Focus Shifts from Winning the West to having a Winning Season

Posted by William Boor 0 comments
After losing two of three in Arlington to the division-leading Rangers, the Oakland Athletics need to shift their focus from winning the American League West to having their first winning season since 2006.

The Oakland Athletics went into Texas playing thier best baseball of the season. They had won nine of the past 11 games, four straight series and were seven and a half games out of first.

The Texas series was huge for the Athletics and they were unable to come away with the series win. Although they only fell to eight and a half games back, they also lost Andrew Bailey due to injury.

The Athletics' disabled list seems to multiply by the week and with the A's appearing as if they will remain silent at the trade deadline, it is time for them to concede the AL West and focus on finishing above .500

While this would normally mean that the A's should be sellers at the deadline, Billy Beane has been adamant that he wants to keep his team in tact and build continuity for the future.

This is a good sign for A's fans who have grown accustomed to new faces every year because of Beane's tendency to acquire as many young prospects as he can get his hands on.

If the A's can finish 2010 strong, build continuity together, and use the offseason to get healthy, there will be a lot of promise in 2011.

Oakland still needs a power bat before they can be considered a legitimate threat to win the division, but the team appears to finally be heading in the right direction.

A Baseball Accident Witnesses Will Never Forget

Posted by Master Tesfatsion 0 comments

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

July 6, 2010. It was another game day in Major League Baseball and a week before the All-Star break. As teams tried to finish the first half of the season on a good note, 20,428 fans entered Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to watch the Texas Rangers play the Cleveland Indians.

On a day when 84 degrees is not a typical Texas summer day, the weather wasn't the only thing out of the normal on that Tuesday night.

With the Rangers up 3-1, the game went to the bottom of the fifth. Nelson Cruz came up to bat with two outs. He fouled off his first pitch near the club level seats along the first base line.

"I was following the ball when I heard people gasp and start pointing all around me," said 21-year-old Katrina Guinn. "When I turned to see what everyone was looking at, I saw the man trying to grab the railing around the second level box seats. His head hit the electronic wrap-around sign and he lost his grasp on the railing. He fell right into the middle of the section and landed on a couple of people, including a young boy."

Tyler Morris, 25, fell from section 235 and landed in section 34. Guinn was sitting in section 33.

"There was no doubt that the fans were very disturbed to have witnessed the accident," said Jerry Romo, a Spanish broadcaster for the Texas Rangers. "While some of them turned away, other cried and it seemed like a lot of them were praying for the victim who fell to be all right."

Of those praying included Indians shortstop Jason Donald and left fielder Trevor Crowe, as seen in the television broadcasts.

The game was delayed for 16 minutes as Morris and four other fans were examined by paramedics. Morris regained his conscience and was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. He was released two days later.

"C.J. Wilson pitched an amazing game with several strikeouts, Nellie Cruz and Vlad Guerrero hit a couple of home runs, but still very little cheering," said 17-year-old Austin Jones.

Jones was sitting in the "Home Run Porch" in right field, which was where the last time a fan fell from the upper deck. A lady fell on April 11, 1994 in that section while posing for a picture after the Rangers home opener. Afterwards, the rails in that section were raised from 30.5 inches to 46 inches.

Recently in 2005, a 18-year-old man intentionally jumped from the upper deck at Yankee Stadium and landed on the netting over the home plate seats. In 2008, a 25-year-old man tried to slide on the stair railing at Turner Field and slipped over, falling to his death. In 2009, a 34-year-old man fainted in the heat at Busch Stadium and fell onto an empty seat.

"The only way I see this being prevented is to change regulations regarding the height of rails at stadiums," Romo said. "From what I understand, Major League Baseball calls for rails to be no lower than 26 inches tall. The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington exceeds that by at least four inches."

Even a week after the incident, those who witnessed the fall are having a hard time forgetting about it.

"There are a lot of things in ballparks that have to be fixed and you'd like to see people be a little more proactive. We need higher rails so that doesn't happen. I've always said they should bring the nets behind home plate to the other side of the dugouts. Balls zip in there all the time and there are little kids that have seats right behind our dugout," Michael Young said according to ESPN.com .

"Just the other day I pinched myself and was like, 'Dad, did that really happen? Did I really see a man come tumbling down helplessly?' Just talking about it gives me the chills," said Allyson Guinn, Katrina's younger sister.

Allyson is only 13. She was also sitting in section 33 with her sister, which is located behind the Rangers' dugout.

"It was one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen. Something I will never forget," Jones said.

"It's not everyday you see somebody falling more than 30 feet onto a sea of people. I really wish I hadn't seen the accident at all," said Romo. "This wasn't the first time a fan falls from a higher deck to a lower one at a sporting event and as much as we would like for it not to happen again, it probably will."

Breaking down the Cliff Lee trade

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By Conor Dorney
















Cliff Lee could be the key to a deep postseason run again this season. (Photo courtesy of nydailynews.com)


Though it certainly came with less hype than "The Decision", Cliff Lee's trade to the Texas Rangers Friday is still a pretty big deal. The Seattle Mariners dealt the lefty to their division rivals in the hopes that what they received for him will help them to contend in 2011 and beyond. But before I get into breaking down the trade and how it impacts each organization, let's take a look at who is going where.


Rangers get:
LHP Cliff Lee
RHP Mark Lowe

Mariners get:
1B Justin Smoak
RHP Blake Beavan
IF Matt Lawson
RHP Josh Lueke


The Breakdown:

Coming into the season, it seemed unlikely that Cliff Lee would be in a Seattle Mariners uniform beyond 2010. After the M's started off the year by blowing their chance of contending for anything, it became apparent that GM Jack Zduriencik would try and get as much of a return as possible for the outstanding lefty before he was out the door. After Lee was dealt at the trade deadline last season, he was instrumental in getting the Philadelphia Phillies back to the World Series for the second consecutive year and was at his best during the entire postseason. After a bizarre falling out with Philadelphia (see Roy Halladay) in the winter, Lee arrived in the Emerald City, where he had fewer walks (6) than wins (8) and posted a 2.34 ERA.

Some may find it puzzling that Seattle would trade Lee to a division foe, but in reality, it makes sense. The Rangers currently sit atop the AL West, 16 games ahead of Seattle. From the start, they have been known to have a deep farm system, but it was unclear whether they would be able to give up the players Zduriencik expected in return. In fact, the Yankees were reportedly on the brink of a deal just hours earlier that would have sent their top prospect Jesus Montero to Seattle, but after injury questions surrounding a prospect in the deal, Texas swooped in and offered the type of player the M's were looking for in Justin Smoak.

A former first-round pick of the Rangers, the switch-hitting Smoak gives Seattle a young hitter who has had success on every level he has played on thus far and should provide a spark to the M's lineup into the future. He replaced struggling Texas 1B Chris Davis earlier in the year and though Smoak only is hitting .208, he still has 8 HR's and 34 RBI, numbers that seem foreign to many in the Seattle lineup. Some may be disappointed when looking at the batting average, but one must keep in mind that Smoak is 23 and only two years removed from playing college baseball at South Carolina.

The other key piece to the deal for Seattle was righty Blake Beavan, the Rangers' first-round pick from 2007. At 6'7", Beavan dominated Double-A ball for much of the year, posting a 10-5 record with a 2.78 ERA before just recently being promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Adding a young arm capable of possibly making a big-league impact in the near future is why I think the M's certainly got the best possible return they could have received for a rental player such as Lee.

As for the Rangers, Lee gives them the bona fide ace they have been looking for in recent years. He is one of the best innings eaters in the major leagues and is as prepared for each of his starts as well as anyone. With the potent offense Texas currently possesses, more solid pitching will only make them more deadly. I think that this is the day the boys in Arlington won't look back from first place and find themselves with their first division title since 1999.

Overall, the Cliff Lee deal helps both organizations, with the Mariners getting a brighter future and the Rangers looking forward to a better opportunity in the postseason. Nobody can predict what will happen when Lee becomes a free agent this winter, but right now Rangers fans can sit back and watch one of the game's best pitchers try and lead them to the Fall Classic.

Predictions and Prognostications on the NFL class of 2010

Posted by Brennan Smith 0 comments


Annually, the NFL draft sells hats, jerseys and most importantly, hope to millions of fans around the country that think their team is a great draft class away from contending for the playoffs and beyond. Hope springs eternal for teams that believe they are drafting the next perennial Pro Bowler and college stars looking to make an impact on the Sunday stage. As any follower of the draft will tell you though, the draft is more a story of luck than exact science. Some of the players taken in the 2010 draft will skyrocket to stardom and some will nosedive into negative notoriety. As off-season activities begin, here are a few predictions on some high draft picks that have a chance to succeed and a few more on those that will fall short of their promise:

Head of the Class:

Ryan Mathews, Running back, San Diego Chargers- Mathews steps into a prime position to contribute on a Chargers team built for the playoffs. Following a year producing 1,808 yards and 19 touchdowns for Fresno State, the Chargers made Mathews the 11th pick in the draft. He managed 100 yard outings 10 out of 12 games last year and rushed for over 200 yards in games against San Jose State and powerhouse, Boise State. Mathews also proved he could perform on a larger stage, rushing for 144 yards and two touchdowns against Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl. There is no denying that the Chargers offense goes through the arm of Philip Rivers, but Mathews could step in as an immediate contributor. Darren Sproles is more a change of pace back than a work horse, Vincent Jackson has been suspended three games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy and Antonio continuously suffers from nagging injuries. The Chargers can expect Mathews to handle the bulk of the carries and could develop him as a pass catching threat as Rivers becomes more comfortable with him. Look for Mathews to reach at least 800 yards with 10+ touchdowns not out of the question as San Diego hopes to ride him towards Dallas for Super Bowl XLV.

Dez Bryant, Wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys- Bryant’s 2009 season was marred by controversy as he was suspended for eight games by the NCAA for lying about improper conversations with Deion Sanders. However, Bryant should not be discounted as a rookie of the year candidate for a hot Cowboys team that took a chance on him as the 24th pick. Bryant came into last year as the premier wide receiver in college football, earning comparisons to Randy Moss by amassing 1,480 yards and 19 touchdowns as a sophomore at Oklahoma State. Albeit he was forced to take most of last year off and rookie wide receivers rarely make a significant impact, Bryant has a chance to make a name for himself immediately. He steps in as the heir apparent to a struggling Roy Williams and will complement an offense that features Pro Bowlers Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Miles Austin. Witten and Austin will draw most of the coverages away from Bryant and Romo has proven to be an elite quarterback, throwing for over 4,000 yards in two of the last three seasons. If Bryant can grasp the Cowboys offense as the off-season progresses, the stars could align in Dallas for another playoff run with their new receiving prodigy.

Rolando McClain, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders- Fans and draft pundits alike waited with giddy anticipation for yet another ridiculous Raiders pick in the first round. Instead, Al Davis took a linebacker as the 8th pick that should become a tackling machine and leader of the defense for the next decade. McClain played in the closest thing to a pro style defense there is in college under Nick Saban and was a part of the Crimson Tide squad that won the 2009 BCS National Championship by stifling Texas’ offense. He also produced 105 tackles, four sacks, a forced fumble and two interceptions last year. Overall, he had 270 tackles for ’Bama and played with leadership and intensity. McClain will join an underrated Raiders defense that includes Kamerion Wimbley, Nnamdi Asomugha and Richard Seymour as an immediate contributor and long time building block. Give the Raiders credit for making a solid pick to help their defense and installing a potential multiple Pro Bowler.

Eric Berry, Safety, Kansas City Chiefs- Berry came into the draft as a highly touted safety and physical specimen that was expected to make a huge difference to whatever team took him. Despite other more glaring needs, the Chiefs took him with the 5th overall pick and should get immediate results. Berry is a quintessential example of a ball-hawking safety with 14 interceptions in his three seasons as a Volunteer. Last year he produced 83 tackles, a forced fumble and two interceptions, earning comparisons to Ed Reed, the Baltimore Ravens premier safety. Berry joins a Chiefs team that has spent their last two first round picks on defensive players Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey. He also joins Brandon Flowers, who has emerged as a fantastic corner and will team with Berry to make the Chiefs’ secondary formidable for years to come. Berry will play a big role in his first year with the Chiefs and is a potential candidate for defensive rookie of the year.

Class Clowns:

C..J. Spiller, Running back, Buffalo Bills- Spiller was considered the top running back talent in the 2010 draft and was taken 9th overall by a Bills team that has all but given up on Marshawn Lynch and is starving for an offensive playmaker. Spiller had a monster 2009 season for Clemson last year, rushing for 1,212 yards and 12 touchdowns, but is coming into a less than ideal situation with Buffalo. Spiller will have to rely on an offensive line that includes Demetrius Bell, Andy Levitre, Jamon Meredith, Ed Wang and Andy Wood, a unit that will hardly strike fear into opposing defenses or open the holes Spiller saw in college. He also has to deal with a three headed quarterback battle between Brian Brohm, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards which will stunt his development if there is a revolving door at the position. Finally, Lee Evans is the only other consistent threat on a toothless Bills offense, leaving Spiller to take most of the focus of opposing defenses while backup Fred Jackson showed enough promise last year to steal some of Spiller‘s carries and goal line chances. It will also be interesting to see if Spiller can hold up as a workhorse against the cold of playing in the frozen tundra of Buffalo during December. Spiller will have a good year in Buffalo but the odds are stacked against him being the premier back the Bills hope he is right away.

Jason Pierre-Paul, Defensive end, New York Giants- Pierre-Paul became the Cinderella of the 2010 draft, skyrocketing up draft boards as a back-flipping, out of nowhere talent. Pierre-Paul exploded in 2009 for South Florida, amassing 16.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, supplanting George Selvie as the most talked about defensive end on the team and convincing the Giants to take him 15th overall. However, this was his only season starting at a Division one university following two years playing at the obscure College of the Canyons and Fort Scott Community College. Pierre-Paul also dominated at these smaller colleges, producing 24.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss over two seasons. However, community college offensive lines pale in comparison to those in the NFC East that Pierre-Paul will be expected to harass week after week. The Giants drafted Pierre-Paul for good reason, after giving up 26.7 points a game last year (30th best in the league) and surrendering over 40 points in three of their last four games, they clearly needed a difference maker on defense. Pierre-Paul will make a difference, but nowhere near justifying that high of a pick as his transition from one season as a legitimate college starter to solid NFL player could take years. Pierre-Paul may be physically gifted but there is a huge chance he could be overrated, a one-hit wonder and back flop in the NFL.

Demaryius Thomas, Wide receiver, Denver Broncos- Thomas became a cheap replacement after Head Coach Josh McDaniels ran Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall out of town. Thomas is a physical specimen at 6’3” and 229 pounds but he may have a very tough transition to the big leagues. Thomas spent his college career in a Georgia Tech offense that was built on the triple option, a run first approach that rarely featured Thomas’ strengths as a pass catcher. Throughout his three years there, Thomas never caught more than 50 passes per season, caught only 14 touchdowns and only eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in his last year there. His stats from last year accounted for eight of the 14 total career touchdowns, five less than Dez Bryant managed in one year as a sophomore. Thomas will be expected to contribute early as the 22nd overall pick in the draft and carry the load of the Broncos passing offense that features Eddie Royal, Tony Scheffler and Eric Decker as the only other legitimate weapons. Plus, he will be forced to develop with a lackluster cast of quarterbacks including Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn and Tim Tebow. Thomas will have a huge learning curve transitioning to a pro offense and will take a while to grow into the role of NFL receiver.

Joe Haden, Cornerback, Cleveland Browns- Haden was considered by many draft analysts as the top cornerback prospect in the 2010 draft, enough so that the Cleveland Browns took him 7th overall. Haden may be a great athlete and has the potential to develop into an NFL caliber starter, but will be overmatched with the role he will be expected to fill as a rookie. Haden only had eight total interceptions at Florida in three seasons alongside a defense filled with stars and playmakers. The Browns will lean on him heavily to match up with talented and physical AFC North receivers like Hines Ward, Anquan Boldin and Chad Ochocinco, hardly a gentle welcoming party to NFL life. He also joins a team that ranked 31st in yards allowed in the NFL last year with 389.3 yards a game and a pass defense that gave up 244.7 yards per game, good enough for 29th in the league while only producing 10 interceptions as a unit. Finally, Haden will team up with Sheldon Brown, Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald, not exactly a murderer’s row of secondary players. Haden could develop to be a good player but the odds are against him to produce in a league where rookie corners are exposed and eaten alive against talented wide receivers.

Stats compiled from ESPN.com and NFL.com

Nowitzki Returns To Mavs For All The Right Reasons

Posted by Master Tesfatsion 0 comments
Getty Images

In this day and age where loyalty to a franchise is quickly abandoned by the power of the dollar, Dirk Nowitzki did something many players would not.

Maverick fans weren't sure why Nowitzki would opt out of his contract with one year left worth $21.6 million. The only assumption was he was packing his bags and heading out a la Steve Nash style.

Not only did Nowitzki commit with the Dallas Mavericks on a four year deal, but the figures are rumored at $80 million. The maximum salary for a four year deal is $96.2 million.

He took $16 million less than the maximum in exchange for the Mavericks to surround him with a championship caliber team.

With the team already money tight on cap space, this extra money allows the team to possibly resign Brendan Haywood and allow a sign-and-trade and bring in a sidekick for Nowitzki.

Although players like LeBron James, Amar'e Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, Chris Bosh and Paul Pierce may be out of the equation, the team does have attractable, expiring contract players and an aggressive owner known for making blockbuster trades.

Throughout his career, Nowitzki's leadership skills have taken a beating from the media and he has been called everything from not a clutch shooter, not a first option and not a tough player.

For someone of his status to take a pay cut for the only team you've played with says it all about the seven foot forward from Germany.

To say he's not worth max contract money is ludicrous. When players such as Joe Johnson, Amar'e Stoudemire and Chris Bosh will eventually get $100 million each for their contracts, they have yet to prove why they deserve such an amount.

Nowitzki's team choked in 2006 up two games to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, but it's more appearances than Johnson, Stoudemire and Bosh combined. Nowitzki consistently brings a 20 point, 8 rebound game every night. Efforts from players like Stoudemire and Johnson can question whether they are worth maximum salary contracts.

Not to mention with a MVP trophy under his belt, Nowitzki deserves more than $80 million. Rather than becoming greedy, he wants to reach a level that he hasn't in his 11 year career. There may be questions about the way he plays the game, but let there be no question on what his motives are --- a title, not money.

Making the Case: Trevor Cahill to the American League All-Star Team

Posted by William Boor 0 comments

The Oakland Athletics have a few players that are deserving of an All-Star invitation including Kurt Suzuki, Ryan Sweeney, and Andrew Bailey. Despite how great all of these players are playing right now, Trevor Cahill is the most deserving of any.


The 22-year-old right hander is from the southern California area and should be returning there to represent the A's in Angel Stadium. Cahill is 7-2 on the year with an impressive 2.88 ERA.


Of his 12 starts, 10 have been "quality starts" and the team has won nine of the games started by Cahill.


Trevor Cahill has won his last six decisions, which is the longest winning streak by an A's starting pitcher since Dan Haren in 2007.


Cahill is a laid back guy who has very quietly put up a great season, hopefully the right people are taking enough notice that Cahill will be able to join Bob Geren in Anaheim.


With multiple players having good seasons, it is possible that the Oakland Athletics will have multiple All-Stars for the first time since 2004 when Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder were both selected.

$5 Million into the Ben Sheets Experiment

Posted by William Boor Labels: , , , 0 comments

The Oakland Athletics have played 79 games, and while they have not quite reached the midway point of their season, Ben Sheets has. The Athletics' right-hander has made 17 starts and has accumulated a 3-7 record with a 5.05 ERA.

Most A's fans ignored his early struggles and cited the fact that he did not pitch at all in 2009. Fans expected Sheets to struggle early, but to regain his form as the season progressed.

Unfortunately for A's fans, this is not what happened.

Sheets went eight starts between his second and third wins and posted an ERA of 3.94.

Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics made a big investment in Sheets this off-season and he has not lived up to his contract.

The A's were hoping to get a number one starter and a veteran leader to help mentor the younger pitchers. Instead, they got neither.

Trevor Cahill has emerged as the ace of the staff, and although he is a veteran, I do not know how much the young starting pitchers will want to listen to a struggling pitcher who is constantly frustrated and trying to control his pitches.

A quick look at Ben Sheets numbers thus far show that he has "earned" $1.67 million for each win, $714,285 for each loss, $83,333 for each run, and $50,454 for each inning pitched.


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