Herring HAS to be one of everyone’s favorite fighters simply because the guy will fight anyone, anytime, anywhere. That and his infamous YouTube clip in which he knocked the guy out for kissing him during the stare down. That scores points with me any day of the week.
Yet interestingly enough, you have to respect Brock Lesnar because he’s not taking any cupcakes for opponents. This guy has stated he wants to fight tough, credible opponents, and he got that in Frank Mir and he’s getting that again in Herring. I thought Lesnar was mighty impressive against Mir, inflicting serious damage and relentless attack before being caught in a submission. Meanwhile, Herring is coming off an impressive win over Cheick Kongo, a match that many thought would go the other way. But Herring has revamped his training and dedication to the sport, and he looked very tough, durable and much improved in grinding out the decision win.
There’s no question that the biggest hole in Lesnar’s game is his submission defense, and Herring has captured 16 of his 28 victories via just that. However, a lot of those have been submissions that come as a result of being on top of his opponents. I simply don’t see him finding a way to control Lesnar on top and work his way to a mount, taking the back, acquiring a choke, etc. While he may be able to roll Lesnar or work out of Lesnar’s guard, it’s my contention that Brock will simply be too big, too strong and too powerful. Herring will put in yet another gritty, impressive performance, but Saturday’s fight will show why he is the Chris Lytle, Chris Leben and Marcus Aurelio of the heavyweight division.
Brock Lesnar wins via (T)KO in the 2nd round
Demian Maia vs. Jason McDonald
Maia and McDonald could be a ton of fun to watch. Both are sick submission specialist, and I thank them both for their respective embarrassments of Ed “Short Fuse” Herman. Maia has come out of nowhere and is off to a modest 7-0 start to his career. McDonald, meanwhile, has shown flashes of brilliance at times, earning him fights with Yushin Okami and Rich Franklin. He fell flat on his face both times, however, and is slowly developing into a guy who will always fall just a bit short.
A lot of times when two guys with similar backgrounds go at it, the fight is won by utilizing other facets. It’s a matter of who is more comfortable in other areas and can keep it there. I don’t think that will be the case here. Maia seems to have jiu-jitsu skills that are unparalleled, and I think his will simply outclass McDonald’s in scoring a late submission win.
Plus his submission over Ed Herman was much cooler than McDonald’s. That and I also have trouble picking a guy with the nickname, “The Athlete.”
Demian Maia wins via 3rd round submission
Manny Gamburyan vs. Rob Emerson
Joe Silva is pitting a pair of TUF 5 alums against each other here. Interestingly enough, Emerson is an alum of something else, as well: The Lords of South County. Pretty hardcore, eh? Not if you watch the video in which he and his boys ambushed some poor guy at a gas station filling up his car. Pretty weak. I’m not a fan of Gamburyan, either, but I’ll take him over some spoiled, rich kid punk. Not only do I expect Manvil the Anvil to run right through Emerson, I’m hoping he gets hold a limb and goes Babalu on that ass.
Manny Gamburyan wins via 1st round submission
Undercard Bouts
Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via decision
Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via 1st round submission
Tamden Mcrory def. Luke Cummo via decision
Andre Gusmao def. Jon Jones via 1st round submission
Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via decision
-Besse and Keefe
E-mail The Brief at sportsbrief@gmail.com
Televised Bouts
Keefe’s Picks
Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch (Welterweight Championship Bout)
GSP and Fitch truly are the two best welterweights in the world. The 170 pound division is dominated by UFC fighters and this is the match up every fan wants to see. The only hick-up St. Pierre has faced was the stunning loss to Matt Serra. Since then he has defeated fellow Top 10 guys in Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes (for the second time), and took care of business against Serra. Along with those names, how about B.J. Penn, Sean Sherk, Frank Trigg, Jason Miller, Jay Hieron, Karo Parisyan, and Pete Spratt being on GSP’s resume. Why not add Jon Fitch to that list?
I understand Fitch has rattled off 15 straight victories including a perfect 8-0 in the UFC with wins over Diego Sanchez, Thiago Alves, and Josh Burkman, but I’m still not convinced. Half of Fitch’s victories in the UFC have come via decision, and St. Pierre has never lost when it comes down to the judges. He usually doesn’t let it go that long. Fitch is a great wrestler. That’s a fact. But GSP out wrestled Fitch’s training partner and 4 time All-American wrestler Josh Koscheck. Maybe Fitch can submit GSP? He has finished 3 fights in the octagon by submission. Don’t count on it. Besides that armbar by Hughes in 2004, GSP won’t let that happen either. I truly believe the only way to defeat GSP now is a fluke knock out a la Serra. I think this is a solid fight for 2 and a half rounds but than St. Pierre, one of the best pound for pound fighters on the planet, ends it.
Georges St. Pierre def. Jon Fitch via (T)KO in the 3rd round
Roger Huerta vs. Kenny Florian
These two are not Top 10 lightweights in the world, but they are Top 5 in the UFC. The winner could find him self in line for a title shot down the road, the one problem being that the current champ B.J. Penn has his sights set a little higher, on a rematch with Georges St. Pierre. I think Penn will be watching this night of fights pretty closely. After a busy 2007, Huerta has not fought in 8 months. He can’t afford to have any ring rust against a guy like Ken-Flo. (I’m still upset I didn’t tell Florian he had a good flow when I took a leak next to him in a Somerville bathroom, damn.) Either way I like Florian to catch “El Matador” in one of the 5,000 submission holds he knows.
Kenny Florian def. Roger Huerta via submission in the 2nd round
Heath Herring vs. Brock Lesnar
Will big Brock Lesnar last more than 90 seconds this time around? For the paying fans I hope so, for Herring’s face, different story. Lesnar proved he’s an absolute monster who just has a lot to learn. Mir got a title shot out of defeating Brock, in his 1st UFC fight no less, you figure that out. Meanwhile Herring is coming off a victory over Kongo. Heath has yet to have a fight in the UFC not go the distance, but I think this will be different. Herring’s only chance here is to find a submission, where most of his Pride victories came from, and slap it on early a la Mir. Upset alert… if this is an upset.
Heath Herring def. Brock Lesnar via submission in the 1st round
Demian Maia vs. Jason McDonald
A pair of fighters here who find themselves on the outside looking in, on the true contenders list at 185. Both guys hold victories over Ed Herman, of course so does Besse and I. McDonald’s best win is over Leben, but anytime he’s gotten a shot a one of the elite, he has lost (Franklin and Okami.) This is a huge fight for Maia. Where does he stack up? He’s 7-0 in his career and 2-0 in the UFC. McDonald, owner of the worst nickname in sports “The Athlete” (aren’t they all athletes?), needs this win. In fact, I feel like it’s a great win for one fighter, but a bad loss at the same time, if that makes since. The loser here is a long way from a title shot, the winner may only need another fight or two, much like Patrick Cote who went on a nice run.
Demian Maia def. Jason McDonald via submission in the 3rd
Manny Gamburyan vs. Rob Emerson
Not sure why this is a televised main event bout, I’ll be honest. I can understand the die hard fans who say enough with the TUF crap being pushed down our throats. Yes there have been many great and entertaining fighters from the past shows like Forrest Griffin, Chris Leben, Diego Sanchez, etc., but there’s been many more who don’t belong on TV. I’m not saying Manny and Emerson are bad fighters. They could both be solid some day. If you watched Dream 5 last month you saw some incredible lightweights. This is an undercard fight. Manny’s had a nice run of quick finishes, and I think it continues.
Manny Gamburyan def. Rob Emerson via submission in the 1st
Undercard Bouts
Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via decision
Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via (T)KO in 1st
Luke Cummo def. Tamden McCrory via (T)KO in 2nd
Andre Gusmao def. Jon Jones via decision
Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via (T)KO in 3rd
Besse’s Picks
Televised Bouts
Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch (Welterweight Championship Bout)
Finally, GSP is clear of the whole Matt Hughes/Matt Serra shenanigans and can finally begin truly defending the welterweight crown. His first test since regaining that title is against a guy who is on quite a roll in Jon Fitch. Fitch has won 15 straight, but he looked a bit off target in his fight with Chris Wilson. Don’t get me wrong, Fitch clearly deserves this opportunity as he’s beaten some talented and fairly big name fighters along the way. He’ll be relying on the strength of his wrestling and jiu-jitsu in this fight, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him.
That’s because he’s taking on MMA phenom Georges St. Pierre, who is truly exemplary of the new generation of athletes in the sport. GSP is athletic and well-rounded, and you could argue that he is never at a disadvantage in any facet of the game against any fighter. Formally you would have pointed to his wrestling, but after his decisive win over Josh Koscheck, he put that to rest; he’s also training with the Canadian National team. His striking will be far superior to that of Fitch, and I expect GSP to come out and get comfortable on his feet. While I think he can hang with Fitch on the ground, he’ll want to score points standing and wear down the challenger, who will be going for five rounds for the first time in the UFC. In the end, GSP will simply be too much for the game, but outclassed Fitch.
GSP remains your Welterweight Champ via (T)KO in the 3rd round.
Roger Huerta vs. Kenny Florian
This is the fight that I’m most excited about on this card. Florian and Huerta are two of the top lightweights in the UFC and I think this could be an opportunity for one of these fighters to establish himself as a top 10 lightweight in the world. Dana White should be taken seriously when he says this has the potential to be a Fight of the Year candidate.
Huerta is returning to action for the first time since his win comeback win over Clay Guida last December. He posted an impressive 6-0 campaign in 2007, and while I argue that his opponents weren’t top caliber fighters, his aggressive, all-action style makes for great fights and his win over Guida showed he is dangerous at any point during a fight. While he should be compared to GSP in terms of talent level, he’s similar in that he’s an athletic, well rounded competitor. He’ll need to apply pressure for all 3 rounds and not allow Florian to gain control on the ground.
For Florian, his biggest challenge will be sticking to his gameplan. I’m confident that due to his experience at a championship level, he’ll be able to do this, but he needs to avoid getting into a fast paced, all-action brawl with Huerta. Florian’s striking is very good, don’t get me wrong, but Huerta is more athletic and rangier, so Florian will need to utilize angles and his Muay Thai clinch. If he control the action and eventually take Huerta down, I think he can work his way to the mount and go for the finish.
Kenny Florian wins via (T)KO in the 3rd round
Heath Herring vs. Brock Lesnar
I hate this fight because I’m actually a fan of both fighters. Herring HAS to be one of everyone’s favorite fighters simply because the guy will fight anyone, anytime, anywhere. That and his infamous YouTube clip in which he knocked the guy out for kissing him during the stare down. That scores points with me any day of the week.
Yet interestingly enough, you have to respect Brock Lesnar because he’s not taking any cupcakes for opponents. This guy has stated he wants to fight tough, credible opponents, and he got that in Frank Mir and he’s getting that again in Herring. I thought Lesnar was mighty impressive against Mir, inflicting serious damage and relentless attack before being caught in a submission. Meanwhile, Herring is coming off an impressive win over Cheick Kongo, a match that many thought would go the other way. But Herring has revamped his training and dedication to the sport, and he looked very tough, durable and much improved in grinding out the decision win.
There’s no question that the biggest hole in Lesnar’s game is his submission defense, and Herring has captured 16 of his 28 victories via just that. However, a lot of those have been submissions that come as a result of being on top of his opponents. I simply don’t see him finding a way to control Lesnar on top and work his way to a mount, taking the back, acquiring a choke, etc. While he may be able to roll Lesnar or work out of Lesnar’s guard, it’s my contention that Brock will simply be too big, too strong and too powerful. Herring will put in yet another gritty, impressive performance, but Saturday’s fight will show why he is the Chris Lytle, Chris Leben and Marcus Aurelio of the heavyweight division.
Brock Lesnar wins via (T)KO in the 2nd round
Demian Maia vs. Jason McDonald
Maia and McDonald could be a ton of fun to watch. Both are sick submission specialist, and I thank them both for their respective embarrassments of Ed “Short Fuse” Herman. Maia has come out of nowhere and is off to a modest 7-0 start to his career. McDonald, meanwhile, has shown flashes of brilliance at times, earning him fights with Yushin Okami and Rich Franklin. He fell flat on his face both times, however, and is slowly developing into a guy who will always fall just a bit short.
A lot of times when two guys with similar backgrounds go at it, the fight is won by utilizing other facets. It’s a matter of who is more comfortable in other areas and can keep it there. I don’t think that will be the case here. Maia seems to have jiu-jitsu skills that are unparalleled, and I think his will simply outclass McDonald’s in scoring a late submission win.
Plus his submission over Ed Herman was much cooler than McDonald’s. That and I also have trouble picking a guy with the nickname, “The Athlete.”
Demian Maia wins via 3rd round submission
Manny Gamburyan vs. Rob Emerson
Joe Silva is pitting a pair of TUF 5 alums against each other here. Interestingly enough, Emerson is an alum of something else, as well: The Lords of South County. Pretty hardcore, eh? Not if you watch the video in which he and his boys ambushed some poor guy at a gas station filling up his car. Pretty weak. I’m not a fan of Gamburyan, either, but I’ll take him over some spoiled, rich kid punk. Not only do I expect Manvil the Anvil to run right through Emerson, I’m hoping he gets hold a limb and goes Babalu on that ass.
Manny Gamburyan wins via 1st round submission
Undercard Bouts
Cheick Kongo def. Dan Evensen via decision
Ben Saunders def. Ryan Thomas via 1st round submission
Tamden Mcrory def. Luke Cummo via decision
Andre Gusmao def. Jon Jones via 1st round submission
Chris Wilson def. Steve Bruno via decision
-Besse and Keefe
E-mail The Brief at sportsbrief@gmail.com
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Sox Gave Away Manny
Why do teams make trades? To get better. In the case of a contender, they do it to solidify a playoff birth or, in the Angels case, make a serious run at a title. For a struggling team you trade in order to get better in the future, take a shot at some young guys. (Indians getting Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips for Bartolo Colon comes to mind.) These are why teams make moves at the deadline. (Note: NBA and NFL teams often make moves to dump salary; last time I checked there wasn’t a salary cap in MLB.) This is what frustrates me most about the Manny trade. The Red Sox did not get better, in fact they got worse.
Manny Ramirez has been a huge headache for this team the past few weeks, maybe longer. I understand some of his actions have been inexcusable, but that’s exactly how I would describe this trade. The Red Sox essentially traded Manny Ramirez, Brandon Moss, and Craig Hansen for Jason Bay. You serious!? There were a total of 6 players involved in the 3 team deal between the Sox, Dodgers, and Pirates. How did Boston manage to give up the best player AND 2 prospects? Unbelievable. They got relief help right? Nope. Same bullpen (minus Hansen, which isn’t a bad thing) and now you got Jason Bay in LF with no Manny. Before getting into how Bay will replace Ramirez I want to look more at the deal itself. Just when you thought what the Sox gave up was bad enough, how about this… they’re paying the rest of Manny’s deal too. Wow. Why not throw Jon Lester or Dustin Pedroia in the trade too.
Calling this a “trade” is unfair. The Sox simply “got rid” of Ramirez. A trade implies both teams (or all three teams) giving something up to get something. The Dodgers traded a 3B who doesn’t play and a AA pitcher for Ramirez. The Pirates traded Jason Bay for two young pitchers, a young 3B, and a young OF. The Sox panicked. They wanted to get rid of Manny, and made that abundantly clear, which doesn’t exactly help the value. Everyone knew Boston was looking to get rid of Manny any way they could. So why offer them anything, or better yet, why not ask for a couple prospects to boot. Done and done.
Part of this “deal” was having the two club options for Manny at $20 million a pop be waived. Ok, so he is playing 2 months for a playoff run/ his next contract. Why does he have to do that in LA? I’d take Manny’s crap for 2 more, hopefully 3 more months with a legitimate shot at winning back-to-back World Series. People say how do you know he would play for them? The guy wants $100 million over 4 years, how is he going to do that sitting on the bench. Is he not trying now? Really? In July, Manny is hitting .347 (the highest month of the season for him) with 4 HR and 16 RBI. Those numbers are better than J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell’s. Are those guys tanking it? Let me guess Lowell is giving up on the team. Come on. Pedroia is the hottest hitter in the planet and he’s only hitting .003 points higher than Manny in July.
Jason Bay now finds himself in the same spot as Omer Epps did when he signed on for Major League II, replacing Wesley Snipes as Willie Mayes Hayes. Bay is a nice player, don’t get me wrong, but the Sox are asking a ton from him. Here’s a guy who plays in front of family and friends for the worst team in the N.L. Central. The Pittsburgh Pirates could not be further from the Boston Red Sox. Bay has a grand total of 0 post season at-bats. Manny has 24 post season home runs. That’s a record. Hey Jason Bay, no pressure, but you need to replace a 12-time All-Star, 500 Home Run Club member, World Series MVP, and future Hall of Famer with 2 months to go in a pennant race in the most baseball crazy city in the world. At least the Sox helped their bullpen and got a couple prospects back… I forgot, they didn’t.
In the end I feel like the Red Sox got caught with their pants down, and went from a team with World Series aspirations to a team that’s really hoping they can get in the playoffs. A lot has changed. How can the front office honestly turn down a Mark Teixeira for Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hansen deal, yet sign off on a Jason Bay for Manny Ramirez, Craig Hansen, and Brandon Moss. I can’t describe it. They see the Angels getting much better, the Yankees making moves to improve themselves, even the White Sox reaching out for some help. Theo and the crew were so caught up in throwing Manny away that they forgot to actually help the team. Sure they don’t have to see what the new quote from ESPNDeportes is today and the team can now have picnics together and go to water parks, but they’ll feel it on the field. You think David Ortiz won’t get intentionally walked every chance they get? These guys are supposed to be pros. It’s not the ideal situation, but it was their best chance to win.
I hope I’m wrong here, but I don’t see the Red Sox making the post season this year. Even with the Rays not making a move, they didn’t get worse like the Sox. Tampa and New York will take the division in the final 2 months of the season with one of them squaring off with the Angels in the ALCS, while the new Sox have sleep overs together watching the games on TV.
-Keefe
NBA Mid-Summer Report: Central Division
This is part 2 of my 6 segment exposé on the NBA in the summer months. Without further ado, I give you the Eastern Conference’s Central Divison…
Chicago Bulls
Starters:
Derrick Rose
Kirk Hinrich
Luol Deng
Drew Gooden
Joakim Noah
Bench:
Ben Gordon*
Tyrus Thomas
Larry Hughes
Andres Nocioni
Aaron Gray
Thabo Sefolosha
Cedric Simmons
Out of town:
Chris Duhon
Ben Gordon is still a restricted free agent. The Bulls brought back Deng, but even if they don’t bring back Gordon, look at all those guards! Duhon goes to the Knicks and it’ll be interesting to see what they do with Ben Gordon, who was the team’s leading scorer last season. The past 2 seasons the Bulls flipped flopped wins and losses. After going 49-33 in 06-07, they were picked to be one of the best teams in the East, and went a disappointing 33-49 missing out on the playoffs. They got rid of what was left of Ben Wallace (horrible pick up to begin with), but they still have a lot of problems. Is Hinrich going to be a 2 guard? Front office has made some bad moves, and they were bailed out by getting the #1 pick. Look for some kind of trade to bring in a big man in place of some of these guards. Names like Brad Miller and Kenyon Martin have been talked about.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Starters:
Delonte West*
Wally Szczerbiak
LeBron James
Ben Wallace
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Bench:
Daniel Gibson
Joe Smith
Anderson Varejao
Sasha Pavlovic
J.J. Hickson
Darnell Jackson
Out of town:
None: Devin Brown and Dwayne Jones = unrestricted
Looks like more of the same for LeBron and the Cavs. I didn’t like the move they made last year to bring in all those guys. Didn’t help them last year and in don’t think it will this year. Delonte is a free agent, and apparently he wants a 5 year deal, the Cavs have offered 4. I think he eventually comes back and plays for them next season regardless. Once again how far can LeBron carry them. He’s gone as far as the NBA Finals, but even then the ”supporting” cast was better. Perhaps the young rookie out of N.C. State, J.J. Hickson can provide a little life into this squad.
Detroit Pistons
Starters:
Chauncey Billups
Richard Hamilton
Tayshaun Prince
Rasheed Wallace
Antonio McDyess
Bench:
Rodney Stucky
Jason Maxiell
Amir Johnson
Aaron Afflalo
Trent Plaisted
Out of town:
Jarvis Hayes
Lindsey Hunter, Theo Ratliff, Juan Dixon, Walter Hermann = unrestricted
Flip Saunders
Rumors were flying around about a complete shake up of the Pistons. Billups and Sheed to the Warriors for Baron Davis. Well that clearly isn’t going to happen now, but Detroit feels as though they need to do something else. 6 straight years to the Eastern Conference Finals is great, but one 2 trips to the NBA Finals, with 1 Championship. They’re one of the Top 5 teams in the NBA every year, but they want to be the best. The starters continue to get older, but they’ve drafted well of late (post Darko), and have brought in some productive players. Flip Saunders it out, it’s now Michael Curry’s job. This team can coach itself to the playoffs, with the question being, how far can they go?
Indiana Pacers
Starters:
T.J. Ford
Mike Dunleavy
Danny Granger
Troy Murphy
Jeff Foster
Bench:
Brandon Rush
Jamaal Tinsley
Marquis Daniels
Shawne Williams
Travis Diener
Out of town:
Jermaine O’Neal
Kareem Rush
Did you know that Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy combined for 38.7 points per game last season? Probably not. The Pacers are never on TV and no one talks about them. With Jermaine O’Neal gone to Toronto they don’t have anyone people have heard of. They have a grand total of 0 All-Star appearances on their roster. With that said, they could surprise some people this year. In the East, Indiana could even find themselves in the playoffs. Not sure if they’ll leave Tinsley on the team as a back up, but their starting 5 is sneaky good and I loved the pick of Brandon Rush. He won’t, however, play along side his brother Kareem who went to Philly.
Milwaukee Bucks
Starters:
Mo Williams
Michael Redd
Richard Jefferson
Charlie Villanueva
Andrew Bogut
Bench:
Tyronn Lue
Desmond Mason
Joe Alexander
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
Ramon Sessions
Charlie Bell
Out of town:
Yi Jianlian
Bobby Simmons
I love the move to pick up Richard Jefferson. He may not love leaving New York City for Milwaukee, but on the court it could be what he needs. He is no longer playing with Kidd and more importantly Vince Carter. Reports were that Jefferson would obsess over making the All-Star team and just try to pad his stats on the offensive end. RJ would try to be better than Vince rather than making his team better. The Bucks now have one of the best scoring wings combos in the league with Jefferson and Redd. It’s not Ray Allen and Pierce, but it’s still good. Milwaukee also drafted Joe Alexander and signed Tyronn Lue in the off season. All of that makes sense to me. But giving Bogut (career 11.9 pts, 8.5 rebs per game) $76 million. I don’t get it. Two steps forward, one step back. In the end I think the Central Division could be competitive this year.
Next: Southeast Division
-Keefe
Chicago Bulls
Starters:
Derrick Rose
Kirk Hinrich
Luol Deng
Drew Gooden
Joakim Noah
Bench:
Ben Gordon*
Tyrus Thomas
Larry Hughes
Andres Nocioni
Aaron Gray
Thabo Sefolosha
Cedric Simmons
Out of town:
Chris Duhon
Ben Gordon is still a restricted free agent. The Bulls brought back Deng, but even if they don’t bring back Gordon, look at all those guards! Duhon goes to the Knicks and it’ll be interesting to see what they do with Ben Gordon, who was the team’s leading scorer last season. The past 2 seasons the Bulls flipped flopped wins and losses. After going 49-33 in 06-07, they were picked to be one of the best teams in the East, and went a disappointing 33-49 missing out on the playoffs. They got rid of what was left of Ben Wallace (horrible pick up to begin with), but they still have a lot of problems. Is Hinrich going to be a 2 guard? Front office has made some bad moves, and they were bailed out by getting the #1 pick. Look for some kind of trade to bring in a big man in place of some of these guards. Names like Brad Miller and Kenyon Martin have been talked about.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Starters:
Delonte West*
Wally Szczerbiak
LeBron James
Ben Wallace
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Bench:
Daniel Gibson
Joe Smith
Anderson Varejao
Sasha Pavlovic
J.J. Hickson
Darnell Jackson
Out of town:
None: Devin Brown and Dwayne Jones = unrestricted
Looks like more of the same for LeBron and the Cavs. I didn’t like the move they made last year to bring in all those guys. Didn’t help them last year and in don’t think it will this year. Delonte is a free agent, and apparently he wants a 5 year deal, the Cavs have offered 4. I think he eventually comes back and plays for them next season regardless. Once again how far can LeBron carry them. He’s gone as far as the NBA Finals, but even then the ”supporting” cast was better. Perhaps the young rookie out of N.C. State, J.J. Hickson can provide a little life into this squad.
Detroit Pistons
Starters:
Chauncey Billups
Richard Hamilton
Tayshaun Prince
Rasheed Wallace
Antonio McDyess
Bench:
Rodney Stucky
Jason Maxiell
Amir Johnson
Aaron Afflalo
Trent Plaisted
Out of town:
Jarvis Hayes
Lindsey Hunter, Theo Ratliff, Juan Dixon, Walter Hermann = unrestricted
Flip Saunders
Rumors were flying around about a complete shake up of the Pistons. Billups and Sheed to the Warriors for Baron Davis. Well that clearly isn’t going to happen now, but Detroit feels as though they need to do something else. 6 straight years to the Eastern Conference Finals is great, but one 2 trips to the NBA Finals, with 1 Championship. They’re one of the Top 5 teams in the NBA every year, but they want to be the best. The starters continue to get older, but they’ve drafted well of late (post Darko), and have brought in some productive players. Flip Saunders it out, it’s now Michael Curry’s job. This team can coach itself to the playoffs, with the question being, how far can they go?
Indiana Pacers
Starters:
T.J. Ford
Mike Dunleavy
Danny Granger
Troy Murphy
Jeff Foster
Bench:
Brandon Rush
Jamaal Tinsley
Marquis Daniels
Shawne Williams
Travis Diener
Out of town:
Jermaine O’Neal
Kareem Rush
Did you know that Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy combined for 38.7 points per game last season? Probably not. The Pacers are never on TV and no one talks about them. With Jermaine O’Neal gone to Toronto they don’t have anyone people have heard of. They have a grand total of 0 All-Star appearances on their roster. With that said, they could surprise some people this year. In the East, Indiana could even find themselves in the playoffs. Not sure if they’ll leave Tinsley on the team as a back up, but their starting 5 is sneaky good and I loved the pick of Brandon Rush. He won’t, however, play along side his brother Kareem who went to Philly.
Milwaukee Bucks
Starters:
Mo Williams
Michael Redd
Richard Jefferson
Charlie Villanueva
Andrew Bogut
Bench:
Tyronn Lue
Desmond Mason
Joe Alexander
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
Ramon Sessions
Charlie Bell
Out of town:
Yi Jianlian
Bobby Simmons
I love the move to pick up Richard Jefferson. He may not love leaving New York City for Milwaukee, but on the court it could be what he needs. He is no longer playing with Kidd and more importantly Vince Carter. Reports were that Jefferson would obsess over making the All-Star team and just try to pad his stats on the offensive end. RJ would try to be better than Vince rather than making his team better. The Bucks now have one of the best scoring wings combos in the league with Jefferson and Redd. It’s not Ray Allen and Pierce, but it’s still good. Milwaukee also drafted Joe Alexander and signed Tyronn Lue in the off season. All of that makes sense to me. But giving Bogut (career 11.9 pts, 8.5 rebs per game) $76 million. I don’t get it. Two steps forward, one step back. In the end I think the Central Division could be competitive this year.
Next: Southeast Division
-Keefe
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
NBA Mid-Summer Report: Atlantic Division
-Keefe
In the next few days I will put my gynecologist’s gloves on and examine each team in the NBA, see what moves they did and didn’t make. The Draft, free agency, and trades have changed the look of many of these teams like Janice Dickenson. Plus, it’s been awhile since I’ve talked hoops on here right? I’m going by alphabetical order on this one, not how I’m predicting finishes in April of 2009, on the end of July. New acquisitions in bold and rookies in italics. (6 segments for each division)
Boston Celtics
Starters:
Rajon Rondo
Ray Allen
Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Kendrick Perkins
Bench:
Eddie House
Leon Powe
Glen “Big Baby” Davis
Tony Allen
Brian Scalabrine
Gabe Pruitt
J.R. Giddens
Bill Walker
Patrick O’Bryant
Out of town:
James Posey
P.J. Brown
Sam Cassell
The defending champions will have their entire starting 5 back for a shot at back-to-back titles, that’s the good news. Check out that bench… James Posey is going to be a big loss for this team; they don’t win it all last year without him. I’d be surprised if Danny Ainge was done molding this team. The only off season moves they’ve made so far was re-signing House and T.Allen, picking up O’Bryant, and drafting Giddens, Walker, and Semih Erden. Love the starters, but concerned about the 2nd unit. Of course, everyone was worried about the bench last year too…
New Jersey Nets
Starters:
Devin Harris
Vince Carter
Bobby Simmons
Yi Jianlian
Josh Boone
Bench:
Jarvis Hayes
Sean Williams
Keyon Dooling
Brook Lopez
Ryan Anderson
Chris Douglass-Roberts
Maurice Ager
Trenton Hassell
Out of town:
Richard Jefferson
Nenad Krstic
Bostjan Nachbar
Marcus Williams
The Nets are clearly waiting out LeBron James’ contract. This team is going to struggle. I did like what they did with their 3 draft picks; I think all of them could play. Yi is terrible. I don’t know if those 5 will start, but whatever, it’s going to be no fun to watch this team Jay-Z. NJ Nets are officially 1 of his 99 problems.
New York Knicks
Starters:
Stephon Marbury
Jamal Crawford
Quentin Richardson
Zach Randolph
Eddy Curry
Bench:
David Lee
Chris Duhon
Danilo Gallinari
Nate Robertson
Mardy Collins
Wilson Chandler
Anthony Roberson
Out of town:
Renaldo Balkman
Biggest acquisition for the Knicks is clearly Mike D’Antoni. Can he turn it around? We’ll see. Not this year, not with this group. I may be one of the few out there that thinks Marbury can still play, but you just never know with him. Randolph and Curry in the up and down system? Good luck with all that…
Philadelphia 76ers
Starters:
Andre Miller
Willie Green
Andre Iguodala*
Elton Brand
Samuel Dalembert
Bench:
Thaddeus Young
Louis Williams*
Kareem Rush
Marreese Speights
Jason Smith
Reggie Evans
Out of town:
Rodney Carney
Calvin Booth
The 6ers made a big splash with the signing of Elton Brand. Whether he stabbed the Clippers in the back or not, the big man from Duke is coming to the Eastern Conference. Iguodala is still a restricted free agent, and is a must sign for Philly is they want to be dangerous in the East. The Warriors and Clippers have spent a lot of money so I would be surprised if any team swoops in and grabs the new A.I. Should be an exciting year in the city of brotherly love.
Toronto Raptors
Starters:
Jose Calderon
Anthony Parker
Jamario Moon
Chris Bosh
Jermaine O’Neal
Bench:
Andrea Bargnani
Jason Kapono
Kris Humphries
Joey Graham
Hassan Adams
Out of town:
T.J. Ford
Carlos Delfino
Rasho Nesterovic
Maceo Baston
Big question here obviously is if O’Neal can stay healthy. He and Bosh could combine to be one of the best 4-5 combos in all the NBA. Calderon is an upgrade over Ford, but also losing Delfino weakens their bench severely. They will be one of the most intriguing teams in the East; don’t be surprised if they add a couple more pieces to the puzzle.
Next: Central Division
-Keefe
In the next few days I will put my gynecologist’s gloves on and examine each team in the NBA, see what moves they did and didn’t make. The Draft, free agency, and trades have changed the look of many of these teams like Janice Dickenson. Plus, it’s been awhile since I’ve talked hoops on here right? I’m going by alphabetical order on this one, not how I’m predicting finishes in April of 2009, on the end of July. New acquisitions in bold and rookies in italics. (6 segments for each division)
Boston Celtics
Starters:
Rajon Rondo
Ray Allen
Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett
Kendrick Perkins
Bench:
Eddie House
Leon Powe
Glen “Big Baby” Davis
Tony Allen
Brian Scalabrine
Gabe Pruitt
J.R. Giddens
Bill Walker
Patrick O’Bryant
Out of town:
James Posey
P.J. Brown
Sam Cassell
The defending champions will have their entire starting 5 back for a shot at back-to-back titles, that’s the good news. Check out that bench… James Posey is going to be a big loss for this team; they don’t win it all last year without him. I’d be surprised if Danny Ainge was done molding this team. The only off season moves they’ve made so far was re-signing House and T.Allen, picking up O’Bryant, and drafting Giddens, Walker, and Semih Erden. Love the starters, but concerned about the 2nd unit. Of course, everyone was worried about the bench last year too…
New Jersey Nets
Starters:
Devin Harris
Vince Carter
Bobby Simmons
Yi Jianlian
Josh Boone
Bench:
Jarvis Hayes
Sean Williams
Keyon Dooling
Brook Lopez
Ryan Anderson
Chris Douglass-Roberts
Maurice Ager
Trenton Hassell
Out of town:
Richard Jefferson
Nenad Krstic
Bostjan Nachbar
Marcus Williams
The Nets are clearly waiting out LeBron James’ contract. This team is going to struggle. I did like what they did with their 3 draft picks; I think all of them could play. Yi is terrible. I don’t know if those 5 will start, but whatever, it’s going to be no fun to watch this team Jay-Z. NJ Nets are officially 1 of his 99 problems.
New York Knicks
Starters:
Stephon Marbury
Jamal Crawford
Quentin Richardson
Zach Randolph
Eddy Curry
Bench:
David Lee
Chris Duhon
Danilo Gallinari
Nate Robertson
Mardy Collins
Wilson Chandler
Anthony Roberson
Out of town:
Renaldo Balkman
Biggest acquisition for the Knicks is clearly Mike D’Antoni. Can he turn it around? We’ll see. Not this year, not with this group. I may be one of the few out there that thinks Marbury can still play, but you just never know with him. Randolph and Curry in the up and down system? Good luck with all that…
Philadelphia 76ers
Starters:
Andre Miller
Willie Green
Andre Iguodala*
Elton Brand
Samuel Dalembert
Bench:
Thaddeus Young
Louis Williams*
Kareem Rush
Marreese Speights
Jason Smith
Reggie Evans
Out of town:
Rodney Carney
Calvin Booth
The 6ers made a big splash with the signing of Elton Brand. Whether he stabbed the Clippers in the back or not, the big man from Duke is coming to the Eastern Conference. Iguodala is still a restricted free agent, and is a must sign for Philly is they want to be dangerous in the East. The Warriors and Clippers have spent a lot of money so I would be surprised if any team swoops in and grabs the new A.I. Should be an exciting year in the city of brotherly love.
Toronto Raptors
Starters:
Jose Calderon
Anthony Parker
Jamario Moon
Chris Bosh
Jermaine O’Neal
Bench:
Andrea Bargnani
Jason Kapono
Kris Humphries
Joey Graham
Hassan Adams
Out of town:
T.J. Ford
Carlos Delfino
Rasho Nesterovic
Maceo Baston
Big question here obviously is if O’Neal can stay healthy. He and Bosh could combine to be one of the best 4-5 combos in all the NBA. Calderon is an upgrade over Ford, but also losing Delfino weakens their bench severely. They will be one of the most intriguing teams in the East; don’t be surprised if they add a couple more pieces to the puzzle.
Next: Central Division
-Keefe
Monday, July 28, 2008
How the Red Sox should handle Ramirez
After watching the Manny Ramirez saga unfold over the past week, I can’t help but think the solution is so simple, people are simply overlooking it. Essentially, there are three options on the table. The Red Sox can trade him, pick up his option or let him walk after the season. To me, the easiest, and most beneficial solution, would be to tell Ramirez now that the team will let him become a free agent after the season and here’s why:
First off, a trade will be much too difficult for the Red Sox right now. According to Ken Rosenthal in his latest article on FoxSports.com, there’s been speculation regarding the Mets and Phillies as showing interest. Regardless of which team is involved, there’s no way the Red Sox will trade Ramirez in a deal straight up and get a player in return that fills the void left behind. Not happening. Manny is a 10 and 5 guy, and he’ll want to be dealt to a contending team. That being said, any contender will not ship out an integral piece of the offense in exchange for Ramirez. If that team is looking to win a World Series, it’s looking to add Ramirez, not use him to replace someone. The only way a deal could be made straight up is if a team like the Rockies decided they were sellers, Ramirez waived his no-trade clause and both teams agreed on a Holliday for Ramirez deal. The odds of that are slim.
So that being said, another possibility would be the inclusion of a third or even fourth team, much like what occurred in the deal involving Nomar Garciaparra back in 2004. The Red Sox, Cubs, Twins and Expos were all a part of the deal, and there were a lot of moving parts to that deal. By including additional teams, Boston (Team A) could ship Ramirez to a team like the Phillies (Team B) in exchange for top prospects in the system. Those prospects, in turn, would never even begin their journey to Boston, instead heading to the third team involved (Team C), who accepted said prospects from Team B while sending a star player to Team A. Team C, however, would need to be a seller, such as the Reds and slugger Austin Kearns. Deals like this become extremely complicated, and with only a few days left until the deadline, it’s hard to say if it could happen in time. Again, the issue would be Ramirez and his no-trade clause. If he chooses to wave it, things might be easier, regardless of the number of teams involved.
The next option for Boston is to pick up Manny’s option now and satisfy his financial worries. The genesis of the issue at hand is that Ramirez is uneasy with his dubious future in Boston and Major League Baseball. It can easily be said that he’s no Barry Bonds. While mercurial, he does not alienate teammates nor cast a black shadow over the sport. His talent is second to none, and despite going on 36 now, he’s still one of the premier hitters in the game. Ramirez will play somewhere next year, there’s no question about that, but he’d rather know now where that will be. Therefore, if Theo and Co. can tolerate the stupid “Manny Being Manny” phenomenon that sweeps through Boston every year, then pick up the option and reap the benefits of a .300/30/100 season hitting behind David Ortiz next year.
My problem with this option is that I don’t necessarily think that Manny is worth the $20 million he’d be getting. He’s a known commodity and has had a much better season in 2008 than I think most people credit him for. Let’s not forget that Ortiz was out 45 games. Not having him in the lineup, no matter how well JD Drew, Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell are hitting, affects Manny in a negative way. I think he can put up the same numbers next year and most likely the year after. This guy will be a great hitter into his 40’s. But at $20 million a pop? I’m not sure about that. And if you pick up the first option, you might as well pick up the second option or else you’re going to experience the same media frenzy next year, because it will just end up being another contract season and ambiguous situation for Ramirez yet again.
That brings me to the third option for Boston, and the one that I think is so clear-cut people are just overlooking it. It’s like searching frantically for your watch for an hour before realizing it’s on your wrist. It’s right there in front of you, yet you refuse to consider that as even an option.
What I think Boston should do is sit down with Ramirez and tell the slugger it is not in the team’s best interest to trade him or pick up his options at the end of the season. He’s contributed a lot to this organization, given them two World Series titles and helped turn this into one of the biggest sports franchises on the globe. However, the team is going to move in another direction and allow Ramirez to seek greener pastures elsewhere after the season is over. He’s earned that right and should have ample opportunity to secure his financial future elsewhere.
Here’s why I think this is best for the Red Sox. By declining to trade him or pick up the options, it truly does make this an urgent contract situation for Ramirez. He’ll now be faced with the grim reality that his numbers at the conclusion of 2008 will ultimately determine the girth of the contract he signs prior to 2009. So far, he’s having a terrific season offensively. But there are many pundits who criticize the drop in average, power and production over the last couple seasons as a sign – trend, even – that he is slowing down and fading into the twilight of his career. These next two months would be the perfect opportunity for Ramirez to prove those critics wrong and showcase his still prevalent skills. We could see Ramirez turn into a beast down the stretch, running out ground balls, driving the ball the other way, hitting homeruns, producing runs and hustling on the basepaths night in and night out. Look at last night’s game against the Yankees as a microcosm of what could potentially occur down the stretch. That way, when he leaves Boston and begins acquiring interest from other teams, his 2008 resume would command the massive deal he is looking for.
As far as the Red Sox, a pair of compensation draft picks would likely come as a result. And we all know how well the team has drafted over the last several years. Those picks could even be used as trade bait, packaged with a minor leaguer or two, to acquire a power hitting corner outfielder from a team looking to rebuild.
What do you think the Red Sox should do?
-Bess
First off, a trade will be much too difficult for the Red Sox right now. According to Ken Rosenthal in his latest article on FoxSports.com, there’s been speculation regarding the Mets and Phillies as showing interest. Regardless of which team is involved, there’s no way the Red Sox will trade Ramirez in a deal straight up and get a player in return that fills the void left behind. Not happening. Manny is a 10 and 5 guy, and he’ll want to be dealt to a contending team. That being said, any contender will not ship out an integral piece of the offense in exchange for Ramirez. If that team is looking to win a World Series, it’s looking to add Ramirez, not use him to replace someone. The only way a deal could be made straight up is if a team like the Rockies decided they were sellers, Ramirez waived his no-trade clause and both teams agreed on a Holliday for Ramirez deal. The odds of that are slim.
So that being said, another possibility would be the inclusion of a third or even fourth team, much like what occurred in the deal involving Nomar Garciaparra back in 2004. The Red Sox, Cubs, Twins and Expos were all a part of the deal, and there were a lot of moving parts to that deal. By including additional teams, Boston (Team A) could ship Ramirez to a team like the Phillies (Team B) in exchange for top prospects in the system. Those prospects, in turn, would never even begin their journey to Boston, instead heading to the third team involved (Team C), who accepted said prospects from Team B while sending a star player to Team A. Team C, however, would need to be a seller, such as the Reds and slugger Austin Kearns. Deals like this become extremely complicated, and with only a few days left until the deadline, it’s hard to say if it could happen in time. Again, the issue would be Ramirez and his no-trade clause. If he chooses to wave it, things might be easier, regardless of the number of teams involved.
The next option for Boston is to pick up Manny’s option now and satisfy his financial worries. The genesis of the issue at hand is that Ramirez is uneasy with his dubious future in Boston and Major League Baseball. It can easily be said that he’s no Barry Bonds. While mercurial, he does not alienate teammates nor cast a black shadow over the sport. His talent is second to none, and despite going on 36 now, he’s still one of the premier hitters in the game. Ramirez will play somewhere next year, there’s no question about that, but he’d rather know now where that will be. Therefore, if Theo and Co. can tolerate the stupid “Manny Being Manny” phenomenon that sweeps through Boston every year, then pick up the option and reap the benefits of a .300/30/100 season hitting behind David Ortiz next year.
My problem with this option is that I don’t necessarily think that Manny is worth the $20 million he’d be getting. He’s a known commodity and has had a much better season in 2008 than I think most people credit him for. Let’s not forget that Ortiz was out 45 games. Not having him in the lineup, no matter how well JD Drew, Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell are hitting, affects Manny in a negative way. I think he can put up the same numbers next year and most likely the year after. This guy will be a great hitter into his 40’s. But at $20 million a pop? I’m not sure about that. And if you pick up the first option, you might as well pick up the second option or else you’re going to experience the same media frenzy next year, because it will just end up being another contract season and ambiguous situation for Ramirez yet again.
That brings me to the third option for Boston, and the one that I think is so clear-cut people are just overlooking it. It’s like searching frantically for your watch for an hour before realizing it’s on your wrist. It’s right there in front of you, yet you refuse to consider that as even an option.
What I think Boston should do is sit down with Ramirez and tell the slugger it is not in the team’s best interest to trade him or pick up his options at the end of the season. He’s contributed a lot to this organization, given them two World Series titles and helped turn this into one of the biggest sports franchises on the globe. However, the team is going to move in another direction and allow Ramirez to seek greener pastures elsewhere after the season is over. He’s earned that right and should have ample opportunity to secure his financial future elsewhere.
Here’s why I think this is best for the Red Sox. By declining to trade him or pick up the options, it truly does make this an urgent contract situation for Ramirez. He’ll now be faced with the grim reality that his numbers at the conclusion of 2008 will ultimately determine the girth of the contract he signs prior to 2009. So far, he’s having a terrific season offensively. But there are many pundits who criticize the drop in average, power and production over the last couple seasons as a sign – trend, even – that he is slowing down and fading into the twilight of his career. These next two months would be the perfect opportunity for Ramirez to prove those critics wrong and showcase his still prevalent skills. We could see Ramirez turn into a beast down the stretch, running out ground balls, driving the ball the other way, hitting homeruns, producing runs and hustling on the basepaths night in and night out. Look at last night’s game against the Yankees as a microcosm of what could potentially occur down the stretch. That way, when he leaves Boston and begins acquiring interest from other teams, his 2008 resume would command the massive deal he is looking for.
As far as the Red Sox, a pair of compensation draft picks would likely come as a result. And we all know how well the team has drafted over the last several years. Those picks could even be used as trade bait, packaged with a minor leaguer or two, to acquire a power hitting corner outfielder from a team looking to rebuild.
What do you think the Red Sox should do?
-Bess
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