Basbeall, Entertainment, Movies, Sports, Sports, Baseball, Uncategorized

You’re Killing Me, Smalls!

March 30, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 8 Comments

It’s hard to believe that another winter has come and gone. Opening Day (the American one, not the Australian one that put Kershaw on the DL) is here and the boys of summer are ready to get back it. 30 baseball teams will take the field over the next few days to get their 2014 season rolling.

What if there were a 31st team? What if there was an All Star line-up of all the characters from baseball movies and T.V. shows clumped into one mega-team? It would be an insult to call this a Dream Team, but that is what we are talking about here. There needs to be some guidelines though. I can’t take players from movies or shows that are actual players. That eliminates Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, the entire Chicago Black Sox and a bevy of others. Characters based on actual players (like the ladies in A League of Their Own) or a likeness of an actual player (like the ghosts in Field of Dreams), however, is allowed. With these rules in place, my prep work began. I had to dig deep. Some of these movies I haven’t seen in a while. Some are outright terrible, but they all deserved consideration. After much deliberation I narrowed it down to a few players at each slot. Here’s a look at a position by position breakdown of the one week training camp (and by training camp, I really mean me sitting in front of my Smart TV and watching classic clips on YouTube to remind myself how great some of these characters were) held to see who made the cut.

The Fantasy Dream Amazeballs All-Hollywood Team

Hope the got a whole chicken... — Hope they got a whole chicken…

Catcher: Aside from the outfield, this was the closest position battle. There were quite a few players to choose from, but four took it down to the wire. Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis, A League of Their Own) definitely deserves consideration. She was the heart and soul of the Rockford Peaches and was hands down the best player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Crash Davis (Kevin Costner, Bull Durham) also enters the debate. His downside is that he is a career minor leaguer. His upside is his willingness to be demoted to help tutor the future of baseball. Hamilton “Ham” Porter (Patrick Renna, The Sandlot) is not only a great catcher, but he is a historian, a comedian, and one of the best s’mores chefs in the land. What can’t you say about Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger, Major League)? He came out of retirement to lead a team of nobodies to the playoffs and win the heart of Rene Russo.

WINNER: Taylor. His experience, baseball sense, and ability to leg out a bunt with no knees make him the leader of this squad.

First base: There haven’t been many great fictional first basemen through the years. Stan Ross (Bernie Mac, Mr. 3000) was a superstar for the Milwaukee Brewers, except it took him until the end of his selfish career to understand what being a team player really meant. And he NEVER GOT HIS 3000th HIT! Let’s face it. Bertram Grover Weeks (Grant Gelt, The Sandlot) was a junkie. He introduced the whole team to that Chew and disappeared in the ’60s on some drug bender and was never seen again. That doesn’t help much with team chemistry, and what players that use drugs ever pan out as All Stars? Jack Elliot (Tom Selleck, Mr. Baseball) didn’t know when to hang it up and had to end his career in Japan. That doesn’t sound like someone I want anchoring my first stop around the bases.

WINNER: You think I would choose any of these bums? Hell no. My first baseman is Toby Whitewood (David Stambaugh, the original Bad News Bears). He really was the most unheralded star of Chico’s Bail Bonds as Kelly Leak always stole his thunder and pulled a beauty of a hidden ball trick in the field at the Astrodome.

Second base: This came down to a two man… er, player competition. Tommy “Repeat” Timmons (Shane Obedzinski, The Sandlot) is the third member from The Sandlot team to make the list. Tommy was better at constructing things than he ever was at baseball. Marla Hooch (Megan Cavanagh, A League of Their Own) is a hard hitting, hard to look at basher. But if we were picking on pure looks, Tom Selleck and that legendary mustache would already be on the team.

WINNER: Hooch. Let’s spice it up and give this team some variety. On the plus side, she shouldn’t be a distraction in the clubhouse.

Short stop: I allowed Gus (Rob Schneider, The Benchwarmers) a very quick tryout, but in the end, no matter how much he changed, he was a liar and a one-time bully, and I’m not looking to run a Miami Dolphins locker room with my squad. That means this was a simple one-man battle.

WINNER: Tanner Boyle (Chris Barnes, the original Bad News Bears) This is the second Chico’s Bail Bonds alum to crack this squad, so it tells you a little something about Buttermaker’s bunch. Boyle was a little sloppy, but who on the Bears wasn’t? He was the spark plug though and the toughness this team needs.

Third base: Doris Murphy (Rosie O’Donnell, League of Their Own) was a brash, overly confident vixen of a baseball player, but she had guts and could play the hot corner pretty well. Ed (Ed) was a freaking monkey, and do you think I would pass on giving a monkey a try-out at third base? Do you know what kind of revenue a third base-monkey would generate? Especially if he smoked cigarettes? Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen, Major League) was a snide and snooty little brat, but we’re talking baseball skills here.

WINNER: Dorn. When he isn’t ole-ing the ball and worrying about his contract amenities, he can straight up field. We also know he is clutch at the plate delivering timely hits at the end of that one-game playoff series with the Yankees. He also delivers a hell of a sucker punch.

Outfield: This was hands down the toughest position battle. Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford, The Natural) didn’t even need to show up for try-outs. If he wants to play and his side is all healed up, he starts on my team, no questions asked. That sliced the competition down to just two slots. I was able to remove Bobby Rayburn (Wesley Snipes, The Fan) from the conversation because I’m not allowing one actor to occupy the last two spots in the outfield. That means Willie Mays Hayes (Wesley Snipes, Major League) is in the mix. The guy flat out flies on the base paths, plus he has the Richard Sherman ego on top of it. Kelly Leak (Jackie Earle Haley, the original Bad News Bears) has a leg up on the competition because he smokes cigarettes and drives his motorcycle right onto the field and, well, I’m afraid of telling him no. Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez (Mike Vitar, The Sandlot), more lovingly known as Benny the Jet, is borderline. First of all, did he ever play one single position in the entire movie? Secondly, aside from his speed, he has a marginal skill set. The Ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta, Field of Dreams) was invited to try-outs because technically, he isn’t a real player. And even the specter of Shoeless Joe hits a hell of a lot better than some living ball players (paging Mr. Uggla). Pedro Cerrano (Dennis Haysbert, Major League) is a hulking beast of a man. He needs to still get a better grasp of that curve ball, Jobu.

WINNERS: Hobbs, Leak, and Hayes. He may run like Mays but he hits like the leadoff guy I want in my line-up. He will man center field while Leak, who shifted from third to outfield in Breaking in Training, will man left. With Hayes’ swagger and Leak’s bad boy attitude, teams will fear us. Having Hobbs patrol right quietly will install fear by silence.

I’m keeping Cerrano as my DH, though, and I am also keeping Benny the Jet as my utility guy, so here is the batting order:

CF — Willie Mays Hayes

SS — Tanner Boyle

3B — Roger Dorn

RF — Roy Hobbs

DH — Pedro Cerrano

LF — Kelly Leak

C — Jake Taylor

2B — Marla Hooch

1B — Toby Whitewood

Pinch hitter/runner: Benny the Jet Rodriguez

My offense is stacked, but wait until you get a load of the pitching. As far as I was concerned, there wasn’t any competition when it came to the starting rotation, the middle reliever, the set-up man, and closer. So, without further ado, here is your staff:

The Ace — Amanda Whurlitzer (Tatum O’Neal, Bad News Bears) She’s sneaky and sly and has quite a mouth on her, but she can flat out throw and hold her own with the big boys.

Chet Steadman (Gary Busey, Rookie of the Year) The Rocket is a crafty veteran who happens to be played by one of the funniest living specimens on the planet. There was no way I was leaving Busey off this team.

Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner, For the Love of the Game). Costner lost out on Crash Davis, but he gets the nod on the mound. I wanted to leave him off entirely because the S.O.B. no-hit the Yankees but he’s too good to deny.

Eddie Harris (Chelcie Ross, Major League). If he can’t get it done with that old rubber arm of his, then he has an arsenal of Crisco, Bardol, and snot hidden away to sneak one by any batter.

This spot was a toss up. Both were youngsters and both had promising futures. It came down to Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh (Tim Robbins, Bull Durham) or Henry Rowengartner (Thomas Ian Nicholas, Rookie of the Year). It was a really tough choice, but it came down to the fact that Nuke winds up with Susan Sarandon and Rowengartner got to have pretend sex with Tara Reid. I choose Tara Reid… I mean, Rowengartner to round out the staff.

The bullpen is the most fun part of this team. There will be a lot of money spent on fine wine, hookers, and bail when the three of them go out to celebrate. Sam “Mayday” Malone (Ted Danson, Cheers) is the unquestioned elder spokesman of the bullpen. He cleaned up his act, so he should be a calming influence on his other two compadres. Kenny Powers (Danny McBride, Eastbound and Down) may just be an average American with extraordinary hair, he may be a bit of a xenophobe (or patriot depending on who’s definition you use), but he will blow anyone away with his stuff. The closer is Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen, Major League). This is a no brainer. Not only does he hit triple digits on the radar, he’s one of the most memorable sports characters on this list. He’s the Wild Thing baby, and we all know that’s winning.

Now, who in their right mind would want to manage this bunch of A and B-List, ego-driven celebs? I wanted to go with Lou Brown (James Gammon, Major League) for the job he did creating that peal away stripper. Ultimately, Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own) gets the job because he uttered one of the most famous lines in baseball movie history: “There’s no crying in baseball.”

There you have it, folks. It may very well be the greatest roster ever established. Until next time, enjoy your Final Four and happy opening week of baseball.

Football, Sports, Uncategorized

Sending Love to Buffalo

March 27, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 2 Comments

Sometimes you need to break the mold. Not everything is going to be fun and games. The events of the last few days for Bills Nation deserve a more serious approach, and it would not be right if I addressed it differently. Buffalo has lost the heart of its franchise. Its soul is fighting to survive.

Ralph Wilson wasn’t just big for Buffalo but was instrumental in evolving the NFL into what it is today. Born in October of 1918 in Michigan, Wilson grew up a Detroit Lions fan. His father owned an insurance company that he would one day take over. After he studied at the University of Virginia and Michigan Law, Wilson enlisted in the Navy and served in WWII. Upon his return, he ran the family insurance company until 1959 when he decided to buy a football franchise.

Originally, Wilson wanted the team to be in Miami, however he couldn’t reach an agreement with The Orange Bowl to play their home games in the stadium. He settled for War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo and chose to name the franchise the Bills in honor of the All-America Conference team that played there in the ’40s. His initial investment in the franchise was $25,000. Today, the team’s worth stands at over $870 million, which surprisingly ranks them 30th of the 32 teams.

It wasn’t just the Bills that was born, however. He was a founder and driving force of the American Football League that would eventually rival the NFL. Wilson, along with the legendary Lamar Hunt, Bud Adams, and five other founding members struggled mightily the first few seasons, so much so that Wilson had to lend $400,000 to his AFL foe Oakland Raiders in 1962 to keep them afloat. (Ok, maybe this isn’t so much a credit to Wilson’s legacy. After all, if he didn’t give them the money, we would never have been exposed to Al Davis, but it still shows that Wilson was a hell of a guy. Could you see the Yankees giving money to the Royals to keep them alive? Puh-lease). He also lent money to the New England Patriots to keep their franchise from going extinct as well, so you’re welcome Brady fans. Wilson’s generosity made the AFL the only sports league to never have a team fold while it existed. By the mid-1960s, they were posing a legitimate threat to the popularity of the NFL. While the Buffalo Bills were winning back-to-back AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965, Wilson was acting as the AFL representative in early merger talks with the NFL. Though these early talks fell through, Wilson’s next move was one of the biggest in NFL history. He served an active role on the committee that brought us this little game that would pit the best team in the AFL versus the best team in the NFL. They thought this game would be so extraordinary, so epic in its magnitude that they named it the Super Bowl. By 1967, the two leagues were officially going at each other for football supremacy.

The AFL would come to an end in 1969. The NFL had seen enough, and with Wilson at the helm, the AFL and NFL came to an agreement to merge both leagues together. It’s been nothing but success since then as the NFL is tightening its grasp on being the most popular sport worldwide. If it weren’t for Wilson and his revolutionaries, where would the NFL be? Would there be 32 teams spanning the entire nation?

He was outspoken, but it was because he was a visionary. He turned heads when he voted against the Cleveland Browns abandoning their city and moving to Baltimore. He also made enemies when he and Cincinnati Bengals’ owner Mike Brown were the only two owners who spoke up against the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement that eventually led to the 2011 lockout. (The two were later heralded for their foresight on the issue.) He also was in charge of the negotiations and ensuing agreement to have the Bills play multiple games in Canada. Since then the NFL has been aggressively discussing international expansion with London and Mexico City on the radar. Coincidence?

After the OJ Simpson years, the Bills fell into obscurity. That led to change and in the mid-1980’s Wilson brought on Bill Polian as GM and Marv Levy as Head Coach and drafted Jim Kelly to be their franchise quarterback. The four together would change the face of the franchise forever.

Jim Kelly was part of the infamous quarterback class of 1983, drafted with the likes of John Elway, Tony Eason, Dan Marino, Ken O’Brien, and Todd Blackledge. After an illustrious career at The U, Kelly did not want to go to play in the cold weather of Buffalo and elected to join the Houston Gamblers of the USFL (I was a huge USFL and New Jersey Generals fan. I remember watching Kelly set records and win the MVP for Houston and then signing with my Generals right before they folded). The USFL folded in 1986 and Kelly returned to the team that drafted him. He would turn around a perennial loser and do something no other QB has ever done or most likely will never do again. Kelly, with their patented no huddle offense, shredded the AFC for 4 consecutive years and represented the AFC in the Super Bowl from 1990-1993. Today, the hard-nosed quarterback who fought to turn the Bills into a powerhouse is fighting for his life.

This picture went viral on Twitter taken by Kelly's daughter over the weekend. — This picture taken by Kelly’s daughter went viral on Twitter and the Internet over the weekend.

Kelly was originally diagnosed with oral cancer in June of last year. He had surgery that would cost him part of his jaw and some of his teeth. Much like the warrior he was on the field for the Bills in the mid-80s to the mid-90s, Kelly beat the cancer and seemed to be fine. Ten days ago, however, the cancer returned and is much more aggressive. Today, the New York Daily News reports that it is highly likely that the cancer is curable, however surgery is not an option. The process will be long. He is weak and “in bad shape” according to reports, and the cancer is quickly spreading.

Personally, I was never a huge Jim Kelly fan, but I never disliked him. I think he had two factors against him when I was a young kid that made me under appreciate his greatness. First and foremost, he played against Joe Montana, John Elway, and Dan Marino. Those three were in bigger markets and had more notoriety, but they also had bigger stats. As a kid, what determines greatness are the numbers on the back of a player’s football card, not their worth on the field. Secondly, despite those four consecutive Super Bowls, he lost them all. Now that I am almost 40, I realize what Kelly did at the helm of the high-powered Bills’ offense was remarkable. Simply put, with the parity in the NFL (which is unmatched by any other sport), it is astounding to go to four straight championships. The reason that people have loved the NFL for the past several decades is summed up by the old phrase any given Sunday. Did anyone give the Giants a chance against the undefeated Patriots? No, but we all know who won. From 1990-1993, Kelly and Wilson’s Buffalo Bills eliminated that concept and totally dominated the NFL… except for one Sunday each season.

The city of Buffalo is a little emptier this week. They will play with heavy hearts but lifted spirits this coming season. The 2013 Red Sox put Boston on their shoulders and went from last place to World Champions. It will be interesting to see how Buffalo responds when they walk into Ralph Wilson Stadium for the first time without its namesake up in the box watching. There is no predicting the future, but until then we can all #PrayForJimKelly.

Basketball, College Basketball, March Madness, Sports, Uncategorized

I Caught the Madness and I Like It

March 24, 2014 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

Happy Monday, folks. First and foremost, I must apologize to The Wayniac Nation faithful. In my 80 days of blogging (yes, today is day 80) I have not missed a Sunday post. This week was different as we may have just experienced one of the craziest opening weekends of March Madness I can remember. It would have been an injustice to write about it before it was complete, so I waited until today.

We did some serious dancing over the last four days, didn’t we? The Mercer Bears busted a lot of people’s brackets, but I still think they became the most beloved team in the nation by taking down Coach K and his Dookies. Harvard shocked the world and took down a heavily favored Cincinnati club. They then put a huge scare into Michigan State, but inevitably the Spartans were their last waltz. There was little doubt in my mind that UConn was going to upset Nova in Round 2 (I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I’m not changing my stance and calling this Round 3). Shabazz Napier is a total beast and he had a total beast game against Jay Wright and his Wildcats. UNC suffered a controversial loss in one of the most bizarre endings to a tourney game since UNC watched C-Webb call a time-out. I think someone needs to be held accountable and removed from officiating for the rest of the tournament. Although UNC fans, like Wayniac Nation’s own Mike Dunton, have argued that they should’t have let their lead slip away in the first place, to lose the game on an officitaing/score table error is atrocious and unacceptable. But the Dance rolls on. The Dayton Flyers became the scourge of Ohio when they took down the beloved Ohio State in a huge upset. Considering that the only people who are Buckeye fans either live in Columbus or are alumni, most of America became enamored with the Flyers. I was, too… until they beat Syracuse. Now they can go to hell for all I care. What a terrible first weekend for me. My Blue Hens, my Orange, and both of my brackets are in the toilet. Well, that’s not entirely true.

If you remember in my preview, I told you to be weary of the higher seeds, especially the # 1s. That being said, my Final Four is still intact, so despite the whirlwind of upsets I technically have a chance. Before we look at what’s in store for next weekend, let’s have a quick recap of the one through five seeds, since that is essentially your Top 25.

One seeds: Shockers are out — Gators, Arizona, and Cavaliers remain. UVA looks great, but of these three remaining teams, their days are numbered with Michigan State on deck.

Two seeds: Nova and Kansas have gone home (without Joel Embiid, I projected Kansas was not making it out of the first weekend) — Wisconsin and Michigan remain. Considering the Wolverines should have been a one seed, there is no surprise here.

Three seeds: These guys took the biggest hit. In case you forgot, let me remind you that Duke has been eliminated after being knocked out by the 14th seeded Mercer Bears in one of the most exciting games of the tournament thus far. Cuse and Creighton have also been bounced. If Tyler Ennis drove the lane instead of pulling up for a terrible shot, my prediction of a Cuse/ Florida showdown was highly likely. Alas, the Orange suffered another close loss to a team they should have beaten. Iowa State remains, however their days may be numbered without Georges Niang.

Four seeds: All four remain. This is not a surprise at all. These are the strongest seeds in the tourney, and I have Michigan State and Louisville pegged for the Final Four.

Five seeds: Zero remain.

The end result of the opening weekend of the tournament is that only 12 of the Top 25 in the nation remain in the hunt for the 2014 NCAA Championship. That is absolutely insane. The slate of games for the upcoming weekend is titillating, so let’s take a gander at what we have in store. (It’s always exciting to find a use for the word titillating, isn’t it?)

The South: #11 Dayton vs. #10 Stanford is not a match-up anyone had projected and probably had a hand in ending the chances of the billion dollars from Warren Buffet (Well, that and the 1 in 9.4 quintillion chance of predicting a perfect bracket, but I digress). The exciting part of this game is that we know for sure we have a double-digit seed in the Elite 8. I would have to think the Cardinal, coming out of the ultra competitive Pac-12, has the upper hand. Speaking of the Pac-12, the #1 Florida Gators will have their hands full with the #4 UCLA Bruins. I have this slated as the second best game of the Sweet 16. UCLA has already taken down current number one seed Arizona to win the Pac-12 tourney. They aren’t afraid of anyone. Billy Donovan has his Gators looking like the ’06-’07 teams. I think this match-up is going to be great.

The East:

I had the #3 Iowa State Cyclones making a deep run in the tourney, but as I said, Georges Niang’s season ending injury puts them up against the wall. Shabazz Napier is playing out of his mind, and he should help #7 UConn eliminate the last three seed standing, but it won’t be easy. The #4 Michigan State Spartans versus #1 UVA Cavaliers game I have pegged as the third best game of the Sweet 16. The Cavaliers’ defense is suffocating and their offense is clicking, but Michigan State is playing some good ball. Yes, they struggled with Harvard, but if you have watched tournaments past, everyone struggles with Ivy League schools, just ask Georgetown (I don’t care if the Orange are in the ACC now, screw the Hoyas). Tom Izzo is poised to add a seventh Final Four appearance to his already impressive resume. Adriean Payne is playing awesome ball right now as well and should lift the Spartans to a match-up with the Huskies.

The Midwest: Athough the actual #1 seeded Wichita State Shockers were bounced, this bracket still has two legit one seeds going in the Sweet 16. The #11 Tennessee Volunteers don’t stand a chance against the #2 Michigan Wolverines. I think the loss to the Spartans and the coinciding loss of a one seed in the Big 10 (That’s Actually 12 but Adding Even More) Tournament has this team playing like last year’s runner-up squad. All eyes will be on the best game of the weekend, however, as The King of the Cheaters and his #8 Kentucky Wildcats take on the #4 Louisville Cardinals. Kentucky is the most inconsistent team in the nation as Julius Randle and the Harrison Wonder Twins should be enough to have gotten them a higher seed. But they don’t always come out and play a solid game from start to finish. Louisville, the AAC Conference and Tournament Champs, still have the nation wondering how they are a four seed. The bottom line is that Kentucky could be an awful, 2-win team but they would still bring everything they have to this huge in-state rivalry. It will be the game of the Sweet 16 and the ensuing Michigan versus Louisville Elite Match-up may be the game of the tournament.

The West: This is a boring bracket. The #2 Wisconsin Badgers seem like they have a big advantage over the #6 Baylor Bears and their crossing guard uniforms. Seriously, they could land a plane with those uniforms. Wisconsin, in my opinion, was ranked way too high, so I could see Baylor pulling off the upset, especially after the way they decimated Creighton and the best player in the nation in Doug McDermott. Everyone says I am nuts for not believing in the #1 Arizona Wildcats. They have yet another tricky match-up versus the #4 San Diego State Aztecs. Arizona looked really good against Gonzaga; however, if you remember from my preview, I had Gonzaga losing to Oklahoma State, so that outcome wasn’t much of a surprise. I think Arizona wins both of their games this weekend and rounds out the Final Four before losing to Louisville.

The greatest thing about this March Madness thus far is everything I just typed is most likely wrong. And in all honesty, I hope it is. My two teams are out and my brackets are weak. What will keep me most interested is a Dayton versus Tennessee Championship Game. Well, that and watching One Shining Moment and getting the chills like I do every year (well, except for that one Jennifer Hudson monstrosity).

Until next time folks, don’t forget Opening Day is just a week away!

Basketball, College Basketball, March Madness, Sports, Uncategorized

The Madness is Taking Over!!!!

March 20, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 4 Comments

Hide the women and children. The Madness is quickly approaching. We are just hours away from what could be one of the more bizarre and entertaining Final Four’s in a long time. Thanks to Mark Few who put a small school named Gonzaga on the map, mid-majors are no longer a joke. This tournament is pretty stacked and that spells bad news for the higher seeds.

I don’t see a scenario that a number one seed pulls it off this season. I don’t know if it is because the Selection Committee is slipping or there is simply more parity in hoops these days (I like to believe the latter), but there are deeper seeds that keep rolling, rolling, rolling down the river (get up, ooo ooo, get up ooo ooo) at full speed. In fact, since Kansas lost Joel Embiid, I don’t think even a two seed has a chance. And this, my friends, is what makes The NCAA Tournament the best sporting event in the world.

Now, I’m not saying a #1 seed can’t win it, nor am I completely ruling out Florida or Arizona as the next champions. I’m merely trying to tell you that if you think Florida, Arizona, Virginia, or Wichita State have a clear road to Texas, you are out of your mind. I think that a 4 seed is going to win it and I agree with our Commander-in-Chief (said no one ever) on his final’s match-up prediction. So without further ado:

FOUR TEAMS THAT COULD CAUSE THE #1 SEEDS A LOT OF TROUBLE:

MIDWEST: the #4 seed Louisville Cardinals:

Remember these guys? They are coached by Rick Pitino the Elder and happen to be reigning National Champs. How these guys got a four seed is beyond me. At the onset of Selection Sunday, the “experts” had Louisville grabbing the last #1 seed after Michigan lost. Alas, sports experts are the new weathermen and are seemingly right 10 percent of the time. The Cardinals drew the 4 seed.

The Cardinals finished the season 29-5 but it was how they rampaged and ransacked the AAC in their last 5 games of the season that gives me reason to believe that these guys are ready to defend their championship. They started by disheveling SMU who was in the Top 25 at the time (incidentally, SMU is the biggest snub I can remember in a long time but like a nerd in an 80s movie, they aren’t going to the Dance). They then dismantled a Top 25 UConn Huskies team by nearly 40 points. In the AAC tournament they continued their domination with 61-point first round massacre over Rutgers. 61 POINTS!!! IN A TOURNAMENT GAME!!! I don’t care what conference you play in or what team you are playing: to win a game by 61 points against a conference rival in a tournament game makes you a powerhouse and a serious threat to cut down the nets in Texas. Next up was a 29 point win over Houston, and a ten-point victory over UConn once again to win the AAC Championship. This team has veteran leadership who have been through a Championship run before. They have a very tough bracket and a possible match-up with Calipari and in-state rival Kentucky, but they have just as good a chance as anyone to be back in the Final Four.

WEST: the #9 seed Oklahoma State Cowboys:

Don’t let the 21-12 record fool you. Oklahoma State is the best #9 seed in the tourney and may be better than most of the 7 and 8 seeds as well. They have a tough bout with Gonzaga in the Round of 64, but with all their cogs moving they should get past them for a showdown with the #1 seed Arizona Wildcats. I love Arizona as they are a perennial Sweet 16 pick in every losing bracket I have ever done (I believe my lifetime record is 0-72). They are beatable, however. Yes they are 30-4 and to win 30 games in that legit PAC-12 Conference says a lot about their skills. Three of those losses, however, came to NCAA Tournament teams. They were all close games but they still lost to Oregon, in-state rival ASU, and UCLA for the PAC-12 Championship. The inability to put away big-time regular season games leaves the door open for Oklahoma State to pull the upset.

We all know they have Ron Artest, Jr. (aka Marcus Smart), but let’s face reality, he’s also a stud. He and senior Markel Brown bring some serious game with the ability to score and the leadership to guide this team. They will give Arizona a run for their money.

EAST: the #4 seed Michigan State Spartans:

It pains me to say this. You must know how I feel if you read my piece on March 11 entitled “Let’s Party Like It’s 1999!” My Delaware Fighting Blue Hens would have been better off being a lower seed because they have a better shot against the 3 seeds than they do against the 4s. Alas, Blue Hen Nation will give the Spartys a run, but probably fall short. Trust me, folks, I hope I am wrong on this one.

The sad truth is that no one is playing better ball than the Big Ten Tournament Champion Spartans. They took down Michigan in the Championship Game with ease inevitably costing the Wolverines a number one seed. The 26-8 Spartans are on a 5 game roll and are really past the injury woes that hurt them midseason. Adreian Payne and Keith Appling are two well-rounded seniors set to lead the charge. Tom Izzo hates not being in the Final Four more than any other coach and Michigan State has the tools to not just make the finals, but win it all.

SOUTH: the #3 seed Syracuse Orange:

Come on, what did you expect? This isn’t a pure homer pick though as I have valid reasons. The unfortunate dilemma for Cuse is that Billy Donovan has this Florida team cruising like a 75-year old on 95 South in Boynton Beach: taking out everything in their way. The Gators are the # 1 seed that I think has the best chance to win this tournament, but they are in a tough bracket. They will need to go through Pittsburgh and UCLA to make it to the Elite 8 and then Cuse to get to the Final Four.

Ok, enough about those jort-wearing, Budweiser guzzlers. Losing to N.C. State was the best thing to happen to my guys in Orange. This team had no legs left, I said it TWO WEEKS ago. Jim Boeheim ran with a seven man rotation all year and aside from CJ Fair, none of the others had played a full season. They simply ran out of gas. This was evident in the final 20 seconds of their first ACC Tourney game against the Wolf Pack. They were chucking shots that were hitting nothing but back board if anything at all. It was excruciating to watch, but what I saw was a team desperate to win and end the game because they had nothing left. Now, they have had a week to rest. People forget that this team was 25-0 and beat Duke. They have all-world freshman Tyler Ennis running the ship and looking to prove that he should be in the same sentence as Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins. Any Cuse fan knows that Cooney is the x-factor. If he is hitting his shots, Syracuse becomes more deadly because that opens up Jerami Grant to run and slash through the paint. When Ennis, Fair, and Grant get rolling it energizes that 2-3 zone and then it’s all over for whoever Cuse is playing.

Now take it easy. This is not my Final Four prediction. You got to be nuts if you think I’m going for a billion smackers with Oklahoma State in my Final Four. But these four teams can present a huge obstacle for all of the teams they will face. I do think Louisville finds a way to repeat though… hopefully in a victory against the Ass Kickin’ Chickens of Delaware.

Enjoy your next two days of hookie from work, America and let the Madness begin!!!

Basketball, College Basketball, March Madness, Sports, Uncategorized

BRACKETIQUETTE

March 17, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 3 Comments

Big news here at The Wayniac blogosphere. I am proud to introduce our first guest writer. Mike Dunton, aka Q-Tip if you’ve read my shout outs, is an old friend from Delaware. He’s a long-time UNC fan which makes him a professional Duke hater. He has already helped out by providing valuable information for my Hate Duke Nation piece in February. Today he becomes a full-fledged contributor to the ever growing Wayniac Nation.

Dunton is the overly excited guy in the middle. Benny Smalls is the guy to his right that if I didn't add him, he would yell at me. — Dunton is the overly excited guy in the middle. Benny Smalls is the guy to the right that if I didn’t add him, he would yell at me.

So without further ado: BRACKETIQUETTE (we’re TMing this baby!)

Brackets are here! Some teams had their bubble burst on Sunday, some weren’t even considered, but for 68 teams all of the hard work paid off with their long awaited invite to the Big Dance. For me, Selection Sunday is like Christmas morning. I can remember laying on the floor in my parents’ living room with a bracket I made on oak tag during the Big 10 championship game so I could fill it out as the teams were announced. I waited all day for the selections, waiting to fill out each team as they were announced. There were times I felt that CBS should have a camera on ME filming my reaction to the match-ups, the cheering for those who snuck in, and the helpless eye rolls of despair of those who didn’t make the cut. Today, things have become much easier thanks to technology, but it is still a piece of my childhood. Every time I hear that siren’s song of CBS’ March Madness music, I get antsy watching who’s in and who’s out. Then I wait with bated breath to see where my favorite team (UNC) and least favorite team (Duke) are heading. After taking in all the glory that is the NCAA bracket, I try to figure out which region is the proverbial walk in the park — this is usually where Duke lands — and which team’s chances of making it to the Final Four are like surviving the Red Wedding on Game of Thrones.

With all of this excitement, there are a few things to remember as you prepare to fill out your bracket for your office pool or your chance at the $1 Billion from Warren Buffet. Here are some rules I have lived by for the majority of my life when it comes to entering these pools:

5 Ways to Ensure People Don’t Hate You During the Madness:

1. You can only fill out one bracket per pool that you enter. I loathe the person who enters a pool with multiple brackets. You are showing us that you can’t decide if Delaware is going to beat Michigan State in Round 2 (formally known as Round 1). Not cool! This is not a true bracketologist. There is no skill to this — you are hedging your bets! This is a person who enters multiple sheets all with different scenarios and then, if by chance they win, they brag about their “mad skills” as if they were the next Joe Lunardi. Well, that doesn’t fly in my world. Fill out one bracket per pool. If you want multiple scenarios, enter multiple bracket pools. At the very least it will make you look like you know what you are doing instead of being a person who dropped $50 in order to win $100.

2. Enter a pool that allows upset points for the lower seeds victories. This makes the games so much more entertaining. There was no greater thrill I had than watching the 15 seed Coppin State Eagles take down the 2 seed South Carolina Gamecocks in the 1997 tournament and knowing that I had picked it. My friends and I were fully invested in the game because I had a chance to receive an additional 13 points on that pick. Without the upset points, I could have cared less what happened to the Eagles after their win. Instead, I became one of those jackasses screaming at the one TV that no one is watching. Those teams may become yearly picks for you if they pay off one time in your brackets. After all, that’s how Gonzaga made their name!

3. No one wants to hear that you picked based on mascots or colors. That line is older than, “How you doing?” It’s played out. We get it — you didn’t know anything about the 7 vs.11 matchup in the West region so you looked at the cute bear and picked that team. There are people like myself who watch a lot of college basketball and feel betrayed by teams when they let us down in games that we thought we picked right. If you happen to pick based on your favorite color and win, just smile and say, “lucky guess” when asked how you knew that team was going to win.

4. Pick with your brain not your heart. It is going to be hard for me to pick against my alma mater Delaware next week. It’s tough to make a pick that will knowingly break my heart. I am pretty sure that, as much as I want them to win, my wallet is pulling for the higher seed. So here is what I tell you: take a realistic look at the whole region “your” team is in. If you think that their opponent in round 2 has no realistic chance of winning the region, then pick with your heart. It’s fun to have a game like that on your bracket on the off chance your team pulls the upset. But you have to face reality. Let your brain start picking after that first game. It is going to keep you in the pool longer, and you will be happier down the road.

This is your brain picking Delaware to win it all... — This is your brain picking Delaware to win it all…

5. Know what teams you picked on your bracket. Nothing makes me more irritated than spending the day with a group at a sports bar and listening to someone tell me, “I think I picked that upset, I think I picked that one too, and that one.” Then hours later you check your pool’s standings and they were wrong on 3 out of 4 of them. All that means is that you wanted to pick it but did not have the cahones to do so. If you make an upset pick, you are going to know that you picked it and we won’t question it. A little bit of help here is to print out your bracket(s) and bring them with you if you don’t think you will remember teams. I had mine in 2011 at the Time Warner Arena in Charlotte so I could keep up with the games and ended up walking out of the arena next to Pat Riley. Guess who signed my bracket? See, they can come in handy for other things too!

Now go have some fun and pick some winners! (You can follow Dunton on Twitter at @dartbus1521).

Basbeall, Sports, Sports, Baseball, Uncategorized

A Universe, A Nation, and a Sting Ray

March 16, 2014 Wayne Cavadi Leave a comment

The Madenss is creeping up on us, folks. I hope you have been enjoying the conference tourneys because there have been upsets galore which should make Selection Sunday quite unpredictable. Surprisingly, Jared Allen, Chris Clemons, and Julian Edelman remain unsigned in this quickly evolving NFL free agency season. And the bats are coming alive and the arms are getting looser in Florida and Arizona as we are just a few short weeks from Opening Day 2014.

THE AL EAST

The AL East is the only division in baseball that the “worst” team has a legitimate chance at winning the division. That’s because no one team is a great team. Their offenses are stacked and all five teams are very good, so they should beat each other up all season long. It will be a war of attrition and who comes out on top will be the team not with the most powerful bats but the deepest pitching.

5. The Toronto Blue Jays

(Covers.com has the O/U at 82-80 while FanGraphs has them finishing 82-80)

There are three primary factors holding back Toronto. First and foremost, they play in the province that gave us Justin Bieber so they don’t deserve to win anything. Secondly, their pitching is old. Lastly, they simply cannot avoid the injury bug.

Jose Bautista, Jose Reyes, and Melky Cabrera are enough to make any line-up powerful and strong, but not one of the three were on the field for over 120 games last season. Edward Encarnacion is a total offensive beast, but he also has never played an entire season. Adam Lind had a nice bounce back last season after a lost 2012 and is slated to bat clean-up in this potent line-up (making him a great option in fantasy). They really need former first round pick Brett Lawrie to play a full season and come into his own at third base. It may be time to move on should he flop again this season.

39-year old R.A. Dickey anchors this staff as its ace, but the crafty knuckle-baller returned to earth after his 2012 Cy Young campaign. Now 34-years old, Mark Buehrle is not much more than a .500, innings-eating pitcher. Brandon Morrow spent last season working his way back from injury after a promising 2012. He showed he can be a solid top-end of the rotation pitcher prior to going down, and the Jays will benefit greatly if he can return to his 2012 form. Where’s Ricky Romero? That guy got a case of the Knoblauchs and completely fell apart!

Casey Janssen leads a rather uninspiring bullpen. He does have former closer Sergio Santos setting him up, so they do have a nice one-two punch. As long as the Blue Jays hold on to those 11-10 leads in the 8th inning these two should shut down a fair amount of games.

Projected 2014 finish: 80-82. To purchase tickets to any game this season check out Ticket Monster.

4. The Baltimore Orioles

(Covers.com has the O/U at 80.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 79-83)

Like the Blue Jays, the Orioles are another power-house line-up with minimal pitching. The O’s did bolster their starting rotation this offseason but it may be the move they couldn’t make that comes back to haunt them.

21-year old all-world third baseman Manny Machado is the key to this offense. Unfortunately he is still recovering from offseason surgery and is projected to start the year on the DL. When he does return, the Os will have one of the best one through six line-up runs in baseball. Nick Markakis is never going to be the superstar people projected but he’s still very good and becoming a quality leadoff hitter no matter how unorthodox he may be in the slot. Chris Davis is a beast and is still maturing. He needs to cut down on the strikeouts (199 in 2013), but there is no reason that he can’t match his 2013 league leading 53 HRs and 138 RBI. Adam Jones is one of the best all around outfielders in baseball and is a 20-20 threat every year. The addition of Nelson Cruz makes them even stronger. Batting behind Cruz, Matt Wieters is one of the best hitting catchers in the biz. They need to improve in creating runs and not solely relying on the long ball. They led baseball with 212 HRs but were near the bottom with a .313 on base percentage.

The Ubaldo Jimenez signing gives them an ace. I personally don’t project him translating well to a full season in the AL East. He’s always had a bit of a problem with the long ball and pitching more games at Fenway, Yankee Stadium, Toronto, and Camden may be bad news for him. They had a shot at Ervin Santana but were unwilling to part with draft picks. That leaves Chris Tillman at number two and a bunch of uncertainty filling out the rest of the rotation.

The Orioles need to replace 101 saves over the last two seasons as Jim Johnson left town. I’m not so sure Tommy Hunter is going to be the answer, but he should do just fine. Johnson got a lot of lucky saves with a high WHIP and a powerful offense to bail him out of his mistakes. Should Hunter fail, Darren O’Day is one of the better set-up men in the game and can quickly jump in to the closer spot.

Project 2014 finish: 81-81. For ticket purchases click here.

3. The Boston Red Sox

(Covers.com has the O/U at 87.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 88-74)

You hairy bunch of bearded buttheads. The Red Sox Nation get to raise another World Series flag on Opening Day, and I am not happy about it. They were Boston Strong last season, so for the city of Boston on the heels of tragedy I applaud them. Now I want to watch them crumble.

There was no one better than the Sox at producing runs last season. They were always on base as David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia led a line-up that had 6 players finish with over a .350 OBP. In fact, they led baseball in runs scored, RBI, and OBP. That means a lot has to go right for them to return to those heights. And so far it hasn’t: their leadoff man and newest Boston turncoat left town, they got older at catcher by adding AJ Pierzynski, and they are banking that their elite prospects are ready to mature. Jackie Bradley, Jr. is struggling to beat out Grady Sizemore, who was once elite, but injuries have stolen his best years. Will Middlebrooks needs to finally play a full season because his two partial seasons have shown a lot of promise. Xavier Bogaerts looks ready to take over at shortstop and produce immediately.

The pitching staff only got older this offseason already losing Ryan Dempster to old age. Jon Lester is the most confusing ace in baseball. He can be a shut down, Cy Young candidate one season and a middling .500 pitcher the next. John Lackey and Jake Peavy are crafty veterans who use to be former aces, but they, like Lester, are boom or bust. Clay Buchholz was on his way to becoming the ace until injuries derailed his season.

Their bullpen is deep (how deep is it?). It’s so deep that I project newly signed Edward Mujica replacing Koji Uehara at closer sooner than later. Uehara had a great 2013 but older closers (he is 38) rarely produce back-to-back elite seasons. Andrew Miller, Craig Breslow, and Junichi Tazawa round out a solid back end.

Projected 2014 finish: 85-77. For ticket information click here.

2. The New York Yankees

(Covers.com has the O/U at 83.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 83-79)

They are old. They are beat up. They are prone to the nagging injury. But there is simply no way this team is not going to rally and get Derek Jeter to the playoffs one last time. Plus, I’m a total homer and there is no way I’m ever going to project the Red Sox to finish over the Yankees… ever.

This line-up is barely recognizable from last year’s debacle that finished dead last in the AL East in every offensive category. Jacoby Ellsbury brings a reliable table setter to the top of the line-up. Carlos Beltran brings a veteran presence to the outfield. Brian McCann will make the right field porch his beyotch and handle this pitching staff better than anyone since Hip Hip Jorge left. Kelly Johnson and Brian Roberts… well I guess they need to play. At least we don’t have A-Rod. All eyes of the baseball world will be on Jeter’s every move. He will be just fine and win the AL Comeback Player of the Year.

The pitching staff is a huge question mark but if they do click, then the Yankees could actually win the division. CC Sabathia is no longer the CC of old, but he still has a bounce back in him. Despite being shelled this spring, he is working on new pitches and simply can’t be as bad as he was last season. Masahiro Tanaka will be under the microscope both for the lucrative contract he signed and the fact that he is coming off of a 24-0 season in Japan. He will be a solid addition to the middle of the rotation. The fifth starter spot is still up in the air, but the Yankees really need Michael Pineda to claim it. He could be the Yankees x-factor if he can return to his 2011 form.

There is absolutely no pressure on David Robertson in replacing The Sandman. He only needs 644 more saves to match what Mo brought to the Yankees for two decades. The Yankees bigger problem is in moving Robertson to closer, they lose one of the best set-up men in baseball. This bullpen is going to be a revolving door all year.

Projected 2014 finish: 87-75 AL Wild Card. For ticket information click here.

1. The Tampa Bay Rays

(Covers.com has the O/U at 88.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 84-78)

There is one reason and one reason alone the Rays are perennial contenders: Joe Maddon is the best manager in baseball. This team has never had a potent offense and they haven’t had any consistency in the bullpen, but the 2-time AL Manager of the Year will have the Rays back on top again.

The offense begins and ends with Evan Longoria. If he puts up god-like numbers the Rays are tough to beat but when he plays like a mere human, the entire line-up struggles. It will be exciting to see reigning AL Rookie of the Year Wll Myers‘ encore. The coveted Royals’ prospect came over for James Shields and didn’t disappoint. Desmond Jennings needs to continue his growth and become the 20-20 threat he can be.

David Price leads one of the best rotations in baseball. He will bring home the AL Cy Young Award in 2014 as the unquestionable leader to this young staff. The rotation is full of names that will be in Cy Young conversations for the foreseeable future. Matt Moore needs to get his control issues resolved (he led baseball with 17 wild pitches) but still finished 17-4. If he continues to fine tune his stuff, he will be lights out. As long as Alex Cobb can mentally comeback from being hit in the head by a comeback liner, which all signs show he can, he will be a Cy Young winner one day soon. Chris Archer had a strong first season as a full-time starter. All four finished with ERAs under 4.00.

Gone is Fernando Rodney and his wacky antics. Enter Grant Balfour. Balfour has been a dominant closer for the back-to-back AL West Champions As and has the avocados to lock down important games. He brings stability to a deep bullpen that also acquired Heath Bell this off season. Should Balfour struggle at all, Bell can immediately jump in and shut down games. The Rays are going far in 2014 because of their pitching depth both in the rotation and the pen.

Projected 2014 finish: 91-71 AL East Champs. For ticket information click here.

Basbeall, Sports, Sports, Baseball, Uncategorized

Yo, Bartender, Jobu Needs a Refill

March 13, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 2 Comments

Well sports fans, March Madness is upon us. If you’ve been following along you are aware that the mighty Fighting Blue Hens are heading to the Big Dance. NFL free agency is also underway with names like Revis Island and Eric Decker changing places. In Florida and Arizona, though, Spring Training keeps on trucking along and so does your divisional previews.

THE AL CENTRAL

The AL Central is a division that has quite a few unique claims to fame. They have the last Triple Crown winner. They made pine tar use very famous. One of the greatest sports movies ever was made about a team that calls their division home. Heading into 2014, they have one of the best teams in all of baseball.

5. The Chicago White Sox

(Covers.com has the Over/Under at 76.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 74-88)

Most people have the White Sox finishing ahead of the Twins this year but when push comes to shove they are both pretty bad teams. It could go either way. Any way you cut it, the whole city of Chicago is in for a long season so they better hope the Bulls make a really deep run in the playoffs!

The eyes of the baseball world will be focused on Jose Dariel Abreau, the 27-year old Cuban import who signed a 4-year deal for $68 million and should earn every penny. He tore up the 2013 World Baseball Classic batting .360 with 3 HRs, 6 runs scored, and 9 RBI IN SIX GAMES! With his nature ability and White Sox legend Paul Konerko hanging around one last season to mentor his replacement, Abreau should take home the AL Rookie of the Year Award. They also ignited their line-up with youth via trades by bringing in Adam Eaton and Matt Davidson. Eaton, as the new leadoff hitter, should immediately help improve a team that was second to last in on-base percentage last season. Davidson may still be a year away.

The starting rotation has a ton of ifs. Chris Sale, at only 24 years of age, is the ace of this staff. The White Sox could have upgraded the team overall with all of the trade offers for Sale this offseason, however they hung onto him for a reason. John Danks at one point had all of the tools to grow into an ace as well but he has been plagued by back-to-back injury riddled seasons. There is no guarantees he will ever regain his 2010 form. The rest of the rotation is young and inexperienced which rarely pans out.

The bullpen took the biggest hit this offseason. Gone are closer Addison Reed (who had 40 saves last season) and left handed specialist Matt Thorton. 28-year old Nathan Jones will step in as closer with zero career saves. Ronald Bellisario, Scott Downs, and Mitchell Boggs were signed in the offseason and have some closing experience, however there is a reason they didn’t stick as closers. The White Sox are in for a long season.

Project 2014 finish: 72-90. For ticket information visit Ticket Monster.

4. The Minnesota Twins

(Covers.com has the O/U at 65.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 70-92)

If you want a model of consistency take a look at the Twins. Two years in a row they have finished 66-96. That is the main reason I believe it can’t get much worse.

Their offense is in a holding mode while waiting on two of the Top Ten prospects in the AL. Miguel Sano, who many expected to break camp this season, needs Tommy John surgery and is out for 2014. Most experts have Byron Buxton as the number one prospect in the game. He will most likely start at Triple A but we will hear from him sooner than later. The line-up the Twins will field to start the season is more on the veteran side but still has some pop in their bats. Joe Mauer, now at first base, is still Joe Mauer and without the strain of catching everyday he could return to his old form. Josh Willingham, Trevor Plouffe, and Jason Kubel have all shown they could hit in the past. They need to do it again for this team to stay competitive.

They revamped the pitching staff bringing in two guys that, on paper, may seem mediocre. The Twins are hoping that a change of scenery for Phil Hughes and Ricky Nolasco is all that they need. Both could be a nice top of the rotation punch and at the very least they will eat innings. Crafty veterans Mike Pelfry and Kevin Correia fill out a rotation that will keep them in games.

After failing as a starter, Glenn Perkins has had nice back-to-back seasons shutting down games for the Twins. The rest of the bullpen is a bit shaky filled with a bunch of middling veterans. Samuel Deduno will most likely start the year in the pen coming off surgery but he could find his way into the rotation. This will be a much better team than it has been the last three seasons, but they are clearly waiting on their future.

Projected 2014 finish: 78-84. To purchase tickets click here.

3. The Cleveland Indians

(Covers.com has the O/U at 82.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing at 81-81)

Wild Thing, you make my heart sing. This team isn’t as bad as that Indians team started out. In fact, their line-up is pretty sick. It’s what they lost in pitching this offseason that will ultimately hurt them. Maybe they can get vaseline-baller Eddie Harris out of retirement.

The line-up from the leadoff spot to the nine hole is stacked. Michael Bourn isn’t getting any younger but he makes Willie “Mays” Hayes look slow. Nick Swisher is still one of my favorite players in the game as he is the ultimate model of consistency. I’m willing to bet he bats .240 with 25 HRs, about 85 RBIs, and tons of walks. Jason Kipnis is threatening to become the best second baseman in baseball as he is evolving into a solid 5 tool player. Carlos Santana’s numbers, which are already stellar, will benefit now as the full time DH with the emergence of Yan Gomes at catcher. Throw in newly resigned Michael Brantley and veteran Asdrubal Cabrera and this team is going to score a lot of runs and hit a lot of dingers.

The problem is how many runs the other teams are going to score against them. Ubaldo Jiminez and Scott Kazmir are gone leaving Justin Masterson as the lone ace of this staff. At 28, I can’t figure out if he is a work in progress or has peaked. One thing is for certain: when he is dominant, he is lights out as evidenced by his 3 complete games shutouts in 2013. The rest of the rotation is young and could be decent as Zach McAllister and Corey Kluber showed a lot of promise last season.

The bullpen remains the same mess it was before they let Chris Perez go. John Axford is no Rick Vaughn. The rest of the bullpen will struggle to close out games, but this team will win games off their bats alone. As long as no one steals Jobu’s rum that is.

Projected 2014 finsih: 85-77. To purchase tickets for any game click here.

2. The Kansas City Royals

(Covers.com has the O/U at 85.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 79-83)

The only promising stat to point out about the Royals’ playoff history is that the last time they made the playoffs they won the World Series. Unfortunately that was 1985. That drought ends this year as you are looking at one of this season’s AL Wild Card teams. You can ask Jay Scott, I have been hyping this team of youngsters for three years now, and finally it’s their turn.

The main reason this team will make the playoffs is because of the MVP performance Eric Hosmer is going to put together. I haven’t deemed him the AL MVP just yet because of Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera, but I’m tempted. He’s 24 now and he has teased us for a few years but he’s ready to become the team’s leader. The heart of this line-up is young but have been playing together for several years and are finally ready to click. Hosmer, Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez, and Mike Moustakas are primed and ready to take this franchise back to the playoffs. This is the stuff dreams are made of, kids. All five are homegrown talent, and aside from Perez, were top 15 picks in the first round of their respective drafts. They’ve made it to the bigs together and now they will make a run at the MLB playoffs.

The pitching staff is a bit shaky but they should be just fine. They are anchored by James Shields in a walk year so he is ready for a Cy Young-type season. Top prospect Yordano Ventura is making a very strong statement this spring to start the year in the rotation. The rest of the staff are crafty veterans (aka junk ballers) who seem to find ways to win.

The bullpen is strong as Greg Holland is one of the best closers in the biz. Set-up man Aaron Crow is a former All-Star. Wade Davis is a good swingman in case someone in the rotation suffers. Get ready Kaufman Krazies, it’s time to have fun again.

Projected 2014 finish: 90-72 AL Wild Card Team. For ticket information click here.

1. The Detroit Tigers

(Covers.com has the O/U at 91.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 88-74)

They lost Prince Fielder. They lost Doug Fister. They acquired Joba Chamberlian. Despite all of the negative offseason moves, the Tigers are just fine. It’s easy when you have the best hitter and pitcher in the AL.

Ian Kinsler comes to Detroit with a massive chip on his shoulder wishing an 0-162 on his former club. As long as he and Torii Hunter get on base regularly they will score a thousand runs with Miguel Cabrera right behind them. He is so good. You can put 8 shlubs on the field and as long as Cabrera is batting 3rd they will win games. The guy won a Triple Crown. That’s not a big deal for you old farts, but for me it’s the only one I have ever seen. For that reason, no matter how good Mike Trout is becoming, until Cabrera loses a limb, he’s still the best hitter in the game.

Then they have arguably the best pitcher in the game. Justin Verlander is silly good. He had a “down year” last season with 13 wins, 217 Ks and a 3.46 ERA. Read that again. He has four top-of-the-line pitches and a fastball that increases in speed later in games. Go ahead, read that one again, too. Following him in the rotation is reigning Cy Young Award winner Max Sherzer and behind him is reigning AL ERA Champion Anibal Snachez. Do the other two pitchers even matter in the rotation?

The biggest problem the Tigers have had the past few seasons (and probably the reason the haven’t won a World Series) was their bullpen. They fixed that problem by signing Joba Chamberlain from the Yankees. Ok, ok, I’m done with the Joba jokes. The Tigers now have Joe Nathan, who has averaged 40 saves a year the past two seasons, closing out games. Flamethrower Bruce Rondon will set him up and be ready to take the reigns when the 39-year old closer hangs it up. This team is making a deep run into October this year and I’ll probably lose more money to Ted Reed.

Projected 2014 finish: 98-64. AL Central Champs. For ticket information click here.

Basketball, College Basketball, March Madness, Sports, Uncategorized

Let’s Party Like It’s 1999!!!

March 11, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 4 Comments

Last night, the University of Delaware delivered quite the birthday present to my fellow Blue Hen alums Rinalli, Andrew, and Larry by stamping their ticket to March Madness. The Ass Kickin’ Chickens will be making just their fifth appearance in tournament history but we are Dancing nonetheless. Yes, Blue Hen Nation we are Dancing to some sweet, sweet music and as Delaware alum, still current resident, and Delaware’s sharpest jeweler , Taco, so eloquently put it, we hope the DJ keeps spinning through March!

When I was accepted at University of Delaware way back in 1993, we were amid a two year run in the tournament. In fact, the spring before I moved into Dickinson Hall F in 1993, we nearly upset Louisville losing 76-70. In August of that same year I made Newark my home and Delaware basketball fell off the map. Luckily for me, I seriously messed up my freshman year of college (do you realize how far Dickinson was from main campus? Why would I walk there when I had beer from State Line Liqours sitting in my fridge?) so I got to stay there for a fifth year before entering the “real world”. While most of the friends I walked into Freshmam Orientation with were gone, I got to stay around and watch the Blue Hens make the tournament in 1998. I remember the championship game being on ESPN and my good friend Ryan Law rushing the court and being so happy that he saw his shirt sleeve on national T.V. in the highlights. I remember this turtle-neck, sports coat-wearing, former Duke assistant named Mike Brey being regarded as the savior of Delaware athletics. I also remember that my Philosophy teacher was a Purdue grad and gave us off for the first round game against his alma mater. We were blown out of the water. I’m pretty sure I remember Purdue scoring 18 points before we were on the board, and it was one measly free throw. We lost that game 95-56 and I left Newark athletically unfulfilled.

We made the tourney again in 1999 but once again lost big to Tennessee. Since then the only promising hype Delaware had about basketball was Elena Delle Donna. She led the nation in scoring as a junior, took the women deep in the tourney, and became the second overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft.

Now, with Selection Sunday less than a week away, the Blue Hens have returned to The Dance 15 years later. Monte Ross is our head coach as Mike Brey left to become a national figure at Notre Dame. Last night, the patios at Deer Park and Klondike Kate’s better have been overflowing. God Street Wine, Grinch, Caravan, Love Seed Mama Jump, Jefe, and Mr. Greenjeans better have been blaring through the Mall, Harrington Beach, and the Student Center (the old one, not that new brightly lit, crazy one). There better have been some beer spilled for The Stone Balloon. And there better have been hundreds of college mistakes made at the wee hours of the morning. Why? Because this team not only made the tournament but has the chance to be your 2014 Bracket Buster.

TOP THREE REASONS WHY THE BLUE HENS HAVE A CHANCE:

YouDee says we're number 1 — YouDee says we’re number 1

3. We’re from CAA Country!

The Delaware Blue Hens beat William and Mary 75-74 in an exciting, down-to-the-wire finish to claim their first ever Colonial Athletic Association Championship. The CAA has been producing Bracket Busters pretty steadily over the last decade. Most people remember George Mason’s shocking run to the Final Four in 2006. A few people remember Old Dominion bouncing Notre Dame, coached by the aforementioned Mike Brey, in 2010. But most NCAA March Madness fans remember Shaka Smart and his Virginia Commonwealth Rams running from The First Four to The Final Four just 3 years ago. That same year the CAA had a rare two teams in the tourney as George Mason earned an outright bid by winning the CAA Tourney. The Patriots went on to upset Villanova in their first game before being bounced by number one seeded Ohio State. The CAA is sleeper country, folks, and you never rule out the Fighting Blue Hens!

2. We have experience.

Like most small schools, Delaware has the luxury of avoiding one-and-doners. Three of the starting five are seniors. Three have played together for a few years while the other two transfers have gelled in nicely. Monte Ross took over the depleted program in 2006 and while it has not been easy, his teams have shown improvement each and every year. This team has been patiently waiting for their chance. Now they have it.

1. The Ass Kickin’ Chickens are flat out good.

We have one of the more underrated starting 5s in the nation. All five average over 10 points a game as they run a fluid, unselfish offense. If Saddler has a big game one, Baptiste will have a huge game two. That’s how they operate and that’s what makes it difficult to shut down one guy for opposing defenses.

It all starts with Carl Baptiste staying out of foul trouble. Standing at 6’9″ and 260 pounds he’d be better named BapBEAST. He is going to cause match-up problems for a lot of schools because he is not just a huge hulking body but he can shoot and move. Jarvis Threatt is the floor general and has a handle on the ball that is dangerous for opposing defenses. He can slice down the middle and put in a sick lay-up, dump it to Baptiste who will dunk it down the opponents’ throat — or kick it out to Davon Usher, Kyle Anderson, or Devon Saddler waiting to drain a three. Threatt’s numbers show how important he is to the all-around game of the Blue Hens, averaging 18.1 points with 5.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. Usher and Saddler, both seniors, are legit scoring threats as both averaged over 19 points per game. They are also solid on the glass and can drill it from three point land. Anderson reminds me of Ollie from Hoosiers except he shoots a hell of a lot better than that underhand garbage. He fills his roll nicely as the perimeter guy but can sneak inside if you give him too much space.

The only question that remains for Delaware is the Blue Hens’ opponent in Round One (or Two, or however it works these days). Of course, the biggest question The Wayniac has been asked over the last 12 hours is, “What happens if Delaware draws Syracuse?” And I got to tell you, folks, that is a tough predicament for me. If you haven’t read my bio, then you are unaware that I have rooted for Syracuse longer than any other team I have affiliated myself with since basketball was my first true love. Since 1986 and Derrick Coleman, Sherman Douglas, and Rony Seikaly, I have bled Orange. If you follow @UofDWayne on Twitter, then you know I’m part of #CuseNation. But when push comes to shove, the University of Delaware was five of the best years of my life. They gave me the skills that made me The Wayniac. They gave me one of my oldest friends who edits every piece I write. And they gave me 20% of their tournament visits while I was there. The very least I could do is give them my allegiance. It will be an emotional roller coaster of a game, I’ll tell you that. I’ll curse while cheering. I’ll be yelling while clapping. I’ll probably throw up somewhere. But right now I’m in the Cockpit gearing up to wear my blue and yellow and represent Blue Hen Country. Sorry Cuse fans.

Till next time folks, LET’S GO BLUE HENS!!!

Basbeall, Sports, Sports, Baseball, Uncategorized

Everyone Loves a Little Billy Ball

March 9, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 4 Comments

Baseball is almost here, folks. We are only 12 short days away from the first pitch Down Under, mates. It’s getting real exciting, too. If Spring Training had any sort of meaning behind it, we would have an exciting match-up between the Cleveland Indians versus the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series. As it stands, Spring Training means nothing, and that’s precisely why I’m here telling you exactly how this season is going to play out.

THE AL WEST

5. The Houston Astros

(Covers.com has the Over/Under at 57.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 67-95)

It has to be tough to be an Astros’ fan. The last time they had a winning record was in 2008 when Usher unleashed Justin Bieber upon the world (so, we have all been struggling ‘Stros fans). They have lost over 100 games for three seasons in a row. They got booted, not only from their division, but the whole damn National League. They can’t even get poor Craig Biggo into the Hall of Fame.

This season doesn’t look like things will be getting any better as GM Jeff Luhnow has this team prepping for the future. I know a lot about sports, an unhealthy amount, so for me to tell you that there are only four people I in this line-up speaks volumes. It’s not so much who will be on the 2014 Astros’ roster, but who is waiting in the wings as the Astros have what several experts are calling the top farm system in baseball with elite prospects at every position. The simple fact that I know more about Jonathan Singleton (1B), 2013 number one overall pick Mark Appel, and one of the top prospects in the game, shortstop Carlos Correa than most of their starters shows that the Astros will be prime contenders… in two years.

Until then, Houston will have to watch second baseman Jose Altuve and All-Star catcher Jason Castro lead a cast of no names to the basement of the West. I guess newly acquired Scott Feldman, who has gone 27-35 since his 17-8 2009 breakout, is the ace of this staff. That’s mainly because Jarred Cosart, Brett Oberholtzer, and Brad Peacock have appeared in 44 major league games combined. Chad Qualls, more famous for falling off of pitchers mounds than striking people out, will be the teams closer. Be patient Astros fans. Good times are ahead… way ahead.

Projected 2014 finish: 61-101. For ticket information check out Ticket Monster.

4. The Seattle Mariners

(Covers.com has the O/U at 80 while FanGraphs has them finishing 83-79)

I am not a bitter Yankees’ fan. I loved Robbie Cano. I think he was a more of a made things look easy kind-of-guy rather than the lackadaisical, no effort type-of-guy that everyone seems to suddenly be bashing him about. That being said, $240 million is absolutely absurd. He couldn’t lead a Yankees team to the playoffs last season that had very similar talent to what this Mariners’ team has this season and he’s not going to do it this year, either.

The revamped offense seems to have given up on Jesus Montero, the colossal bust acquired from the Yankees two years ago. His batting average has lowered, his home runs have dropped, and he appears to have eaten former Mariner Edgar Martinez. They brought in outfielder Corey Hart and DH Logan Morrison along with Cano to try and revitalize this offense. A lot will depend on the continued growth of 1B Justin Smoak and 3B Kyle Seager. Both have developed some nice pop but it would be nice if they could hit their weight and they would become All-Stars if the could hit Montero’s weight.

The pitching staff is anchored by Felix Hernandez who is simply one of the best the game has to offer. It’s scary to think what his numbers would be if he pitched on a contender. The rest of the rotation has already taken a big hit this spring. Hisashi Iwakuma is dealing with a finger issue and the Ms hope to have him back by May. Top prospect Taijuan Walker has a bum right shoulder and he is also doubtful until May. King Felix and the four castoffs they have attempting to hold the team together until both return may put them out of contention early.

Fernando Rodney leads an uninspiring bullpen. He returned to reality last season after his superhuman 2012 and that reality is that he is shaky closer. Should Rodney fail, the Ms will have to turn to Tom Wilhelmsen who struggled big time last season. Things are as bleak as the weather in Seattle this season.

Projected 2014 finish: 79-83. For ticket information click here.

3. The Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles that were once California

(Covers.com has the O/U at 84.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 85-77)

The Angels are a prime example of how money does NOT buy championships. Mike Scioscia built this team on a small ball philosophy and when the big brass brought in sluggers, their success changed. It appears that they bought some broken down pieces on offense and their once vaunted pitching staff is half of what it used to be.

Mike Trout is the best player in baseball, folks, and he is only 22. We as baseball fans are very lucky to watch Trout in the AL and Harper in the NL taking over their leagues. It is the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson of the MLB. What is also undeniable is how terribly awful Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton played last season. I know, they both suffered through injuries, but the reality is these guys are getting up there in age and have a lot of mileage on them. A bounce back from these two highly paid superstars is the only way the Angels can return to the playoffs for the first time in 4 years. Pujols unfortunately is on the wrong side of 30 and dealing with a torn plantar fascia which is never easy to come back from. The entire line-up is getting older and the addition of 41-year old Raul Ibanez to replace the departed 28-year old Mark Trumbo may not be enough.

The pitching staff is a question mark. Only James Shields and Justin Verlander have thrown more pitches than CJ Wilson has over the last two seasons. It may catch up to him as he has always had a high WHIP and is entering his mid-30s. Jered Weaver was once a perennial Cy Young candidate, however both his strikeout rate and velocity have been in a steady decline for a few years now. Rounding out the rotation is a new and relatively young staff. What effect Hector Santiago, Tyler Skaggs, and Garrett Richards can have in turning around this team is yet to be seen.

Ernesto Frieri is an enigma in the pen. He’s a bit like Rick “The Wild Thing” Vaughn. He is either going to strike you out or the ball his going to leave every park but Yellowstone. This is never a good sign for a long-term answer at closer.

Projected 2014 finish: 83-79. For ticket information click here.

2. The Texas Rangers

(Covers.com has the O/U at 86.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 84-78)

Ron Washington is the winningest coach in Rangers history and will always have this team competing. They could wind-up the last Wild Card spot if it weren’t for my most outrageous prediction yet (which hasn’t been made, so stay tuned!) They made some big changes for the better this past offseason and like Chuck Norris’s beard, it makes them stronger.

Shin-Soo Choo was brought in from Cincinnati and instantly makes the offense more potent. The guy does everything well but most importantly knows how to get on base. That will be huge with fellow Ranger newbie Prince Fielder waiting in the hole. The veggie burrito eating monmouth is built for the home run-frienldy confines of The Ballpark at Arlington (I don’t believe in corporate name changes to stadiums, so back off Globe Life) and alongside Adrian Beltre and Alex Rios form a pretty sexy heart of the line-up. Ian Kinsler was sent to Detroit for Fielder which makes room for he prospect we have all been waiting on: Jurickson Profar. He will have his chance to prove his worth with no real threat on the roster.

The pitching staff is a bit iffy, but if you haven’t noticed, that appears to be the theme in the AL West. Yu Darvish is the clear cut ace. The Rangers really need Matt Harrison and Derek Holland to return to full health because it gives them a very formidable front end of the rotation. Joe Saunders and Tommy Hanson will be forced into action without their services and that’s not good for anyone.

Neftali Feliz is officially the closer… again… I think. He wants to be a starter but because of his mechanical flaws, the Rangers feel he is more suited for the bullpen. Well, that doesn’t make much sense, now does it? Should he stumble the Rangers are actually in good shape as they have Joakim Soria and Tanner Schepps waiting in the pen.

Projected 2014 finish: 90-72. For ticket information click here.

1. The Oakland Athletics

(Covers.com has the O/U at 86.6 while FanGraphs has them finishing 84-78)

The A’s are geared and ready for another run like the early 90s. They don’t have the power or swag that the Bash Brothers had but the back-to-back AL West Champs have all the goods to keep the title run going for at least another season.

The A’s return the same line-up that has been the best of the West. Josh Reddick needs to bounce back from an injury plagued 2013 and become the power surge in the middle of the line-up he was in 2012 when the A’s nabbed him from the Red Sox. Yoenis Cespedes must continue to adjust to pitchers as they have clearly begun to figure him out. He has all the tools and raw talent to take the next step, the question remains on when he will do it. Jed Lowrie is still the unsung leader of this offense while Josh Donaldson quietly continues his rise as one of the best third basemen in baseball.

The loss of last year’s ace Bartolo Colon should not be a problem for this young staff as their rotation gives them the edge in this division. Jarrod Parker must now become the leader of this staff and at 25 he should be ready to shine. The addition of Scott Kazmir brings some veteran leadership to the young staff, although a history of injuries along with it. I still feel like even at age 30 we are waiting for that one amazing season from Kazmir, but those expectations may be a result of too much hype early in his career. Sonny Gray, Dan Straily, and AJ Griffin round out a staff that is growing into one of the most solid rotations in the league.

The A’s let Grant Balfour walk and brought in Jim Johnson as their new closer. It will be interesting to see how he pans out. He amassed 101 saves over the last 2 years in Baltimore, however, he walked a ton of batters and blew a lot of saves that the O’s potent offense frequently bailed him out of losing. Should he struggle, the A’s are safe with possibly the best bullpen in the AL featuring Sean Doolittle, Ryan Cook, and Luke Gregerson.

Projected 2014 finish: 95-67, AL West Champs. For ticket information click here.

Basbeall, Sports, Sports, Baseball, Uncategorized

DO IT FOR DONNIE: The Dodgers and the Rest of the West

March 6, 2014 Wayne Cavadi 4 Comments

Spring Training rolls on. So does the tour of The Wayniac’s NL Predictions. In case you haven’t been following along you can check out the NL East picks and NL Central projections at your leisure but for the time being I demand your full attention on the NL West. The winner will round out the playoffs with the fifth and final spot.

THE NL WEST 2014 PREDICTIONS:

5. The Colorado Rockies

(Covers.com has the Over/Under at 76.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 80-82.)

Unlike Coors Original, the Colorado Rockies offense has never had a problem with its strength. Heading into 2014, the Rockies’ main problem is not their offense but the same two issues they struggle with every season: injuries and pitching. Michael Cuddyer, Wilin Rosario, Troy Tulowitzki, and Carlos Gonzalez are lethal in the middle of the line-up. They could carry this team very far… if they stayed on the field. Last season, the Rockies didn’t have one and of their offensive threats play over 130 games. This season, the Rockies begin their first season since 1998 without Peyton Manning’s former back-up, Todd Helton. Justin Morneau was brought in to replace him. He is a nice addition, but is also injury-prone.

The pitching staff from top to bottom is pretty weak. When Jorge De La Rosa and Jhoulys Chacin are battling to be the ace of your rotation, you are in for a long season. They brought in Brett Anderson from Oakland. Anderson has always had sick stuff but he is, of course, an injury risk. Tyler Chatwood showed a lot of promise last season, but he needs to get his control issues under, well… control! The bullpen is anchored by 41-year old LaTroy Hawkins, who has pitched 1374.1 innings over his 19-year career and has amassed a meager 101 saves. Now he is be asked to be the closer. Rex Brothers filled in admirably last season as the teams’ closer; however, he has always been plagued by control issues with a career 1.37 WHIP. Perhaps the Rockies feel more comfortable with Hawkins’ experience, but I wouldn’t rule out seeing Brothers as the team’s closer by season’s end.

This team could hover around .500 if they stay healthy. Based on history, that is a big IF.

Projected 2014 finish: 78-84. For ticket information check out Ticket Monster.

I'm kind of important. — I’m kind of important..

4. The San Diego Padres

(Covers.com has the O/U at 76.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 81-81)

The team is named after a holy person, their mascot is a chicken, and I am told that the name of the city translates to whale’s vagina. None of that makes much sense to me, but as the saying goes, when in Rome.

Believe it or not, despite not having many big names, this team isn’t half bad. Their offense has a bunch of nice players, but none are close to superstars. Heck, I don’t even think one classifies as an All-Star. But together they work and could push this team around .500. Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko are the future of this team. It’s time for them to stop teasing us and become the big time players the Padres need so the team can be relevant for the first time since Tony Gwynn retired.

Andrew Cashner should emerge as the ace of this staff as he set career bests in ERA and WHIP in his first full season in the bigs. Ian Kennedy will never be the 21-4 pitcher he was in 2011, having won 22 games in the 2 seasons since then, but he is still a good pitcher. The real X-factor will be Josh Johnson. He is one of the most frustrating pitchers in baseball with all the talent in the world but rarely stays healthy. If he can, they form a pretty strong 1-2-3.

If they can get to the bullpen, Huston Street and newly acquired Joaquin Benoit are very solid. Benoit came on strong last season when the Tigers needed him to be a closer for the first time in his career at the ripe age of 35. Sliding back into his set-up role for Street gives the Padres extra insurance should they need him. The Padres are kings of one-run ballgames so the deeper the bull pen, the better. Stay classy, San Diego.

Projected 2014 finish: 80-82. For ticket information click here.

3. The San Francisco Giants

(Covers.com has the O/U at 86.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing 85-77)

I never think these guys are going to be any good, but the Giants are legit contenders as long as Buster Posey is around. He isn’t the best in the league. Hell, he isn’t even the best player in the division, but there are very few players more valuable to his team than Posey. He bats in the clean-up spot and handles one of the better pitching staffs in the league.

The rest of the offense is a question mark. The biggest question every spring is always how fat can Kung Fu Panda actually get? Talk about a guy wasting his talent on French Fries. Pablo Sandoval can hit but his conditioning has derailed his career as his peripheral stats are already in a decline at 27. Brandon Belt has been a “sleeper” breakout candidate since he came into the league. He has gotten increasingly better each year so don’t be surprised to once again hear how this will be his “breakout campaign”. Hunter Pence is pretty reliable and really is the only protection that Posey has in the line-up.

No matter if the offense struggles, the pitching staff is strong enough to keep the Giants in contention. Tim Lincecum is the X-factor for these guys. It doesn’t make sense how he has fallen off from the best pitcher in the league to a guy battling to be in the rotation. I think he has a nice bounce back but I don’t think we will ever see The Freak again. Tim Hudson is the veteran leadership the front end of the rotation needs. Huddy can still pitch even if his best days are behind him. Madison Bumgarner (that name is funny, I don’t even need a joke) and Matt Cain are both the aces of the staff and I would trust either in Game 7 of a playoff series. Ryan Vogelsong is playing on borrowed time at 36 but there really isn’t anyone to take his job yet.

Sergio Romo leads a strong bullpen and should have no problem repeating as closer after a strong debut replacing Brian Wilson. Jeremy Affeldt, Javier Lopez, and Santiago Casilla will make closing out close games seem easy.

Projected 2014 finish: 83-79. For ticket information click here.

2. The Arizona Diamondbacks

(Covers.com has the O/U at 81 while FanGraphs has them at 83-79)

I hate the Diamondbacks. Not only did they win that 2001 World Series from my beloved Yankees, but on one pitch, on one bloop single by Luis Gonzalez, the D-Backs ended the Yankee dynasty. That being said, I think they have a good squad this year. If the Pirates fall back into their losing ways, then the Diamondbacks could steal the last Wild Card slot.

The offense is led by one of the best all-around players in baseball. Paul Goldschmidt’s stat line last season was sick: .302 batting average with 36 HRs, 125 RBI, 103 runs scored, and 15 SBs, all while getting on base at a .401 clip. He will be a Triple Crown threat soon enough as his batting average has jumped tremendously in each of his first three seasons. Bringing in Mark Trumbo from the Angels surrounds Goldschmidt with a solid 2 through 6 in the line-up. DiDi Gregorius has been a highly touted prospect for a few years and showed a glimpse of what he is capable of last season. If he can put it together this year, then the D-Backs will have a very potent line-up from the leadoff spot right up to the pitcher.

The pitching staff isn’t full of Cy Young contenders but they have 6 solid starters. Newly signed Bronson Arroyo brings some much needed veteran leadership to this young staff. Patrick Corbin stepped up and became the ace of this staff last season. Trevor Cahill and Brandon McCarthy need to return to their old form. If not, Randall Delgado is waiting in the wings. I watched this guy as a youngster in Atlanta. He has the stuff to be in this rotation — most likely for McCarthy — by mid-season.

The bullpen is deep as well. They acquired Addison Reed from the White Sox and now have three go-to options with closing experience at the back end of the bullpen. J.J. Putz (yet another fantastic name) and Brad Ziegler will lock down plenty of wins for the upstart Diamondbacks.

Projected 2014 finish: 88-74. For ticket information click here.

I know plenty of Yankee fame rooting for the Dodgers

1. The Los Angeles Dodgers

(Covers.com has the O/U at 92.5 while FanGraphs has them finishing at 91-71)

Well, folks, for just $224 million, you too can have the best team in a mediocre division. This Dodgers team (on paper) has all of the tools to win the NL Pennant. Which is why Don Mattingly is already on the hot seat.

Most Yankee fans are rooting heavily for the Dodgers just to see the hero of our youth make a World Series. He will have a lot of managing to do to pull it off both on the field and in the dugout. He has some highly paid egos that could implode on him if he doesn’t clamp it down right from the get go.

It truly is a Hollywood story for the Dodgers. Yasiel Puig is going for the Fat Albert look putting on 40 pounds in the offseason, which is exactly what you want from your stud 23-year old outfielder. Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp appear to be poised to bounce back from injury-riddled seasons… again. Adrian Gonzalez is the first player in the history of baseball to become a worse hitter after leaving the pitcher-friendly confines of San Diego. Together though, with the likes of Carl Crawford, Juan Uribe, A.J. Ellis, and Dee Gordon, there is no weakness in their line-up.

The pitching staff is anchored by possibly the best pitcher in baseball. You can mark it down now, Clayton Kershaw is your 2014 NL Cy Young. He’s too good not to win the award for the third time in the last 4 years. This starting five is so deep (how deep is it?) that newly signed starting pitcher Paul Maholm may most likely start the year in long relief out of the bullpen. Zack Grienke would be an ace on any other staff and it will be exciting to see how Hyun-Jin Ryu responds in his second year in the states.

The bullpen is super deep. Kenley Jansen throws straight-up gas striking out 111 batters in just 76.2 innings last season. That’s a 13 K/ 9 inning ratio which translates to INSANE. Like the Diamondbacks, Jansen’s set-up men both have closing experience. Brian Wilson seems like he is back and hairier than ever. Reports are that he is also adding a knuckle ball into his repertoire which is perfectly normal 8 years into your career and also translates to INSANE. Chris Perez has long struggled closing out games for the Indians but maybe he thrives in LA with the pressure off of him as a closer. There is no reason this team can’t reach 100 wins.

Projected 2014 finish: 100-62 NL West Champs. For ticket information click here.

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Monthly Archives: March 2014

You’re Killing Me, Smalls!

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DO IT FOR DONNIE: The Dodgers and the Rest of the West

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Welcome to my website. Here you can get an idea of my work and find writing samples as well as the DII Nation Podcast.