Where we are, where we thought we would be and where we think we're going...

NL East

Leader - Atlanta Braves

Prediction - Philadelphia Phillies (4.5 games back)

Projection - Atlanta Braves

The Phillies had a bizarre first half, but they could rally back to win the division if they make a trade for another starting pitcher and they get healthy.  I picked the Braves as the sleeper of the NL, so I'm hardly surprised by their Spring surge, although it did not look to good when they were getting no-hit every other night in April.  If they can keep getting production from their infield (Martin Prado, Troy Glaus and Chipper Jones), they have enough pitching to close the deal.

NL Central

Leader - Cincinnati Reds

Prediction - St. Louis Cardinals (1.0 game back)

Projection - St. Louis Cardinals

I thought the Reds were a year away with Edinson Volquez on the shelf and Aroldis Chapman in the minors, but they have the best offense in the National League led by Joey Votto and the resurgent Scott Rolen.  However, St. Louis is just a game back.  Once Tony LaRussa sorts out his bullpen, the Cards star power will overpower the division.

NL West

Leader - San Diego Padres

Prediction - Colorado Rockies (2.0 games back)

Projection - Colorado Rockies

Like most "experts", I had the Padres buried in last with their two stars (Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell) donning new uniforms by next month.  Instead, they've used a no-name pitching staff and a giant ballpark to stifle offenses in the year of the pitcher.  Nevertheless, the Rockies and even the Dodgers and Giants have so much more talent on paper that someone will chase down the Pads in September. 

NL Wild Card

Leader - Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies

Prediction - Atlanta Braves

Projection - Philadelphia Phillies

The Braves were considered a sleeper when I tabbed them to take the wild card, but now they are a division leader.  While I like the Rockies to take the NL West, I'll settle on the two-time defending NL champs to grab the final playoff berth.

AL West

Leader - Texas Rangers

Prediction - LA Angels of Anaheim (4.5 games back)

Projection - Texas Rangers

Typically, I'd ignore the Rangers strong start because they tend to fade as the Texas heat wears them down late into the Summer.  However, I'm encouraged by Josh Hamilton, who is back to his '08 dominance, and the trade for Cliff Lee.  In the long run, they'll likely regret giving up Justin Smoak for a rental, but Lee should secure their first division title in over a decade.

AL Central

Leader - Chicago White Sox

Prediction - Chicago White Sox

Projection - Chicago White Sox

I was not looking so smart after an ugly start, but they've rebounded behind consistent pitching and a top 5 MVP half from Alex Rios.  With Jake Peavy on the sidelines, the Twins and Tigers are ready to pounce, but GM Kenny Williams is always active at the trade deadline.  He'll bring in a starting pitcher to fill the hole.

AL East

Leader - New York Yankees

Prediction - New York Yankees

Projection - New York Yankees

They are not nearly as exciting as last year's team, but they are better.  They've won a major league leading 56 games to this point behind pitching, power and defense.  Their starting rotation has accounted for a ridiculous 48 wins, which means they are getting deep into games and holding leads. 

AL Wild Card

Leader - Tampa Bay Rays

Prediction - Boston Red Sox (3.0 games back)

Projection - Boston Red Sox

With all the injuries, maybe it's not the Red Sox year.  On the other hand, they can only get healthier in the second half.  The Rays are better on paper than practice.  They have too many all-or-nothing bats plus suspect team chemistry.  Whoever does better at the trade deadline will emerge from this two-horse race.

Playoffs

In the preseason, I went Yankees over Red Sox and Rockies over Phillies.  I'll stick with my two World Series combatants, but now I like Yankees over Rangers and Rockies over Braves.

In the end, the Yankees should win one more for George.

Midseason Awards

AL MVP - Miguel Cabrera

Cabrera is putting up triple crown numbers, while Alex Rodriguez (preseason pick) looks old.

NL MVP - Joey Votto

He won't hold out, but he's holding up better than Chase Utley (my pick).  Pujols should win another one with a strong finishing kick.

AL Cy Young - David Price

The young lefty could wear down as he reaches new innings heights, while Jon Lester (preseason pick) will be in the thick of it.  CC Sabathia is known as a dominant second half pitcher, which is a scary thought considering he already has 12 wins.

NL Cy Young - Ubaldo Jimenez

I know wins are an overrated stat, but 15 at the break is absurd.  Jimenez has shown signs of cracking, so look for Josh Johnson to steal the award away.  I picked Roy Halladay in my preview.

AL Rookie - Brennan Boesch

The Tigers call-up has slugged his away into the middle of their lineup and the top of the rookie standings.  I'll stick with my preseason choice, Neftali Feliz, to maintain dominance throughout the season.

NL Rookie - Jaime Garcia

The Cardinals pitcher has been greatly overshadowed by the NL's star-studded rookie class.  He'll lose out in the end to Jason Heyward (my preseason pick) or more likely Stephen Strasburg.

AL Manager - Terry Francona

Considering the injuries and the horrific start, he has the Red Sox in a prime position to catch the Rays and/or the Yankees.  Ozzie Guillen (preseason pick) will get his fair share of votes.

NL Manager - Bobby Cox

Some national writers suggested that a lesser known manager would have been fired based on the Braves April.  There is a reason that Cox is not a lesser known manager.  My preseason pick will take the award in his final year. 

Ubaldo Jimenez (one of four no-hitters) has paced the field in the year of the pitcher.

If LeBron James chooses the Knicks tomorrow, I take back everything bad I said about James, Donnie Walsh and all parties involved.  Let me just put that out there straight away.

• With that said, I do not believe the Knicks will get the rose tomorrow.  In terms of winning championships, Miami and Chicago make so much more sense than New York.  However, he'll settle for Cleveland. 
• I will say the momentum seems to be in the Knicks favor.  The Bulls have been silent and the Heat made their big moves with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.  In a Cleveland vs. New York match-up without sentiment, the Knicks are a better situation.  Walsh can offer Amar'e Stoudemire, a young roster and cap space, while the Cavs are locked into Antawn Jamison and veteran garbage.  If loyalty is not a factor, he could be a Knick tomorrow.
• David Lee makes so much sense for the Phoenix Suns, but Robert Sarver is the cheapest owner in the league.  He makes Donald Sterling look like George Steinbrenner. 
• Speaking of Sterling, the Clippers hired Vinny Del Negro???  They have no imagination.  The Clips have lowered the bar so far that my overweight shitzu could jump over it. 
• Wade, Bosh, Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers are not a championship core.  They should be rooting for James to re-sign with Cleveland, so Pat Riley can assemble a veteran supporting cast on the cheap.  If James signs with New York, Walsh will have to fight off veteran role guys with a stick.
• Germany are nothing if not predictable, which is amazing considering I predicted every single one of their games wrong in the knockout stage.  Anyway, they always book a spot in the final four, but they rarely come home with the hardware.  They have not won a major crown since Euro '96, yet they've gone semis, semis and finals in the last three World Cups.
• My brother's text: "Are all Spaniards allergic to shooting?"  Yes, they kind of are.  For the first time in this tournament, we saw the real Spain.  Like Chinese water torture, they hardly give you a touch of the ball until they score the first goal.  Once they have a lead, they don't give you a touch at all.  Germany had to score first to open up Spain, but Carlos Puyol's header was a deserving winner.
• Fernando Torres should not start the Final.  If Cesc Fabregas is healthy enough, he should get the nod.  If not, David Silva should get a return from exile over Pedro.
• Early prediction: Germany will win Euro '12.  
• Martin Tyler was ESPN's big play-by-play get leading up to the World Cup and he's been excellent, but Ian Darke has stolen the show.  On the whole, it has to be said that the worldwide leader's coverage has been spectacular.  They made mostly great hires/assignments and they did not ask their analysts to dumb it down for an American audience (Roberto Martinez is my favorite).  
• Robinson Cano pulled out of the Home Run Derby today with a "back injury".  I would've thrown a viewing party to root against him if he had stayed in.  He seems like the perfect candidate to ruin his swing trying to impress the fans.
• Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez is the next Cano.  He has the sweetest lefty swing in the National League.
• Great tweet by someone named Alexander Cole: "Great eating champions of our time arrested on back-to-back days: Kobayashi and Jamarcus Russell."

Jamarcus Russell is a walking cautionary tale.

If you're a sports junkie, Emeril Lagasse's Stadium at the Palazzo in Las Vegas is the Mecca of sports books.

• As we speak, the Red Sox are down 8-0 and on the verge of getting swept in a four-game series by the Rays.  As I tried to explain time and time again, Red Sox fans bought a bill of goods in the offseason from their acclaimed general manager.  "Pitching and defense," he sold.  Theo Epstein has helped this franchise win two World Series, but so has David Ortiz and he's getting booed at the Fens.  Boston is in the bottom half of the American League in both pitching and defense, but that will likely turn around.  However, unless they make a trade, they won't hit with the Yankees and Rays in 2010.  At present, they are viewing Jeremy Hermida (.207 BA) as a potential saviour.
• While "Big Papi" has worn out his welcome in Beantown, J.D. Drew is just fine sitting in Papi's struggling shadow.  Drew is getting $28 million over the next two seasons.  At present, the BoSox second highest paid player is off to a rocking .132 BA start with 1 HR and 2 RBI.  He's also leading the AL with 16 strikeouts, although I'm sure Bill James has a stat to prove that Drew is worth every penny.
• If David Price (2.45 ERA) and Jeff Niemann (3.24 ERA) continue to pitch like the top draft picks they are, the Rays can be scary good.
• The Yankees have taken on the American League's best over the first two weeks and the contenders have been found wanting.  If the playoffs started today, the Bombers would be huge favorites for #28, but there's a lot of baseball to play.  Injuries and trades will play their part.  Until then, New York is in such control that they seem to find Mark Teixeira's annual April blizzard amusing. 
• Ubaldo Jimenez was throwing 98 mph in the 9th inning of his no-hitter.  With that kind of talent atop their rotation, the Rockies are the Phillies primary competition in the NL.
• When you really take a second to digest the Mets lineup, you can understand how they were blanked for 18 innings against the Cardinals.  They give Luis Castillo, Fernando Tatis and Jeff Francoeur consistent at-bats... in 2010!!! 
• Wow, what an opening weekend for the NBA playoffs!!!  AMAZING!!!!
• Sorry, David Stern hacked into my blog and wrote that last line.  If ever there was a year to trim the number of playoff teams in half, we're looking at it.  Without Andrew Bogut, the Bucks look an awful lot like the Nets.  The Bulls and Thunder are only legitimate playoff teams in a 2-on-2 tournament.  The Blazers best player is Andre Miller and they WON Game 1 over the worst Suns team since Steve Nash arrived. 
• Andre Miller is a strange case.  He's only a good player if he's his teams best player, which is laughable until you realize that he's had some success in that role.  He led Utah to the National Championship game after Keith Van Horn departed.  He led the NBA in assists with Cleveland in 2001-02 when the second best player was a choice between Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Ricky Davis, Wesley Person and Lamond Murray.  He's had a miserable shooting season in Portland, but without Brandon Roy, he turned into Kobe Bryant last night closing out Game 1.  If Bill Simmons had an all-Ewing Theory team, Miller would start at point guard.
• In the hybrid big man era of basketball, size has become the most underrated "talent".  With a healthy Andrew Bynum alongside Pau Gasol, the Lakers are too tall for most of their opponents, especially the Thunder.  Bynum and Gasol combined for 32 points, 25 rebounds and 7 blocks going against Nenad Krstic and Jeff Green.  Bynum and Gasol also combine for 14 feet. 
• Dwight Howard cannot shake the "soft" label.  He's led the NBA in rebounds and blocks for three straight seasons.  I was not around back then, but I bet Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul Jabbar were called soft in their eras. 
• Who is the Suns third best player?  Jason Richardson?  Grant Hill??  Channing Frye???
• Carmelo Anthony (42 points) will have to be that good for the Nuggets to even match last year's Western Conference Finals achievement.
• Gregg Popovich HATES this Spurs team.  He's been screaming about it all season, but the media has written it off as a motivational ploy.  "I think we have to have more people step up and play worth a damn.  We had a lot of guys play like dogs," he said after Game 1.  Who could he be talking about?  We know he loves his big three (Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker), who just so happened to combine for 71 of the Spurs 94 points.  As for the players who have no credit in the Bank of Pop, Richard Jefferson made one field goal in 32 minutes, which is one more than George Hill made in a starting role. 
• The Heat and Celtics will turn out to be the closest series.  They are inevitably headed for Game 7 barring a Dwyane Wade injury.  Although unless they want to brawl like the Heat teams of the 90's, I'd appreciate it if they just skipped the next five games and went straight to Game 7.  The Boston Corpses are depressing and so is Wade punishing his body for a team that starts Carlos Arroyo and Quentin Richardson. 

  Kevin Garnett's elbow was the only flash point of a dull opening weekend in the NBA Playoffs.

In order of predicted finish...

1. Colorado Rockies

Strength - Prime Timing

The Rockies are loaded with talent in or about to hit the sweet spot of their careers.  Troy Tulowitzki is ready to take the mantle as the game's next great shortstop.  Carlos Gonzalez is a five-tool talent in the outfield.  Jeff Francis is back from injury to resume his role on the Rocks mound as the next Andy Pettitte.  Ian Stewart is ready for a breakout season at third base.  In 2007, they surged to the World Series ahead of schedule.  In 2008, they succumbed to expectations.  Last year, they rebuilt the foundation for what should be a pennant contender in 2010.

Weakness - Guaranteed Pitching

As my favorite baseball saying goes, "Guys tend to do what it says on the back of their baseball cards."  However, the Rockies young staff does not have many lines on the back of their cards.  They have five solid arms in the rotation, but no guarantees of health or consistency.  Huston Street went down with an injury in spring training, which could expose the back end of their bullpen.  Again, they have the talent, but will it come together?

2. San Francisco Giants

Strength - Starting Pitching

Along with the Cardinals and Mariners, the Giants have one of the top duos in the game to anchor their starting rotation.  Tim Lincecum is special.  Matt Cain has overcome his youthful inconsistency to be a second ace.  If Barry Zito were paid a normal amount, he'd be considered a solid #3 in the National League.  Jonathan Sanchez showed he has no-hitter stuff and they have more arms coming from the minors.

Weakness - Lineup

When will ownership start to take this team seriously?  They have a lights-out staff, great fans and an awesome park.  If they bought a hitter or two, they'd be the premier franchise in the NL.  Pablo "Kung-fu Panda" Sandoval is solid, but everybody else is average at best.  Aubrey Huff was the big offseason signing!  Has Huff ever finished out of last place in his career?

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

Strength - Lineup and Bullpen

I was dead wrong about the Dodgers last season and I could be again this year.  They have the best lineup in the division and possibly the NL.  Manny Ramirez could do anything, good or bad.  Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are turning into perennial all-stars.  Russell Martin's career fell off the wagon a few years back, but James Loney and Rafael Furcal provide some pop in their infield.  Although Jonathan Broxton is an old-school flamethrower closer without much finesse or location, they still have the best pen in the NL.  George Sherrill was a big pick-up at last year's deadline.

Weakness - Starting Pitching and Ownership

I hated their staff going into last year, but their weakness did not materialize until the final months when Chad Billingsley completely fell apart.  If Billingsley comes to his senses and Clayton Kershaw can take a full load, they won't be terrible on the mound.  Nevertheless, Vicente Padilla is their Opening Day starter.  The Dodgers have chemistry and ownership issues.  From the outside looking in, they are loaded with players that raise character red flags.  Joe Torre is adept at handling a clubhouse, but does GM Ned Colletti have the resources to fix problems as they arise?  The McCourt's divorce will hang over the franchise like a black cloud in 2010.

4. Arizona Diamondbacks

Strength - Talent

Once dubbed the "NL Worst", this division is now loaded.  The Diamondbacks could finish 4th or win the thing because they have elite talent all over the field.  Brandon Webb and Dan Haren could be on the list of top duos if Webb returns to full health.  Justin Upton is one of the bright stars in the game and 3B Mark Reynolds quietly slugged 44 homeruns last year.  Plus, they made a positive trade in the offseason to bring in Edwin Jackson, who will help eat innings, and Ian Kennedy, who could flourish in the NL. 

Weakness - Youth

They are a year away.  Webb needs a season to get back to Cy Young form.  Upton needs to be a more consistent run producer.  They ALL need to strikeout less.  If they made a late run at a Wild Card, I would not be surprised, but they could also put themselves in too deep of an early hole.

5. San Diego Padres

Strength - Ballpark

If they were the Chargers, they would have been shipped to another town in the last couple years.  While the Bolts are likely going to bolt unless they get new digs, the Padres put out a minor league product in their relatively new PetCo Park. 

Weakness - Everything other than...

Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell.  Gonzalez will be in a Red Sox uniform before long, while Bell will likely close games for a contender by the Fall.  If I did the research, they probably have some young talent, but why should I care if their ownership doesn't?

Ranking the Division's Best

Best Lineup

1. Dodgers - Lineup and bullpen are like Torre's final Yankees teams.

2. Rockies - I love their bench with Jason Giambi, Melvin Mora and Ryan Spilborghs.

3. Diamondbacks - All or nothing...

4. Padres - Adrian Gonzalez.

5. Giants - Pathetic...

Best Rotation

1. Giants - They are locked and loaded for years to come.

2. Diamondbacks - All depends on Webb...

3. Rockies

4. Dodgers - Kershaw could move them up this list.

5. Padres

Best Bullpen

1. Dodgers - Not Torre's strength though...

2. Rockies - Street changed their team last year.

3. Giants

4. Padres - Bell is an elite closer.

5. Diamondbacks - Chad Qualls is not an elite closer.

Best Manager

1. Dodgers - Torre needs to hold the franchise together.

2. Giants - Always been a Bruce Bochy fan...

3. Rockies - Can Jim Tracy repeat his midseason magic?

4. Diamondbacks

5. Padres - Not Bud Black's fault...

Fantasy Sleepers

1. Hiroki Kuroda, SP, Dodgers - Career 3.74 ERA, but 17-17 record.  Just needs luck...

2. Edwin Jackson, SP, D'Backs - Solid AL pitcher should get the NL boost.

3. Ian Kennedy, SP, D'Backs - If he's healthy, he's a polished prospect. 

4. Ian Stewart, 3B, Rockies - He could be this year's Mark Reynolds if he makes more contact.

5. Fred Lewis, OF, Giants - Terrible '09, but he has the tools to break out.

Troy Tulowitzki is ready to be the face of this division.

I have been tweeting up a storm lately (twitter.com/mooresports)....

• Headline: "Thierry Henry Cheats France Into World Cup."  Harsh at first, but not when you see the video.  As the ball came down, he knew that he could not trap it with his feet, so he intentionally broke a rule that he's known since he was deux.  Macchiavelli would be proud as the result is that France gets to participate in World Cup 2010, so the end justifies the means...I guess.  God knows the French people won't call him on it. 
• Soccer is yet another sport that desperately needs replay.  When one goal shakes countries and changes lives, you better be damned sure it's a good goal.
• Jim Tracy was a solid choice for NL Manager of the Year, but Mike Scioscia was an inspired decision for AL Manager.  On the surface, the Angels won a division that they were heavily favored to win, so typically Joe Girardi, Ron Washington or Ron Gardenhire would have won the award.  But Scioscia navigated his team through the harshest of waters when Nick Adenhart was killed in April.  He had to balance the psychological aspect of losing a young teammate and the strategic aspect of losing an important pitcher.  Impressive stuff.
• Jason Bay declined 4 years, $60 million from the Red Sox because he believes something better is out there.  Fair enough.  He's a free-agent.  But I doubt he finds anything better than that, so he should return to the Monster's shadow.
• Roy Halladay in 2009 is quite similar to Johan Santana in 2007.  To acquire him, a team will have to send over at least one top prospect, plus they'll have to negotiate a Santana-like extension ($15-$20 mill per year).  Why spend money and prospects when you can just spend money?  John Lackey can be had for 5 years $90 million or teams can wait for Cliff Lee in 2010.  Halladay is a great player, so all GMs should stay tuned in to the negotiations, but there's no reason to give up Joba Chamberlain or Clay Buchholz when Toronto has little leverage.
• Trying to pick between Tim Lincecum, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright for NL Cy Young is an unenviable task.  Their numbers are nearly identical.  Honestly, I'd pick Lincecum because he's the best pitcher of the three, but my guess is Carpenter wins it.
• Allen Iverson will not significantly help any NBA team again until he comes to terms with his mortality.  He is not the same player he used to be.  Until he accepts that, his ego will keep him from embracing "role player" status.  If he does get a grip, he could provide Orlando cover for Jameer Nelson or improve the Lakers mediocre bench play.
• The Knicks won last night.  How?
• Brandon Jennings is well on his way to rookie of the year honors.  As of yet, I've never seen him play other than highlights.  He's getting lauded for scoring points, lots of points, like 55 points.  He's supposed to be a point guard though.  The NBA's recent revival began with a fresh crop of old-school point guards like Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Steve Nash.  By old-school, I mean point guards that create shots for others.  In the late 90s, the NBA lost its way by trying to make stars out of me-first lead guards like Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis and Allen Iverson.  I have no doubt that Jennings is a heck of a talent, but his 5.8/3.8 assist to turnover ratio is taking us down a road that I don't want to travel again. 
• I'm a piss-ant, a know-it-all.  I'm young and I have a ton of opinions and I am not afraid to voice them even in the company of more experienced sports journalists.  But if I ever get a one-on-one audience with Vin Scully, I assure you, every one of my sentences will be in the form of question.  What's my point?  Padma Lakshmi, the host of Top Chef.  Before Top Chef, Padma was a model who was best known for marrying famed author Salman Rushdie.  To be clear, SHE IS NOT A CHEF.  She is a model, who can speak in a pretentious accent.  Last night, inside my TV, she had the privilege of sitting at a table with Thomas Keller (all-in-all the best living American chef) and several other acclaimed chefs and critics.  What did she do that has me so hot and bothered?  She voiced her opinion.  Sorry Padma, at that table, you don't get to have an opinion.
• Thank you, as always, for letting me get that off my chest.  You should all write blogs.  They are so therapeutic.  Happy Thursday!

"Renowned chef" Padma Lakshmi

I won't be attending the Winter Meetings this season.  They moved from Las Vegas to Indianapolis, so I expect I'm not the only one taking a pass.  Anyway, here is your list of the best free agents, where they'll go and what they can do:

1. John Lackey, SP, 31

Lackey is a younger version of Andy Pettitte.  His stats are not ace-like, but he sure looks like an ace on the big stage.  He is a year younger than A.J. Burnett and should command a higher salary (5 years, $90 million).  With the Red Sox not in the market for a top starter, the Rangers and Yankees should duel for Lackey's services.

Prediction: Yankees

2. Jason Bay, LF, 31

Bay is older than I thought and according to the sabermetrics, a terrible defensive outfielder.  However, he is athletic (13 steals), patient (.384 OBP) and powerful (36 HR).  He's also proven he can hit in the AL, which is more than Matt Holliday can say.  The Red Sox will set a ceiling (4 years, $60 mill?) like they did with Johnny Damon years ago, but the Yankees won't overbid for Bay, who locks them out of Carl Crawford next Winter.  He could go to the NL, but where does Boston turn...Jeremy Hermida?  

Prediction: Red Sox

3. Matt Holliday, LF, 30

His 2009 performance should scare off the entire American League.  Yet, he will command a big salary (5 years, $80 mill?), so he can only go to the Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Phillies and Cubs.  He could really help the Giants or Braves, who are one bat away from NL domination.  The Dodgers and Phillies are locked up with Manny Ramirez and Raul Ibanez, while the Cubs have Alfonso Soriano's awful contract.  That leaves the Mets, but buyer beware, he does not seem like a New York kind of guy.

Prediction: Mets

4. Chone Figgins, UTIL, 32

Did you hear that crash?  That's the market falling off.  Figgy is a late-blooming utility player with great speed.  He plays a lot of positions, but he's settled into third base, which is unfortunate because he hits like a second baseman.  He would be a great fit to fill the Cubs hole at second base and move Soriano out of the leadoff spot.  But he's the Angels identity and they are the only team who would let him play third.

Prediction: Angels

5. Johnny Damon, LF, 36

Yes, he's 36, but unlike everyone below him on this list, he can actually help your team win games.  He hit the same number of homeruns as Holliday and he can do it on the big stage.  He needs to be on a winner, but he could help put a contender over the top.  Just a guess, but the Yankees will play hardball with him (offer no more than two years) and he'll take the money somewhere else.  The White Sox depth chart currently lists a black hole in left field with Carlos Quentin moving to the DH spot.

Prediction: White Sox

6. Adam Laroche, 1B, 30

He's only 30 and he hit 25 homers last season despite getting traded twice.  Plus, he's a good glove man.  In the non-steroid era, he's not a bad player.  The Braves need lumber and he's proven that he can thrive in that town.

Prediction: Braves

7. Nick Johnson, 1B, 31

He's a great defensive player and an on-base machine.  However, he cannot stay healthy, so he never gets into a power groove (20+ HR once, 2006).  If he could stay on the field, he'd be the steal of this class.  The Mets need him the most, but the injuries will scare them away.  The Red Sox could go bargain hunting if they fail to lure Adrian Gonzalez in a trade.  Billy Beane could be intrigued, but I'll say the Giants, who need an injection of offense everywhere.

Prediction: Giants

8. Rich Harden, SP, 28

He's still young enough to tease on potential alone.  He hit 140+ innings for the first time since his second year (2004) last season, so he's either learning to be durable or due to break down again.  No GM can afford to make him the big acquisition of their offseason because he's bound to embarrass them.  So, we're left with the Red Sox or Dodgers.  After last year's John Smoltz and Brad Penny debacles, Boston should look for safer ground.

Prediction: Dodgers

9. Mike Gonzalez, RP, 31

Brian Fuentes career ERA: 3.47.  Gonzalez: 2.57.  Fuentes career batting average against: .226.  Gonzalez: .209.  Fuentes career WHIP: 1.26.  Gonzalez: 1.22.  Fuentes free agency age: 33.  Gonzalez: 31.  Last Winter, Fuentes signed for $17.5 million over 2 years plus a third year option with the Angels.  If I'm Gonzalez's agent, I'm not settling for a penny less. 

Prediction: Phillies

10. Andy Pettitte, SP, 38

Yes, he's 38.  And yes, he's going back to the Yankees, so he's no fun to write about in a prediction column, but I cannot stomach putting a World Series hero behind the likes of Felipe Lopez, Adrian Beltre and Erik Bedard on any list.

Prediction: Yankees (1 year, $10 mill guaranteed)

Now for the fun part:

Trade Targets and Ideas

The 2010-11 Hot Stove class includes Roy Halladay, Joe Mauer, Carl Crawford, Derek Jeter, Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez and Aramis Ramirez.  Basically, the balance of power in baseball could be shifted next Winter.  However, a smart GM will try and get out in front of that class by snagging a top gun in a trade.  3 ideas:

1. Boston Red Sox acquire Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez for RP Daniel Bard and prospects.

Boston has always viewed San Diego as a pipeline and the Red Sox will go to the well to pick-up the clean-up hitter that they desperately need.  The Padres don't want to pay actual money for baseball players, so they'll use their last chip to stock up on overvalued prospects.  Epstein can afford to lose Bard with Jonathan Papelbon in place.

2. New York Mets trade SS Jose Reyes to the Blue Jays for SP Roy Halladay.

This won't happen, but it should.  Reyes is a bad fit in New York, but he'd be a fun and relatively cheap piece to build around in Toronto.  Alongside Aaron Hill and Adam Lind, the Blue Jays would be decent.  Halladay is as good as gone after this season, so the Mets will need a negotiating window to lock him up.  In a spacious ballpark, Halladay and Johan Santana could own the National League.

3. New York Yankees trade SP Phil Hughes to the Rays for LF Carl Crawford.

Again, not gonna happen, but here me out.  If the Yankees sign Lackey, they'll have the top three in their rotation locked down with CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.  Chien-Ming Wang will return midseason and Andy Pettitte is still in the mix.  The Yankees will move either Joba Chamberlain or Hughes to the bullpen.  As the postseason proved yet again, Chamberlain's stuff is far superior to Hughes.  Hughes projects as a middle of the rotation starter whereas Joba could be a potential ace or a replacement for Mariano Rivera when he retires.  With Ian Kennedy, Andrew Brackman and others earning big bonuses in the minors, why not flip Hughes for a 28-year-old left fielder who would hit homeruns in Yankees Stadium and obviously steal bases?  They can wait and get him as a free agent is the answer, but Crawford helps them win #28 in 2010.   

My day started at the dentist where some freckled lady stabbed me in the gums with a sharp stick and then was surprised that they were bleeding, so yeah it's a Tuesday.

• We tuned in to watch Mark Sanchez and left talking about Chad Henne.  If Henne plays like that, the Dolphins could turn an 0-3 start into a playoff run.
• There's the Dolphins version of the Wildcat and then there's everybody else's.
• Don't be surprised if Braylon Edwards follows a similar career track to Plaxico Burress (minus the shooting in the leg business).  Both #17s started in the AFC North and developed a reputation for choking or disappearing in big games.  But Burress grew out of it after a while in New York because every game is a big game.  As an example, the Giants are 5-0, but Brandon Jacobs is getting crucified for his 3.5 yards per carry rushing average.  Edwards has played one game as a Jet and he's already been on Monday Night Football.  Like Plaxico, he may never be a model citizen, but he's close to uncoverable as long as he can relax and catch the ball.
• I got all hot and bothered rooting for the Colorado Rockies only to realize that Huston Street does not have any out-pitches.  Brad Lidge is a mental nightmare and he'll cost the Phillies a game in the NLCS, but at least his slider is a legitimate swing-and-miss pitch. 
• Previews coming today and tomorrow, but just for the record, the Phillies are better than the Dodgers and the Yankees are better than the Angels.  With that said, it does not matter one bit.  Who's lineup gets hot and who's bullpen steps up?  Those questions will tell the tale.
• In case you missed it, which you did, the U.S. won a thrilling soccer game in Honduras to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.  The match was only available on Pay-Per-View in this country because ESPN did not want to broadcast it.  If the sport is to grow, that just cannot happen. 
• Suspended WR Dez Bryant meets with the NCAA today.  Bryant was suspended for the season for lying to an NCAA investigator.  Lying is a punishable offense, but it's also an understandable reaction.  The NCAA punishes their kids and coaches for having illegal pizza parties.  Bryant assumed that if they were asking him questions, he was likely to be burned at the stake for something.  So, he panicked and lied.  He missed a game and that should be that unless they can prove otherwise.
• Do you know what my real problem is with the NCAA?  They are a faceless organization.  Roger Goodell doles out punishment harshly in the NFL, but he's there to stand by it and give his reasoning.  Bud Selig is a used car salesman, but he's recognizable.  What is the NCAA?  Who is the NCAA?  When the BCS ruins college football, we yell at each other.  When players get suspended, we shout at the rain.  If I'm pissed off, I want to destroy someone's Wikipedia page!
• One lost note from the weekend: Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker put on an absolute show at the President's Cup.  Woods has always struggled in the team format, but he and Stricker went 4-0 and only played the 17th and 18th hole one time in 4 rounds.  To top it off, Woods exacted revenge on Y.E. Yang, who stole the PGA from Tiger's trophy case in August, by clinching the Cup at his expense in a 6 and 5 beatdown.
• Since it's the topic of the day, I'll weigh in.  Rush Limbaugh should be allowed to own an NFL football team.  This is America and his money is green like everybody else's.  However, it's great to see players like Giants DE Mathias Kiwanuka come out and say that they would never play for him.  There's no such thing as "politics aside" when dealing with someone like Limbaugh and you should not work for a man like that if you don't at least respect his opinion and Kiwanuka clearly doesn't. 

Judging by my predictions, I should watch more National League baseball.  Judging by the baseball, I should spend more time doing other things.

• If there is one thing I've learned from T.J. Lavin (host of the "Real World/Road Rules Challenge"), it's that he hates quitters.  So do I.  The Cardinals and Twins both got swept, but the Game 3 performances spoke volumes about the character of the players on the club.  St. Louis was making tee times the moment Matt Holliday took James Loney's liner off the cup, while the Twins made the Yankees earn every out in the series.
• Jorge Posada's defense was put under the microscope by his manager before the playoffs even started and there are some obvious flaws.  Communication and hustle were issues in Game 1, while he cost Andy Pettitte three or four strikes last night by stabbing at the ball instead of receiving it.  All that said, the man can flat out hit, which is another way to win ball games.
• Alex Rodriguez is showing us all how easy it is to hit without a giant monkey on your back.  A-Rod is letting his inner Manny Ramirez shine through.  Embrace the villain role.  He was a cold-blooded killer against the Twins, which will be discussed at length in Anaheim this week.
• Earlier this season, Terry Francona joked that his closer, Jonathan Papelbon, was hardly a brain surgeon.  Papelbon's futility between the ears cost the Red Sox Game 3.  Francona made the absolute right call by walking Torii Hunter to load the bases for Vladimir Guerrero, who will swing at anything.  Papelbon threw a first-pitch fastball hitter a first-pitch fastball down the gut of the plate.  One side note for Red Sox fans to think about, would Jason Varitek have called that pitch? 
• Like the "Cowardly Lion", the Angels found their courage this weekend.  The ALCS will be an almighty war.
• Major League Baseball is working very hard to keep you from watching the Phillies-Rockies series.  Games 1 and 2 were weekday day games, while Game 3 finished around 2 am eastern time.  Why are they hiding the only compelling series?  The umpires are shockingly bad and the bullpens are even worse.
• Rockies LF Carlos Gonzalez is the breakout star of the postseason.  He is a five-tool talent, who is thriving under the bright lights.
• If you didn't like the LSU-Florida game then you don't like bad football.  Penalties, turnovers, awful quarterback play, the game of the year had it all.  Les Miles kept waiting for Nick Saban's players to show up, but sadly they're all gone and so is Bayoux championship football for the Miles era. 
• Alabama has been more impressive than Florida this season, so I won't argue with pollsters that move the Tide into the #1 spot.  However, the Gators will beat them in the SEC Championship Game.  One reason: quarterback play.  Tim Tebow is significantly better than Greg McElroy.
• Unless Texas was looking ahead, they'll get slaughtered by the Sooners Saturday.  Colt McCoy looks shaky and Jordan Shipley is their only offensive weapon.  I'm picking Oklahoma.
• Derek Anderson went 2/17 for 23 yards in a winning effort.  As my Red Sox buddy put it, "He out Jamarcus Russelled Jamarcus Russell."  Russell went 8/13 for 100 yards and 3 fumbles in a 44-7 loss. 
• Of the awful teams, the Lions are by far the best.  They play the hardest.  The Steelers are either complacent or shaky.  Either way, they have not hit their stride yet and they desperately miss Troy Polamalu's playmaking on defense.
• The Atlanta Falcons certainly put the 49ers in their place.  Coming off a bye week and a weak effort against the Patriots, Matt Ryan and Roddy White were in 2008 form, hooking up for 210 yards and 2 TDs.
• Do you think Matt Hasselbeck makes a difference?  The Seahawks are in the Bucs, Lions, Browns, Bills, Chiefs pool without him.  With him, they beat the Jaguars 41-0.
• The Raiders and Rams don't even get to be in that other pool.  They can't swim.  Although, Russell is built like a life-raft.
• How long will the media continue to spout "the Cowboys are one of the most talented teams in football" nonsense?  That was true when Terrell Owens was in his prime and they were choking playoff games, but not now.  They have no receivers, unless the other team doesn't employ safeties like the Chiefs and Bucs.  Their only explosive offensive player cannot stay healthy, Felix Jones.  Tony Romo is average at best and their offensive line cannot pass block.  The defense is strong in spots, but they cannot cover deep and their linebackers are average.  They are no more talented than the Carolina Panthers or the Houston Texans.
• As I tweeted yesterday, I take such pride in watching the Bengals develop from the rag-tag crew on "Hard Knocks" to the giant killers they are today.  They should be 5-0 and they've already beaten all three teams in their division with last-second drives.  Carson Palmer has become a brilliant leader and Chad Ochocinco is falling into place.  The defense stood out on paper when I was doing my previews, but they've gelled even better than expected.  It's a great story.
• Ray Lewis spent all week crying about the soft penalties that cost the Ravens their game against the Patriots, so this week he showed everybody what a real personal foul looks like by decapitating Ochocinco on the final drive and it cost the Ravens their game against the Bengals.  Well done!
• Josh McDaniels is growing on me.  He's a cocky SOB, but he's the anti-Mangini.  He took it to his former boss yesterday and earned Bill Belichick's respect.  The Broncos reflect his attitude and that's how an average team becomes 5-0.
• Apparently, Peyton Manning won the MVP last season.  I don't remember anything from his 2008 campaign.  I'll try to remember 2009 because he's going to win it again.

A few baseball notes, but there's plenty of pigskin prognostication...

• The Cardinals are not dead.  Maybe I'm holding too tight to my World Series pick, but the Cards can dig their way out of this if they win Game 3.  A pissed off Chris Carpenter will dominate Game 4.  Then, they'll have Adam Wainwright in a Game 5.  Not likely, but there's a plan at least.
• By showing the "K Zone" on every pitch, TBS seems to be on a mission to show you how bad the umpires are at their job.  And I love it!!!  C.B. Bucknor blew two calls at first base last night in Anaheim, the Rockies/Phillies crew is almost as bad as the radio team calling their series (Chris Berman and Rick Sutcliffe) and somehow "Balkin" Bob Davidson got his first postseason gig in a decade.  Did Davidson get any better in that time?  I doubt it.  I think the competition is just coming back to him.
• Torii Hunter is one of the great guys in sports and he proved to be one of the great leaders in baseball last night.  After watching his team play scared in Fenway a few weeks back, Hunter called everybody out.  In Game 1, he not only stepped up with a killer three-run bomb, but he made a point to celebrate in a "screw everyone in Boston" kind of fashion.  Was it classy or old-school?  No, but the Angels need some cojones and Hunter showed he's got a pair.
• Obviously, the game of the week is Florida at LSU.  It'll be fun to watch, but it does not fit the "every game is a playoff mold."  If Florida loses, the media will blame it on Tim Tebow's concussion and give the Gators a pass to the BCS Title Game.  With that said, they won't lose because LSU has no business being ranked #4 in the country.
• The other SEC game is far more intriguing.  Alabama gets their first true road test when they venture to Oxford, Mississippi.  Colonel Reb has been crying in his Confederate handkerchief (see clip below) since they were upset by South Carolina, but now they can play loose and free as a home underdog.  Will it be enough to win?  Doubtful.  Ole Miss struggles at the line of scrimmage and that's Alabama's strength.
• Nailed my upset special last week calling Michigan St. over Michigan.  This week, #10 TCU will run into some trouble on the road at Air Force, while #5 Virginia Tech will play to the wire with improved Boston College.  But my upset...Texas A&M knocks off #15 Oklahoma St. sans Dez Bryant.
• Actually, this will be a week of upsets if you just look at rankings.  Michigan should beat #12 Iowa, UCLA will give #13 Oregon problems at the Rose Bowl and Arkansas is primed to get their first SEC win in 2009 against #17 Auburn.
• In the NFL (sort of), David Carr is bad enough to lose a home game against the Oakland Raiders.  With that said, Mannings don't miss starts and Eli will be out there, although I'm sure Chris Mortensen has a source that says he's out for the year.
• Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals is the only early Sunday game to match winning teams.  The Ravens will be in a foul mood after they lost their flag football game to the Patriots last week.  They'll punish Carson Palmer for it.
• Big swing game in the desert between Arizona and Houston.  Both teams have playoff aspirations, but they need to win games like this one.  The Cardinals are coming off a bye, while the Texans are kind of hot.  Toss-up...so I'll take the Fighting Warners at home.
• Atlanta returns from their bye to visit the fundamentally sound 49ers.  The Falcons were pushed around by the Patriots, which is San Francisco's strength as well.  I like the Niners in this game, especially after winning their showdown with Michael Crabtree.  Their top pick won't play a role, but the 49ers won the team over individual battle this time, which will boost their locker room morale.
• In the newest version of the awkward handshake game, Bill Belichick will try and destroy another one of his minions, Josh McDaniels.  The Broncos are undefeated and the Patriots will be one-dimensional without Fred Taylor.  However, unless they pound Tom Brady into the Mile High turf, they don't stand a chance against the far more explosive Patriots.
• Will Vince Young make an appearance on Sunday Night football against the Colts?  If Jeff Fisher's team is down at half, what other card can he play?

3 playoff games and a surprisingly active NFL Wednesday to talk about...

• As I said in the blogcast, if Randy Wolf beats Chris Carpenter, you've got a story.  He did...and didn't.  Joe Torre gets credit for the Game 1 win in my ledger.  Wolf was livin' on a prayer throughout his 11 out performance and Torre could not wait to get to the best bullpen in the National League.  Welcome to the new world of postseason baseball, where there are so many off days, managers are willing to wear out their pens nightly for coveted victories.
• Carpenter was a mess and Albert Pujols was negated by Torre.  The Cards are all of the sudden in a desperate spot today, which is the case for all Game 1 losers in a 5-game series.  Adam Wainwright is a good person to hand the ball to, but Clayton Kershaw could blow through this Cardinals lineup and book a ticket to the NLCS.
• The Phillies hit .375 yesterday against the Rockies, the umpires hit about .333.  Was it the NBA or MLB that was going to replacement refs?  Since he's not busy, can we get Dick Bavetta to ump Game 2?
• Side note: Kobe Bryant and Rasheed Wallace got technicals in their first preseason game.  Who gets T'ed up in a preseason game?
• My brother summed it up best: "Derek Jeter really lives his image."  He's Captain Clutch.  He's always understood how to rise to the moment.  Here's a great article detailing how Jeter turned around all his defensive metrics detractors this year.
• Who knows what pitfalls lie ahead for the Yankees on their quest for #27, but Alex Rodriguez's 2-out single to break his postseason RBI drought might be the biggest hit of the postseason.  His next AB he drilled another RBI off the wall.  If his fire gets lit, the Yankees can be scary good.
• Jorge Posada proved a point last night, it just wasn't his.  Posada will start Game 2 on the bench because Joe Girardi prefers Jose Molina to catch A.J. Burnett, who needs a little more TLC on the mound than say Andy Pettitte.  "I just hope we win that game.  That's all I've got to say," said a defiant Posada.  He then went out in Game 1 and had two passballs on miscommunications with CC Sabathia and cost the team a run by lazily chasing after a loose ball instead of hustling.  He should just be happy his teammates were there to win THAT game.
• Braylon Edwards makes the Jets scarier, but maybe not better.  He is a me-first type on a team that has tremendous chemistry.  Plus, he always buckles under the pressure.  He led the league in drops last season, which has been a problem dating back to his Michigan days.  I'll never forget Edwards stone-dropping a perfectly placed bomb on the first drive of the Rose Bowl against USC.  The Wolverines were never heard from again in that game.
• So, let me get this straight.  The Jets get tampering charges filed against them because Deion Sanders mettled in the Michael Crabtree situation.  Oklahoma St. WR Dez Bryant is ruled ineligible for the season because of Deion Sanders.  Why is no one killing "Primetime" about all this?  He's the king of bad advice.  Remember when he took "Pac Man" Jones under his wing, that worked like a charm.  The man is a fraud, worse than A-Rod even.  I cannot be the only one who has noticed.
• This week in sports patriotism: The President's Cup begins today.  The Ryder Cup's ugly step-child is still more fun to watch than most PGA tournaments, but it does not draw the red, white and blue fervor that beating the Europeans does.
• And, the U.S. Soccer team will look to seal their bid to next Summer's World Cup by getting a result against Honduras this weekend.  Of course, we won't be able to see it because the rights-holding television network (ESPN) passed.  God bless America!
• "The Ruins", "Modern Family", "Glee" and "Top Chef" make Wednesdays the new Thursdays in the Moore household.   Although, Thursdays are pretty stacked too. 

Last night, I broke down all the division series match-ups with my Red Sox buddy, Robbie Ellison.  Plenty of previews, predictions and podcastic podcasting to fill your hours before and between games today.

CHECK IT OUT!!!!! NOW!!!!!!

Note: I solved all my audio issues, so it sounds clean and clear.

Starting Pitching

The Rockies will be without 16-game winner Jorge De La Rosa, which sounds like a crushing blow.  However, for a young team, they have a lot of experience.  Ubaldo Jimenez was their closer in 2007 (CORRECTION: Manny Corpas was the closer, Jimenez was a starter back then too.) when they made it to the World Series, now he'll start Game 1.  Jason Marquis never misses the playoffs (10 straight years) , while Jason Hammel and Aaron Cook have been around.  They have experience, but they're short on talent.

The Phillies made the best midseason trade of any team to snare Game 1 starter Cliff Lee.  Philly's problem is Cole Hamels.  In order to defend their title, Hamels needs to return to 2008 form.  Joe Blanton is a solid Game 3 choice and Pedro Martinez would be fun to see in Game 4.

Advantage - Philadelphia

Bullpen

Brad Lidge is an abject disaster (0-8 with a 7.21 ERA).  If he gets the ball for the 9th, Charlie Manuel must be taking hallucinogens in the dugout.  Ryan Madson is wonderful...in the 8th inning.  He does not pass the sphincter test for the 9th.  So, where do you go?  Rookie J.A. Happ has to be the solution.  He was great as a starter this season, but he needs to pull an Adam Wainwright circa 2006 for the Phils to repeat.

Huston Street saved their season when he grabbed the closer role, but he had some health issues down the stretch.  Rafael Betancourt has experience and Franklin Morales has a good arm.  It's not great. but it's not bad.

Advantage - Colorado

Lineup

The Rockies are a good NL lineup; the Phillies are a good AL lineup.  In two hitters' parks, we could see a lot of runs scored in this series.  You know the Phillies names because they've all won MVPs or get publicity like Chase Utley.  As for Colorado, Troy Tulowitzki flipped the switch in the middle of the season.  Todd Helton is still swinging the stick at a .325 clip and Brad Hawpe is always underrated.  If the Rockies make another run, watch out for Ian Stewart, who could be 2009's B.J. Upton.

Advantage - Philadelphia

Manager

Jim Tracy is riding high with his NL Manager of the Year savior job, while Manuel has the confidence of a skipper with a ring.  Tracy's big decisions will come before the game, laying out his starting rotation.  Manuel will have to finesse his bullpen during the game. 

Advantage - Philadelphia

Intangibles

The Rockies are the only hot team in the National League.  The Phillies and Cardinals coasted home and the Dodgers gagged September.  The Phillies have championship experience, but no one has repeated since the 2000 Yankees.  The last decade of Octobers has proven that hot wins over "good on paper", so watch out for the Rockies.

Advantage - Colorado

Prediction

Colorado Rockies in 4

Made it to the movies last night, first time in a while:

• I saw The Informant! and I liked it, but it left me confused.  **Spoiler Alert**  Did he steal more money than the $9 million they actually found?  The movie insinuates that, but wikipedia did not confirm.  And what kind of company is Cypress, Inc., at which he is now the CEO?  Still need some answers, but crazy story.
• Another strange thing, Steven Soderbergh cast comedians in nearly every role, but did not ask them to be funny.  Joel McHale, Patton Oswalt, "Buster" from "Arrested Development" were all in serious roles, but still made me smile because they're naturally funny.
• I started to well up 5-10 seconds into The Blind Side preview.  For those that don't know, it's the story of Ravens OT Michael Oher, who was drafted in the 1st Round this year and is having a great rookie season.  That's the happy ending.  The amazing story is that he was homeless until his teenage years when a rich family plucked him off the street and gave him a chance.  Michael Lewis (MoneyBall) wrote the book.
• On to sports, "The Ruins" was magical last night.  My wife hates Wes and I understand that.  He is an uber-douche, but he's a good villain.  As for Tonya, she believes she just became crazy in the last year.  That scares me.  I hope she is heavily medicated.
• I'm shocked, totally rocked, shocked, that Carl Pavano could not deliver the clutch performance the Twins needed yesterday.  The "New Britain Nightmare" is known for his steel and inner-toughness.
• Our field is set (almost) for October/November madness.  I'll do full previews next week, but here are my questions for each contender.
• Philadelphia Phillies: Can you win without a closer?  They attributed so much of last year's success to Brad Lidge, who is now as bad as he was good last year.  Ryan Madson does not seem to have the stomach for it and it's awfully late in the season for auditions.
• St. Louis Cardinals: Can you protect Albert Pujols?  Matt Holliday has done the job since coming over from Oakland, but he'll have to prove himself all over again in the playoffs.   After Holliday, it's strikeout-machine Rick Ankiel and other assorted underwhelming bats.  No concious manager will let Pujols dominate a series.
• Los Angeles Dodgers: Is Randy Wolf the best you got?  To my understanding, Wolf will be matching up with Cliff Lee or Chris Carpenter.  Then, the Dodgers will turn to Clayton Kershaw and Hiroki Kuroda.  Where have you gone Chad Billingsley?
• Colorado Rockies: Can you stay hot?  Two years ago, they rode a hot streak all the way to the World Series.  However, they'll be able to rest their regulars this week unlike 2007 when they needed a one-game playoff to make the dance.  They better heat back up in a hurry because they don't match-up on paper with Philly or St. Louis.
• New York Yankees: Which A.J. Burnett will show up?  CC Sabathia is a horse and Andy Pettitte has seen and done everything in the playoffs, but Burnett has never pitched a postseason game.  Plus, he's one of the most erratic regular season pitchers in baseball.  The Yankees will need at least one big performance from Burnett to win #27.
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Can you overcome the Red Sox?  The Angels have let the Red Sox camp out in their heads.  Every game at Fenway Park is a budding disaster.  Without a closer, Mike Scioscia will have to sweat for all 27 outs against a team that never quits late in games.  Anaheim is better than Boston, no doubt about it, but do they have the guts to finish?
• Detroit Tigers:  Can Justin Verlander be the man?  He MUST beat CC Sabathia in Game 1.  Sabathia has not lost a game in two months, but Verlander must heap the pressure on the Yankees by chopping down their ace.  If he does that and then looms again in Game 4, the Tigers could pull off the biggest upset.
• Boston Red Sox:  Can they play in top gear for a month?  For stretches of the season, the Red Sox have looked like the best team in baseball.  At other times, they struggled to distinguish themselves from the Texas Rangers.  They backed into the playoffs and none of their starting pitchers are on form.  Truly, nothing is going well for Boston right now, but they have champions on this team and champions find a way to turn it on when the playoffs start.  They better figure it out in a hurry because beating the Angels and Yankees in back-to-back series is tougher than anything they've had to do since 2004.

Two sad stories and some assorted other notes:

• Stafon Johnson's USC football career is likely over.  The Senior running back had his larynx crushed during a weight-lifting accident and spent the night in the ER undergoing serious surgery.  This much you already knew.
• Johnson's final game stats read like this: 5 carries, 16 yards and 1 TD.  In the last three years, USC has gone to tailback by community.  They've split carries among 3-7 backs per game.  The only reason it worked was Stafon Johnson.  He should have been the undisputed starter, but he gave up personal stats to let the coaches stroke his teammates egos during games like Saturday's blowout of Washington St..  Allan Bradford complained, C.J. Gable whined and others transferred.  After a tumultuous Freshman season, Johnson never said a word.  There will be many reports about the prognosis of Johnson and his football future, but I promise you that if he wants to, Stafon Johnson will tote the rock again.
• Now, the whiners get their opportunity to shine.  Let's see if they run to honor their injured teammate or run for themselves.
• This story has been dormant for a while, but the Angels had an unbelievable season.  Nick Adenhart died way back in April.  At the time, the Angels entire rotation was hurt and Adenhart was being looked at as the savior.  As it turns out, he was.  Anaheim rallied around their fallen teammate and last night, they celebrated with his memory.  
• Obviously, Mike Scioscia is the AL Manager of the Year.  As of now, Jim Tracy is the easy choice in the NL for his resurrection job with the Rockies.  However, Bobby Cox could steal everything if the Braves pull off a miracle and catch the Rocks this week.
• Today's doubleheader could be decisive for the Twins and Tigers.  Detroit is throwing out their best two pitchers, Rick Porcello and Justin Verlander.  If they don't get it done, the Twins will have momentum and some easy pickings on which to feast.
• The World Series is being played October 28th through November 5th.  Here's a list of cities that could embarrass Bud Selig's scheduling: New York, Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia and Colorado.  Basically, the commish is rooting for a "Freeway Series" between the Dodgers and Angels.
• The Yankees will only need three starters for the ALDS.  So, the Game 2 hurler starts Game 5 if necessary.  I would rather have A.J. Burnett as the Game 2 starter, but Andy Pettitte in a decisive Game 5.  I know what Joe Torre would do, but this is the first big postseason decision of Joe Girardi's career.
• Yes, the high-payroll teams dominated this season.  But it's one season.  Tampa Bay and Colorado made the World Series each of the last two years.  Why do we insist on overreacting to the now without seeing the greater context?
• Jake Delhomme should play every game on Monday Night Football.  Jaws and Gruden are the only two apologists he has left on this planet. 
• The Cowboys are a one-dimensional offensive team that refuses to admit it.  If they realize that their only strength is power-run, they'll sneak into the playoffs.  If they continue to force an erratic QB to throw to below-average receivers behind a slow offensive line, they'll be coached by Mike Shanahan next year.
• The MNF booth talked incessantly about the Cowboys inability to replace Terrell Owens, but none of the three mentioned that he did not even have a catch Sunday.  The Cowboys receivers did a damn good impression of T.O..
• I cannot believe Jim Zorn still has his job today.  Daniel Snyder has gone soft on us.  I wouldn't fire him, but then again, I wouldn't have hired him, traded all my draft picks and banked the future on Jason Campbell, who was not even really good in college.
• By the way, JaMarcus Russell was not that good in college either.  Note to NFL GMs: Take a vacation during the Combine and watch more Saturday football.
• After thorough research, I have found that the country is again united against one enemy...the chick who played Ashley on "Entourage."  I believe we have vanquished her.  Now, she'll have time to grow in to an adult's body and haunt us again in the future. 

Trying to figure out if people don't like Lane Kiffin or like to say they don't like him...

• He's nothing if not entertaining.  "I don't know. I guess we'll wait and after we're not excited about a performance, we'll tell you everybody was sick."  Is it just me or is the world a better place with Kiffin trying to get under Urban Meyer's skin?
• For all those getting excited, Cal is not a National Title contender.  They are a January 1st Rose Bowl contender not a January 7th Pasadena team.  They beat the Minnesota Gophers this week on the road not the Minnesota Vikings.  Take it easy.
• However, Jahvid Best would be a legitimate Heisman contender if not for playing west of the Rockies at a school other than USC.  He will get a token invite to New York at this pace though.
• I tweeted this yesterday, but just to retweet myself, USC has scored zero 3rd quarter points in each of the last two games.  Once upon a time, they were the best second half team in college football thanks to their knack for halftime adjustments. 
• Like Kobe and LeBron, you want the Manning brothers taking the last shot.  The Colts still seem ripe for a fall, but Peyton makes the playoffs.  Always has, always will, as long as he's healthy.
• How many people watching the Patriots game said, "Who is J. Edelman?" and then picked him up moments later for their fantasy team.  Come on now!  Raise those hands high!
• The closest race in baseball will end up being for the AL East, where the Red Sox are making a late charge at the Yankees.  However, neither manager will resort to desperate measures knowing the Wild Card is there to fall back on.  Some see that as the negative of the Wild Card, but don't forget their ALCS holy war would've been impossible in 1993.
• The Giants are four back of the Rockies with zero games left against them...toast. 
• The Twins are 2.5 behind the Tigers, despite losing Justin Morneau for the season.  At some point, Detroit will wake up and put the division to bed, but they never should've gotten here in the first place.
• I'm waiting to be convinced that the Yankees can beat the Angels in a playoff series.  I know they're better than Anaheim, but they sure don't play like it when the two teams match-up.
• The Arizona Diamondbacks came into the season hoping for breakout seasons from their young position players and they got 'em.  Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds have been spectacular.  Yet, the D'Backs are 65-86 and somehow behind the poverty-stricken Padres in the standings.  Not a good sign.
• The Nationals have 98 losses, which is three more than the highest win total (Yankees 95 wins).  What's their excuse?  They are a big market team in a brand dew ballpark. 
• One of the great goals in my life was achieved yesterday.  My wife and I received a shamrock at our local bar, Tom Bergin's.  As a history lesson, Bergin's has been around since WWII and our name will stick beside former regulars like Cary Grant and Bing Crosby.   Also, the horseshoe bar inspired the set of "Cheers".