By Chad Ruter:
The final buzzer has sounded at all regional sites, and all hands are on deck for San Antonio. For the first time in the history of the NCAA Tournament’s 64/65 team field, all four No. 1 seeds will be playing at the same site to duke it out for the title. UNC, UCLA, Memphis, and Kansas all played their way to Texas with very few hiccups, and it should make for one helluva Final Four.
As for my brackets, I am in a position I’ve never been in before. I sit alone in 6th place in the Scoutware standings, with a chance to take home first place if UCLA beats UNC in the National Championship game. If UCLA beats Kansas, I’ll finish second. As with any bracket though, you have to get the championship game correct, and I’ve been correct for the past two years, let’s make it three!
For the TOUTS league, I sit in fifth place, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am 10 points (the equivalent of one first round game) ahead of Justin. Remember folks, loser has to wear the hat of the other’s favorite baseball for two days, one when we are together, another when we are going about our daily business (with picture proof of the day we aren’t together). If UNC wins the championship, Justin wins. If UCLA wins, I win. If neither teams wins, I win. These are my kinda odds!!
I also submitted a bracket to my buddy Jason’s pool, in which I have UNC beating UCLA in the finals, and three out of the four Final Four teams correct. I’m not sure what my position is in that pool, and if I have a chance at some cash or not…but let’s assume I do have a chance at winning the title, and break down the eight different scenarios we could have.
UNC over KU, UCLA over Mem, UCLA over UNC: I win the Scoutware pool and win J and mines bet.
UNC over KU, UCLA over Mem, UNC over UCLA: I win Jason’s pool, but lose the bet with J.
UNC over KU, Mem over UCLA, UNC over Mem: Fairly sure I win no money, and lose the bet. BAD!
UNC over KU, Mem over UCLA, Mem over UNC: No money, and lose bet. BAD!
KU over UNC, UCLA over Mem, UCLA over KU: Second place money in Scoutware and win bet.
KU over UNC, UCLA over Mem, KU over UCLA: No money, but I win the bet.
KU over UNC, Mem over UCLA, KU over Mem: No money, but I win the bet.
KU over UNC, Mem over UCLA, Mem over KU: No money, but I win the bet.
Let’s just say I have a lot on the line in that UCLA game…
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The Cubs begin play tomorrow, and I couldn’t be more excited. Baseball is by far my favorite sport, and with the Cubs having an extremely talented team that is stronger than it was in 2007, this year could be the best year yet as a baseball fan. The Cubbies finalized their roster yesterday, and here are my thoughts:
-Kosuke Fukudome batting fifth is a waste of his number one talent: getting on base. Making the walk to first base is what we brought him over to America for, so why are we putting him on base in front of our 6-7-8 hitters? The excuse is that we need him to break up all the righthanders in our lineup. That theory makes little sense considering the Cubs struggle hitting lefties, not righties. So why are the Cubs worrying about breaking up the righties? Doesn’t make sense.
-The lineup the Cubs should use features Ryan Theriot leading off, Fukudome second, Derrek Lee third, Aramis Ramirez fourth and Alfonso Soriano fifth. It’s a myth that a guy with stealing ability has to leadoff. Soriano can use his speed no matter where he hits. He’s only guaranteed to lead off in one inning of the game, and since his on base percentage isn’t suitable for an everyday leadoff guy, you have to get him as far away from the leadoff spot as possible, but close enough to the middle of the order where he can bash in runs. Hmmmm….fifth?
-I love the decision to put Kerry Wood in the closers role. Lou Piniella uses his setup men very liberally throughout the season, and Wood is not a guy that you can use liberally. You have to be careful with him because of his arm troubles over the years. The Cubs are one of the few teams that can afford to protect him in the closers role because of guys like Bob Howry, Carlos Marmol, Michael Wurtz, and Kevin Hart who are there to protect him. All of those guys had above-average springs bar Howry, who is known for his slow starts.
-The pickup of Reed Johnson provides a bit of relief because he provides something the Cubs didn’t have: a righty that could play centerfield well. The downside of signing him, however, means Matt Murton, a sabermatricians dream, is going to be traded. It’s the right thing to do. Even though an injury in the OF could mean an immediate opening in the starting lineup, the Cubs want to see him be successful, even if it isn’t with Chicago. I see them trading him to an AL team just because trading a player like this is not something you want to see more than you have to if you can help it.
-Off subject a bit, but it has to be said. Joe Morgan really pisses me off. Jon Miller mentions that the season officially started in Japan earlier in the week, and Morgan responds by saying, “I only recognize tonight. Opening night in America.” Talk about a senial old man who can’t respect the fact that Major League Baseball is an international game. He is a complete joke as an announcer and as a former Major Leaguer.
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With this being the eve of full-fledged baseball action, I have some modest proposals for a few teams around the league. I’ll start in the AL and go from West to East, then move to the NL, and go from West to East.
-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – With their starting rotation ravaged by injuries, the time has come to trade Triple-A shortstop Brandon Wood. He has great power potential (23+ homers in each of the past three seasons, including a 43 homer year in A+ ball that put him on the map in 2005), but has a serious strikout problem (415 K’s in just 376 games in the last three years from A+ to MLB). Teams still covet Wood because of his power potential, and the Angels are always going to be gunshy to bring him up because he strikes out so much. They may only get 80 cents on the dollar for him, they need to get an established pitcher to stabalize that rotation. A Jeremy Guthrie for Wood trade would seem to work.
-Seattle Mariners – I agree with Kelli Anderson of Sports Illustrated here. With catching prospect Jeff Clement ready for the majors while sitting in Triple-A Tacoma, the Mariners should trade Kenji Johjima. Johji is in the last year of his contract with Seattle, and would bring back a couple of good prospects in return. Maybe a power outfielder such as Ken Griffey Jr. as Anderson wrote. If the Mariners are out of the race, look for teams like the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, and the Boston Red Sox to be involved in the bidding.
-Detroit Tigers – For a team that has its sights set on scoring 1,000 runs, and winning 100 games, they are sure thin on pitching, especially relief pitching. As of right now they have a platoon of Marcus Thames and Jacque Jones paired in left field. If they can a contending team looking for a solid outfielder, and that team has an extra reliever, I see them flipping one of those two guys on the way out. Then they would move Miguel Cabrera out to LF, and Brandon Inge back to third. Not only would they bolster their pitching, they would be prolly 2-3 wins better defensively with Inge at the hot corner.
-New York Yankees – They are going to purge $81 million dollars off their payroll by the end of this calendar year, freeing up more than enough money to sign both the best free agent pitcher (C.C. Sabathia) and hitter (Mark Teixeira) to long-term contracts. Those two guys both are 28 years old, and fill two positions the Yankees have lacked for years (power hitting first baseman and No. 1 starter). Scary, isn’t it? The shame is they are still locked into two of the ten worst contracts in baseball. Jorge Posada had a career year and parlayed it into a crazy four-year deal. Mariano Rivera is really good, but has seen his numbers slip in each of the past three seasons. A three-year contract for him at $15 million per was not a great decision either. The problem: they had to have each of those guys because they had no option-B.
-Baltimore Orioles – After trading Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard, it makes no sense to hang onto Brian Roberts and Melvin Mora any longer than they have to. If you’re in full-fledged rebuilding mode, get it over with quick. Trade the guys you plan on trading, and get it over with so that you are 100% focused on 2010 and 2011.
-Colorado Rockies – If they don’t have plans to keep Garrett Atkins long term, then flip him to another team for a reliever and starter. The Minnesota Twins would be a smart trading partner here. They have the bullpen depth, and are in desparate need of another hitter. Ian Stewart is ready to go for the Rockies, and the dropoff in production would be miniscule. The upgrade in the bullpen would make up for it.
-Los Angeles Dodgers – It’s simple here. If Juan Pierre takes playing time away from either Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp, it will be a crime against Dodger Nation. Don’t do it Joe, don’t you dare!
-San Diego Padres – I don’t understand many of the moves they make, but they always seem to be in the race because they have dominant top-of-the-rotation starters that kill opponents in PETCO Park. Chase Headley needs to be playing everyday in this lineup somewhere, whether its 3B or LF. They surely could use the offense, and Scott Hairston should not be starting for a team that plans on contending.
-San Francisco Giants – They have pitching in the 3-5 year pipeline, and have 0 position players that are worth a hoot. Tim Lincecum has nasty stuff, but if he cant control his offspeed pitches, he gets lit up quicker than a radar gun shooting the interstate because his fastball is laser straight. If they can trade him for a couple of minor league bats, it would be a good decision.
-Cincinnati Reds – Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Johnny Cueto, and Edinson Volquez should all be on the major league roster together. Four rookies is a lot, but all of these guys have all-star potential. If you bring them up all at once, they have guys that are their age, and have players to relate to. Plus they can learn from guys like Aaron Harang and Ken Griffey Jr., two of the best major leaguers at what they do.
-Milwaukee Brewers – If Derrick Turnbow pitches in any one-run games, it’s Ned Yost’s fault for the teams demise. That man should not be in the game unless the run differential is four or more.
