The New Play of the 2009 NCAA Tournament

We've seen this play, the coast-to-coast game winner.  But that doesn't mean it's not impressive.  Scottie Reynolds sent his Villanova Wildcats to the Final Four for the first time since 1985 with this impressive bucket with 0.5 seconds left to win it.

Unquestionably the play of the tournament.  The problem, though, which you don't see in this video, is that the basket was scored with 0.5 seconds left.  The Villanova players had rushed the court already, and while listening on the radio play by play guy Kevin Kuebler (not sure if that's spelled right) had announced the game over.  After deliberation Pitt got one final shot at the buzzer and from more than 70 feet away Panthers guard Levance Fields nearly drained a three at the buzzer to win.  (It hit the backboard.)

Still, props to Scottie Reynolds.  Great basket in traffic with the pressure on.  UConn and Villanova represent the Big East in the Final Four.  We'll see who else joins them this afternoon.  (Maybe yet another Big East squad in Louisville.)

30 Teams In 30 Days

San Diego Padres:  Jake Peavy Is Still Their Employee

(Over the next 30 days, BERNing on Sports will be previewing every team in the Majors, yes, even the Royals.  Only one a day, every day, so try not to get too hooked.)

Jake Peavy's Still A Padre

The only thing anyone heard this off-season regarding the Padres (other than their blockbuster free agent signing of catcher Henry Blanco) was whether former Cy Young award winning ace Jake Peavy would be wearing a new uniform come opening day.  First we heard about a potential deal to Atlanta, then the rest of the off season seemed to be a game of chess between Cubs GM Jim Hendry and Padres GM Kevin Towers.  Nothing ever happened, despite the fact he was found drunkenly singing "Go Cubs Go" at the winter meetings and he was signing autographs with "Go Cubs" below his name.  He has since denied this, because he was drunk enough that he probably doesn't remember, but it was quite a scene at the Las Vegas Hilton and the Bellagio last December.  Now that Peavy apparently isn't headed anywhere and he'll remain the Padres ace, that's means they have a good chance to win at least once every five days.  Twice when you consider that Chris Young is apparently healthy again and ready to go as well.  Not a bad one-two punch for a team that lost 99 games last year.

Peavy and Young, But Who Else?

Do the Padres have five starting pitchers employed for 2009?  I'm really not so sure.  After the aforementioned Peavy and Young, I suppose Cha-Seung Baek pitches the third day of 2009.  After that, who?  Yahoo Sports only has three pitchers listed in this rotation, which cannot be right, unless San Diego's pending ownership change has gotten so bad that they're trying to go with a three man rotation 1930s style.  Better judgment suggests they might put Kevin Correia and Shawn Hill on the back end of the rotation, or pitchers of the like, and that tells you all you need to know about the lack of pitching depth on this team.  Not to mention that long time closer Trevor Hoffman now gets his mail forwarded to Milwaukee and the Fathers will likely have to settle for Heath Bell as the closer.  Yikes.

Where Hitters Go To Die

Remember the Brian Giles that played for Cleveland and Pittsburgh?  He was one of the best hitters in the game.  The one that has played for San Diego over the last six seasons is half the player he was before.  Credit that to playing in the cavernous Petco Park, allege that he was a steroid user, do whatever you want.  But this guy hasn't hit more than 15 home runs in any of the last four years.  He's gone from great hitter to "walk machine".  Other than Adrian Gonzalez, who is apparently so good this ballpark can't do him in, there's no one in this lineup that stands out as a guy who will have a significant impact on their offense.  Kevin Kouzmanoff seems to be developing into a nice player, but can he be the right handed hitter the Padres could sandwich into the lineup between Giles and Gonzalez?  Probably not.  This offense stinks, flat out.  And it will continue to stink, unless everyone in the lineup has a career year.

Moorad Takes Over

According to sources in San Diego, Jeff Moorad's ownership group, which currently owns 35 percent of the team, is going to be taking over the decision making for the Padres even though their transition to majority ownership may not officially occur for a few years.  What does this mean for the product on the field?  Well Moorad did a nice job running the Diamondbacks previously, as they made the playoffs and rebuilt with a young lineup in 2007.  San Diego is hoping for the same thing.  But the Padres will be strapped for cash over the next couple of years while things are in transition, and this could mean San Diego will eventually dump big contracts like Peavy's and others to the first taker.  Stay tuned.

Bold Predictions

1. San Diego won't be nearly as bad as last year, and with Peavy and Young atop the rotation they may hover around the .500 mark until mid-season.  But at that point they'll realize they can't contend with either the Dodgers or Arizona and they'll dump Peavy and maybe even Chris Young.
2. Kevin Kouzmanoff will hit 30 home runs this year.  He'll also drive in a hundred runs.  His offense however, will be the least productive in baseball.
3. The Padres will trade Brian Giles at the break to a contending team.

Speaking Of Funny Commercials

This one is a great old gem.  Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Mark McGwire, and chicks who dig the long ball.

Enjoy.

Classic.

30 Teams In 30 Days

Los Angeles Dodgers:  Yes, I Know They Swept The Cubs in the Playoffs Last Season

(Over the next 30 days, BERNing on Sports will be previewing every team in the Majors, yes, even the Royals.  Only one a day, every day, so try not to get too hooked.)

As I Was Saying...

I know the Cubs lost in a sweep last year in Los Angeles.  So the jokes can end right here.  Save your James Loney jeers and your comments related to Cubs playoff errors for some other forum.  (Because you'll probably have more fodder for me this October.)  Yet even though my beloved Northsiders played a horrifying series against L.A. last October, last year's playoff run showed you what this Dodgers team can be when their lineup is healthy.  We'll have the obligatory Manny discussion (next paragraph) and his impact on the team.  But the supporting cast for Ramirez is not only good when healthy, but potentially dangerous.  Do they have any one great hitter other than Manny?  Well, no.  But they do have a line up full of good hitters like Andre Ethier, the aforementioned Loney and Russell Martin in the middle of the lineup.  They also have two good table setters in Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson who should provide many pitchers problems with Manny coming up next.  Casey Blake and the athletic Matt Kemp are solid guys as well.  This is one lineup in baseball that top to bottom really has no weaknesses, and it's what should keep the Dodgers in contention for the next six months.  

The Obligatory Man-Ram Discussion

How could we have a preview of the Dodgers without giving one of the most scrutinized players in the great game of baseball his own header?  Exactly, so here goes.  The whole off-season was just a series of non-stories until the inevitable conclusion that Ramirez would eventually be a Dodger finally came to fruition a couple weeks ago.  The truth is, no matter what Ramirez cost, or whether there was a market for him or not, the Dodgers had no choice but to bring him back in the fold.  He is one of the best hitters in the game, and assuming he doesn't significantly decline due to age, he's a game-changing player that makes the Dodgers a force just by his mere presence on the lineup card.  Furthermore, you'd have to think his work ethic and approach to hitting can only be a good thing for the young guys in this lineup.  You put up with his attitude, or his seemingly careless demeanor.  Because the bottom line is, he's a masher, and they need him.  

Can Dodger Stadium Save This Staff?

The Dodgers lost ace Derek Lowe to free agency this off-season, and without him this pitching staff should take a significant hit.  He was outstanding down the stretch last year and other than Manny he was the biggest reason L.A. made it to October.  Now Chad Billingsley will have to assume a bigger role anchoring the staff, as well Hiroki Kuroda and veteran lefty Randy Wolf.  If those three pitch well and reap the benefits of pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium, L.A. should be okay.  You can't rely on Clayton Kershaw to give you much, even though at times last year he showed promise, and if Claudio Vargas assumes an significant role that's clearly not a good thing.  The Dodgers pitching staff is usually good even if the names aren't there just because that ballpark historically helps pitchers pitch.  But what is normally a strength in The City of Angels could instead be a setback for the 2009 outfit.

Remember This Guy?

His name is Jason Schmidt, and what seems like eons ago he was a coveted top of the rotation pitcher.  He has made just six starts for the Dodgers after they inked him to a now infamous three year contract worth forty-seven million dollars.  Well this is the final year of the deal and Schmidt is nearly recovered from shoulder surgery.  He is allegedly healthy now, but will start the season on a minor league rehab assignment to build up his arm strength.  He hasn't had a banner year since 2o04, but if he is in fact healthy and is at all effective this could be the shot in the arm (no pun intended) that the Dodgers need in a pitching staff which lost its ace.  I'm not saying the guy's going to win 17 games, but if he can come back and win ten games for this team, it could provide them the pitching depth they need to battle for a playoff spot again.

Bold Predictions

1. The Dodgers will win 90 games this year and win the NL West again.  But their pitching staff with have a team ERA among the worst in the National League.
2. Chad Billingsley will finish in the top 5 in the Cy Young voting.  He's the next great pitching star in the National League.
3. People will stop considering the Dodger Dog some kind of ball park delicacy.  It's an overrated, average hot dog.

Up Next...Sunday, Mariners.

Sweet Turns Sour

I'll still watch the rest of the tournament.  I have already professed my love for the college hoops festival that is March Madness on this forum.

But Syracuse's loss to Oklahoma in the Sweet Sixteen turned my tournament experience from sweet to sour.  It's not really that I'm upset.  I'm just disappointed.  I'm disappointed at how poorly Syracuse played and how they failed to show their talent on the grandest stage.  For the first time, my school went deep in the tournament, and now their run is over.

Like Scott has mentioned in the podcast and in a post last week, it's satisfying just to know that this team made it to the Sweet Sixteen.  I expected less at the beginning of the year.  So the reality of seeing them in this game tonight was enough.  Really.

Yet I raced home from work, listening to the game on the radio as I weaved through highway traffic like Jeff Gordon at Daytona, (like the NASCAR reference?  Honestly, it took me a couple seconds to think of a driver to use here.) and made it to the sports bar with four minutes left in the first half.  I saw the Orange down by four at the time, and then watched their deficit balloon to thirteen at halftime.

The second half was just heartbreaking.  Oklahoma's lead swelled and I learned that Betty Crocker not only is a great cook but she also has a jump shot.  Blake Griffin killed the Orange as was expected.  It wasn't an enjoyable experience.

When the game ended, I barely noticed.  My attention diverted to the other hoops games and the Blackhawks hockey game on the adjacent TV.  I sat through two baseball games Friday afternoon anticipating the opportunity to watch Syracuse play for a chance at the Elite Eight.  I didn't even watch it until the clock hit triple zeros.

And after a couple short hours, Syracuse's run was over.

That's how the tournament goes.  But it's tough when your team gets trounced.  Syracuse had a great year.  I know that.  They played the best college basketball game I have ever seen this year, won it, and went to the second weekend of March Madness.  Next week I'll be excited to watch the Final Four, no matter who advances.

For the rest of this weekend though, it's going to be tough to watch college basketball.  The Sweet Sixteen turned sour.

30 Teams In 30 Days

Los Angeles Angels:  Dropping The Ball, Ready To Fall

(Over the next 30 days, BERNing on Sports will be previewing every team in the Majors, yes, even the Royals. Only one a day, every day, so try not to get too hooked)

Keeping It Real

You want me to keep it real? OK, on the real, the Angels really were plain pathetic this off-season.  They let their closer of record-setting proportions and their much needed big bat both walk for more money to New York.  Then, they settled and added a closer who just a year prior had lost his job and an outfielder that can hit, but won't make a huge difference.  And this team is still a top tier team?  I don't think so.  Besides John Lackey, their entire staff (nay, their entire team) seems to be sliding in production (more on that later).  The Halos are counting on big years from Kendry Morales and Howie Kendrick (don't their names sound the same if you say them real fast?).  That's not the worst prayer in the world, but I wouldn't put the house on it.  If it wasn't for the fact that they're division is god awful, they wouldn't even be in contention this year.  That's just how I feel. 

Mike Napoli, Making Italians Everywhere Proud

Of players with a last name ending a vowel that were catchers in the major leagues last year, Mike Napoli lead them all with 20 homers.  That has to make you feel good, if your an Italian.  Unless, of course, if you're Chris Ianetta.  18 dingers.  Good, but not Mike Napoli-good.

A Fading Bunch

It pains me to say it, but Vlady Guerrero has clearly seen his best days.  "Shawn" Figgins also seems to have seen his better.  Throw in that Jered Weaver (uh, he's a Weaver...) has seen his ERA rise each of the past 3 years, Ervin Santana is hurt now, Kelvim Escobar inevitably will be hurt and you've got a team filled with guys that aren't looking up.  As I said above, they're still a good team, their bullpen is still solid, but their greatest strength is that they play in AL West.

Where Have You Gone Baby Sarge?

On another blog I wrote about two or three years ago, I wrote a post in tribute to the return (?) to glory of one Gary Matthews Jr.  It was featured on Deadspin, and I must say, along with his All-Star selection, his career never got any better.   Now, only two years removed from a comical (even at the time) 5 year 55 million dollar deal, Matthews has been relegated to 4th outfielder status.  If his career path to this point is any indicator, the waiver wire could again be in his future, and that is sad for the proud, albeit known steroid user.

Bold Predictions

The Angels will not win the AL West, and thus will not make the playoffs.

Brian Fuentes will not be the Angels' closer for the entire season.  Jose Arredondo should and will be given a shot.

Up Next...Saturday, Dodgers

Clogging Arteries, One Bite At A Time

This is revolting.

The West Michigan Whitecaps baseball team (Single-A affiliate for the Detroit Tigers) is introducing a new item on its ballpark menu that will provide you 4800 calories in one sitting.  It's a cheeseburger made of nearly two pounds of beef, five slices of cheese, almost a cup of chili, salsa and corn clips on an eight-inch bun.  It weighs four pounds in all, and you can have it at a Whitecaps game for twenty dollars.

This is all America needs.  Another glutenous way to make an already overweight country fatter.

To me, this isn't funny.  Well, scratch that.  The picture is pretty funny.  It's hysterical, even though that burger looks disgusting.  That's why I posted this on the blog in the first place.  But this is an irresponsible move by the Whitecaps to offer this colossal burger to its customers.

I know what you're going to say.  Ultimately, it's the fans problem if they order this cow on a bun.  It's not like the Whitecaps concession people are force feeding this burger down people's throats.  And I realize that at most parks you can't get a healthy thing to eat as it is.  Trust me, the only thing my health-nut ex-girlfriend used to eat at ballparks was the soft pretzel without the salt.  Even that isn't exactly healthy, though.

But this cannot be a good thing.  It just can't.  The Whitecaps are contributing to American obesity by offering this thing in the first place, and now you're going to have people that want to take the challenge to eat it.  People entering the ballpark each day are going to be asking their buddies, "Dude, you gonna get that four pound burger?"  And you know there will be plenty of fools ready to dive in.  After all, if they eat the whole thing in one sitting they win a free t-shirt.  (So worth it!)  Not to mention they'll wash it down with a few 250 calorie each beers.  Nothing like a nice 6,000 calorie night at the Whitecaps game.

Worse yet, you're going to make things VERY difficult on your janitorial staff who will likely be cleaning up a lot of cheeseburger-induced sicknesses at the park.  Imagine trying to leave the ballpark restroom in the fourth inning when you get bowled over by some greasy fat guy ready to be sick from eating the behemoth burger.  That should be a pleasant experience.

Remind me not to go to a Whitecaps game anytime soon.  Then again, it won't be too hard to stay away.  I just Googled it.  The ballpark is 209 miles away and a good three and a half hour drive from my house.