2008 MLB Preview – NL

The month long tease-job known as spring training has finally ended and baseball is finally back. This is the NL section of the two-part preview with Part 2 coming tomorrow.

NL EAST

1. Mets

The Mets acquired the best pitcher in baseball in Johan Santana and they now have three 15 game winners in the starting rotation as John Maine and Oliver Perez join Santana in that distinction. The back end of the rotation will feature two of the best pitchers in baseball in the late 90’s as Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez could be really good or really bad….. The lineup is one of the best in the national league with speed demons Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo batting 1-2 in the order, both having capabilities to hit .300 and steal 50 bases. The speed-power combo of David Wright and Carlos Beltran is intimidating for opposing pitchers, while Carlos Delgado will carry a heavy load trying to bounce back from an off year…..The bullpen is strong with “The Side-armer from Hell” Joe Smith and lefty Pedro Feliciano working the late innings with Aaron Heilman in long relief. Billy Wagner is an insurance policy in the late innings as he’s almost guaranteed to have 40+ saves.

2. Phillies

The rotation is a bit “iffy” but nonetheless very diverse and capable of being productive. Young stud Cole Hamels has the best changeup in baseball and will be the ace of the staff, while Kyle Kendrick, who despite ranking last in the big leagues in strikeouts compared to the innings he pitched, is a capable 10-12 game winner. Brett Myers returns to the rotation after being the closer last year, while 86 year old Jamie Moyer and Adam Eaton, who has been bit by the injury bug often in years past, round out the rotation…. The lineup is possibly the best in the NL, with both Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, two of the best offensively at their respective positions. Newly signed Pedro Feliz brings 20 homer, 80 RBI production while young Shane Victorino will have to step up for the loss of Aaron Rowand. Pat Burrell doesn’t suck and is a 25 homer, 90 RBI guy…. The bullpen has a great lefty, righty combination in the setup role as both JC Romero, who was unhittable last season, and Tom (no longer) Flash Gordon leading up to newly acquired closer Brad Lidge. The middle relief core of Clay Condrey, Geoff Geary and co. is average at best, but the talent in the late innings makes up for it 

3. Braves

The top two in the rotation, John Smoltz and Tim Hudson are always predicted to have 15 wins and an ERA under 3, and while they might not always match those numbers, they still carry the weight of the rotation on their shoulders. Mike Hampton returns after two years on the DL, while fellow lefty Tom Glavine returns to Atlanta after a brief stint with the Mets. Third lefty Chuck James and Jair Jurjjens are the main candidates for the 5th spot…..The lineup, like that of the Phillies and Mets, is one of the NL’s best. Youngsters Yunel Escobar and Kelly Johnson both flirted with .300 at one point or another last season, and Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann look to bounce back from off years. Chipper Jones and Mark Teixeira will carry the load, while Matt Diaz and Mark Kotsay look to make up for the loss of Andruw Jones…..The bullpen is a question mark in itself, after Ron Mahay and Octavio Dotel left in the offseason, and closer Bob Wickman was released. Mike Gonzalez will be the setup man after being injured for most of the year after a horrid start. Unproven Rafael Soriano will close and young stud Peter Moylan will look to stay on last year’s pace, when he had a 1.92 ERA and was dominant in the late innings.

4. Nationals

The Nationals released last year’s opening day starter, John Patterson, and have 6 young arms and 2 veterans fighting for 5 spots. The most likely rotation will feature young guns Matt Chico, Jason Bergmann, John Lannan, and Shawn Hill along with veteran signee Odalis Perez. Mike Bacsik could also spot start at times….. The offense improved in the offseason after ranking last in the league in runs scored. The biggest area improved was the outfield, which added young, but troublesome stars Lastings Milledge and Elijah Dukes, and features power hitters Wily Mo Pena and Austin Kearns. Dmitri Young, who hit .333 last year, will surprisingly back up Nick Johnson, who is coming off a leg injury, but can hit for power. Ryan Zimmerman is still the club’s best and most consistent hitter, while the middle infield of Felipe Lopez and Ron Belliard is below average….. The bullpen was last season’s bright spot and can be this year’s as well.  Saul Rivera, Jon Rauch, and Jesus Colome were all outstanding in middle relief as all three had ERAs under or around 4. Chad Cordero is still one of the league’s best closers and will be a featured part of the pen this season.

5. Marlins

This young rotation got even younger after Dontrelle Willis was traded and is one of the bottom three in the league. Youngsters Josh Johnson, Scott Olsen, and Anibal Sanchez all had terrific ‘06 campaigns, but seemingly lost it last season.  2nd year lefty Andrew Miller, acquired in the Willis-Cabrera deal, and journeyman Mark Hendrickson, who will start opening day, round out the rotation……This lineup, even after the loss of Miguel Cabrera, is one of the best young and powerful groups in the NL. The middle infield and heart of the order pair of Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez can both put up monster numbers, while outfielders Josh Willingham and Jeremy Hermida are very talented in the middle of the lineup. Mike Jacobs can hit for power, but hits for a low average….. The ‘pen is better than you would think, after Kevin Gregg posted 32 saves last season and looks like he could repeat this year. Taylor Tankersley moves into the setup role and Lee Gardener and Henry Owens will man the middle relief duties.

NL CENTRAL

1. Cubs

The rotation is basically the same from last year and that could be a good thing. Carlos Zambrano is coming off a 18 win season and will look to do the same in his contract year. Lefties Ted Lilly and Rich Hill follow Zambrano in the rotation with impressive track records and Jason Marquis and ex-closer Ryan Dempster round it out, although Sean Marshall could also spot start…… The lineup is top notch and adds Japanese slugger Kosuke Fukudome to the mix that includes power hitters Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee, and chicken fighter Aramis Ramirez. Top prospect Geovany Soto will get his first full season of duty behind the plate after an impressive brief stay last year. Mike Fontenot and Mark DeRosa are average at best in the middle infield…..This bullpen got much better and will be even better if Kerry Wood returns to his old form. Setup men Carlos Marmol and Bob Howry could both be closers themself, as they both feature nasty stuff. Lefty Will Ohman and Michael Wuertz will lead the middle relief corps. 

2. Brewers

The rotation will be better than last year’s if Ben Sheets stays healthy for the entire season to avoid a collapse like last year’s. Jeff Suppan was up and down and could be more of the same, while the Brewers hope that Dave Bush and Claudio Vargas repeat last year’s surprise seasons and Yovanni Gallardo is as good as advertised…. This is yet another upper echelon lineup that features possible 50 homer guys in uber prospect Ryan Braun and newly turned vegetarian Prince Fielder. If JJ Hardy is anywhere close to last years production, thats a plus and if Rickie Weeks finally shows his potential, that’s another plus. Mike Cameron and Bill Hall add even more power to the mix…. The bullpen underwent an extreme makeover after Francisco Cordero left for divisional rival Cincinatti, as David Riske, Guillermo Mota and new closer Eric Gagne all signed on. Derrick Turnbow is expected to serve in the set up role along with Riske and Mota.

3. Reds

Aaron Harang is a stud and would be noticed more if the rest of his staff was better. Harang leads the rotation and Bronson Arroyo, who had a great ‘06 but awful ‘07 follows him. Josh Fogg was signed after a good season in Colorado and young flamethrowers Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey will all see starts during the course of the season…. The Reds lineup is always at the top of the league in homeruns and if young stars Joey Votto and Jay Bruce stay in the lineup, the trend will continue. Adam Dunn guarantees you at least 35 homeruns, and Ken Griffey adds another 30 in the middle of the order. Brandon Philips is a 30-30 guy and Jeff Keppinger and Norris Hopper should see extended roles this year….. Francisco Cordero came over from Milwaukee after three straight 35+ save seasons with Milwaukee and Texas. That means last year’s closer, David Weathers will set up and Jon Coutlangus and Todd Coffey will pitch in the 6th and 7th innings.

4. Cardinals

Adam Wainwright is the top returning starter and another quality year from him is needed. Joel Pineiro will see a full season in St. Louis, as will recently signed Kyle Lohse and Matt Clement. The main question is whether or not Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder can rebound to their previous form before their injuries….. Any lineup with Albert Pujols should feel lucky, especially this one. Troy Glaus will protect Pujols after another 20 homer season. The outfield is young and has potential as top prospect Colby Rasmus replaces Jim Edmonds and joins Chris Duncan and Rick Ankiel. The middle infield is weak as Adam Kennedy and Cesar Izturis are basically utility players in starting roles….. The bullpen is better than you’d think, with Ryan Franklin and Russ Springer/Randy Flores making for a pretty group of late inning guys leading up to Jason Isringhausen.

5. Astros

The rotation after Roy Oswalt is lacking, well, awful and you can’t count on Oswalt to carry the team himself. Wandy Rodriguez, Shawn Chacon, Chris Sampson and Brandon Backe isn’t exactly the greatest bunch and it should be a long season for the other 4 pitchers in this rotation…. The offense is actually pretty good, as a full season of JR Towles and a relatively productive Miguel Tejada makes all the difference. Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee is a scary combination in the middle of the order and Hunter Pence and Ty Wigginton add more power and offense after that. Kaz Matsui and Michael Bourn, both new additions make this offense quicker on the basepaths and possibly allows them to score more runs…… The bullpen has Jose Valverde in the closer’s role, and Valverde is very impressive. But the guys in front of him, not so much. Doug Brocail was with Oscar Villareal to shore up the setup duties, but it may not make a difference.

6. Pirates

Nothing to ride home about. The Pirates are awful and will endure their 16th straight losing season. Jason Bay, okay, but that’s about it.

NL WEST

1. Rockies

Why not a repeat? The rotation will return its young guns from last year, including some for the entire year and they have Jeff Francis. And that lineup is scary, with Tulowitzki, Hawpe, Atkins, Helton, and Holliday all capable of 100 RBI seasons. And that Corpas kid can pitch in the closer’s role.

2. D’Backs

All they need is Dan Haren and Brandon Webb, but they also have a young talent pool of players in their lineup including 30-30 guy Chris Young, 14 year (okay, 19) old Justin Upton and Conor Jackson, Mark Reynolds and O-Dawg. The Valverde loss hurts, but Brandon Lyon is capable.

3. Dodgers

Joe Torre will have a good first year, but not a playoff season in the NL West. The lineup is stacked with super prospects James Loney, Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and all star catcher Russell Martin. Other than that it’s a bunch of vets. The rotation has Brad Penny and Derek Lowe, but no one knows how Hiroki Kuroda and Jason Schmidt will look.

4. Padres

Sure they have Jake Peavy and Chris Young, but after Greg Maddux, the rotation is below average. The problem is the offense, because the bullpen that features Kevin Cameron, Heath Bell, and Trevor Hoffman is pretty damn good. No one scares me in this lineup other than Adrian Gonzalez.

5. Giants

Brian Sabean should already be out the door, but a last place finish insures that. Aaron Rowand was a great addition, but my question is why he picked San Fran. The lineup is old, and Bengie Molina and Randy Winn are the only others who can hold their own. The rotation is very promising with Tim Lincecum, Noah Lowry, Matt Cain, and Barry Zito, but whether or not Zito shows up is unknown.

(Had to cut short the last 6 teams, because 2,000 words later, you’re just not feeling the vibe)

NL MVP: Matt Holliday, Rockies

NL Cy Young: Johan Santana, Mets

NL Rookie of the Year: Colby Rasmus, Cardinals

NL Manager of the Year: Dusty Baker 

NL Wild Card: Diamondbacks

NL Champion: Mets

Taking the Part of an NBA GM – Part 2

TIMBERWOLVES

 Why has Kevin McHale not been fired from his position as general manager? Somebody please tell me. He pulled off two deals that completely favored the other team involved, and his attempt at rebuilding has looked like an attempt to lose more games than the previous year.

Sure, the Garnett trade brought Al Jefferson to Minnesota and he can be one of the best forwards in the game, but that’s about it. Theo Ratliff, who was acquired in the deal, is currently in Detroit, Gerald Green is in Houston and Ryan Gomes and Sebastian Telfair are sure to playing somewhere else next season. Once Jefferson’s contract expires, he’ll be out of Minny. Because the fact of the matter is, nobody wants to play for the T’Wolves.

Basically the T’Wolves really can’t improve drastically because their franchise is absolutely headed nowhere. There are glimpses of promise for this franchise, but not really that much. They can add top prospects to a nucleus of Jefferson, Brewer, Craig Smith and Rashad McCants, but they aren’t going to be contending anytime soon.

Basically all you can do as a general manager is to try to bring in some money for the franchise and use some to pay for anti-depressants and meetings with local therapists. SOS to the World: Please Help the Timberwolves!

BOBCATS

The Bobcats’ situation really isn’t as bad as it appears. Sean May returns next season after being injured for the past decade, and the Bobcats have a lottery pick to add to their rotation, which is a positive. This team really shouldn’t be this bad, because they have talent. Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace are a good combination on the wing. But Emeka Okafor and Raymond Felton have both been busts and unless their performances improve, it’ll be another cellar dwelling season for the team in Charlotte.

A question I have for the ownership is why the hell they signed Matt Carroll to a 6 year deal. MATT CARROLL! He’s nothing more than a sharpshooter and I would say a deal around 2-3 years is logical, but not 6 YEARS! Also, why get rid of Walter Herrmann? This guy was the best player on your team for the last two months of the 06-07 season and you get rid of him because “he doesn’t fit in Sam Vincent’s system.”

Get rid of Sam Vincent and your problems are solved.

PACERS

Why did you ever pull off that sign and trade with the Hawks that brought you Al Harrington, (who by the way is currently playing with the Warriors) and sent what turned out to be Acie Law to Atlanta? Now Jamaal Tinsley  is your point guard for the umpteenth consecutive year and Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy inked mega deals that are eating away cap space by the second.

Dunleavy has looked sharp and can be a go to guy for them, but Murphy is nothing but a role player and always has been. And as far as Jermaine O’Neal is concerned, trade him or keep him, don’t say you will and back out of it, just do something, and trading him makes more sense. Get a post player in the draft and a point guard via trade, while building around the Dunleavy-Granger tandem.

Happy trails, Donnie Walsh!

Taking the place of an NBA GM- Part 1

As yet another NBA basketball season comes toward an end and the playoffs begin, it is time to fill in the shoes of some of the teams that won’t be playing postseason basketball.

Some of these teams have been struggling for years (see: Knicks, Clippers, T’Wolves) or have just joined the aforementioned (see: Heat, Bobcats, Pacers), but all of them will be testing their luck in the draft lottery.

So now it’s team to take on the role of GM and try to turn these teams around?

 MIAMI HEAT

Whether it’s the fact that the Heat are in huge cap trouble, have a coach that should probably consider retiring or that they’re 12-57, the Heat need to change some things up.

First off, they need to get rid of Jason Williams and Ricky Davis and their ridiculously large contracts and at times, well mostly, lackluster performances. Davis is prone for a 20 point game, but he’s also prone for a 2-17 shooting performance with 6 turnovers. Williams isn’t White Chocolate anymore, he’s now become melted chocolate remains.

I believe that they also should re-sign Shawn Marion. The deal should be somewhere in the range of 3 years, $17 million or something around that length and value.  Convince him that you’ll run more like the Suns, and even hire one of Mike D’Antoni’s cronies to coach your team. (Honestly, does Pat Riley really have any left in the tank?)

Mark Blount should follow Davis and Williams out the door as well as Alonzo Mourning (well if he doesn’t retire). Udonis Haslem isn’t a good fit in the system and has grown to be a non-contributor. These moves get rid of over $16 million and added with releasing Davis and Williams, over $30 million.

The Heat have the highest chance of winning the lottery, which means Beasley in South Beach is very likely. Beasley is a game changer and his athleticism fits well in a run-n-gun system that they should employ. If they don’t win the lottery, a Derrick Rose would fit well in that system also.

There are alot of free agents in this year’s pool and many would fit Miami’s needs. If they release all of the following players, they would have $5 million in cap room to spend. Players like even Louis Williams and Gordan Giricek are available and Giricek is currently in Phoenix, who employs the same system. Sharpshooter James Jones is also available and comes at a cheap price.

With all these moves and Dwyane Wade possibly being healthy, the Heat could be a playoff contender, which isn’t all that hard in the Eastern Conference. Imagine a core of Wade, Marion, Beasley/Rose, and Dorell Wright with role players like Jones, Giricek, Daequan Cook and Chris Quinn. Oh, and don’t forget Earl Barron.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Obviously, priority number 1 is firing Isiah Thomas, which is pretty logical considering the fact that he hasn’t had a winning season, had a sexual harassment controversy and has fans calling for his head. 

The Knicks should also dump alot of contracts and basically rebuild their team. Let Stephon Marbury test the free agent market and end up as a role player on a contender. Fred Jones can go as well as Randolph Morris.

Either Zach Randolph or Eddy Curry needs to go whether it be via trade and via release. (Please just dump at least one of them and Mr. why-the-hell-did-we-sign-you-to-a-mega-deal Jerome James). The Knicks should keep David Lee because he is one of the few players that actually looks like he wants to play on the team.

The following players should also pack their bags (and guys its for your own good):

Quentin Richardson

Malik Rose

Jared Jeffries

You trade some of these guys and get some draft picks that hopefully are quality ones. Even though they’re probably going to be second rounders, if a team like a Phoenix of any other contenders is interested, you could snag a late first rounder.

The Knicks will probably get a top 10 pick and if they are able to snag as many as four more picks, they’ll be able to build around Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson, David Lee, and … Eddy Curry/Zach Randolph.

Next up is hiring a head coach and I think that any candidate with a track record is better than Isiah Thomas.

LA CLIPPERS

Fire Elgin Baylor. No questions asked. The guy has ripped your franchise apart and signed a bunch of guys who have failed to contribute. He isn’t the best drafter, with the exceptions of Shaun Livingston, Chris Kaman and Al Thornton. (How’s Yaroslav Korolev, James Singleton, and Chris Wilcox doing?)

Keep Mike Dunleavy. I know he’s seems like the perfect guy to fire, but he lead you to the playoffs and the verge of making it, something that other coaches haven’t done. This team has been in the hunt and probably would’ve made it had it not been for so many injuries.

This team returns Elton Brand, who is their franchise player, Shaun Livingston, a 6′9″ point guard who isn’t Magic Johnson, but makes plays. The only problem is that their both injury prone, with Brand with a lower leg injury keeping him out the whole season until this point, and Livingston who has torn about every ligament in his knee.

Aaron Williams, Tim Thomas, and Brevin Knight should probably be released because they are easily replaceable and are all 10+ year veterans. The Clippers need to get younger and they have the right core to do so. I liked the signings of Nick Fazekas and Smush Parker and think it was one of the best things Elgin Baylor has ever done.

Add a lottery pick to a young core of Al Thornton, Corey Magette and Chris Kaman and the Clippers are respectable in the West again. Brand usually would be part of the core, but he’s a big if coming off of the injury. If Brand and Livingston are healthy or even close to what they once were, the Clippers can extend their fan base past Frankie Muniz, Bill Simmons and owner Donald Sterling.

Pryor Commitment Means Many Things

Already in the thick of national championship contender discussions, the Ohio State Buckeyes football team, with the signing of No. 1 overall prospect, according to Rivals.com, Terrelle Pryor, have simply towered over the rest of the teams in the discussion.

 Already with linebackers James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman returning along with left tackle Alex Boone, wideout Brian Robiskie, and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, the Buckeyes were legitimate contenders before any players committed.  Added, the Buckeyes had the No. 4 overall recruiting class in the country and return starting quarterback Todd Boeckman and halfback Beanie Wells.

 Though Boeckman will start, Pryor will still receive plenty of playing time like Tim Tebow played in his freshman season, coming off the bench for 12 snaps a game, specifically to make plays. Pryor, and all of his 6′6″ 230 pound frame, specializes at making plays. He adds another dimension to an offense that returns its three leading receivers, its starting quarterback and the best halfback in the Big 10.

 Pryor also makes the showdown with the team Up North that much more intriguing, as the Wolverines were in the Pryor sweepstakes with an offense fit to match his needs, before he committed to OSU.

Pryor’s athleticism also helps the Buckeyes match up better with SEC teams, whose supposed superior athleticism ranked ahead of the Buckeyes.

With all those things said, the one thing this committment could mean more than anything is bringing a national championship to Columbus.

Around the NBA- Volume I

Stuck in last place in the Northwest Division and with the 3rd worst record in basketball, things couldn’t get worse, right?

Wrong.

Not only are the young Sonics struggling to win, they’re unsure where they’ll play next season. Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett bought the team and guaranteed a move to his hometown in the coming year.

Seattle fans are now pleading for help from David Stern, but there looks like there is no hope.

For the fans at least.

Although the Sonics are struggling, the future looks bright, with 31 year old GM Sam Presti looking like a genius after acquiring 13 draft picks, including 3 first rounders in the next 3 years. Adding blue chip prospects to a nucleus of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Chris Wilcox could bring hope to the organization.

Things are also looking good because Nick Collison has found his groove in the early stages of the season. Collison was relatively a bust for his 4 years, but has proved to be an important player off the bench for the Sonics.  Mickael Gelebale, a French import, has also shown promise with 3 20+ point games off the bench.

So, after all the struggles and confusion, it looks like the future is bright for Seattle, and they should return to being the contender they once were.

Wherever they may play.

STREAK STOPPED

The Celtics, oh those hated Celtics, ended the Rockets’ incredulous 22 game winning streak, that including 10 straight victories without Yao, and the emergence of Bobby Jackson, Rafer Alston, and even undrafted Mike Harris, toppling the team from H-Town, 94-74.

HEATING UP FOR THE FUTURE?

Chances are slim, but if everything goes right in the off-season, the Heat could be a team to beat next season. There are several off-season priorities they must take care of, including resigning Shawn Marion. The Heat also need to get rid of Jason Williams and Ricky Davis with their huge cap-eating contracts. With a Top 3 pick at the least, the Heat should add a prospect along with a healthy Wade, Marion, youngsters Daequan Cook and Chris Quinn and possibly Earl Barron. Gettting cap space could also allow the Heat to pursue free agents to help their team for the future.

And that’s if all goes planned.

PUNK’D

Ashton Kutcher look-alike Kyle Korver has been the trade acqusition that has influenced his team the most. Since being acquired from Philly for Gordan Giricek and a 1st round pick,  the Jazz have gone 29-9 with Korver averaging 10.3 PPG and shooting 91.1 from the line.

POWER RANKINGS

1. Celtics

2. Rockets

3. Pistons

4. Lakers

5. Hornets

6. Suns

7. Spurs

8. Magic

9. Warriors

10. Mavericks

Most Intriguing 1st Round Matchups

It’s that time of year again, where conference tournaments end, Dayton is crowned the starting point, and cinderellas finally find the right size shoe. March Madness is back and yet still as exciting as it always is.

Today, we will break down the 1st round’s most intriguing matchups.

EAST REGION

#7 Butler vs. #10 South Alabama

Butler was simply robbed of a higher seed, and they ended up being seeded number 7 and having the task of playing dangerous mid-major South Alabama in Birmingham, none the less.

Controversies aside, it should make for a great game between two of the nation’s premier backcourts you’ve never heard of. It also puts two of the nation’s two up and coming coaches in a mid-major showdown, as Ronnie Arrow puts his Jaguars against 31-year old, (although he looks 15 years old) Brad Stevens, and his 10th ranked Butler Bulldogs. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

South Alabama G Demetric Bennett: the team’s leading scorer has a smooth stroke and is the best of the Jaguars’ three guards

Butler G Mike Green : the Horizon League POY led the team in scoring, rebounding and assists.

PREDICTION:

Butler 63, South Alabama 58

 EAST REGION

#8 Indiana vs. #9 Arkansas

Indiana is the basic choice for a team you have to follow. They were pretty much a 4 seed until the Sampson controversy, and they slipped to #8 and earned themselves a matchup with the red hot Razorbacks. The Hoosiers are super talented with Eric Gordon and DJ White, two of the best players in the Big 10, but it will be up to their decision to play hard for Dan Dakich or fall over and watch the Hogs stomp all over them.

The Hogs are led by Gary Ervin and red hot forward Sonny Weems, who led them to victories over Vandy and Tennessee in the SEC Tourney. Indiana was overtaken by a last second shot and it will be interesting to see their performance.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Indiana G Eric Gordon: when he’s on, the Big 10 Freshman of the Year is nearly impossible to guard, and add that with DJ White inside and the Hoosiers are surely a sleeper in the tourney.

Arkansas G Patrick Beverley: an excellent rebounder, Beverley will have the fortune of guarding Eric Gordon and if he can slow him down and contribute offensively, the Hogs will win.

PREDICTION:

Arkansas 66, Indiana 60 

MIDWEST REGION

#6 USC vs. #11 Kansas State

Although this game is simply a publicity stunt that puts super freshmen Michael Beasley of KSU and OJ Mayo of USC face to face for the first time this season, it turns out the matchup itself is pretty even and should be something to keep you glued to the television set.

Both Batmans have their Robins, Mayo’s being Davon Jefferson, Beasley’s Bill Walker. Both teams have contrasting styles, with KSU preferring to run and score and will, while USC likes to slow it down and beat you defensively.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kansas State F Michael Beasley: possibly the best player in the country, the super frosh is fourth in the nation in scoring and first in rebounding

USC G OJ Mayo: the versatile Mayo is simply a scorer, combining a silky smooth jumper with excellent slashing abilities.

PREDICTION:

USC 74, Kansas State 70

MIDWEST REGION

#7 Gonzaga vs. #10 Davidson

Davidson is quickly becoming the Gonzaga of years past, absolutely dominating in conference, where they’ve won 43 straight games. Gonzaga still finished 1st in the regular season, but St. Mary’s provided a challenge and San Diego took home conference tourney gold.

The Zags play extremely deep and have a lot of talent inside with Austin Daye and Josh Heytvelt, while the Wildcats are more guard oriented and rely on the 3-ball to win ball games. Two of the best mid-major coaches will square off as Bob McKillop of Davidson takes on Mark Few’s Zags.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Davidson G Stephen Curry: the nation’s best pure shooter shoots 49% from long range and ranks third in the country in scoring.

Gonzaga G Jeremy Pargo: the ultra-quick floor general will determine how far the Zags go, as his playmaking abilities will be huge in deciding the Zags fate.

PREDICTION:

Davidson 68, Gonzaga 61

SOUTH REGION

#6 Marquette vs. #11 Kentucky

Simply because this is a rematch of a regional final from 2004, where Dwyane Wade’s Golden Eagles stunned the Wildcats, this game is a must see. For Wildcat fans, it will determine whether hiring Billy Gillespie truly will get them far in the tourney, like they believed Tubby failed to do.

The backcourts are key for both teams as Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley lead Kentucky, and Dominic James and Jerel McNeal lead Marquette. The Cats are red hot as of late, and Marquette has faltered a bit, making the team in Blue the early favorite.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Kentucky F Perry Stevenson: the super lanky forward took the place of Patrick Patterson, and he must perform well to provide what they lost when Patterson went down.

Marquette G Dominic James: if good Dominic James plays well, and shoots well, the Golden Eagles win, but if turnover prone bad James who forces bad shots shows up, the Golden Eagles are dead ducks.

PREDICTION:

Kentucky 71, Marquette 68

WEST REGION

#7 West Virginia vs. #10 Arizona

Both teams were middle of the pack in two very deep conferences, the Big East and Pac 10 and both are very even in terms of talent. Both teams matchup well with the other and it should bode well for a good game.

You should keep an eye out for the Wildcats to see if they stay composed without Lute Olson and if Bob Huggins outcoaches Kevin O’Neill. You have to lean towards West Virginia because of their repertoire of shooters.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Arizona G Jerryd Bayless: Bayless carried the team with Chase Budinger struggling, and he will have to play just as well if the Wildcats are to win this game. Bayless must make and take quality shots to keep the Cats close.

West Virginia F Joe Alexander: the 6′9″ versatile big man averaged over 30 a game in the Big East tournament and is the Mountaineers best player by far. If he is a no show, the chances of victory are slim.

PREDICTION:

West Virginia 85, Arizona 78

OTHER GAMES TO WATCH:

South: #6 Purdue vs. #11 Baylor

Midwest: #8 UNLV vs. #9 Kent State

What was Stevenson thinking?

After the Washington Wizards defeated the Cavaliers 101-99 on Thursday night, guard DeShawn  Stevenson was quoted as saying that LeBron James was “overrated.”

Whether it be the unshaven caveman beard or the fact that James has a history of torching the Wiz, it wasn’t exactly a smart decision on Stevenson’s part. You see, when James is angry, he plays better, and it’s hard to play better than leading the league in scoring and nearly averaging a triple-double per.

And yes, Gilbert Arenas, may have a better outside stroke, but it’s easy for Stevenson to say considering the fact that a YouTube video in which Arenas lit up Stevenson — shooting one handed, made Stevenson famous.

All in all, it doesn’t make sense, having a nobody call out the King. And as far as the contest goes, both him and Drew Gooden are losing.

 Just like the Wizards have done against the Cavaliers in each of the past two first round playoff series.

Buckeyes not snubbed, they’re not deserving

 Despite the speculation of many Buckeye fans that their beloved team was “snubbed” from the NCAA Tournament, I, a Buckeye fan myself, have to disagree.

The Buckeyes were simply undeserving of an at-large bid. When you look at their resume compared to the other “bubble teams”, they really shouldn’t be surprised. They failed to win 20 games, went 10-8 in a very mediocre at best Big 10, and finished 2-9 against the RPI Top 100.

Though the selections of Baylor and Oregon are questionable, after you compare conference records and the strength of the conference, turns out this committee, who supposedly lacks good decision making skills was right.

Baylor should get in, and not simply because they haven’t been to the tourney since the Ronald Reagan term, but because they went 9-7, good for 4th place, in a very tough Big 12, which features 6 tourney teams, including a 1 and a 2 seed. Baylor finished the season with an RPI of 43, higher than the Buckeyes’ RPI of 49. 

Despite a weaker RPI, the Bears still had more wins against the Top 100, which overthrows the weaker SOS and launches them into the tournament.

But still, how can Oregon, who finished 18-13 and 9-9 in conference play, make it in over the Buckeyes? Although their RPI is 58, and they have a SOS of 43, they won 9 games in a much tougher conference and had more wins against the Top 100. Those wins included victories over Kansas State, Stanford,  two over Arizona, and two over Arizona State. All the Buckeyes can boast is wins over Syracuse, Florida, Purdue, and Michigan State.

It might still sound even, but when you look at the fact that the Buckeyes lost to lowly Iowa, Michigan, and even Minnesota, it might just be the reason for their demise.

Not to sound like a Cubs season ticket holder, but there is always next year.

Hope springs eternal, except in March.