James Morillo is from Merrick, NY on Long Island and is an avid sports fan. He attended NYU where he obtained a degree in Marketing and International Business but he has always had a unique passion for sports. Besides his passion for International soccer, he is a big New York sports fan including the Jets, Knicks, and Rangers. When it comes to baseball, however, he cheers for the St. Louis Cardinals mostly due to the fact that his favorite player is Albert Pujols. Among his other favorite players are Darrelle Revis of the Jets, who should have been the defensive player of the year, and David Lee of the Knicks, who finally received the all-star selection he deserved this year. When he's not writing or talking about his passion for sports, James also enjoys playing the guitar and reciting every line stated from Family Guy. He's also a big fan of sports shows such as HBO's Hard Knocks and Eastbound and Down as well as FX's The League.
This is Part 2 of my 4 part NFL preview series. This edition finishes up the NFC and starts off with last year’s Super Bowl Champion Saints. Look for Parts 3 and 4 on the AFC which will come next week. To see Part 1 click here.
South:
New Orleans Saints – Coming off their historic first Super Bowl victory, the Saints come into the 2010 season with the difficult task of repeating as champions. They will also be facing an improved division with Atlanta and Carolina likely to be threats to their title as NFC South champions. That being said, the Saints should be up for the challenge under the leadership of Drew Brees and Sean Payton. The Saints offense was unstoppable at times as they led the league in points scored. While most of that credit is given to Brees, the Saints were also 6th in the league in rushing yards per game and are hoping that Reggie Bush can consistently show some of the flashes he showed last postseason. On the defensive side, the Saints are susceptible but they cashed in on turnovers as safety Darren Sharper tied for the league lead in interceptions with 9. Defensive lineman Will Smith was 5th in the league in sacks with 13 and the Saints were among the league leaders in takeaways. They will need to be more consistent on the defensive side if they hope to repeat and will have to capitalize on turnovers once again. While I don’t expect them to start 13-0 again this season, they will certainly be a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. They will get a stiff test right away as they have a rematch of the 2009 NFC Championship Game when Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings come to the Louisiana Superdome to open up the 2010 season.
Carolina Panthers – With Jake Delhomme now in Cleveland, Matt Moore will likely be the starter for the Panthers this season, who went 4-1 down the stretch with Moore as the starter last year. While Moore was consistent and steady, the real power behind the Panthers offense lies with the two-headed monster at running back comprised of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Williams and Stewart became the first teammates in NFL history to rush for over 1100 yards a piece. Steve Smith is still an elite receiver and Dwayne Jarret and draft pick Brandon LaFell will have the opportunity to establish themselves as reliable options alongside Smith. The defense, which was strong against the pass but struggled against the run last year, will be without pass rushing specialist Julius Peppers after he was signed by the Bears. The defense was fairly solid as they were 9th in the league in points allowed and middle linebacker Jon Beason leads the way as he had 142 tackles last season. If Moore doesn’t work out at quarterback, 2nd round pick and former Notre Dame star Jimmy Clausen is waiting in the wings and is the future of the team. The Panthers likely won’t be too much of a threat to the Saints, but if they perform to their capabilities they can make a run at the playoffs.
Atlanta Falcons – Quarterback Matt Ryan’s sophomore season didn’t go as well as he and the Falcons had hoped, but Atlanta will be in the thick of the division race this season. Ryan’s 2nd season was a disappointing one despite the fact that the team finished above .500 at 9-7, but failed to make the playoffs after getting there the season before. The defense was vulnerable against the pass, which Atlanta hopes to have taken care of by adding former Texan Dunta Robinson to the secondary. After a breakout season in 2008, Michael Turner suffered from injuries last season and failed to even reach half of the carries he had in 2008 when he had a league high 376. He also only had roughly half of the 1699 yards he totaled in his first year as a full time starter. With a more mature and seasoned Ryan to throw to Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White, combined with a healthy Michael Turner and improved defense, Atlanta could challenge the Saints for a division title and make a run at a playoff berth.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Last year’s first round pick, quarterback Josh Freeman, will now be ready to take the starting job from the beginning of the season as he took over the role in Week 9 last year. While the Bucs finished 3-13 last season, there is good news for them in 2010. Since the realignment of the divisions in 2002, the last place team of the NFC South has gone on to make the playoffs the following season, and even won the division in 6 of those 7 situations, the lone exception being the Falcons in 2008 who made the playoffs as a Wild Card after finishing last in 2007. The division is also the only one since 2002 to have all four teams make a Super Bowl appearance, with the Bucs and Saints winning it. The Bucs should be improved, although I wouldn’t expect them to continue this inexplicable trend that has occurred in the division since it was formed. The Bucs finished dead last against the run last year, but 1st round pick Gerald McCoy should certainly help improve that statistic. Running back Derrick Ward was recently released after a disappointing first season in Tampa Bay, leaving Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham to do the bulk of the carrying. Draft picks Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn, along with the emergence of 2nd year receiver Sammie Stroughter and a healthy Kellen Winslow Jr. at tight end, should provide Freeman with some weapons to make improvements over last season, but the Bucs are at least a couple of years away from making a playoff run.
West:
San Francisco 49ers – The 49ers haven’t made the playoffs since 2002, but now that Kurt Warner has retired in Arizona, this is the best chance for San Francisco. Led by coach Mike Singletary, the 49ers have a hard nose defense led by linebacker Patrick Willis. Since his rookie year in 2007, no player has had more tackles then the All-Pro Willis. The defense was underrated as only 3 teams allowed fewer points then the 49ers last season and they had the 5th most takeaways in the NFC. They are also hoping that former 1st overall pick Alex Smith with finally be ready to lead the team on offense. Although he has struggled with injuries through both his professional and college careers, running back Frank Gore is among the league’s elite backs and is poised for an All-Pro season if he remains healthy, especially given the division he plays in. Last year’s first round pick, receiver Michael Crabtree, is also coming off participating in his first full training camp and will be ready to go by game one after holding out until mid-season in 2009. The offensive line is also greatly improved as their best tackle Joe Staley missed significant time last season. They also added two first round draft picks to the offensive line in Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati to help protect Smith and provide holes for Gore to run through. I think in a year when the division is down, the 49ers will emerge as the division champions and qualify for the playoffs for the first time in 8 years and they may surprise a few people when they get there.
Seattle Seahawks – Seattle finished last season at 5-11 and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck seems to be passed his prime, although he has faced injury problems for parts of the last two seasons. The Seahawks first round draft picks, offensive tackle Russell Okung and safety Earl Thomas should help both sides of the ball. Wide receiver Golden Tate out of Notre Dame was also drafted in the second round to provide more weapons to Hasselbeck. There has been discussion that backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst could perhaps take the starting role at some point in the season if Hasselbeck and the Seahawks struggle. Although they have talent at certain positions, the offensive and defensive lines aren’t strong enough to propel the Seahawks to a playoff berth in all likelihood. In a division where I can’t see more than one team making the playoffs, Seattle just doesn’t have the talent and ability that the 49ers have.
Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals had a good run in the playoffs last season, but with the retirement of Kurt Warner, they will find it much more difficult in 2010. Incumbent Matt Leinart was supposed to be in line for the job that Warner had once taken from the former 1st round pick, but former Browns quarterback Derek Anderson is threatening him for the starting job and now there is talk that Leinart may be traded. Warner, although the biggest loss, certainly isn’t the only player Arizona will be missing from last season. Pro Bowl safety Antrel Rolle is now with the Giants and middle linebacker Karlos Dansby, who led the team in tackles, is now in Miami. On the offensive side, wide receiver Anquan Boldin is now in Baltimore which means more coverage can now head toward Larry Fitzgerald’s way, although Steve Breaston, the man who will take Boldin’s place, is a quality receiver in his own right. The Cardinals have added pieces to replace what they have lost in Joey Potter and Kerry Rhodes on the defensive side as well as All-Pro offensive tackle Alan Faneca. Without Warner, however, I don’t see Arizona performing close to the level they have the past two seasons and a playoff berth is likely out of reach.
St. Louis Rams – The Rams finished 1-15 last season, which was the worst record in the league. The good thing about being the worst team is that you get the first overall pick in the draft where the Rams landed quarterback Sam Bradford. While Bradford is the future, the Rams will still be rebuilding even in what is probably the NFL’s worst division. Only the Lions allowed more points than the Rams and nobody scored less points than St. Louis in 2009. While they have made improvements, the Rams suffered a blow when their best receiver Donnie Avery went down with a torn ACL this preseason. The lone bright spot of perhaps the entire team last year was running back Steven Jackson, who had another stellar season finishing only behind the Titans Chris Johnson in rushing yards, although it was second by some distance. He accomplished all of this despite the absence of a great line or passing threat. With Bradford and second round pick, offensive tackle Rodger Saffold, perhaps Jackson will be able to be even better. While improving on a one win season sounds trivial, the Rams will be moving in the right direction and their season will revolve around the development of Bradford at quarterback and looking into the future.
September 2, 2010 · Filed under NFL
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This is Part 1 of a 4 part NFL preview that goes through each team’s chances of success this season. Part 2 will take a look at the rest of the NFC while Parts 3 and 4 will take a look at the AFC.
NFC
East:
New York Giants – After winning the Super Bowl in 2008, a lot was expected from the Giants last year, but they finished 8-8 after starting the season 5-0. The main issue was their defense, which was so good in their Super Bowl triumph, but allowed 40 plus points 5 times including 3 of their last 4 games. They did have a number of injuries on defense, most noticeably in the secondary which was abysmal in the 2nd half of the season. They have added veteran linebacker Keith Bullock and safety Antrel Rolle to help the defense improve while defensive captain Antonio Pierce retired in the offseason. They also picked defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul in the draft and are hoping that Kenny Phillips, who was strong when he played in the beginning of last season before getting hurt, will be fully healthy in 2010. Running back Brandon Jacobs also had a disappointing season and Ahmad Bradshaw may prove to be the number one back as the season goes on if Jacobs doesn’t improve. One positive for the Giants last year was the play of Eli Manning and his young receiving core. Manning had his best year statistically last season and Steve Smith was the first Giants Pro Bowl receiver in 41 years. The Giants will go as far as their defense can take them this season and they happen to be in what is the NFL’s toughest division. Despite their disappointing year, they won both games against Dallas and will need to continue their strong divisional play if they want to return to the playoffs in 2010.
Dallas Cowboys – The Cowboys come into the season after they had their first postseason win since 1996 last year when they defeated division rivals the Philadelphia Eagles, their third win that season against the Eagles. They appear strong again and are the slight favorites to win what is the division. Tony Romo got that elusive playoff win last season and now has a strong receiving core with the emergence of Miles Austin last season and the pick of Dez Bryant in the draft this past summer. Felix Jones is also on his way to becoming a star and provides a strong running threat along with the hard running Marion Barber. Now that they have gotten over the hump, Dallas will be looking to make a deep playoff run. The defense, led by sack machine DeMarcus Ware, was strong against the run, but not as good against the pass. Despite losing twice to the Giants, they did go 4-0 in their other division games and beat the Eagles for a third time in the playoffs. As great as their performance against Philly was, their game against the Vikings in the Divisional Round was disappointing to say the least. While the running attack seemed to be strong in the beginning of the game, the Cowboys got away from it when they fell behind after committing turnovers. The offensive line will need to be strong to protect Romo and help the running game if Dallas wants to move further along in the playoffs and perhaps contend for the Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles – With Donovan McNabb now gone, the Kevin Kolb era is now underway in Philadelphia. I always thought McNabb was never fully appreciated for all he accomplished for the Eagles, including taking them to 4 straight Conference Championship games and a Super Bowl. I thik this season the Eagles will find out how much of an impact McNabb had on the team. Kolb, however, does have the making a great quarterback in his own right, although I’m not completely sold he can lead the Eagles to the playoffs this season. He performed well in the few games he appeared in last season when McNabb was injured, but although he put up big numbers in terms of passing yards he threw 3 interceptions against the Saints and had a great game against the lowly Chiefs. Kolb certainly has weapons at his disposal, even with the departure of Brain Westbrook. DeSean Jackson was a Pro Bowler at both receiver and as a punt returner and Brent Celek emerged as one of the league’s elite tight ends. Running back LeSean McCoy had a solid rookie season in 2009 and is now the unquestioned number one back for the Eagles. Philadelphia certainly has the potential to be a playoff team, but they will need to figure out the Cowboys and have Kolb come into his own rather quickly if they are to overcome their divisional foes.
Washington Redskins – With a new starting quarterback and head coach, the Redskins may finally be moving in the right direction, although it is unfortunate that the biggest story regarding Washington lately has been Albert Haynesworth and his issues with new coach Mike Shanahan. McNabb could be the integral piece the Redskins have been missing lately, as their defense has been above average in recent years despite having to step up with the offense being lackluster. The Redskins have also amped up their running game with additions of Larry Johnson, Willie Parker, and Ryan Torain. Clinton Portis will need to be healthy again to carry the load this season, but he had some of his most successful seasons under Shanahan when they were both in Denver. If Washington is to compete in this tough division, they will need a big year from McNabb and Portis and the offensive line will have to hold up to support both.
North:
Minnesota Vikings – Of course the big story here is the return of Brett Favre, but Minnesota has other issues, particularly at receiver at the moment. Last year’s leading receiver Sidney Rice will be out for at least half the season and Percy Harvin’s migraine issues could linger for all season, although it was a good sign that he returned to practice yesterday. The Vikings have added Javon Walker, former teammate of Favre’s at Green Bay, and traded for former Dolphin’s receiver Greg Camarillo. Expect tight end Visanthe Shiancoe to also have an increased role in the offense this season. There is always Adrian Peterson to rely on at running back to go along with a strong offensive line. The defense is also strong as Jared Allen and company help provide what is arguably the best front 4 in the league. They weren’t as strong against the pass, but were the 2nd best team at stopping the running game. They fell short of a Super Bowl by a single interception, which led to the Saints defeating them in overtime of the Conference Championship Game and an eventual historic Super Bowl title. While Favre remarkably had his best year statistically last season, I don’t expect him to put up those same kind of numbers again. This will put more of an emphasis on Peterson and the rushing attack to carry the load and propel the Vikings to a run at the Super Bowl.
Green Bay Packers – The Packers made the playoffs last season, but lost to the Arizona Cardinals in an epic 51-45 overtime thriller, which ironically ended on a defensive touchdown by Arizona. Despite the loss and disappointing defensive effort, the Packers announced themselves as a team on the rise and quarterback Aaron Rodgers stepped out of Brett Favre’s shadow and established himself as one of the league’s best in his own right. While Rodgers’ season was overwhelmingly successful, he was found on his backside more often than the Packers would have liked to see. A fully healthy Mark Tauscher on the offensive line and 1st round pick Bryan Bulaga should help give Rodgers more time in the pocket to perhaps have an even greater performance than last season. A stronger offensive line should also help Ryan Grant at running back to have his third consecutive 1000 yard season. While their defense finished 2nd overall statistically, they were certainly exposed on national television by now retired Kurt Warner and company in last season’s playoff game. If the defense can play like they did last regular season as opposed to that playoff game, they can potentially overtake the Vikings as division champions.
Chicago Bears – In 2009, Jay Cutler’s first year in the Windy City was certainly disappointing as the Bears finished third in the division. They will find it tough again to fend off both the Vikings and Packers if they want to reach the playoffs, although I do expect Cutler to be greatly improved over last year. While running back Matt Forte was incredible as a rookie in 2008, he was anything but that last season as the Bears finished 29th in the league in rushing. They added former Vikings running back Chester Taylor to help Forte in the running attack. The defense of the Bears also isn’t the fearsome unit that it was back when the Bears made the Super Bowl in 2007. The most important factor is that Brian Urlacher must be healthy all season. Chicago also added pass rushing specialist Julius Peppers to help improve the defense. While they went 7-9 last season, it’s a bit deceiving since they beat the Lions twice, as well as the Browns, Seahawks, and Rams, who had a combined 13 wins last season. While I expect Cutler and the Bears to be improved, I don’t think they are quite on the level as Green Bay or Minnesota yet.
Detroit Lions – While the Lions are still in the rebuilding process, at least they now have some pieces in place and seem to be moving in the right direction, although it is hard to be worse than 0-16 which was their record in 2008. Last year’s first overall pick Matthew Stafford had a pretty good rookie season at quarterback given his lack of an offensive line and running game. Stafford has a few more weapons to go along with Calvin Johnson this year as the Lions added Nate Burleson at receiver and late first round pick Jahvid Best to help the running attack. On the defensive side, the Lions drafted highly sought after defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh with the 2nd overall pick in last year’s draft. They also added defensive tackle Corey Williams and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch to help a defense which finished dead last in the NFL against the pass and 25th against the run last season. Safety Louis Delmas, last year’s 2nd round pick, has also shown signs of being a potential star in the near future. While Detroit is certainly moving in the right direction, it will be another uphill battle this season, especially in a pretty tough division.
August 26, 2010 · Filed under NFL
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This is the 2nd and final part of an assessment of the current MLB playoff situation. To view Part 1 click here.
The National League looks like it will have 3 exciting division races that will all come down to the wire. Even the Wild Card winner could be represented from any of the 3 divisions. We are in for an exciting 6 weeks in the National League and the pennant is up for a number of teams to try and capture.
NL East: The two-time defending National League champions, the Philadelphia Phillies, are looking for their 4th straight division title, but the Atlanta Braves are currently leading the way in the division. After the Phillies won the World Series 2 years ago and then returned to the Fall Classic last year, they were big favorites to repeat in the East and were the most likely candidates to win the National League yet again. Although the Braves started relatively slow, they now lead the division thanks to owning the best home record in all of baseball at 42-16 as well as the league’s 2nd best ERA, largely due to Tim Hudson’s great year. They also recently added first baseman Derek Lee to bolster the offense which will be without Chipper Jones for the remainder of the year. The Phillies are starting to come on strong, however, and trail the Braves now by only 2.5 games and currently lead the Wild Card. If the Phillies manage to make the playoffs, they are a very dangerous team with Roy Halladay leading the rotation to go along with a resurgent Cole Hamels. No other team in the division is above .500 as the Mets, Marlins and Nationals are all building towards the future. While the Nationals aren’t going to be a factor this season, they will certainly be an exciting team to watch in the coming years as they are accumulating a vast amount of young talent, including phenom Stephen Strasburg as well as the newly signed Bryce Harper, this year’s first overall pick in the draft. As for this year, it’s very possible that both the Braves and Phillies will make the playoffs, and both are playing well as of late. The clubs have 6 more games against each other including a 3 game series in Atlanta to conclude the season which may end up deciding who wins the division.
NL Central: The St. Louis Cardinals were favorites to win the division coming into the season, but the surprising Cincinnati Reds have been neck and neck with the Redbirds all season. The two clubs met last week in Cincinnati, with the Reds leading the Cardinals by 2 games at the time. St. Louis ended up sweeping the Reds in 3 games, which included a fight where both benches cleared. Since that series, I thought St. Louis would take off while the Reds dwindled after their tough defeat, but if anything it has been the opposite. The Reds have now established a 3 game lead in the division while St. Louis has lost 4 games in a row, including a 2 game series sweep at home at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers where their offense was no where to be found. If I had to chose a Cy Young winner right now in the NL, it would be the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, but even he could not stop the Cardinals losing streak yesterday afternoon. The Reds meanwhile have started their 9 game road trip 2-0. The two clubs have the easiest remaining schedules in baseball, largely due to the fact that they have mostly division games left, which include the Cubs, Brewers, Pirates, and Astros. As they are the only two teams in the Central, probably baseball’s worst division, with winning records, the three remaining games they have with each other at the beginning of September loom large. The 2 home games the Cardinals just lost to the Brewers are inexcusable for a team trying to push for a playoff position and if they don’t right the ship soon they will find it hard to stay with the Reds. That being said, they are certainly capable of getting the job done.
NL West: The most surprising team in baseball this season has been the San Diego Padres, who currently lead the division by a season high 6 games. The Padres have relied on their pitching, as they lead the league in ERA, to propel them to first over a division where experts favored other contenders like the Dodgers, Rockies, and Giants to win the NL West crown. The division currently has 4 teams above .500 with the Diamondbacks being the lone exception. The Padres also currently own the best record in the National League and, if they make the playoffs, can be poised for a long run if that pitching staff continues to have success. The Giants, meanwhile, have great pitching of their own, but find the division crown slipping away. They also are now involved in a critical series against the Phillies and have lost the first two games already. Colorado and the Dodgers are probably too far back to make a late playoff push in the division and will find it hard to jump 3 other teams to claim the Wild Card as well. It’s remarkable how San Diego’s pitching has held up all year when they lack a clear ace. Mat Latos, who should have been an All-Star this year, is leading the rotation with a 2.32 ERA, good enough for 5th in the National League and is tied with teammate Jon Garland for the club lead with 12 wins. He is also only one of two pitchers in the NL who currently have a WHIP (Walks plus Hits per innings pitched) under 1, the other being Wainwright. Additionally, Heath Bell has been great closing games this season and leads the majors with 36 saves. I think the Padres won’t be caught in the division at this point, despite having 7 games left with the Giants, 4 of which are on the road while the other 3 games are at home to finish off the season.
NL Wild Card: The Wild Card race in the National League is far more exciting than the American League. Three teams are in the thick of the race currently with 2 more teams that could possibly make a late run to make things interesting. The Phillies currently lead the Giants by two games and the Cardinals by 2.5 games. The Cardinals have the easiest schedule of the three, thanks to the division they play in. They also play host to the Giants with a 3 game series that begins on Friday, and 6 of their last 13 games are against the lowly Pirates. The Giants will try and salvage the final game against the Phillies tomorrow, to try and cut Philadelphia’s lead to 1 game, before heading off to St. Louis. After Sunday, none of the three teams will face each other again for the rest of the season, making these remaining games important. All three, the Giants a little less so, are also involved in close division races and can easily overtake the division leaders with a strong run. I give the edge to the Phillies to make the playoffs right now as they seem to be hitting their stride at the right moment, but the Cardinals easy schedule may be a difference maker if they don’t manage to overtake the Reds in the Central. The Giants are the only team of the 3 to have a losing division record, which will make their lives more difficult down the stretch.
August 19, 2010 · Filed under MLB
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This is Part 1 of a two part piece on the MLB playoff situation. Part 1 looks at the American League while next weeks Part 2 will examine the races in the National League.
The division races in the American League could come down to the wire, with perhaps the AL West, where Texas has a comfortable lead, being the lone exception. The AL East is the unquestioned best division in baseball with what are probably the three best teams in the American League, if not all of baseball, with perhaps apologies to Texas. The Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox are all battling for what will likely be two playoff spots.
AL East: The defending World Series champions, the New York Yankees, lead the way in the division and currently have the best record in baseball, however, the Tampa Bay Rays are right on their heels. In a division where four of the five teams are currently over .500, each division game will be tough to win. The Red Sox currently sit 5 games back of the Yankees and are still in the thick of the race as well. The Wild Card winner is also likely to come down to the 2nd and 3rd place teams of this division, although the team that doesn’t win the Central out of the Twins or White Sox could also be a contender. The Yankees are my pick to repeat this year, although I know I’m not really going out on a limb on that one, and I think they will hold off the Rays and Red Sox to take the division. The Yankees do have certain questions they have to answer before the postseason, particularly in their bullpen and with the health of certain players. Joba Chamberlain hasn’t faired well this year when he was put in the set up role to get to closer Mariano Rivera and David Robertson has become the 8th inning man recently. Kerry Wood was also added to the bullpen at the trade deadline and he picked up the win in the Yankees comeback win against Texas last night. Andy Pettitte should come back soon fully healthy and ready to continue his all-star season. A.J. Burnett has been inconsistent, but this isn’t anything new in his career. Tampa Bay has the pitching to contend, but I think they are lacking slightly offensively compared to the Yankees and that might just be enough for New York to take the division.
AL Central: The Twins won the division last year after defeating the Tigers, who did their best Mets impression by having a collapse down the stretch, in a one game playoff to decide the AL Central winner. They went on to get swept by the Yankees and an injury to closer Joe Nathan which has forced him to miss the entire year had some people question whether they could repeat. Minnesota is right there again largely thanks to Jon Rauch who has stepped in for Nathan. They also boast the best bullpen in the American League in terms of ERA. They are currently battling the White Sox in a pivotal series for first place while Detroit sits a ways back and will need a big comeback to win the division at this point. Joe Mauer isn’t having the MVP season he had last year, but he still is 5th in the league in batting. After Chicago’s win last night, the White Sox and Twins are in a dead heat for first with the rubber match coming tonight to decide who claims first place. Minnesota’s offense has been strong this season as they are 4th in baseball in runs scored. Chicago’s pitching has been strong as they are 4th in the league in team ERA, but Minnesota isn’t far behind them as they are 7th. I think Minnesota has the edge coming down the stretch and they have the experience of being defending division champions. It will likely come down to the wire between the two clubs, but I see the Twins repeating as AL Central champs.
AL West: The Texas Rangers have always had a potent offense, but their pitching has recently become the reason for their success, and with Nolan Ryan as Team President, maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise. They currently have the 3rd best ERA in the American League and boast a particularly strong bullpen full of hard throwers. Ryan has made it clear that he doesn’t regard pitch counts for much and is preaching for his pitchers to build up their arms and throw longer outings throughout the organization. They currently have the largest lead of any team in baseball with a 7.5 game lead, 5 more games than any other division leader currently has. The Mariners have been a disappointment this season and recently fired their manager, while the Angels, who have been the class of the division in recent years, are also struggling with their former ace John Lackey being traded to the Red Sox at the beginning of the year as well as slugger Kendry Morales being sidelined for the remainder of the season. Texas should be in line to win the division and make their first playoff appearance since 1999 barring a surprising turnaround. Outfielder Josh Hamilton is having an MVP type season and is leading the majors in batting with a .357 average. DH Vladimir Guerrero, who played for the Angels last season, is also having a resurgent year for the Rangers and is currently 4th in the AL in RBIs with 86. Neftali Feliz has been strong at closer and the addition of Cliff Lee provides the Rangers with a legitimate ace to head their rotation. Come playoff time, they could surprise a few people and make a deep run.
AL Wild Card: The Wild Card winner is likely to come from the East, and the Rays currently lead the way. The Rays currently sit 1.5 games behind the Yankees for first in the East and have the 2nd best record in all of baseball. They lead the Red Sox by 3.5 games for the Wild Card and boast a 5 game lead over the White Sox and Twins, who are tied for the Central lead. After that, another AL East team, Toronto, is actually the next in line so it’s safe to say no other team will likely contend for the Wild Card. The Red Sox were supposed to be built on pitching and defense, but Jon Lester has really been their only consistent starter all year, however, their offense is 2nd in the league in runs scored. The Rays on the other hand, lead the AL in team ERA and are led by young David Price, who leads the league in wins. The Rays young arms are comparable with any rotation in baseball and I think they have the pitching to hold off the Red Sox and win the Wild Card, although Boston is giving them a strong test and will be right in the thick of things until the end.
August 12, 2010 · Filed under MLB
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Now that the World Cup is over, the top leagues in the world are getting ready to get play back underway, while some like the MLS resume suspended play. Players are also returning to their club sides after participating in South Africa, which of course includes American star Landon Donovan who has returned to the LA Galaxy. There has been talk recently that the MLS wouldn’t be accepting any offers for Donovan to return to Europe, where he played for Everton of the EPL on a 10 week loan prior to the World Cup. This is a big mistake by the MLS and for the future of US soccer. While Donovan may improve short term ratings for the MLS, this would not be nearly as effective as a potential successful stint for Donovan in the elite leagues of the world.
MLS commissioner Don Garber recently stated that the league had no interest in accepting transfer offers for Donovan. He feels that the midfielder is too much of a star for the league to give him up. While ratings may take a slight hit if Donovan is gone, and I suspect their wouldn’t be too much of a drop off, the value of him returning overseas, where it is rumored that Everton and Manchester City of the Premier League are interested in him, would be great for American soccer. It will gain credibility for US soccer abroad and will inspire young players in America and prove that they can make it in the elite leagues of the world. Even players in the most elite national teams such as Argentina and Brazil play their club football in Europe, in what are considered to be the top four leagues in the world, the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, and the German Bundesliga. For example, Kaka, Luis Fabiano, and Maicon are just a few of the Brazilians that play in Europe as opposed to staying in the Brazilian League.
Donovan also let it be known that his experience at Everton gave him the confidence to have a successful performance in South Africa. When you are regularly playing games against clubs with the quality of Chelsea and Manchester United you are bound to become more accustomed to playing at the highest level. While the MLS is moving in the right direction, you cannot argue that it is even close to the level of many European leagues not to mention the top 4. Other Americans such as Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, and Jozy Altidore are already playing in the top leagues of the world. In fact, the US only had 4 players on its World Cup roster from MLS, including Donovan. In his time at Everton, he proved that he belonged among the world’s elite and can become even better if he spends a significant amount of time in Europe. His games for Everton, assuming he returns to the club if he goes back to Europe, can be shown weekly here in the states where he will be a teammate of American goalkeeper Tim Howard. This will help gain more fans of the game who in turn may start watching more MLS games. Nothing in the MLS can replicate the experience and knowledge he can gain in Europe and bring back to the national team.
While Garber hasn’t ruled out more potential loans in the future, Donovan is signed under contract with the Galaxy, as of December, for the next 4 years and expects to make more than $2 million this year. Obviously not only can he make much more money in Europe, but the MLS can also make more money by accepting his transfer fees. If fans in America see their favorite domestic players competing at the highest level of the sport, they will become much more devoted to the sport and it will have a greater impact than seeing a player have success in a league such as the MLS. Think of it this way, it’s like the best basketball players in Europe coming to the United States to play in the NBA. If you want to compete at the highest level and become one of the world’s elite countries in the sport, you have to play with the top players in the world for a prolonged period of time.
As for the future of the MLS, we are now starting to see players come up through each team’s youth system, which is a great sign. This is how the top clubs in the world bring up young players year after year that have all been playing the same style and in the same system all their lives. For example, we saw Spain win the World Cup recently and they were made up mostly of players from only two teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid. The system payed at Barcelona was virtually the same that the Spanish national team displayed in South Africa. Their teamwork and possession is really what gave them an edge over the other nations this summer. The more and more developed each club’s youth system becomes, the greater the play will become and the more formidable of a league the MLS will be.
The intentions of the commissioner regarding Donovan also come at the same time as French superstar Thierry Henry is set to begin his MLS career with the New York Red Bulls. With players like Henry, Beckham, and perhaps even Ronaldinho, who has been rumored to be potentially going to the Galaxy, in the league the MLS is gaining more credibility as a league around the world. Once Donovan plays in Europe, he can potentially come back as an even bigger star with experience at the highest levels and return to the MLS to play his final years. It seems clear to me that Donovan wants to be in Europe at the moment and wants to prove to himself and his doubters that he can succeed there. When he was younger, Donovan spent time in Germany where he had little success which resulted in him coming to MLS. His stint at Everton was a real breakthrough for him as he finally succeeded in the top leagues of the world. His time in the EPL made him a better player and helped the US perform admirably in the World Cup this summer, and that was only in 10 weeks, imagine what a few years could do for his game, and perhaps more importantly his confidence. The more big game experience American players gain in Europe, the more poised and ready they’ll be when it comes time to get ready for Brazil in 2014.
July 21, 2010 · Filed under Soccer
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