Best & Worst

Before I get to the meaningless sports banter, it was a rough weekend for America. Losing our credit rating is a blow to our economy and national prestige, as noted by today's nose dive in the stock market. Even worse than the news about our credit rating, it was awful to hear about the loss of our soldiers in Afghanistan. Their sacrifice makes it possible for people like me to comfortably sit here and work on a useless blog. A big thank you to all who serve in our armed forces and protect our freedom.

Best: Adam Scott winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio over the weekend. With all the talk about Tiger Woods returning and Scott playing with Steve Williams, Tiger's ex-caddie, the Aussie went out and dominated the field. Scott was the model of consistency in this tournament, firing rounds of 62, 70, 66, & 65 to finish with a four stroke lead at 17 under par. If you listen to the media and read the stories about this win, you'd think it was Steve Williams who won the tournament and Scott was a lucky bystander. No one is really talking about the fact that Scott has been one of the most consistent players on tour this year. This was his fifth finish in the top ten of a tournament since March and it appears that Scott has regained his form after a difficult couple years.

They can't bear to watch.

Worst: Pittsburgh Pirates. A couple weeks ago, the Pirates were leading the NL Central and looking to make some big moves at the trade deadline. Instead of their yearly tradition of trading away their best players for more prospects, the Buco's made a couple moves to get some veterans who could contribute towards a playoff run. Now, they've lost ten in a row after being swept by the abysmal Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres. I think most people were hoping the Pirates could stay in the race through the end of the season, but most thought they would run out of gas. It looks like the fuel gauge is on empty. And things won't get any easier with their next three series being against the Giants, Brewers, & Cardinals. Time to walk the plank boys. 

Wren can't Win

I feel bad for Frank Wren, General Manager of the Atlanta Braves. Over the past week, he received all kinds of criticism from many Braves fans and columnists for his unwillingness to make a big move before the trade deadline. The two teams that appear to be Atlanta's strongest competition in the National League, the Phillies and Giants, made trades to get arguably the two most coveted available players on the trade market. Meanwhile, the Braves showed interest in both players, Carlos Beltran and Hunter Pence, but Frank Wren decided neither player was worth the asking price.

When Beltran was sent to San Francisco, some Braves fans were disappointed, but many understood the reasoning. Beltran could be an impact player down the stretch for the Giants, or he could be an expensive rental player for the last couple months of the season that continues to have bad knees. Many people believe Beltran is a gamble, and most logical minds believe he wouldn't have been worth the top prospects Atlanta would have sent to the division-rival Mets.

Frank Wren had a Bourn Supremacy

If there was grumbling when the Braves missed out on Beltran, there was uproar when Hunter Pence went to the Phillies. Pence appears to be a clutch player who works his tail off and does everything he can to help his team win. He gives the Phillies a right-handed hitter in their lineup and plays the corner outfield position, which makes Philadelphia that much more dangerous. Problem is - Philadelphia had to give up A LOT to get him. Trading two of the best prospects in baseball is a big deal, and it's something the Braves couldn't afford to do. Unlike Atlanta, Philadelphia sells out every home game, giving them a huge payroll and the ability to fill needs on their roster through free agency. So...instead of giving up the farm, Frank Wren stuck to his budget.

Then, Frank Wren made it happen. Sunday morning, the Braves made a deal with the Houston Astros to acquire former gold-glove center fielder Michael Bourn. Bourn can fill an immediate need in center field and take over the lead-off spot in a lineup that sorely needs someone at the top of the order. Not to mention, Bourn is one of the premiere base stealers in the game. On paper, this seems like a great move for the team and Frank Wren played his cards right. Even better, he didn't have to give up ANY of the team's top prospects to acquire Bourn. Well done!

"Bye! Sorry we didn't win anything!"

Yet, Wren is still receiving heat for his activity (or lack thereof) before the trade deadline. Some people are saying Wren is too attached to his prospects. Some believe allowing Pence and Beltran to get away to the two best teams in the National League will make it too difficult for the Braves to beat them in the playoffs. Some believe Bourn won't be enough for postseason success and Wren should have picked up more pieces. And those people might be right. Bourn might be the latest version of Mark Teixeira - Atlanta picks up the big name without getting much better while sending away surprising players who end up being major players for a championship contender. Who knows!?

The road to the World Series will be a very difficult one for the Braves. The Phillies look incredibly strong and the Giants pitching is ridiculous. But, if the Braves can't win the National League, I don't think it needs to be Frank Wren's fault. He didn't stay put at the trade deadline, nor did he panic. He made a calculated move that should help the team win this year without hurting the future of the franchise. He did exactly what he was hired to do - manage the organization. Now, let's hope it pays off on the field.

2011 AL All-Stars

There has been a lot going on over the past week and I've been traveling, which means there are a ton of new post ideas and topics to write about, but I wanted to get my AL All-Star picks out. The voting has closed and the rosters have been named, and it's obvious there were some big name choices more than informed decisions. It continues to affirm my belief that the majority of people who vote for things don't really know what they are doing. Here are my AL All-Star votes:

1B: Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox: He's been everything the Red Sox were hoping for and more when they signed him to a massive contract in the offseason. Gonzalez has flourished in a hitter friendly park and doesn't appear to have any problem with the spotlight in Boston. If he continues his current pace, he'll be a strong candidate for the MVP award and could propel the Red Sox back to the World Series. 
2B: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees: Cano reminds me of a basketball player who quietly averages 20 points and 10 rebounds every year. He's not particularly flashy, but he's very consistent, durable, and a very good all around player. His numbers are down a bit, but it's still another strong season for who I believe is the best second baseman in the game.

Do-it-All Asdrubal

SS: Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians: Derek Jeter getting the starting spot here is like Yao Ming always being voted as the starting center for the West in the NBA. Cabrera does it all for the Indians - plays great defense, hits for average, hits for power, and steals bases. He's made some of the most impressive defensive plays of the season and he deserves to be the starting SS for the AL.
3B: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees: A-Rod seems to have become a victim of his own success. He's on pace for another 30 HR, 100 RBI, ~ .300 BA year and no one is really talking about him. He has become one of the most disliked players in the game, but it's tough to argue with his production. Rodriguez has stayed out of the spotlight this year, but there hasn't been any drop off in his game.
C: Alex Avila, Detroit Tigers: I remember watching Alex Avila when he was at the University of Alabama and they came to play against UGA in Athens. Avila destroyed the Bulldogs pitching staff and I think some of his home runs are still rolling down the streets of Athens. He has now become another weapon in the potent Tigers lineup and he's establishing himself as one of the best young catchers in the game.
OF: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays: With Albert Pujols being injured, I think Bautista might be the most feared hitter in baseball. Every time he steps up to the plate, there's a sense of him going deep, similar to what we used to think with Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, & a healthy Pujols. Bautista is proving last season wasn't a fluke, and he's improved his ability to hit to the opposite field and get on base more.
OF: Matt Joyce, Tampa Bay Rays: It's one of the fun things of the year to see which obscure player Joe Maddon turns into an All-Star. We've seen Ben Zobrist, Grant Balfour, and now Matt Joyce. Joyce has helped fill the huge void left by some of the big changes Tampa Bay made in the offseason and has helped keep the Rays within striking distance in the AL East.
OF: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles: This one was a tough call, but I voted for Jones because of his all-around ability. I think he's a very good player on a bad team, and he doesn't get the recognition he deserves because he plays in Baltimore. Jones makes some ridiculous catches in center field and he is very good with the bat.
DH: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox: He's like the baseball version of Shaq. Big guy, big personality, seems like a ton of fun off the field, and big numbers. His struggles of the past few seasons haven't slowed him down this year, and Big Papi is back to killing the ball. The main reason he gets my vote is because he also has a stolen base this year. 

*Apparently, I think the AL East is quite talented. I don't have any loyalty to any of those teams - but it's obvious they are in an arms-race against each other.

Again, I couldn't vote for a starting pitcher, but I think Justin Verlander, of the Detroit Tigers, deserves the spot. He's been the best pitcher in baseball and people really think he has a chance of throwing a no-hitter every time he starts - unbelievable.

2011 NL All-Stars

I haven't posted much about sports lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been following. Actually, in my last sports post, I predicted the Heat to win the NBA Finals but I said I liked Dallas if the series went 6 or 7 games. I think that's the best incorrect prediction I've ever given. I was glued to the TV last night for the first game of the College World Series Championship round between South Carolina and Florida and I was pulling hard for the Gamecocks (because I don't want UF to win anything) and hope they can close it out tonight and complete the repeat.

In addition to the championship match-ups that have been taking place, I've been following the first half of the MLB season. I'm rooting hard for the Braves to stay healthy enough to remain within striking distance of the Phillies, and I hope we see some competitive division races for the second half of the season. Since the deadline for filling out an All-Star Ballot is approaching and we now have a substantial chunk of the season to rate players, I decided to cast my votes over the weekend. Here are my picks for the National League:

Prince has played like royalty.

1B: Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers: If there was a mid-season MVP award, Prince would be a strong candidate to win it. He has proven why he will demand a huge contract in the offseason and has dominated opposing pitchers while leading the Brewers to first place in the central division. 
2B: Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers: Weeks was on his way to having a breakout year last season, but had a knee injury that sidelined him for most of the year. He has returned this year, and has provided that rare combination of power and speed to the Milwaukee lineup. It also doesn't hurt that the 2B position in the National League has been rather weak this season, with Chase Utley being injured and Dan Uggla being historically bad.
SS: Jose Reyes, New York Mets: After struggling with injuries during the past couple seasons, Jose Reyes is healthy and back in form. He has weathered criticism from his owner and dealt with trade talk all season long and has kept the Mets competitive with a .500 record. Reyes is doing what he does best - getting on base and creating havoc with his speed.
3B: Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves: Chipper hasn't really played like an all star this season, but neither has anyone else that plays 3B. And even though he is constantly battling injuries and always seems to be a step away from the DL, there's not a 3B that means more to his team than Chipper. He is the leader of the Atlanta clubhouse, which is still quite young, and has come up with a number of timely hits this season.
C: Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves: I think McCann has been the best catcher in the game this season. I'm not glad Buster Posey is injured, but I do hope that McCann receives the attention he deserves because he was outperforming Posey before the injury anyway. McCann has been excellent with the bat and he's been extremely consistent and durable, which is quite unusual for a catcher.
OF: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers: Dude has been a freak. It seems like I read a "Matt Kemp gets game winning hit" headline once a week and he's been crushing the ball lately. He has triple crown-like numbers and is carrying a Dodgers team that is dealing with a ridiculous amount of distractions. It appears that Kemp has shed the "lazy" label and is showing his potential as a complete player.
OF: Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks: A couple years ago, people were talking about B.J. Upton being one of the next great young outfielders in the game - they were talking about the wrong Upton. Justin Upton has been one of the keys to this turnaround year for the Diamondbacks and deserves to have a spot on this year's All Star team.
OF: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates: It feels like someone from the Pirates belongs in the starting lineup and I think McCutchen has earned it. He's unbelievably fast on the bases and in the outfield, and he's improved his plate discipline and power. The Pirates have been one of the great stories in baseball this year and McCutchen is one of the exciting pieces they are building that team around.

*You only vote for 3 outfielders on an All Star Ballot, not specific positions (CF, LF, RF)
**There is not an option for voting for pitchers, but my choice for the SP for the NL would be Jair Jurrjens.

My "Teams"



J.J. Redick likes the Magic as much as I do.

As much as I enjoy following professional sports, I'm really not a die hard fan. I'll watch games, read recaps, look up stats, & follow front office decisions, but not for just "my team." I have always been a sort of sports statistical/trivia freak (it's more pathetic than cool) and I enjoy learning as much about different players and teams and leagues as I can. I'm much more passionate and loyal in college sports, following Duke basketball and Georgia football and baseball very closely, but I don't really have strong professional allegiances. In the MLB & NFL, there are certain players and teams I enjoy watching, but I don't really have a strong rooting interest in any of the games. In the NBA, I want guys that went to school at Duke to succeed and I usually pull for their teams. However, when I was younger, I was much more loyal to two specific teams.

Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, there wasn't a local pro team to follow - in any sport. We had minor league baseball and hockey teams, but they constantly changed affiliates and no one really cared unless you went to a game. The closest teams to the area were the teams in Washington, D.C. (Redskins, Bullets/Wizards, later Nationals) & Charlotte (Hornets & Panthers). We never went to any game in Washington and my dad and I would occasionally go to Hornets games, but we weren't big fans. Instead, I became a fan of the two teams I could watch on TV all the time, the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Braves. As part of our satellite package, WGN (the Chicago station) was one of our channels, and we were able to see almost every Bulls game. And because the Braves were owned by Ted Turner, we watched nearly all of their games that were shown on TBS.

Johnny "Red" Kerr

It didn't hurt that I grew up in the Golden Era of Bulls basketball and Braves baseball. The Bulls teams of the early/mid-90's are some of the greatest in the history of the game and the Braves were dominating the National League and regularly playing in the World Series. I knew everything about the starting five for the Bulls and their second unit, and I could roll through the Braves lineup and give you the starting rotation - important priorities for a 7 year old. As I look back on it, it's funny to me that those were my teams, even though I had never seen either of them play in person.

"BRAVES WIN!"

I watched the two teams religiously on what were essentially their home tv networks and had strong loyalty. I grew up listening to Johnny "Red" Kerr announce Bulls games and Skip Caray cover the Braves. I have memories of Michael Jordan chalking his hands in front of Red Kerr before tip-off and Kerr yelling "MICHAEL" when Jordan would hit another back-breaking shot during those dominant seasons. I have memories of Skip Caray calling the masterpiece pitching performances of Maddux, Smoltz, & Glavine and announcing "BRAVES WIN! BRAVES WIN!" when Sid Bream slid safely into home to put the Braves into the World Series in 1992. Those are the sports memories I grew up on and part of what made me so passionate about sports. Those two announcers brought sports to life for me and made me feel like I was part of the game. Both have passed away in the last couple years, and sports broadcasting isn't the same without them. They were two of the greats and they were the two primary sports voices of my childhood.

 

I still hate the Knicks.



Even though I'd no longer consider myself a huge fan, I still want the Bulls & the Braves to do well. I was fortunate to be able to attend a number of Braves games while going to school in Athens, and the Bulls have a couple former Duke players, Luol Deng & Carlos Boozer, who are both doing well. The hatred I used to have for the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, & Los Angeles Dodgers still lingers from the 90's and I hardly ever pull against the Braves or Bulls. I'm not nearly as passionate as I used to be, but those were the teams I grew up with - and, in a way, I guess they'll always be "my teams." 

Best & Worst

There have been a number of big things happening in sports over the weekend with plenty of excitement. There was the NFL Draft, the NBA Playoffs, the MLB season in full-swing, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, & much more. I haven't been glued to the TV for any of the previously mentioned events, but I have kept an eye on most of them and have a general idea of what's been happening. All that being said, I'm picking what stood out to me as the best and worst performances of the weekend. I'm completely ripping this idea from The Dan Patrick Show (by far the best sports radio show out there). So...who did and didn't get it done this weekend?

Best: Memphis Grizzlies
Who would have thought the Grizzlies would handle the Spurs with relative ease in the first round of the playoffs? They ended the series in game six on Friday night in Memphis, but they really should have closed it out in game five earlier in the week. Zach Randolph was unstoppable down the stretch for the Grizz' and they played like the more talented team. It ended an era of playoff futility for the franchise and seemed to mark the end of the San Antonio Spurs dynasty. Still, most people probably thought the celebration would end Sunday afternoon when Memphis would have to travel to Oklahoma City to take on Kevin Durant and the Thunder. Coming off the emotion of the big win Friday night and having to face a young, talented, physical team in an early start Sunday afternoon seemed like a bad spot for the Grizzlies. I guess everyone forgot to tell the Grizzlies that. They led throughout against OKC and were carried by strong post play from Randolph and Marc Gasol and have jumped out to an early series lead again. It'll be interesting to see how far they can ride this momentum. And one other thing - if I'm coaching an NBA team, I want Shane Battier. He's not going to blow you away, but he changes the culture of a locker room and his teams ALWAYS have success.

Worst: Atlanta Braves Bullpen
I don't care that they pulled out the win today, the Braves bullpen has been terrible this weekend. In the three games against the Cardinals, they have given up the lead in the 8th inning or later all three times. Are you kidding me? With all the negativity and controversy that has surrounded this pitching staff over the past week, I was hoping they would rally together and have a strong weekend on the field. The starting pitching has been very good, but the late inning guys have not done their jobs. Allowing the leadoff man to reach base has been a problem and there have been too many bad pitches to good hitters. The Cardinals are not an easy lineup to retire and Matt Holliday might be hitting the ball better than anyone in the game right now, but you have to be able to get tough outs in the 8th & 9th innings. It was thought that Jonny Venters & Craig Kimbrel would be able to shut the door in most games (and I still think they will) but this weekend will not go in their highlight tapes.